Cent a Meter

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That's a neat little gadget. It would be better if it were 120V supplied, IMO.

Too bad for the metermains I use, it would require removing the meter cover to install. You'd have to contact the POCO (wink wink) to put it in. :)

Cool idea though.
 
The cent-a-meter is suitable for home or office use where power boards are rated up to 213 amps for three (3) phase power, 142 amps for two (2) phase and 71 amps for single (1) phase.
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Did they really mean (2) phase?
 
I'll know more 'bout it friday after the installs. I think this won't fit older, crowded panels..as you need room for the clamps on the main conductors
It looks like they(POCO) are going to market it as an energy saving device. Like riding in a taxi & being able to watch the meter will make you not use power? Total guilt trip.

It appears its already popular in Australia.
Ausie, Ausie, Ausie....Hoy Hoy Hoy!

Either way its a cool new toy. I hope I can get one for myself.
 
I wire? Ya think Australia has single, two & three phase power?

Right now the POCO is F&I these in a pilot program that they are going to have on the local news & Home Improvement TV shows. It it works out I can only assume a flyer in our bill envelope selling these. It looks like I saw a $200 price tag on one web page when I searched for the "cent a meter"
 
Must not have been written by an electrician.
Two phase, you know in the Box in the basement.

I was a a job yesterday where I was asked to install two way switches, you know one switch here and one over there. Two way. :rolleyes:
 
tkb said:
Must not have been written by an electrician.
Two phase, you know in the Box in the basement.

I was a a job yesterday where I was asked to install two way switches, you know one switch here and one over there. Two way. :rolleyes:
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I get that all the time, when I tell someone three way they will say "no no just a two way."

I couldn't have one of these gadgets in my house my wife would be running around shutting things off to save a cent. she'd be like, hey do we really need the fridge running all day?"
 
tkb said:
Must not have been written by an electrician.
Two phase, you know in the Box in the basement.

I was a a job yesterday where I was asked to install two way switches, you know one switch here and one over there. Two way. :rolleyes:
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Those two way switches are what I use the most.....you know 2 ways to have them 1 way is up the other way is down. :p :p :razz: :)
 
bikeindy said:
I get that all the time, when I tell someone three way they will say "no no just a two way."
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Before we make jest of uninformed customers, perhaps we should settle on the reason that they are called "three way" in the first place. Each switch only has two positions, not three. A pair of switches has four combinations of positions. Two of these turn on the light, and two turn the light off. Where is the "three" in this situation?

You could say that there are three wires attached to each switch, but current is going to flow one way or the other way. Current does not have three paths, or "ways," that it could take.

I don't know if there is an official dictionary that answers this question. I fear that we can only fall back on, "well, that's just what it is called." Not a great answer, and it does not place us in a position of moral advantage over those who do not know that that is just what it is called.
 
charlie b said:
I don't know if there is an official dictionary that answers this question. I fear that we can only fall back on, "well, that's just what it is called."
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Many moons ago, when I was an annoying, curious punk instead of an annoying, curious adult, I spent a lot of time hanging out with my electrician uncle. One day he was explaining switching to me, and I just wasn't buying the "3-way" bit at all.

I pestered him about why SPDT switches were called "3-ways", and his answer was: they were often called "3-terminal" switches back in his youth, but somehow the name "3-way" found its way into the vernacular and just stayed there. His guess was a manufacturer labeled them that way early on and we just kept calling them 3-ways as a result.

Habit of mind is a powerful force. :)
 
charlie b said:

Before we make jest of uninformed customers, perhaps we should settle on the reason that they are called "three way" in the first place. Each switch only has two positions, not three. A pair of switches has four combinations of positions. Two of these turn on the light, and two turn the light off. Where is the "three" in this situation?

You could say that there are three wires attached to each switch, but current is going to flow one way or the other way. Current does not have three paths, or "ways," that it could take.

I don't know if there is an official dictionary that answers this question. I fear that we can only fall back on, "well, that's just what it is called." Not a great answer, and it does not place us in a position of moral advantage over those who do not know that that is just what it is called.
Click to expand...


I wasn't making Jest, just stating that I get the two way thing a lot. someone
I know asked if it was because there was two switches and a light each switch being " a way" and the light being "a way", I said it is good enough for me I prefer SPDT but maybe that was too simple.
 
If a 3 way is for 3 wires...
And a 4 way is for 4 wires...
Then shouldn't a single pole be a 2 way because it has 2 wires???:confused:
 
It makes as much sense to call a switch with two positions "3-ways" as it does to call a mirror that you can see through in one direction a "2-way" mirror.
 
LarryFine said:
It makes as much sense to call a switch with two positions "3-ways" as it does to call a mirror that you can see through in one direction a "2-way" mirror.
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There are varieties of SPDT switches that have 3 positions instead of the 2 commonly found in our "3-way" wall toggles. The third would be a center position that's either "off" or "on".

Any of you old timers know if the "3-way" name might've carried over from a common name for such a 3-position switch?

Just curious. I never fully resolved my childhood curiosity about this issue, would be nice to have a satisfactory answer. :)

It occurs to me, though, that this oughta be a new thread. If I weren't heading out the door in 30 seconds I'd change it....
 
for all the discussion about 3 way switches, i believe there is such a thing as 2-phase power

i dont know what it is, but 430.249 refers to it
 
LarryFine said:
It makes as much sense to call a switch with two positions "3-ways" as it does to call a mirror that you can see through in one direction a "2-way" mirror.
Click to expand...


...and we drive on parkways....and park on driveways....who would've guessed it....
 
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