It is possible to install an electricity meter yourself; it is not necessary to call a certified specialist. It is enough to know and be able to safely carry out work with electricity, follow instructions correctly and understand what the danger of electric shock is. However, before installation you must obtain permits, and to directly connect to the network you will need to call a representative of the energy supply company. We will now talk about all the points in more detail, having looked at how to install an electric meter with your own hands in a private house and apartment.
Organizational events
Technical events
Having in hand technical documentation, indicating the names and location of installation, you can begin installing the electric meter yourself. First of all, you need to purchase materials and elements for self-assembly.
If the electricity meter is planned to be installed on the street (for private houses and dachas this is optimal place placement), on external wall at home (facade) or on a pole, it is necessary to install YUR-NG (external metering and distribution box, sealed box). It is already equipped with a place and elements for attaching the metering device, as well as a separate lockable box for input. In addition, the box is equipped for the installation of modular machines. You can see an example of installing an electric meter in an outdoor box in the photo:
In order to install an electric meter indoors, you can use the YUR box for indoor installation or mounting board, it also provides space for installing additional machines.
Described in our article. It is better to move or replace a meter, as well as install a new meter, from one to a new one. In addition, it is recommended to install protection elements (RCDs, automatic devices) in the panel instead of outdated plugs, having previously laid down the possibility of switching to modern system electricity supply You can read about that in our article. The figure below shows a connection diagram for a single-phase electric meter with grounding:
If you decide to install an electric meter yourself, according to the rules of the PUE (see), you need to fulfill the following requirements:
- The electricity meter can be installed in electrical cabinets, on boards and panels with a rigid structure.
- The installation height at the electric meter terminals varies from 0.8 meters to 1.7 meters.
- In places where there is a risk of damage, contamination, or access by unauthorized persons, the electric meter must be installed in a box and locked with a key.
- The location of the meter should allow easy access for maintenance, reading, and replacement.
- The input cable must meet the design requirements and be of appropriate cross-section for trouble-free supply.
- Twisting or soldering on the input cable is not allowed; it must be one in one piece from the entrance entrance to the metering device.
When connecting the cable to the meter, know that the core must be like this, according to the accepted rules - brown, black, red, white are conductors connected to the phases, designated as L. Blue - zero wire N, yellow-green insulation for the protective conductor PE. Keeping color coding in mind makes it difficult to get confused.
Please note that installing an electric meter under voltage is strictly prohibited! All electric installation work should only be done with the input machine turned off!
In a private home, as well as in summer cottage, in the event that the newly installed electric meter is located on a post at the border of the site, it is possible to connect the house from the nuclear power supply system by laying it, or by doing it at a height by air. We recommend that you read these articles on our resource, which describe in detail methods for laying cables in a trench and self-production cable wiring.
By the way, the cost of installing an electric meter by a specialist varies from 1000 rubles for a single-phase model and from 1500 rubles for a three-phase device.
Installation of a single-phase model
Rules for installing a three-phase meter
As for the methods of connecting devices, as well as, we have discussed in detail in the relevant articles, which we strongly recommend that you read. Otherwise, we hope that you liked our information about how to install an electric meter yourself and what documents are needed for this.
How much joy does your first bring? own house! When all construction works completed and you look at your brainchild with reverence, believing that only a small amount remains - to connect. You are sorely mistaken. It is enough for you to cross the threshold of the energy supply organization, and all optimism will disappear in an instant. Because today ESOs not only do not want to meet the consumer halfway, but also try in every possible way to impose their conditions on him, often flagrantly violating the current requirements. Energy supply companies very often want to solve their problems at the expense of the consumer, forcing him, the overhead power line, to perform or repair electrical equipment and much more. In this article we will talk about the legality of the requirements of energy supply organizations on the street (building facade, support).
Having submitted an application for connecting electricity, the consumer receives a technical condition, after which, the energy supply organization will connect the electricity, that is, it will carry out the technological connection of power receiving devices. Having become familiar with technical condition connection, you may find that the ESO requires installing an electric meter on the facade of the building or on the nearest support overhead line power transmission This requirement of the ESO is justified by the possibility of unimpeded access for their employees to the electric meter for inspection, verification and reading. Let's look at how legal this requirement is.
When installing a switchboard with a meter and a circuit breaker externally, it will be constantly exposed to atmospheric conditions. It is clear that this has Negative influence on the operational service life, significantly reducing it. Some may argue that everything can be installed in a sealed power panel, but it is not able to protect the electrical equipment housed in it from heat, condensation and frost. You should also know that when negative temperatures the induction electric meter begins to count inaccurately, and not in favor of the consumer. The error can reach 10% or more, which is a significant additional burden on the consumer’s wallet. These “wish lists” of energy supply organizations are illegal, because grossly violate the requirement of PUE clause 1.5.27., which states that the electric meter should be installed in dry rooms with a temperature not lower than 0°C.
When placing an electric meter on the facade of a building or on a support, the consumer is deprived of the opportunity to bear the burden of maintaining his property, in accordance with Article 210 Civil Code RF, as a result of which not only employees of the energy supply organization will have unhindered access to the electricity meter to take readings, but also absolutely anyone who wants to profit at someone else’s expense.
Some cunning ESO specialists force the installation of an electricity meter on a pole at a height of at least 3.5 meters, citing concerns about protection from thieves, thereby depriving the consumer of the opportunity to control the readings of the electric meter.
Imagine a 70-year-old woman climbing a pole every month to take readings of electricity consumption. It should be noted that such an installation of an electricity meter violates the requirement of the PUE, clause 1.5.29, which states that the meter must be installed within the range of 0.8 - 1.7 meters from the floor.
I would like to note that you will not see an electric meter on any facade of the city administration, court, prosecutor's office or police building. What is the reason, since the law is the same for everyone: both for authorities and for private individuals?
Now that you already know that the demands of energy supply organizations are illegal, let's figure out what to do in this situation. The consumer should not pay for the “wants” of the ESO and follow his lead. If you do not interfere with access to inspect and check the electric meter, as well as take readings, the energy supplying organization has no reason to oblige you to install the meter on the street.
When concluding an agreement with an energy supplying organization, a “Balance Line Ownership Boundary” is established, which is determined by the “Balance Line Ownership Delimitation Act,” that is, the point where the electricity meter is installed is determined. And this point can be on the street only with your consent! Therefore, when drawing up an act, request to delineate the balance sheet ownership within the premises in the ASU. Be sure to carefully read the documents prepared by the energy supply organization, since after they are signed, in accordance with Article 421, paragraph 2 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, all the “wish lists” of the ESO will become legal. If you yourself do not understand energy supply issues, you have every right to invite an independent expert to review the documentation!
Remember that the energy supply organization is a commercial entity whose main task is to sell electricity, and it does not have the right to force the consumer to violate applicable requirements, laws and regulations. The “wants” of energy supply companies can and should be fought, since in the absence of competition they brazenly dictate their terms and solve their own problems at the expense of consumers. Don't forget that your main weapon is knowledge of current laws and regulations!
PUE-6
1.5.27
Meters must be located in dry rooms that are easily accessible for maintenance, in a place that is sufficiently free and not cramped for work with a temperature of winter time not lower than 0 °C.
General industrial meters are not allowed to be installed in premises where production conditions the temperature can often exceed +40 °C, also in rooms with aggressive environments.
It is allowed to place meters in unheated rooms and corridors of switchgears of power plants and substations, as well as in cabinets outdoor installation. At the same time, provision should be made for their stationary insulation for the winter through insulating cabinets, hoods with heated air inside them electric lamp or heating element to ensure a positive temperature inside the hood, but not higher than +20 °C.
1.5.29
Meters must be installed in cabinets, chambers of complete switchgears (KRU, KRUN), on panels, switchboards, in niches, on walls with a rigid structure.
It is allowed to mount meters on wooden, plastic or metal panels.
The height from the floor to the meter terminal box should be within 0.8 - 1.7 m.
A height of less than 0.8 m is allowed, but not less than 0.4 m.
Civil Code of the Russian Federation
Article 210. Burden of maintaining property
The owner bears the burden of maintaining the property he owns, unless otherwise provided by law or contract.
Article 421. Freedom of contract
1. Citizens and legal entities are free to enter into a contract.
Compulsion to enter into an agreement is not permitted, except in cases where the obligation to enter into an agreement is provided for by this Code, the law or a voluntarily accepted obligation.
2. The parties may enter into an agreement, either provided for or not provided for by law or other legal acts.
3. The parties may enter into an agreement that contains elements of various agreements provided for by law or other legal acts (mixed agreement). The relations of the parties under a mixed contract are applied in the relevant parts to the rules on contracts, the elements of which are contained in the mixed contract, unless otherwise follows from the agreement of the parties or the essence of the mixed contract.
4. The terms of the contract are determined at the discretion of the parties, except in cases where the content of the relevant term is prescribed by law or other legal acts (Article 422).
In cases where the condition of the contract is provided for by a norm that is applied to the extent that the agreement of the parties does not establish otherwise (dispositive norm), the parties may, by their agreement, exclude its application or establish a condition different from that provided for in it. In the absence of such an agreement, the terms of the contract are determined by a dispositive norm.
5. If the terms of the contract are not determined by the parties or by a dispositive norm, the relevant conditions are determined by the customs of business practice applicable to the relations of the parties.
From the presented material, the reader will learn: does the energy sales company have the right to require the installation of a meter on the street; which device to choose, where and how to install it, what rules must be followed, is it possible refuse to install the device outside the home.
Installing an electricity meter on the street: what do you need to know?
There are certain rules and subtleties that you need to know before installing an electricity meter.
There are devices electronic and induction. The second ones are less accurate, so they are replaced by electronic ones.
Before purchasing, you need to check the integrity of the seal and check the timing of its installation.
If a common house appliance is being installed, you should coordinate the actions with your neighbors.
Install The meter can be installed by an electrician.
Before starting work, you need to request a service agreement from the energy supply company. It contains installation requirements, a set of actions, rights and obligations of the parties.
They are forced to take the electricity meter outside: is the requirement legal in Russia, and who benefits from it?
Electricity suppliers require installation of meters on the street for the convenience of inspecting them and taking readings.
In addition, when the air temperature is below zero, the device often does not work in favor of citizens. The error reaches 10% or more. This benefits the sales company. Meters installed in this way fail faster, and accordingly, the costs of owners for their replacement, installation and sealing increase.
Consumers are wondering: is it legal such a setup?
Conditions for power engineers to install devices outdoors illegal!
They are contrary to the following regulations:
1. Clause 1.5.27 PUE (electrical installation rules)
The document states that the meter should be installed in a dry room that is easily accessible for maintenance and with a winter temperature not lower than zero.
Takeaway Using the device outdoors exposes it to precipitation and low temperatures.
2. Clause 1.5.29 PUE
The permissible installation height of the meter is in the range from 0.4 to 1.7 m from the floor.
3. Art. 210 Civil Code of the Russian Federation
The owner is responsible for the safety of his property, unless otherwise provided by the contract.
Pushing forward requirements install the device on the street, the energy sales company deprives the owner of the opportunity to keep it. Everyone has access to the street electricity meter, including hooligans and thieves.
Based on the above, the owner has the right refuse from installing the device outdoors.
Where is the best place to install an electric meter on the street?
In a cottage or country house, the device can be mounted on a pole, support, or building facade.
There are certain standards for installing the device outdoors and parameters for attaching the hanging line:
- The distance from the mounting post to the input module should be no more than 25 m.
- At the lowest point, the height of the branch should be more than 6 m in places of traffic, and above pedestrian paths - more than 3.5 m.
- The lowest point where cables are attached to the structure must be more than 2.75 m.
Installation installation of the device on the pole is carried out after receiving permission from the electricity supplier. All work must be performed by a licensed professional.
The building is connected to the support using a cable. On the outside, it is insulated and protected from the effects of adverse weather conditions.
Electrical devices on poles and supports are placed in metal or plastic boxes. The wires entering the room are laid in a metal pipe. To prevent electric shock to a person, all metal constructions connected to the ground loop.
The pillar to which it is attached counter, must be securely installed.
When installing a metering device on the facade of a building, the same standards must be observed as when installing it on a support.
It is necessary to have permission from the electricity supplier.
Which electric meter should I choose for outdoor installation?
There are household meters electricity, designed for installation outside the home. They are able to withstand fluctuations in air temperature while maintaining accurate readings.
There are devices single- and multi-tariff, single- or three-phase.
There are street meters different power.
Now in production devices that work well even at low temperatures.
When purchasing an installation box, you need to pay Special attention for its tightness. Heating is not necessary.
The moisture-resistant box must have a degree of protection of at least IP53-IP54.
Boxing should be chosen taking into account the design of the meter.
It is necessary to have a window on the door to take readings.
As street version most suitable single-phase electricity meter- For small house and dachas, or three-phase- for a multi-storey cottage with a swimming pool, sauna, etc.
In the latter case, the main thing is to correctly connect the device and evenly distribute the load on the network circuits.
Electric meters have a higher accuracy class than induction meters. The readings remain stable despite temperature changes throughout the entire service life.
When selecting fastening type It is better to give preference to a DIN rail for the device. It is universal.
Before purchasing you need Pay attention to the seal and the date of the last verification. Its age should not exceed two years for single-phase devices and 1 year for three-phase devices.
How to properly install an electricity meter on the street: installation rules
You can call a specialist to install the electric meter.
If the owner of the house knows how to properly install the device, he can do it himself. To do this, you must follow safety precautions and act according to the scheme below.
Step 1. Application to the energy sales organization
The supplier is preparing Required documents, agreement, assigns a personal account for payments for electricity. The supplier issues technical papers to the consumer.
They indicate:
- Counter type.
- Input protection circuit breaker.
- Wire cross-section and footage.
- Name of the installation panel (box).
Step 2. Installation of the meter
Having received the technical documents, you can install the device. At self-installation should be prepared necessary materials and elements.
A YUR-NG (external distribution box) is fixed outside the house or on a pole. It is equipped with the necessary parts for fastening electrical. counter elements.
When installing the device yourself, you must follow certain rules:
- Before starting work, disconnect the network line.
- The installation height should be 0.8-1.7 m.
- At temperatures below 5°, the device readings are incorrect. You should consider purchasing a heated electrical panel.
- Entrance electrical circuit connects to the line circuit breaker and then to the meter.
- Protective grounding is required. In case of phase imbalance or short circuit, the electronics in the house will not be damaged.
- The meter output is connected to the input machine.
- The meter must be located at a distance of at least a meter from the gas pipeline and water supply line.
- Test activation.
Step 3. Application for approval of the device for use
The document is drawn up by the consumer at the office of the energy sales company. It can be sent by registered mail with notification.
The application reflects the following information:
- Full name of the applicant.
- Agreement (account) number.
- Address and telephone number of the individual.
- Date and signature.
Step 4. Drawing up an inspection report and sealing the device
The document is prepared by the supplier's representative. It informs about the provision of services for technological connection of the meter, its cost, specifications connections, device data and initial readings.
Payments for electricity are made from the date specified in the act.
Important! When installing the electric meter for the first time, it is sealed free of charge.
Is it possible to refuse to take the electricity meter outside?
If the owners of the house do not prevent energy workers from inspecting and taking meter readings, then there is no need to take it outside.
If the agreement with suppliers specifies the installation location local area, then the consumer may request that this clause be changed.
In this case, it would be useful to mention the violation of the above laws.
Preface. Today we decided to consider the issue correct installation electricity meter and will pay attention to this problem in this article. Let's consider more rules installation of an electricity meter in an apartment, in a private house and in a country house in 2015-2016, since the installation of an energy meter is necessary wherever residential property is connected to central power grids.
In every country house, at the dacha and in the apartment it is necessary open access to all sources of electricity. However, technical difficulties do not always allow this to be done, and many homeowners are concerned about the question of where to install electricity meters in a private home. So that the property owner does not have any future claims from the energy sales company of the city or region.
What you should know before installing the device
Based on the principle of operation, meters are divided into electronic and induction. Induction energy metering devices are less accurate and are being widely replaced with electronic ones. Before purchasing, it is necessary to inspect the integrity of the government seal and specify the deadline for installing the seal on the device. If the meter is three-phase, then the installation of a seal on the electric meter must be done no later than 1 year, for a single-phase device - no more than 2 years.
Any electrician can install the meter, but before work it is necessary to request from the energy sales company a standard contract for the performance of work with a statement of division of balance sheet attached to it. The documents will contain all the requirements for installing an electricity meter, and will describe the boundaries of responsibility of the electricity supplier and the owner of the property.
Where to install an electricity meter in a private house
It is best to install the meter in a warm room in a distribution panel. Most best option for a private house - an insulated dressing room, veranda or hallway. This method will protect the device from humidity and precipitation, on the other hand, it will not impede access to the energy consumption meter during testing or maintenance.
The installation height of the meter varies from 0.8 to 1.7 meters from the floor level. The input circuit must be connected to the input machine, and only after that to your meter. A protective ground is connected to the shield, which will protect the electronics and equipment in the house in the event short circuit. The common wiring with the machines is connected to the meter output.
Many owners of private houses and garden plots Energy network workers are forced to voluntarily and compulsorily move the electricity meter to the facade of the house, citing various orders from their energy sales company. On the issue of the legality and legality of this requirement, read the article further in the chapter “Is it legal to install an electric meter on the street?”
Where to install an electricity meter in an apartment
Electronic counter with machines in the panel The installation of electricity meters in apartments is carried out mainly by representatives network company, following the rules of the PUE. In old high-rise buildings, meters are installed on apartment platforms in distribution panels. In new buildings, meters are installed directly in the apartment in a closed panel in the hallways, where there is also a group of machines for the entire apartment.
When moving the electricity meter from the entrance to the apartment, you should know where to install the electricity meter in the apartment. To do this, you need to prepare a place in the hallway for installing an electrical panel. The height for mounting the meter on the wall should be in the range from 0.8 to 1.7 meters from the floor level. A height of less than 0.8 meters from the floor level is allowed, but not less than 0.4 m.
Following the Electrical Installation Rules (ELI), the input circuit is de-energized and connected to the input circuit breaker. From the machine, the circuit goes to the electricity meter itself, and from it to the wiring with the machines. Grounding is connected to the shield, which will protect in case of a short circuit household appliances and electronics in the apartment from a power surge.
Where to install an electricity meter at the dacha
The meter should be installed in gardening or at the dacha on the facade of the house at a height of 0.8 - 1.7 meters, which will provide access to the device to representatives of the network company. At temperatures below 0°C, meters will not account for consumption correctly. For this reason, you should think about an insulated electrical panel or installing an energy meter inside the heated room of the garden house.
When placing a meter on the facade of a building, the consumer is deprived of the opportunity to safely maintain his property, since not only the organization’s employees, but also anyone will have access to the meter in the building. If you do not interfere with access to inspectors and representatives of the sales company to check and take readings of the electric meter, then there is no reason to oblige you to install the device on the street.
Is it legal to install an electricity meter on the street?
The rules for installing an electric meter on the street are also regulated by the PUE. However, it is up to you to decide whether to install a meter on the street. Often, energy supply companies simply want to solve problems with checking meter readings at the expense of the consumer. However, you should be aware that installing electricity meters on the street will expose the device to the negative effects of atmospheric phenomena.
Humidity and cold will have a negative impact on the service life of the device; in addition, at negative temperatures, the induction meter will not accurately calculate electricity consumption, and in favor of the energy-saving company in 2015-2016. The demands of organizations to install an electricity meter in residential buildings and in private houses on the street are illegal and are to the detriment of homeowners.
Installing an electric meter on poles or on the facade of a house on the street violates the requirements of the PUE, where it is written in black and white that the electric meter must be installed in dry rooms with a temperature not lower than 0°C. If the above arguments do not work, then you can use a little trick and install an electric meter on the facade of the house, where it is planned to build an insulated veranda in the future.
Requirements PUE (Electrical Installation Rules)
Clause 1.5.27
Meters must be located in dry rooms that are easily accessible for maintenance, in a place that is sufficiently free and not cramped for work, with a temperature in winter not lower than 0 ° C.
It is allowed to install an electricity meter in unheated rooms and corridors of switchgears of power plants and substations, as well as in outdoor cabinets. In this case, provision should be made for their stationary insulation for the winter through insulating cabinets, hoods with heating of the air inside them with an electric lamp or heating element to ensure a positive temperature inside the hood, but not higher than +20 ° C.
Clause 1.5.29
Meters must be installed in cabinets, chambers of complete switchgears (KRU, KRUN), on panels, switchboards, in niches, on walls with a rigid structure. It is allowed to mount meters on wooden, plastic or metal panels.
The height from the floor to the meter terminal box must be within 0.8 - 1.7 m. A height of less than 0.8 m is allowed, but not less than 0.4 m.
Hello
This demand of power engineers is unlawful. The meter must be installed, but not necessarily on the facade of the building.
In accordance with the Basic Provisions for the Operation of Retail Markets electrical energy, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 04.05.2012 N 442:
144. Metering devices must be installed at the boundaries of the balance sheet of electric power facilities (power receiving devices) of adjacent entities of the retail market - consumers, producers of electrical energy (power) in retail markets, network organizations that have common border balance sheet (hereinafter referred to as related entities of the retail market), as well as in other places determined in accordance with this section in compliance with those established by law Russian Federation requirements for installation locations of metering devices.
At the same time, cases in which a network organization can refuse to approve the installation locations of meters are strictly limited:
148.… Network organization has the right to refuse approval of installation locations, connection diagrams and metrological characteristics of metering devices or other components of measuring complexes and metering systems only in the following cases:
- lack of technical feasibility of installing a metering system or metering device in relation to the energy receiving devices specified in the request (electric energy (power) production facilities, power grid facilities) at the power grid facilities of the network organization;
- non-compliance of installation locations, connection diagrams and (or) metrological characteristics of metering devices proposed by the owner in the request with the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation. Installation of a meter in a house does not apply to any of the above cases.
Moreover, in accordance with the “Rules for the construction of electrical installations (PUE). Sixth edition" (approved by the Main Technical Directorate, Gosenergonadzor of the USSR Ministry of Energy 10/05/1979):
1.5.27. Meters must be located in dry rooms that are easily accessible for maintenance, in a place that is sufficiently free and not cramped for work, with a temperature in winter not lower than 0 degrees. C. Thus, there is no legal requirement to install electricity meters on the facade of the building. This is, of course, an illegal demand by energy workers. It’s just more convenient for power engineers to monitor the readings when the meter is located outside, which is why they are trying to force the meter to be removed from the building. But you have no such obligation.
Replacement is made at the expense of the owner. But replacement is required only if the verification period of the old meter has expired and its accuracy class does not correspond to the required one.