Building a Mains Breakout Box

RE: Building a Mains Breakout Box

jord4231 — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 06:37:17 GMT

I've got a question for you, I noticed your current measurement jack is on the neutral side and most but not all breakout boxes are configured this way. I see a lot of measurement examples are on the active side. Is there any particular reason you chose the break in the neutral for the current measurement? I was thinking potentially a safety thing but the appliance side at hot potential anyway. For example

RE: Building a Mains Breakout Box

dubbie — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 09:57:07 GMT

Shbaz,

I like it, but it is not for me. Anything larger than 12V and I'm not interested. Maybe 15V at a push, and mostly DC. I played around with an old valve radio when I was younger (school age) and accidentally electrocuted myself which threw me across the room. Although I didn't know it at the time I blew the house fuse which was on a lighting loop, so not too much current. I didn't tell my parents.

Dubbie

RE: Building a Mains Breakout Box

shabaz — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 23:01:47 GMT

I finally got around to drafting some procedures/use-cases for this project.. I'm sure they will need correcting/refining, any suggestions welcome! I've only stuck them on with double-sided tape for now.

I liked the idea from [mention:5113eb164b024bb2b527087f480871a9:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] for labelling, so I printed it on paper, and there is clear plastic on top (I just used wide adhesive tape that I had at hand).

Procedure 1 is to reduce risk of swapped-around Live/Neutral if someone uses a SPST switch (although I've used a DPST switch) and to protect against accidentally switching the unit on while attaching cables.. Also the procedures are deliberately oriented on the box so that the banana plug connections are at the back of the unit.

I think if there are any additional suggestions, since there isn't much more room on the front, I'll probably need to have a booklet of procedures, and stick that to the front.

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x225/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-b472f637-dce4-44f3-81bf-d09042ebebab/5826.contentimage_5F00_186540.png:620:225]

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x271/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-b472f637-dce4-44f3-81bf-d09042ebebab/2772.contentimage_5F00_186541.png:620:271]

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x465/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-b472f637-dce4-44f3-81bf-d09042ebebab/2376.contentimage_5F00_186542.jpg:620:465]

RE: Building a Mains Breakout Box

mcb1 — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 07:06:47 GMT

[mention:b0bc65b9ecdc4307bd967592f00e340a:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05]

Silly question....

Other than epoxy, what is holding the mains load mains socket in place.?

RE: Building a Mains Breakout Box

mcb1 — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 07:04:55 GMT

It's a great device, and used according to the design, should work fine.

The banana sockets you've chosen aren't able to be touched with your finger, so in theory it would meet regulations.

I might have added a current loop and then had it switched out (or in/out) so you can use a clamp meter.

As it stands you'll need a loop which while in the neutral lead does present mains and only a single insulation (which doesn't meet regulations).

It's also interesting that you've switched both phase and neutral.

Currently in NZ this i not legal, however I heard a rumour that our Australian friends are introducing it.

If that is true we'll be the same as we share most of the electrical regulations.

I'm not sure if your mains socket is illuminated but the only other suggestion is two indicators. One for incoming power and the other for power to the load.

Cheers

Mark

PS [mention:6e474abc33b64a82aa78c9813503c962:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] is also very good with mains, so if I don't catch it, he often does [View:/resized-image/__size/16x16/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-b472f637-dce4-44f3-81bf-d09042ebebab/contentimage_5F00_1.png:16:16]

RE: Building a Mains Breakout Box

genebren — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 23:44:21 GMT

Very clean build [mention:b0bc65b9ecdc4307bd967592f00e340a:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] this will be handy when building and/or testing mains connected devices.

Well done!

Gene

RE: Building a Mains Breakout Box

jw0752 — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 23:42:01 GMT

Hi Sabaz,

I have one of these too but I have to confess that it is not as well built or as safe as yours. I used to carry it with me on the job as many of the sterilizers that I worked on could partially fail by having a heating element open up. The quickest way to determine this was to check the current draw. With the breakout box I could check it without even opening the sterilizer enclosure. Without the break out box it was necessary to open the case and find a power line I could slip the clamp meter around. Thank you for posting this safe and well constructed example as you may even be able to get it past [mention:8fb233e8974445138ef0af2b63b49f94:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] 's safety check.

John

RE: Building a Mains Breakout Box

waelect — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 23:09:20 GMT

Very nice, I am working on a DC Voltage and Current logger and while doing this am considering an AC logger now.