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If you have installed an electric meter in your apartment, this does not mean at all that the device accurately determines the consumption of electricity. When can you suspect incorrect values ​​\u200b\u200bset by the meter?

1. If the meter shows too high, then you are sure that this month the appliances powered by the mains were used in the same number and approximately the same amount of time.
2. Wanting to save money, you turn on the TV and computer less and less often, and the electric kettle and microwave are replaced with a regular one. gas oven, but the indicators of the electric meter remained the same, which is very alarming.
3. You were absent from the apartment for a long time and did not use electrical appliances, and the meter continues to wind up kilowatts.

If at least one of the points fits your situation, it's time to take up the verification of the electric meter, perhaps its accuracy, to put it mildly, is lame.

How to check the correct connection of the meter

Before scrupulously studying the meter device, check if it is connected correctly. A correct connection assumes operation in a 220 Volt or 380 Volt network, all other values ​​are invalid. Also consider the connection diagram of the meter with 1 phase, you will have to figure out where the phase is, zero, where the input is located and where the load falls.

If your option is far from the connection diagram of the device for fixing the consumption of electricity, do not put aside the solution to the problem. Today the device may show small deviations from the norm, and tomorrow you will already be subject to untold penalties, so fix problems in time.

If you are sure that the wires are connected properly, proceed to troubleshooting, as described below.

Is the disc spinning properly?

To make sure that the disk of the meter that records the amount of energy consumed is not spinning as it pleases, turn off the circuit breakers located below the sensor, because they fall on the maintenance of sockets, lighting, electrical appliances. If individual automatic devices not in the apartment, it is enough to unplug electrical appliances from the sockets and be sure to switch the light switches to the “off” mode.

After 10-15 minutes, take a look at the counter again - does the lamp in front of the panel blink, does the counting device disk continue to rotate?

If this does not happen, it’s good, but it’s okay when the flashing repeats once every 10-15 minutes. As for the disc, it must come to a complete stop - one rotation per 10 minutes is acceptable.

If the device, despite the shutdown of the equipment, operates in the normal mode, the self-propelled by impulses is faulty, immediately contact the service institution. The latter in detail, together with special equipment, will be able to verify the operation of the electric meter, and it is better if it is carried out in a laboratory.

How to calculate deviations in measurements at home

To nullify the variant of the error in accounting for consumed electricity, stock up on the following means:

• incandescent lamp;
• multimeter of electronic format (pointer device, and even more so current clamps, are not suitable);
• formula calculator;
• stopwatch, which is found in any smartphone as a free application.

An incandescent light bulb will allow you to correctly measure the power of electrical appliances, you should not focus solely on their power in the passport, because they can lower their performance or, on the contrary, increase it during operation.

Instructions for checking the accuracy of meter readings at home look like this:

1. Measure the voltage readings using a multimeter. Most likely, instead of 220 Volts you will have a different value, so write down the real one on a piece of paper.
2. Measure the lamp current. Set the tester to ammeter mode and connect to the lamp. Let's say a value of 0.43 A will be shown.
3. Decide on the actual power of the light bulb. To do this, multiply the voltage by the current. It turns out, 223 × 0.4 = 96 volts. We see deviation from technical properties incandescent bulbs at a rate of 4%. The lamp resistance is calculated as follows: 223 / 0.4 \u003d 557.5 ohms.
4. It remains to check the electricity meter itself. Connect the lamp to the mains and note how long the sensor will blink 10 times or the disk will make 10 revolutions. Watch the voltage and record both readings.
5. Look for a fixation on the front panel of a constant value, for example, 3200 imp/kWh.
6. Based on the formula P \u003d U × U / R, calculate the actual electricity consumption. The resulting value reflects an indicator of how much the lamp consumes in the current mode. In our case, this is 223 / 223 × 557.5 = 89 watts.
7. If the check time was 2 minutes, we translate into seconds - 120 seconds. So, during this time, (89 W × 120 sec.) / 3600 = 2.97 Wh were used.
8. Determine how accurate the meter is by using the formula 100 × RPM / Constant value fixed on the front panel. 100 × 10 / 3200 = 3.13 Wh.
9. Finally, we calculate the error: (2.97 - 3.13) / 3.13 × 100 = -5%. The error can be considered minimal, the manufacturer allows deviations within 10%.

Magnetization test procedure

If electrical energy is recorded by the Energomer, Mercury or Neva metering device, they can be easily checked for magnetization. If there is a magnet in the device, stretch the needle - when the product is magnetized, the needle will immediately be attracted. After 2 days after the absence of the magnet on the dial, the magnetization will disappear, if this does not help, use a special demagnetizer.

In order not to run into claims from Energonadzor employees, experts advise buying a device with an antimagnetic seal.

How to identify an electricity thief

If you have any suggestions that a dishonest neighbor can steal electricity, you need to be able to catch a thief:

1. On the site, unscrew your plugs - not only will there be no electricity at home, but also with a neighbor, of course, he will come out to figure out what's wrong.
2. Go down to the floor below, watch what happens next.
3. If a neighbor reaches into the shield to fix the traffic jams, grab him red-handed and make a claim. It is better to record all his actions on video in case the thief turns out to be arrogant and begins to deny what he has done.

Every month, paying for electricity according to the meter readings, are you sure that you are not overpaying due to incorrect operation of the meter? We offer you an instruction with which it is easy to check the electric meter.

The electricity meter in your apartment can be induction (operating indicator: rotating disk) or electronic (indicator: blinking LED). On the front side the counter next to the dial (indicated by the arrow in the photo below) indicates the gear ratio, which indicates how many revolutions the disk will make on the induction counter or how many times the indicator on the digital one will blink for 1 hour when electricity is consumed in one kilowatt.

For diagnostics, we need a stopwatch, an electrical appliance, a sheet of paper and a pencil.

1. We select an electrical appliance that will load the meter. Most convenient option is to use lighting as a load. Look at the power of the light bulbs in the apartment and summarize it. For example, the number of light bulbs in the hallway and kitchen was 5 pieces of 20 watts, i.e. total power - 100 watts or 0.1 kW. This power is quite enough for us to test the meter.

2. We turn off all electrical appliances in the house, for the purity of the readings, we remove all the plugs from and leave only the lighting on, the power consumption of which we know.

3. Armed with a stopwatch, we count the time during which the indicator on the counter blinks 10 times, or the disk, respectively, makes 10 revolutions. The resulting time is divided by 10 and we get the value of the interval of one blink or revolution.

4. The error of the counter is calculated by the formula:

E \u003d (P × T × A ÷ 3600 - 1) × 100%

Where P is power (in our case, these are light bulbs)

T - the time of one revolution of the disk or the blinking of the indicator, which we measured;

A - the gear ratio of the counter, which is indicated on the dial (see photo)

Calculation example

After we left only 5 20 watt bulbs on, the counter made 10 blinks in 55 seconds. Accordingly, one blink in 5.5 seconds. Counter gear ratio A = 6400 imp.

Substitute the values ​​in the formula:

Accuracy = 0.1 kW × 5.5 seconds × 6400 imp = 3520,

Divide 3520 by 3600 (number of seconds in 1 hour) = 0.977

Subtract 1 and multiply by 100%,

Total = -2.22%

Summarize:

If we received a minus sign at the end of the calculations, then the counter is wrong not in our favor, increasing the readings by 2.22%. If the number is positive, then we pay less than we consume. Based on the calculations, you can decide to keep the meter or replace it if it is not profitable.

The error of the electricity meter is an imperceptible "thief" of ours, so make sure that you do not overpay. Good luck!

Checking an electric meter is a set of measures aimed at determining the accuracy of the readings of this device. This article will tell you how to check the electric meter at home, as well as some of the nuances of this process.

Every month, consumers of electricity are experiencing an increasing financial burden due to rising tariffs. At the same time, it often happens that the consumer pays for electricity, which he does not really use. This happens due to a faulty electricity meter. To make sure that the electricity meters are working properly, you can test the device at home.

It is necessary to clarify right away: in a domestic setting, it is only possible to check the meter, which should not be confused with checking the meter itself. The implementation of the latter is carried out by institutions that specialize in servicing metering devices, and it has legal force. If the consumer decides to check the correct operation of the electric meter at home, the test results can only reassure if no breakdowns have been identified, or become a reason to organize a check if a significant error is found.

The counter test can be carried out at random intervals. As a rule, the idea to arrange a check arises in the following situations:

1. Energy is consumed in volumes that are not comparable with the needs of the equipment available in the house;
2. The decrease in electricity consumption due to the long absence of consumers occurred disproportionately. Sometimes consumption volumes do not decrease at all;
3. happened sudden jump electricity consumption. At the same time, in Lately no equipment was purchased that could significantly increase the amount of energy consumed - bread machines, washing machines, conditioners. Also, the number of people living in the apartment remained unchanged and it is impossible to justify the jump in electricity consumption by the change of season, for example, due to the start of operation of heating devices.

Preparation before the test

To begin with, it is necessary to study some points that should be considered in the process, especially if the consumer does not know how to check the electric meter at home and determine the accuracy of the readings.

The correct operation of the electric meter primarily depends on whether it is connected correctly. V living conditions the most commonly used single-phase device with direct connection. Further, all the nuances will be analyzed using his example.

Test equipment

How to check the electricity meter without special equipment? This question is asked by many inexperienced consumers, and the answer will please them: it does not require sophisticated devices.

Usually, for "home" testing, it is advised to use clamp meters. This device is not so easy to get, except perhaps from electricians. In addition, apartment wiring usually fits into the walls and is hidden, so this device may simply be useless.

The simplest and most convenient device for checking an electricity meter will be a tester, which is sold in stores and allows you to determine the error of the meter by measuring. You can also use a multimeter, but there is an important point here - in order to use the multimeter with confidence for an independent test of the electric meter, you first need to make sure the accuracy of the readings of the device itself. Accuracy is tested in the laboratory.

Testing the functionality of a multimeter is a complex and expensive procedure that may be less profitable than a simple calibration. Therefore, if a multimeter is used, you just need to believe its readings. In addition, the probability of damage to the multimeter is negligible due to the specifics of its design.

Counter verification methods

self-propelled

If the device under test is connected correctly, you should proceed to determine the presence of the so-called self-propelled. This word denotes one of the malfunctions in which the device keeps records of non-existent electricity. Before checking the correctness of the meter readings, it is necessary to eliminate the spontaneous movements of the disk, if any. To do this, turn off all electrical appliances. It is important to remember that you need to disable it, and not put it into standby mode.

More correct result will be reached when switching off group automata, which are located after the counter. However, they are not always present. It is also worth leaving in work introductory machine. Under these conditions, the counter indicator (if it is electronic) should not make more than 1 flash for 5–10 minutes of inactivity, and the disk of the induction device should not make more than one revolution. The longer this period of time, the better, but it is better to familiarize yourself with the documents attached to the device, in which this time is indicated exactly.

Error

Next, the measurement error is measured. To check the accuracy of the counter, you should use an incandescent lamp and a multimeter. It would be optimal to use the electronic version of the multimeter and not use household appliances as a load. The bottom line is that modern models household appliances they are able to independently regulate the power and therefore, given the use of their nameplate power in measurements, it will not work to make a reliable check of the electric meter.

The checkout process looks like this:

1. measurement of mains voltage;
2. lamp current measurement;
3. determination of the actual current strength in the lamp;
4. measurement of the time during which the disk of the counter connected to the network will scroll 10 times with simultaneous control of the voltage in the network. For electronic models - 10 flashes of the indicator;
5. definition of the counter constant, which is usually indicated on the front panel. For example, 3200 imp/kWh;
6. calculation of actual electricity consumption;
7. calculation of the current power spent during the test;
8. checking the counter for an error according to the formula 1000 * number of revolutions / counter constant;
9. determination of the error value. Permissible error value - up to 10%

Magnetization

If one day the consumer decides to stop the device on which the anti-magnetic seal is installed, one should pay attention to the sticker or indicator, which changes color in the presence of magnetization. If the regulatory authorities notice this, the consumer may run into problems.

The counter of a simpler design can be checked as follows. You should take a thin needle and bring it to the panel - if it is attracted, this will indicate the magnetization of the counter. Usually 2-3 days after removing the magnet, this phenomenon disappears. If the magnetization does not go away on its own, a demagnetizer must be used.

In order to avoid overpayment for electricity, which may occur in the event of a malfunction of the electric meter, it is necessary to check it from time to time. If the payment on the receipt has significantly decreased or increased, and you continue to use electricity in the same amount as before, it is most likely that the device is malfunctioning.

In this case, it is not necessary to immediately call an electrician, let's figure out how to check electric meter at home.

Preparing for the test

First, inspect the meter - is it connected correctly:

The apartments have single-phase meters. Check if the device is connected according to the diagram. As a rule, there are 4 terminals on the meter.

The electric wire from the landing to the meter goes through terminal No. 1. From terminal number 2, the wire goes to the apartment. Also, the zero phase coming from the power line can pass through terminal No. 3 of the meter, and exit into the home from terminal No. 4.

V village houses install three-phase meters. How to check the connection of a three-phase meter? The connection is the same as that of a single-phase meter, the difference is the number of connected components.

The phase coming from the power supply lines is connected to terminal No. 1, exits terminal No. 2, the second phase enters from terminal No. 3, exits to terminal No. 4. The third phase enters terminal #5, exits terminal #6. Zero phase enters terminal No. 7, exits terminal No. 8.

When you make sure that the electric meter is connected correctly, you need to make sure that there is no so-called "self-propelled". To do this, unscrew the plugs, leaving the meter device energized and observe it for a while.

If the disk continues to rotate, making more than one revolution per minute (for a counter with a disk mechanism) or the device gives light signals more than once every 5 minutes (for a counter with pulse output), then it is faulty, or electricity is stolen from you. The photo instruction will tell you how to check the electric meter visually.

Important. Check the body of the meter for the absence of extraneous influences. Before replacing a defective meter, the electricity supply company can carry out an examination.

If the impact on the meter is proven, in order to reduce its readings, the owner of the apartment will have to pay a fine.

Available test methods with measuring instruments

In order to find out the load on the network, you can use:

Current clamps. In order to check the correctness of the readings of the electric meter, measure the current strength with clamps on terminal No. 2, while the electrical appliances must be turned on.

The next step is to measure the voltage. By calculation, calculate the power of the current. I * U = P (W) Record the time (in seconds) it takes for 10 flashes to occur on the pulse counter or 10 full revolutions on the dial.

Then calculate: A2 = 3600n/r. A2 is the calculated work, n is the number of revolutions initially accepted (we have 10) passed during the recorded time, which was used to calculate A1, r is the gear ratio, it is indicated on the counter.

Calculate A1 and A2 using the formulas and compare. The calculated work should not exceed the real work by more than 10%.

Multimeter. Carry out a current test and measure the voltage, as well as with current clamps, make necessary calculations. The accuracy of the readings of this device is somewhat lower, but the cost is also less.

Electrical appliance. You can use an ordinary light bulb with a known power (P) (for example, 100 W = 0.1 kW) and a stopwatch. Turn off all appliances powered by electricity in the house. Turn on only the incandescent lamp and record the time during which the counter will make 10 revolutions of the disk or the indicator will blink 10 times (for a pulse counter).

Then the time (t) is divided by 10 (number of revolutions), as a result, we find out the time required for 1 complete revolution of the counter.

Next, you need to apply the formula: E \u003d (P * T * r / 3600 - 1) * 100, where r is the gear ratio (indicated on the counter). The result is (E) - the error in the measurement of the counter, measured as a percentage. If E > 10%, right job doubtful counter.

Is electricity theft possible?

After checking for "self-propelled", if the energy flows in an unknown direction, the question arises: how to check the electric meter for theft?

It is necessary to compare the power of working devices with the power that the meter shows.

For all working appliances in the house, calculate the total power, translate the resulting amount into kW. The resulting figure is the power that is required to operate your equipment.

Using a device (multimeter, tester or measuring clamps), measure the voltage in phase. Then measure the current. Make a calculation using the formula: I(current) * U(voltage) / 1000.

Compare the received powers. The power calculated by phase should not exceed the total power of the devices that consumed energy at the time of measurements, if this is not the case, someone is stealing electricity from you.

Try to find out who is stealing electricity. To do this, you need to de-energize your apartment and track who will go out onto the landing in order to figure out why his devices do not work either.

This article describes in detail the way to check the correct operation of a three-phase electric meter. Three-phase meters of consumed electricity are currently installed in almost all enterprises, and a considerable number of them are installed in private houses (domestic sector). And, of course, anyone good host it is interesting to know how correctly his electric meter works.

The proposed verification method, of course, cannot be called simple, however, it is he who gives the most accurate result and is used by employees of energy supply organizations.

The test is to compare the capacities: actual (i.e., actually flowing along the line) and calculated (i.e., the one that the electric meter takes into account). There are two ways to connect a three-phase electric meter: straight-through (without current transformers) and with current transformers. The use of current transformers is necessary at high loads. Latest Models electronic electricity meters with direct connection can withstand no more than 120 amperes.

Formula for Calculating Actual Power v three-phase network(0.4 kV) is as follows:

Pf = U I √3 cosφ, where:

U - line voltage in the calculated network, in this case- 0.4 kV;
I - average current i.e. I \u003d (I A + I B + I C) / 3. Current measurements are carried out separately on each phase, using current clamps;
√3 - conversion factor;
cosφ is the cosine of the angle between the active and reactive load vectors. When a purely active load is connected, it is equal to one.

Thus, to calculate the actual power, it is enough to measure the current flowing in each phase using a current clamp.

Estimated power find by the following formula:

Рp = ((3600 n)/(A t)) K, where:

3600 - conversion factor;
n - the number of revolutions of the electric meter disk or, for electronic meters, the number of flashes of the indicator on the front panel;
A - meter constant (number of revolutions of the meter disk for which it counts 1 kWh or, for electronic meters, the number of indicator flashes). It is indicated on the front panel of each counter.
t- time of measurements in seconds;
TO - transformation ratio. When connecting without current transformers TO= 1, if with current transformers then the corresponding coefficient is set. For example, for transformers 100/5, TO= 20. Thus, in this case, the transformers reduce the current flowing through the primary winding by 20 times. And a reduced current is supplied to the measuring coils of the meter.

But, in this case, and to determine the "wound" kilowatt hours, it is necessary to multiply the readings of the electric meter by the transformation ratio.

((Rp - Rf)/ Rf) 100%, where:

Rp - the power that the electric meter takes into account;
RF - rated power of the connected load, calculated from the currents.

If interest is obtained with a "-" sign, then the counter does not count the amount of interest received; if with "+", it means "recalculates". this method there is one "difficult" place. It is not difficult to calculate how much the meter counts, but it can be difficult to calculate the power by currents. Firstly, the load of a really operating enterprise often changes and it is not easy to calculate the meter under this load.

But perhaps the most difficult thing is to take into account cosφ which cannot be accurately determined without special equipment. And very often you have to take it as an average, equal to 0.7-0.8. In view of the foregoing, it is necessary to apply sound reasoning to the results obtained. You need to think about what load is connected. Does she give cosφ. In the equipment passport, the limits of this indicator are often written. So, this issue needs to be taken seriously.

In the most ideal case, which should always be strived for, it is necessary to carry out measurements with only an active load connected (this includes lighting, heating devices, televisions). To devices that give cosφ, and, moreover, depending on the load of each individual unit, include: refrigeration equipment, welders, electric motors, transformers.

You can check the correct operation, directly, of the current transformer by comparing the current flowing through the primary winding with the current in the secondary winding. As a result of dividing the current of the primary winding by the current of the secondary, the transformation ratio should be obtained. The deviation can only be very small, since the current transformers are measuring and have a maximum deviation of 0.5%.