Device to count how many times a device draws household AC power

[daytonars97]

 Hello. I am trying to find a device that will count how many times a day/week an electrical sump pump evacuates water.  I thought of something that would plug into the house power circuit and to which  the pump would be then plugged and that would count how many times the pump draws power.  All I can find are wattage meters or timers.  Any idea whether such a device exists and what is called?

I had mistakenly posted this question in the swap section and Dusty found it there when I could not (Thanks).  Charlie of Antietam kindly suggested (Thank you)  looking at:  http://www.mcmaster.com/#power-data-loggers/=113fag5  ..  Those are expensive and not sure they do what I am looking for which is a simple counter, if they do exist (Now, I am no electrician and I could be wrong.)

Any other ideas as to a device or how to accomplish this besides sitting by the pump  ?

Thanks.

[Wayne Orwig]

I've never seen what you are looking for. It obviously can be done, and may exist.

It would be cheaper/simpler to wire a simple counter into the sump pump switch.

https://www.dultmeier.com/products/0.48.218.222/2773

[Groover]

Maybe this? Not sure if you can pull up the events though. You can contact the Mfgr.

http://www.p3international.com/products/p4400.html

[pat80flh]

How about a video camera and wire a light bulb to the pump?

[canuguzzi]

Search for " electrical event timer" and you will come up with literally hundreds of things that do what you want.


Scrap the video and light thingy, you must then watch some video and even on FF by the time you do all that you might as well get out a chair and book and sit there watching it.

[Moto]

I've never seen what you are looking for. It obviously can be done, and may exist.

It would be cheaper/simpler to wire a simple counter into the sump pump switch.

https://www.dultmeier.com/products/0.48.218.222/2773

 :1: The device you want is called an electronic counter, not a timer. But my brief search of ebay didn't turn up one you can just plug your AC device into.

I bought a 12v counter on ebay for about $3 and wired it up to my sailboat's sump pump. If your actuating circuit for the pump is 12 or 24 volts, you could easily do the same.

[pehayes]

Sorry to digress.  I once worked where there was an office with a complaint line.  We wanted to know how many times people called after our closing hours when there was no one to answer.  Before answering and message systems.  I had a small voice activated tape recorder.  I set it on the receptionist desk and turned it on as we all left.  It would activate when the phone rang and record the rings and go back to standby when the ringing stopped.  We just had to play the tape and listen and count the number of activations.  Dead time was eliminated.  Late in the tape we could hear a door activate.  It was the late night janitor.  He came working through the building room by room and singing opera (pretty good actually).  He got closer and closer and then we heard is prose voice say "Oh, someone left this machine on."  CLICK  end of scientific study.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[canuguzzi]

Electrical event timers will not only tell you how many times something happens but Aldo the duration and frequency.

The search for electrical event timers and electrical event could terms reveal similar results. Many solutions to choose from starting at around $39 and going up from there.


Or, pay some kid or family member the $30 to listen to music or whatever and let them do the counting. No hassle, nothing to buy.

[Madtownguzzi]

This "Kill A Watt"™ Electric Monitor from Harbor Freight might do what you are looking to do. Our local library has one similar you can check out.

http://www.harborfreight.com/kill-a-watt-electric-monitor-93519.html#pr-header-back-to-top-link

[Triple Jim]

Do you really need to know how many times it comes on, or would it be as good or better to know the total running time?  An old 120v analog motor driven clock, wired to the pump motor power, and set to 12:00, will record run time very cheaply.

A Kill-A-Watt meter as suggested above will work well too, and can tell you killowatt-hours total, from the time you plug it in.

[oldbike54]

 Does Aldo need to know the duration 

 Dusty

[rbm]

DIY solution using an Arduino and CT sensor.  The code could be modified to count the number of transitions from no current draw to full current draw or visa versa, along with a time stamp. The CT sensor is available from the same supplier.

[kirb]

It's better to monitor the level of the water than trying to monitor the power.

Use a level bulb, float, or similar wired to a cheap counter. Every time the level cycles, it adds one to the counter...
http://www.newark.com/redington-counters/3400-0000/lcd-counter/dp/05N0078?ost=05N0078&ad=81605889141&selectedCategoryId=&CMP=KNC-GUSA-GEN-SHOPPING-NEW-REDINGTON-COUNTERS&gclid=CjwKEAiAi4a2BRCu_eXo3O_k3hUSJABmN9N1mRmpegb443INvk53ts4U3bscJ7fRzmC6_edFOsEPphoCjTbw_wcB

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/float-switch-kits-digital-aquatics.html?gclid=CjwKEAiAi4a2BRCu_eXo3O_k3hUSJABmN9N1tWWBD7TVu_jLuXYxvbvXQRXFpJPLrTw4xNZ9-1lWrhoCVqnw_wcB


You could go dumb-simple and use a home made vertical float that rocks a pedometer back and forth.

[Wayne Orwig]

Apparently, this is close to what you need for your COUNTER.

[oldbike54]

 

 Dusty

[Chuck in Indiana]

Well, that clears it up. A picture *is* worth a thousand words. 

[Howard R]

This "Kill A Watt"� Electric Monitor from Harbor Freight might do what you are looking to do. Our local library has one similar you can check out.

http://www.harborfreight.com/kill-a-watt-electric-monitor-93519.html#pr-header-back-to-top-link

Looking at the specs, I don't see a counter function.  It claims to do instantaneous current draw, total hours since plugged in, and cumulative kilowatt-hours (kWh) but no "#of times activated" function?

I would advise the OP to go look at one in person if possible before plunking down coins.

Howard

[Triple Jim]

I have one.  It does not have a counter function.

[StuCorpe]

Mine does not have counter function either.

[mtiberio]

https://sense.com/buy.html