Best voltage testers according to redditors
We found 396 Reddit comments discussing the best voltage testers. We ranked the 118 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 396 Reddit comments discussing the best voltage testers. We ranked the 118 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Also if the house is pre-1960s, get this little gizmo and test for grounded outlets. Three-pronged outlets do NOT automatically mean they're grounded. It doesn't necessarily mean you need to rewire the house or anything, but it's something to be aware of.
I've only had to repair an outlet a few times but this method is pretty safe:
Flip the breakers for the outlets in the room (do NOT trust the labels on a breaker box, lazy contractors often fail to label properly), then take an outlet tester and plug it into both outlets on the one you're working on AND a neighboring outlet. If it doesn't light up, you're good to start opening up the outlet.
Triple-check that the wiring is done right when you're finished and cable nuts/clamps fully secure all wires then power back on the breaker. Test again with an outlet tester before plugging in any electronics. IMMEDIATELY flip off the breaker again if the tester does not show the correct led light set.
The important part of doing any home repairs is never assume that something is off, or that there's no juice going to that wire. Check always anyway. 10 seconds of testing saves 10 days in a hospital.
Naw, just get one of these. Way easier and will tell you about upstream issues.
A resting battery should read 12.6 volts, give or take. As the downvotes on some of these comments would imply, this 'give or take' isn't that big of a deal... but it is.
A car battery is made for starting. These batteries are designed to push out a ton of amps (called cranking amps) just for a few seconds. There's a big difference between a car battery and, say... a marine battery. A marine battery is made to run electronics (such as your navigation, sounder, bait well, etc) while the boat is off. This requires amp-hours. These are called deep-cycle batteries. In a deep cycle battery, 'about 12 volts' would fly. In a car, the 'about 12' should really be "about 12.6 +/- a couple tenths of an amp." So, 12.3-12.6 would be okay if your starter is good... but not 11.8. That would probably not crank the car over.
Just make sure your starting elements are in good shape. Alternator, Battery, Starter, Etc. Quick Troubleshooting Guide:
There's a lot more to it than that, but that'll give you the basic idea.
If you're seriously concerned, get one of these. Run some wire through the firewall to the battery. Red to red, black to black with a toggle switch in between. You could know your voltage on demand! The more practical solution is to keep doing what you're doing... start the car every once in a while. Even a few minutes is enough for the alternator to give the battery some juice!
Have a Harbor Freight near ya? There's almost always a coupon for a free multimeter. It's not bad either! I wouldn't trust it for serious stuff, but for free it's great to get your feet wet with and keep in the glovebox for the just-in-case. Good luck!
> And one would think that the installer should test that kind of stuff.
If you had someone come to your house to install a big-screen TV, would you expect them to check the outlets to make sure they were wired correctly?
What I would do if I were you: Go to you local hardware store and buy an outlet tester like this - shouldn't be more than five or six bucks. Plug that sucker in and look at the lights. It will tell you instantly if the outlet is wired correctly or not.
If it isn't, call an electrician to fix that.
Your home may be universally wired incorrectly...
Get one of these things at the hardware store and check: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-3-Wire-Receptacle-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA
Hate to be that guy but you should invest in a multimeter with a diode tester.
I can also suggest getting a MEGA328 based component tester. It's a godsend!
https://www.amazon.com/Mega328-Transistor-Resistor-Capacitor-Mosfet/dp/B01H6QKVOU/
Edit: A diagram has been added to the ablum. https://imgur.com/iWlRv3C
My latest portable induction heater. 1200 mah lipo with 2 amp micro usb balance charging. Pressing the button activates the induction module and displays the current battery voltage so you know when to charge. The overall dimensions are 4.75" x 3.5" x 1.75". I'm still waiting on glass tubing in the right diameter, in the meantime I've been using an 18mm stem with a piece of cork in the bottom. Now that I've got the internal dimensions, i can make a wood enclosure. This plastic was a pain to cut, and cracked in a few places.
Here are the parts i used:
3S Lipo Battery - $6.82 (I used a 1200 mah battery, but this will work and is pretty cheap)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MVQ8T6I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Induction Heating Module - $14.84
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C71XKZ6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Micro USB DC-DC Boost Converter - $1.73 each
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CNQPN94/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
3S 12V 10A Lithium Battery Protection/Balancing board - $2.80 each
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077ZY7Z3G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Digital Voltage Meter - $2.40 each
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YALV0NG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
IRLB3034 N Channel Mosfet - 5.72
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HKHW9UU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527532137&sr=8-1
15K Ohm resistors - $0.65 each
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0185FIPIA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1527532172&sr=8-3
Switch - $5.11
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Q84P8C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Container - $1.25 each
Purchased at Target, can't find a link.
Total - ~$41.34
Shut the power off at the breaker, pull the switch out and take a picture. Also this before you do anything.
Yep. And honestly everything else is just about as simple as hooking up the ceiling fan. Two wires and an earth ground. Just for future reference, they sell these relatively cheap non-contact voltage detectors that are really good for people who want to do their own electrical work. These are better than a meter for determining power on/off because they're so simple to use. You just hold it next to the wire and press the button, and it will tell you if there's power or not. The best method is to check it with the break on and confirm power is present, then flip the breaker and confirm it's not. Then check every other wire in the box you're working in, and you'll have some confidence that all circuits involved have been turned off.
I'm an electrical engineer in an industrial environment, and we require all of our electricians to carry and use these, even though they all know how to use meters very well, just because they're so fool proof. There's no chance of picking the wrong setting, or not having a lead connected properly.
Get an outlet tester. If this wasn't a problem before, I suspect somebody did a shitty job wiring up your place. If the wiring is faulty... umm... I'm not sure how to fix it but, technically, it should be your landlord's problem but things might not work that way in Indonesia.
I wouldn't plug in the PC until you've got that figured out unless you're OK with with frying your computer to get in a few more rounds of DOTA.
The receptacle may be grounded. Buy a three-prong adapter. It will have a metal grounding tab on the end that can be screwed into the wall plate. Buy a receptacle tester at any hardware store and plug it into the adapter. It will tell you if there is ground or not.
OP this is actually a problem you should get fixed soon. Stop by a hardware store and pick up an inexpensive outlet tester - it looks like a male three prong plug with lights on the other side and a little chart to tell you what they mean
Test your outlets to confirm they're grounded. As your Mac generates EMI inside it relies on the case for grounding - it can build up a low level of voltage you probably won't feel.
The reason you're picking up an AM station is that radio is a form of radiation and your giant aluminum box is getting hit with. Without a ground - it is one giant antenna funneling all sorts of emi radiation into the box. Not good for the of your computer and could pose a risk to you.
If you find it's not grounded, that's not up to code in most places - work with your landlord or building manger to resolve the issue.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Receptacle_tester
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002LZTKIA?pc_redir=1409579983&robot_redir=1
This is what he means.
It's about 30 bucks and will make sure a faulty cable pinout will only blow a PSU (worst case) rather then your whole system.
Check out /r/pcsleeving for all your tutorial needs.
No.. Never leave them 24/7.. I'm talking from Experience they will melt literally and is a huge fire hazard. They're meant to get a reading and remove! If u want one to leave 24/7 then get a commercial grade one. \
EDIT: I have this one.. Read the reviews. couple of post showing exactly what happened to mines at 1100w https://www.amazon.com/Excelvan-Display-Voltage-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00E1E1XA2
You might want to travel with a plug tester like this. Would make for an exciting day to find the hot and ground swapped because some idiot didn't know how to hook up a plug properly.
https://www.amazon.com/Voltage-Protection-Klein-Tools-NCVT-2/dp/B004FXJOQO
Essentially you put it next to a suspected AC voltage and if it's present it lights up.
As long as you're not exceeding 2000+ watts in the same room, you'll likely be fine as most circuits in the US have 15-20amp breakers/fuses.
No real danger of a blackout or brown out, the computer will just shut off. You could always pick up a UPS backup if you're worried about that.
If you live in a place that has lightning I would recommend a good surge protector, not just a power strip.
Only possible super rare thing I've seen to worry about with electricity and computers is if you have a computer on one outlet and you connect HDMI or similar to a TV that's plugged into another circuit and if there's an issue with wiring in your house/apt it could burn things out. I use one of these http://www.amazon.com/GE-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle-Tester/dp/B002LZTKIA/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1398086820&sr=1-1&keywords=receptacle+tester to test circuits to be sure :P
Fluke t5-600 works for me. It does it’s job and it’s not to bulky.
Fluke T5600 Electrical Voltage, Continuity and Current Tester https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006Z3GZU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_j32uDbGSG1SYG
Look into code, don't cut corners and get yourself one of these outlet testers to check your work. Like someone else said, hooking up sub panels and big jobs, have someone come in.
I'm lucky my brother in law is a very professional electrician, I always check my plans with him and I do all the work. He'll come and make the connection at the panel just to be safe, but after watching him I'd feel comfortable doing that.
Well I was referring to one of these. Besides if you could plug OP's "finder" into the socket for a stove/drier you have other issues. Those should be using a 3 or 4-prong 240V outlet (in the USA anyhow).
As others have stated that's an equipment ground plug so it shouldn't be any problem but to be safe when removing any broken cord prongs from an outlet.
When in doubt hire a professional. Safety first.
http://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-NCVT-2-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B004FXJOQO
Fuck that. Buy a PSU tester.
Have the electrician install one of these inline with the charger:
http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Meter-100A-Volt-3-Wire/dp/B00GMZRXE8/
I put one in my garage as I was curious and wanted to seperate out my charging from the rest of my electric bill. 4613 kWHr since April 2, 2015
Light fixtures are very easy to replace. There's a risk of electric shock, but that's easy to avoid. First turn on the light, then go and switch breakers off and on until the light turns off, helps to have a 2nd person to yell when it does. Sometimes the breakers are labeled, but that's like winning the lottery. Pick up one of these guys to quickly verify that the wires aren't going to shock you.
Since this is apparently affecting more than one device you should first check the outlet. Get one of these and test that the outlet is properly wired. It sounds like there may be voltage present on your ground (that would be bad). Or if you aren't comforatble testing yourself hire an electrician. This is potentially dangerous.
You can buy a little device very cheaply to tell you if three-prong outlets are grounded. If they're probably not even grounded the lazy way (to the outlet box) and simply have a wire missing, you could repair this yourself for <$10.
Obviously two-prong outlets will not be grounded. That's a convenience issue, but not a safety issue. The lack of GFI outlets in the kitchen (or bath, or anywhere near water) could be a safety issue, and that would be the one thing I think it'd be reasonable to ask the landlord to do. GFI outlets are ~$10 apiece and those can safely be grounded to their box as well.
I think you might need an electrician. To me, it sounds like something is shorting the coax with the electrical outlet. You indicated when he tugged on the coax, a breaker tripped.
Right there, that set off flags as I was reading it. The problem may not be in the outlet right next to where he was working, but somewhere up the line from there.
I would start with a voltage tester like this
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-3-Wire-Receptacle-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA/ref=lp_14244481_1_12?s=lamps-light&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1487627980&amp;sr=1-12
and go from there.
If the problem is electrical, comcast wont touch it (even if they caused it, but good luck proving that).
You can chase where they go with one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-NCVT-2-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B004FXJOQO
Make sure the switch is on.
Buy a computer power supply tester. I have a Thermaltake brand.
https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO
You don't need to spend that much, there are cheaper ones out there. I got it on sale, years ago. It eliminates the "shotgun method" of troubleshooting where you are testing with known good parts.
http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/
That's what I use, personally. It makes it fairly easy to test a supply since it will turn red and start beeping furiously if you are not getting enough juice. I don't test a ton of power supplies, so I can't speak to bulk usage/lifespan, but it has been great for my needs.
Morning folks. Berc here with your "I want to mech up as cheaply as humanly possible!" equipment list.
The nemesis mechanical mod! $25 dollars
Sony 30amp VTC4's! You can find these cheaper on illumination supply but they run out really fucking quick
The classic Igo-W! A three post rebuilding atomizer!
The fantastic Nitecore i2 intellicharger
A cheap multi-meter
Some kanthal wire, preferably in the 32g range for beginners
Some organic cotton, preferably in cotton ball form
MOTHAFUCKIN BATTERY SAFETY!
Read up and learn on the sub about building practices and youlle be good to go! Buy some killer juice and vape until your ventricles explode!
It's possible, but if that's the case then your house is wired seriously, seriously wrong. I doubt that you'd notice it with a phone charger.
When I moved into a house a couple decades ago it was wired very very poorly. Ground was hooked up on hot wires, polarity was reversed, ground was left dangling, you name it. The previous owner fancied himself a handyman and he really, really wasn't.
If you have reason to suspect that you have wiring problems then it's easy to check. Most big hardware stores sell a device like this which will automatically detect if your outlets are wired correctly when plugged in. They're only a few bucks which is likely cheaper than whatever device a faulty outlet might destroy.
If your phone seems to be taking odd amounts of time to charge first make sure that you're using the same charger in each (some chargers put out more power than others) and if you are then try a more scientific test (same software load, same amount of screen on-time, same start and end battery percentage). It's quite likely that it's just in your head, but the only way to be sure is to do some science!
It's overkill until the lack of having one bricks your PC power supply (or worse). I've had APC units for over thirteen years now. I use their surge bars for equipment that won't be bothered by a sudden drop, and a couple UPS units for everything else, including a front projector. You want to talk about dire consequences with a blackout, the projector bulb can pop without the cool-down phase. That's ~$350 a bulb.
Electronics aren't just sensitive to surge, line noise and under-voltage can also damage them. PC power supplies can regulate voltage to an extent, but I'd rather have something else step in when electricity gets funky. I remember one voltage drop caused half of my power adapters in the house to die. That was a good day for the scalpers at radio-shack.
APC has given me nothing but good experiences. One of the UPS units was toasted by a powerful surge--I used to live in tornado alley, we had storms that exceeded 600 lightning strikes an hour. It took them about a week (total turnaround) to replace it under warranty. They even offered to replace my really old UPS unit with a brand new one for cheap. Now I have a fast-reacting 900 joules capacity single-plug surge protector on the main UPS as a backup to the backup. Hey, it was ten bucks, why not?
Another thing I do is test the outlets with one of these every time I move to a new location. I've encountered enough bad wiring to pick up a healthy paranoia. :)
Qbox, cable checker, XLR barrels [F-F,M-M,Phase reverse, -20&-50db pads, ground lift, ISO barrel], AC Wiring Tester, XLR Y's, 1/4 male to XLR-F and M, 1/8" to rca/xlr/1/4, NL4&NL8 barrels. Batteries, and more batteries.
Those seem to be my essentials, and get used the most. Probably forgetting something.
If the charger and the FC are saying ~15.3, I'd assume the multimeter is incorrect (though it's possible you just got a bad connection, the batteries in the meter are dying, etc.)
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The only way I know to check if a meter is out of cal is to check it against a known source.
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I have about 6 of these little voltage displays with XT-60's soldered to them to use as quick voltage testers. I only have so many because I lose them, but it does give me peace of mind being able to test the same battery with multiple meters and see the same voltage come up every time.
The bigger issue is what's in the wall behind the outlets. Two-prong outlets are connected to hot and neutral wires only. Three-prong outlets are connected to hot, neutral, and ground wires (contained in a single cable). Changing the outlet won't help, other than giving something three-prong plugs will fit into. The wiring in the walls would need to be replaced, which could be an expensive proposition. I'd also check those kitchen outlets to see if they're actually grounded. It would be unusual for part of an apartment to get rewired and not the whole thing. This type of device will answer that question quickly: http://www.amazon.com/GE-3-Wire-Receptacle-Tester-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA/ref=sr_1_3
Get one of these and test ALL the outlets. The three pong receptacles may not be properly grounded.
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-3-Wire-Receptacle-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA
With my 1950's house I got lucky. The house was wired with a ground wire but since this was before the days of 3 prong receptacles they tied the ground wire to each receptacle box (all metal boxes). Everything was grounded properly at the panel so all I had to do was just add a short piece of copper from a spare screw in each box to the ground screw of the new three prong receptacles I bought.
The sidebar link that was provided will give you other options aside from a full rewire job.
Ham radio operator here. Make sure you have proper grounding. That is, make sure you have a shielded PC case (NO BIG PLEXIGLAS WINDOWS), and make sure your power cord is properly grounded (3-prong plug into a 3-prong outlet). Make sure your outlet is appropriately grounded (get one of these). Make sure your home/building uses an appropriate ground rod at your mains feedpoint (where the power lines enter your building).
Then, ferrites on all cords leading to your audio amplifier (amplified speakers). That includes, the audio input, the power line and any speaker outputs.
From one DIYer to another, if you don't already have one of these, you should get one.
I think every engineer who works around electricity needs one of these: Klein non contact voltage tester.
I'm sorry for your situation. Check out renogy.com, they are one of the best DIY solar retailers around IMO. Their sales and technical support is also excellent -- I recommend live chatting or calling them to discuss your needs.
Here is a 100W folding suitcase kit. You would only need a 12V battery and 12V inverter to complete it.
This inverter is 500W, pure-sine wave (you want to avoid modified sine) and includes cables to connect to the battery. I would not go higher than 500W on the inverter since the higher the wattage, the higher the self-consumption.
A car battery will work if you cannot obtain a deep cycle but they have to be very careful to not discharge it too deeply (no more than 20% DOD/12.5V for conventional flooded battery) or they will destroy it quickly.
You will also have to educate them on electrical safety and how to operate an off-grid system. You may want to send them a small digital voltmeter display and print out a 12V state of charge table for them to reference (like this one) to avoid deep discharging.
PM me if you have any more questions.
This might save your ass from a good shock. Most people treat the NCVT like a must have. Although it’s good to make sure it’s working before trusting it. The plug tester is nice to have for diagnosing problems.
KLEIN TOOLS NCVT2KIT Basic Voltage Test Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IX6DIVK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_J3w1Ab0HH2CEN
You’ll want to get some nutdrivers too. I’ll list the most used sizes.
1/4”
5/16”
3/8”
1/2”
7/16”
9/16”
You’ll want to get a knife too. This is the one I have. I found it for $14 at my local Home Depot.
Milwaukee 48-22-1985 Hawk Bill Folding Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IQCDWIG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wcx1AbE52QB22
A wrench set in standard sizes is nice to have. You can apply the sizes for nutdrivers to what you’ll want for this.
A tape measure is a must have
Klein Tools 86216 Double Hook Magnetic Tape Measure, 16-Foot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1O7BG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_hhx1AbNJPCNH9
I went through 3 different levels because I didn’t want to pay more for one with nice magnets. I would recommend just spending the 10$ extra and not have to buy another one.
Klein Tools 935AB4V ACCU-BEND Level https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M302QTV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yjx1AbCSENM8Y
A decent head lamp will also be really helpful. I still need to buy one myself. You can pick one up at most Walmart’s or Home Depot/Lowe’s
Next is a list of tools you can buy pretty cheap at your local hardware/tool store. I typically buy off brand for these.
Hammer
Offset screwdrivers
Allen wrench set
Stubby screwdrivers
Pencils
Sharpie markers
Pencil sharpener
You’ll notice that a lot of my recommendations have been klein brand. That’s because you can take them back for a free replacement if they ever break. A lifetime warranty is definitely something to consider when buying tools. With klein, it’s as easy as walking into Home Depot and presenting the broken tool to the customer service desk. You’ll be out of there in 10 minutes with a brand new tool.
This is all based of my experience working commercial, so your mileage may vary.
In my line of work, these are the bare minimum.
http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-T5-600-Voltage-Continuity-Current/dp/B0006Z3GZU
It is just a bit outside your range but for field use I love my Fluke T5. It is better for more industrial applications rather than desktop hobbyist work but it is bulletproof as far as I know. I use mine for HVAC troubleshooting.
Greetings all!
My main suggestion to anyone wanting to get into vaping it is to skip the ego-starter kits, MVP2 (cheapish Vv or Vw boxes), non-rebuildable tanks (Protanks, Nautilus) and just drive right into the mechanical mod / box mod world. I say this because the vaping experience is so much better with rebuildables. I went with the all of the above, and I personally wished that someone would’ve told me to just dive right in, because all that stuff is sitting around not being used. The people that I’ve talked to are typically hesitant to do so because of the coil building, but there are so many YouTube tutorials, suggestions and information on /r/RBA and /r/electronic_cigarette that it’s much easier than it seems. Anyway, if I were to start all over again, these are the things which I’d buy.
Must Haves
These are the things which I consider essential to starting off the on the right foot. I’ve purchased a lot of things, and these are the things which I suggest to my friends. Most of the links are from Amazon, because it’s what I’ve primarily used.
Battery - Sony VTC5
http://www.eciggity.com/2-pc-sony-18650vtc5-2600mah-30a-battery/
These are pretty much the standard when it comes to “safe” batteries. They’re affordable, good amp limit and have been recommended many times. If you purchase from the link above, they also give you a plastic carrying case!
Charger - Nitecore i2 or Nitecore i4
http://www.amazon.com/Nitecore-IntelliCharger-i4-Battery-Charger/dp/B005UAI372/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1404287334&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=nitecore
Affordable, reliable and these won’t “overcharge” your batteries. The difference between the i2 and i4 is the amount of batteries they can charge at a single time. They also have a new fancier one out, called the Digicharger D2 and Digicharger D4. Those are nice because it has a LCD panel that displays a lot more information than the i2 and i4. I personally use an just an i2.
Mechanical Mod - Stingray
http://www.vaperoyalty.com/hcigar-stingray-mod-stainless-steel/
Now, 90% of what is suggested for an actual mechanical mod is going to be of personal taste. The Stingray is the “older brother” of the Nemesis. This is what I purchased when I first started out vaping. The unit is very easy to break apart, clean, has a locking ring, has a floating 510 connection and venting holes in case of a battery leak. Almost everyone I know has a Stingray.
Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer - Magma by Infinite
http://101vape.com/rebuildable-atomizers-tanks/309-magma-atomizer-clone-by-infinite.html
One of the best purchases I’ve made. The juice wells are very deep compared to everything else on the market (that doesn’t have a tank system). Threads are nice, easy to build on, post holes are large and the air-flow is easy to manipulate. You can run this on a single coil or a dual coil. Blows almost all the other RDAs I have out of the water. This is my main RDA.
Organic Cotton - Maxim Hygiene Products Organic Cotton Balls
http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Cotton-Balls-Triple-count/dp/B00E8T2X36/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1404288337&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=organic+cotton
I suggest using un-bleached, organic cotton. Some people take it one step further by washing them, I think thats taking it a bit far and I don’t do it. You can pick them up from any convenience store or supermarket (CVS, Walgreens, Target, Whole Foods), a 100 count will last you AGES.
Kanthal - AWG A1 26 Gauge
http://www.amazon.com/Kanthal-Gauge-100ft-0-40386-Resistance/dp/B00HALND7Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1404288659&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=kanthal+26
I like to use 26g kanthal wire for my dual coil builds. 26g is a bit thicker than what a lot of people suggest (28g), but for me, because it’s thicker, it’s easier to work with.
Screwdrivers - Stanley 6 Piece Screwdriver set
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009OYGV/ref=oh_details_o05_s01_i02?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
The screwdrivers which come with your RDAs are short, small and crappy. I like these screw drivers because they come in a variety of sizes and you do not need to mess with a drill-bit. What I really like about these, is at the end of the drill bit is a small little ledge (can’t think of a better word), where you can push your coil and scrunch it up a bit.
Ohm meter / Multimeter - Any generic ohm reader or Innova 3300
http://101vape.com/meters/170-ohms-meter.html
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001O1X65A/ref=oh_details_o02_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
You can use a multimeter to do basically the same thing as an ohm reader. The multimeter has an added benefit of being able to read the volts are your battery as well. I have both, but I prefer to use a “regular” ohm reader. This video below can teach you how to use a multimeter for that purpose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgXAmPBAO5g&amp;index=2&amp;list=LLU7AM2JUxXCrj4TSCDQDffw
Optional items
Things that I’ve purchased that you can probably substitute with something in your house. They’re nice to have, most people have these, but I decided to link these anyway, because I didn’t have some stuff (my scissors were too large).
Scissors - Generic surgical scissors
http://www.amazon.com/Amercian-Diagnostic-Corporation-3425-Stainless/dp/B000GHIUR2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1404289491&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=surgical+scissors
To cut your cotton. Small, sharp and gets the job done.
Tweezers - Ceramic tweezers
http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10007588/1655800-heat-resistant-stainless-steel-tweezers-for-e
Allows you to hold your coil together and torch them without heating up the tweezers.
Wire cutters - Hakko CHP-170
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FZPDG1K/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
For cutting your kanthal off that spool!
Atomizer holder - Plano 23630-01
http://www.amazon.com/Plano-23630-01-Stowaway-Adjustable-Dividers/dp/B000E3FKVC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1404289861&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=plano
You’re gonna buy a bunch of atomizers. Everyone buys a bunch. You’re not going to be able to help yourself. I use this plastic case to keep everything neat and separated.
Building deck - Tenderfoot Stands
https://www.facebook.com/tenderfoot.stands?fref=ts
You don’t need this. But it makes building RDAs easier. You can also place your juice filled RDAs on here.
Torch - Mini Jet Flame 503
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007A9YSPW/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
This will help you get those coils nice and tight, without having to fire off your mechanical mod.
Battery Case - Bluecell
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Q6PJO8/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
If you don’t buy the batteries from the link above, you’re gonna want a battery case. Do not keep your batteries loose in your pocket or floating around your bag. They can come in contact with something metal and potentially damage the battery.
Here are things from my wishlist (past and present)
Wera Screwdrivers
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0085NTQJK/
Oscillating blade set:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0109SELWA/
Clamp multimeter:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00NWGZ4XC/
Kreg Jig Jr.:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000J43A7W/
Angled Long Nose Pliers:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00N3VSS4S/
Groove Lock Pliers:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000FK1R0W/
11 ft wifi endoscope:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01MYTHWK4/
non contact voltage tester:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001UAHZAM/
claw nail puller:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0015YPJMY/
Workmate portable work bench:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000077CQ0/
Cable snake fish tape:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000BP7WBO/
9 Outlet metal power bar:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00F8ZQY5M/
Spade drill bit set:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00099E7WE/
36" bubble level:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000UKMWMO/
Can't go wrong with a Klein: https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-NCVT-1-Contact-Voltage/dp/B001UAHZAM
It's pretty much the gold standard, at least for homeowners. But every electrician I've ever had over also uses them.
Get an outlet tester. Use it on every receptacle affected by the work including those in other parts of the house that might be on the circuits directly affected.
Get a multimeter. Use the AC testing function on the part that shocked you. Connect the red wire to the right most socket on the meter and put the probe and where you touched that shocked you. Put the black wire in the center socket on the meter and put the probe in the ground pin of a nearby receptacle. If you get any constant AC voltage over 1V, you have an issue with the power supply within the dryer (most likely).
Also use the multimeter on your outlet the dryer is fed from. You should put the black probe in the ground, and the red in each of the three (or two if your dryer is older) other holes in that receptacle. You should get two of them that measure 120V AC, and one that measures 0 AC and less than 1 V DC. Then measure from one hot to the other and just confirm you get 240V AC. If you get these values and you saw a voltage when testing the inside of the dryer, the dryer is the issue. Anything else means the wiring is borked.
The $20 you spend on these will be less than 1/3 of the cost of hiring an electrician to come out and even think about the issue.
It could also be static buildup inside the dryer caused by a loose or severed grounding strap inside. Try to connect a wire from the inside to the carpet/floor in your home with an insulated wire if all of the above comes back normal - don't try this first in case there is an AC voltage issue...
Hi. There's a couple things you can do to reduce RFI. Like you said, you can use a shielded cable. It would help if you can connect both ends to ground -- but make sure your electrical mains entrance ground is correct and up to code. You should have a ground rod right below the entrance, and it should be connected to your panel. All lines should be grounded lines, and you should have 3-prong outlets for all circuits. Get an outlet tester to be sure all sockets are wired correctly.
Another thing you can do is add ferrites on all wires going into and out of the HVAC units (power, data, everything). These act as RF filters.
Now bluetooth and microwave ovens use the same frequency band (2.4 GHz). Its not unusual for some low level RF energy to leak out of microwave ovens, and overpower a low-power data connection like bluetooth. But if its more than a low-power leak it may indicate a faulty oven, or a bad ground.
Its possible you have a nearby intermittent transmitter that is affecting things. It could be an airport thing, or maybe a two-way radio like for police or fire, or maybe a neighbor with a CB radio or ham radio. If this is a licensed user and they have a correctly engineered installation, its up to your devices to accept interference. Proper grounding and filtering will help though.
I hope this gives you someplace to start. Good luck.
These are $4 and idiot proof. I honestly wouldn't know how to check ground/neutral with a multi-meter.
Edit: Splurge on the $7 tester with a GFCI test, even if you're not replacing your bathroom receptacle you can double check it works.
If you are curious about outlets and want to safely check them to see if they are set up properly, buy one of these or an equivalent: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-3-Wire-Receptacle-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA
Should be available at most hardware stores also. Not sure if they have these for other non american outlet types
That's the cheapo version; spend the extra couple bucks and get the GE model which will last forever.
Are you properly grounding the amp and is your house properly grounded?
You can get something like this on amazon for pretty cheap to test your outlets.
Hmm...most useful things for $300. I would recommend Lowe's/Home Depot, but since you're limited to Amazon....
There's lots of other stuff, but my mind has drawn a blank right now.
No idea about the helmet. As far as tools go
non contact voltage tester https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FXJOQO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_XxzgAb8RCT4Y9
Works great for double checking the utilities are off or isolating a particular circuit if you don't want to leave someone's house entirely without power
4 in 1 screwdriver
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009V431/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_vzzgAbASETAEA
For screwing and unscrewing things
Reasonable sized channel locks
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004SBCS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_ZAzgAbD9C5JND
For a while I had vice grips instead of these but found with gloves on they were a little too clunky to manipulate. Works great for grabbing and loosening like gas connections to dryers
And this rescue tool dealio
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057UMN3A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_ZCzgAbQY3EK8Z
Works as your battery cutter, prying tool, gas shutoff and a spanner. I cut one of those little locks that secures piv valves and commercial sprinkler systems with this thing before my partner could make it back with bolt cutters so that alone was worth half the price
The sub panel being hooked to a 50A breaker on the main panel is normal. Someone installed a 50A sub panel. This is great for you as you can shut off the entire sub panel by fliping the 50A breaker in the main panel. That way you do not have to worry about anything being live when you install a new circuit. Buy an electrical tester pen first just to make sure the sub panel is off.
You are correct about how to install the new 15A breaker, and it will need 14 gauge wire. You need to make sure its the same type of breaker that is currently in your sub panel as there is more then one kind.
As to the white wire to the copper bus unless someone else posts a good reason for that its wrong. I would pay someone to inspect your sub panel just to be sure there are not other wiring issues.
> TLDR: Get a multimeter and test the wires yourself.
Or at a minimum get something like this Non-Contact Voltage Tester. I find it much easier when working in tight spaces.
Assuming you're doing basic AC electrical work, then pick up a non-contact voltage detector. It helps take the guess work out of figuring out if a box or wire is live.
some electrical stuff is really complicated, but as long as a homeowner's first steps are
then it's perfectly safe after that
your local hardware store will have a non-contact voltage tester like this one you could jerry-rig a tester, or a couple other less than safe ways to do it, but just spend the $10 on a cheap non-contact tester.
There's nothing inherently wrong with using extensions or custom cables (if you bought/were shipped the right ones). BUT YOU HAVE TO TEST THEM. There's too much chance of human failure with custom cables/extensions.
https://www.amazon.com/Optimal-Shop-Computer-Supply-Connectors/dp/B00Q8SUYHW/ or https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/
At this point I'd test the powersupply both with and without the extensions. But you need to test that power supply!
When you build fancy, you have to "bench test" first. No fancy LEDs, just the base components on a non-conductive/anti-static surface. If you don't have such a surface, then just test the basics in the case.
You can get a PSU tester to check if it's functional at all, however I would still be wary of using it even if it appears to test ok. The PSU is the one part that can literally destroy every other component in your PC, so your safest bet is to just buy a new one.
The First thing you should do when having these types of issues, is reduce your hardware down to just the core parts needed to boot the system.
Pro-Tip* It really sounds like it's your PSU, but if you want to truly rule it out, you have to use process of elimination, unless you have a power supply tester, which has saved me many headaches.
Thanks for the input. I agree on second thought, rather than have angrier pixies and try and calm them down, would be better have calmer pixies and try and get them angrier.
Any idea for a good board for this?
DROK&reg;Micro LED DC-DC Digital Boost Voltage Converter LM2577 3-34V to 4-35V 5V/12V 2.5A Step-up Adjustable Volt Regulator Board Module Power Supply Transformer for Solar Panels Car Battery Charging https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00J03PBW0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_W-eTybWN408CA
It would miss out on the coolness factor of dropping a tool battery in the wife's jug pumper though.
That's basically what I wanted to do but everything is really really really rigged to prevent up and coming people from developing anything to help customers. My work around was basically just to do "consulting" for people wanting to DIY with the various systems and to offer my support i/e I basically come by and build it for you but you still gotta be there because otherwise it wouldn't be a DIY it'd be a me doing it which would require me to have all kinds of stupid expensive licenses that ultimately make everything too expensive. There's just so many people going around telling others how "complicated" everything is and that they need to hire a contractor to do it but it's just a huge huge huge lie. It's not complicated at all and really the biggest and most important thing to know is safety. What sort of systems are required for you to have them on your house, that kinda stuff. Most regions a simple island protection is the main thing you need for your inverter which is what basically any grid-tie inverter will have. It's setup so it can sense when the grid goes down and will shut down the system when that happens so the lines aren't energized when they are being worked on. HOA's are another gigantic pain in the ass because it's basically just ignorant lazy stay at home mom's or old people who know nothing about technology who want to tell you what you can and cannot do to make your house better. I actually had a HOA down in georgia try to tell me that putting up solar panels will drive down the value of the other houses around me....seriously they said that. I have no idea how anyone could think that's a possibility but oh well. So I got around their control by just installing the panels on PVC pipes on the ground and attached wheels on them so they were mobile when I wanted them to be. They were no longer a "permanent structure or addon" so the HOA couldn't do or say anything. Loved that one. Also had my neighbor try to tell me that I couldn't do solar because "global warming is a lie"..... I didn't even need his permission I was just asking how he felt about it.
I got into it at first because my dad wanted a solar panel system and so I started researching it for him for pricing. I would get quotes for 2kW systems(generates 2kWh's per hour) for like $20,000 and I just didn't understand how it could be that expensive. So I researched it by physically building my own panels and systems. Was able to build my own solar panel, cells and all for 72 watts at $50 and being able to make one per day or so based on materials. Then I found pre-made things solar panels, inverters, batteries, etc.... and put together a 2kW system and it only cost roughly $2000 or 10x less than what that company wanted to sell it for. Basically it just seemed to me that they didn't actually WANT to have people adopt more solar and were just in it for a quick buck. I hate that. A standard house uses anywhere between 30-50 kWh's per day so buying a 2kW system is almost enough to go off the grid entirely since a kWh is calculated at kW's times hours so a 2kW system will generate 2kWh's per hour or 16+ kWh's per day. You can also cut down on your power consumption drastically by doing away with all the converters in all your system i/e those power bricks on the cords. Pretty much everything you have uses DC power but it converts it from AC so if you were to just use DC it would cut out a good amount of waste. Only issue would be to make sure you have the correct voltage but that's simple by using a buck-boost converter on each socket so you can just set the voltage you want and you're good to go. It'd actually be super cool looking. https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Converter-Adjustable-Regulator-Transformer/dp/B00J03PBW0/ref=pd_cp_23_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B00J03PBW0&amp;pd_rd_r=TMDYZV4BN1T9BFJNRN58&amp;pd_rd_w=bRJs2&amp;pd_rd_wg=4RLeo&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=TMDYZV4BN1T9BFJNRN58 basically you could even cut out a little section so the controls and display are visible to you. Idk about you but I think it would look awesome and really really high tech. Only areas that you can't do that would be anything with motors in them because they do actually usually need AC power so your fridge and central air/window unit would still need AC.
It's pretty easy, especially with Lutron Caseta, because they don't need a neutral wire.
Tips:
Things to have:
Also, get the Lutron Caseta, they are rock solid reliable and very fast/responsive.
I need a multimeter for my project bike. I'm tired of using the crappy $10 walmart ones that break and don't work correctly.
I was considering this one.
Any thoughts, opinions, and maybe some recommendations? The $110 price tag is pretty much my spending limit on this tool.
Thank you.
Disclaimer: I have no idea what kind of heat pump this is, nor do I really know too much about HVAC systems. I'm guessing this unit uses electricity to heat your house. Most heating units in my area are natural gas, so I'm making some assumptions here.
First thing I would do is throw a clamp ammeter around the unit's feeders. Just to rule out other heavy draws and you can also get a general idea just how much power each circuit is pulling. Something like this would work:
http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-T5-600-Voltage-Continuity-Current/dp/B0006Z3GZU/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421884535&amp;sr=8-12&amp;keywords=fluke+amp+clamp
Outside of that, its hard for me to really help you without knowing exactly what the unit's specifications are. Maybe you just have a really large heater and really, really lousy insulation in your home. I just don't know. One thing is for sure, that is a very big electrical bill.
Here is the meter I used in my first year, worked great. Don't listen to these people that say you don't need one, and don't get one of those old fashioned ones with like 28 different modes and dials, this is all you need - Volts, Amps, Continuity
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006Z3GZU?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=vrefid-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creativeASIN=B0006Z3GZU&amp;linkCode=xm2
It varies widely by where you are, what local you're in, and what you like in tools.
I just went through the whole "what tools" dialog over the past several months. It's hard to do, and you really want to be prepared to start, but wait. Save some money and be ready to buy something when the union calls and you get your minimum tool list. Get the minimum tools at first.
Many shops out there don't expect you to have your whole tool bag on day one. Get a very basic array of tools and buy an item or two per payday as you get going.
My shop rarely uses some of the items on the "must have" union list, but all the guys say "these aren't on your list, but we use them dozens of times a day, every day."
Here's what I'd recommend regardless of your union minimum tool list (my preference in parentheses):
-Linemans pliers (Knipex or Klein, tape pulling)
-#1 and #2 Phillips (Wera 300 or 900 series)
-3.5mm and 5.5mm slotted (Wera 900 series)
-6.5" and 10" pump pliers (Channellock 426/430)
-16' Tape measure (Milwaukee)
-something to keep your tools in, and fairly organized.
I have a large sized tool belt if needed, but found that I prefer to have a small Husky 7-pocket Utility Pouch and grab the few tools I'll need for the next job out of my bag, and a Magnogrip Nail Pouch if I need to carry a bunch of wire nuts or something like that. I can throw on my big tool bag if I'm doing a variety of stuff, but find that it's heavy and I end up carrying a ton of stuff I won't use. But I work in prefab, so my tool bag is always nearby and I process work orders for specific amounts of given items, so I generally know what 3-4 tools I'll need for the next task.
Make a prioritized tool list. If you borrow a tool more than once a day, move that to the top of your list.
My JATC requires a certain level/spec of multimeter, but when I arrived at my shop, they said I could not use my own Fluke 179 meter I've had prior to this job, the company provides them. I am allowed to have something like a Fluke T5-600/1000, but only for basics like continuity and testing if a circuit works; anything measuring voltage or current had to be done with the supplied meters. And it's extremely rare that I need anything other than continuity checks, because my shop has an absolute no live circuit policy for apprentices whatsoever (not just live work, but anything that exposes a component that is energized, even removing a switch plate). But I'm also not on a job site, I'm in the warehouse.
Mostly, the guys in my shop all agree: don't buy kits, buy a tool here and there. And you'll be surprised what your shop provides. I've already been given several items that the shop provides to everyone.
Disclaimer: I am not telling you to ignore or go beyond your provided tool list, just recommending what I've either used or have seen a lot of people recommending over time. If you show up on day one with the minimum list, you'll be fine and learn what you want to add. It's great to be prepared, but don't feel like you have to break the bank to have every tool recommended on /r/electricians on day one. Lots of guys said they didn't have anything but a Klein 11-in-1 and cheap linemans pliers when they started and they got by.
Thanks for bringing that to my attention. The TOBH is the RDA (Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer) and the Kayfun is a RTA (Rebuildable Tank Atomizer). The dripper you drip drops into it and the RTA has a tank. On both of these you would build your coils and wick them with whatever you choose whether cotton, eco wool, rayon, etc..
The nitecore charger is probably the best charger under $20 from what I've tried.
As for a Ohm reader I actually use a multimeter since I can't check the resistance of my rebuildables and the voltage of my batteries plus some other things around home.
INNOVA 3300 Hands-free Digital Multimeter (10 MegOhm) by Innova http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O1X65A/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_qTy8tb0YVJTAA
Finally between the vtc 4 and 5 the mAH difference is 500 mAH. The 5 is the newest one from Sony and a little bit more. I personally went with the VTC 4 from ilumn with the coupon code ispower shipping essentially was free.
If anything doesn't make sense or still need more explanation let me know it's a bit late here so my sentences may not be as clear as usual. Also the two rebuildable are in my opinion the best and shouldn't be taken as fact.
You could buy one of these http://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3300-Hands-free-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B001O1X65A/ref=lp_15707471_1_2?s=automotive&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1406769985&amp;sr=1-2 for much cheaper than one of those special ohm readers. I used to use one when rebuilding protank coils with cotton.
I eventually got tired of rebuilding them and recently purchased an aspire nautilus mini. Honestly, the hype is justified. This thing is better than anything I've rebuilt in the protanks.
Its not that difficult. As long as you have a clear understanding of the dangers, breakers, and know the purpose load/line/neutral/ground wires then you will be able to do this no problem.
Also, get yourself a non-contact voltage tester like this: https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-NCVT-2-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B001UAHZAM/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484920204&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=electrical%2Bline%2Btester&amp;th=1
Tell him to stop being cheap and invest the $20 for a wiggy.
https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-NCVT-1-Contact-Voltage/dp/B001UAHZAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1494858791&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Klein+50-1000VAC
That’s one way.
I have a no contact voltage probe that I use to make sure the power is cut. Like this.
Klein Tools NCVT-1 Non-Contact Voltage Tester with Low Battery Indicator and Auto Shutdown https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UAHZAM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_vP8ADbJCDXF7M
They are pretty inexpensive and handy to have.
Safety is so important. This will be one of your best friends on the job if you're afraid of getting shocked: Klein Tools NCVT-1 Voltage Tester, Non-Contact Voltage Detector for AC Voltage, Low Battery Indicator and Auto Shutdown, Batteries Included https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UAHZAM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_nzP2Db6S2MTN2
You can always say no if you feel unsafe and if you're unsure of how to do something you can ask questions. Never assume something is dead, always test it with a tic tester before touching it. I've seen seasoned people almost get shocked because they assume something is dead and it isn't. PPE is important and always wear it. Don't worry about looking stupid for being safe, and never let someone pressure you or shame you into doing something unsafe. It's good to have some fear because it helps keep you cautious and keeps you safe!
Maybe ask him if he has any of these, they're more specialty tools that not every starter has, but can really come in handy:
lumex (romex) strippers: amazon.ca
tap: kleintools.com
tick tester: amazon.ca
9/16 nut driver (used for installing the ever-popular "dome light"): homedepot.com
plug tester: amazon.ca
If I understand correctly, there's a chance that blackened bit is keeping that side of the connection to the dryer from being a good connection. (that black sooty carbon is a decent insulation when you don't want it to be). without pictures, it's hard to tell if the cord has problems, but that's where I would look first.
Related for others, do they make a receptacle tester for the 4 prong outlets? I'm thinking something similar to this https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle/dp/B002LZTKIA
Yup. It has a 3 lights and tells you if it's good, or has an open neutral, or bad ground.
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle/dp/B002LZTKIA
Any hardware store carries something like this for $10 or less. https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle/dp/B002LZTKIA
You need to ground your amp. First, those outlets look pretty unsafe. You are hearing main line buzz (click the 60 Hz mains hum)
Really what you need to do is get an electrician to rewire the outlet with a proper ground and follow local electrical code. Not doing it is risk of death/electrocution/fire.
However, if it's not an option (e.g., renting or it's cost-prohibitive), you could get away with a plug adapters like the following:
https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-274-274-000-Grounding-Adapter/dp/B000H5WGJ6/
if properly installed (e.g., the junction box is metal and grounded, and so you screw that adapter into the outlet so there's a connected ground). As a last resort if you like to live dangerously, you may be able to clamp an electrical wire to between the adapter ground and a metal water/radiator pipe (again if you are sure there's no non-metal connector anywhere along the pipe), if the pipe is grounded. You probably would want GFCI circuits if you are doing this, because if there is a ground fault (say from a bad appliance being plugged in), you don't want you metal water pipe to suddenly become live and potentially electrocute you and/or start a fire.
Once the outlet is grounded you should test with a ground tester (like $5) and verify you have a real ground and no other issues.
There could additionally be other grounding problems if the wiring in the guitar is bad or the cable is also bad, but you will have bad buzzing if you don't fix the ground first.
EDIT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nakpj_Mee0Q
You might also want to check the outlet for a ground fault. There is an inexpensive device you can get at the hardware store, like this:
http://www.amazon.com/GE-50542-Receptacle-Improper-Indicator/dp/B002LZTKIA
With one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle/dp/B002LZTKIA
Also, same way as above could work, test the spike outside against the ground upstairs to see if they are connected. Alternatively pull the outlet out on the 2nd floor, should see a green or bare wire attached the frame of the outlet/green screw.
Also in your electrical panel you will see the grounding bar which would lead to a spike like in this picture..
Not recommending you do this if you are not comfortable w/ electrical work. Breaker should be off before you open up an outlet and tested before you touch. The panel should be locked off and only fully opened by a professional.
No. There's lots of wiring mistakes you could make and still operate a lightbulb: reverse hot/neutral, open ground, neutral/ground short, etc. Get one of these to test the wiring connections:
https://smile.amazon.com/Power-Gear-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle/dp/B002LZTKIA?sa-no-redirect=1
Note: not an electrician.
Like one of these guys?
You can get a plug tester like this to diagnose if there's a wiring problem: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Receptacle-Indications-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA
If it's happened from other outlets, it could be that the whole circuit has a problem. When I first plugged in the charger I got with my Leaf, it had a blinking green light. I used one of these plug testers and confirmed that the circuit for the garage wasn't grounded at all.
These are not optional. I carry one in my gig bag ( as a player ) because I do not want to die:
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Receptacle-Indications-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA
> From what you've described it sounds like a ground error
Even though it may not change what you do, I think it's worth a quick check with one of those cheapo outlet testers (link to an example I got to via a quick Google search, no specific endorsement of that one). One of the things they test for is whether there's an open ground.
Note, these outlet testers are not perfect. There are faults and combinations of faults they can't diagnose or can't completely diagnose. In this particular case, if I pull something out of my ass I can imagine the EVSE doing a more rigorous test of the quality of ground, so just because the outlet tester indicates that there's no open ground doesn't mean it's a good enough ground.
I have vague memories of people saying that some EVSEs won't provide power if they don't have a good ground, so this could be it.
Grab an outlet tester. First thing is, it will test the outlet in the moment. But, if you leave it plugged in, you can have a constant visual indicator if the outlet is working (there's a light on it).
But yeah, replace the outlet.
Links: https://www.homedepot.com/c/how_to_install_a_receptacle_HT_PG_EL
https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/how-to-replace-an-ugly-old-electrical-outlet/
Run, don't walk, to your nearest home depot / lowes and buy an outlet tester for 5-6 dollars. Should look like this
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-3-Wire-Receptacle-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA
It's fairly simple to use, plug it in, see what lights come on and go from there. I'm almost willing to put money on your outlets not being properly grounded and if that's the case, there are probably more. You'll want to test the outlets in and around your house paying particular attention to any area with water in it (bathroom, kitchen, outside).
The UPS won't provide a ground if there's not a ground on the outlet.
Check every outlet you plug into with one of these: http://www.amazon.com/GE-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle-Tester/dp/B002LZTKIA/
I plugged a headphone amp into an improperly wired outlet then connected it to my interface on another circuit resulting in a huge voltage drop against grounds killing all outputs on my interface and blowing a fuse. A small voltage drop between circuits will cause a shock, while an improperly wired outlet across grounds can kill.
For first testing I just use one of these
Can carry it in your pocket and seems to be pretty reliable. (hasn't failed me in 10 years so far)
For extended testing, such as if that shows a problem or later develop a problem (damn mice) then I go with a standard voltmeter.
EDIT: Better link that shows what all it checks for.
I've run into shit like that in dorms with mis-wired outlets. Invest in one of these and test every outlet before using it http://www.amazon.com/GE-50542-Receptacle-Improper-Indicator/dp/B002LZTKIA
You can even find them at stores for $2
I also strongly recommend a receptacle tester. Good for quick checks like OP is talking about. It also indicates any wiring faults.
As for outlets: buy one of these outlet testers. The diagnostic lights will tell you exactly what you are dealing with. If your outlets are 3 prong but not grounded that is not a good situation and how to fix it depends on many variables (Basement vs crawlspace vs slab, attic access, are the boxes grounded but not the outlets). At least the diagnostics will tell you enough to know what you are dealing with and if you need an electrician.
As for checking breakers, I would suggest turning on all the lights in the house. Go to the breaker box, turn each breaker off, one at a time and make sure the label in the box matches what actually turns off in the house. Fixing the labels now might save you a hour in the dark in the future.
Similarly, look at all your plumbing shutoffs. Make sure they are not leaking. Turn each faucet on first hot, then cold, then close the shutoff in the basement and/or under the sink. Label ones you find in the basement, hot vs cold and what room/rooms they feed. Again this tells you if you might need a plumber (or DIY) to resolve some bad shutoffs (gate valves >15yrs old should not be trusted) and can help if(when) you have a serious leak in the future.
Upvote for having a $5 tester. Everyone should have one.
Get a power bar with surge protector that has the "building wiring fault" LED on it, or get one of those "outlet checkers" at Home Depot etc. I.e. https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-3-Wire-Receptacle-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA
Although those checkers can sometimes lie about the ground if something is plugged in that is tying the ground to neutral, where in that case my building wiring fault LED still told the truth.
Basically plug in and switch on the power bar / check the lights before plugging everything else in..
Immediately tomorrow, go to Harbor Freight, or Fry's, or Amazon.com, or wherever and buy a 3-prong electrical receptacle tester like this, for example, and check your outlets. Then hire an electrician to come in an fix them.
Or just skip the tester, and get the electrician in before someone dies.
Another thing about the outlets would be checking to make sure the three-prong ones are actually grounded. Socket testers are cheap, or you may already have a power strip with a ground light.
That type of multimeter can be dangerous (read: explode) if you attempt to use it while it is on the wrong setting. As a homeowner that only thing you'd probably need is a proximity tester and a plug in style receptacle tester. These devices are easy to use and virtually foolproof.
If you are in doubt about the receptacles in the home your safest course of action would be to have an electrician come in and inspect everything.
Non-contact voltage detector like this one... It's really great for confirming you hit the right breaker when changing plugs or light fixtures. Especially useful if you have an older home with a badly labeled electrical fuse box.
https://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-2202-20-Voltage-Detector-Light/dp/B004CZ08LU/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1542672637&amp;sr=8-8&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=non+contact+voltage+tester&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=315NSb3qqWL&amp;ref=plSrch
The Klein NCVT 2 is horrible, I've had two and they each did their own fluky shit. One you couldn't turn off once you turned it on, had to wait for it to timeout. The other would only light up and wouldn't beep after about a week of use. I like the Milwaukee 2202-20
Nah, I put one in before I knew much about wiring. Just watch some youtube videos and be sure to turn off the breaker.
I'd get one of those Voltage Detectors. I'm usually really careful but I would have been shocked a couple times if I didn't use the tester.
You could walk around the house and point a non contact voltage tester at everything. Recommendation.
It does high and low voltage - let me know if it picks up any ghosts as well, I might go on a journey with mine.
You can get a no-contact power tester at Home Depot, etc., while you are there buying a new outlet. :)
So, remove the outlet cover plate, but leave the outlet in. Stick the tester in the sides of the outlet, touching the wire, if it's live it will beep and blink. If there is no power, it does nothing. Typically outlets are wired with power coming in one side (left, for example), and out the other side (right, for example). So touch the left wire(s), then the right. If one side does not have power, that outlet is the problem.
Turn the power off, then read the directions that come with the outlet. They are really simple. You can either strip the wire and screw it onto the outlet terminal, or strip the wire and jam it into a little hole on the back. Check YouTube for "replace outlet" videos, and you will see how simple it is. It's like one screw to remove the outlet, then 2 screws for power, and one for the ground.
You don't need to go all out with a Fluke, just get a non-contact voltage tester for quick double-checking and a multimeter for all-around use.
Its basically just a voltage detector.
https://www.amazon.com/Voltage-Protection-Klein-Tools-NCVT-2/dp/B004FXJOQO
This is the voltage detector pen that I was telling you about, /u/achstuff:
&#x200B;
Klein Tools NCVT-2 Dual Range Tester, Non Contact Tester for Standard and Low Voltage with 3-m Drop Protection
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These are the RJ-45 Ethernet jacks that I use:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079K7XMGQ/
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This is the crimper that I use (the wires pass through the jacks and then this cuts them)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00939KFOU/
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And this is the tester that I use:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DQH4XPW/
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I have some other tools which I can list, but this the base set that you'd want to use to get rolling. The nice part about these particular jacks is that their bin's outside label has the diagram for the T568B standard (which you'll want to use (assuming you're crimping both sides of the cable) unless you're trying to match T568A)
Yes. Make sure you turn off the breaker. If you want to feel extra comfortable turn off all the circuits haha. Or get a circuit tester like this: http://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-NCVT-2-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B004FXJOQO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1426008999&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=circuit+tester
Just yesterday I fixed a light strand that was half out by using one of these:http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004FXJOQO, a current detector that I already owned.
A working, turned-on bulb will have current on both sides. A busted bulb will have current on only one side.
The top GPU is probably toast, and some component that we can't see probably fried. Whether or not it was due to the PSU, or just the GPU going out, I don't know.
I'd get a PSU tester (Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/ ) to see if the PSU is still good before putting it into any rig again.
It is possible that irregular voltages could have damaged the GPU, but likely it's OK.
The best way to test a PSU is with an actual tester, this is the one I use: http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1463180347&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=power+supply+tester
You can also test each rail manually with a multimeter: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/ht/power-supply-test-multimeter.htm
I can say with about 85% certainty that a new PSU will clear up your issues, but there is a small chance it's damaged another component.
If you have a pin remover (makeshift or actual) and the pinouts its a pretty simple process. Just be sure to triple check your work before plugging it into actual hardware. PSU testers (like the TT Dr power ii) are handy for that.
Extensions are easier to make, as you said 1 to 1, no hassle. Custom cables for modular PSU requires pin-out diagrams and a tester to insure that the cables are correct and won't "blow your rig." You may also run into double wires, which require a little more work to make them look good and function correctly.
In the end extensions are cheaper, less time consuming, and easier to install for most people. Custom cables are a lot more time consuming and require more tools to ensure that everything is kosher.
Lutro0's double wire guide.
RAM:
hit the windows-key
type mdsched
Run it now. This will check your ram for faults. It will take about 30 minutes to complete, and will tell you on the lower part of the screen if it's running okay (no faults found) or if there's problems. If you miss the warning on the screen while the test is running you can find results under event viewer.
Power Supply:
Find another to swap with and test. Or get one of these.
Motherboard:
When both the above fail, it's relatively safe to assume motherboard.
If what you describe is correct (Truly random restarts) Then it's likely one of these three things. If there's something else going on then we need more details to go on.
I've had one of these for a few years now. I consider it a pretty great investment as it's helped me out several times. Power supply tester.
Personally, I'm now in the habit of always using a UPS. The best part? I keep my internet stuff on a UPS too and I usually have internet during power outages. It's great.
This is some information about power strips.
When you hit the power button, does anything at all happen? Is there any clicking? Do the motherboard lights eventually go out? Do you have to reset the PSU before you can do anything? Or is it just absolutely flat out nothing when you press the switch?
I like Corsair PSU the most. JMHO
Before you spend that much money think of investing in a PSU tester. I have, this is my latest arrival.
https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO
Though it's difficult to tell without a tester or multimeter, it sounds like a bad PSU. Depending on the setup, a surge could have knocked it out (especially if there isn't any kind of voltage regulation between the outlet and the unit). What model / make is your power supply?
Here's a basic test you can perform with a paper clip. The color coding is Corsair-specific, but the methodology works for all ATX PSUs:
https://youtu.be/5FWXgQSokF4
I would also suggest popping onto /r/fixapc/ and posting this if you haven't already.
Did you build this PC yourself?
I would suggest checking to make sure that the stand-offs are properly installed. Also check your ground connection. It's definitely power related. Like something is retaining power that shouldn't or something is getting power that it shouldn't or something is not getting power that it should. Which is why I am checking for a short (the standoffs and ground). The other thing I would suggest is trying another power supply. You could also get yourself one of these to test your power supply. You don't need to get that fancy of one if you are OK with basic readouts. I just don't know what you skill level is when it comes to electrical work. If it's not the powersupply and not the standoffs I would lean towards the MoBo.
Good luck!
It could be your PSU, or your motherboard, if you want to know for sure:
https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005F778JO?cache=1036e9f35ec71cb01e3d3f2436b192cb&amp;pi=SX200_QL40&amp;qid=1407733518&amp;sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
Do you already have the solenoid? I really recommend a Relay isolator instead.
Looks all good but I'm not sure why your solenoid it connected to your fuse box? I would just connect your auxiliary battery to it.
For the ignition source I used my car stereo for that it isn't much power so the amperage should be okay for it.
Edit: Some additional info after having time to look stuff over more.
I would get a simple reader like this.
You'll need at least a 4 gauge wire for the starter to the isolator with it being 80amps.
Are you getting a fuse with a ground connecter? if not theres no need for a grounding wire from the fuse box as each item being powered will just need to be grounded.
Everything else looks fine tho I'm not totally sure on some of those wire gauges for the items outside of the isolator, I use 12 or 14 for most of my items; lights, fan, usb charger, sink pump.
Hi there, I have experienced something like this twice. If you are sure that everything is in order and there are no obvious billing errors, I strongly suggest you get a clamp ammeter like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-323-True-RMS-Clamp-Meter/dp/B00AQKIEXY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1500148644&amp;sr=8-7&amp;keywords=power+meter+clamp
Power all circuits down in your house, switch everything off. Put the clamp over the inlet cable and see if there is power running through, if there is, something is broken or wrong, call an electrician. If not, then power each device or item up, one at a time and look for things that are drawing excessive electricity.
I had a beer fridge fail one day, but it did not die, the motor decided to run 24/7 somehow not freeze the beer, but just keep drawing. I've also dealt with a faulty fluorescent basalt that was drawing way more power than it should have been, even while seemingly working fine. In both cases, there was a sudden cost spike and my utilisation increased significantly.
Clamp meters allow you to measure the power without exposing the cables, so this is safest if you're not electrically savvy. I would also suggest a device like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Excelvan-Display-Voltage-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00E1E1XA2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1500148919&amp;sr=8-2-spons&amp;keywords=power+meter+plug&amp;psc=1
You can use this occasionally to test and check equipment or appliances are not over drawing. Some of these plugs have the ability to state the cost of the electricity being used, a useful tool to gauge the cost of running or owning appliances.
You could get some of these to see what is using all your power:
https://www.amazon.com/Excelvan-Display-Voltage-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00E1E1XA2
The Aeotec Nano switch https://amzn.com/B06XWSJJ98 includes power monitoring and can be controlled by an ordinary wall switch. Many "smart plugs" (probably a better choice if your apartment is a rental) include power monitoring - check out https://amzn.com//B01N4SGR3A ... I don't know of any wall switches with power monitoring.
Others will disagree but I've found the power monitoring feature (which I have on several circuits) to be of limited continuing value. You can use an inexpensive device like https://amzn.com/B00E1E1XA2 to check power consumption and adjust your habits and equipment accordingly.
Something like this? https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Meter-100A-Volt-3-Wire/dp/B00GMZRXE8 (found this from a quick Google search, not sure if it fits the criteria, but you get the idea)
I haven't tried it, but if your charger is wired single phase, here's another way.. If it's 3 phase, the meters are much more expensive. Just wire it between the panel and the charger.
If you are in a hurry and want to spend a little more, Amazon. (Prime)
http://www.amazon.com/SMAKN-Voltmeter-3-0~30v-Digital-Detector/dp/B00M50SEYC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=undefined&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=smakn+.28
If you're patient and frugal, Ebay. (Chinese shipping)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301015797525?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&amp;ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
If this is your first foray into installing electrical switches, make sure you have neutral wiring in your home and pick up yourself a voltage tester like below:
Klein Tools NCVT-3 Non-Contact Voltage Tester with Flashlight Klein Tools https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XJQ9ZE4/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_SyWeAbH1D7BER via @amazon
I already had the volt meters and XT60 plugs lying around, so I just had to buy a cord and stick everything together with solder, heat shrink, and hot glue. Happily enough, my B6AC's DC input uses the same plug, so I can use this to charge 1S batteries when I'm out and about, too. (Not much point in charging 4S this way unless I have something like a 5Ah pack on me, but I guess it's a possibility.)
I'd recommend something like this, it's amazing how many things it tests and how well, it'll give you resistance values and capacitor capacities along with testing led's and more
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01H6QKVOU
As well it's just and audrino, you can get the source and edit it if nessasary
You don't need an end with a hot stick. It will tell you if it's not or not through the insulation.
Edit: if yours won't do that, here is a really good deal on a stick and receptacle tester combo.
I haven't done a ceiling fan before but I imagine the hardest part is just physically holding the fan (or is it just a mounting bracket?) up while you wire it up. Might need a 2nd set of hands for that. But the wiring itself should be just as simple as the outlet I just did.
These tools gave me a lot of confidence. (Don't worry, cheaper versions exist.) The pen is used to identify switches/wires/fixtures that have electricity flowing to them. The plug-in one tells you if any of the wires are hooked up incorrectly, although that wouldn't help you with a ceiling fan. Apparently the previous homeowner didn't have these because a couple outlets have the hot and neutrals reversed. I still need to re-wire those.
Many UPS models have a USB based serial port which generate outage notification.
The next simplest approach is to rig a simple usb charger and rig a simple voltage divider connected to the ground and a gpio pin. If power drops out the gpio pin will go low.
A somewhat more complicated approach is to use a clamp on ammeter on the cord feeding the UPS like this one:
JANSANE SCT-013-000 100A Non-invasive AC Current Sensor Split-Core Clamp Current Transformer for Arduino Raspberry pi https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D8SXQ13/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lypoDb3G7N9G7
If no current is detected this indicates an outage.
Skip breaking open the circuit and just monitor the current externally using something like this https://www.amazon.com/JANSANE-SCT-013-000-Non-invasive-Split-Core-Transformer/dp/B07D8SXQ13/ref=pd_sbs_328_3 It generates a current (which you can change to a voltage - just add a resistor) based on the current flowing through the clamp. This means the mains is fully isolated from the PI, Pick the correct resistor to ensure that you hit above threshold for the GPIO when the heater is on, but never above 3.3v.
Yes I would put a current clamp on the wire like this
JANSANE SCT-013-000 100A Non-invasive AC Current Sensor Split-Core Clamp Current Transformer for Arduino Raspberry pi https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D8SXQ13/
In an application like this
https://youtu.be/Z3YSHhS39Bc
You will need a burden resistor along with the circuit he describes.
If you don't care about the voltage or watthour consumption then you shouldn't need anything else but the current clamp. I personally use esps which can be programmed with the arduino ide. However just find a nice tutorial you feel is complete(if not video above) and use what they use.
You can ultimately program it to text (via email) when some time period passes and current is still being consumed. Or to turn on another relay which can send power to something else like a light or siren etc
Yeah, it’s a lot. I got a T5600. I do commercial maintenance, which includes electrical work, but I’m am not an electrician.
Fluke T5600 Electrical Voltage, Continuity and Current Tester
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006Z3GZU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_rJQkDbAQ57VWN
https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-Electrical-Voltage-Continuity-Current/dp/B0006Z3GZU/ref=mp_s_a_1_21?keywords=fluke+multimeter&amp;qid=1567090794&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=fluke&amp;sr=8-21
This style of meter is pretty convenient. You can put one of the probes so it sits out of the meter so you can hold the meter while also testing instead of having to set the meter on something or have someone hold it
yup, knipex is good. He probably already has a multimeter and hot stick, but I like having multiple hot sticks around as they go bad.
https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-1AC-A1-II-VoltAlert-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B000EJ332O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1475250851&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=fluke+hot+stick
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006Z3GZU/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
The Fluke T-5 is my go to for most stuff around the house. Does what it sounds like you are looking for. Easy to use, takes abuse. It’s also my go to at work unless I need to really get into stuff. Then I grab a bigger Fluke.
This might be overkill for a person who doesn't use it on a daily basis but this is what most electricians I know use: https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-Electrical-Voltage-Continuity-Current/dp/B0006Z3GZU/
there is a t5-600, same tester but does up to 600volts instead of 1000. (Which you wont need) its $90 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006Z3GZU/ref=twister_B06W57QS6F?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1
The fluke T600 is all I’ve needed so far ( I’m a 1st year apprentice working service in commercial/industrial settings) the only two cons that will eventually push me off to buying one of the pricier Flukes down the line are 1. It’s amp-probe horns are 1/2” wide so I can’t fit it around the thicker feeder wires in most panels and it doesn’t measure DC voltage (which I have yet to need to do, I have a $14 multimeter for that if it ever pops up) aside from those two things the t600 the goto meter for both my journeyman and I. If it gets lost or stolen it’s not terribly expensive but it’s also not so inexpensive that you sacrifice the quality that you need. According to my journeyman don’t worry about “true RMS” unless your going to buy an expensive “big boy” meter.
Here’s a link to the one I bought. Keep your eye out for “damaged package returns” typically that just means someone opened the box and decided to return it and it knocks $10-$15 off the price because the box isn’t “pretty”. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006Z3GZU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ORAPAb4KD9882
I appreciate the reply.
As for the multimeter, I believe it's a Fluke, very similar (if not the same) as this. My dad is an electrician so he generally has decent stuff in this area. I just wish he had an O-Scope.
That makes sense about volume, I'm know I've read that somewhere. I guess I assume since the Head Unit's preamp voltage is 4V, that it wouldn't send the amp anything more than 4V even at max volume. Clearly I'm misunderstanding something.
What confuses me is none of the gain matching write ups I've seen mention the head unit putting out way more voltage at 0 gain. I mean it confuses me that the HU is putting out 225W worth of voltage to the front speakers (max volume with a 0db test tone. (225Wx4ohm)^(1/2)= 30V) when the HU is rated at 14W RMS, 50W Max.
Is it possible that the amp is amplifying the signal even at 0 gain? Is it possible to test the voltage from the RCA outputs (negative probe on ring, positive on the post), essentially bypassing the amp?
I'm hoping I can stop by the audio shop in town and see if they have an O-Scope to see what my max volume would be on the Head Unit.
Again, thanks for the reply, I'm just baffled because in all my reading I didn't expect an issue like this to arise.
Measure the voltage. Either use an inline volt meter, pull the battery out and test it with a multimeter or pop it in a charger that shows the battery voltage.
I bought this one from Amazon and have the same problem. Pisses me off.
I have this one maybe I didn't get the best one for the job?
I recently got this one and when I test coils before I mount them on my IGO-L, I get crazy fluctuations in my readings for an estimated 1.0 Ohm coil, I get readins of 300 Ohms to 1 Ohm) and, if it does settle at all, it;s widely inaccurate.
My buddy told me that the test lead's cables are probably shoddy and I'm probably never going to get a good reading for low Ohm coils with a cheapy meter like this.
I'm thinking now of going with one of those Ohm Readers with 501 connectors right on the unit like this. even though I had the idea of having a "single-purpose tool", I guess I can use it as a stable "work base" while I'm building as well. Any opinions?
thanks for the encouragement!
I certainly do have non-contact voltage testers readily available and multimeters as i've been luckily enough to have made mistakes which made sparks but didnt hurt or burn anything down so i've learned my lesson. If i'm not 100%, take 5 seconds to check vs spending 5 hours at the hospital! =)
Non-Contact Voltage tester for those wondering what that is (life saver tool):
https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-NCVT-1-Non-Contact-Indicator/dp/B001UAHZAM/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1792TVYRSE11A&keywords=non+contact+voltage+tester&qid=1572892596&sprefix=non-voltage+con%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-6
One of these might be helpful to you:
Power Gear 50542 3-Wire Receptacle Tester https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LZTKIA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Y9hYxbPG7ZZG1
Get a $5 outlet tester.
http://www.amazon.com/GE-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle-Tester/dp/B002LZTKIA
Worth its weight in gold. You'll be surprised how often it comes in handy - just testing if an outlet is live, e.g.
I'm lazy, I just use a $6 plug-in outlet tester.
Power Gear 50542 3-Wire Receptacle Tester https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LZTKIA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_G9i2xb8HMR1DW
Off topic but maybe useful https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle/dp/B002LZTKIA?psc=1
As others have said, it's likely a grounding issue. If you are in the U.S. or Canada, get one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Receptacle-Indications-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1524350592&amp;sr=8-18&amp;keywords=electrical+outlet+tester
It will tell you if your outlet is wired correctly. If it isn't, that is likely your problem. The solution would be to fix the outlet, which should be done for safety reasons, or temporarily move to another properly-wired outlet and see if the problem goes away.
You can buy an outlet tester like this to check.
In addition to the other two suggestions regarding ground loops, make sure your amps are plugged into two different wall sockets.
You may also want to get a cheap outlet tester just to test things out.
This is probably part of the issue.
Do you have a voltage meter?
You could try connecting the ground lug of the receiver to the ground pin at the wall socket. Or convert the receiver to 3 pin plug.
It would be good to verify with an outlet tester that everything is wired correctly (they are supper cheap) https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Receptacle-Indications-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA
Many people will disagree with me, and with valid reasons. But if the outlet is wired correctly, there really isn't anything wrong with removing the ground pin from the sub.
You would obviously want to use a GFCI outlet for all that equipment.
Ground loops and the really difficult stuff, and sometimes it is actually an engineer defect in the equipment.
That PDF file recommend in the other comment is very good, and you should read it even if most of it seems advanced. They do a good job of explaining the concepts.
Let me know if you have specific questions about what to measure.
If you really mean 120 cycle hum, (not the usual 60hz hum) then it is potentially a filter cap issue. The mains power is 60hz but after rectification it is 120hz. At that point the filter caps are supposed to smooth that 120hz ripple.
First step is still to eliminate the possibilities and take it to another site with different power/interference/etc. I would also get an AC outlet checker, like this one, and check the wiring. I've seen some messed up house wiring.
Lot's of potential interference in any modern home. Could be lights, computers, etc. If it's fluorescent lights, try keeping old incandescent bulbs in the music room, maybe.
Use one of these, I might also recommend opening one or two outlets with the power off to make sure it's not a bootleg ground.
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Receptacle-Indications-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA
> If the other circuits have a ground, there's just a wire come loose somewhere, which would not be difficult to track down for an electrician.
Not necessarily. They could have replaced some of the outlets with grounds, and didn't have access to a ground in this outlet for some reason or another.
OP definitely needs to let management handle this. Best you can do is get an outlet tester and see if you have another grounded outlet accessible.
Remind maintenance that if the outlet is not grounded, it should be either a 2-prong outlet, or have GFCI protection in order to meet NEC.
I'd just go get one of these guys if I had no other test equipment available.
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-3-Wire-Receptacle-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA
They're $5-10 at pretty much any hardware store.
Outlet testers are cheap and effective.
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Receptacle-Indications-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?adgrpid=55627270763&amp;hvadid=274723474509&amp;hvdev=m&amp;hvlocphy=1022653&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvpos=1t1&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;hvrand=12869203484087416750&amp;hvtargid=kwd-300397334292&amp;keywords=outlet+tester&amp;qid=1550862896&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-5&amp;tag=hydsma-20
I'm not an electrition, so this may not be a perfect explanation. but the ground pin gives your device a way to discharge static electricity or overvoltage by giving the electricity a way to "escape" from the system. Remember the First Law of Thermodynamics:
> Energy cannot be created or destoyed, only transfered.
So if you want to deal with a voltage spike, you can't just eliminate that electiricity. It has to be transfered, converted, or similar. In the case of modern homes, it is transfered into the earth via a third ground wire. Ordinarilly the path of least resistance will be your electronics, and power will flow through that instead of the ground wire. In an overloaded circuit that path of least resistance should be the ground. So it effectively works as a primitive form of voltage control.
From this site
>A surge protector used at a non-grounded receptacle is a glorified extension cord, and provides no additional protection, only a false sense of protection.
Something like this outlet tester will let you know if your house is wired up correctly or not. Just because an outlet has 3 pins doesn't mean that third pin is necessarily connected to anything.
>If an outlet isn't grounded, what can it do to your gear
Overcharge and destroy it. Possible fire risk.
For something that's off, it generally won't matter, so don't freak out if your vacuume or toaster only has a two-prong outlet. But for something you might use in a storm and that uses a substantial amount of electricity (i.e. a computer, air conditioner or heater), or that is particularly sensitive, that ground wire is important.
You'll find most modern TVs and light fixtures don't have a third prong. I am not 100% sure why but I assume it's because they have such a low power draw.
>and how would one go about addressing that?
The only real way is to hire an electrition, rewire your outlets yourself (be safe! Turn off your circuit breakers first!) or choose a different, grounded outlet. There's no quick fix or adapter to "ground" an outlet that I know of, at least not that are safe and to code.
You'll find
Me thinks one of these would be a good idea
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LZTKIA/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_5LGEzb90DQ3QT a receptacle tester.
The green screw is irrelevant unless the ground wire is connected. You have to figure out which is which.
An outlet tester will help; connect each wire
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LZTKIA
http://www.amazon.com/GE-3-Wire-Receptacle-Tester-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA
Always nice to have one of these around for a quick check.
I am not an electrician, nor am I experienced with home wiring.
You can buy a tester for your outlets. That said, it would probably be more prudent to get an electrician in. You're going to need to call one anyway.
Anyway, the 120V/240V/0V thing refers to the split-phase power delivery system common in North America. In this system you have two hot wires, instead of just one. One of those hot wires is the inverse voltage of the other (so if we say that ground is 0V, then when the first hot wire is at 120V, the other hot wire is at -120V). If you connect ground to hot, you get a certain voltage (120V). If you connect the first hot to the second hot, you get double that voltage (240V).
As to what is happening in your case, I've no idea. In a proper wiring setup, the ground wire (and thus all things connected to the ground wire, like the case of an appliance, your junction boxes, etc.) are directly attached to a big metal thing stuck deep in the earth.
Testing the outlet is easy, I think something like this would work?
Power Gear 3-Wire Receptacle Tester
50542 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LZTKIA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6CmHzb4P7QZQV
That's perfectly safe to use.
As for risk to yourself, I'm not an electrician so I can't speak authoritatively to any additional risk from an ungrounded amp. I'm pretty sure there is some added risk though. Low, but still.
Well that should rule that out unless they screwed up the wiring. If you want to be 100% sure you can always grab a outlet tester.
Otherwise it sounds like you just have some really really bad luck and I hope they'll get their heads together and fix it for you as they should have just sent you a new unit after the 2nd time.
Did you use an outlet checker? I found out those will report everything is correct if the hot and neutral are swapped and you have a bootleg ground (or no ground)
Something like this http://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle/dp/B002LZTKIA/ can show if the outlet is wired properly. "Open Ground" would indicate that the outlet is not properly grounded and will make the PC more sensitive to static shocks and surges.
My old apartment had a grounding issue and any time I plugged in a USB device, built up charge in the device would cause a surge and crash my PC.
In the mean time, try using an outlet in an entirely different part of the house.
Not sure if this will help solve your particular problem, but I personally plug one of these: http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B002LZTKIA/?tag=dp-us-20
in after every receptacle install.
It's possible. Go to a hardware store and buy one of these and check to see if the outlets are grounded. Just because the outlet is 3 prong doesn't necessarily mean the outlet is grounded. Also check to make sure nothing in your chain has the ground prong broken off, like a power strip or something before it gets to the wall.
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle/dp/B002LZTKIA
Once you've checked to see that the gas to the appliance is on...
Have you tried working the oven or broiler (if it has one)?
It sounds like it could be a gas valve issue with the stove/oven itself.
Further: You may want to consider testing the outlet that it's plugged in to with a receptacle tester. If the polarity is reversed on the outlet, the gas valve may not open, which is a safety feature. Sounds weird, but I've run in to that issue a handful of times.
Edit: Added further info.
If your surge protector has a 'grounded' indicator that isn't lit, that likely means the outlet it's plugged into isn't grounded. So plugging the computer into the wall won't ground it either.
You can use something like this to test your outlets. You just plug it in to the outlet, look at how it lights up, and reference that to what it says on the label.
Alternatively, you can just take your surge protector and plug it into different outlets until you find one that's grounded, and use that one.
Typically as other people have stated generators run only the necessary systems. Usually only the refrigerator is considered a needed appliance in the backup generator world.
Not HVAC related but just because the outlet in the box is 3 prong doesn't mean it is actually a grounded outlet. If this is a major point for you then it'd be worth getting that checked out. A simple outlet tester will indicate if new wiring or wiring with a ground was actually run.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002LZTKIA?pc_redir=1395427616&amp;robot_redir=1
Here is the mobile version of your link
> Firstly, that ground wire must be sufficiently large
I am guessing I will have to measure the thickness of it with a caliper.
In terms of checking all the outlets to find which ones are truly grounded, would I use a tool like this?
As far as the electrical goes, its easy to do but, for the love of God, turn the power off while working on it! Networking your house ain't worth your life!! Watch some YouTube videos on how to wire the the receptacle.
Buy this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002LZTKIA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1451424239&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SY200_QL40&amp;keywords=receptacle+checker&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51hlg2obNeL&amp;ref=plSrch
After you wire the receptacle, turn the power on, and plug this in. It will show you if you made any mistakes. Just read the instructions.
The hardest part you're going to run into is getting from the crawl space to the attic. Try and find a plumbing drain. Plumbers generally cut the holes way bigger than needed and you can slide in beside them.
Another option is using a fireplace if you have one. The framing around it should be loose enough for you to fish wires down beside it.
The easiest thing you can do is run a PVC pipe on the exterior of the house in an inconspicuous spot and paint it to match your house.
Save yourself a million headaches by pulling a pull string along with your wires for subsequent runs. Twine is cheap.
Feel free to ask me anything else you might be curious about!
Source: am electrician.
You're certain the fan is on same breaker? In my place, most of the breakers were labeled correctly, but i had a couple of outlets and switches that were tied to other breakers. Also, mine has switches and outlets separate. I believe I have upstairs outlets, upstairs lights, downstairs outlets, downstairs lights. I'm not sure what the norm is for this, but getting a little klein pen tester and tying your rooms/fixtures to their actual breakers in a google doc will be really helpful now and in the future.
doorbells are easy enough to handle, as long as the transformer is still good. the transformer converts your home's 120volt electricity to 12 volts (usually) via this large, fist sized looking block, usually located nearish to the breaker box.
doorbells are run in a low voltage loop. the power is supplied from the breaker box or a nearby junction box to the transformer. then it runs from the transformer in a big circle to the chime and the buzzer. when you press the doorbell buzzer, you're completing the circuit and it causes the chime to sound.
One of these will help a lot.
https://www.amazon.com/Voltage-Protection-Klein-Tools-NCVT-2/dp/B004FXJOQO/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=electric+tester+pen&amp;qid=1563599399&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=electric+tes&amp;sr=8-3
Or a standard multimeter.
You're still going to want to make sure nothing is live even after shutting breakers off. Definitely get one of these, lol. I've learned not to trust any of the electrical work in my house.
A properly installed switch never switches neutral. I've run into several fixtures with constant hot at the box. Get a non-contact voltage tester if you aren't comfortable with a multi-meter (or even if you are)
https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-NCVT-2-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B004FXJOQO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1495817034&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=non+contact+voltage+detector
I don't own one.
Would something like this work - https://www.amazon.com/Voltage-Protection-Klein-Tools-NCVT-2/dp/B004FXJOQO/
If you would rather go the Amazon route here is on.
http://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-NCVT-2-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B004FXJOQO/
>an electrical safety tester
Is that like a Klein Non-Contact Voltage Tester to see if the circuit is still hot/energized?
https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-NCVT-2-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B004FXJOQO/
Get a contact-less voltage detector amzn.com/B004FXJOQO
In these scenarios, the next step I go to is testing the power supply.
https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/
You can test and prove every cable/connector in the entire system. Also, have you taken a good flash light and checked all of the capacitors on the motherboard to verify that none are leaking/bulging?
Does this happen with different games or just one?
The symptoms on the surface seem to suggest a GPU (hardware or drivers) is crashing and windows is resetting the display drivers. When windows does this it does not always succeed and takes the entire PC with it.
If temps all are ok, make sure the card is seated correctly (take it out and put it back in and pay attention to make sure everything is in all the way). Also make sure the PCIE power supply connectors are properly connected.
Also a bad power supply could do this, You can test for this using a power supply tester or a Multi meter.
I didn't notice the kernel power 41.
> "The kernel power event ID 41 error occurs when the computer is shut down, or it restarts unexpectedly. When a computer that is running Windows starts, a check is performed to determine whether the computer was shut down cleanly. If the computer was not shut down cleanly, a Kernel Power Event 41 message is generated."
This makes be think more inline with a bad PSU or Power related. Most quality PSU have a voltage out of range safety feature that if the output voltage is to low or high it will automatically turn off to prevent damage to the hardware.
--edit--
me english bad, me fix, me make english good.
also the ATX v2.2 voltage specs are +/- 5% on postive voltages and +/- 10% on negative voltages. ATX12V Power Supply Design Guide Version 2.2 section 3.2.1
Output | Range | Min. | Nom. | Max.
:-:|--:|--:|--:|--:|
+12VDC | +/- 5% | +11.40 | +12.00 | +12.60
+5VDC | +/- 5% | +4.75 | +5.00 | +5.25
+3.3VDC | +/- 5% | +3.14 | +3.30 | +3.47
-12VDC | +/- 10% | +10.80 | -12.00 | -13.20
Hope this info helps
yeah pretty much. any tester will do but id recommend getting something like this as there wont be any confusion if the power supply is bad
It seems like it is ok. One good way to test the power output of a PSU is with a tester. One like this is nice to have on hand.
Or you could use software, such as HWiNFO. It can monitor your PSU as well as other aspects of your machine.
A $32 Dr. Power II will pay for itself if you do much building or custom cables. Learned this the hard way as well.
You plug the cables in to the tester, so effectively testing both.
Something like this.
Well there's PSU testers you can buy for that purpose. Other than that I am unsure short of putting it into an entirely different computer. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005F778JO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=101E02BC34IN0&amp;coliid=IRL5JWJC1GMC0
I would strip it down to the bare minimum (cpu, cpu fan, 1 stick of ram) and see if it powers on. If it does then you know it's one of the 'extras'. If it doesn't then 90%+ it's the PSU.
I use a Dr. Power II and it does a great job.
https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1493684045&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=dr+power+ii
Well, there are PSU testers like https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO
A psu tester is another option and is probably going to be easier to use.
Personally I am going to try and avoid parts for his build because of not knowing exactly what he has.
You could get him zip ties, velcro strips, tool kit (just search computer tool kit on amazon), usb drive, DAC/AMP, nice router, custom mouse pad, nice pair of head phones, power supply tester, Electricity Usage Monitor, Electric Duster, Microfiber Cleaning Cloths, 99% Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol),... I could keep on going but I think you get the idea. Hopefully when you post your build I'll come back to edit my comment.
don't sweat it. if you just use the topper that comes with it (or things like it) you'll be fine. but what you need is a way of checking your battery's voltage because you don't want to discharge the battery below 3.5-3.6 volts. i have VV mods that tell me, but i found it was a lot easier to just pinch it between the wires on a voltmeter like this one: http://www.amazon.com/SMAKN-4-0-30v-Digital-Display-Voltmeter/dp/B00B689UGA/
just hold the black wire against the - terminal on your battery and the red wire against the + terminal and check the reading.
you'll also want a better charger than the one that it came with to prevent overcharging. if you get a voltmeter you can check the batteries as they come off the charger as well. they shouldn't read over 4.2v (i generally get 4.15-4.18).
For anyone asking here's the parts I added so far, I don't even know what chassis or make it is, I'm about to start upgrading the a arms and adjustable so I'll make another post with an picture of the chassis with no body and link it here, maybe some one can tell me what I got, I know its roughly 10 years old so let's see. For now though here is what I got in it.
Volt meter -
DROK 090552 Mini 0.28" Digital Voltage Tester Voltmeter DC 0~~100V Volt Meter 3.0-30V Power Battery Monitoring Gauge Blue LED Panel Display~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C58JGE6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vbwhDbSE53V9J
2s 50c 5400mh lipo
The green rims -
Hobbypark 4pcs-Pack 26mm Width RC Rubber Tires Plastic Wheel Rims 12mm Hub Mount for Redcat HSP 1:10th On Road Car Touring https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXDCQ1F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_cewhDb4685PQQ
Fpv set up :) -
FPV Receiver, EACHINE ROTG01 UVC OTG 5.8G 150CH Full Channel FPV Receiver for Android Mobile Phone Tablet Smartphone (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071VZYLYH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_-ewhDbGQ3V7CX
And
Wolfwhoop WT03 Micro FPV AIO 600TVL Camera 5.8G 25mW/50mW/200mW Adjustable Transmitter with Cloverleaf Antenna for Mini Aircraft https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XB2ZRBP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SewhDbK7WQRM4
The 72 body -
VATERRA 1972 Chevy C10 On Road... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BPEJYBA?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
New shocks -
Yeah Racing Shock-Gear 55mm... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J2MFF9S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
The headlights -
MOHERO 2 LEDs Angel Eyes & Demon... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0784QDRL3?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Basically you want any voltmeter that works with your expected voltages that you can fit into the shell. That's pretty much it. I use these but they're not the only choice.
Good call. I just ordered one of these LCD voltage gauges will install with a momentary switch so I can see my power. I haven't gotten it low enough to cut out.
Voltmeters, can be integrated into your shell, too.
[Ebay, cheaper and you get more] (http://m.ebay.com/itm/5PCS-Mini-Blue-DC-0-30V-LED-Panel-Voltmeter-3-Digital-Display-Voltage-Meter-/281478533527?nav=SEARCH)
Amazon, more expensive but you can feel special. Probably a bit higher quality, different dimensions too.
They are both pretty compact too. Just positive/test and ground leads to wire into your circuit.
Edit: Some guy named /u/Duke_Wintermaul is stalking the subreddit too. Legend has it, he sells voltmeters for $4 each, but no one knows...
depends how many GPU's are in the rig, if I'm running a 4 GPU rig I can usually get away with a 750W since I under volt.
I just built a 7 GPU rig and put a EVGA SuperNOVA 1300W G2 in it, it's a beast.
The safest way to know is to buy one of these - https://www.amazon.com/Floureon-Display-Voltage-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00E1E1XA2/
I would say reset BIOS and stress your pc for 5 hours, see if anything happens. If it does check for an error code. It might be your ram or your motherboard. Get a device to monitor wattage and voltage, maybe the power source is faulty.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00E1E1XA2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1493162455&amp;sr=8-3&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=wattage+meter&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41atCZGslYL&amp;ref=plSrch
I work a lot with meters like these. You're right that they are mostly 120V. Poking around Amazon and Google, there doesn't seem to be anything which handles 220V which can just be plugged in-line with the appliance. Beyond that, there are devices which can meter 220V, but they are not consumer devices, cost $100 and up and need to be wired directly into the circuit.
Your best bet would be to contact your electric company, surprisingly enough - many of them have an energy efficiency initiative or department which will help you reduce your energy costs or offer incentives towards buying energy-efficient fixtures.
While I likely agree with everything.... I'm think I'll go with a 40 AMP breaker, 240V, and it's looking like #6 gage wire... I have 30 video cards and I'd like to have them all on the same circuit with something like this:
Electric kWh Meter, 100A 120/240 Volt, 3-Wire, 60Hz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GMZRXE8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_w4yIzb04F603G
That way I can (safely) run everything thru that and have an idea just how much this absurdity is costing me (exactly, I mean, I know roughly, but with an entire house of gadgets who can be sure). I believe the #6 is good up to 40 amps under 50' and leaves me looooads of wiggle room if my meter gives me comfort on overclocking and such... (At stock 30 1080 Ti's use ~35 AMPs including 90% efficiency, so fuck, maybe I can't over draw on them lol)
These are what ifs of course, I'm still just closing on the house who's basement I'd do this to
Edit: would it be better to do a sub panel situation (I have plenty of free #12 AWG wire) so I can buy just 10 feet or so of #6, put the meter on it, and run it to a sub panel, then run #12 from there to an outlet each for a rig each
With the amount of power you got running out of your panel, I'm surprised you didn't just put in a simple submeter like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Meter-100A-Volt-3-Wire/dp/B00GMZRXE8
Something like this could easily be wired into a recepticle providing power to a server.
I was using the power company merely as an example of how power consumption is measured over time.
Thanks for the advice!
Would something like a ULN2803 work for the driver? https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/IC/uln2803a.pdf
And something like this for the dc-dc step up?
https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Converter-Adjustable-Regulator-Transformer/dp/B00J03PBW0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1468354392&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=step+up+converter
Thanks man, I misunderstood the schematic. How would you feel about using the following:
To be honest I don't know if that's the right transistor to use, I kinda ballparked on the specs. And I guess it would need a resistor too?
Here's my schematic: http://imgur.com/a/YDZQG
modifying them to accept external voltage is both cheap and effective.
I have 4 dc boost modules, one per axis + single extruder. with the printer running and the heated bed off (since it cycles on and off when it only needs to be at 60degC), the control board + the boost modules + the fans + the heater cartridge + the LCD screens (I have a TFT28 and RepRap discount controller hooked up at the same time), the printer consumes about 84 watts when printing (measured at the AC input).
You could do what I did a lot easier by using just one unit like this 150W one: https://www.amazon.com/Gowoops-10-32V-Converter-Adjustable-Voltage/dp/B00J1X4XXM/ref=pd_sbs_328_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;refRID=GBF90A2DQJT7VEMF415F&amp;th=1
or perhaps even this one since it's about 100W
https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Converter-Adjustable-Regulator-Transformer/dp/B00J03PBW0/ref=pd_bxgy_328_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=M4D39ZHV4RJRJHK4A93Y
I think the total power consumption at 30V is around 60-65 watts (at the AC Input), so with air cooling that should work fine.
>(Also, in the schematic, the LED being on will not indicate that the battery is charging, simply that power is connected)
Yeah that's all I care about.
Here's the BMS
Here's the boost converter I was going to use... until I fried the POT on it - lol. My 3A power supply must be slightly >3A. I've got some POTs on order, I'll fix it tomorrow, and use a 2.5A power supply instead. Gotta love the smell of magic smoke in the morning.
I guess I could just get a 13v power supply instead but they're not easy to find, so, 16v and a buck converter?
>Most BMS/battery chargers will have an output that indicate when they are charging.
Is that what the 2 terminals with the diode symbol are for between P+ and P- maybe?
something like this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J03PBW0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=AFHAE9RJVUMB
and
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MUT4ZE6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=A2PMIWMSUTAYGS
??
That switch would be connected in parallel to the voltage output or battery voltage and the voltmeter connected in series. The switch only needs to be rated for the current draw of your voltmeter.
http://www.amazon.com/Voltmeter-2-50~30v-Digital-Display-Detector/dp/B00M50SEYC/ref=pd_sim_hi_3?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=1DZFXRY28KSPPA0VVS0R
> "Current consumption: generally 5-15mA, less than 20mA"
So no, that switch doesn't need to be rated for the full current load of 20 amps.
I ordered some off of ebay, but I got tired of waiting, so I got this guy from amazon
Just my 2 cents, I got this one that also has a flashlight and I have been more than happy with it. That other, more popular, one from Klein I have personally had fail on me.
But regardless of which one, using a non-contact voltage tester before you go touching anything is a bit of insurance everyone should use.
This is going to be the simplest, cheapest, fastest way to find out what capacitance you need.
The most useful thing you could possibly buy him is a component identifier. They are cheap and immensely useful and he probably doesn't have one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Br3L1B80ow
https://www.amazon.com/Mega328-Transistor-Resistor-Capacitor-Mosfet/dp/B01H6QKVOU?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_2
One of these will test just about anything you'd be using in a pedal, including transistors and even surface-mount components.
Exactly! $10 could save your life!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N99D3MS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_EwbDybRX4XH6R
wow thanks - does this one seem as good as any?
https://www.amazon.com/Non-Contact-12V-1000V-Flashlight-Adjustable-Sensitivity/dp/B01N99D3MS/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1519612636&amp;sr=8-2-spons&amp;keywords=Dual+Range+Non-Contact+Voltage+Tester&amp;psc=1
Try to buy cheap junk from Walmart or Amazon until you know exactly what you want. You don't need a $60 pair of pliers or a $300 drill when you're learning.
An outlet tester jammed into the existing outlet might be a good idea. It can help diagnose WTF is going on inside that box. I know enough to diagnose that and get things straight, not sure if OP is in the same situation. I definitely recommend grabbing some white/black colored tape to mark the wire if OP is comfortable IDing the wiring. Dealt with cloth wire where I live, I feel the pain. 100% agree, pigtails to the outlets and wrap tape around the terminal screws to minimize risk of shorts. Tape is cheap.
I had a computer case that was to blame for this kind of issue. I replaced all the guts twice with spare parts I had lying around, moved it to different outlets, etc., tried other computers on the same outlet. Finally, I replaced the case, and everything was fine. I assume it was some kind of grounding issue. If I were to guess,
I'd suggest you probably have a grounding issue with your apartment wiring. You could test for this by getting one of these. The shocks probably aren't going to help your equipment. What do you have for flooring? Did you move to a drier climate than you lived before, or to a place where you have carpet instead of a non-carpeted floor?
Get yourself a voltage tester and you can trace the outage back to the source. Start with the fixture, then work your way back.
What about them? This will do it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GMZRXE8