Energy meter test equipment is used to test energy meters that measure the correct amount of energy recorded, usually in kilowatt-hours or cubic feet of natural gas consumption.
An energy meter is a device that measures the amount of energy supplied to a residence or business. These are customers of either an electric or natural has or oil supply company.
Energy utilities record these values measured by energy revenue meters to generate an invoice for the energy consumer. In the case of electricity, energy meter test equipment can also record other variables including the time of day (hence the term "time-of-use meters") when the energy was consumed.
Modern electricity meters operate by continuously measuring the instantaneous voltage (volts) and current (amperes) and finding the product of these to give instantaneous electrical power (watts) which is then integrated against time to give energy used (joules, kilowatthours etc). These electricity meters fall into two basic categories, electromechanical and electronic.
Electricity meter test equipment is used to determine the accuracy of energy meters that automatically record the time for any given number of revolutions (up to 99) of an electricity meter. The number of revolutions which it is desired to count is set on the dials. Each revolution of the meter element transmits an impulse to the counting mechanism through the medium of a photoelectric cell. A stopwatch is started by the first impulse after closing a starting switch and is stopped when the predetermined number of revolutions has been completed.
Energy meter test equipment are also used to test electronic meters which enable data processing for complex tariffing purpose, mainly two-way communication for remote energy meter reading and intelligent load control for efficient energy use.
In spite of Energy meter test equipment being used to maintain the accuracy of these energy meters, there is still a certain level of mistrust in using intelligent metering widely in many countries. In order to overcome these major disadvantages, energy meter test equipment is integrated in intelligent electricity meters for daily examination of correct operation.
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