Re: (ET) kill-a-watt

["et jpjt net" <et jpjt net>]

Geez you guys, I don't want to be rude, but I think several somebodys are
not paying attention:

There Is No Double Ended Line Cord Here.

Read what the esteemed Mr Zach says: 
>Typical use of the OK4U was to put a plug on it and plug it into the
nearest
>wall. 

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but this implies that in this usage the
OK4U has a normal single ended line cord hard-wired to it, and is plugged
into the wall just like any other appliance.  Certainly there's no point in
putting an outlet (i.e. socket, to receive a line plug) on a grid-tie
inverter, since the thing only functions when it is connected to the
working grid.  So one way to connect it (the preferred way) is to hard wire
it to a junction box with a dedicated breaker at your panel; another (i.e.
guerilla solar) way is to just plug it in, with a Kill-a-watt measuring the
flow.

Anyway, the only point that wasn't clear to me at the beginning was whether
the Kill-a-watt had to be modified because the voltage drop it was
experiencing was reversed.  And from the various explanations I think we
can infer that it does not.  

Now my question is, why is the OK4U and its equivalent Trace MS100 no
longer available in the US?  Did the UL or utilities pressure it out of the
market?  Are there alternatives?

Joel

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Tim Humphrey hump evgrin com
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2006 7:33:55 -0700
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) kill-a-watt






Chris Wrote:

>David Roden wrote:
>> On 20 Dec 2006 at 13:09, Christopher Zach wrote:
>>
>>> he's using a grid-tie inverter.
>>
>> Yes, but unless I misunderstood the description, he's backfeeding the
>> Kill-a- watt meter.  Unless he modified the KaW, that would require a
>> double-male cable, no?  Or am I missing something here?

>Typical use of the OK4U was to put a plug on it and plug it into the
nearest
>wall. This would handle the NEC of the 90's, I think it was NEC
>02 that called for a dedicated breaker for all grid tie thingies.

>> I know some folks will dismiss this concern, but IMO it's not a great
>> idea to even have such a cable around the house. There's too much
>> chance of an accident.  Even an adult can grab it, thinking it's an
>> extension cord, and get a nasty surprise.  For a little tyke, it could 
>> be
>disfiguring or fatal.

>Since it can't generate power without the grid (ie plugged in) and drops
>power as soon as you unplug it it's about as safe as any appliance.


But Nellie's point was, the fact that a double ended cable exists lends
itself to disaster *ANYBODY* can take it and plug it into the a normal
outlet and end up with exposed live prongs.

I agree with David, I also agree with Chris. In Chris's scenario the cable
should be considered safe. BUT, remove the cable from that specific
environment and it now becomes very dangerous. There are, I do not know the
model number or name, cable ends that have a prong cover that moves away to
expose the prongs when inserted into an outlet. Those are the minimum I
would expect to see on such a cable (both ends). If anybody knows a source
for these I would appreciate it, I need some....

--
Stay Charged!
Hump
I-5, Blossvale NY




_______________________________________________
Elec-trak mailing list
Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo/elec-trak


--------------------------------------------------------------------
mail2web - Check your email from the web at
http://mail2web.com/ .