electric meter

[Rick Stanley]

One of the circuits from my main breaker box in my house is the power supply to a chicken house. It's 10/2 romex on a 30amp breaker. It's primarily a lighting circuit for the building but also used for heat lamps to brood baby chicks.

Is there some kind of readily available, not real expensive meter that I could splice into that circuit to get monthly power usage?

Thank You!!

 

[pybyr]

Lowest cost might be a "kill-a-watt" meter (Google it) but it's intended to be plugged in between a receptacle and a cord, and I am not aware of a model that would handle 30 amps.

Next simplest (not sure exactly how you'd define "not real expensive") would be to get a used/ checked and reconditioned utility type meter and socket and connect them into your feed to the other building;

You might be able to get a used socket (or who knows, even a retired meter) from a local utility or electrical contractor- but that'd depend a lot on the luck of the draw

lowest costs I found quickly are:

http://www.altestore.com/store/Mete...lar-KWHR-Meter-240V-100A-EZ-Read-Meter/p3918/

http://www.altestore.com/store/Mete...eters/Round-Kilowatt-Hour-Meter-Socket/p4228/

 

[Highbeam]

Buy a meter base and meter as though you are setting up a mobile home or a temporary power pole as used for house construction. Won't be real cheap and buying used is a great idea. I bet there are lots of contractors that aren't using there temporary power bases right now. Finding a meter will be a little tougher as the utility usually owns them.

30 amps is the right load for that wire and is too much for the current kill-a-watts. You can measure the amps with a clamp on ammeter for a given load and then assume how often that load will be seen.

 

[velvetfoot]

The TED 1001 really is not bad. The communication is a little flakey, but I've got mine working okay.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/39847/
I got a new one on ebay for $89.

 

[Rick Stanley]

Just bought a meter and meter socket online at the alternative energy store for 60 bucks. I had no idea they were that reasonable. Didn't even know you could buy a meter like the power companies use.

Thanks, you guys.

 

[fbelec]

don't know if your meter came with directions. so if it didn't don't hookup the white wire to the meter. if it's like the power companys meter the white should go straight thru and the black will go thru the meter.

 

[Rick Stanley]

oh yeah, that's right. It's only one leg. I might have realized that when it came to hooking it up, but probably not Thanks!!

It hasn't arrived yet. The pics on the site show a typical easy read meter and socket. We'll see.