Background
In my country electricity is heavily ‘subsidized’.
Since installing air conditioners the electricity use has increased up to a point where I’ve gone up two tariff groups. Since that point I’ve started monitoring electricity usage the old fashion way: in an excel sheet. Getting rid of an old refrigerator saved me 6 kWh per day!
The average use now is stable at 22-25 kWh per day.
A couple of months ago the electric company announced that it would start increasing the price for businesses to a break-even level. Lucky for me there are elections in May so the government will not increase the price for households (at least until after the elections)
For me that would mean the price per kWh will go from USD 0.029 to USD 0.223 !
To better monitor (and manage) the electric consumption I would like to install FLM but I have a few
Questions
1) The voltage in my country is 127V / 60 Hz. Can I use a FLM?
2) The Electricity meter has a pulse indicator but it is in an enclosure and I’m not sure if the electric company will open it up for me. In that case I have to fall back on clamps.
3) Although the voltage rated at 127V my UPS indicates that is varies between 123 and 129. Will this affect the output of FLM when using a clamp?
0/ What country are you living in?
1/ Using the pulses of the utility meter will result in the most accurate readings.
2/ While you can adjust the voltage setting in the FLM, it's a static configuration setting. The FLM will not track the voltage swings dynamically.
0: Suriname. The only country in the world with 127V / 60Hz :P
1: If the electric company doesn't cooperate I will have to install a DIN-Rail meter.
2: Do you know if the readings will be off due to the voltage swings when using clamps?
By only about 1.5%
Less than the error difference between c clamps and din rail meter (my choice)