Hello All!
I'd like to place an order for the Flukso device. I'm mighty interested to start running energy consumption stats oproperty ouscompromised not just bapartments,e I'm a stats geek but also to significantly reduce my footprint on our little roquestion: doringly called 'Earth' in this vast galaxy.
Just to precisely clarify for my own purposes AND for the future internet denizens looking to achieve the same:
1) the Flukso V2B unit will be fully functional for the use on the electrical grid of the USA (I'm in Chicago, to be specific), correct?
2) I own one property that has 3 separate circuit breaker boxes with 3 separate electrical meters, each corresponding to it's own breaker box. This property is comprised of 3 rental apartments, hence the 3 circuit breaker panels / electrical meters. My question: can I use 1 Flukso V2B unit for all 3 breaker panels? Possibly by installing the clamps "outside" of the 3 breaker boxes, and clamped at the point where the mains split off to the 3 breaker boxes? I wish to only have stats of electrical usage for the property as a whole, not necessarily per individual apartment unit.
3) all 3 circuit breaker panels are of the 250 Amp or less type, so the 250 Amp clamps would suffice? Would a 250 Amp clamp also work perfectly on a 100 Amp panel?
Any knowledge, suggestions or advice = greatly appreciated. I may pay in the form of 1 case of beer should anyone come up with a most crafty answer ;-)
Thanks!!
Send the beer to Oz and Ill answer then :)
What would be the max current for the circuits? I doubt 250 amps but recommended just in case.. Anyway yes an 250amp will read 100amps and less. (shown as watts volts x current)
You can go over 'ONE" of the wires, normally active (Red or Brown) on single phase. Doesnt really matter where you pick up the feed on each split as long as it is where the aggregate is.
Accuracy will be pretty close but I wouldn't charge out by the reading you get, only to estimate imo.
I would use a pulse meter on each to get more accuracy.
Baz
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!! Nice try Baz!
Hence I used "I may pay", I have too many lawyer friends...the things these dudes come up with in order to not be on either grill and/or beer duty is AMAZING.
How's traffic in Wonderland? Sales of brooms up? If you happen upon that stripey, effervescent cat, do me a favor and tell him to pay up the fiver he owes me from the other night!
Unless you mean Oz, as in The Land Wereth 'Strine Is Spoken....
Waaaait a second! It must be a total pain to read the output from your Flukso!! Since everything is upside-down and all.
Sorry, that was Clarkson coming through for a second there.
Key thing to understand about Americans: they like to go overzealous, overbearing & overkill on everything if given the opportunity. In this particular example I'm generalizing the term "Americans", as those who work in the department(s) responsible for certain codes & certifications pertaining to personal/private home construction.
When they mentioned I needed to upgrade to 250A panels I nearly fell off my seat. The property I'm referencing here is comprised of 3 (habitable) floors, in the neighborhood of 1600 - 2100 square feet per floor. I looked them in the eye for all of a split second and uttered: "HOLY S***, where on earth do you want me to stick all that power?!". Mind you, heating is with natural gas, the only thing with any considerable draw is the fan blowing hot air in winter (centralized HVAC) and compressor for cold air in summer.
I had a similar spat with the electrical company. This was a different property, just a single unit "studio" style apartment of a grand total of 790 square feet. Electrical bill came in, said I used 26.000kWh in 1 month. When I called up about it, it became really clear to me that I was talking to a Smurf. The person on the phone obviously was trained to say a number of lines to complaining customers. Same sorta line: "HOLY S***, where on earth do you think I can possibly stick that many kWh?! Are you completely insane?!". Truth is, I would have to fill 790 square feet with Soviet-era electrical ovens in order to consume that much. Turns out, the hook up where "my" meter sat was being pirated. Awesome.
Anyways, looks like I have more reading to do, I totally missed the pulse meter sensor earlier. Just clarify, I won't be using the unit to charge anyone for their electrical consumption. I will only use it just to monitor usage in total. A curiosity experiment if you will.
Instructions that definitively indicate what to do with what sensor seems to not really be listed on the website nor PDF. How would the pulse type work?
Sorry I got lost trying read on my head at the 2nd line .........
The Flukso have analogue inputs for current clamps (max 3 for type a) en also pulse inputs (2 to 4 depending the type a or b) for anything that produce pulses /unit (electricity, gas and water-sensors).
So a kWh meter produce a number of pulses per used Wh or Kwh.
Very common is 1000 pulses/Kwh, also 500 and 2000 are found.
Use not the variant that pruduce 800 or 1600 pulses, that give problems.
Excellent info I guys, thanks! I figure it might be helpful, for the newbie, to maybe have a sticky post that separates some stuff...so "what Flukso box do I need on country XYZ?" Etc.
Now, one thing I managed to completely not ado about:
What happens when one has grid-tied photovoltaic solar panels? I have already planned to install some panels on the roof to feed (in the neighborhood of 2 or 3 kWh maybe even more...) back into the electrical company's grid. Will the Flukso box understand what is going on here? Any special modifications required?
No problems with solar. You just put another clamp or pulse din on the solar output to the mains lead.