Concur with you need wattage not amperage. There is a 'relatively' cheap method of doing this however local electrical codes may put a damper on this type of project. You put a current transformer on each branch circuit. A 'typical' current transformer will generate 1Millivolt per Milliampere. You then install a A/D board in a PC and write a simple application to query each channel of the A/D. or purchase a commercially available SMNP datalogger. Scott C. McGrath On Thu, 15 Jan 2004, David Lesher wrote:
Speaking on Deep Background, the Press Secretary whispered:
Question: We are looking for something that sits in the PDUs or branch circuit-breaker distribution load centers, that, on a branch-circuit by branch-circuit basis, can monitor amperage, and be queried by SNMP.
Considering there are several hundreds of circuits to be monitored, cheap and featureless (all we need is amperage via SNMP) is fine.
You really want wattage. The power factor of switched supplies is far from unity.
Take a look at <http://www.quadlogic.com/transmeter1.html>
Also, recall you sell each watt twice -- once to heat up a chassis, and a 2nd time for the HVAC to cool it.
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