input needed. VHO testing...

[titus]

Hello Darren,

1) Draw out your plan for the box and send it over.
2) Look at this for data logging of the parameters you want:
pH,Temp,Light Data Logging
3) PC based oscilloscope:
PC Based Oscilloscope

[ 20 February 2002: Message edited by: Titus ]</p>

[DJ88]

Little bit of an update.

After some thought I will now also be meauring the PAR as well as lumens for each ballast. I have ordered a PAR meter and hopefully it will be here in time to start this all at the end of the month.

As well I amlooking into getting a power meter(watts) if anyone has acess to one I could rent for say six months I'd appreciate it.

[StirCrazy]

don't you have a multi meter Darren? you can get the watts with that. also how much was the Par meter? did you find one cheeper than 500.00?

Steve

[DJ88]

Yes I have a multi meter. problem with that is it measures RMS voltage and RMS amperage. Those don't give you true watts. They give you Volt Amps(VA). In AC circuitry that is. In DC you will get true watts.

There are three types of power measurements in AC circuits.

Volt Amps (VA)
Watts
Volt Amp Reactance (VAR)

I'll post more if ya want.

I need a meter that does the calculations to get Watts in an AC circuit. If I dont get a wattmeter I need an oscilloscope to find out phase angle..

yeah I found one much less than $500

[DJ88]

Tho I could buy a meter that measures power factor and then calculate Watts fom VA..

hmmmm

[StirCrazy]

um, you going to share how much the par meter was and whare you got it with us? sorry I didn't come right out and ask I thought you would have caught it [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Steve

[DJ88]

Apogee instuments. $90 it is just the sensor.

[StirCrazy]

90.00US or canadian, damn to bad you didn't tell me I would have given you the money to get me one and we could have split the shipping.. oh well

Steve

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

Unfortunately, I can't find my scope. Its somewhere in my house...but I don't know where I put it.


You may find a big difference between real power and VA on the Tar ballast. Usually, those tar ballasts have a poor power factor. But, the rest of the other ballasts should have very close VA and real power measurements. Since power factor rarely change over time, you can make simple VA measurements for the time being and then borrow/rent a power analyzer to measure power factor.

- Victor.

[ 21 February 2002: Message edited by: reefburnaby ]</p>

[DJ88]

Victor,

I figured that most of the electronic will be quite good for a power factor. I'd still rather get all the numbers fom start to finish. I am not leaving any part of the data out if I can measure it.

Anyone have a Fluke model 41 around? [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]