Volt Amp Meter, DROK AC 500V 200A Digital Voltmeter Ammeter Panel, 0.39 Inches LED 2in1 Multimeter, 2-Wire Voltage Amperage Tester Gauge with Current Transformer

I needed a way to keep track of the volts and amps being drawn by my generator, which is interlocked to my main panel. I wanted a solution that was close to the panel rather than at the generator so that I could see exactly how much load I was putting on the generator as I turned on individual circuits. If you've never heard of an interlock, it's a device that allows two or more people to communicate with each other. It's a lockout safety switch installed by an electrician that prevents the generator circuit from being turned on until the incoming MAIN circuit is turned off. This then supplies power to the entire panel to the extent that your generator is capable of handling the load. br>br>In addition to the interlock that is specific to my panel type, my electrician installed a 30 amp 220v circuit on the panel and the outlet outside the house. Only when the panel is set to generator mode and the generator is supplying power does the new meter work. br>br>I bought two Drok meters and a box to mount them in, which worked out pretty well, as you can see in the photo. This is the meter, which shows the draw on each 10 amp and 12 amp circuit (with everything except the dryer turned on). I'll be able to better balance the load by installing two meters. If you have 220v appliances, switching on a 120v circuit will affect both sides of the panel. The visibility is excellent, and I double-checked the AMP measurements, which were very close to those taken with my hand-held ammeter. br>br>Installation: br>br>Installation: br>br>Installation: This installation should only be done by an electrician or someone who is very familiar with the main electric panel because the cover must be removed and the panel is live. It wasn't difficult to install; all it took was some forethought. The coils needed to go around the wires coming into the generator breaker, which meant removing the wires from the breaker, inserting them through the coil, and reconnecting them to the breaker. Those wires are not hot in normal conditions - Because they are only hot when the generator is running, there is no danger of voltage, but the main breaker can be turned off for added safety. I found a good spot where the supply wires were exposed and could make a small dip in the wire to keep the coil in place. One connection to the same hot wire and the other to the neutral/ground bus were required for the volt meter. This was the more difficult connection, requiring the re-insertion of two wires into the breaker and the placement of the other on the bus. My only criticism of the product was that the wires that came with it were extremely short and had to be extended. Because the wires have very little power, I used light gauge solid core wire (left over from the garage door installation). I soldered each connection and used shrink tube to prevent a short. It took me about 30 minutes to cut the box and another 60 minutes to wire up the panel, working carefully. br>br>On a related note, I recently purchased the Westinghouse WGen9500DF Dual Fuel Portable Generator from Amazon and am very pleased with it. It has enough power for this 30Amp interlock circuit at 8500 watts on propane.

Kaia Davies

| Dec 13, 2021

For this display, I've cut a $40 project box that doesn't fit my needs. WTF. br>I've also seen claims in the Q&A section. I also believe this to be 100% incorrect because I can find no user adjustable anything on the unit, nor is there anything about this written on the unit label. DROK, I require a unit that measures in tenths; please email me the correct model so that I may return this one and obtain what I require.

Albert Cochran

| Aug 29, 2021

The idea behind the meter is sound. It's extremely useful to have a display that shows both volts and amps at the same time. About 2% of the time, accuracy is achieved. However, when measuring low current, it performs poorly. Wrap ten turns of the load wire through the sensor to measure low current, such as 10A. It performs admirably after that. You'll need to take a marker and place it on the current display to add a decimal point. It would be ideal if the meter came with any documentation. It's also worth mentioning that increasing the sensitivity by adding more turns is a good idea. It would be useful to be able to specify a decimal point.

Trenton Guerrero

| Sep 02, 2021

I bought two of these to check phase balance on my generator load, and they're a nice little meter for the price; however, because they only display in 1 amp increments, they're not the best choice for this application. This may be fine for high-current applications like a main power panel, but unless you're working with a serious high-KW generator, you'll need a meter with a resolution of at least. 1 amp incrementsbr>br>In addition, both meters were slightly out of calibration, which I had to correct with a precise meter and load source. When used upscale with heavy current loads, they may fall into tolerance, but at loads under 20 amps, they were off by 1 amp. Otherwise, for the price, this is a good meter.

Johanna Riggs

| Nov 09, 2021

All three were written in the same style. For the displays to be bright, you must have at least 50 volts. All of them read the same at 7 amps of current. On the amazon page, the "directions" for hookup are a little hazy. The amps readout was never working, according to a couple of reviewers. If you are unfamiliar with current transformers, you may not be aware that the wire must pass through the donut hole. I'm not sure why someone wouldn't simply return it.

Camryn Dyer

| Jun 03, 2021

The display fits perfectly inside a 4x4x4 junction box, leaving plenty of room for wiring. br>br>Keep in mind that if you want to monitor draw on both legs of your 120V/240V service, you'll need two displays.

Tristan Lowe

| May 26, 2021