[NTLUG:Discuss] OT: Hz

[Patrick R. Michaud]

On Tue, Oct 18, 2011 at 09:08:55AM -0500, Fred James wrote:
> Question:  Is there an reasonably simple, reasonably inexpensive,
> way to monitor the electric input (voltage, but particularly Hz) in
> one's home?

I've got a "Kill A Watt" plug-in device [1] that displays volts, amps,
watts, Hz, VA, etc.  It's available from Amazon for around $20 [2].

The same company also makes a "Kill A Watt EZ" [3] which supposedly
does similar things but (I think) is intended to be easier to use
for people who balk at terms like "volts", "watts", "Hertz", etc.
I've seen the EZ version at Lowes and Home Depot for around $29 [4,5].

The one I have only displays to 0.1 Hz precision, though, so it
might not be accurate enough for what you're wanting to test.
When I plug the Kill-A-Watt into the wall at my house this 
morning it's displaying 59.9 Hz and 124.7 volts.

Hope this helps!

[1] http://www.p3international.com/products/special/P4400/P4400-CE.html
[2] http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4400-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1318952089&sr=1-1
[3] http://www.p3international.com/products/p4460.html
[4] http://www.lowes.com/pd_322553-15584-4460_0__?catalogId=10051&productId=3191393
[5] http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202196388/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Pm