To measure and monitor the energy usage of home appliances, let us build a simple and basic energy monitor.
Although there are several methods to build energy monitors, I have chosen YHDC Current Transformer SCT-013-000
[
YHD18] for it.
Because it is non-invasive, safe, and suitable for learning.
It is a split-core current transformer so that it can be fastened and used easily
without the requirement to touch the high voltage power lines.
Note that only one power cable is to be put in the core as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. (Left) SCT-013 is split core so that it can be easily clipped on a wire.
(Center) If all the wires are put inside the core, input and output currents are cancelled. Therefore the net current will be zero.
(Right) It is required to put only one wire in the core.
