On Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:19:55 +0100, "Johny B Good"   
    wrote:   
      
   >On Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:18:13 +0100, Bob F  wrote:   
   >   
   >> Johny B Good wrote:   
   >>> On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:31:15 +0100, Jim Wilkins    
   >>> wrote:   
   >>>   
   >>>>   
   >>>> "Bob F"  wrote in message   
   >>>> news:j58nbe$aqt$1@dont-email.me...   
   >>>>> I just unplugged the Belkin 1200 VA UPS powering my computer, and   
   >>>>> plugged   
   >>>>> it into my Kill-o-watt meter. After the UPS quit beeping after   
   >>>>> power was restored, the meter shows 7-11 watts being consumed by   
   >>>>> the UPS feeding the   
   >>>>> computer, which is way less than the computer (quad core core-duo   
   >>>>> processor) uses.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> Does the killowatt have a problem reading accurately with UPS units?   
   >>>>   
   >>>> I just checked a KAW P4400 with two stepped square wave inverters   
   >>>> and a 60W   
   >>>> incandescent lamp. It shows 111V 55W and 129V 59W. I see odd   
   >>>> readings on the   
   >>>> input of a UPS too, but they have always been higher than expected.   
   >>>>   
   >>>   
   >>>   
   >>>  I would say that's on account _you're_not_ using a Kill-o-Watt meter,   
   >>> like the OP is. I, like you, ass-u-me d he was talking about a Kill A   
   >>> Watt(tm) meter.   
   >>>   
   >>>  As I mentioned in a reply to another poster in this thread, I have   
   >>> experience with UK version of the Kill A Watt(tm) meter and there's   
   >>> no way it would behave in the manner described by the OP with regard   
   >>> to what is obviously a cheap meter trying to pass itself off as a   
   >>> Kill A Watt(tm) meter.   
   >>   
   >> I was operating from memory. My meter is a P4400 Kill-a-watt.   
   >   
   >  In that case, I rather suspect that your meter has a fault. An obvious   
   >test would be to use it to measure resistive loads such as incandescent   
   >tungsten filament lamps, electric kettles, electric toasters, electric   
   >soldering irons and so on.   
   >   
   >  These are loads that have a measurable resistance which will allow you to   
   >estimate their actual power consumption by way of a sanity check (in   
   >addition to the rating plate or label).   
   >   
   >  Bear in mind that most electric heating elements have a modest positive   
   >temperature coefficient of resistance so will read a little lower than   
   >expected when cold. The exception to this is the humble tungsten filament   
   >lamp where the postive coefficient is not so modest (multiply the cold   
   >resistance reading by a factor of 10 if want a ball park figure estimate   
   >of its resistance at working temperature).   
     JB - even the lill-a-watt may be able to be fooled by a "digital"   
   power supply putting "dirty power" back out the line.  I'm going to   
   have my UPM replaced and see if the new one has the same issue.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)