Types of Energy Meter Used in Utilities

SINGLE PHASE METER

They are rated for 240V AC supply, current rating 2.5-10A, 10-60A or 20-80A (max). They are
directly connected to the mains. The meters have a simple, compact & robust design with
outstanding performance & characteristics. They are capable to take 400% overload
continuously with accuracy class 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0.

Application: Lighting installation of domestic, commercial & small power consumers up to the
load of 10 kW.
Various LED indicators are present on the meter i.e. constant, pulse, ELT, REV.

If the power is ON, the constant pulse will show a constant indication, as the name suggests.

If the load is ON, the pulse indicator will be blinking. As specified on the meter box, a certain
number of pulses will make a unit. For example, meters with 6400, 3400, 1200 etc pulses per
hour. For a typical meter having specifications of 3200 pulses, it will record 1 unit if 1 KW is
used for 1 hour.

The ELT LED will be blinking in the tamper or unusual condition when there’s a leakage of
current through earth. This, additionally, indicates that the current is getting a separate return
path through earth rather than the meter.

The LED indicating REV will be blinking in case of tamper or unusual conditions when there’s a
reverse current flowing through the meter. It means, for example, if 5A is flowing through the
phase wire & 8A is returning through neutral wire.

Load Unbalance: If difference of current between phase and neutral exceeds 30% the event will
be logged as load unbalance.

System Single phase

System Voltage 3 X 240V (P-N)
Current Rating 5A, 10A, 20A, 50A
Rated Maximum Current 20A, 40A, 60A, 80A, 100A
Starting Current 0.1% or 0.4%
Nominal Frequency 50 Hz
Accuracy Class 0.2, 0.5, 1.0
Applicable Standards IEC, IS, CBIP 88
Operating Range
Voltage +20% to -30%
Frequency ±10%
 Temperature -40°C to +60°C
Humidity Up to 100% RH (non-condensing)
Insulation Resistance >200 Mega Ohms
Impulse Voltage 6kV / 1.2 / 50 µ seconds
AC Voltage 2.5 kV RMS @ 50Hz for 60
seconds
Max Weight 0.5Kg

THREE PHASE WHOLE CURRENT METER (POLYPHASE METER)

These meters are directly connected to the supply if load is up to 50A in LT system for
sanctioned load up to 25 kW. Poly phase whole current meter is three phase four wire meter
which is combination of three single phase meters the entire load current to be measured,
passes through the meter itself.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION OF THREE PHASE FOUR WIRE WHOLE CURRENT METER

System 3 phase 4 wire whole current meters

System Voltage 3*240V (P-N)
Current Rating
For Whole Current 5A, 10A, 20A, 50A
Rated Maximum Current
For Whole Current 30A, 40A, 60A, 100A
Starting Current 0.1% or 0.4%
Nominal Frequency 50 Hz
Accuracy Class 0.2/ 0.5/ 1.0
Applicable Standards IEC, IS, CBIP 88
Operating Range
Voltage +20% to -30%
Frequency ±10%
Temperature -40°C to +60°C
Humidity Up to 100% RH (non-condensing)
Insulation Resistance >200 Mega Ohms
Impulse Voltage 6kV / 1.2 / 50 µ seconds
AC Voltage 2.5 kV RMS @ 50Hz for 60 seconds
Display Parameters As per Customer requirement
Demand Integration Period Programmable from 1 to 60 seconds
Max Weight 2Kg
LT CT METER (3 Phase 4 Wire Meters with CT’s)
CTs are available in the ratio of 50, 100, 200, 300; 400/5 A. CT has to be accurately selected for
consumer meter. Rating of CTs should fall within 50 to 80% of the max load current of the
consumer. The polyphase meters are provided with Max Demand Indicators (MDI), which are
additional mechanism attached to the meters to record the rate of consumption over a fixed
period each time (30 minutes). Higher rating CT’s say 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000/5A are
commonly used for energy audit as DT meters

These meters are used in conjunction with current transformers, as here the value of load
current is so high that the meter cannot withstand it directly.

While calculating the Multiply Factor is taken as unity considering rating of CT’s connected
match with energy meter, in case of different ratio CT’s are used MF be additionally be added.

Multiply Factor = Mains Capacity / Meter capacity

Mains (Box) CTR

Multiply Factor = Reading X ---------------------------
Meter CTR
For example if LT CT meters are rated CTR 60/5A, 100/5A and 200/5A and they are connected
with identical CT’s of ratio 60/5A, 100/5A and 200/5A in this case MF will always remain 1

MF = Reading X 1

In case of HT meter the PT ratio will also be taken into account

Mains CTR X Mains PTR

Multiply Factor = Reading X ---------------------------------
Meter CTR X Meter PTR

For example if HT CT meters is of rating CTR 100/5A and PTR 11 kV/110V and the same is
connected with identical CT’s of ratio 100/5A and PTR 11 kV/110V in this case MF will always
remain 1 however if any ratio differ the MF will changed.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONOF THREE PHASE FOUR WIRE LT CT METER

System 3 phase 4 wire LT CT operated meters

System Voltage 3*240V (P-N)
Current Rating
For CT operated -/5A
Rated Maximum Current
For CT operated -/6A, -/10A
Starting Current 0.1% or 0.4%
 Nominal Frequency 50 Hz
Accuracy Class 0.5/ 1.0
Applicable Standards IEC, IS, CBIP 88
Operating Range
Voltage +20% to -30%
Frequency ±10%
Temperature -40°C to +60°C
Humidity Up to 100% RH (non-condensing)
Insulation Resistance >200 Mega Ohms
Impulse Voltage 6kV / 1.2 / 50 µ seconds
AC Voltage 2.5 kV RMS @ 50Hz for 60 seconds
Display Parameters As per Customer requirement
Demand Integration Period Programmable from 1 to 60 seconds
Max Weight 2Kg

HT METER (TRIVECTOR METER)

Besides the energy charges & kW demand charges the tariff provide for kVA demand charges. It
is designed to record active, reactive & apparent energy along with MDI. And the meter which
records all three parameter of active, reactive & apparent energy simultaneously is termed as
TRIVECTOR meter. TRIVECTOR is the brand name of M/s Landis and Gyr., England.

These require both current transformer & potential transformer, as the voltage to be measured
is very high say 11, 33, 66 kV etc.

Let’s consider above energy meter is installed on 33 kV line having CT’s of ratio 400/5A then the
MF will be 12 (Substitute the ratios):

Mains CTR X Mains PTR 400/5 X 33000/110

Multiply Factor = Reading X --------------------------------- = R X ------------------------ = R X 12
Meter CTR X Meter PTR 100/5A X 11000/110

In no case 5A and 1A CT’s be inter mixed with energy meter whatever the load condition may
be in that case 5/1A or 1/5A interposing CT’s be inserted in the circuit before energy meter.
There will be no change in MF even insertion of ICT.

Let’s consider the same meter is now connected with 400/1A then we will insert 1/5A ICT and
MF will be 12 as appended:
 Mains CTR X Mains PTR X ICT 400/1 X 33000/110 X 1/5
M F = Reading X --------------------------------- = R X ------------------------------ = R X 12
Meter CTR X Meter PTR 100/5A X 11000/110

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION OF THREE PHASE THREE WIRE METER

System 3 phase 3 wire CT/PT operated meters

System Voltage 3*110V AC (P-P)
Current Rating
For CT operated -/1A, -/5A
Rated Maximum Current
For CT operated
For Whole Current -/2A, -/6A, -/10A
Starting Current 0.1% or 0.4%
Nominal Frequency 50 Hz
Accuracy Class 0.2/ 0.5/ 1.0
Applicable Standards IEC, IS, CBIP 88
Operating Range
Voltage +20% to -30%
Frequency ±10%
Temperature -40°C to +60°C
Humidity Up to 100% RH (non-condensing)
Insulation Resistance >200 Mega Ohms
Impulse Voltage 6kV / 1.2 / 50 µ seconds
AC Voltage 2.5 kV RMS @ 50Hz for 60 seconds
Display Parameters As per Customer requirement
Demand Integration Period Programmable from 1 to 60 seconds
Max Weight 2Kg

CTs and PTs (INSTRUMENT TRANSFORMERS)

Many times in electrical circuits we encounter high voltages and high currents for
measurement. The recording instruments in use (volts and amperes) do not have the required
range. So to enable their measurement we have to use instrument transformers. Such
transformers are categorized as (a) current transformers, and (b) voltage (potential)
transformers. The current transformer increases the current range while the potential
transformer increases the voltage range. They are generally referred to as CT or PT.

ADVANTAGES OF INSTRUMENT TRANSFORMERS

1. Instruments like ammeters and voltmeters of single range which are normally of ranges
0- 1 & 0-5 A and 0-110V can be used to cover larger currents even up to 2000 A and
voltages up to 220 kV and more.
 2. The measuring instruments can be located at far of places. While the CT’s and PT’s are
connected to the high current and high voltage sources thus increasing the safety of the
observer. No high voltage insulation is required in the instruments.

3. Power loss in an instrument transformer is small.

CURRENT TRANSFORMER (CT)

When current in a circuit is too high to directly apply to measuring instruments, a current
transformer produces a reduced current accurately proportional to the current in the circuit,
which can be conveniently connected to measuring and recording instruments. A current
transformer also isolates the measuring instruments from what may be very high voltage in the
monitored circuit. Current transformers are commonly used in metering and protective relays
in the electrical power industry.

A current transformer is used to reduce a high current of the bus bars to a low value to enable
measurement by low range up to 5 or 1 ampere. Also they can be used to operate relay coils in
various/protective circuits. Thus Current transformer steps down rated system current to 1
Amp or 5 Amp. These can be further classified in to ring type or bar primary and wound primary
type.
Wound Primary CT generally used for range below 100/5A

Accuracy class of CT’s is as per IS 2705 similar to a electrical power transformer to some extent,
but there are some difference in construction and operation principle. For metering and
indication purpose, accuracy of ratio, between primary and secondary currents is essential
within normal working range. Normally accuracy of current transformer required up to 125% of
rated current; as because allowable system current must be below 125% of rated current.
Rather it is desirable the CT core to be saturated after this limit since the unnecessary electrical
stresses due to system over current can be prevented from the metering instrument connected
to the secondary of the current transformer as secondary current does not go above a desired
limit even primary current of the CT rises to a very high value than its ratings. So accuracy
within working range is main criteria of a current transformer used for metering purpose. The
degree of accuracy of a Metering CT is expressed by CT Accuracy Class or simply Current
Transformer Class or CT Class.

POTENTIAL TRANSFORMER (PT)

Potential Transformer or Voltage Transformer is used in electrical power system for stepping
down the system voltage to a safe value which can be fed to low ratings meters and relays.
Commercially available relays and meters used for protection and metering, are designed for
low voltage.
The PT is same as that of step down transformer having Star / Star configuration of primary and
secondary windings. Secondary line volts are always 110 Volts. However in PT the secondary
current is of the same order as the magnetizing current of the transformer. In a voltage
transformer as in a current transformer ratio and the phase angle error occurs. The ratio error
is to be considered when the measurements of voltage are needed and the phase angle error
for power measurement. To decrease the error the reluctance of the core should be low like
the flux density while the permeability should be high. The windings are placed near to each
other as much as possible to decrease the reactance. The voltage transformer for use above 7
kV is oil immersed. As the primary is of high voltage the primary terminals should be of
porcelain bushings. One terminal of the secondary of the PT is always earthed to prevent a fatal
shock for anyone coming in contact with the secondary leads in the event of the failure of the
insulation.

The secondary voltages of the PT’s are generally 110V. In an ideal Potential Transformer or
Voltage Transformer when rated burden connected across the secondary the ratio of primary
and secondary voltages of transformer is equal to the turns ratio and furthermore the two
terminal voltages are in precise phase opposite to each other. But in actual transformer there
must be an error in the voltage ratio as well as in the phase angle between primary and
secondary voltages.

Specification of 11 kV CT & PT in indoor Metering cubicle and outdoor CT-PT unit

CT PT
Standard (IS: 2705/92) (IS: 3156/92)
Ratio 5/5, 15/5, 30/5, 60/5, 75/5, 11 kV / 110 Volts
100/5, 150/5, 300/5A
Class 0.5 0.5
Burden 15 VA 100 VA
ISF / VF 5 1.2 cont. & 1.5 for 30 sec.
Insulation level 28 kV / 75 kV (P) 28 kV / 75 kV (P)
Short Time Current STC 3.0 kA for 0.5 sec for 5/5A
and 13.1 kA for 1 sec for
60/5A and above range
HSV 12 kV 12 kV
connection ------- Star / Star