Variac Help/Insight needed - Page 3
- yakster
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I wouldn't recommend the light bulb trick for voltages well above 120 V. What does your kill-a-watt read plugged directly into the outlet?
-Chris
LMWDP # 272
LMWDP # 272
- JavaBuzz
- Posts: 104
- Joined: 9 years ago
ACV 200 sounds right if you're talking about the setting to select on the multimeter.
I'm no electrician, but you might have a wiring issue (either that outlet or the circuit the outlet is on). Do any other outlets read that high if you plug directly into them (not through the Variac)? Typically the readings would be sitting around 115-125V. Maybe the multimeter is reading higher than it is, but the killawatt reading is high too. Googling 150V brings up sites talking about "open neutral" or "open ground" wiring issues.
I'm no electrician, but you might have a wiring issue (either that outlet or the circuit the outlet is on). Do any other outlets read that high if you plug directly into them (not through the Variac)? Typically the readings would be sitting around 115-125V. Maybe the multimeter is reading higher than it is, but the killawatt reading is high too. Googling 150V brings up sites talking about "open neutral" or "open ground" wiring issues.
- yakster
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An outlet tester might help, they make them with or without the button to test the GFIC function of a GFIC outlet.
-Chris
LMWDP # 272
LMWDP # 272
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Why didn't I think of that ???yakster wrote:What does your kill-a-watt read plugged directly into the outlet?
122.9 - 123.1. Just like it outta.
So....something is wrong with the multimeter, right?
I put it right into the same socket and it reads 149.
The autotransformer (see I'm getting my language cleaned up) is probably fine.
The multimeter is probably junk.
More investigating to come soon.
Thanks everyone for chiming in.
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- Team HB
- Posts: 5528
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What do the meter and the kill-a-watt say the line voltage is? It just looks like the meter might be reading high.
Ira
Ira
- yakster
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Some voltmeters aren't well shielded and can read high around flourescent tubes, radio frequency sources, etc. See if there's anything nearby affecting your meter.
-Chris
LMWDP # 272
LMWDP # 272
- chimopaul
- Posts: 44
- Joined: 7 years ago
By the looks of those numbers, it appears that your multimeter is reading the peak voltage rather than RMS. What mulitmeter are you using and on what setting?SJM wrote:Nope, we have to live with our mistakes )))
Including the variac ))
But, Moshe, look: I don't think it's the variac after all.
I figured out the multimeter and these readings make sense but don't explain my problem.
I guess it might be the fan itself....duh.... <image>
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- yakster
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Hmm, I could not find in the manual clarification of if it reads RMS or not. I did find a video review that shows that you can easily adjust the DC voltage readout of the meter to "calibrate" it, not sure if this same adjustment affects AC voltage readings but I'd recommend you use a fresh 9 V battery in the meter if you plan to use it and check the readings of some batteries. I'd definitely trust your Kill-a-Watt over this meter.
-Chris
LMWDP # 272
LMWDP # 272