(12) WattsUp Meter Installation (Pluggables Update 9/9/13)

The WattsUp Meter is not exactly something I'm going to be plugging in every time I use it. WattsUp will be permanently mounted on the face of the Power Distribution Panel to monitor the number of Watts I use every time I turn something on. WattsUp will tell me how many Watts I use directly from the battery in terms of Watt Hours (Wh) and a whole lot more.

One Link For WattsUp Source:

http://www.powerwerx.com/digital-meters/watts-up-meter-dc-inline.html?gclid=COrpxKi26rYCFWRyQgod1XgABw

Links For Pluggables Series:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Solar-Adaptation-for-Radio/
https://www.instructables.com/id/Portfolio-Solar-Landscape-Flood-Lamp-HACK/
https://www.instructables.com/id/12-Volt-PhotoVoltaic-Power-For-The-Tiny-Apartment/

Step 1: Prepairing 'WhatsUp'

Remove the 4 screws from the back of the unit and remove the back cover.

Where the wires normally pass through the cover are not going to be used.

New holes in the back cover need to be drilled to pass the wires through the case.

Using a 1/4" drill bit make new holes in the back cover close to the same corners as the original pass through channels.

Doing this allows for a little more wire to work with on the inside of the Distribution Panel and when the Meter is mounted no wires will be seen.

Step 2: Making the Holes

Passing the wires through the wood will pull the meters in to touch the wood.
I see no need, as yet, to permanently mount the meters by some mechanical means.
Maybe a small piece of double sided tape or a dab of silicon RTV on the back of the meter is all that will be needed.

Step 3: Wire It Up Battery (source), to Load (power Distribution Panel)

Its always nice to do a neat job here so the inside of the panel does not look like the first picture.

Schematic is pretty simple.

DC Power comes in from a battery.

To push the switch is to Reset the WattsUp.

The switch can use a small AWG wire as it does not carry much current.

The black (-) lead carries current through WattsUp to the load and back to the battery.

This step will be done at a later time as I want a meter on the solar to battery route first. See the next step.

Step 4: Wire It Up Solar PV Panel (source) to Charge Controller/Battery (Load)

For charging the battery this Three Wire will allow me to monitor the Watt Hours (Wh) I get from the sun to the battery.

The Sun shines on the PV Panel.

The Panel sends DC electricity in the Negative Black wire to the WattsUp.

WattsUp passes the juice to the charge controller after measuring it and then on to the battery for the charge.

To push the switch is to Reset WattsUp to Zero.

The schematic is the wiring I followed for the first meter and I put the meter in the lower position on the panel.

The meter measures the power from the panels directly and goes off when the sun goes down.

Now if I could only find a Data Logger...

Step 5: Forever Upgrading

Being that this is an ongoing project there will be UpDates.
Check here often to see what I have done.

I have space for a WattsUp Meter that will be used to measure Watts used through the Distribution Panel, my power take off (PTO).

Needed are various plugs and outlets, switches and 2 modified DC/DC Converters.

Also working on an adjustable LM-317 DC/DC Converter.

Working on a design for an aluminum frame to use the PV Panels as shutters for the windows and angle them to the sun.

All in the future...

~ Please Check Back Here Often To See Timely UpDates ~

Step 6: WattsUp Power Use Meter

The second WattsUp Meter is now installed and measures power use by equipment plugged into each DC to DC Converter.

The 12 volt spot is right off the battery and is measured by the WattsUp Meter.

If I need to I can plug in the 2 meter radio transmitter for communications. No Converter means Higher Current available for that application.