What is an Energy Meter

In this article, we will discuss the Energy Meter, an electrical measuring instrument used in electrical power systems to record electrical energy consumed over a certain period of time. An energy meter is one of the crucial components of an electrical power system, as it provides a method to record energy consumed by a consumer and make bills on the basis of that. It is also known as an electricity meter.

Definition of Energy Meter

A measuring instrument that is used for measuring electricity consumed by an electrical load like a lamp, fan, etc. over a certain period of time is called an energy meter.

An energy meter basically provides the information about total amount of power consumed by a load in a specific period of time. It is widely used in domestic, industrial, and commercial connections to monitor electricity consumption and generate bills.

An energy meter is a type of integrating instrument, as it records the amount of power consumed over a period.

Symbol of Energy Meter

The following figure shows the symbolic representation of the energy meter.

Types of Energy Meters

Based on the supply system, there are two types of energy meters:

• Single-Phase Energy Meter
• Three-Phase Energy Meter

Based on construction and operation, there are three types of energy meters:

• Electromechanical Induction Type Energy Meter
• Electronic Energy Meter
• Smart Energy Meter

Energy Meter Formula

An energy meter is used to measure the total amount of electrical energy consumed by an electrical load. This amount of energy consumption can be calculated with the help of the following formula.

Energy = Power × Time

Or

Energy = Voltage × Current × Time

Energy Meter Units

An energy meter measures energy in kWh, i.e. kilo-watt-hour. This is also known as ‘Unit’ or ‘B.O.T. Unit’.

Where,

1 kWh = 1000 Wh = 1 Unit 

Factors must be Considered While Selecting an Energy Meter

We should consider the following factors while selecting an energy meter for our electric connection:

• High accuracy
• Good quality meter parts
• Wider operating temperature and pressure range
• Higher resolution
• Low energy loss within the meter itself
• Able to operate properly during varying voltage and current conditions
• Meter casing must be dust and waterproof

Connection Diagram of Energy Meter

The connection diagram of a single-phase energy meter in an electric wiring system is shown in the following figure.

Working of Energy Meter

An energy meter records and register the instantaneous power readings of an electric circuit, and then it combines all these instantaneous power readings over a certain period of time to indicate the value of the total amount of energy consumed in the circuit over that period of time.

Tips to Improve Performance of Energy Meter

We can improve the performance of an energy meter as described below:

• The performance of an energy meter can be improved by minimizing or eliminating instrumental errors. These errors generally occur during the manufacturing or calibration of the meter. Hence, we should try to minimize these errors by following proper construction and calibration practices.
• The functioning of an energy meter can also be affected by abrupt environmental conditions like high temperature, pressure, humidity, etc. Therefore, we should try to optimize the operating environment of the meter to minimize environmental errors.

Benefits of Energy Meter

The following are some major advantages of using energy meters in electrical installations:

• It provides information about energy consumption.
• Energy meters provide real-time data on energy consumption that can be used to optimize our electricity consumption.
• Energy meters help utility companies to obtain data about consumer's consumption patterns.
• Energy meters help in the billing process of electricity.

Applications of Energy Meters

The primary application of an energy meter is to measure electricity consumed over a period of time. The following are some major applications of energy meters:

• Single-phase energy meters are used in domestic and commercial electrical installations to measure electricity consumption.
• Three-phase energy meters are used in substations, generating stations, industries, etc. to measure energy consumption.

Hence, this is all about energy meters or electricity meters. In conclusion, an energy meter is a crucial component in an electrical installation as it provides a convenient way of measuring electricity consumption.