[ale] Power Meter (Was: Re: [ale] About that firewall machine [Was]Re: [ale] unidentified processes)

[jeff hubbs]

tew at wiencko.com wrote:

> Split a spare power cord down the middle of the insulation (leaving both
> conductors still insulated) and a clamp on ammeter works just fine.
> 
> Anything that "just measures power directly" will also have to have access to
> one of the conductors.  You can spend a whole lot of money doing this, or
> you can get really close with some cheap tools and a little dexterity with
> a power cord or cheap power strip you don't mind taking apart.

I guess it depends on how much of this you plan to be doing.  I was 
doing it a lot, in which case the hassle of dealing with ammeter probes, 
etc. was simply not worth the use of "just getting by" stuff.

An intermediate path forward might be to put together an enclosure with 
a three-prong power cord, a power socket, and some banana jacks so as to 
give you easy multimeter access to both across and in-line with the 
power conductors.  You'll have to live wih some inaccuracy induced by no 
allowance for power factor, but there you go.

- Jeff


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