Hi,
I'd like to monitor energy in my home, but I have a rather unique electrical panel installation. See (large) photos here:
http://www.schoppes.com/BreakerPanel/DSCN1171.JPG
http://www.schoppes.com/BreakerPanel/DSCN1173.JPG
Outside the house, at the service entry, there is a 2-box panel. Power enters the left side (closed/locked in 1st photo) where Progress Energy's meter is located, and then flows into the right side (open in photos) through flat, uninsulated "bus" bars. A few large loads such as AC, future Hot Tub, etc., are fed from double pole breakers in this panel (visible in center of open side). Most loads in the house however are fed from two indoor sub-panels, and the breakers feeding these sub panels (125A and 200A) are connected in the outdoor panel as shown.
In order to monitor "total" energy usage, it seems I would need to put CTs on each of the wires to (or from) the 125A and 200A sub panel breakers (left side of open panel), plus the wires running from each single load break (AC, Hot Tub etc) installed in the outdoor panel.
I don't think it's possible (or legal) to install components in the left/closed cabinet, and there is no room (or safe way) to fit CTs around the flat, uninsulated bars where they enter the open panel at the upper left. There's also no way to de-energize the bars without getting into Progress Energy's side of the panel and probably pulling the meter head.
It "might" be possible, to measure total energy usage with 4CTs if I can fit large ones around the vertical section of the bus bars (to account for the single load breakers) and then put a second set of CTs on the wires to the 125A and 200A breakers (each CT wrapping two wires, same 120v leg).
Anyway, cost aside it seems better (and safer) to stay away from the uninsulated bars and install separate CTs on each breaker wire in this panel.
Are solutions available that can handle more than 4CTs to give total energy use? If not, does anyone have other ideas?
Thanks,
Don
I'd like to monitor energy in my home, but I have a rather unique electrical panel installation. See (large) photos here:
http://www.schoppes.com/BreakerPanel/DSCN1171.JPG
http://www.schoppes.com/BreakerPanel/DSCN1173.JPG
Outside the house, at the service entry, there is a 2-box panel. Power enters the left side (closed/locked in 1st photo) where Progress Energy's meter is located, and then flows into the right side (open in photos) through flat, uninsulated "bus" bars. A few large loads such as AC, future Hot Tub, etc., are fed from double pole breakers in this panel (visible in center of open side). Most loads in the house however are fed from two indoor sub-panels, and the breakers feeding these sub panels (125A and 200A) are connected in the outdoor panel as shown.
In order to monitor "total" energy usage, it seems I would need to put CTs on each of the wires to (or from) the 125A and 200A sub panel breakers (left side of open panel), plus the wires running from each single load break (AC, Hot Tub etc) installed in the outdoor panel.
I don't think it's possible (or legal) to install components in the left/closed cabinet, and there is no room (or safe way) to fit CTs around the flat, uninsulated bars where they enter the open panel at the upper left. There's also no way to de-energize the bars without getting into Progress Energy's side of the panel and probably pulling the meter head.
It "might" be possible, to measure total energy usage with 4CTs if I can fit large ones around the vertical section of the bus bars (to account for the single load breakers) and then put a second set of CTs on the wires to the 125A and 200A breakers (each CT wrapping two wires, same 120v leg).
Anyway, cost aside it seems better (and safer) to stay away from the uninsulated bars and install separate CTs on each breaker wire in this panel.
Are solutions available that can handle more than 4CTs to give total energy use? If not, does anyone have other ideas?
Thanks,
Don
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