TV on sensor

[bfisher]

That's interesting... so you put it in the electric panel box? I would think there would be way too much noise to mount it there - but it would make for a nice clean (hidden) installation. Something I will keep in mind.

Anybody familiar with the AMX TV Sensor (FG10-042)? It's listed on this site for $15, but I can't find any more information on it (I've done a google search but can't find any more details than the name of it).
AMX TV Sensor I've been told this works very well (I'm working on getting more info and if I do, I will post here).

 

[electron]

I would definitely love to see a pic of that installation, that's a great idea.

 

[Rupp]

Unless the TV is the only thing on that circuit how would you know that it was the TV and not a ceiling fan and light for example?

 

[AlbuquTurkey]

There are other things on the circuits. However the TV pulls more than any thing else by 5 amps or more. In surge on the TV is obvious. I do not have a ceiling fan on that circuits so I can not tell you if that would be high enough to fool the program. I save the last 5 seconds of readings. Compare the reading 5 seconds ago with current reading and if greater than a predetermined increase (I don't rememeber the amount of increase I check for but it was a trial and error amount) the TV was turned on. I do the same for the shutdown. That one is a little harder. If I shutdown the amp it can sometimes fool the program that the tv was turned off. But that really doesn't matter since if the amp is off I'm not watching tv anyway. The program can get confused on a power outage and needs me to tell it the status of things. It is fixable but low priority right now due to other projects and bugs.

I have not attached the vacuum cleaner to that circuit but I would guess that would cause a false reading as well.

As for a photo I will attempt to get to it tonight. No promisses - Kickboxing after work.

 

[bfisher]

That is slick Albuqu and a great idea. I am still surprised there isn't too much noise in your panel, but I am leaning towards giving this a shot. My TVs are on different circuits than my amps (and ceiling fans, etc) - so for the most part, should be an easy to read difference in current. I look forward to seeing your pictures just to get some further ideas - well done and thanks!

 

[WayneW]

However the TV pulls more than any thing else by 5 amps or more.

Is that 5 amps continuous or surge? If surge, does that last for more than a few seconds?

My current TV is a 32" standard CRT and I was thinking of upgrading. But, as I recall, it draws less then 100 watts (less then 1 amp). What kind of TV do you have? big screen, projector or what? If a new TV is going to draw that much more power than my current TV, then I need to be picky when upgrading or it might affect my electric bill as much as wifey has the TV on some days.

 

[AlbuquTurkey]

I looked at the code setup last night. I'm actually looking at the voltage created by the burdon resistor. Also the wire in the panel I made a loop so that the amperage that the sensor is seeing is twice what the actual is.

Also I thought last night that a lot of people out there are using the Current Transformer (CT) to run a X10 relay module. This would not work with that kind of setup. You have to be monitoring as an analog value. Since the CT puts out a 0-10VAC and my system only accepts 0-5VDC I have to go through a bridge and I sized the resistor to give me just under 5 V at the full load.

I will get to the pic this weekend.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Actually there are a couple of different types of current sensors out there. One is a linear voltage output that is proportional to the current it is sensing.

There is also the kind that will give a "binary" or on/off signal after the current reaches a designed setpoint.

For instance (I'm going from memory so watch out) I used a current sensor that would only "snap" to a set output when the current went over five amps. Below that the sensor would not yeild any voltage output.

 

[bfisher]

BSR - I think you are referring to a Current Sensing Relay (like a CR4395), but they are more expensive (significantly).

I discussed this application with CRMag tech support yesterday, and they didn't think this would work (guess you proved them wrong AT). Their thought was that the AC signal would make it too difficult to measure. I look forward to seeing your setup AT!

 

[rocco]

This is what I use. It is pretty accurate for providing a DC voltage that is proportional to AC current. The value of the burden resistor determines the voltage range of the output.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

BSR - I think you are referring to a Current Sensing Relay (like a CR4395), but they are more expensive (significantly).

No it's not the relay (I use those at work and they are pretty cool, but they are a C-Note each).

I mean more like the one I described in THIS How-To.

I believe there are a lot of variety in the "trip" points in the various models.