PC connected DMM - data logging

J

Jim

Guest
Looking for comments and suggestions for a DMM that can be connected
to a PC.. Initial project is to do some data logging of power demands
in the house, specifically monitoring power usage; how much at what
time etc, over a day, week and even a month. I'll be using a clamp-on
current transformer.

I know there are quite a few meters that do this now; what I'm
looking for is the ability to export the captured data into a
spreadsheet (so I can generate a graph), comments on the included
software that comes with the meter (and if anyone knows where I could
download a simulation of any software, that would be great), and
insight of what kind of sample rate I should use..

Thanks in advance.

Jim
 
If you contact Fluke, they have meters and software that is designed for
that type of work. They are infact one of the best meters on the market
today, and are the industry standard.

--

Greetings,

Jerry Greenberg GLG Technologies GLG
=========================================
WebPage http://www.zoom-one.com
Electronics http://www.zoom-one.com/electron.htm
=========================================


"Jim" <jafo2000@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:21c2caca.0311080421.639a195f@posting.google.com...
Looking for comments and suggestions for a DMM that can be connected
to a PC.. Initial project is to do some data logging of power demands
in the house, specifically monitoring power usage; how much at what
time etc, over a day, week and even a month. I'll be using a clamp-on
current transformer.

I know there are quite a few meters that do this now; what I'm
looking for is the ability to export the captured data into a
spreadsheet (so I can generate a graph), comments on the included
software that comes with the meter (and if anyone knows where I could
download a simulation of any software, that would be great), and
insight of what kind of sample rate I should use..

Thanks in advance.

Jim
 
"Jerry G." <jerryg50@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<boiq5a$g25$1@news.eusc.inter.net>...
If you contact Fluke, they have meters and software that is designed for
that type of work. They are infact one of the best meters on the market
today, and are the industry standard.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I like Fluke too.. in this situation I was budgeting <$100 for
this meter though; the Fluke 189 with software runs $489.. I've got a
fair amount of Fluke stuff; a Fluke 88, Fluke 8060 and 8024,
thermocouple module, pressure/vacuum module, IR temp module, and tons
of test leads.

Also have a couple of Sorenson DC power supplies, DCS150-7
(150vdv-7amp), a Valhalla Scientific 2301 wattmeter, and a Valhalla
Scientific 2100 as well as a bunch of other stuff.

http://www.elgar.com/products/Sorensen/dcsoverview.htm
http://www.valhallascientific.com/wattmeters-power-analyzers/watt-2100.shtml
http://www.valhallascientific.com/wattmeters-power-analyzers/watt-2300.shtml

If anyone might be interested in the power supplies or wattmeters,
I'd be interested in selling or trading.. if interested drop me a note
at trollboye at aol dot com.

Thanks for the response,

Jim








Greetings,

Jerry Greenberg GLG Technologies GLG
=========================================
WebPage http://www.zoom-one.com
Electronics http://www.zoom-one.com/electron.htm
=========================================


"Jim" <jafo2000@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:21c2caca.0311080421.639a195f@posting.google.com...
Looking for comments and suggestions for a DMM that can be connected
to a PC.. Initial project is to do some data logging of power demands
in the house, specifically monitoring power usage; how much at what
time etc, over a day, week and even a month. I'll be using a clamp-on
current transformer.

I know there are quite a few meters that do this now; what I'm
looking for is the ability to export the captured data into a
spreadsheet (so I can generate a graph), comments on the included
software that comes with the meter (and if anyone knows where I could
download a simulation of any software, that would be great), and
insight of what kind of sample rate I should use..

Thanks in advance.

Jim
Click to expand...
 
Jim wrote:
Looking for comments and suggestions for a DMM that can be connected
to a PC.. Initial project is to do some data logging of power demands
in the house, specifically monitoring power usage; how much at what
time etc, over a day, week and even a month. I'll be using a clamp-on
current transformer.

I know there are quite a few meters that do this now; what I'm
looking for is the ability to export the captured data into a
spreadsheet (so I can generate a graph), comments on the included
software that comes with the meter (and if anyone knows where I could
download a simulation of any software, that would be great), and
insight of what kind of sample rate I should use..

Thanks in advance.

Jim
Click to expand...
Radio Shack has a cheap dmm with RS232 interface.
You can make your own graphs with BASIC or any other language.
Or you can write the file in CSV format and import it into a
spreadsheet.

During the last energy crisis, I decided to measure consumption.
After screwing around with it for weeks, I reached some conclusions.

1)I really didn't care when or what, what I wanted was a lower electric
bill.
2)The biggest consumers are on/off devices. Water heater, clothes dryer
stove, air conditioner, etc. All you need is a timer. You can
calculate cost/hour for most devices without measuring a thing.
3)In the US, half the house is on one side of the power input.
really need two current sensors.
4)The best you can ever do is turn off all the stuff you don't
absolutely need. It really doesn't matter whether your computer uses
200W or 300W. If you turn it off it's zero...well almost zero. If you
need to use it, you have to turn it on. There really is no in between.

I made some beautiful graphs of water heater power consumption, but in
the end, the only thing that mattered was shorter showers. And I didn't
need the graphs to figger that out.

I did learn that my MP3 playing computer was costing me $2 a month to
run. I turned it off and bought a battery powered player and some
computer speakers. At $2/month, payback will be in a decade or so.

mike

--
Bunch of stuff For Sale and Wanted at the link below.
laptops and parts Test Equipment
Honda CB-125S
Color LCD overhead projector
Tek 2465 $800, ham radio, 30pS pulser
Tektronix Concept Books, spot welding head...
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Monitor/4710/
 
I did learn that my MP3 playing computer was costing me $2 a month to
run. I turned it off and bought a battery powered player and some
computer speakers. At $2/month, payback will be in a decade or so.
Click to expand...

What about the cost of batteries? If you use rechargeables there's the cost
of power to charge them, the initial purchase price of the batteries, and
replacement when they reach the end of their useful life. While more
convenient does it really work out cheaper than the computer? Figure also
that it's expected lifetime is probably less than a decade.
 
5 years ago I bought a Metex 3640D for $100.
It has Serial output and came with Windoze software.
I bought a (used)Fluke Current Clamp 10 years ago for $30,
one of these days I intend to hook them up to one of
my old Windoze PC's ($2 at an auction sale) and find
out how much power my deep freeze uses over a period
of time.

If you are interested in buying a Wattmeter, (utility company type)
www.herbach.com used to sell them for about $30

Ren
dona nobis pacem

Jim wrote:

"Jerry G." <jerryg50@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<boiq5a$g25$1@news.eusc.inter.net>...

If you contact Fluke, they have meters and software that is designed for
that type of work. They are infact one of the best meters on the market
today, and are the industry standard.



Yeah, I like Fluke too.. in this situation I was budgeting <$100 for
this meter though; the Fluke 189 with software runs $489.. I've got a
fair amount of Fluke stuff; a Fluke 88, Fluke 8060 and 8024,
thermocouple module, pressure/vacuum module, IR temp module, and tons
of test leads.

Also have a couple of Sorenson DC power supplies, DCS150-7
(150vdv-7amp), a Valhalla Scientific 2301 wattmeter, and a Valhalla
Scientific 2100 as well as a bunch of other stuff.

http://www.elgar.com/products/Sorensen/dcsoverview.htm
http://www.valhallascientific.com/wattmeters-power-analyzers/watt-2100.shtml
http://www.valhallascientific.com/wattmeters-power-analyzers/watt-2300.shtml

If anyone might be interested in the power supplies or wattmeters,
I'd be interested in selling or trading.. if interested drop me a note
at trollboye at aol dot com.

Thanks for the response,

Jim









Greetings,

Jerry Greenberg GLG Technologies GLG
=========================================
WebPage http://www.zoom-one.com
Electronics http://www.zoom-one.com/electron.htm
=========================================


"Jim" <jafo2000@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:21c2caca.0311080421.639a195f@posting.google.com...
Looking for comments and suggestions for a DMM that can be connected
to a PC.. Initial project is to do some data logging of power demands
in the house, specifically monitoring power usage; how much at what
time etc, over a day, week and even a month. I'll be using a clamp-on
current transformer.

I know there are quite a few meters that do this now; what I'm
looking for is the ability to export the captured data into a
spreadsheet (so I can generate a graph), comments on the included
software that comes with the meter (and if anyone knows where I could
download a simulation of any software, that would be great), and
insight of what kind of sample rate I should use..

Thanks in advance.

Jim
Click to expand...
 
Yeah, I like Fluke too.. in this situation I was budgeting <$100 for
this meter though; the Fluke 189 with software runs $489.. I've got a
fair amount of Fluke stuff; a Fluke 88, Fluke 8060 and 8024,
thermocouple module, pressure/vacuum module, IR temp module, and tons
of test leads.
Click to expand...
I don't know the original question, but my advice is to spend the money and get
the Fluke 189/FVF software. I have 3 Fluke 189s with the software and it's
downright amazing what you can do. You can monitor up to 8 different things
with 8 meters, bring all on a grid in real time to compare data to the 1/100th
of a second to see what did what before what.
Brings TV repair, which is a bunch of S**T a little fun on top of the bragging
rights of having state of the art equipment. I've been using 1970s meters long
enough, (thank God!!!)
Ron
 
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