Steve's Power Toys

[Steve Spence]

Steve's Power Toys

Here are a few of my toys I use in our off grid home.

Starting with the NiMH battery Charger, it holds 4 AA or AAA NiMH
batteries, and charges from 120vac or 12vdc native. About $20 from
Walmart, and came with 4 AA NiMH batteries.

Next is my Kill-A-Watt, a 120vac, 15amp, monitor for volts, amps, watts,
hz, watt hours, power factor, etc. indispensable in an off grid home for
determining how much power an item uses and for how long it runs. $30
from J&R Music World.

The last item in the picture is my new Power Center, $99 from BJ's
Wholesale. It contains a battery, a 400 watt inverter, jumper cables,
air compressor, flashlight, two 12vdc power receptacles, and two 120vac
receptacles. Great for portable, emergency power, or, as we are using
it, as a temporary UPS to keep the satellite box from losing sync and
the clock radio/stereo from losing programming during
inverter/generator/inverter switching. We will plug a 20 watt PV panel
into it shortly, and give some real life run time/load numbers.

See more at http://www.off-grid.net

 

[George Ghio]

Steve's Power Toys

Here are a few of my toys I use in our off grid home.

Starting with the NiMH battery Charger, it holds 4 AA or AAA NiMH
batteries, and charges from 120vac or 12vdc native. About $20 from
Walmart, and came with 4 AA NiMH batteries.

Next is my Kill-A-Watt, a 120vac, 15amp, monitor for volts, amps, watts,
hz, watt hours, power factor, etc. indispensable in an off grid home for
determining how much power an item uses and for how long it runs. $30
from J&R Music World.

The last item in the picture is my new Power Center, $99 from BJ's
Wholesale. It contains a battery, a 400 watt inverter, jumper cables,
air compressor, flashlight, two 12vdc power receptacles, and two 120vac
receptacles. Great for portable, emergency power, or, as we are using
it, as a temporary UPS to keep the satellite box from losing sync and
the clock radio/stereo from losing programming during
inverter/generator/inverter switching. We will plug a 20 watt PV panel
into it shortly, and give some real life run time/load numbers.

See more at http://www.off-grid.net

Well you got the title right, Toys

 

[Steve Spence]

Still not learning, are you george?

1. battery charger - you advocate buying non-rechargeable so the
landfill has more trash? Might ungreen of a "solar consultant" if I may
say so.

2. Kill-A-Watt - A common tool used by real solar consultants to show
end users how much enrgy their equipment consumes.

3. Jump start pack - Nice jump starter, air compressor, and portable
ac/dc power pack. Handy thing to have around when a tire is flat, the
battery is dead, or I need to use my handheld drill outside the house.

"Toys" are useful, hence my reason for having them. You aren't, so I
don't. I hope some day you'll grow up to be a real solar consultant, not
just a net troll.



Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust
http://www.green-trust.org

 

[George Ghio]

Still not learning, are you george?

1. battery charger - you advocate buying non-rechargeable so the
landfill has more trash? Might ungreen of a "solar consultant" if I may
say so.

Where do your "re-chargeables" end up at the end of their life. I use
small regulated power supplies.

2. Kill-A-Watt - A common tool used by real solar consultants to show
end users how much enrgy their equipment consumes.

Must work really well. Maybe almost as well as my clamp meter.

3. Jump start pack - Nice jump starter, air compressor, and portable
ac/dc power pack. Handy thing to have around when a tire is flat, the
battery is dead, or I need to use my handheld drill outside the house.

Funny thing. My compressor (12V) works just fine. As does my maines
powered one. If I need a drill outside I can 1) plug it into the house
system(12V) 2) plug it into the car, truck or tractor electrical
systems. 3) Flat battery, just plug it into the system, no worries.

"Toys" are useful, hence my reason for having them. You aren't, so I
don't. I hope some day you'll grow up to be a real solar consultant, not
just a net troll.

The thing is that YOU called them toys. This shows your mind set. You
bought them to play with and impress people.

I buy tools.

 

[David Dillion]

George what is the URL for your "I hate Steve Spence" website?

Do you pass constructive meaningful comment?

What is the URL for your website?


daviddillion at postmaster co uk

 

[George Ghio]

Don't hate Steve at all. He just comes out with some silly statements at
times.

"Toys" is a good example.

His NiMH battery charger. $20 + batteries. He has 12V right there, said
so himself. For around $5 he could have a regulated power supply.

Kill-a-watt meter. Nice if you want to whip it out at parties so you can
say "Hey have a look at this, you won't believe what it will do.

But if you want to know how much the field on your 12 V alt is pulling
or what the inverter is pulling right now... Well.

Now DJ knows the value of tools and applies them.

And the power center, jeez I had all that stuff years ago. All as
discreet units. He bought it because he can't help himself, loves
gadgets. Does six things, none of them well. But he gets a buzz showing
off his toys.

So the title was a good choice

 

[[email protected]]

Must work really well. Maybe almost as well as my clamp meter.

You can't measure power with a "clamp meter," George.

(Unless you measure resistors in amps, and so on

Nick

 

[wmbjk]

I hope some day you'll grow up to be a real solar consultant, not
just a net troll.

The dividing line between a 400W inverter being a "toy", or being a
critical part of a custom home's "system", is apparently so fine that
one must be a "solar power consultant" to see it.

Wayne

 

[wmbjk]

Must work really well. Maybe almost as well as my clamp meter.

When a device like a Kill-a-Watt meter is needed (for appliances whose
load changes over time, such as clothes washers, dish washers,
computers, etc.), a clamp meter is a tedious and highly ineffective
substitute. Making such a substitution is pointless anyway when the
proper tool costs so little. Not to mention the embarrassment of
getting caught pretending to be a professional for not only doing
without such a basic tool, but scoffing at others for having one.

Wayne

 

[wmbjk]

Now DJ knows the value of tools and applies them.

Yes, which is why he bought a case of Kill-a-Watts, and makes
effective use of them. He disagreed with your whole "toy" line of
reasoning, so what was your point again?

Wayne

 

[daestrom]

You can't measure power with a "clamp meter," George.

(Unless you measure resistors in amps, and so on

Not true Nick. Some clamp-on ammeters come with two leads as well as the
clamping ring. You clamp the ring around one line, and attach the two leads
across the line for a voltage reading. Twist the selector knob and voila!,
a scale that shows watts based on the current sensed in the clamp, and the
voltage applied across the leads.

Great if you have exposed wiring, but the Kill-A-Watt is much easier for
plug-in appliances and such. Also provides a lot more information (includes
timer, kwh, freq. and more...)

daestrom

 

[Steve Spence]

Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust
http://www.green-trust.org

Don't hate Steve at all. He just comes out with some silly statements at
times.

Not oo often, but it happens. This wasn't one of those times.

"Toys" is a good example.

His NiMH battery charger. $20 + batteries. He has 12V right there, said
so himself. For around $5 he could have a regulated power supply.

That regulated power supply won't work real conveniently with my digital
camera, or my son's xmods.

Kill-a-watt meter. Nice if you want to whip it out at parties so you can
say "Hey have a look at this, you won't believe what it will do.

Do you have a clue how useful this tool is? When a customer wants to
know how much a microwave draws, and how often they use it in a week,
what would you use? I bet you guess .....

But if you want to know how much the field on your 12 V alt is pulling
or what the inverter is pulling right now... Well.

I have a digital multimeter for that. This is for testing 120vac loads
over time, and the frequency setting is nice for tuning the governor on
the generator.

Now DJ knows the value of tools and applies them.

And the power center, jeez I had all that stuff years ago. All as
discreet units. He bought it because he can't help himself, loves
gadgets. Does six things, none of them well. But he gets a buzz showing
off his toys.

Having it all in one box is convenient for the uses I need it for.

So the title was a good choice

Toys are still useful. I have a friend who is a contractor. refers to
his tools as his "toys". Nothing toylike about a $300 router, but it's
his "toy".

 

[daestrom]

Where do your "re-chargeables" end up at the end of their life. I use
small regulated power supplies.

Must work really well. Maybe almost as well as my clamp meter.

Does you clamp meter include a timer so it can integrate the instantaneous
power over time and display the actual energy used in kwh??

daestrom

 

[Steve Spence]

Yep, throwing a little morningstar charge controller and a 75 watt
panel would be a really cool upgrade for that. Maybe strap the whole
thing to a 2-wheel dolly?

DJ

and an bigger battery, like the 115ah, 27 series deepcycle at walmart
for $53. Or maybe just build one from components ( I have one of those,
too) since you have the dolly for transport.

Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust
http://www.green-trust.org

 

[Steve Spence]

Does you clamp meter include a timer so it can integrate the instantaneous
power over time and display the actual energy used in kwh??

daestrom

ah, come on, you know he'll say yes, now that you've given him the
answer ....

That sounds like a nice "toy"!


Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust
http://www.green-trust.org

 

[Steve Spence]

I don't see a problem using 2 KAW's, as long as the load isn't more than
15 amps per leg. Using the transformer idea would work as well if the
load was less than 7amp. Just have to do some math with the readings.

Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust
http://www.green-trust.org

 

[wmbjk]

Do you have a clue how useful this tool is?

Not anymore apparently, but check the archives... about a year ago we
had this same discussion about the usefulness and affordability of
Kill-a-Watt, Wattsup, etc. George started out arguing that his
breakout box method was just as good, but changed his tune eventually.
How did he forget so quickly? My guess is that tiny marsupials sneak
into his room each night and steal portions of his mind. Perhaps
they're stocking the pieces to build a very tiny but scary DMV droid.


Wayne

 

[wmbjk]

Outside the
house, though, is trickier! Hunting and hiking, we got radios, GPSs,
stuff like that,

Oh oh, now you've done it. I bet we're going to get a lecture on how
it's preferable to communicate using a digideroo, and find direction
by checking which side of the kangaroo the moss is growing on.

Reminds me... I just saw the Garmin Geko on sale for $49.
http://www.techbargains.com/tellafriend2.cfm?news_id=38465

Wayne

 

[Gymy Bob]

Geeeez. You guys in the dark ages? What is wrong with a recording, clamp-on
wattmeter with a kWh register on it and maybe even WiFi or USB talk to your
PC? Some appliances are 240V and some do not have 15A recepticals to plug
this toy into. I have a kill-a-watt also but the uses are limited to small
appliances.

 

[Gymy Bob]

Here is a guy that only has "serious tools" at his disposal. He has never
"played" with his tools because he is professional. This is the kind of guy
that only knows what is in the manual and nothing more, assuming he has read
over half of some of them.

I wouldn't hire him. I want somebody knowledgeable, that has laid in bed at
night punching the buttons on his toys to see what they can do. I guess I
want a "hacker" and not a professional with a suit and tie on.