Mains power recorder/monitors are expensive and not exactly common in domestinc environments.

This unit consists of three clocks in one casing, a mains-driven analog or pseudo-digital (flip-over numerals), a digital (LED) clock, and an MSF (radio-set) digital clock.

The user sets the two other clocks to the same time as the master MSF clock.

When there's a power cut, the analog clock halts for the durarion of the outage. When the power comes back, the digital clock restarts from 0:00.

The time on the digital clock gives the elapsed time since the power resumed. The divergence between the analog clock and the master clock gives the duration of the outage.

The clocks can then be re-set for the next blip.

The system is only realy meaningful if there is only a single outage, but if the power company have an irritating habit of dropping the power supply randomly during the night, it is a useful source of substantiating data for strongly worded letters of complaint from disgruntled customers.
-- 8th of 7, Apr 04 2010

Grass Model 78 http://www.chromasi...ives/0402051603.php
[mouseposture, Apr 04 2010]

How about one of those pen-arms that draws a line on a slowly advancing paper roll? What are they called?
-- pocmloc, Apr 04 2010


Chart recorders.
-- Wrongfellow, Apr 04 2010


//Chart recorders //

Again, not a common item in most households. And the pens dry up, and the paper roll needs changing quite frequently.
-- 8th of 7, Apr 04 2010


//not a common item in most households// I've got a Grass Model 78D <link> in my front parlor. You saying I'm abnormal or somethin?
-- mouseposture, Apr 04 2010


Come ... join us ... don't be afraid ... you'll wonder why you ever hesitated.
-- 8th of 7, Apr 04 2010


a lot of computer UPS supplies will report status to the computer. It would be possible to log this data automatically via software.
-- AutoMcDonough, Apr 05 2010



random, halfbakery