Power measurement without

wattmeters
T H R E E V O LT M E T E R M E T H O D
THREE AMMETER METHOD

Fahd Ali Shifa

 Three voltmeter method

• Not as accurate as wattmeter

• Useful in low power, high
frequency situations
• Derive relations for power and
power factor from given phasor
diagram
Three ammeter method
Three phase power measurements
T H RE E WATT ME T ER M ET H O D
S I N G LE WAT TM E TE R M E TH O D
T W O WAT TM ET ER M E TH O D
U S E O F T RA N SF O R M ER S
T H RE E- PH A S E WATT M ETE R
 Three wattmeter method
• To measure power in unbalanced 3-phase four-
wire power circuits
• Total 3-phase power is sum of three wattmeter
readings
• In case of balanced load, each wattmeter
indicates same power and only one wattmeter is
enough whose reading is multiplied by three
Single wattmeter method
• No neutral conductor available for three wire
star connected or delta connected systems
• Arrangement shown uses three equal resistors
to create a neutral point
• Wattmeter pressure coil connected between this
neutral point and anyone of the phases
• Measured power is multiplied by three
• Load must be balanced
Two wattmeter method [1]
• Most commonly used method for power measurement in three-phase, three-
wire load
• Blondel’s theorem: no. of instruments required to measure power to a three-
phase load is one less than the number of wires
Two wattmeter method
 • Phase angle between voltage and
current applied to one of wattmeter may
be greater than 90o
• Wattmeter indicates –ve
• Terminal connections of wattmeter
voltage (or current coil) should be
reversed
• In order to obtain +ve deflection
• However, reading should be recorded as
–ve

> 90o
Three-phase wattmeter
• One pointer and scale but two moving coils each with a set of fixed
coils
• Two moving coils pivoted on a single spindle
• Meter is termed as two element instrument
• Connections are made as in two wattmeter method
• Two moving coils exert torque on spindle equivalent to total 3-Φ
power
Example 16-5
Practice Problem
Three-phase power factor determination

Delta-connected load
So connections must be reversed
Electromechanical energy meters
• Induction watt-hour meter
• Al disc rotates spindle mechanically coupled to
counting register
• Two electromagnetic cores with coils
Spindle
• One coil carries supply current
• Other coil carries current proportional to supply
voltage

• AC currents in coils create AC magnetic fields

 induce eddy currents in disc
• Eddy currents produce magnetic fields which oppose
source magnetic fields
• Torque produced in disc
Electromechanical energy meters – Braking mechanism

• Magnetic field of braking magnet cuts through Al disc

• Creates eddy currents which oppose disc rotation

• Force opposing rotation (braking force) proportional to

speed of disc
• Speed of rotation constant when driving force is equal to
braking force
• Speed varies as power demand changes
• Counting register counts disc rotations
• Meter constant is no. of disc revolutions per kWh
Error sources and compensation
• Measures VIcosφ x time
• Only true if voltage coil current lags supply voltage by 90o
• No high resistance is inserted in energy meter voltage coil

• Even then 90o lag may not be achieved in which case compensation
methods are employed
Error sources and compensation (Cont’d)
2.Bearing friction at light loads
3.Unwanted braking effect due to high load current
4.Coil and disc resistance changes with temperature
5.Creep – In cases when load current is zero the disc still continues to
rotate very slowly
• Must be reduced to zero or near ignorable value

6.Energy meters are designed to operate at a particular voltage and

frequency causing errors if used at different voltage and/or frequency
Example 16-7
• The disc in a single phase energy meter rotates 1584 times when
measuring a 110 V, 3 A load at unity power factor over a period of 8
hours. Calculate the meter constant. If the meter disc makes 673
revolutions when measuring the energy supplied to a 110 V, 4 A load
for 3 hours, determine the load power factor.
Energy meter connection methods
• Single phase energy meter is a wattmeter with disc speed determined
by power demand
• Connected in similar way as single phase wattmeter
• Three phase energy meter connections are also similar to three phase
wattmeter connections
• Two wattmeter method is common where single phase energy meters
are used to measure three phase power
Three phase energy meter
• Same as three phase wattmeter except in this case we have two discs
instead of two moving coils
Speed test of energy meters
• No of revolutions a meter completes in one hour for 1 kW load is mentioned
on the meter like 70 revs/kWh or 400 revs/kWh
1. Decide observation time for the test i.e., 1 min or 2 mins etc.
2. Find out how many revolutions should the meter complete in observation
time
3. Observe the line on disc of energy meter and count the no. of revolutions it
completes in observation time
4. Compare with name plate value
• If no. of revolutions are less then the meter is slow and needs to be sped up and vice versa

• Read the initial and final values of energy and compare against actual value
of energy consumed [1]
Digital power/energy meter

Voltage Amplifier/
ADC
Input Attenuator

Computer Display

Current
Amplifier ADC
Input
Extra topics
I N S TR U ME N T T RA N S FO RM ERS
Current Transformer
• Primary winding is made of one
or more turns of thick wire
• Connected in series with line carrying
current to be measured

• Secondary winding is made of

many turns of fine wire
• Connected in series with standard 5A
ammeter or current coil of wattmeter
or watthour meter

• Example: 1000/5 A transformer

has transformation ratio of 200
Current Transformer - Precaution
• Current transformer’s primary is
connected in series with load circuit
• Its secondary current is not dependent on
load on its secondary but the load on
power system
• If ammeter in the secondary circuit is
disconnected without first shorting the
secondary terminals then a huge voltage
will appear across secondary terminals
• Due to absence of secondary mmf (N2i2), the
unopposed primary mmf (N1i1) will setup
enormous flux in core
• Excessive core loss  Heating and damaging of
transformer core
 Clip-on Type Current transformer
• Laminated core can be opened by push of a
button
• Can be clamped around a current carrying
wire
• Primary winding is the feeder itself
• Secondary coil is wound on the core and
connected in series with ammeter
Potential Transformers
• Accurate-ratio, step-down transformers used
with standard low range 100 – 120 V
voltmeters
• Deflection on voltmeter is multiplied by
transformation ratio to give primary side
voltage
• Similar to regular two winding transformer
• Power rating is small

• Required to operate instruments, relays, or

pilot lights so they are usually of 40 – 100 W
• Secondary is completely insulated from HV
primary and grounded for protection of
operator