Introduction
3
1
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing the Watt's Up or Doc Wattson power analyzer. We are confident
you will find it to be an indispensable addition to the tools you use to make your hobby
more enjoyable.
While emphasizing RC modeling applications, this manual applies to the myriad
applications to which the Watt's Up or Doc Wattson meters can be applied. While the
Watt's Up model will be referred to, the Doc Wattson is the same with the exception of
some the parameter ranges covered.
Your Watt's Up watt meter and power analyzer is an easy-to-use precision instrument for
measuring and calculating the electrical parameters the hobbyist of electronic devices
needs to get the most from their projects.
1.1
What it Does
Watt's Up measures current, voltage and time and from those measurements calculates
peak current (Amps), peak power (Watts), minimum voltage (Volts), power (Watts),
energy (Watt-hours) and charge (Amp-hours) values for you, in real-time, for the circuit in
which you connect it.
1.2
Benefits
With the advent of electric power for models the hobbyist can now investigate and tune the
performance of their model in ways not possible with the traditional internal combustion
engines. With Watt's Up it is now easy to determine things like:
Flight time
Current through an ESC and motor
ESC, BEC and motor efficiencies
Charge put into and removed from a battery and the performance of battery
chargers
Battery health
Presence of peak currents that can damage components
Presence of voltage sags that cause components to operate out of specification
Why power is lost during acrobatics or extreme conditions
Effect of gearing and propeller size and shape on power consumption and battery
currents
Effects of modifications, age and damage on many electrical system components
Clever RC hobbyists will, no doubt, discover new applications to further improve electric
model performance.
With Watt's Up you can stop wondering what’s going on with your electric model and get
answers that allow you to apply science to your hobby. The precise measurements you
collect will help you fine tune your model to get all the performance that you paid for.
We know you are anxious to start using your Watt's Up and ask that you review this
manual first to get the most out of its capabilities and inform you of relevant safety
issues.
Enjoy learning Watt's Up!
"Watt's Up" & "Doc Wattson" Watt Meter and Power Analyzer User's Manual
RC Electronics, Inc.
