If you wish to develop an energy efficiency plan for your house or cut down your household’s energy bills, you will need to know how much energy all the home appliances together expend to meet the daily needs.
However, electric current and energy are invisible. Thus, you will need an appropriate measuring system to determine the energy efficiency or consumption of your home appliances. From traditional electromechanical meters to cutting-edge smart meters, each type serves a unique purpose. This article will help you understand the types of energy meters in India and their purpose in order to save money, efficiently measure the consumption of electricity, and discover energy-efficient options.
What is an Energy Meter?
An energy meter is an instrument to measure the electrical energy consumed by consumers. These meters are installed by utilities at each point, such as homes, industries, and organizations, to record the electrical energy use of the loads like lights, fans, other appliances, and so on. Energy meters are installed in both industrial and domestic AC circuits to measure the power consumed by the load. They show power readings accurately over some specific interval of time.
7 Different Types of Energy Meters in India
There are several energy meters available in the Indian market. Despite their different functions, all of them are designed for the same purpose – to measure energy consumption. The classification of energy meters based on the construction of the meter is given below:
- Analogue Meters
- Digital Meters
- Smart Energy Meter
Based on the phase and other categories, there are 4 types of electric meters in India:
- Single-phase Energy Meter
- Three-phase Energy Meter
- British Thermal Unit (BTU) Meter
- Prepaid Electricity Meter
Analogue Meters
Analogue meters use mechanical aspects to measure energy consumption and are commonly used in old buildings or homes without a digital meter. There are two different types of analogue meters,
- Electromechanical meters are the most common form of analogue meter and use a rotating metal disc that determines whether it is faster or slower based on the power consumed.
- Electronic meters are the ones that measure the amount of energy used through digital circuits but display readings using analogue dials.
How to Read and Interpret Analogue Meters?
Analogue meters use a number of dials to display energy consumption, each measuring digital capacity. To read the meter,
- One should begin from the dial located on the left and record the number at which the dial is pointing.
- Proceed to the next dial to the right and record that number as well.
- Continue this process for each dial until all numbers have been recorded from left to right.
Note: Some dials apply a counterclockwise rotation direction, such that you have to subtract one from the recorded number for an accurate reading.
Digital Meters
Digital meters, including electrical versions for the home, measure the amount of energy used and present it in digital form. They operate by tracking the amount of electricity flowing through the meter and filtering this data into a digital signal. Furthermore, digital meters are easily readable and can be remotely read by the utility, thus allowing the utility to extract more accurate data on energy usage. There are several types of electronic versions for the home. Some of the different types of electronic types include:
- Single-rate meters: a type of meter that measures energy usage in a single flat rate.
- Time-of-use meters: a type of meter that measures the energy at different rates based on the time.
- Prepaid meters: In prepaid meters, the user buys a token and feeds it into the meter to access electricity.
How to Read and Interpret Digital Meters?
The digital meters are quite simple to read and understand. The indication will reveal the amount of current energy the home is using in kilowatt-hours. The meters may also show the date and time the reading is being taken. To understand the data, consumers need to track their usage data over some time and compare or contrast it with other readings before deciphering the trend and adjusting their usage accordingly.
Smart Electricity Meter
The smart electricity meter is among the most developed electricity meters. The merit of the meter is that it is purposefully built, and it sends data to the customer remotely and measures how much energy they consume. The good thing is that smart electricity meters can send messages in both directions – they are smart. It can send the parameter values, power consumption, and alarm to the utility and then collect the message from the automatic meter reading system. They do not allow the power to be tempered or energy to be consumed unlawfully.
Single-phase Energy Meter
A single-phase energy meter is a common energy meter that is connected to the load and the line. These meters require two wires to supply the power to the household. The instrument supplies the circuit containing alternating power using a phase and a neutral wire. However, they do not supply the direct current. For efficiency, it is impossible to start the meters manually; they need motors to work. The motors are the reason they are differentiated from the next type, which is a three-phase energy meter.
Three-phase Energy Meter
A three-phase energy meter works, as the name suggests. It is the most popular among all types of electric meters in India. This meter does not require the support of other devices to run. Therefore, it is more efficient than the single phase. The three-phase energy meter contains 4 wires, of which three are phase wires and the remaining one is the neutral wire. This perfect type of electric meter works when the electrical power required is greater than what one needs in house wiring. It is usually used in commercial, industrial, and other institutional applications.
British Thermal Units (BTU) Meter
The third type of electric meter is the British Thermal Unit (BTU) meter. BTU is the unit of measure for energy in buildings and commercials. The peak meter contains a temperature sensor, which measures the strength of the cooling or heating apparatus. BTU meters come in three parts: flow meter, main unit, and temperature sensor. Here is how all the parts work together to generate electricity.
- When water passes through the system, the flow meter determines how much the water flows and sends it to the main unit.
- On the other hand, the temperature sensor determines the temperature of the supply pipe and sends it to the main unit.
- The meter then takes the information from all the components and tells you how much energy you are taking.
Prepaid Electricity Meter
The last kind of electric meter is a Prepaid Electricity meter. This is the most useful type because, in future recharging, you may go to a shore and buy a recharge card; you will be given power based on the amount of the balanced amount of the card. Every time you use the power from the card, the amount of balancing all goes down and shows zero if you get all the energy. However, the amount of energy you cut from the card will depend on which time you use the energy from the card. Example: In peak hours, if we use the card, the power will be reduced very fast, which in turn, if you want to save power to be used later in case you can do it during the off hours.
How to Choose the Right Electric Meter for Your Home?
Many factors need to be considered when choosing the most appropriate electric meter for your home. The measurement of the energy consumed and the accuracy of your electric meter can help decide what type it should be. When choosing an electric meter for your house, you should consider the following:
- Find the electric meter that most closely fits your needs.
- Choose the tariff plans that most closely match your energy consumption.
- Look for meters that have been approved by the relevant authorities for their accuracy.
- Make sure the meter is compatible with your power supply.
- Finally, consider both the price of the meter and any installation fees.
All these different types of energy meter options are distinct from one another. According to their principle of operation and functional design, you alter theirs and any other specifications that make them all unique. In picking the one that suits your needs best from the above list, you shouldn’t forget to take into consideration any weaknesses they may have, either.
