AC Power meter

[eetechTom]

Greetings! Time to start my first topic on this forum.

I am looking to purchase 4 or 5 AC Power meters for an undergrad machines lab. The minimum requirements are 220v single phase, 20A maximum. A scale/display for voltage and watts are also minimum requirements. The existing experiment these are used in connects to a 5A CT. We only require single phase measurements currently but am thinking of ordering something with 3 phase capability in case it is needed in the future. I am hoping to stay under $500 each, and can add I/O connectors and enclosure myself if necessary. The instrument itself will be powered by 120 vac ideally.

P.S. Need to order from a US distributor.

I'm hoping to avoid solitcing quotes on instruments that are above budget so any general advice would be greatly appreciated.

[eetechTom]

I see MicroDAQ might have a solution with their Acuvim-I series. Under $300, investigating that as a start.
I have no experience with that company however..

[mjkuwp]

What else have you come across?

have you seen this site?

http://openenergymonitor.org/emon/

maybe it is not good for finding products but there may be other resources there.

Do you need logging of the data?  what is the purpose of monitoring power?


I am interested in this topic.  I made my own meter but if there was something relatively low cost I would just buy them. 

[eetechTom]

We do not need data logging at this time, but may someday. The power meters we use now were a home brew and are really showing their age (20+). This will be used in a lab that teaches how to use current and potential transformers for measurements and demonstrates the function of an isolation transformer.