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Old 11-29-17, 07:14 AM   #17
Ron342
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Maryland
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Figuring your machine's heat output and the corresponding electricity used so you have some idea how good your machine is doing has always been a problem for me, particularly for the air output rigs- tough to figure the airflow in and out even if the in/out temps are easy.
Sounds like you have a water output condenser so that would be easier - buy a $12 Chinese flowmeter and check the in/out temps and you have your btu output.
Sometimes I just measure the flow rate and temp difference of the in and out loop water temps and use that to figure the btu output.
Then there's the problem of figuring the watts used - I guess you could trip the breakers on every circuit but the one you're using for the heat pump and read your utility meter but I wonder how accurate they are and that resets every gadget in your house.
I have a killerwatt usage meter but they only read 120v and most larger heat pumps run on 240v.
I've tried using my clamp meter to get the 240 v amps used by each 240v phase but then wondered if I should multiply the clamp meter amps times the voltage to get watts or if I should add the amps of each phase together times the voltage? Then am I reading rms amps and is that the right reading to multiply by the rms voltage?

Anyone do this for a living??
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