Recommended simple Amp Meter ?

[russ_fae_fyvie]

As I have given up waiting for my sparky to appear, I am looking for advice.

All I want to do is fit a simple Amp Meter between the Wind Turbine input and the Charge Controller to see what the Turbine is actually producing.

For a non electrical person, which one would you experienced guys recommend that I could easily fit ?

thanks

[billi]

Perhaps just a DC Clamp Meter  , hat you can clamp  around the cable  , but use it as well for other measurements , very handy to have


http://uk.farnell.com/tenma/72-7224/clamp-meter-with-frequency/dp/1283640


Billi

[russ_fae_fyvie]

Hi billi

I actually have one of those, also one of those cheap wireless ones that has a readout in the house but I don't think it is particularly accurate.

What I would like to do is have a meter in the shed where the batteries, SI and Turbine Charge Controller are so I can see what the Turbine is producing alongside the Inverter. It would also allow me to see when there is a lull in the wind if we have any of that nasty stuff again so that I can apply the loads to turn the input off.

I expect it is simple enough to take the wires in one end of a meter and out of the other end, but being a reluctant sparky I would like a hint as to an easy one to fit (digital or analog) for a novice like wot I am !!!

[fred bloggs]

Hi

I have got several analogue meters and simple shunts, tell me what current range (max amps dc/max volts ) you want to measure on your systemand I'll see whats in the shed!

I can stick it all in a simple box so it will have just 2 connections.

Best Regards

Fred

[Baz]

The worrying thing is adding more connections in line that might come loose or a meter shunt that might burn out leaving your generator off load. Also don't take the reading as gospel as I expect it is rectified unsmoothed 3 phase.
Do you understand about ammeter shunts and how they work by measuring a small voltage across a low voltage resistor (shunt)?
You effectively have a low value resistor in circuit already namely one of the wires from the turbine to the house. Assuming you already have a junction box at the bottom of the mast and another in the house you can take a thin wire from each of these two points and measure the voltage between them which is what is being used to drive the current down the main wire. These wires can be as thin as you like eg phone cable because they don't carry any current. Does this make sense?

[camillitech]

Hi Russ,

not what you asked for I know, but why not install a wireless weather station, that would actually give you the wind speed and lots of other data. Mine's been up two years and is still on it's original batteries,



only £85 and has provided me with hours of enjoyment 

Something like this one  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WH3080-Wireless-Weather-Station-Now-Solar-Power-/300553722092?pt=UK_Gadgets&hash=item45fa65d8ec

just a thought.

Good luck, Paul

[biff]

paul,
     that is a really good idea.its next on our shopping list and the one on ebay should do nicely.
                                                                                thanks.  biff

[russ_fae_fyvie]

Fred/Baz, you will have to excuse my ignorance in all things electrical, I assumed it was a simple matter of fitting the Meter in the lines from the Turbine ?




This is my Inverter room, the Sunny Island on the left and the Charge Controller and Switch for the Turbine next to it. There is a big fuse just under the switch that is taking the feed from the Turbine and taking it to the batteries, just under that a white clamp meter (on the red cable) which sends the reading to the unit in the house, but it was a Tesco jobbie that I am sure is not really accurate.

I thought if I fitted an Amp Meter where that clamp is it would give me a more accurate reading one also a history of whats been happening, using something like the Doc Wattson In Line Monitor, it would be better than what I have and would let me see exactly whats is happening to the output from the Turbine.



Paul, I do have a remote weather station but not as fantabidozi as yours !!

Think I may have to get one cos it looks cool alone !!

[marshman]

As I have given up waiting for my sparky to appear, I am looking for advice.

All I want to do is fit a simple Amp Meter between the Wind Turbine input and the Charge Controller to see what the Turbine is actually producing.

For a non electrical person, which one would you experienced guys recommend that I could easily fit ?

thanks

I installed a simple old school car ammeter in series with the +ve form the turbine. Mine is a Smiths 30 0 30 amp I had lying around which is ok for my set up. I have 2 Windmaster 500s and the max current is only ever 20A (roughly 1kW) but when it used to be off grid and charging batteries it often went off scale in high winds (1800W 'ish)

something like this would do:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/suzuki-amp-meter-ammeter-and-bracket-car-motorcycle-/330668245400?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item4cfd5d0198#ht_500wt_1288

I accept comments about shunt resistance and reliability but these were designed for use in cars where failure would result in loss of all electrical power - lethal at night - and I have never heard of them failing and I would say an in car environment would be much harsher than in a shed (more vibration etc.) Not overly accurate but depends what you want to achieve. Loss of load is not a disaster for the FE048 - well hasn't been so far for mine!

Roger

[camillitech]

Hi Russ, is that clamp meter not for AC  no wonder it's not accurate  I've got the one that Billi suggested and it's excellent and very accurate.

If you want to go down Marshman's route of a car one, PM me your address and I'll pop one in the post to you as I've one or two kicking about that need a good home 

I'd be interested to know of anyone's  experience with the Watson as I quite fancy one myself.

Good luck, Paul