How to monitor AC power usage?

[FlyFishn]

I am curious on more elaborate methods to monitor AC power usage. What are some of you using?

What I am trying to find is a panel style screen that will show W, A, V, and KWh but also have the ability to be resettable with a button interface. I would like to see peak amperage, wattage, and voltage also for a period of time (also resettable with a button interface).

My plan is to use the information with both single loads for seeing about the feasibility of running on a generator or finding what the power requirement to run would be to size a generator accordingly, as well as monitoring power usage from generators (what ever that may be - engine driven, solar, hydro - at any point in time - just an all-around monitor for power from any source).

I have some remote cabins and I am pretty sure I have the whole property covered with 2 generators for back up power, but I do not know if I can start my well pump yet. It is 110vAC and I don't know how much hp, wattage, or amps it is. My bigger generator is 2800 watts and I know it can't start my air compressor motor - it stalls the generator. So I am doubting it will get the well pump to run, but I don't know until I try. If it doesn't - the next question is what size generator would it take to get that to start and run? If we can get running water on alternative/back up power that would be amazing - we would finally have the ability to flush toilets and take a shower when commercial power goes down.

[JW]

You need a  Kill-A-Watt meter

https://www.google.com/search?q=Kil+a+WATT+METER&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS773US773&oq=Kil+a+WATT+METER&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.11096j1j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS773US773&q=Kil+a+WATT+METER&nfpr=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjh1IjRu6TjAhWUds0KHbYKC5wQvgUILigB&biw=1288&bih=887

dnix71

Plug your Kill-A-Watt meter into the freezer and watch the PF during startup. I bought a cheap upright freezer from Brandsmart years ago that damaged my desktop computer with the spikes it caused starting and stopping. I could actually hear the pops coming through the speakers of my computer when the compressor kicked off and on.  The power supply caps failed on the computer and I had to throw it away because it was an all-in-one G4 eMac. It turned out there were 2 versions of that compressor, one with start cap and one with a klixon on the start winding. The klixon was cheaper to make so that's why it was sold that way.

After adding a start cap I got the start surge down from 700 watts to 400 watts and upped the PF to about .45. It was about .19 without the cap. The cap from eBay cost me less than $20 including shipping.

forum-
https://www.fieldlines.com/index.php/topic,145058.msg983496/topicseen.htmL

[FlyFishn]

I have a Kill-A-Watt, actually. It is/was too light duty for what I used it for and it no longer works...  I want something that can handle bigger power - from single devices, but also to monitor the whole power draw off a generator or other source. That could be 50 amps or so on the high end, just guessing.

[MagnetJuice]

Take a look to see if any of these meters is useful to you:

https://www.mpja.com/Digital-Panel-Meters/products/52/

Also, why do you want the meter to be resettable?

Ed

[FlyFishn]

Apparently I am not allowed to post a link... The meter in the link you provided that is closest to what I am after is the  item number 32545 ME.

However, it does not appear to record peak values for current and voltage - just watt-hour usage for a period of time, and that is resettable.

I want a resettable meter so I can reset it to record different usage sessions. I guess I don't know what you are looking for in an explanation - I am not sure what would be hard to understand about it? The peak values, for example - if I am running on generator power for a day I want the ability to go back to the meter and see what the peak current draw was for that day/24 hour operating period. The current draw is going to fluctuate depending on what is on and what starts up during that period. Without sitting in front of the meter watching it every second how else are you going to know what the peak draw was if it doesn't record it? Then I want the ability to reset it to a clean slate so I can monitor a new session the same way.

[JW]

The reason for links thing is that is we get spam users, after you make 20 posts the restriction goes away.

 If you PM a user they can post it for you.

[MagnetJuice]

For the features that you are looking for is going to require more than a meter. You are going to need Data Loggers and recorders with software.

Here are some examples:

https://www.microdaq.com/data-loggers/voltage-current.php

Maybe someone else here is familiar with Data Loggers and can help you.

Ed

[OperaHouse]

I have one of those panel meters with donut hole sensing of current. I just put it in a box and ran a 120V AC line to it. It is easy to slip just one wire off a breaker and replace it. Far less trouble to just plug it into an outlet and I just double the watt reading for 240V. Exact numbers aren't necessary.

Just try to find a data logger cheap.  I just bought some temp loggers cheap. Find the same thing in voltage and it is ten times the price. It is exactly the same hardware. I'm going to try modifying one to accept voltage. Even just interval logging is useful.

[bigrockcandymountain]

A 5kw generator will start a 1/2 or 3/4 hp well pump at 240v.  I have run both.  Not sure but 120v would be harder to start i think. 

5kw was none too big.  It has to be warmed up or it would kill the engine. 

[FlyFishn]

The well pump in question is 110v, as to the hp, wattage, amperage - unknown, only the voltage is known. I could figure up what size circuit breaker it is on. That would at least give a max that it is not at or over, otherwise the circuit would not stay on, but I don't know what the actual power is that would be required to run it. If it is 10-15 amps that will take a sizable generator to get that to start up. I have a 20 gallon air compressor that neither of my generators right now power up, either. The honda inverter generator is the closest. It pulses the power until the overcurrent protection cuts in. The open frame generator just stalls - no circuit breaker popping or anything - just stalls. I presume the same thing will happen with the well pump.