Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Phranko on August 22, 2020, 12:32:41 pm

Title: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: Phranko on August 22, 2020, 12:32:41 pm
Is this adjustable? it's reading low vs MM in an outlet.
Search didn't come up with anything.

Thanks
Frank
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on August 22, 2020, 12:37:22 pm
Try (gently) turning the little plastic screw at the base of the needle.  See it that does anything.
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: Phranko on August 22, 2020, 12:58:55 pm
Thanks Chuck I did try that, It moved the needle a small amount, 3 or 4 volts.
Maybe I'll just pull it out and take a reading from the backside, if possible.
Upgrade maybe?
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on August 22, 2020, 01:07:22 pm
We keep a Kill-A-Watt meter plugged into the outlet right next to the PowerWatch panel.  Much better source of AC power info.

Kill A Watt Meter - Electricity Usage Monitor | P3 (http://www.p3international.com/products/p4400.html)
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: Caflashbob on August 22, 2020, 01:20:28 pm
I added a blue seas 1838 model gauge.  As a the coach has two separate circuits internally you would benefit from two kill o watt meters.

The blue seas can be hooked up to both circuits by fishing the sensor wires through the cabinet to the bath power outlet as that was the closest second circuit

M2 AC Multimeter - Blue Sea Systems (https://www.bluesea.com/products/1838/M2_AC_Multimeter)
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: craneman on August 22, 2020, 01:26:38 pm
I thought both circuits were behind the monitor in the coach. At least on mine it is.
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: Caflashbob on August 22, 2020, 01:54:38 pm
The std gauge was only hooked to one circuit.  The other circuit was behind the cabinet in our 97 but a short distance away requiring a wire fish through the cabinet to reach a different circuit outlet in the bath. 

If both circuits were in the gauge area that may mean Foretravel made a running change to put both circuits in the gauges immediate area.

Did your 99 come with the posters powerwatch gauge?
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: Bob & Sue on August 22, 2020, 02:02:59 pm
I have the same question.  Ours is off by about 8 volts and turning the small screw doesn't make much of an adjustment. 

  And while we're on the subject ours ( generator)  is surging at about 2 volts under load ( ac) so it bounces from 118 to 120 every second. Has anyone run into this kind of thing.  You can stand out side by the geny and not detect anything but in the LR it's quite annoying to me.
  An email twice to powertech has got no response so far so Monday I'm trying the phone thing.   
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: craneman on August 22, 2020, 02:05:23 pm
The std gauge was only hooked to one circuit.  The other circuit was behind the cabinet in our 97 but a short distance away requiring a wire fish through the cabinet to reach a different circuit outlet in the bath. 

If both circuits were in the gauge area that may mean Foretravel made a running change to put both circuits in the gauges immediate area.

Did your 99 come with the posters powerwatch gauge?
No it came with double lcd gauges talked about a lot on the forum about the neon lights.
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: Caflashbob on August 22, 2020, 02:26:07 pm
Bob my powerwatch gauge also bounced around.  The oled blue seas does not change. It seems it was the gauge or its connection somehow
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: Bob & Sue on August 22, 2020, 02:37:59 pm
Bob. I could live with the meter bouncing around a little but it would be nice if it was more accurate.  Looks like there's a new power meter in our future.      If I check the outlet buy the sink I still get the change of about 2 volts ,, 118 to 120  so it's not all the PW meter. 
  Mostly it's the pitch change of the geny that's annoying.
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: Caflashbob on August 22, 2020, 02:43:45 pm
Then you either have a fuel line vacuum leaking issue that all of us have or will have or the voltage regulator is incorrect. Another issue most here have addressed. 

Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: Moby on August 22, 2020, 02:50:06 pm
IIRC......
 That screw in the meter is to adjust the "zero point" of the needle.....
 IE to make it point to zero.
Title: Re: POWERWATCH METER
Post by: jor on August 22, 2020, 03:02:25 pm
In my experience those PowerWatch gauges are never accurate. They seem to read low and often bounce around. I've had better luck with the Progressive Instruments gauge that accompanies their EMS. I install one inside and one in the wet bay. That way you can check the electrical source as you are plugging in. I think we're better off with that one or one of the others mentioned.
jor