The main tank, brimful with ideas. Enjoy them, discuss them, take them. - Of course, this is also the #1 place for new submissions!
By JRoberts54
#13872
I thought of this several years ago, but thought that it might be a little zany, so I kept it to myself until now, but after reading some of the other ideas on this site, I decided that I could get away with placing my idea here. To begin with, let me say that there is nothing that pulls my chain harder than a surprise bill from the electric company (the water company or the gas company either). Electric meters (along with other meters) are difficult to read and decipher. My idea is to invent an electronic caluculator that converts kilowatt hours into actual dollar amounts. This device could be a manual input device or one that is actually attached to the meter that instantly converts kilowatts used into the monthly dollar amount. This would permit the average person to see his bill and how much he is spending prior to the bills arrival, allowing the decrease of usage to lower the bill. A similar device could be invented for other types of meters or just one universal one that works for every type.

Reward: A free calculator and recognition for the idea.
By Freddie
#14003
This is a very good idea. We here in South Africa can do with a similar unit. I want to know what my sending is on water and on the electricity. Here they work on estimates. The meters are only read every third month and you then get cr for ver cahrge or debit for under charge. It is always a who oes who story. This could solve many problems.
By quasorpro
#14241
hi friends... i like the idea..i think now, only online calculators r available dat doesn't allow on cost management, right???let me try 2 work it out as my engineering project..it should it attemptable i think...plz post any ideas if u hav any...
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By Michael D. Grissom
#14245
There was a similar topic in CP years ago. In that thread there was a post about at least one existing device that was a combination of a common clamp-over AC current meter and a calculator. You type in your cost per kilowatt hour as shown on your electric bill and then clamp it over any wire on your breaker box. If you clamp it over the main breaker box cable you can watch the display to see how much money your entire house is consuming (on-the-fly). If you only clamp it to the cables going to your hot water heater, then take a shower, then remove it immediately after the hot water heater stops reheating the replacement water for what you used, then you can read exactly what it costs for your shower. Long hot showers is one of the most expensive things you can do with electricity.

This is really great for finding out which one of your roommates or family members is really running up the electric bill and how they are doing that. ;D
By quasorpro
#14272
i would like to work on a one in which there would be a cost calculator plus a trip meter for finding the usage in a particular time interval. it should be somewhat similar to a the one in a petrol bunker but tyhe problem would be that liquids can be easily measured. what would be the easiest way to measure the electricity usage?
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By swimmer
#14273
measuring electricity is really easy ...

there is already cheap devices that give you the current flow in a cable without touching it ( by measuring magnetic field around it , and alectron flux ) ...

you sinply need to add to it a programmable converter ...
By quasorpro
#14281
yup....digital clamp on ammeters n voltmeters r there, but there isn't an effective way to convert it into equivalent units for computation. Itz there that i need help.
By nphawat
#14332
As mentioned in previous post monitoring device or digital clamp meters are already present... but no conventional method for transforming those data into computationla ones.

But here it is wheter a single phase load or a tri phase, RMS energy, power quality , V, I, KVA, KW.... everything can be simply monitored interfaced to a computer generating graphs, tables, sounds alarms, sms you name it :)

and of course its not mentioned on the first page but i guess it can be easly connected to the master circuit breaker for cutting down any source of excess energy.... (i am pretty sure there is something ready to be mounted and used here... i just need some time to find it) - guess by searhing into the DOMOTIC or home automation industry you can find something.

go through the dowloadable PDF's, also you can download some interesting applications and demo examples.

http://www.wessexpower.co.uk/electrical.htm

hehe... i am pretty sure you will only be giving me credits (if any) because the systems itself is not at all cheap nevertheless mounting extra device to it :)
By quasorpro
#14338
actually, computer monitorin of electrical variables is easliy done is bein used in almost al the industries. It's part of Instrumentation n Control. But it would b large n clumsy. Wat i'm tellin is sumthin similar to our energymeters n of te same size. The additional add-on u meantioned is worth pursuin but the basic idea isn't goin anywhr so it'll hav to wait.
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