Thanks Jim and Dan.
What I want to do is determine PF at hardwired 240 1 phase devices,
such as central air cond. compressor/condensor units. The
Kill-A-Watt is great for 110v devices. Is there any low-cost way to
do that?
I can get amps with a clamp-on, volts with a voltmeter. Is there any
way to determine watts without rewiring a wattmeter inline? If I
have to rewire, then I could use two kill-a-watts with leads and
clamps.
The Fluke would be nice, but the price is not justified for my needs.
Thanks again.
Understand that power factor is a value that is constantly changing
based on the types of loads that are present. Power factor can lead
or lag, and in the case of loads with motors or capacitance the
value is not a constant.
Yes, but there is an average value for a period of time.
In a balanced single phase circuit you could measure power factor
with a wattmeter, ammeter and voltmeter, if you have them. You
could do this as well in a three phase system as long as the loads
are balanced across the three phases.
My suggestion: Buy a kill-a-watt.
We have very sophisticated devices we use for testing and
commissioning of generators (as well as for troubleshooting) that
measure power factor among other values, but you're talking about
several thousand dollars for something like this:
http://www.tequipment.net/pdf/Fluke/435_datasheet.pdf
Dan
--- On Mon, 1/25/10, Dieselhead <126die...@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Dieselhead <126die...@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT: measuring Power Factor
To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Date: Monday, January 25, 2010, 9:55 AM
Can you put on an ampprobe (clamp-on)
to measure amps and measure
volts with a different meter (simultaneously) and use that
data to do
the calculation?
>>With all these fancy digital handheld meters out
there, is there a
>>clamp-on meter that will give you a power factor
while clamped on a
>>wire?
>
>No. You cannot measure power factor without
simultaneously
>measuring both instantaneous current and voltage.
No clamp-on
>measures any kind of voltage without a metallic
connection.
>The kill-a-watt is the only inexpensive tool I know of
that
>measures power factor.
>
>-- Jim
>
>
>
>_______________________________________
>http://www.okiebenz.com
>For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
>To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
>
>To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
>http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
_______________________________________
http://www.okiebenz.com
For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
_______________________________________
http://www.okiebenz.com
For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
_______________________________________
http://www.okiebenz.com
For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
