WATT-HOUR METER Table Lamp

[jollyrgr]

How do you connect a WATT-HOUR meter so that it spins from just the draw of a table lamp? My friend has a 1920's Westinghouse power use meter that he wants to mount and turn into a table lamp base. But connecting the AC line cord to the LINE connections and a light bulb to the LOAD connection barely spins the thing (as expected). I've seen these lamps before and the meter spins rapidly when the light is on. What modification do you need to do to make the thing spin at a reasonable rate?

[dacflyer]

it might be possible to increase the windings and that will create more of a simulated load to the meter..also its possible your friend has a meter that handles a large load. so in turn it will spin much less.<p>if you had a meter thats designed for smaller loads then it would spin faster..
also,,is the meter designed for 220v? or just 110v?<p>i might be able to help more if i could see it..
do you have a model # of this meter? how many Kw is it rated for? and what voltage is it designed for?

[ecerfoglio]

Watt-hour meters have a magnet near the aluminium disk that acts as a brake.<p>If you remove the magnet it will spin faster.<p>If it spins too fast, try moving the magnet away from the disk instead of removing it.<p>Please note that this is a permanent magnet, not a coil.<p>[ May 17, 2005: Message edited by: ecerfoglio ]</p>

[jwax]

Hmmm. Magnet. Aluminum disc. Brake effect. I'd like to see more details on how that works! Will a stronger magnet slow down the disc more? That's called saving money on your electric bill!

[Chris Smith]

Use more power!

[Robert Reed]

I salvaged ,built and own one of these lamps. I believe the meter is circa 1960 which I aquired in the 90's when I worked radio comm.& microwave relay for the local power company. Mine spins at approx. 20 rpm and this seems like a good speed also light years ahead of what a 60 watt load would normally spin it. What is the rotational speed of your lamp. As a matter of trivia, these meters are actually induction motors using eddy currents in the aluminum disc as a propellant.

[Michael J]

I have heard of people many years ago trying to
defraud they Electricity companies by placing a
powerfull magnet in close proximity to the meter
to slow it down. (they were usually caught out)<p>Try placing a small rare earth magnet around the
egde of the Aluminium disk until you get a
desired speed reaction, it may work.<p>The magnet should intrefere with the magnetic field induced into Aluminium (yes aluminium) disk
by the current coil.
One side should make it go faster the other side slower.

[2M MACHINING]

Connect a small motor to the thing that spins .