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So, you do not need to think about how to fix the electricity meter, but if you have the slightest doubt about the correctness of its operation, contact the energy sales company or the management company.
The main purpose of the electricity meter is to measure the level of electricity consumption.Usually, specialized employees are engaged in the installation of such equipment, but if you wish, you can do it yourself with the installation of an electric meter. The main thing is to carefully prepare for the upcoming event and do everything in accordance with the instructions, because with self-installation, all responsibility for the actions performed and the possible consequences will rest solely on you.
Do-it-yourself electric meter installation
Content of step-by-step instructions:
Depending on the mechanism of action, electricity meters are divided into electronic and induction. Induction equipment is gradually being ousted from the market, mainly at the initiative of the government - it is very easy to "cheat" such meters.
Electronic electricity meters
Electronic electricity meters are characterized by higher accuracy, smaller dimensions and excellent versatility. For example, modern electricity meters support multi-tariff operation. This advantage is relevant for regions where electricity tariffs change depending on the time of day. Therefore, when choosing between induction and electronic equipment, preference should definitely be given in favor of the latter.
Electricity meters are classified according to the value of the rated current and indicators (class) of accuracy. The lower the number of the class of your meter, the less deviation it will work.
To determine the approximate required rated current, divide the permissible value of active power, which is provided by the network organization for one consumer, by the voltage of your network, that is, at 220V or 380V.
Usually, a higher power is allocated to a three-phase connection, however, the use of single-phase networks in domestic conditions is more expedient and preferable.
Difficulties with connecting the meter arise in situations in which the owner needs to power the building with a rated current above 100 A. In such conditions, a direct "insert" of the meter is not feasible. To install accounting equipment, you will need to additionally connect current transformers.
The use of any intermediate components leads to an increase in the error in accounting for energy consumption, therefore, the transformer circuit must be correctly planned. A qualified specialist is required to solve this problem.
When choosing a counter, pay attention to the limitation period of the installation of the seal and the integrity of this element.
The government's seal is attached to the screws on the housing of the meter. The meter seal for a single-phase power supply must be no older than 1 year. In the case of meters for three-phase networks, the maximum allowable period is increased to 2 years.
Is it legal to self-install an electric meter
You can handle the installation of an electric meter yourself without any problems. However, before you decide to "uncover" the pliers, get the necessary permits and other documents. To do this, contact your local representative office of the network provider with a request for the issuance of terms of reference for the work. There you can also conclude the necessary contract.
The mentioned documents list a number of requirements that must be fulfilled by the user before connecting the building to the power grid. Also, the documentation clearly delineates responsibility between the electricity supplier and its consumer.
In accordance with current legislation, the homeowner must install a meter within their consumption networks. The best place to install a meter is in a heated distribution box in your home. Recently, however, regulatory organizations require that accounting equipment be installed strictly outside the living quarters in free access for inspection organizations.
For example, a representative of a grid company may require that you install an electricity meter on the front of your house or even on a nearby electric pole. All these points are discussed individually. Apartment owners are usually obliged to place the equipment in question in a common dashboard on the site.
Electricity providers have reportedly compelled owners to install meters on the street to ensure accessibility to the device for the purpose of taking readings and performing maintenance. According to unofficial data, suppliers are trying to prevent the possibility of unauthorized access to metering equipment in order to steal electricity.
It is not necessary for a home wizard to understand any complex schemes for connecting accounting devices. Therefore, the most popular and elementary options for connecting an electric meter are offered to your attention.
The simplest option is a single-phase connection. For the installation of such a network, no more than 6 electric wires will be required without taking into account the load. Working "zero", phase and ground cables are connected to the device input. Similar cables are placed at the exit of the accounting apparatus.
Connecting a single-phase electricity meter
For greater convenience and safety, it is recommended to install an automatic switch in front of the meter. This device will automatically cut off the power supply in the event of an emergency.
Electricity meter connection diagram (single-phase and three-phase)
The energy sales service is not entirely supportive of the mentioned switches. To avoid unnecessary problems and trials, the switch should be sealed with a special plastic box, DIN rail and the seal itself. All these additional devices cost a little, they practically do not take up space, they are attached very easily, so take a little time and save yourself from unnecessary headaches.
In the design of the accounting installation, there are special terminal blocks, they are also tires. Such a device is a copper bar fixed with special dielectric clamps. The strip has several holes through which the wires are connected using screw clamps. This connection option is suitable for those situations when it becomes necessary to connect several separate wires into a single whole.
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There are a number of important requirements that you will have to adhere to when installing an electric meter. First of all, study the safety regulations that apply to any electrical equipment.
It is not recommended to install an electric meter at sub-zero temperatures. Electronics do not tolerate cold very well - under its influence, the measurement accuracy decreases.
Counter installation rules
For most household models of electricity meters, the minimum permissible installation temperature is +5 degrees. Therefore, if the meter is installed outdoors, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of its installation in a special heated and hermetically sealed cabinet.
The mounting height of the unit is 80-170 cm above the ground. If you set the counter lower or higher, it will be simply inconvenient for you to take numerical readings from the screen.
The rest of the important recommendations will be given to you by the representative of the electricity supplier at the time of the conclusion of the contract and obtaining the required permits for the installation of electrical computing equipment.
Self-installation of an electric meter is performed in a few simple steps.
First step. Prepare the necessary accessories for installation, namely:
electric meter;
subscriber protective shield;
Second step. Find out how many phases (1 or 3) your power grid has. Calculate the required number of circuit breakers.
Step three.Install the meter into the enclosure. Use the supplied fasteners to fix the product.
Fourth step. Install circuit breakers. These fixtures snap onto the DIN rail. The rail is pre-attached to the support insulators with screws. The machine itself is fixed on a DIN rail using a spring-loaded latch.
Fifth step. Install the protective and ground bus on the insulators inside the shield housing or on a special DIN rail. Use nuts and fixing screws to secure the elements. Place the busbars at a distance to avoid short-circuiting the cables.
Start installation by connecting the load to the machines, then connect the machines to the electric meter and only then connect the meter directly.
Sixth step. Connect all loads. The phase will go to the lower terminals of the machines, connect "zero" to the "zero" bus, put the grounding cable on the corresponding grounding bus.
Seventh step. Connect the upper terminals of the circuit breakers with jumpers. You can buy ready-made jumpers in a specialized store.
Eighth step. Connect the meter to the load. To do this, connect the "phase" output (represented by the third terminal of the electric meter) to the upper terminals of the circuit breakers, and connect the output "zero" (the fourth terminal of the electric meter) to the corresponding zero bus.
Ninth step. Attach the electrical box enclosure to a wall or other flat surface at the optimum height for you.
Tenth step. Locate the zero, phase, and ground wires. In the absence of grounding, the work will be extremely simple: you check each core using the indicator pointer, and it itself indicates the phase. In the presence of grounding, its core is usually placed in green.
Eleventh step. Disconnect power at home.
Twelfth step. Connect the "phase" wire to the first terminal of the electricity meter, and the "zero" wire to the third terminal.
How to install an electricity meter
At this, the independent connection of the electric meter is considered complete. Check the device at idle speed and start gradually applying the load. After a preliminary check, contact the power sales company with a request for an additional check and sealing of the meter.
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It is necessary for an organization that supplies electricity to settle accounts with people and companies. Electricity is measured in kilowatt-hours.
There are two types of counters:
The action of the first counter is based on the rotation of a metal disk by an electric current. The second action is that the signals from the sensors are converted into a digital code. Using the counter, you can calculate the electricity used, which we multiply the cost of 1 kilowatt-hour.
In the future, the assessment of electricity consumption is carried out by the difference between the running kilowatts of measurements and those already paid for earlier. A meter for controlling electricity metering cannot work forever and anyway, sooner or later it will need to be replaced. One of the main reasons for changing the meter is its malfunction.
Then the question arises: what to do? Who should I call? Is there a penalty?
Since when you repair it yourself, you will have to break the seal of the manufacturer and the company that controls, and this is punishable by a fine.
As soon as the electricity meter runs out of time, it must be replaced with a new one.
It is also necessary to change devices whose power is less than the actual load. An authorized representative of the management company can change the meter. To do this, you need to contact the company itself.
To avoid misunderstandings when installing a new device, you need to formalize everything officially, with an agreement and receipt of a receipt for payment. Within one month from the date of installation, you must start using the meter.
What to do if the electricity meter winds up more than the actual consumption is explained in this article.
Representatives of the energy company notify the client in writing about the need to change the device when:
The counter is broken. A new device will cost less than repairing it;
The service life has ended. The client is obliged to replace the meter at his own expense;
After checking, it was revealed that the device class is less than 2.0. If you do not change the meter, the management organization has the right to issue a fine. It is also not forbidden to install old counters of a class of at least 2.5, if they still have a resource;
The state verification period is overdue. The client is obliged to supervise the device himself. The date of the next verification is indicated on the seal and in the document itself;
Breaking the seal;
The device cannot cope with the load;
Visible serious damage, such as broken casing, broken glass.
In the future, the date and time of the work will be agreed. This can be done by phone or contact the RES in order to submit an application.
An employee of the company will check the meter, and, if necessary, install another. Verification is carried out on site or in the organization itself.
The device is considered to be officially faulty if :
does not display the result;
the integrity of the seal is broken;
the reading values are higher;
there is damage.
It is necessary to return the device for repair or replace it with a new one within thirty days from the time of the malfunction.
Read the article about the peculiarities of the service life of electricity meters here.
These consumptions are determined over the past six months according to the measurements of the home meter. When the counter has been operating for less than six months, real time is taken into account.
Also, for three months from the date of meter failure, if a new meter is not installed, payment for electricity will be made on the basis of consumption standards using a multiplying coefficient. The managing organization makes the appropriate calculation of payment on the receipt.
If there are doubts about the truth of this calculation, it is recommended to contact the management company by writing a statement. In the application, you describe the situation, if your problem is not resolved, you can apply by writing a statement to the housing inspectorate.
Watch a video explaining what to do if the electricity meter breaks down:
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Thus, connecting an electric meter with your own hands in an apartment or a private house is a very real and doable task. But this must be done correctly and taking into account all the installation requirements. This will help avoid many problems, including a substation or home accident, fire, and finally, electric shock. And an incorrectly connected meter will not be accepted for work.
First of all, what does he think? He thinks, more precisely, atreads the power consumption, which is usually expressed in watts per hour (W / h). A watt is a unit of power, and an hour, of course, is a unit of time. It is for the spent watts that we pay. Pay attention - not for amperes or volts, but for watts. How much does the same hundred-watt light bulb "eat"? It "eats" one hundred watts, that's why it is one hundred watts.
But the amount of payment for its use will depend on the time during which this light was on.Thus, the tasks of the electric energy meter include calculating the power of electrical appliances operating at each moment of time and calculating the time during which this power was consumed. As a result, we get the so-called kilowatts per hour kWh at the output, for which we pay. Kilowatts - because we spend so much watts that it is easier to add the prefix "kilo" (by analogy with a kilogram and a gram), and not write an extra three zeros.
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Theoretically, it is not difficult to calculate the electrical power - it is enough to know the voltage and current:
Almost all electricity meters do this. Mechanical - using the principle of eddy currents, which is quite difficult for a non-specialist to understand, electronic - using analog or digital processing of signals coming from current and voltage sensors. The data obtained accumulates over time and, say, after a week, you can read on the indicator (mechanical or electronic - not the point) readings corresponding to the amount of consumed energy in W / h. or kWh.
All existing metering devices for consumed electricity can be divided into three groups:
Mechanical;
Electronic and mechanical;
Electronic.
A dozen or two years ago, all electricity meters were mechanical ... Eddy currents, created by the current flowing through a special bus, twisted the metal disk. The disk itself was placed in a magnetic field, which was the higher the higher the voltage. An ordinary mechanical counter counted the revolutions of the disk. These counters were very capricious (they, for example, had to be installed strictly vertically), their accuracy directly depended on the quality and condition of the mechanical units of the counting mechanism and was not high. Such a counter could be easily "tricked" by creating a strong magnetic field near it (in other words, to bring a magnet to the disk).
Mechanical counter, perhaps everyone knows — this real example of an old product is still working in garages and summer cottages
Later appeared electronic mechanical devices ... The former calculated the power by electronic methods, but the counter had a mechanical one. The second are completely electronic, with a microcontroller, memory and display of one type or another. Today, conventional mechanical meters are almost universally replaced by electronic ones. First, electronic devices are much more accurate, more durable and better protected from sabotage (deception). Secondly, a modern electronic electricity meter is able to independently transmit data to a service provider via a separate line. On the same line, you can control the device - switch the day / night tariff, turn off the consumer, for example, for non-payment, etc.
Electronic-mechanical (left) and electronic metering device for electricity
If you decide to install an electric meter with your own hands, then you will have to pay attention to some features of the correct connection. Some conditions must be fulfilled in accordance with existing requirements, others will ensure operational safety.
Before starting the installation, ask the supplier what kind of electricity meter can be supplied and where it can be placed ... In private houses, for example, many power grids require metering devices to be installed outside the building, and the supply from the supplier must be made with a solid cable and not have switching devices. Someone allows you to put, say, an automatic machine in front of the meter, but demands that it be placed in the electrical panel next to the meter so that the whole thing can be sealed.
If the electrical panel is metal, it will require grounding, which means the manufacture of a grounding loop. In general, there are many nuances, so be sure to clarify so as not to redo it.As for the type, you should not install an old mechanical meter - if it is in your region that they are still "in vogue", they will soon come out of it, and you will have to spend money on buying an electronic-mechanical or electronic one.
Next item. Any electric meter has its own verification time. ... The new meter has already been verified by the manufacturer, and the period until the next test begins to "snap off" from the moment of purchase of the device (according to the date stamp of the sale in the passport). So if your device has been in the pantry even for five years completely new, then before installing it, it will have to be taken to the appropriate organization for verification. The device will have to be verified, it is impossible to determine the date of the previous verification - there are no corresponding verifications on the case, there are no documents for the device. After verification, both the manufacturer and the testing organization seals the device and this seal must not be broken!
For installation and connection, the meter has a separate hatch with a cover. You can install the device, make the necessary commutation without damaging the main seal. But when the work is finished and the electricians accept it, they will seal this hatch and, perhaps, the entire electrical panel (if the device is on the street and has additional means of switching, to which you are not allowed access). Now you can only take readings from the device by direct observation and no more.
The seal on the right, installed by the verifying organization, protects the device case from being opened. The left seal covering the connection terminals was installed by the electricity supplier - DES
And one last remark. If your network is single-phase, then it will be enough for you to connect a single-phase meter. If it is three-phase, then you will have to buy a three-phase device. Is it possible to put a three-phase meter in a single-phase network? Theoretically it is possible. The device will correctly read electricity in one phase, the other two will simply be idle. Practically - the electricity supplier will not allow it just in case. "Why, if it costs 3 times more?" For them, there are fewer misunderstandings - you can sleep better.
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So, the meter was purchased, all the nuances of the installation in a specific place were found out from the electricity supplier. Let's say you decide to put a single-phase meter on the street. This is where you need a weatherproof and vandal-proof electrical panel. Yes, you did not forget to ask the electricians at what height it is allowed to hang the metering device for their organization? Hang on the maximum allowed, since an electrical panel, especially a plastic one, is no protection against vandals and burglars.
Now the routine. Fix the meter in the switchboard together with the switching devices (if any). Climb the ladder and fix the shield on the wall in one way or another - with dowels, nails, bolts, shoot with a mounting gun, weld - not the point, the main thing is that the fastening is strong, reliable and durable.
This raises a dilemma: if the shield is plastic, it will only protect the meter from bad weather. If iron, it must be grounded ... Which option to choose is up to you. If you have a ready-made ground loop at your disposal or you are able to make it (in a private house this is not a problem and this article is not considered the issue), then, of course, metal is better. The meter itself, after installing the shield, must hang vertically - this is stipulated in the relevant provisions and spelled out in the device's passport.
The metal shield (left) is stronger, but requires grounding, unlike its plastic counterpart.
If you are installing a meter in an apartment, then an open electrical panel can be used. On the same board, switching and protection devices - automatic devices, RCDs or ordinary "plugs" will perfectly fit. You will have access to them, since the electricians will only seal the meter.
The meter is installed, shit, if necessary, grounded. It remains to make the layout.Climb a ladder with a voltage indicator (in everyday life - a "screwdriver indicator") and find out which input wire you have is zero and which is phase. You go to the electricians and ask them to turn off the power supply to your country house or country house, and at the same time enlist their word of honor that they will not "turn on" the light without your permission. In this regard, almost all electricians adhere to clear rules and if they said that they would not turn it on, they would not turn it on.
If you turn off the light yourself, say, on a house shield, be sure to put an observer , since all these signs are like "Do not turn on, people are working!" for the majority of our population - nonsense. Half of the people never read anything, but on the fly clinks with all the switches. The other half, it seems, cannot read at all.
Back on the stepladder. Check the absence of voltage at the input and you can work. Almost all electric meters are connected in the same way. They have input and output terminals. The input terminals are supplied with voltage from the supplier's line (input), from the output terminals you take energy for your own needs. The terminals of single-phase meters are usually arranged in the following order :
Input phase wire;
Phase output;
Input neutral wire;
Zero output.
Connection diagram of a single-phase meter, which can be found on the back of the device cover and in the passport for the device
If you do not put anything before the meter, then start the input cable directly into the meter terminals, and you cannot confuse phase and zero! If you put, for example, an automatic machine in front of the electric meter, then put a cable on it, and connect the machine itself with pieces of a single-core wire of the corresponding section with the input of the counter. Now you carry out the wiring after the electricity meter, connecting all kinds of protective devices, RCDs, fuses, etc. If there is nothing like this, just connect the cable that goes to your house with the output terminals of the electricity meter. For example, below is a connection diagram of a meter with a protection system installed both before and after the meter itself.
An example of how to connect an electric meter to a single-phase network
The input automaton protects the line from short-circuit and allows you to de-energize the meter and everything after it manually. Immediately behind the electric meter is an RCD, which protects the house network from leakage currents, and the house network itself is divided into three lines, each of which is protected from short-circuit by its automatic machine. Please note that the ground wire (green) does not break anywhere and does not start anywhere - neither to the meter, nor to the machines. It serves to ensure the safety of using electrical appliances and no more.
All the difference between a three-phase electric meter and a single-phase one is that it has not two, but four inputs (three phases and zero) and, accordingly, four outputs:
1, 2 - Input / output phase A;
3, 4 - - // - B;
5.6 - - // - C;
7, 8 - Input / output zero.
Three-phase electronic meter from the side of the connection terminals
The scheme of its inclusion, which, by the way, is also in the accompanying documentation, looks like this:
How to connect an electric meter to a three-phase network
Unfortunately, an electric meter is not a device that everyone can fix with their own hands, like, say, an iron or a table lamp. First of all, its casing is sealed and after opening the device, it will have to be carried for verification. However, this would have to be done in any case. Modern electronic and electronic-mechanical meters are quite complex (no simpler than a washing machine or even a mobile phone), so to repair it, you need to have special knowledge of electronics within the scope of the institute. Therefore, to answer the question "How to fix an electric meter?" in the volume of a small article, it is impossible, just as it is impossible to sketch out in three words a repair manual, for example, a PC or a GLONASS satellite.
As for mechanical devices, then, in principle, if you are familiar with the mechanics and the basics of electrical engineering, you can try to repair it by collecting, say, one of two or simply cleaning and lubricating, because it is mechanical and most often the cause of the problem is dust and moisture. But, it is worth repeating, if you open the case of the device, it will need to be rechecked at the appropriate organization. Without opening, you can only replace the burnt terminals with which the meter is connected, but even then you will have to invite a representative of the service provider (controller or electrician), who will remove his seal from the terminal cover, and after the repair is completed, put it in place, having previously checked the connection of all wires ...
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We all use electricity in our apartments and private houses. And no matter what quality it is, we are obliged to pay for it. To determine the amount of electricity consumed, electricity meters are used. They can be of two types - electronic and induction.
So, we installed an energy meter, we sealed it (it should have seals with the manufacturer's stamp and the stamp of the energy supplying organization). The state check of the meter should be carried out once every 16 years.
Now let's talk about repairing an electric meter. Here it should be said right away - a private person has no right to repair the electric meter! After all, any repair of it is a violation of the seal. And for violation of the seal - punishment (large fine). The only thing that a private person (owner of the metering device) can do is to find faults in the meter and report it to the appropriate organization.
The next time you go to take meter readings, you can visually verify its serviceability or malfunction. If the meter is faulty, call a specialist.
What you need to pay attention to:
You can check the correctness of the meter readings at home. To do this, you need to turn off all consumers of electricity - lamps, heating devices, a computer, a refrigerator, a washing machine, etc. Then, for 10-15 minutes, turn on one consumer with a known power, for example, a light bulb, and determine the actual electricity consumption, which should coincide with the counter readings, taking into account the error of the latter.
Experts recommend doing a home check after returning the meter from the state calibration, since the rotational speed of the disks may be slightly increased, and as a result, the meter will show incorrect energy consumption. And also the meter can show increased power consumption at high humidity.
For work, we need the following tool: a screwdriver, pliers, gimbal or a drill with a drill 4 - 4.5 mm. From materials: a piece of plywood or a board, a lid from a tin can, a car headlight lamp with a connector, a wire with a plug, a switch, bolts and nuts.
To do this, disassemble the counter - take out the counting mechanism.Glass, terminals and top bracket can be left on for now.
A shiny tin lid from a can of condensed milk, "drilled" in the middle, perfectly suited as a reflector. There are plenty of fasteners (bolts and nuts) in the meter itself.
From the outside, we screw a handle cut from a piece of plywood or a thin board to the body. We attach a power cord to it, and, if necessary, mount a power switch on it - a toggle switch, a button. On the upper bracket, if necessary, attach a hook curved from a piece of wire.
Car headlight bulbs usually have 2 coils. This will allow us to quickly connect the second coil when the first one burns out, or use bulbs with one burned out.
Many experienced car enthusiasts have such car bulbs in stock - today incandescent bulbs are “out of work” and have long been supplanted by more modern ones.
We connect the output from the lamp holder to the terminals of the meter or connect it with a twist to the supply wire. In the second case, you can get rid of the terminals by passing the wiring into the remaining holes.
Power can be provided by a small-sized electronic transformer, a conventional 12-volt "iron" transformer, a garage charger or a car wiring system. Depending on this, we equip the power cord with an appropriate plug.
lightweight and durable body of almost "vandal-proof" design
good protection of the light bulb from damage
quick connection of the backup coil
using half-burnt lamps
has a handle that does not heat up during operation
produces a non-dazzling compact rectangular beam of light
If you attach such a lamp instead of a regular reflector to a table lamp with a flexible tube, you can be sure that such a table lamp will not interfere with others when you sit up late reading your favorite book. To give a more aesthetic look from the case, you can cut the fixing "ears" and part of the terminal box, and decorate the case itself in any way.
Another use case is as a small-sized soffit that provides illumination of a small area of the surface. In this case, instead of a viewing glass, you can place a lens, a piece of corrugated plastic from the diffuser of a fluorescent lamp, or even change the shape of the hole on the cover.
In the article below, a simple diagram of this device (stroboscope) with an IFK-120 lamp is proposed.
By installing an extractor hood in the kitchen, you will take care of the fight against grease and soot, so that the kitchen is kept clean and after every cooking you do not have to do a general cleaning.
Video (click to play).
Before you buy a hood, you need to pay attention: what hoods are there, how it works and its principle of operation.
