NDR: Wiring a frequency meter for a generator.

Ed Askew

Ed Askew

Well-known member
I know this is extremely not duck related or boat related, but I know you guys are pretty resourceful, so I pose this question:

I've got a new generator for my house, and I need to set the frequency, so I bought a cheap frequency meter on ebay. It's a Wacline N20394A analog panel meter apparently off an old Kurz & Root generator. It measures 55-65 Hz. It has two terminals on the back, one is marked with a + sign, the other is unmarked. There is a little spring like wire that bridges the two terminals in the back. I have no instructions, diagrams, etc, and have no idea how to hook up this meter. Anyone out there have any ideas?

Ed.
 
Don't take my advice (and this prob. doesn't answer your question) but as far as I've ever been taught all power coming off your urd or overhead lines is always 60 hz, don't know why you'd set it to anything else??? Unless you were in Europe or overseas where they typically operate on 50 hertz.
Anyone else?? Typically I thought your generator should have already been set to either 50 or 60 hertz when bought.
As far as hooking it up isn't your meter set up pretty much like a volt meter positive and neutral? Or is this something you need to permanently set on your generator?
 
Yeah in the US the frequency is 60 Hz. However, we're not talking about the main power, we're talking a backup generator. The generator is set for 60 Hz at the factory. The generator's frequency is set by the governor regulating the speed of the motor. A new generator has to be fine tuned so as not to mess up your appliances; it probably won't be exactly 60 hz and will need some adjustment once under load. A frequency meter is not the same as a volt meter.

Ed.
 
Ed the spring between the terminals is a shunt it provides a voltage drop for the meter. Connect the "hot" lead to the + terminal the low side to the other terminal. Generally speaking if the frequency is off a little +/-1-2Hz its not going to affect anything as far as appliances go. Most things are designed for 50/60Hz. operation. If you operate a transformer, solenoid, motor etc. that is designed for 60Hz and run it on 50Hz it will operate at a higher temperature. But most are designed for 50/60.
 
Ed, Not being a electrician, Some thing I read in the newspaper. On Washington Island they have a generator that supplies the electricity

for the Island. This Island is North of Door county in Wis. They have two clocks in the generator room one is battery operated and the other is connected to the generator. If the clock connected to the generator slows down the maintenance man speeds up the generator. If the time on the clock speeds up he slows down the generator. I believe thats how he determines the Hz As long as the battery clock is correct every one on the Island has the correct time and he has the correct Hz
 
That's a cheap way to measure frequency, I've found out in my searches over this problem, to plug in an electric clock and if it's fast the frequency is high, slow, it's low. Anyway I found out the deal with this meter is that it is only part of the frequency meter. The frequency meter itself (not included), is hooked into the line and puts out a small dc current that goes up as the frequency goes up. This meter I have only measures this small current; it is therefor worthless and being sent back to the ebay seller. The most economical way I've found to measure the frequency is a Kill-A-Watt meter, which I was able to find for $22, measures frequency, voltage, and amperage.

Ed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top