Unbalanced electrical load

[jonyyuma]

New meters here will monitor both legs current and ours is the digital type. Why would they only measure one leg and give you a break? If they did ,you could load up the unmonitored side and pull one over on them{pay less money for power?} Think about it?CTtractor has it right about monitoring and load demand programing....Here we cannot even sell-back power to the supplier if we have a surplus. That would be competion, maybe the Electric generator windmills will change some of that for the better.

 

[slowzuki]

The digital ones here can't shut off your power, there is not contactor in it. It can only monitor. If they don't report in a certain amount of time the power company shows up to see if you have bypassed it or to fix your power outage.

They (Detroit Edison) is contemplating that here, however, I don't want no stink'in digital transmitting meter. That meter can shut off your juice at the utilities whim. We ain't play'in that tune here.

I take it the meter inside is basically an induction motor?

 

[ultrarunner]

You could have a meter like I have for my 120 volt 30 amp service.

Only one "Leg" and the meter has brass wing nuts holding it together and is placed after the main fuse and disconnect.

It may take some time for the update to Digital...

Will the off the self Digital spin backwards when the home has a solar array?

The reason I ask is my retired friend is the only home in the area where they didn't change out his meter to Digital... he has 3 arrays of PV sitting on his hillside.

 

[grsthegreat]

Then again Ive always considered myself to be an unbalanced electrician....:confused2: so what the heck.

And my digital meter cannot shut off or turn on the power. The utility still comes out and installs plastic isolation sleeves to shut off the power. Sooner or later they will probably try to meter peak usage, but right now were on hydroelectric power, and thats the cheapest rate out there....the ultimate green (or blue??) energy .

 

[LD1]

Problem solved. It DOES measure BOTH legs and the balance doesnt change anything.

This photo is courtsey of a fellow member on here, I cant take the credit:

 

[jrepp44]

"The question is, does the electric meter measure the greater amperage draw of the 2 legs or an average of the 2?"

The answer is - which method generates the most revenue for the power company! :laughing:

 

[jonyyuma]

Problem solved. It DOES measure BOTH legs and the balance doesnt change anything.

This photo is courtsey of a fellow member on here, I cant take the credit:

I sure am glad you came up with a positive photo of the innerds. It only takes a small CT loop inside at each side to make it work. Now to see a digital one with the shut-off contactor? We had some smaller ones here years ago on Air-conditioners. They were radio controlled and dropped off after a power failure to cut-down of load of line after a fault. TVA also put them on Elec.Hot-water heaters for the same purpose. We recieved a rebate on our electric bills for the service. After 5 years they discontinued the program??It was called Cycle and Save?

 

[LD1]

"The question is, does the electric meter measure the greater amperage draw of the 2 legs or an average of the 2?"

The answer is - which method generates the most revenue for the power company! :laughing:

Wrong.

 

[hr3]

Ld1.. Based on HR3's theory, 1000w on one leg, 500w on the other, and you are paying for 1500w. Add 500 to the lower leg, and now you are paying for 2000w.

I said 1500 watts not 2000.. That is a number you came up with...

orexok Much better thank you, but from what I understand, one leg provides the voltage reading and the other the amperage for the "induction"motor. Together they measure wattage. But what if the leg measuring amperage is out of balance? The voltage leg will always be constant, the amperage leg can vary.

No both legs supply power to the little induction motor.. Forget the word amerage,,, you are only dealing in watts.. Ok lets say you have a 100 watt 230volt light bulb and you power it with 120 volts.. How many watts is the bulb useing ??.. 50 watts would be the answer.. if you supply 230 volts to the bulb you get 100watts.. Your paying for the watts..inbalance dosn't matter to the meter,, you pay from each leg what you are useing..

The electrical meter is much more complicated than a little induction motor.. but I hope you get the idea..

By the time I posted this 15 more replys.. Wow.. I told you..

 

[hr3]

Oooo and here is another link for you showing how complex they are,,

how kilo watt hour meter works ~ Electrical Engineering Tour