Types of Wattmeters

Wattmeters measure power-supply and usage in a home.
••• electricity image by Mirek Hejnicki from Fotolia.com

A wattmeter is used to measure the voltage in an electronic circuit. Originally only a tool of professionals there are now many different types of the device available that are both cheap and easy to use and available for home use. A wattmeter is generally used for checking on the power supply of a given power-outlet in a house and for estimating the electricity costs of different appliances. Like many technologies the device has gone digital.

Ammeter

The technique used by an ammeter underlies most wattmeters. Based on the fact that a compass needle will stop pointing north when a current is fed through it, the device was first used in the laboratory by early electrical pioneers. Though a very old technology most devices today still use this basic method to detect current. A magnetized cable or rod is fed a current which drags it away from magnetic north to different degrees.

Digital Wattmeters

Digital wattmeters have become available for home use and are capable of providing users with information that is far superior to that which was provided by the wattmeters of professionals only twenty years ago. Instead of a very imprecise needle display, a digital wattmeter measures the current which is passing through its cables at a thousand times a second, measuring every small change, and providing an average which is the true power supply.

Professional Wattmeters

The power company still uses a basic wattmeter to measure the amount of power that your house or apartment is consuming from the general power supply. The wattmeter measures both the amount of energy consumed and records the time when it was consumed. Generally these electric meters will be located somewhere outside a building so that a representative of the power company can come by in person to see the readings of the device.

Related Articles

Advantages & Disadvantages of Digital Meters Vs. Analog...
Two Advantages of an Electromagnet Over a Permanent...
How to Use a Magnet to Create Electricity
How to Connect an Ammeter
What Is AC & DC Electricity?
How to Use Ammeters
How To Read Milliamps With a Digital Meter
What Is a Gauss Meter?
What Are the Applications of a Multimeter?
How Does a Magnetometer Work?
How to Calculate Average Current
Definition of KAIC
How Does an EMF Detector Work?
Theodolite Types
How Does an Ammeter Work?
How to Read Amps on an Analog Multimeter
The Uses of Different Shaped Magnets
How to Create Electrical Interference
How to Design an RC Snubber

Dont Go!

We Have More Great Sciencing Articles!