I was thinking i would like to build a power monitoring data logger.
the internet points to buying a CT clamp, and using that to get a signal from the incoming (240V AC) line to my house.
would you not get some voltage just buy coiling a couple of loops around the incoming line? if you were careful as to how many loops it was, it would be simple to keep it below 5V being produced by the coil? hall effect?
or have i totally misunderstood the physics? (hence the Absoloute beginners section!)
Found some current sensors
Found some current sensors cheap on fleabay! 100A upper limit should cover a domestic supply i guess? Ovens are 16A fused, so i would need to be running 7 ovens in order to overload it?
message recieved. The CT
message recieved. The CT clamps dont appear to have burden resistors in them, but i decided to buy one anyway if there is a safety issue involved (partly why i asked!)
found this page on how to interface the CT with the arduino.
http://openenergymonitor.org/emon/buildingblocks/ct-sensors-interface
now i just need to decide what to do with the data!
Think im going to go with a homebrew data monitor to try and reduce usage. Start off logging the data to an SD card, then maybe expend it to a VDU output of some sort, and maybe internet connectivity (home made, rather than off the shelf)
