Measure watts from a heater

Thread Starter

MikeSe

Joined Oct 24, 2016
18
Hi everyone.

I have a heater with a fan and I want to measure the effect in Watts and save the data on my PC.

I thought about using a USB daq system by National Instruments and Labview.

Now Iam wondering how I can measure the heaters effect.

Thanks in advance,

Best Regards,

Michael
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,841
Iam wondering how I can measure the heaters effect
If you explain more about what this data is for, someone might be able to help.

FWIW, I think it'll be easier to install a power line monitor/watt meter and log data from that. Don't know of any off hand that have a computer interface, but there have to be some. Otherwise, you can roll your own by building a current sensing circuit.
 

tranzz4md

Joined Apr 10, 2015
310
The way to measure the EFFECT, is to measure the difference in temperature (delta-T) of the heated medium. Not at all hard to do, it only requires a thermometer. To automate it you'll want a thermocouple or RTD and either a relay or a far better choice: a CT or other current sensing device/circuit.

If you're heating and sensing a fluid medium, it should be adequately stirred or otherwise temperature distributed and equalized.
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,281
A room space heater is 100% efficient so if you measure the power at the mains outlet into the heater you will know how many watts of heat it is generating into the air (including all the heat from the fan motor and the stirring of the air).
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
Agree with @crutschow and @dl324. It'll be far easier to measure the energy consumed than to find it in the air, walls, furniture, etc. You can have all sorts of temperature sensors but unless you have a closed system and you know the heat capacity of everything in the space, it'll be tough to relate back to the heat added. If you have a closed system, in effect a calorimeter, it could be done.
 
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