Calibrating Single-Phase Electronic Energy Meters

CALIBRATION OF SINGLE PHASE ELECRONIC ENERGY METER
CHAPTER – 1
INTRODUCTION
GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 1

1.1 INTRODUCTION
The energy meter may become inaccurate during its vigorous use due to various reasons.
It is necessary to calibrate the meter to determine and remove the errors so that same meter can
be used for correct measurement of energy.
An electricity meter, electric meter, electrical meter or energy meter is a device that
measure the amount of electric energy consumed by a consumer.
Electronic meters display the energy used on an LCD or LED display and some can also
transmit readings to remote places. In addition to measuring energy used, electronic meters
can also record other parameters of the load and supply such as instantaneous and maximum
rate of uses demands, voltages, power factor and reactive power used etc.
They can also support time-of-day billing, for e.g. Recording the amount of energy used
during on-peak and off-peak hours.
In measurement technology and metrology, calibration is the comparison
of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of
known accuracy. Such a standard could be another measurement device of known accuracy, a
device generating the quantity to be measured such as a voltage, a sound tone, or a physical
artefact, such as a meter ruler.
The outcome of the comparison can result in one of the following:
 no significant error being noted on the device under test

 a significant error being noted but no adjustment made
 an adjustment made to correct the error to an acceptable level
Strictly speaking, the term "calibration" means just the act of comparison and does not
include any subsequent adjustment.
The calibration standard is normally traceable to a national or international standard held
by a metrology body.

CHAPTER – 2
LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW
“The great invention of the nineteenth

century was the method of invention”. This
maxim from the English mathematician and
philosopher Alfred North Whitehead (1891-
1947) perfectly applies to the history of the
electricity meter, perfected through a series of
inventions building on achievements and
stimulating further development.
The first half of the 19th century brought
brilliant discoveries in electromagnetism. In
1820, the French André-Marie Ampère (1775-
1836) discovered the electrodynamics interaction between currents. In 1827, the German
Georg Simon Ohm (1787-1854) discovered the relationship between voltage and current in a
conductor. In 1831, the British Michael Faraday (1791-1867) discovered the law of induction,
on which the operation of generators, motors and transformers is based.
By the second half of the century, the soil was
well prepared for practical applications. Discoveries
were followed by inventions and patents. The lamp,
the dynamo, the motor, the transformer, the meter and
the turbine were invented in quick succession. It is
not surprising that once the time is ripe, milestone
inventions are achieved quasi-simultaneously in
different parts of the world.
The Hungarian Otto Titusz Bláthy, inventor of
the induction electricity meter and co-inventor of the
transformer, looked back in 1930 to this exciting period with these words: “In my days it used
to be easy. Science was like a tropical forest. All you needed was a good axe, and wherever
you stroke, you could chop down an enormous tree.”
With the invention of the dynamo (Anyos Jedlik in 1861, Werner von Siemens in 1867)
electrical energy could be generated in large amounts. The first mass application of electricity
was lighting. When this new product – electrical energy – started to be sold, it was obvious
that the cost had to be determined.

It was not clear, however, what the units billed should be, and what would be the most
suitable measuring principles.
The earliest meter was Samual Gardiner’s (USA) lamphour meter patented in 1872. It
measured the time during which energy was supplied to the load, as all the lamps connected to
this meter were controlled by one switch. Subdividing lighting circuits became practical with
the introduction of Edison’s light bulb, and this meter became obsolete.
2.2 ELECTROLYTIC METERS

Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931), who introduced the first
electrical distribution systems for lighting using direct current, held
that electricity must be sold just like gas – also used extensively for
lighting at that time.
His ‘electric meter’ patented in 1881 (USA patent No. 251,545)
used the electrochemical effect of current.
It contained an electrolytic cell, into which an accurately
weighed strip of copper was placed at the beginning of the billing
period. The current passing through the electrolyte caused a
deposition of copper. At the end of the billing period, the copper
strip was weighed again, and the difference represented the amount
of electricity that had passed through. The meter was calibrated so
that the bills could be rendered in cubic feet of gas.
These meters remained in use until the end of the 19th century. There was, however,
one large drawback – meter reading was difficult for the utility and impossible for the
customer. Edison later added a counting mechanism to aid meter reading.
There were other electrolytic meters, like the German Siemens-Shuckert hydrogen
meter and the Schott&Gen. Jena mercury meter. Electrolytic meters could measure only
ampere-hours and were not suitable when the voltage fluctuated.

2.3 METERS PENDULUM

Another possible principle upon which to build a meter was
to create some motion – oscillation or rotation – proportional to
the energy, which could then drive a register to read.
The principle of the pendulum meter was described by the
Americans William Edward Ayrton and John Perry in 1881. In
1884, without knowing of their invention, Hermann Aron (1845-
1902) in Germany constructed a pendulum meter.
In its more advanced form this meter had two pendulums,
with a coil on both pendulums connected to the voltage. Below
the pendulums there were two current coils winding in opposite
directions. One of the pendulums therefore was running slower
and the other faster than without load.
The difference between the oscillation times drove the counting mechanism. The role of
the two pendulums was swapped every minute, so that the initial difference between the
oscillation times of the pendulums could be compensated. At the same time, the clock was
wound up.
These meters were expensive because they contained two clocks, and they were
gradually replaced by motor meters. Pendulum meters measured ampere-hours or watthours,
but could be used only for direct current.
2.4 MOTOR METERS

Another possibility was to use a motor to build a meter.
In such meters, the driving torque is proportional to the load
and is balanced by a braking torque, so that the rotor speed is
proportional to the load when the torques are in equilibrium.
The American Elihu Thomson (1853- 1937) developed his
‘Recording wattmeter’ in 1889 for General Electric. It was an
iron-less motor, with the rotor excited by the voltage through
a coil and a resistor, using a commutator.

TRANSFORMERS INVENTED
In the early years of electricity distribution, it was not yet clear if direct current systems
or alternating current systems would be more advantageous.
However, an important disadvantage of direct current systems soon became apparent – the
voltage could not be changed, and therefore it was not possible to build larger systems. In
1884, the French Lucian Gaulard (1850-1888) and the English John Dixon Gibbs invented the
‘secondary generator’, the precursor of the modern transformer.
A practical transformer was developed and patented for Ganz in 1885 by three
Hungarian engineers – Károly Zipernowsky, Ottó Titusz Bláthy and Miksa Déri. In the same
year, Westinghouse bought the patent of Gaulard and Gibson, and William Stanley (1858-
1916) perfected the design. George Westinghouse (1846-1914) also bought the AC patents of
Nikola Tesla.
With this, the AC electricity system became feasible, and from the beginning of the 20th
century it gradually took over from DC systems. In metering, a new problem had to be solved
– the measurement of AC electrical energy.
Fig1. 5
2.5 INDUCTION METERS

In 1885, the Italian Galileo
Ferraris (1847- 1897) made the key
discovery that two out-of-phase AC
fields could make a solid armature like a
disc or cylinder rotate. Independently the
Croatian-American Nikola Tesla (1857-
1943) also discovered the rotating
electric field in 1888. Shallenberger also
– by accident – discovered the effect of
rotating fields in 1888, and developed an
AC ampere-hour meter.
The braking torque was provided
by a fan. This meter had no voltage element to take the power factor into account; therefore it
was not suitable for use with motors. These discoveries were the basis of induction motors,
and opened the way to induction meters. In 1889, the Hungarian Otto Titusz Bláthy (1860-

1939), working for the Ganz works in Budapest,

Hungary, patented his ‘Electric meter for alternating
currents’ (Germany No 52,793, USA No 423,210).
As the patent describes: “This meter, essentially,
consists of a metallic rotating body, such as a disk or
cylinder, which is acted upon by two magnetic fields
displaced in phase from one another.
The said phase displacement of phases results
from the fact, that a field is produced by the main
current, while the other field is excited by a coil of great
self induction shunted from those points of the circuit
between which the energy consumed is to be measured.
The magnetic fields, however, do not cross one
another within the solid of revolution, as in the well
known arrangement by Ferraris, but pass through different parts of the same, independent from
one another.”
With this arrangement, Bláthy managed to achieve an internal phase shift of almost
exactly 90°, so the meter displayed watthours more or less correctly. The meter used a brake
magnet to ensure a wide measuring range and was equipped with a cyclometric register. Ganz
started production in the same year. The first meters were mounted on a wooden base, running
at 240 revolutions per minute, and weighed 23 kg. By 1914, the weight was reduced to 2.6 kg.
Oliver Blackburn Shallenberger (1860-1898) developed an induction type watthour
meter for Westinghouse in 1894. It had the current and voltage coils located on opposite sides
of the disc, and two permanent magnets damping the same disc. It was also large and heavy,
weighing 41 pounds. It had a drum-type register.
Ludwig Gutmann, working for Sangamo, developed the “Type A” AC watthour meter
in 1899. The rotor was a spirally slotted cylinder positioned in the fields of the voltage and
current coils. A disk riveted to the bottom of the cylinder was used for braking with a
permanent magnet. There was no power factor adjustment.

2.6 ELECTRICITY METER FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS

In the following years, many improvements were
achieved: reduction of weight and dimensions, extension of the
load range, compensation of changes of power factor, voltage
and temperature, elimination of friction by replacing pivot
bearings by ball bearings and then by doublejewel bearings and
magnetic bearings, and improving longterm stability by better
brake magnets and eliminating oil from the bearing and the
register.
By the turn of the century, three-phase induction meters were
developed using two or three measurement systems arranged
on one, two o
r three disks.
2.7 NEW FUNCTIONS

Induction meters, also known as Ferraris meters and
based on the principles of the Bláthy meter, are still
manufactured in large quantities and are the workhorses of
metering, thanks to their low price and excellent
reliability.
As the use of electricity spread, the concept of the
multi-tariff meter with local or remotely controlled
switches, the maximum demand meter, the prepayment
meter, and the maxigraph were quickly born, all by the
turn of the century.
The first ripple control system was patented in 1899
by the French César René Loubery, and was perfected by
Compagnie des Compteurs (later Schlumberger),
Siemens, AEG, Landis&Gyr, Zellweger and Sauter and
Brown Boveri, just to name a few. In 1934, Landis&Gyr
developed the Trivector meter, measuring active and
reactive energy and apparent demand.

2.8 ELECTRONIC METERS AND REMOTE METERING

The great period of the initial development of meters was
over. As Bláthy put it, continuing his metaphor: “Now you
walk for entire days without even finding a bush”.
Electronic technologies did not find their way to metering until
the first analogue and digital integrated circuits became
available in the 1970s. This can easily be understood if one
thinks of the power consumption limitations in the closed meter
boxes, and the expected reliability.
The new technology has given a new impetus to the
development of electricity meters. Initially, high precision
static meters were developed, mainly using the timedivision
multiplication principle. Hall cells were also used, primarily
for commercial and residential meters. Hybrid meters
consisting of induction meters and electronic tariff units were
constructed in the 1980s. This technology had a relatively short
run.
2.9 REMOTE METERING

The idea of remote metering was born in the
1960s. Initially, remote pulse transmission was used,
but this has gradually been replaced by using various
protocols and communication media.
Today meters with complex functionality are
based on the latest electronic technology, using digital
signal processing, with most functions being
implemented in firmware.

2.10 STANDARDS AND METERING ACCURACY

The need for close co-operation between manufacturers and utilities was achieved
relatively early. The first metering standard, the ANSI C12 Code for electricity metering, was
developed as early as 1910. Its Preface says: “While the Code is naturally based upon scientific
and technical principles, the commercial side of the metering has been constantly kept in mind
as of very great importance”.
The first known IEC metering standard, Publication 43, dates from 1931. The high standard of
accuracy is an outstanding characteristic that was established and maintained by the metering
profession. Leaflets from as early as 1914 feature meters with an accuracy of 1.5% over the
measuring range of 10% or less to 100% of maximum current. IEC 43:1931 specifies accuracy
class 2.0. This accuracy is still seen as adequate for most residential applications today, even
for static meters.

CHAPTER – 3
THEORY OF ENERGY METER

3.1. ENERGY METER
Energy meter is an instrument which measures amount of electrical energy used by the
consumers. Utilities install these instruments at every place like homes, industries,
organizations to charge the electricity consumption by loads such as lights, fans and other
appliances. When energy savings during certain periods are desired, some meters may measure
demand, the maximum use of power in some interval. “Time of day” metering allows electric
rates to be changed during a day, to record usage during peak high-cost periods and off-peak,
lower-cost, periods. Also, in some areas meters have relays for demand response load shedding
during peak load periods. Most interesting type are used as prepaid electricity meters.
3.2. CLASSIFICATION OF ENERGY METER

The energy meter is classified into two basic categories, such as,
1. Electromechanical induction energy meter
2. Electronic energy meter
Also it can be classified by taking the following points in consideration,

1. Types of displays (analog or digital)
2. Types of metering points (secondary transmission, grid, local and primary distribution.)
3. End applications (commercial, industrial and domestic)
4. Technical aspects (single phase, three phase, high tension HT, low tension LT and
accuracy class material)

3.3 SINGLE PHASE

ELECTROMECHANICAL
INDUCTION ENERGY
METER
It is a well-known and most
common type of age-old energy
meter. It comprises a rotating
aluminium disc placed on a
spindle between two
electromagnets. The rotation
speed of the disc is proportional to the power, and this power is integrated by the use of gear
trains and counter mechanism. It is made of two silicon steel laminated electromagnets: shunt
and series magnets.
Series magnet carries a coil which is of a few turns of thickness wire connected in series
with the line; whereas the shunt magnet carries a coil with numerous turns of thin wire
connected across the supply.
Braking magnet is a kind of permanent magnet that applies the force opposite to the
normal disc rotation to move that disc a balanced position and to stop the disc while power
gets off.
Series magnet produces a flux which is proportional to the flowing current, and shunt
magnet produces a flux proportional to the voltage. These two fluxes lag at 90 degrees due to
inductive nature. The interface of these two fields produces eddy current in the disk, utilizing
a force, which is proportional to the product of instantaneous voltage, current and the phase
angle between them.
A braking magnet is placed over one side of the disc, which produces a braking torque
on the disc by a constant field provided by using a permanent magnet. Whenever the braking
and driving torques become equal, the speed of the disc becomes steady.

3.4 ELECTRONIC ENERGY METER

Electronic meters display the energy
used on an LCD or LED display, and some
can also transmit readings to remote places.
In addition to measuring energy used,
electronic meters can also record other
parameters of the load and supply such as
instantaneous and maximum rate of usage
demands, voltages, power factor and
reactive power used etc. They can also
support time-of-day billing, for example,
recording the amount of energy used during
on-peak and off-peak hours.
These are of accurate, high

procession and reliable types of measuring
instruments as compared to conventional
mechanical meters. It consumes less power
and starts measuring instantaneously when connected to load. These meters might be analog
or digital. In analog meters, power is converted to proportional frequency or pulse rate and it
is integrated by counters placed inside it.
In digital electric meter power is directly measured by high end processor. The power
is integrated by logic circuits to get the energy and also for testing and calibration purpose. It
is then converted to frequency or pulse rate.
3.5 DIGITAL ELECTRONIC ENERGY METER
Digital signal processor or high performance

microprocessors are used in digital electric meters. Similar
to the analog meters, voltage and current transducers are
connected to a high resolution ADC. Once it converts
analog signals to digital samples, voltage and current
samples are multiplied and integrated by digital circuits to
measure the energy consumed.
Microprocessor also calculates phase angle between

voltage and current, so that it also measures and indicates
reactive power. It is programmed in such a way that it

calculates energy according to the tariff and other parameters like power factor, maximum
demand, etc. and stores all these values in a non-volatile memory EEPROM.
It contains real time clock (RTC) for calculating time for power integration, maximum
demand calculations and also date and time stamps for particular parameters. Furthermore it
interacts with liquid crystal display (LCD), communication devices and other meter outputs.
Battery is provided for RTC and other significant peripherals for backup power.
3.6 SMART ENERGY METER

A smart meter is an electronic device that records
consumption of electric energy and communicates the
information to the electricity supplier for monitoring and
billing. Smart meters typically record energy hourly or more
frequently, and report at least daily.
Smart meters enable two-way communication

between the meter and the central system. Such an advanced
metering infrastructure (AMI) differs from automatic meter
reading (AMR) in that it enables two-way communication
between the meter and the supplier. Communications from
the meter to the network may be wireless, or via fixed wired
connections such as power line carrier (PLC). Wireless
communication options in common use include cellular
communications (which can be expensive), Wi-Fi (readily
available), wireless ad hoc networks over Wi-Fi, wireless
mesh networks, low power long range wireless
(LoRa), ZigBee (low power, low data rate wireless), and Wi-
SUN (Smart Utility Networks).
It is an advanced metering technology involving

placing intelligent meters to read, process and feedback the
data to customers. It measures energy consumption, remotely
switches the supply to customers and remotely controls the maximum electricity consumption.
Smart metering system uses the advanced metering infrastructure system technology for better
performance.
These are capable of communicating in both directions. They can transmit the data to
the utilities like energy consumption, parameter values, alarms, etc and also can receive
information from utilities such as automatic meter reading system, reconnect/disconnect
instructions, upgrading of meter software’s and other important messages.

These meters reduce the need to visit while taking or reading monthly bill. Modems are
used in these smart meters to facilitate communication systems such as telephone, wireless,
fiber cable, power line communications. Another advantage of smart metering is complete
avoidance of tampering of energy meter where there is scope of using power in an illegal way.

CHAPTER – 4
THEORY OF CALIBRATION

4.1 THEORY OF ENERGY METER CALIBRATION
Energy meter calibration is a

process required to determine and
reduce the error when the energy is
measured. The errors in the energy
meter can be caused by different
sources like voltage transformers,
current transformers errors due to
phase angle, crystal oscillators, etc.
Energy meters have
specified characteristic constants,
which give information about the
number of revolutions of the disc and the measured energy in joules. These characteristic
constants are given by the manufacturer. The experimental setup of the energy meter
calibration is shown in the figure below.
Before carrying out the calibration process, different adjustments such as load
adjustments, lag adjustments, creep adjustments, etc., are done on the energy meters.
The meter possesses no error if the energy calibrated for 10 revolutions should be
equal to the energy taken by the load for the same amount of revolutions and time. Energy
taken by the load or true energy is denoted as ET. The loads applied to the energy meter are
varied and the time taken for the 10 revolutions is measured using a stopwatch. The
parameters such as voltage, current are observed from the circuit and are tabulated as given
below,
Voltage Current Power (p)

S.No. (V) (A) watts Energy E1 = PTJ % Error
Readings observed from the test

For the specified revolutions (i.e., 10) the energy E is constant whereas energy
consumed by load ET gets varied and is determined theoretically. Therefore, under various
load, the percentage error is calculated as,
The % error obtained can be positive and negative. The limits of the load current error
are easily determined by observing the calibration curve. If the limit is not under desired
range then the error can be made to a minimal value by applying different adjustments such
as lag, friction, and creep adjustments.
4.2 WHY CALIBRATION OF ENERGY METER IS IMPORTANT?
When was the last time you calibrated your company’s electrical meter or looked at the
data from your meters? If it’s been awhile, or you are not metering at all, you’re not alone.
Many companies overlook the potential cost savings found within their utility bills. Both your
electricity bill and your meters can help you cut or control utility costs.

CHAPTER – 5
SCENARIO OF CALIBRATION
OF
ELECTRICITY METERS IN INDIA

The Indian government has launched a ‘Mission 2012 Power for all’ campaign,
liberalised policies to improve the power sector, introduced reforms and energy conservation,
and through its Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP) has laid
emphasis on distribution sector efficiency improvement. There are 28 states and 7 union
territories in India, and the Indian constitution stipulates that both central and state
governments are responsible for electricity and should play major roles.
With the enactment of the Indian Electricity Act 2003 on 2 June 2003, restructuring of
the power sector leading to privatisation and unbundling of the erstwhile State Electricity
Boards (SEBs) into corporates has begun. Nine SEBs have already been unbundled/
corporatized, and distribution in Orissa state and Delhi (union territory) has been privatised. A
few old private distribution companies remain in some cities, like AEC in Ahmedabad, SEC
in Surat, and CESC in Kolkata.
Quality, reliability and customer service have become a major focus in the industry, and
central and several state electricity regulators have been appointed and have started
functioning. Some of the regulators have been established under the Electricity Regulatory
Commission Act 1998, and will now be deemed to have been set up under the Electricity Act
2003. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) is mainly responsible for
regulating tariffs for generation, inter-state transmission of energy including tariffs, advising
the government on tariff policy, and promoting competition, efficiency and economy in the
electricity industry.
The main functions of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) are to
determine the tariff for electricity (wholesale, bulk, grid or retail); to determine the tariff
payable for use by the transmission facilities; to regulate the power purchase and procurement
processes of transmission and distribution utilities; and to promote competition, efficiency and
economy in the activities of the electricity industries. Twenty two states – Orissa, Haryana,
Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Delhi, Gujarat,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh,
Uttaranchal, Goa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Kerala and Tripura have either constituted or notified the
constitution of an SERC.
Eighteen SERCs – Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat,

Haryana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal,
Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and Kerala – have issued tariff orders.
Many have also issued a code for supply and distribution, as well as grid codes, metering code,
code for open access and so on.
The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has been designated as an agency for
formulating national electricity policy; it advises government on technical matters and
specifies grid standards and conditions for the installation and operation of meters. Under the

Electricity Act 2003, 100% metering and installation of meters for energy accounting and audit
has been made mandatory. (At present about 13 % of customers are not metered, in particular
in the agricultural sector). The Act envisaged that 100% metering would be achieved within
two years, but it is likely to take another two or three years to reach total coverage. Meanwhile
rationalisation of tariffs to reduce and eliminate cross-subsidies have also been emphasised.
5.1 ETERS AND THEIR REQUIREMENTS
We all understand the importance of a good, accurate and reliable meter. In India most
of the meters for grids, substations, and large industrial and commercial consumers have been
replaced with static meters of higher accuracy (class 0.2 or 0.5) and multi-function meters. A
large number of static meters (about 9 to 10 million) are being installed every year in the
domestic sector. It may take another five years or more before all domestic meters are replaced
with static meters.
Indian laws which came into effect in February 2003 require that every electricity meter
needs to be approved and certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and marked with
the BIS logo. BIS is responsible for specifying Indian national standards and granting type
approval (product certification) based on the type test reports issued by accredited test
laboratories. The Bureau also provides licences to manufacturers based on its approval of their
manufacturing processes, which allow them to self-certify and mark the BIS logo on every
meter they produce.
In the past the Indian Electricity Rules 1956, under section 57, specified the
requirements for testing and acceptance limits for the meters installed at customer premises.
The requirements regarding periodicity of testing, however, were left to state governments. As
a result, in practice very few meters were periodically tested, except for those of very large
power consumers or in the event of disputes or complaints.
Now the CEA has issued a draft for the “installation and operation of meters” which
covers various types and applications such as grid meters, availability based tariff (ABT)
meters between grid companies and state electricity boards/state transmission companies,
substation and feeder energy accounting meters, industrial, commercial and domestic meters.
This document also specifies the broad technical specifications and requirements for periodic
testing of various types of meter and associated instrument transformers – in other words, the
full metering system. It recommends testing of meters in situ – in substations for system power
equal to or above 10 MW every six months, and for loads less than 10 MVA every two years.
Meters for consumers with loads of 20 kVA up to 100 kVA should be tested every year; loads
above 100 kVA every three, six or twelve months depending on load category; and domestic
meters every five years. In addition all instrument transformers must be tested every five years.

Many state regulators have incorporated or are likely to incorporate these requirements
in their documents, such as code of supply, grid codes and metering codes.
The National Electricity Policy formulated by the CEA has called for the establishment
of third party meter testing facilities by SERCs. Some SERCs have started discussions on how
to implement this, but it will take a year or two before something concrete emerges out of this
guideline.
The Indian Electricity Grid Code draft document released recently has specified special
static energy meters (frequency based metering) for use on all interconnection points on the
grid.
5.2 ENERGY METER TESTING AND CALIBRATION FACILITIES
The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in New Delhi is the Apex test and calibration
laboratory in India. There are several other such laboratories under the control of government
departments such as the Ministry of Power and Ministry of Information Technology. Most are
accredited to India’s National Accreditation Board of testing and calibration Laboratories
(NABL). However, each of them specialises in certain areas and offers services for many types
of product. For complete type tests for energy meters it is necessary to go to several
laboratories, and waiting time is generally long. These laboratories are equipped to provide
calibration of power and energy reference equipment with varying best measurement
capabilities and other electrical parameters.
There are only a few laboratories in the private sector, mostly providing calibration
services for general purpose instruments or class 1 or 2 energy meters. Only one laboratory in
the private sector has Indian (NABL) and international (UKAS) accreditation and provides full
type test and calibration services for meters, as well as calibration of instrument transformers
and other power and energy reference equipment.
Most utilities operate their own meter test laboratories, which are generally equipped
with transformer operated manual or semi-automatic test benches and some portable test
instruments. The majority of this equipment comes from local manufacturers. Many
laboratories still use old Rotary Sub standards, although a few utilities have modernised in
recent times by the introduction of modern automatic test benches and electronic portable
test/calibration instruments. These have been supplied by Zera in Germany, MTE of
Switzerland, and SML, an Indian manufacturer. The importance of accreditation to NABL has
not, however, been fully recognised, and only two or three meter test labs belonging to private
utilities are working towards this accreditation. These labs need significant improvement in
test equipment, operating conditions, training of staff and overall quality management to boost
consumer confidence, and it is a cause for concern that very little is being done to address this.

Instrument transformers (CT and PT), though an important part of a metering system,
are rarely tested after installation. Many utilities have some kind of test facilities, but are
generally inadequately equipped in terms of either equipment or the manpower and systems to
conduct these tests.
The Bureau of Indian Standards also has some laboratories, but they are not equipped to
test and calibrate static meters, and the Bureau mainly uses the services of other labs for this.
Hardly any meter manufacturer has an NABL accredited calibration laboratory.
Utilities routinely use their own internal meter test labs for inward inspection of
electricity meters. However, as part of their buying process some utilities have started to use
the services of either their own meter test/calibration labs or external accredited labs for the
independent assessment of the quality of sample batches of meters. A subset of type tests is
then conducted either before purchase decisions are made or on delivery of the meters. This is
certainly a good move, and will help utilities ensure that the meters they have ordered meet
quality requirements. Most utilities, however, still prefer to use the services of government
labs only. This needs to change – utilities need to recognise and develop confidence in the
value of NABL accreditation and give equal opportunity to other labs too.
5.3 ON-SITE CALIBRATION
In the last two years some utilities have awarded service contracts to test installed meters
on site, covering tens of thousands of domestic and few hundred industrial consumers. In
Delhi, BSES and NDPL, two private distribution companies, have carried out testing of a large
number of installed meters, and the test results have led to a decision to replace all their old
meters with new static meters. NDPL regularly tests their LIP consumers’ metering systems,
and a few other utilities have started similar pilots.
Although it is long overdue, the importance of testing and calibrating electricity meters
has been realised. This has generated new opportunities for laboratories, service providers and
test equipment suppliers. All of them need to ensure that their services are of the right quality
to boost customer confidence and benefits to utilities.

CHAPTER – 6
EQUIPMENTS

EQUIIPMENTS
1. SINGLE PHASE ELECTRONIC ENERGY METER.
MANUFACTURER:
Powertech measurement system
Delhi – 110055 (INDIA)
(AN ISO 9001:2015 certified co.)
MFD: 11/21
Model: 741832
SPECIFICATION:
AC, Single phase,
Two wire,
240V, 5-30A, 50Hz
3200 /KWh
2. VOLTMETER & AMMETER

MANUFACTURER:
Denko india private limited
Gurgaon 122050 (INDIA)
(AN ISO 9001:2015 certified co.)
MFD:09/21
Model: 568265
SPECIFICATION:
AC,
0-500V,
0-100A, 50Hz

2. LAMPS
MANUFACTURER:
Bajaj electrical limited,
Mumbai Maharastra,
SPECIFICATION:
100 WATT
200 WATT
3. SWITCH BOARD
MANUFACTURER:
Stark private limited,
Tredegar maharastra,
SPECIFICATION:
PVC
6 switch
fig 5.4

4. MCB
MANUFACTURER:
Havells india private limited.
SPECIFICATION:
AC, 240V,
6 A.
Type C6
fig 5.5
5. WIRES
SPECIFICATION:
1.5mm Red Black
fig 5.6

7. FLEX
fig 5.7
fig 5.8
8. LAMP HOLDERS

9. PANEL TERMINALS

CHAPTER – 7
CIRCUIT DESIGNING
(using AutoCAD)

7.1 COMPONENTS IN CIRCUIT

1. ENERGY METER
2. WATTMETER
3. VOLTMETER
4. AMMETER

5. LOAD
ROUGH CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
FINALIZED CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

CHAPTER – 8
FABRCATION AND TOOLS

8.1 FABRICATION PROCESS
A. TOOL SAND ACCESSORIES
a) Drill machine b) Grinder
c) Hacksaw blade d) Soldering iron

e). Soldering wire f) flux
g) Tester h) Wire striper
i) Plier j) Nose plier

k) Screw driver l) hammer
m) File n)Measuring tape
o) Set square p) Marker

q) Adhesives r) Nails and screws
s) Brown tape t) G.I Strips

8.2 FABRICATION AND PANEL MAKING

8.2.1 CUTTING OF PLY
Cut the ply of shape 3*2 feet using grinder and other tools. Give finishing to the edges
of ply by using file. Also cut the four pieces of 3 inch ply strips to support and to make a box
of plywood.
8.2.2 BINDING FLEX TO PLY

Apply a adhesive on ply and stick the edges of flex on it. Adhesive used is 555 SR
solution. Applied on whole panel surface.
8.2.3 DRILLING
Drill the holes on panel for panel mountings and others for wiring of panel. Holes
required for any application should be cross checked.
8.2.4 MOUNTING OF EQUIPMENTS

Equip all the equipment on panel by making proper size of hole. Equipment should be
properly mounted. Equipment have to mounted are ammeter voltmeter energy meter lamps
lamp holders switch board.
8.2.5 WIRING OF PANEL

Connect incoming phase supply to the MCB and neutral to the incoming neutral of
panel. Then give supply to the energy meter. Connect ammeter in series and voltmeter in
parallel. Also connect the wattmeter in circuit. Connect lamp load on individual switches.
8.2.6 SOLDERING
Solder the ends of panel mountings (banana jack female) to prevent any fault may
occur. Soldering the dead ends improves the joint quality.
8.2.7 INSTALLATION OF PANEL IN LAB

Mount the panel on experiment table in lab by using GI strips and tight it by using
gypsum screw.

CHAPTER – 9
PRACTICAL PERFORMANCE

7.1 Resources used

Sr no Name of resources Quantity
1 Ammeter 1
2 Voltmeter 1
3 Wattmeter 1
4 Energy meter 1
5 Single phase variac 1
6 Lamp load 6
7.2 Precautions to be followed

1. Select proper range of meters
2. Be careful while selecting AC/DC meters
3. Don’t increase the current beyond meters capacity
4. Don’t touch the live wire
5. Use autotransformer for safety reason
6. For accurate and precise errors, the average or mean error should be calibrated by taking
more readings.
7.3 Procedure of calibration

1. Make the connections as per figure
2. Check and adjust zero indication of wattmeter and note the multiplying factor of
wattmeter.
3. Initially keep dimmerstat at minimum position
4. Keep all the switches of load bank at off position
5. Switch ON the supply
6. Increase the output voltage of the dimmerstat gradually to rated voltage
7. Switch ON the switches of load bank step by step (say up to 500/1000 watts)
8. Count the pulses and time required using stopwatch
9. Record the reading in observation table
10.Note voltmeter, ammeter and wattmeter reading
11.Take another two readings for different load (say 1000 watts, 1500 watts)
12.Switch off the supply
13.Calculate %error in EEM.

7.4 READINGS
Sr.no Ammeter Voltmeter Wattmeter Number of Time in
reading reading reading × pulses seconds
MF
1 0.56 222 164 9 60
2 2.1 222 496 27 60
3 6.5 220 1150 60 60
4 9 118 1920 93 60
7.5 CALCULATION
Number of pulses per kwh of EEM :- 3200
Example no. (1)

Energy recorded by EEM (Er)Kwh
= number of pulses/number of pulses per kwh
= 0.00281
Calculated energy (Ea)KWh

= (w ×t )/ (3600 ×103 )
= 0.00273
%Error = (Er –Ea)/Ea

= 2.93
As it records less than required, the meter is slow.

Example no. (2)

= 0.00843

= (w ×t )/ (3600 ×103 )
= 0.00826
Error = (Er –Ea)/Ea

= 2.05
As it records less than required, the meter is slow.
Example no. (3)

= 0.01
= (w ×t )/ (3600 ×103 )
= 0.019
Error = (Er –Ea)/Ea

= -5.20
As recorded energy is more than the actual energy used, the meter is
fast.

7.6 CONCLUSIONS
In measurement technology and metrology, calibration is the comparison
of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of
known accuracy. Such a standard could be another measurement device of known accuracy, a
device generating the quantity to be measured such as a voltage, a sound tone, or a physical
artefact, such as a meter ruler.
The outcome of the comparison can result in one of the following:
 no significant error being noted on the device under test

 a significant error being noted but no adjustment made
 an adjustment made to correct the error to an acceptable level
Strictly speaking, the term "calibration" means just the act of comparison and does not include
any subsequent adjustment.
The calibration standard is normally traceable to a national or international standard held
by a metrology body.

7.7 PHOTO GALLERY



7.8REFERENCE
https://www.electricaldeck.com/2021/05/calibration-of-energy-
meter.html?m=1#:~:text=Energy%20meter%20calibration%20is%20a,angle%2C%20
crystal%20oscillators%2C%20etc
https://www.quora.com/What-is-meant-by-calibration-of-energy-meter
http://www.anuraghyd.ac.in/eee/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/ELECTRICAL-
MEASUREMENTS-_EEE.PDF
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calibration
https://studylib.net/doc/18668288/calibration-of-single-phase-energy-meter
https://www.tech-wonders.com/2010/08/calibration-and-testing-of-single-phase.html
https://www.quora.com/What-is-meant-by-calibration-of-energy-meter
Reference Book
Electronic And Electrical Measurements By A.K Sawhney

Calibrating Single-Phase Electronic Energy Meters

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Calibrating Single-Phase Electronic Energy Meters

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CALIBRATION OF SINGLE PHASE ELECRONIC ENERGY METER

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 1

 no significant error being noted on the device under test

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 2

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 3

2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW

“The great invention of the nineteenth

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 4

2.2 ELECTROLYTIC METERS

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 5

2.3 METERS PENDULUM

2.4 MOTOR METERS

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 6

2.5 INDUCTION METERS

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 7

1939), working for the Ganz works in Budapest,

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 8

2.6 ELECTRICITY METER FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS

2.7 NEW FUNCTIONS

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 9

2.8 ELECTRONIC METERS AND REMOTE METERING

2.9 REMOTE METERING

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 10

2.10 STANDARDS AND METERING ACCURACY

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 11

THEORY OF ENERGY METER

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 12

3.1. ENERGY METER

3.2. CLASSIFICATION OF ENERGY METER

Also it can be classified by taking the following points in consideration,

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 13

3.3 SINGLE PHASE

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 14

3.4 ELECTRONIC ENERGY METER

These are of accurate, high

3.5 DIGITAL ELECTRONIC ENERGY METER

Digital signal processor or high performance

Microprocessor also calculates phase angle between

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 15

3.6 SMART ENERGY METER

Smart meters enable two-way communication

It is an advanced metering technology involving

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 16

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 17

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 18

4.1 THEORY OF ENERGY METER CALIBRATION

Energy meter calibration is a

Voltage Current Power (p)

Readings observed from the test

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 19

4.2 WHY CALIBRATION OF ENERGY METER IS IMPORTANT?

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 20

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 21

Eighteen SERCs – Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat,

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 22

5.1 ETERS AND THEIR REQUIREMENTS

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 23

5.2 ENERGY METER TESTING AND CALIBRATION FACILITIES

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 24

5.3 ON-SITE CALIBRATION

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 25

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC KHAMGAON 26

2. VOLTMETER & AMMETER