Electricity meters: which is better to put?

Any landlord must install devices to account for water, electricity, gas, etc. If there is a delay for the installation of heat and water meters, the installation of the electricity meter must be carried out first.

How to choose an electricity meter?

Absolutely all companies that manufacture such devices give them a warranty period of sixteen years, which is quite a lot and suggests that frequent replacement will not be required.

But in rare cases, when it all comes down to the purchase of a new measuring device, a buyer who does not have full information can make the wrong choice. What is the best electricity meter ? First you need to get acquainted with the principle of the electricity meter, as well as with the existing model range.

Induction electricity meter

There are two types of electricity meters: induction and electronic. What el. The counter is best used, decide, after reading the information below.

So, the first type of device is mechanical. The induction meter includes a voltage coil, a metal disc and a current coil. Due to the magnetic field that appears due to the interaction of the two coils, the metal disc starts to rotate, also rotating the wheels with figures showing the amount of electric energy expended.

There are such pros and cons of such devices. Advantages can be attributed to their relatively small cost and long service life, and to minuses - an error in the readings of about 2%. But the long term of the presence of such kind of counters in the market overshadows a rather large percentage of the error and makes them quite popular among buyers. Therefore, to answer the question of which counter is better, let's look at the second kind of devices.

Electronic counter

The electronic device is fundamentally different from the above. It completely lacks any signs of mechanics, and the current is directly fed to microcircuits and semiconductors. These chips and show the amount of electricity consumed, displaying figures on the built-in electronic display. The main positive characteristics of such a measuring device are small size, more accurate data, electronic scoreboard, ease of reading and the ability to calculate the expense for several different tariff plans. And the high cost and relatively short operational period are unpleasant additions to it.

Single-phase electricity meters

According to the type of network to which the connection is made, the electricity metering devices are divided into single-phase and three-phase.

Single-phase meters are connected to a two-wire single-phase network. The total load on the network together with the number of wires are the main factors. Single-phase accounting devices are used in cases when the consumption of electricity does not exceed 10 kV. It produces such a counter of 220 V.

Three-phase devices

These meters are connected to three-phase networks, which becomes clear by their name. Since a large amount of energy is needed for their operation, three-phase electricity meters have found their application in factories or paneled multi-storey apartment houses.

Which is better to install in a private house? More often put single-phase. They can be connected to a three-phase network, but only then such a device is needed for each phase. The installation of a three-phase meter can only justify the use of any equipment with a high demand for electricity, for example, a welding machine or something like that. At the output of the meter produces 380 V and protects the building from power surges.

Classification by tariff

According to the tariff, there are also different electricity meters. Which is better?

1. One-tariff. Counts only one selected tariff. Often used in everyday life.
2. Two-tariff. Allows you to count the energy consumed by two tariff plans, for example, in the daytime one tariff, at night completely different. Used in various plants and organizations, where work is carried out in two shifts.
3. Multi-tariff. Calculates energy for several tariffs at once and reduces costs.

Classification by type of energy

Single-phase instruments measure exclusively active energy passing through them, and three-phase, in addition to active, measure also reactive energy, also taking into account the flow direction. This helps decently save on large objects.

Electricity meters: which is better?

To select the best counter you need to consider some parameters of the device and learn something about the network.

1. To determine the choice of a single- or two-phase meter, you need to know the type of power grid where you intend to put the meter. To do this, you just need to pay attention to the old meter: if it says 220 / 230V, then you should purchase single-phase, and if 220 / 380V or 230 / 400V - three-phase.
2. Which electrical meters are better able to withstand the load? Many people are interested in this issue. In the house the usual device operates at a load of no higher than 60A and a power of 15 kW. If suddenly the network exceeds these figures, it is worth purchasing a device with a maximum load of 100A. Parameters can usually be seen on the introductory machines of buildings.
3. You must determine the number of tariffs yourself. If you are profitable to pay for several, then before installing special devices in the relevant authorities, you need to clarify whether they are able to provide this. Otherwise, the purchased equipment is simply not useful.
4. Before choosing, you should also pay attention to the mounting option. Although this does not affect the quality of the meter, it can complicate the installation. If you decide to install a meter inside an apartment with a modular machine and a RCD in one plastic box (HagerGolf, Volta, Vector or Energy) or in one iron shield of the SCHRN, then you will need a one- or three-phase counter for a din-rail modular design (not all Devices on the din-rail is inherent in the modular design). In the plastic box, three bolts or a transition bar are used to mount the electricity meter. And what is the best meter to supply outside the building, in the measuring and protection unit? For this purpose, BIZ, SHCHU-1N-9, SHCHUR-8 are better suited. Before you open the choice: either purchase a counter for mounting on the din-rail, or on a flat surface. But in the case of choosing an installation on the din-rail it will still need to be purchased. It will be the same when installing meters in a metal shield such as SCHURN or SHCHRUN.

5. They say that the best counter has various additional abilities, such as lighting, counting in the absence of voltage or broadcasting information on the display. However, these functions do not affect the quality of the work or the performance of the device. Whether they will or not, it's up to you.
6. Absolutely all devices without exception before entering the market, pass a state check (operability and accuracy of measurements) at the manufacturer. If the check is successful, a seal is printed in the instrument's passport, and a seal is placed on the body. Also in the passport should be the date of verification, and on the seal itself - the quarter and year of testing. Another meter should seal and install the energy supply company within a period not exceeding two years, and for a three-phase such period is reduced to one year. Also, a mandatory periodic check of the accuracy of counter counting and its operability is required. That is why for such devices there is a so-called inter-verification interval, which for electronic meters takes from ten to sixteen years, starting from the production date.
7. When you purchase a device that counts electricity, you need to remember to look at the accuracy class. This indicator allows you to find out the maximum error that the counter can count in the calculations. On average, this figure for residential buildings is 2%.

Companies that produce the best electricity meters

According to official data of the company Abarcad with its head office in Moscow, in 2012 in the Russian Federation, more than eight million electricity meters were made, of which the lion's share (90%) was made by single-phase devices. This suggests that in the household sphere, electricity meters are often replaced.

Which is better to apply? It is known that more than ¾ of all products in Russia fall on three Russian companies. Among them concern "Energomer" (Stavropol), company "Incotex" (Moscow) and holding "Moscow plant of measuring instruments". The leading place in this three is "Energomera" with 40% of production in the asset, behind it are located "Incotex" and "Moscow plant of measuring instruments" with 29 and 7% respectively. The price of domestic meters is much lower than abroad, but the difference in quality is not very visible.

Market Leaders in Electricity Meters

In order for you to decide which counter is best to put, consider these companies a little more:

1. Concern from Stavropol "Energomer" owns a pair of factories not only in Russia, but also in the near abroad. It specializes in the production of high quality energy metering devices of all kinds, the price of which varies from 13 to 330 units in European currency.
2. "Incotex" is a large domestic organization that has factories in the Russian Federation and not only. The specialty of this company is the development and collection of electronic devices, including all types of electricity meters.
3. "Moscow plant of measuring instruments" (MZIP). The old enterprise engaged in the production of electricity meters and various radio equipment. The number of produced devices includes single- and two-phase electricity meters.