SINGLE PHASE ELECTRIC KILOWATT HOUR METERS AND WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR YOU EPQ #111 SUMMER 1987 SAFE AND EFFICIENT USE OF ELECTRICITY A ELECTRIC POWER PREPARED BY NOSU AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE AND NORTH DAKOTA POWER USE COUNCIL COOPERATING. SINGLE PHASE ELECTRIC KILOWATT HOUR METERS. AND WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR YOU Harvey Himing Ward Eichhorst Extension agricultural Engineer The electric kilowatt hour (kwh) meter serves as the basis for electricity sales. It is used to measure the amount of electricity sold by one party to another. Accuracy is essential to insure that both the seller and the buyer are treated fairly. THE KILOWATT HOUR (kwhr) Power is measured in watts and is equal to volts times amperes times power factor. X 1x PF where Power factor depends upon the type of electrical load. Power factor is equal to the ratio of the resistive portion of the load to the total load including resistance, inductance ‘and capacitance. Appliances such as a heater, an electric range, or an in- ‘candescent light bulb are entirely resistive loads and have ‘a power factor of one, An electric motor may have a power factor of 0.6 to 0.8 since there is some inductance to the load. For example, if 120 volts push 10 amperes of current through a certain appliance, the amount of power is 420 x 10 = 1,200 watts. This means that electric energy is being converted at a rate of 1,200 watts. Should this con: version be allowed to continue for a period of six hours, the amount of electric energy converted would be: 200 watt hours volts x amperes x hours Graduate Research Assistant When watts are multiplied by hours, the product becomes rather large. If one receives a bill for 100,000 watt hours, itis hard to believe that the electrical appliances ac- tually used so much energy. On the other hand, a bill for 100 units of electric energy sounds more reasonable. This is where the kilowatt hour comes in. Kilo means thousand, and therefore a kilowatt hour is the same as 1,000 watt hours. (Kwhr= watt hours/t,000) (Example) An electric refrigerator requires 300 watts of electric power. It operates an average of 16 hours each day. How many kilowatt hours would be used each month (30, days)? Figure 1. The kllowatt hour meter is used to measure the amount of electricity that has been used. This information is prepared as an activity of the North Dakota Power Use Council, an organization of the Ru es, Generating and Transmi tric Cooperatives, Investor Owned UI 1 Elec: ‘Cooperatives, North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science and the Rural Electrification Administration in North Dakota,300 x 16 x30 = 144,000 watt hours per month kwhr month = 144,000/1,000 = 144 Energy = 144 kwhr TYPES OF METERS Two basic types of meters are used. They are 1) self- contained meters and 2) transformer type meters. ‘Most meters used on farms and homes are self-contained meters. All of the electrical energy used on the farm asses through the meter. Self-contained meters are designed to be used on services under 200 amperes, When services exceed 200 amperes, transformer-rated meters are used. They are called transformer-rated meters because a current transformer is used to measure the cur- rent flow. The meter is connected to the current transformer to record the energy used. A current ratio dit- ference between the actual current and metered current results in the use of a multiplier. HOW THE METER WORKS ‘The kilowatt hour meter measures the amount of energy being used. It consists of a motor element, a set of gears, and the indicating dials. The motor drives the gears which are attached to the pointers or dials, Thus, a hundred watts ‘consumed steadily for a period of one hour will cause the {gear train to indicate 0.1 kwhrs of energy used. ‘The laminated core of the motor has three poles, one on the top side and two below. An aluminum disk is mounted (on the vertical shaft projects between the poles. Current coils on the lower poles are in series with the load, while the potential coil on the upper one is across the load. The potential coll has more inductance than the current coils 30 that a lag exists between the two currents. A rotating flux is created, inducing currents in the aluminum disk, causing it to rotate in a way similar to the rotor of an induc tion motor. ‘A drag magnet at the outer edge of the disk establishes a permanent flux which is cut by the rotating disk, setting up ‘a motor force that opposes rotation. The combination of motor effort and magnetic drag causes speed of rotation to, depend on the rate at which power is consumed. The rolative speed of the disk indicates the rate at which power Is consumed. METER NAMEPLATE INFORMATION FORM NUMBER, The form number defines whether the meter is self- contained or transformer-ated and also defines the ‘number of stators, current circuits and number of external circuit wires. An ‘S' means socket connection and an ‘A means bottom connected. (Example - Form 2S or 2A). Lass Class denotes the maximum of the load range in amperes. (Example - 10, 20, 100, 200, 320). vous Volts denotes the potential rating of the voltage coils of the meter. (Example - 69, 120, 240, 277, 480). ‘TEST CURRENT (TA) The test current is the current at which the meter is tested to determine full load % registration. Figure 2. A kilowatt hour meter with the Indleating di ‘The speed with which the disk revolves indicates the rate of elec. WATT HOUR CONSTANT (kh) The number of watt hours represented by one revolution. of a meter rotor (disk). REGISTER RATIO (RA The number of revolutions of the register gear that meshes with the worm gear on the rotor (disk shaft) for one. revolution of the first or fastest moving dial or digit of the rogister. HOW TO READ YOUR METER Knowing how to read the meter and being able to det mine the amount of energy used each week or month will provide for wiser usage. ‘There are two types of indicators used to read kilowatt hour meters. They are 1) the cyclometer and 2) the Pointer/dial meter. The cyclometer is read in exactly the Same manner as the odometer of an automobile. The Pointeridial meter is more difficult to read. The pointer-dial type has four dials and each dial i calibrated from 0 to 9. Adjacent dials are calibrated in op- posite directions. The dial readings from left to right glve thousands, hundreds, tens, and single units of kilowatt hours, respectively. Bogin with the dial on the left and read each dial in order from left to right. Record the last number which each Pointer has passed. To determine whether a pointer has assed a number, itis sometimes necessary to refer to the next dial and obtain that reading; then the previous dial's reading is dictated accordingly. Refer to figure 3 and the ‘sample reading 3806. The second dial indicates the ‘number 8 and it is not clear if it has passed 8. Check the reading of the adjacent dial on the right, and if this check reading is 8 or 9, then the previous dial's reading is 7. if the check reading is O or 1 then the previous dials reading is 8 (as shown,Figure 3. Each dial represents a number. That number is always the lower number. In this case the number is 3806, DETERMINING WATTS AND KILOWATT HOURS Itis helpful to know how to determine watts and kilowatt, hours. This knowledge Is valuable when estimating the ‘cost of operation of @ new piece of equipment or in deter- mining whether or not an appliance is functioning properly. It also makes one a better judge or the relative value of electrical appliances. Finally, and perhaps most important, this knowledge often results in a greater appreciation of the value received from the electric-energy dollar. There are several methods of determining the amount of ‘energy used by an appliance: METHOD 1. Nameplate Data. The nameplate provides a ‘means of conveying the rated electrical values and capacities of the equipment. The nameplate may be a separate metal plate securely fastened to the equipment or it may be stenciled, stamped, or otherwise labeled directly on the equipment frame. The input voltage and the input watts or amperes for which the equipment was designed is, always given. ‘The wattage rating on the nameplate is interpreted as the number of watts Used by the equipment when itis con: nected to its rated voltage and is operating at full capacity, For example, suppose an electric iron has a nameplate rating of 600 watts, 120 volts. This iron converts electrical energy at a rate of 600 watts when it is connected to 120, volts. In order to determine the kilowatt hours, it is ecessary to know the hours of operation. For four hours ‘of operation, 2.4 Kwhr is required (600 x 41,000) Keep in mind that the thermostat will cycle on and off so the total time the iron is on will be somewhat less. Occasionally the nameplate data include only the volt and the ampere rating. The watts are calculated by multiplying the volts by the amperes. When the operating time is known, the energy is calculated. The power to an electric motor cannot be obtained by ‘multiplying volts and amperes because the power factor of ‘a motor is not 100%. A practical value for the power input to a motor is obtained by: Multiplying 1,200 by the horsepower rating of the motor it the motor is smaller than ¥2 hp, or multiplying 1,000 by the horsepower rating of the motor if the motor size is ¥2 hp or greater. METHOD 2. METER. The watts used by an appliance may be measured by the aid of a wattmeter or with the aid of a voltmeter and ammeter. It you want to know the exact amount of energy used by @ certain appliance, you can request the power supplier 10 install a check meter. This meter is exactly the same as the Figure 4. A demand type electric kilowatt hour meter measures both the amount of elect ‘which electril- ty Is used. The pointer showing 1.5 indicates that the maximum ‘demand was 1.5 KW since the polnter was last reset. regular kilowatt hour meter. The kilowatt hour value is read the same as before. METHOD 3. METER-DISK REVOLUTIONS. This method makes use of the regular kilowatt hour meter that is install ed on the farm for recording the number of kilowatt hours used each month. The meter’s Kh factor and metal disk are the significant items employed and these, together with a ch or clock, are all that Is needed. The Kh factor is printed on the nameplate of the meter and for farm-type meters ranges from 1.5 to 6.0. Its equal to the number of watt hours per revolution of the disk. The disk revolutions are counted for a definite length of time and the watt hours, are obtained by calculation. All appliances except the one being tested must either be disconnected or turned off. The desired values are obtained from these relationships: Watt hours = Kh x No. of revolutions Watt hours per hour = watt hours x 60/min of count Watts = watt hours per hour (Example) All electrical equipment is off, except an elec- tric motor. The kilowatt hourmeter-disk revolutions are counted for a period of six minutes. The disk makes 20 revolutions and the Kh factor of the meter is 2.5, Determine the Kwhr that would be used by this motor if it were operated for one hour. What is the power input to the motor? This procedure can also be used to determine if an ap: pliance is working properly. Suppose in our example the Rameplate on the motor should only require 300 watts, ‘then we would know that something is wrong with our motor. TROUBLESHOOTING WITH YOUR METER It your usage of electricity has increased for no apparent, Feason and you have ruled out lifestyle considerations and