Saving electricity

[Egon]

irwingj:

Why don't you start a separate thread on your system. There may be some here interested in the heat pump system you have in place.

Thanks.

 

[irvingj]

Egon- I had put in a few comments and some pics in a heat pump thread a while back, but I was somewhat embarassed- mine runs at about 3.25 COP, but apparently current models are running close to 5 with a scroll compressor and variable-speed fans! When this one finally decides to die....:rolleyes

Oh- and BTW, Egon, it's looking a lot like a trip "up" to NS this summer with my wife.... so we can try out our "new" cute little camper (T@B) (at least, that's MY plan!)

 

[scott_vt]

I heat my water twice a day, all year long. It has a manual override, so when I have company over and they take 30 minute showers I can turn the water heater on ...or off (depending on whether or not I care for the person).

Good Afternoon PA hayseed,
Thanks that was beautiful !!! When my boys, since grownup and moved out, took those marathon showers I did the same thing ! That brought back some fun memories !

 

[mjarrels]

Dang... reminds me of those old Navy showers aboard ships... get all soaped and shampoo'd up and the fresh water would be turned off!

mark

 

[Highbeam]

My house has a 240V KWH meter, and I suspect yours does also.

Exactly, that's why you can't use a kill-a-watt to measure the consumption. Anybody that owns a kill-a-watt will know that they are for plug in 15 amp max devices using 110 volts.

Of course you technically "measure" some pretty strange things with the kill-a-watt if you are willing to rewire the circuits and put fake plugs ion-line but that's not how the device was designed to be used.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Exactly, that's why you can't use a kill-a-watt to measure the consumption. Anybody that owns a kill-a-watt will know that they are for plug in 15 amp max devices using 110 volts.

Of course you technically "measure" some pretty strange things with the kill-a-watt if you are willing to rewire the circuits and put fake plugs ion-line but that's not how the device was designed to be used.

Highbeam, my mistake, I thought you was saying kilowatt meters don't work on 240V. I use the slang term "Kill A watt" all the time for kilowatt, so I misunderstood. I didn't realize there was actually a device called a Kill A watt, pretty good price for it.

 

[BobRip]

Highbeam, my mistake, I thought you was saying kilowatt meters don't work on 240V. I use the slang term "Kill A watt" all the time for kilowatt, so I misunderstood. I didn't realize there was actually a device called a Kill A watt, pretty good price for it.

It's really a great device because it will also measure frequency, voltage, amps, Voltamps, accumulated watt-hours and maybe more. I don't remember. It's really useful to monitor a generater just for the voltage and frequency function.

 

[Highbeam]

No problem Buckeye. I use the kill-a-watt mostly on my genset and for measuring running watts of refrigerators, block heaters, and other strange things that don't have good labels.

I only really have three devices that consume significant electricity in my home. A 220 volt hot tub, 220 volt water heater, and 220 volt clothes dryer. Those three things burn up over 1000 kWh per month. It kills me to not know which one is the culprit.

I have been able to read instantaneous consumption with a clamp on amp meter on one leg of the 220 power but the meter did not have a logger function.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I'm gonna order me a couple, under $20 each.

 

[RonMar]

No problem Buckeye. I use the kill-a-watt mostly on my genset and for measuring running watts of refrigerators, block heaters, and other strange things that don't have good labels.

I only really have three devices that consume significant electricity in my home. A 220 volt hot tub, 220 volt water heater, and 220 volt clothes dryer. Those three things burn up over 1000 kWh per month. It kills me to not know which one is the culprit.

I have been able to read instantaneous consumption with a clamp on amp meter on one leg of the 220 power but the meter did not have a logger function.

I have been meaning to cobble together an hour meter that runs off 240VAC so I can break out some of those loads/expenses from my monthly bill. IE: just how many hours does my hot water heater run each day/week/year... Basically a 240VAC transformer that outputs 24VAC, and a rectifyer to give me 12VDC to power the hour meter. This I would connect acoss say the heating element leads in the hot water heater. Whenever the heater runs, the hour meter would also. This with a clamp on reading would give a pretty good representation of overall consumption.