Anyone know much about Cent a meters.

M

Mauried

Guest
http://www.centameter.com.au/products.htm

In particular, what their accuracy is at low power levels,less than 50
watts.
The tech specs on the units seem very vague about this.
Tnx
 
"Mauried"
http://www.centameter.com.au/products.htm

In particular, what their accuracy is at low power levels,less than 50
watts.
The tech specs on the units seem very vague about this.
Click to expand...

** The specs are damn vague about everything - and deliberately so.

Here is the user manual:

http://www.clipsal.com/trade/__data/page/81/W624.pdf


What is clear is that the device is NOT a power OR energy consumption
meter at all - as it only detects the line current and assumes the supply
is 240 volts.

There is no spec for accuracy below 1 amp current !!!!

The unit measures in VA and not power.

Wot a POS.




...... Phil
 
On Aug 26, 1:26 pm, "Phil Allison" <philalli...@tpg.com.au> wrote:
"Mauried"

http://www.centameter.com.au/products.htm

In particular, what their accuracy is at low power levels,less than 50
watts.
The tech specs on the units seem very vague about this.

** The specs are damn vague about everything - and deliberately so.

Here is the user manual:

http://www.clipsal.com/trade/__data/page/81/W624.pdf

What is clear is that the device is NOT a power OR energy consumption
meter at all - as it only detects the line current and assumes the supply
is 240 volts.

There is no spec for accuracy below 1 amp current !!!!

The unit measures in VA and not power.

Wot a POS.
Click to expand...
Wow, you're not wrong!
I heard this thing wasn't that greatest, but geeze...

Didn't this thing win on new inventors many years back? :->

Dave.
 
"David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:376a3783-1dab-47d3-b773-ed5fca548c8d@v16g2000prc.googlegroups.com...
On Aug 26, 1:26 pm, "Phil Allison" <philalli...@tpg.com.au> wrote:
"Mauried"

http://www.centameter.com.au/products.htm

In particular, what their accuracy is at low power levels,less than 50
watts.
The tech specs on the units seem very vague about this.

** The specs are damn vague about everything - and deliberately so.

Here is the user manual:

http://www.clipsal.com/trade/__data/page/81/W624.pdf

What is clear is that the device is NOT a power OR energy consumption
meter at all - as it only detects the line current and assumes the
supply
is 240 volts.

There is no spec for accuracy below 1 amp current !!!!

The unit measures in VA and not power.

Wot a POS.

Wow, you're not wrong!
I heard this thing wasn't that greatest, but geeze...

Didn't this thing win on new inventors many years back? :-
Click to expand...
**Just like that ridiculous LED streetlight last year. It seems that The
Inventors don't ask too many questions about the veracity of the claims.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au
 
I have been told that you need to replace the battery in the sensor nearly
once a month which is a complete pain.



"David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1ea1f43d-245e-4e0d-b6a4-92a805c7f59f@b38g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
On Aug 26, 5:04 pm, "Trevor Wilson"
trevor@_SPAMBLOCK_rageaudio.com.au> wrote:
"David L. Jones" <altz...@gmail.com> wrote in
messagenews:376a3783-1dab-47d3-b773-ed5fca548c8d@v16g2000prc.googlegroups.co
Click to expand...
m...
On Aug 26, 1:26 pm, "Phil Allison" <philalli...@tpg.com.au> wrote:
"Mauried"

http://www.centameter.com.au/products.htm

In particular, what their accuracy is at low power levels,less than
50
watts.
The tech specs on the units seem very vague about this.

** The specs are damn vague about everything - and deliberately so.

Here is the user manual:

http://www.clipsal.com/trade/__data/page/81/W624.pdf

What is clear is that the device is NOT a power OR energy
consumption
meter at all - as it only detects the line current and assumes the
supply
is 240 volts.

There is no spec for accuracy below 1 amp current !!!!

The unit measures in VA and not power.

Wot a POS.

Wow, you're not wrong!
I heard this thing wasn't that greatest, but geeze...

Didn't this thing win on new inventors many years back? :-

**Just like that ridiculous LED streetlight last year. It seems that The
Inventors don't ask too many questions about the veracity of the claims.

They have had some howlers. No one ever gets a hammering on the show.

The Protex safety device springs to mind, it was much discussed on
here at the time.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s1356442.htm

I liked that Dragon's Den inventors show much better, they weren't
afraid to stick it to'em if the product was shite.

Dave.
Click to expand...
 
On Aug 26, 5:04 pm, "Trevor Wilson"
<trevor@_SPAMBLOCK_rageaudio.com.au> wrote:
"David L. Jones" <altz...@gmail.com> wrote in messagenews:376a3783-1dab-47d3-b773-ed5fca548c8d@v16g2000prc.googlegroups.com...



On Aug 26, 1:26 pm, "Phil Allison" <philalli...@tpg.com.au> wrote:
"Mauried"

http://www.centameter.com.au/products.htm

In particular, what their accuracy is at low power levels,less than 50
watts.
The tech specs on the units seem very vague about this.

** The specs are damn vague about everything - and deliberately so.

Here is the user manual:

http://www.clipsal.com/trade/__data/page/81/W624.pdf

What is clear is that the device is NOT a power OR energy consumption
meter at all - as it only detects the line current and assumes the
supply
is 240 volts.

There is no spec for accuracy below 1 amp current !!!!

The unit measures in VA and not power.

Wot a POS.

Wow, you're not wrong!
I heard this thing wasn't that greatest, but geeze...

Didn't this thing win on new inventors many years back? :-

**Just like that ridiculous LED streetlight last year. It seems that The
Inventors don't ask too many questions about the veracity of the claims.
Click to expand...
They have had some howlers. No one ever gets a hammering on the show.

The Protex safety device springs to mind, it was much discussed on
here at the time.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s1356442.htm

I liked that Dragon's Den inventors show much better, they weren't
afraid to stick it to'em if the product was shite.

Dave.
 
On Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:36:46 +1000, "Bodgey" <ihate@spam.com> wrote:

I have been told that you need to replace the battery in the sensor nearly
once a month which is a complete pain.



"David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1ea1f43d-245e-4e0d-b6a4-92a805c7f59f@b38g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
On Aug 26, 5:04 pm, "Trevor Wilson"
trevor@_SPAMBLOCK_rageaudio.com.au> wrote:
"David L. Jones" <altz...@gmail.com> wrote in
messagenews:376a3783-1dab-47d3-b773-ed5fca548c8d@v16g2000prc.googlegroups.co
m...



On Aug 26, 1:26 pm, "Phil Allison" <philalli...@tpg.com.au> wrote:
"Mauried"

http://www.centameter.com.au/products.htm

In particular, what their accuracy is at low power levels,less than
50
watts.
The tech specs on the units seem very vague about this.

** The specs are damn vague about everything - and deliberately so.

Here is the user manual:

http://www.clipsal.com/trade/__data/page/81/W624.pdf

What is clear is that the device is NOT a power OR energy
consumption
meter at all - as it only detects the line current and assumes the
supply
is 240 volts.

There is no spec for accuracy below 1 amp current !!!!

The unit measures in VA and not power.

Wot a POS.

Wow, you're not wrong!
I heard this thing wasn't that greatest, but geeze...

Didn't this thing win on new inventors many years back? :-

**Just like that ridiculous LED streetlight last year. It seems that The
Inventors don't ask too many questions about the veracity of the claims.

They have had some howlers. No one ever gets a hammering on the show.

The Protex safety device springs to mind, it was much discussed on
here at the time.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s1356442.htm

I liked that Dragon's Den inventors show much better, they weren't
afraid to stick it to'em if the product was shite.

Dave.


Thanks all.
Click to expand...
The device did sound a bit dodgy.
The biggest problem with the Inventors show is the panel.
Some ppl who actually know something would help.
 
"Mauried" <mauried@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:48b47bca.636937@news.tpg.com.au...
On Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:36:46 +1000, "Bodgey" <ihate@spam.com> wrote:

I have been told that you need to replace the battery in the sensor nearly
once a month which is a complete pain.



"David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1ea1f43d-245e-4e0d-b6a4-92a805c7f59f@b38g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
On Aug 26, 5:04 pm, "Trevor Wilson"
trevor@_SPAMBLOCK_rageaudio.com.au> wrote:
"David L. Jones" <altz...@gmail.com> wrote in
messagenews:376a3783-1dab-47d3-b773-ed5fca548c8d@v16g2000prc.googlegroups.co
m...



On Aug 26, 1:26 pm, "Phil Allison" <philalli...@tpg.com.au> wrote:
"Mauried"

http://www.centameter.com.au/products.htm

In particular, what their accuracy is at low power levels,less
than
50
watts.
The tech specs on the units seem very vague about this.

** The specs are damn vague about everything - and deliberately
so.

Here is the user manual:

http://www.clipsal.com/trade/__data/page/81/W624.pdf

What is clear is that the device is NOT a power OR energy
consumption
meter at all - as it only detects the line current and assumes the
supply
is 240 volts.

There is no spec for accuracy below 1 amp current !!!!

The unit measures in VA and not power.

Wot a POS.

Wow, you're not wrong!
I heard this thing wasn't that greatest, but geeze...

Didn't this thing win on new inventors many years back? :-

**Just like that ridiculous LED streetlight last year. It seems that
The
Inventors don't ask too many questions about the veracity of the
claims.

They have had some howlers. No one ever gets a hammering on the show.

The Protex safety device springs to mind, it was much discussed on
here at the time.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s1356442.htm

I liked that Dragon's Den inventors show much better, they weren't
afraid to stick it to'em if the product was shite.

Dave.


Thanks all.
The device did sound a bit dodgy.
The biggest problem with the Inventors show is the panel.
Some ppl who actually know something would help.
Click to expand...
**What a pathetic lie. SOME of the panel DO have some expertise in some
areas. It's just that they often know very little about some technologies.
Like the LED streetlights I previously cited.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au
 
"Mauried"

Thanks all.
The device did sound a bit dodgy.
Click to expand...

** It works well enough for the purpose it is sold for - ie, monitoring the
power use of a WHOLE house.

Major home appliances ( and incandescent lighting ) have unity or near unity
power factor - only electronic stuff and CFLs do not.

The biggest problem with the Inventors show is the panel.
Some ppl who actually know something would help.
Click to expand...

** 99% or all inventions are mechanical devices - so the panel is made of
people who have expertise in that.


...... Phil
 
On Aug 27, 8:32 am, "Trevor Wilson"
<trevor@_SPAMBLOCK_rageaudio.com.au> wrote:
"Mauried" <maur...@tpg.com.au> wrote in message

news:48b47bca.636937@news.tpg.com.au...



On Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:36:46 +1000, "Bodgey" <ih...@spam.com> wrote:

I have been told that you need to replace the battery in the sensor nearly
once a month which is a complete pain.

"David L. Jones" <altz...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1ea1f43d-245e-4e0d-b6a4-92a805c7f59f@b38g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
On Aug 26, 5:04 pm, "Trevor Wilson"
trevor@_SPAMBLOCK_rageaudio.com.au> wrote:
"David L. Jones" <altz...@gmail.com> wrote in
messagenews:376a3783-1dab-47d3-b773-ed5fca548c8d@v16g2000prc.googlegroups.co
m...

On Aug 26, 1:26 pm, "Phil Allison" <philalli...@tpg.com.au> wrote:
"Mauried"

http://www.centameter.com.au/products.htm

In particular, what their accuracy is at low power levels,less
than
50
watts.
The tech specs on the units seem very vague about this.

** The specs are damn vague about everything - and deliberately
so.

Here is the user manual:

http://www.clipsal.com/trade/__data/page/81/W624.pdf

What is clear is that the device is NOT a power OR energy
consumption
meter at all - as it only detects the line current and assumes the
supply
is 240 volts.

There is no spec for accuracy below 1 amp current !!!!

The unit measures in VA and not power.

Wot a POS.

Wow, you're not wrong!
I heard this thing wasn't that greatest, but geeze...

Didn't this thing win on new inventors many years back? :-

**Just like that ridiculous LED streetlight last year. It seems that
The
Inventors don't ask too many questions about the veracity of the
claims.

They have had some howlers. No one ever gets a hammering on the show.

The Protex safety device springs to mind, it was much discussed on
here at the time.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s1356442.htm

I liked that Dragon's Den inventors show much better, they weren't
afraid to stick it to'em if the product was shite.

Dave.

Thanks all.
The device did sound a bit dodgy.
The biggest problem with the Inventors show is the panel.
Some ppl who actually know something would help.

**What a pathetic lie. SOME of the panel DO have some expertise in some
areas. It's just that they often know very little about some technologies.
Like the LED streetlights I previously cited.
Click to expand...
I agree that some of the panel do appear to have some expertise, but
it's not just expertise needed. If that was the case then they would
need an expert panel judge to cover every field possible.
What's needed is panel members (and/or even behind the scenes
researchers) who are better able to research the field and ask the
right questions. And they do get time to research the field in
question for each invention and prepare questions ahead of time.
Having at least one panel member who plays the devil's advocate role
would make the show much more interesting.

Dave.
 
"Phil Allison" <philallison@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:6hhbfnFlq6ciU1@mid.individual.net...
"Mauried"
http://www.centameter.com.au/products.htm

In particular, what their accuracy is at low power levels,less than 50
watts.
The tech specs on the units seem very vague about this.


** The specs are damn vague about everything - and deliberately so.

Here is the user manual:

http://www.clipsal.com/trade/__data/page/81/W624.pdf


What is clear is that the device is NOT a power OR energy consumption
meter at all - as it only detects the line current and assumes the supply
is 240 volts.

There is no spec for accuracy below 1 amp current !!!!

The unit measures in VA and not power.

Wot a POS.




..... Phil
Click to expand...
If they'd thought about it a bit they could have killed more than one bird
with one stone. Replace the battery-hungry display with a mains powered
unit, that gives you a voltage reference, and a phase reference for one
phase if a 3-phase installation. you can then get a lot closer to a proper
(ie. real) power measurement by assuming that the phase set is angularly
symmetrical, which is likely to be the case with grid supply.

The way the manual is written, it looks less evasive than dumb. Maybe a bit
of both.
 
"Trevor Wilson" <trevor@_SPAMBLOCK_rageaudio.com.au> wrote in message
news:6hjel8Flvr3nU1@mid.individual.net...
"Mauried" <mauried@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:48b47bca.636937@news.tpg.com.au...
On Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:36:46 +1000, "Bodgey" <ihate@spam.com> wrote:

I have been told that you need to replace the battery in the sensor
nearly
once a month which is a complete pain.



"David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1ea1f43d-245e-4e0d-b6a4-92a805c7f59f@b38g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
On Aug 26, 5:04 pm, "Trevor Wilson"
trevor@_SPAMBLOCK_rageaudio.com.au> wrote:
"David L. Jones" <altz...@gmail.com> wrote in
messagenews:376a3783-1dab-47d3-b773-ed5fca548c8d@v16g2000prc.googlegroups.co
m...



On Aug 26, 1:26 pm, "Phil Allison" <philalli...@tpg.com.au> wrote:
"Mauried"

http://www.centameter.com.au/products.htm

In particular, what their accuracy is at low power levels,less
than
50
watts.
The tech specs on the units seem very vague about this.

** The specs are damn vague about everything - and deliberately
so.

Here is the user manual:

http://www.clipsal.com/trade/__data/page/81/W624.pdf

What is clear is that the device is NOT a power OR energy
consumption
meter at all - as it only detects the line current and assumes
the
supply
is 240 volts.

There is no spec for accuracy below 1 amp current !!!!

The unit measures in VA and not power.

Wot a POS.

Wow, you're not wrong!
I heard this thing wasn't that greatest, but geeze...

Didn't this thing win on new inventors many years back? :-

**Just like that ridiculous LED streetlight last year. It seems that
The
Inventors don't ask too many questions about the veracity of the
claims.

They have had some howlers. No one ever gets a hammering on the show.

The Protex safety device springs to mind, it was much discussed on
here at the time.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s1356442.htm

I liked that Dragon's Den inventors show much better, they weren't
afraid to stick it to'em if the product was shite.

Dave.


Thanks all.
The device did sound a bit dodgy.
The biggest problem with the Inventors show is the panel.
Some ppl who actually know something would help.

**What a pathetic lie. SOME of the panel DO have some expertise in some
areas. It's just that they often know very little about some technologies.
Like the LED streetlights I previously cited.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au
It's no different from the rest of bloody telly. The panel are certain to be
Click to expand...
under instructions to keep it simple and pleasant. Although I recall one
instance when they nearly lost their rag when a guy came on claiming to have
an induction motor with vastly higher efficiency. And did anyone see the one
a few months ago when one of the panel suggested that the brother of the guy
showing his invention was thick as two planks (he was mentioned as trialling
the invention). And the brother was in the audience.
 
"Phil Allison" <philallison@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:6hjqsaFmjrpsU1@mid.individual.net...
"Mauried"


Thanks all.
The device did sound a bit dodgy.


** It works well enough for the purpose it is sold for - ie, monitoring
the power use of a WHOLE house.

Major home appliances ( and incandescent lighting ) have unity or near
unity power factor - only electronic stuff and CFLs do not.

The biggest problem with the Inventors show is the panel.
Some ppl who actually know something would help.


** 99% or all inventions are mechanical devices - so the panel is made
of people who have expertise in that.


..... Phil
Click to expand...
The cement mixer in tonites show might be reliable 'batch to batch' with the
same water supply, but not at all likely to be the same at a different
location.
No one even mentioned the widely variabe conductivity of water.
Surely thats what it is measuring?
What a bunch of crapp!

Mark
 
On 2008-08-27, Bruce Varley <bxvarley@weastnet.com.au> wrote:
If they'd thought about it a bit they could have killed more than one bird
with one stone. Replace the battery-hungry display with a mains powered
unit, that gives you a voltage reference, and a phase reference for one
phase if a 3-phase installation. you can then get a lot closer to a proper
(ie. real) power measurement by assuming that the phase set is angularly
symmetrical, which is likely to be the case with grid supply.
Click to expand...
but then they'd need to transmit a lot more data from the current
sensor, AIUI they're not allowed to transmit full-time on the band
they use. only short bursts... so then they'd need a wired
connection...

Bye.
Jasen
 
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