Installation of an electric meter in a private house on the street

It is quite difficult to imagine a modern dwelling, whether it is an apartment or a rural house, without electricity. There are not many extreme people who would agree to live permanently without lighting, a refrigerator and other amenities. Electricity, as a rule, is supplied to homes centrally, respectively - each consumer must know how much to pay for it. For this, there are meters, which should be not only in city apartments, but also in private houses. The installation of an electric meter in a private house - on the street or in one of the rooms, has its own specifics, which we will discuss now.

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When to connect the counter?

The organization of normal energy supply is the basis of the life of a private house. Accordingly - the counter will be needed almost immediately, when you started to build it and spent the wiring. You can find out the rules for installing an electric meter in a private house, and at the same time leave a request at the energy supply company, which you will have to contact anyway. You can ask for “Rules for the installation of electrical installations”, and you must show them, and in the latest edition. On them you can control the process. But before you go to the electric grid company, try to answer a few questions:

1. What is the approximate power of all electrical appliances in the house (take into account lighting, a pump for supplying water, and units for heating, and in general everything that you are going to use)? In this case, it must be considered as if all the devices are turned on at the same time.
2. What should be the voltage in the network (this is determined based on the power)?
3. Where will your counter stand?
4. Which model is best for you?

Important! Before you go to an energy sales company, it’s very useful to read legislative acts, as well as chat in thematic forums - some nuances can be clarified there.

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How much energy do you need?

This is the most important point. The installation of an electricity meter in a private house depends on your calculations. It would seem that the calculations should not be any different from those carried out by apartment owners in high-rise buildings. However, this is not quite true.

In a private house, energy consumption is uneven. Sometimes it is twice or three times higher than in an apartment, sometimes it is much lower. It depends on the season, weather and other conditions, because the owner of a private house decides when he needs to heat water or turn on heating, and specialized companies do this for the owner of the apartment.

Therefore, the load on the meter can be much more than standard for high-rise buildings, where it averages 2-2.5 kW. In a private house, a load of 5, or even 10 kW, is a completely normal phenomenon, and you can’t get off with a simple single-phase meter, as in an apartment building. Most often you need a three-phase.

Important! The question arises whether it is possible to divide the load between several counters. Alas, this will not work - it is prohibited by the current rules. The meter is placed only one on a separate private house.

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What should be in the contract?

Before you install the electric meter in a private house, you need to figure out what exactly is needed for this. Not so little. First you need to conclude an agreement with the power supply organization for the connection. Then a wiring project will be required, which should indicate:

• load;
• consumer characteristics;
• wiring location;
• counter location;
• location of the ground loop.

If you are not a professional designer, you are unlikely to be able to cope with such a task, so it is better to order a project from a licensed organization. After that, it will be necessary to obtain approval.

Important! Sometimes the specialists of the energy supply company try to impose specific models of metering devices, but you do not have to agree, you can quite choose another meter that meets the given conditions.

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Some rules

Knowing some rules will help answer the question of how to properly install an electricity meter in a private house. The requirements for installing electricity meters are not always simple, but they must be observed to avoid troubles:

1. If there is even the slightest opportunity to put the device in a protected room, you should use it, and it is best to use a canopy or corridor for this purpose.
2. Install the meter only with the circuit breaker, which will open the circuit if a short circuit occurs.
3. A necessary element of the system is package switches, which make it possible to interrupt contact with input circuits in the event of an emergency.
4. The counter, automatic machine and switches are placed in one box with a window - a window is needed for reading readings.
5. In the case there is a compartment for the counter, it should have ears for seals.

The scheme should be like this:

1. In order to be able to disconnect the meter from external voltage, one more packet switch or a special coupling is installed for this.
2. The meter cannot be placed closer than 1 m from the water supply networks and the gas pipeline.
3. The counter is placed on a vertical wall, the height should not exceed 1.7 m - the readings should be read without much effort.

Important! In a private house, which is used only in warm weather, it is better to remove the meter installed on the street for the winter, but this must be agreed with the same organization with which the contract is concluded.

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How to assemble an electrical panel?

It is usually enough for the owner of a house or apartment to contact the energy sales company for specialists to come and do everything from the project to the sealing. But some people prefer to assemble the entire structure on their own, and invite the masters only at the final stage - to check, take the initial readings and put seals.

In any case, installing the meter outside or in a protected room inside the house requires knowledge of the operating procedure, and it is as follows:

1. The cell already has ready-made mounts for installation, which you only need to find and determine which ones are for the meter itself and which ones are for service devices.
2. A ground loop is made, which should be at a distance of 1 m or less from the foundation of the house. The frame is cooked from reinforcement and buried to a depth of 0.5 m or a little more, a metal bus is mounted to it, and it, in turn, is connected to the ground wire of the shield itself

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Single phase or three phase?

If a very high voltage is not required for the normal life of your country house, you can limit yourself to a single-phase meter. It connects quite simply, the most important thing is not to confuse the terminals. You can put it yourself, and the specialist will only check how you did it, seal the meter and issue you the corresponding act.

With a three-phase meter, it’s better not to risk it, unless you are a professional electrician. The easiest way to call a master from any licensed company engaged in such activities.You can contact the same network company that supplies you with electricity. However, be sure to check the following documents:

• model contract;
• balance sheet act;
• task to perform services.

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What are the counters?

Before installing an electricity meter in a private house, you must select it. Not always the option that the specialists of the energy supply company offer will be the best. Counters differ in several ways:

• face value;
• way of work;
• the number of tariffs.

Face value

The rating depends on the total power that you have already calculated. For an apartment, a device rated for a current of up to 80 A is enough. For a private house in which they live in summer and winter, the face value should be more.

Rates

According to this parameter, all counters are divided into two types:

• single tariff;
• multi-tariff.

One-rate is easier to handle, because the payment at any time of the day is the same. A multi-tariff meter makes sense when, at some periods, there is a discount on payment. Using such a device can bring some savings.

Way of working

According to the method of operation, all counters are also divided into two types:

• induction;
• electronic.

Induction serve for a long time, they are reliable and are relatively inexpensive. But their accuracy class is usually lower. Electronic ones are more expensive, but give more accurate readings, and it’s easier to read them.

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Whose counter?

The meter is the property of the owner of the house. This surprises some owners - why you can’t do what you can think of with your property? However, this is so. The device is yours, but your actions are limited by a number of legislative acts. You are responsible for ensuring that it is safe and sound, timely verified and replaced in the event of a malfunction.

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We put the counter

If you have already decided that you can cope with the installation of the meter in a private house better than the representative of the power supply service will do, you can try. You will need:

• subscriber electrical switchboard;
• counter that meets the technical parameters;
• wires of the desired cross section;
• circuit breakers and RCDs;
• transformers;
• pliers;
• screwdrivers (better set);
• a sharp knife with a plastic handle or wrapped with electrical tape;
• fasteners according to the diameter of the holes in the shield;
• mounting plates (standard, 35 mm wide);
• insulators;
• multimeter;
• insulating tape.

Getting Started

Of course, you have already decided how many phases you need, and figured out the transformer - it is not always needed, but if you put a three-phase meter, you can hardly do without a converter. Further, the procedure will be as follows:

1. Install the mounting bracket in the shield.
2. Install the RCD, the counter itself and the switches - for this there are clamps that are included in the kit.
3. Check if the circuit breakers are working by turning the multimeter into resistance measurement mode.
4. Put the grounding and protection tires - they are fastened with nuts and insulating screws.

Option 1

The single-phase meter is connected according to the direct connection circuit in the network. Despite the fact that there are many models, their terminals are exactly the same. Sometimes a transformer is used. They have four terminals:

• phase input;
• zero input;
• phase output;
• zero output.

There are no separate grounding terminals. We act in the following order:

1. Disconnect the house - this is done directly on the highway or on the opening machine, so you still need to agree with the network company.
2. Mount the counter.
3. Check all connections
4. Turn on the unit.

Option 2

With a three-phase meter, it will take a little longer to tinker. First of all, you need to understand that there are several schemes, and they depend on which model you have chosen. Several connection methods are possible:

• direct connection;
• inclusion in a four-wire network through a transformer;
• into a three-wire or four-wire network using a transformer;
• through two transformers (current and voltage) into a three-wire network.

You can directly turn on the counter if you see the letter U on the marking, which means versatility. Such meters are used most often, they are suitable for home and apartment. True, the current is limited to 50 A. After the installer collects the unit, he must do the following:

1. Test inclusion.
2. Sealing, moreover, the date must be indicated on the seal.

Important! If you break the seal during installation or in another case, immediately invite a specialist from the network company.

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Rules for installing an electric meter in an apartment

They are not much different from those used in a private house, but there are still some features:

1. You need to choose a place to install the shield - as a rule, this is a corridor, next to the front door, at a height of 0.8 to 1.7 m.
2. Check with your network company to disable the input line.
3. Disconnect the input line.
4. Connect the input and output circuits in a safe manner.
5. Connect the ground.
6. Mount the input circuit to the input switch., And only then to the meter.
7. Perform a test run.

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Outdoor installation

This is an exceptional case. The height is the same as in the apartment. A counter is installed on the facade, so that there is free access, or on a pole when there is one on the territory. A circuit breaker is installed there, if it is one. If we are talking about a group of machines, it is better to put the counter in the house.

The procedure for installing an electric meter on the street is as follows:

1. As in all other cases, you must disconnect the network - as agreed with the supplier.
2. The air temperature should not be lower than 5 ° C, and in addition, it is necessary to insulate the device.
3. First, a switch is connected to the input circuit, then the device itself.
4. If the conditions in the apartment sometimes allow you to do without grounding, then in the country - in any way.
5. After the grounding device, an output lever is mounted through which a group of automatic machines is connected.
6. A trial inclusion is carried out.

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Stock footage

In short, connecting a meter in the country or in the house - the process is quite complicated, requiring strict observance of safety measures. And although you can do a lot with your own hands, it is better to contact a network company that has specialists with the necessary approvals.