And this concludes one of the longest episodes in machine moving history....

[Susquatch]

I'm a curious cat. I hate a black box.

This I totally understand. TOTALLY!

I gather that you didn't see my energy monitor when you were here. It's an invisible sort of thing I guess.

My curiosity is insatiable. I spend waaaay to much money trying unsuccessfully to satisfy it.

@CWret recently bought a real time power meter specifically to understand and optimize his shop air filter. The man is loco. But I get it! I thought he was gunna do a thread on it for everyone's benefit. I hope he does. It's cool stuff.

Here is my shop RIGHT NOW at 4 am. I can simply login to my energy monitor and know what is using what.



These amp meters are located in my breaker box, but I also have a number of individual sensors that can measure individual devices that are accessed via the devices tab at the bottom left. Because they collect data, I can get cumulative and seasonal data.

I don't get power factor data, but I can get that when and if needed.

The little device that @CWret bought (ya, I later bought one too) is circuit specific - you plug it into an outlet and then plug the device into it, but it gives you instantaneous information.

https://a.co/d/085DJx8g

You probably know all this stuff to follow, but I'm posting anyway for the benefit of other curious George's like us.

For your application, I'd be inclined to make a special circuit using a very low resistance block to convert current into voltage for monitoring purposes.

Something like this

RIIEYOCA 100A 75mV Ammeter shunt，DC Current Shunt Resistor for Digital Ammeter Analog Meter : Amazon.ca: Automotive

RIIEYOCA 100A 75mV Ammeter shunt，DC Current Shunt Resistor for Digital Ammeter Analog Meter : Amazon.ca: Automotive

a.co

With such a device (or a small current coil), a small scope allows you to examine individual waveforms. A storage scope will let you assess transient (startup and shutdown) signals too.

 

[TorontoBuilder]

@CWret recently bought a real time power meter specifically to understand and optimize his shop air filter. The man is loco.

I've had several conversations with Craig about his shop filter.... he is not that crazy 😉

You probably know all this stuff to follow, but I'm posting anyway for the benefit of other curious George's like us.

Yeah, but I appreciate you sharing for others.


This is the system I installed in my friend Dave's shop to work out starting sequences and maximum concurrent machine operations.

Why you ask do we need that? He is going to install PV solar system and most solar inverters operate just like the inverters in a VFD, they han't handle inrush current well.

This home has a deep well pump, and a geothermal heat pump with a 5 1/2 ton compressor, and all the machines. I'm designing a system that does not use the typical Chinese inverters that are all running on high-frequency based IGBTs or MOSFETS but rather iron cored transformers to be able to absorb inrush currents for more than 1/2 second.

The equipment options are severely limited... or like Schneider, all commercial and too costly

 

[Susquatch]

Yeah, but I appreciate you sharing for others.

No problem.

Your power monitoring looks almost identical to mine. I assume it's an Emporia system too. Mine is currently configured for tax calculations. But it's easy to reconfigure.

I doubt it will handle stuff like In rush. Hence my resistor or cable coil and scope suggestion.

 

[architect]

Very helpful for me thanks both Susquatch and TorontoBuilder!

 

[TorontoBuilder]

Very helpful for me thanks both Susquatch and TorontoBuilder!

The power monitoring, or VFD discussion?

I'm debating starting a thread on VFDs... so I always have a resource to return to that I wont lose.

I find I forget many of the parameters after months on not using them.