
Power & Energy Meters

The goal of any energy management system is to be able to perform the same function with less energy. Energy efficiency is the ratio between energy consumed and energy produced. Effective monitoring and metering produces critical information about how a system is performing, so that immediate improvements can be made. There are two main types of meters that handle different types of data: Energy meters and power meters. Energy meters measure kilowatt-hour (kWh) and feature an optimal communication output. They are used for basic energy measurement. Power meters measure active and reactive energy consumption.
Power and energy meters measure, collect and deliver data from distribution points across an entire electrical network. Automatic, continuous metering systems use dynamic displays and dashboards to display energy consumption and operation information. This real-time information can show simple load control, alarms or recommendations for corrective action. Three types of metering to be considered are: direct metering, indirect metering and hours counters. Direct metering measures direct consumption, like electric power meters, oil meters, heat meters and gas meters. Indirect metering depends on equipment data that can evolve or change with time and would need to be checked regularly. Hours counters measure consumption based on the number of operating hours of constant-power loads, like fans or lighting.
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How to measure current, voltage, resistance and continuity with a multimeter.
Measuring AC voltage. Set the dial to the AC voltage symbol and plug the red probe into the voltage port. Place the red probe into the hot terminal block and the black probe into the neutral terminal block. Make sure the probes are fully seated to something that can conduct electricity, like the screws on the terminal blocks. The measurement is taken in parallel with the load.
Measuring DC voltage. Set the dial to the DC voltage symbol and leave the probe in the same port as it was for the AC voltage measurement. Place the red probe to DC positive and the black probe to DC negative. The measurement is taken in parallel with the load.
Measuring current or amperage. Set the dial to either milliamps or amps. Move the red probe to the DC amp port. The multimeter is now set to measure DC current. Remove the wire that is sending power to the load and place one probe on one end and the other probe on the other, to complete the circuit, allowing power to bypass the load. The meter will break the circuit and measure the current in series with the voltage source. This allows the meter to measure the current that is going to the load.
Measuring resistance. Make sure that the load is disconnected from the electrical circuit, otherwise, the resistance measurement will not be accurate. Set the dial to the ohm symbol and place the red probe into the voltage port. Place one probe on one conductor and the other probe on the other. Take the reading.
Measuring continuity. Meter settings stay the same as previous measurements, with the addition of pressing the audible button. Place the probes anywhere on the electrical circuit. An audible tone will sound if there is a continuous, point to point connection. If there is no sound, there is break in the electrical connection, possibly caused by broken or frayed wires.