Energy Monitor Clip on Sensor fitting

[lpt100]

Hi,

I've recently been sent a Smartpower energy monitor but the sensor doesn't fit round the tails!

The set up is Meter --> 100amp isolator --> 3 meter lengths of tail --> C.U.

I can't connect it to the meter tails pre isolator as thats enclosed in a clear plastic electricity board fitted box. . . Past the isolator the long tails to the CU are pretty thick and the sensor wont clip round this.

My question is: Could i trim some of the grey sheath off the tails post isolator so i can clip the sensor on below that? Or would that not leave enough insulation and be overly dangerous.

Any other suggestions? Could i ask the electricity board to remove their plastic case so i can attach the sensor to the thinner insulated meter tails?

Thanks

 

[flameport]

My question is: Could i trim some of the grey sheath off the tails post isolator so i can clip the sensor on below that?

No, this would be very dangerous, as one slip with whatever you are trimming with and you have killed yourself.

You mention 'tails' in the plural - you are aware that the sensor is fitted around ONE of the wires only, not both of them?

 

[lpt100]

Thanks for the reply. I'd have turned the isolator off first . . . .
Yeah, it won't fit round either of the tails. If one was narrower i'd've tried fitting it to that and rewiring the sensor to see if that worked but they're both the same thickness. . . .

 

[Taylortwocities]

I guess it is some sort of clamp with a clip?

It will probably work OK if you secure it with some tape.

Or get back to the supplier and ask them to help you. There may be a larger sensor available.

 

[lpt100]

Apparently there isn't a larger one. It is a clamp/clip containing 3 sides of a 'core'. Could try taping it but think the core needs to completely surround the wire to get a current inverted. Might try a bit of foil to bridge the gap though . . .

 

[joinerjohn]

I've just had a quick look at my BG electricity monitor set up and the clip that fits around the tails would fit round something up to around 1" (25mm) diameter.
What size tails do you have coming out of the isolator??

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I've recently been sent a Smartpower energy monitor

OOI, why do you want one?

 

[Steve]

@lpt100, can you put up a photo of your mains intake and meter?

 

[lpt100]

The circumference is 44mm (about 2") so the diameter is about 8.3mm!! I assume you don't mean 25mm diameter?

Can't get a photo unfortunately, but the meter and its tails enclose in a clear plastic 'manpower' box exiting straight into an isolator then a long 3m run into the C.U. via the garage wall and plastic conduit.

The meter tails seem thinner than the ones from the transformer to the CU so if i could get into the box id hope it'd fit round them. . .

Would it be illegal to remove this box, not that it could easily be removed its got a strange sort of lock on it and the screws are inside the structure.

Sorry about the delay had a busy weekend with a poorly pet. 3 Vet visits! Not cheap . . but she's worth it.

 

[joinerjohn]

As I said before the sensor on my electricity monitor would fit around a 1" or 25mm diameter cable. The tails from my meter look slightly less than half inch diameter each.
Must admit, when I first had it, I used to watch the figures change when I put the kettle on etc, but now completely ignore it. In fact, if anyone wants it and lives near Derby, please feel free to call in and collect it.

 

[bongos]

The circumference is 44mm (about 2") so the diameter is about 8.3mm!! I assume you don't mean 25mm diameter?

No. The csa of the copper cores will be 25mm².

The meter tails seem thinner than the ones from the transformer to the CU so if i could get into the box id hope it'd fit round them. . .

The meter tails may be 16mm² and the tails onto your CU 25mm². Anyway, it's not a transformer it's your main service head/service fuse.

Would it be illegal to remove this box, not that it could easily be removed its got a strange sort of lock on it and the screws are inside the structure.

It would indeed be illegal. It is the property of the electricity supplier and should not be tampered with.

Incidentally, BG sent us one of those Smart Meter monitors last month. It fits around a 25mm² tail fine. Not really sure how accurate it is though - in fact i hope it isn't because it's suggesting a much larger electricity bill than usual.

It's rare to see larger tails than 25mm² in a domestic setting I would imagine.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Can't get a photo unfortunately, but the meter and its tails enclose in a clear plastic 'manpower' box exiting straight into an isolator then a long 3m run into the C.U. via the garage wall and plastic conduit.

The meter tails seem thinner than the ones from the transformer to the CU so if i could get into the box id hope it'd fit round them. . .

I'm really struggling to understand what's going on.

You have tails between the cutout and the meter.

You have tails between the meter and an isolator.

You have tails (3m) between the isolator and the CU.

And you can't get the clip onto any of them?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Must admit, when I first had it, I used to watch the figures change when I put the kettle on etc, but now completely ignore it. In fact, if anyone wants it and lives near Derby, please feel free to call in and collect it.

This is what I just don't get about these things.

Presumably you already knew that boiling a kettle would use electricity? And presumably you didn't boil it up just for fun?

So how is a monitor going to help you use less electricity when using your kettle?

And the same applies to everything else - unless someone is so thick that they don't realise that electrical appliances use electricity and/or are in the habit of leaving the shower running, or keeping the oven on just in case, or drinking more cups of tea than they actually want etc, what's a monitor going to do for them?

 

[ccam108]

Must admit, when I first had it, I used to watch the figures change when I put the kettle on etc, but now completely ignore it. In fact, if anyone wants it and lives near Derby, please feel free to call in and collect it.

This is what I just don't get about these things.

Presumably you already knew that boiling a kettle would use electricity? And presumably you didn't boil it up just for fun?

So how is a monitor going to help you use less electricity when using your kettle?

And the same applies to everything else - unless someone is so thick that they don't realise that electrical appliances use electricity and/or are in the habit of leaving the shower running, or keeping the oven on just in case, or drinking more cups of tea than they actually want etc, what's a monitor going to do for them?

That leaving things on standby actually doesn't cost them £100000 a day and cause God to kill a kitten.

Or, in our case, that the PCs we leave running 24/7 actually consume more than a kilowatt - a lot more than expected.

Colin C

 

[joinerjohn]

Yep the novelty of the energy monitor quickly wears off.
PS , I didn't put the kettle on just to see the figures leap up on the monitor. !!!
It can be set with whatever rate I'm being charged for electricity and so can show at a glance (after pressing button A, 3 times then selecting option B, then pressing button D, 2 times whilst holding the menu button in), what my next electricity bill will be. !!

But I never bothered setting the rates on it. At the moment it says my electricity bill for the month will be around £400. Well N Power will have to spin.