Maybe some on this list will enjoy this page which shows a home brew
for remotely reading your electric meter with a modified laser pointer and
inputting the readings into your computer:
http://www.seanadams.com/pge/
I got to this page from his previous page discussing the Power
Planner energy saver device:
http://chuck-wright.com/powerplanner.html
I had been sold some of these Power Planner devices some years ago and
wasn't sure if they were doing anything, and when the one on the fridge burnt
out, in a moment of frustration, I threw most of them out thinking that they
weren't doing anything.
Then I wondered why my electric usage went up about 20% or 25% the next
month (grrrr)... I couldn't believe it, but I got an energy measurement
device, there are several available:
http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/measure.html
http://www.vikrones.com/products/WATTX/Buy_WattX.htm
And I was doing some measurements of various appliances with and
without my Power Planner... (I missed some when I threw them out)
Disgustingly enough for me, the Power Planner may be saving about 20%
energy on one of my Venta air cleaners... It only saved about 2% on an Austin
air cleaner... (Dust is a problem where I live)...
I'm kicking myself in the butt for throwing most of my Power Planner
out... Or I don't know why my energy usage went up... This was also after we
had all those heavy rains and those seemed to cause some strange electrical
problems around my place.
Even if the Power Planner does reduce energy usage is that just because
the motors are running slower? Who knows?
Anyway, that electric meter reader project looks kind of cute... I
hadn't realized that you could get an accurate energy usage measurement just by
carefully observing and calculating the spin rate of the meter. It would be an
Ok way to measure motors that run all the time, but much harder to do with a
fridge which cycles on and off at unknown times.
Wayne Jr
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