[Boatanchors] Long-term AC voltage monitor

D C _Mac_ Macdonald k2gkk at hotmail.com
Mon Jan 5 10:47:00 EST 2015


eBay has lots of digital plug-in voltmeters for sale at reasonable prices.  Three digits only, but the ones I have bought conform to what my Fluke 77 DVM reads. 
 
Line voltage here is pretty stable and runs between 120 and 122.
 
* * * * * * * * * * * 
* 73 - Mac, K2GKK/5 * 
* (Since 30 Nov 53) * 
* k2gkk hotmail com * 
* Oklahoma City, OK * 
* USAF & FAA (Ret.) * 
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> Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2015 15:32:10 +0000
> From: wa1rkt at comcast.net
> To: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Boatanchors] Long-term AC voltage monitor
> 
> Most boat anchors, it seems, were designed for an AC input voltage of nominally 110-115VAC.  These days voltages are more like 120-125, from most reports, so folks are recommending a bucking transformer or variac in the AC line.
> 
> I'm looking for a CHEAP (sorry, gotta be cheap) AC monitoring device, such as a USB voltmeter that stores its readings periodically on a computer, that I can use to monitor AC mains voltage around here and see if I have a problem.  I periodically stick a multimeter into the AC socket and rarely see anything above 120 (last I looked it was 118.2) but that only tells me what the voltage is when I'm looking, doesn't tell me about any other time.
> 
> Something that plugs into a USB port, with software to periodically store the results, would work, but Google hasn't been much help in finding one of those.  The Yoctopuch Yocto-Volt from Switzerland will do it but the US distributer is out of stock with no indication when or if they will ever have any more.  I can order from Switzerland if I absolutely must but something that's available in the US would be better.  There's also the Electronics-DIY USB Voltmeter but there is nothing that indicates that works on AC (it looks like the input goes directly into a PIC device through a voltage divider so it's tough to imagine it working on AC).
> 
> Any suggestions?  Thanks...
> 
> Rick WA1RKT 
> Londonderry, NH 
> Catch me on 14.300 MHz Intercon / MMSN most days 
>     also occasionally on 7.255 ECARS
 		 	   		  


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