QUESTIONS ON BASIC ELECTRICITY METERING

1. What is the difference between smart meters and other electricity

meters?

2. Are smart meters tested for accuracy? If yes, why?

3. Why do we seal meters?

4. What is the difference between Ammeter and Voltmeter?

5. Explain why an Ammeter should be of very low resistance?

6. Explain why a voltmeter should be of very high resistance?

7. What is the instrument transformer?

8. Name two types of instrument transformer.

9. Why are instrument transformers used in the network?

10. What are the three types of Current transformers commonly used in
Power system?

11. Why are current Transformers used for measurement?

12. What is the turns ratio of a current transformer?

13. What is CT ratio of 200/5A mean?

14. What is the burden on CT?

15. What is the basic difference between CT and PT?

16. What are the errors in CT?

QUESTIONS ON BASIC ELECTRICITY METERING
 QUESTIONS ON BASIC ELECTRICITY METERING

ANSWERS:
1. Electromechanical meter

 Mechanical disc spins as electricity is consumed

 Small dials or digital monitor displays electricity used
 No other functionalities

Smart meter

 Electricity usage is measured digitally, no moving parts

 Digital monitor displays electricity usage
 Capacity to transmit information wirelessly
 Other functionalities available

2. All electricity meters including smart meters must meet strict

requirements related to accuracy.

3. To discourage energy theft, fraud, and tampering.

4. Ammeter is a low resistance measuring instrument while

Voltmeter is a high resistance one.

5. Ammeter is connected in series with the circuit carrying the

current under measurement, must be over very low resistance so
that the voltage drop across the ammeter and power absorbed from
the circuit are as low as possible.

6. Voltmeter is connected in parallel with circuit across which the

voltage is to be measured, must be of very high resistance so that
the current flowing through the voltmeter and the power absorbed
from the circuit are minimum possible.

7. Instrument transformer is a type of Electrical transformers that are

used for the measurement of voltage, currents, and power in AC circuits.

8. (i). Current Transformer (CT)

 QUESTIONS ON BASIC ELECTRICITY METERING
(ii). Potential Transformer (PT)

9. Instrument transformers are being used to step down the voltage and
current within the range of the existing measuring instrument.

10. The three types are

 Ring type CT
 Core type CT
 Shell type CT

11. The two main reasons are as follows:

(i) To extend the range of the existing measuring instrument (Ammeter).
(ii) To isolate the circuit of measuring instruments from a high voltage line

12. The turns ratio of a current transformer is NP / NS = IS / IP.

13. The primary current of 200 amperes would produce a secondary current of
5 amperes in the Ammeter connected.

14. The burden of CT is the maximum load (in VA) that can be applied to the
secondary of CT.

15. The basic difference are as follows:

 C.T is connected in series with HT line whereas P.T is connected in parallel

in HT line.

 In C.T, the no. of turns become inversely proportional to current whereas

in P.T no. if turns become directly proportional to the voltage.

 In CT the primary has one or more turns of thick conductor and the
secondary has large no of turns of the thin conductor whereas in PT the
primary has large no. of turns of thin conductors and secondary has few no.
of turns of thick wires.

 C.T is step-up instrument transformer which steps down the current

whereas P.T is a step down instrument transformers which step down the
voltage up to measuring range.

16. These errors are:

 QUESTIONS ON BASIC ELECTRICITY METERING
 Ratio error: - The ratio error is the amount by which secondary current
differs from the exact proportionality of the primary current of CT. It is
expressed in percentage of rated secondary current.
 Phase difference error: - The phase difference error is the angle by which
the secondary current differs in phase from the primary current of CT. It is
expressed in minutes of arc.