Month: November 2016

PPE in Metering

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When it comes to working with meters as a meter tech you always have to remember that there will be times that you are working around energized equipment like transformers. And because of this you need to make sure that you protect yourself in the case of an accident. In order to protect yourself you need to make sure that you are always wearing your PPE. What is PPE you may ask? PPE stands for personal protective equipment. It is safety equipment that is designed to make sure that in case of an accident or in case of incidental contact with live conductors that we are not injured or even worse, killed. What I am going to detail here are the minimum requirements for Meter Technicians. Also listed are a few things that may not be required by your utility but are good idea. Be reminded however that these are minimums and that you should always wear the minimum that is required by your company. Also remember that anytime you are working near high voltage equipment, you need to keep High Voltage Safety in mind.

Minimum

Hard Hat

A hard hat is first on our list. The hard hat is generally made of a hard plastic material that has a webbed support system inside. The support system inside ensures that the hard hat is a cool as possible as well as provide a bit of a crush zone should something heavy fall. Your hard hat protects you from falling objects, but that is not all. The hard hat can also keep you from hitting your head if you are in an area with a low ceiling or if you are working in an enclosure or transformer it can keep you from hitting your head or having accidental contact with conductors. Another thing that a hard hat protects you from is the sun.

Your hard hat also keeps the sun off of your shiny head and keeps you from getting sun burned. Be sure that you inspect your hard hat on a regular basis for any cracks or sun damage. In addition, if you suspect any damage it is best to go ahead and replace your hard hat. It is easier to replace your hard hat than your head!

Safety Glasses

Safety glasses are essential as a part of your PPE arsenal. They protect your eyes from flying objects! Safety glasses also seem to be one of the most neglected pieces of PPE. People think that they just do not need them, especially if they are working at night. It is imperative that you wear your safety glasses to protect your eyes. There are even models now that are designed as sun glasses so that you look more stylish. Safety glasses do have ratings so make sure that you check with your company policy before wearing a pair of sunglasses to work.

Rubber Gloves

Rubber gloves are essential if you are going to be working on or near anything energized. I know that many of the old timers used to work secondary with just leather gloves. I also know that there are those of you out there that think there is nothing wrong with changing meters or checking voltage with just your bare hands. Yes you make get away with it a few times, or you may never even have a problem. However, it only takes one time for electricity to kill your or to burn off a finger. Make sure that you are testing your rubber gloves before each use. Also, make sure that you know the rating of your rubber gloves. Many meter techs will have two different sets of rubber gloves. They may have a low voltage set that are rated for 1000v and they may have a high voltage set. The high voltage set will vary based on the primary that your utility uses. Do not try to use your secondary gloves on primary! They are not rated for that voltage and you will be hurt or killed! For this reason, many utilities do not give their lineman secondary gloves. The rubber gloves will have leather protectors with them. Always use them. And also do not forget to check your protectors for holes either.








Clothes

This will vary from utility to utility because of the different arc flash ratings. Make sure you are wearing whatever your utility mandates. This will keep you safe in the event of a flash. In addition, most utilities now require flame retardant clothing. Do not wear any jewelry or watches or even metal belt buckles. In the event of an electrocution these items will act as heat sinks and burn your skin.

Safety Toe Shoes

Shoes with a safety toe will keep falling objects from crushing your toes. Make sure also that your shoes, or boots, are rated for electrical hazards. This will ensure that they are not building up static electricity as you walk.

Recommended

Face Shields

Face shields are one of the controversial pieces of safety equipment right now. Some people hate them, mainly the people wearing them, and some love them, mainly management. If your utility requires face shields, wear them. If your utility does not require face shields but provides them, use them when you think they may be necessary. Face shields can protect you in the event of a flash.

Rubber Sleeves

Rubber sleeves are something that you typically see lineman wearing working out of a bucket. But, they have their place in the metering world as well. If you are working in an enclosure such as a transformer it can be a good idea to use rubber sleeves to protect you in case of accidental contact.

Summary

PPE is important to you as a meter tech. Do not take it for granted. However, do not think that just because you are wearing all of the PPE your utility provides that you are working safely. There is no substitute for knowledge when it comes to safety. Learn the best practices for working safely from those around you. Just because you are wearing rubber gloves does not mean that you need to just go around touching all of the live conductors just be cause you can. Be cautious. Be safe. If it will be safer to turn something off to work on it, then plan an outage. And remember however, that safety is up to you not your company. You are the one who will go home to your family everyday not your company. Also remember that the list I provided above is just a basic list. Do what your company says. If I have left anything out let me know. Work at your own risk. I take no responsibility if you get hurt.








Testing a Form 9s transformer rated installation

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The form 9s meter is perhaps one of the most popular meter forms used in metering. It is a versatile meter that can be used to meter either a 120/208 three phase four wire wye service or a 277/480 three phase four wire wye service. Can the form 9s be used to meter other services? Yes but I am only going to cover these two here. When testing a form 9s transformer rated installation you will be looking at a few different things. You will check the meter, the wiring, the CT’s and/or PT’s, and the voltage as well as the transformer.

First a disclaimer. If you are not a meter tech or a qualified person then you do not need to attempt anything that is written below in regard to the form 9s. It can kill you if you do not know what you are doing.

When we perform a load check the form 9s meter in a transformer rated installation there are a couple of things that we will look at and take note of. First we want to check the meter number. I know this sounds simple but you want to make sure that you are in the right place. Now write down the readings of the meter. There should be a simple kwh reading as well as a kw reading. It is also possible that your utility uses more than these such as kva. You may also be required to download the information from the meter as well. If the meter is a solid state meter you want to make sure that there are no diagnostic codes in the meter. If there are you will need to check them and find out what the problem is.

Solid state meters have come a long way. If you do not have a piece of test equipment that is capable of showing you the vector diagram of your form 9s meter you can logon to the meter and view the vector diagram there. The vector diagram can alert you to things that you may not be able to see right away. Vector diagrams can also let you know if you have any wires crossed as well as the amplitude of the current and voltage on all three phases. Using vector diagrams you can also view all of your phase angles.

We are still talking about the meter here. If you have an electro-mechanical form 9s meter then the procedure is a little different. There is nothing to logon to. The meter may have lights for each voltage phase. If so, you want to make sure that they are all lit up. Next, you want to do what is know as an element check. You will also do this with the solid state meter but you will have to leave all of the voltage switches in as the display likely comes off of A or C phase. To do the element check you will open all of the switches with the exception of the neutral switch. Then you close the voltage switch and the current switches for the phase your will be working on. You are doing this to ensure that each element in the meter causes the disk to rotate in a forward direction. Remember that the disk rotates in a counter-clockwise rotation.








After checking the meter you will want to check the wiring of the form 9s. Give the wiring a good visual check. Look at all of the terminations that you can see and make sure that the color code is correct. If you suspect overheating and think the wire needs to be replaced do so as soon as possible. Wires that are out in the sun tend to crack after several years so you want to make note of this. If the wiring needs to be replaced make a work order to do so. Look at the wiring on the CT’s and PT’s. Does everything look good? Improper wiring is one of the biggest causes of lost revenue with a form 9s metering installation. If the wiring looks good, let’s move on to the CT’s and PT’s.

I am not going to go in depth in this post about testing the CT’s and PT’s, that is for a later date. What I want to tell you here is to visually inspect the CT’s. If you can see the nameplate then that is great. Make sure that the multiplier on the meter matches whatever the CT ratio says that it should be. After that, make sure that the multiplier on the meter is what the multiplier is in the computer system.

This is one of the other big mistakes that you will find with the form 9s. It is so easy to input a multiplier incorrectly into the system. That is why you need to check it for every transformer rated meter that you test. After you verify the CT ratio on the nameplate use test equipment to test the CT. This may be a CT burden test or an admittance test. You can also do a ratio test.

After the CT’s you will want to check the PT’s. Verify the wiring and make sure that you do have voltage on all three phases. The PT’s are so much easier than the CT’s. On the subject of PT’s we always want to check the voltage and make sure that it is the correct voltage for the service.

Next we want to check the transformer. Look at the transformer and make sure that it is not leaking oil anywhere. Also, visually inspect all of the secondary connections that you can see and make sure there is no overheating. If you have an infrared camera now is a good time to use it and check the connections for hot spots. Be very careful when working around transformers as it is possible to have the primary connections very close to the secondary. Make sure that you are wearing all of your PPE before doing any of the aforementioned work.

You will want to check the KVA of the transformer and compare it against the KW reading of the meter which is called demand. If you cannot get the power factor from the meter either because it is a mechanical meter or you do not have a way with another piece of equipment you can use 80% for the power factor.

To convert KW to KVA you will divide the KW by the power factor. This will give you KVA. Let’s do the calculation. Let’s say that you have a form 9s meter that has a KW reading of 0.8 with a multiplier of 80. First, multiply 0.8 x 80 = 64 KW. Then if you cannot get a power factor reading assume 80%. 64/.80 = 80 KVA. Now that you have the KVA check to make sure that it is in the limits of the transformer. If it is you are good. If not get with engineering to make a change.

There it is. That is how to can check a form 9s metering installation. As always, be careful and always wear your PPE.








What are test switches for?

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Every now and then in the electric metering field you will run across a transformer rated metering installation that does not have a test switch. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Most CT rated installations require that test switches be installed. These switches can be used for a few different things, like performing a load check. To test the meter, to shunt the CT’s, to safely remove the CT rated meter from service and they can also be used to check the voltage and the amperage on the service without actually having to open an enclosure or go into a fence.

Why do certain installations not utilize test switches? The answer here would most likely be cost. The meter bases or CT rated installations that you will typically find without test switches are form 3s and form 4s meter bases. Form 3s and form 4s meters are many times found on large residences and sometimes large temporary services such as construction services or school trailers that are not thought to be in service very long. The cost of installing the test switch along with the cost of the larger meter base to hold the test switch is often times a deterrent. Also, in the case of residences one could argue that they just do not use enough power to justify putting a large meter base and test switch on the wall because the meter will be changed out when all of the form 2s meters are changed on their neighbors homes.

Installing a transformer rated service without a test switch can be a bad thing. One thing that you have to remember is that when you pull the meter in a CT rated service and you do not use a test switch is that you are opening the circuit of the secondary side of the CT. This leads to a build up of voltage on this circuit which is dangerous to metering personnel. The proper procedure without a test switch would then be to shunt the secondary side of the CT before pulling the meter.

Test switches can be used to test the meter. With different types of test equipment they can be used to test the meter in service using the load that is available at the customer’s site. This can be a good test to show exactly how the meter is metering the service under the load that is currently on the service. You can also test the meter using a phantom load while it is still in the meter base using the test switches.








Test switches are also used to test the CT’s in the service. You can use various different types of test equipment to test the CT’s. You can test the burden on the CT circuit as well as determine how many amps are on the CT circuit as well.

To remove the meter from service you need to shunt the CT. There is a switch that does this for you. Shunt the CT out and you can safely remove the meter from service. You can also use the test switches to remove all voltage from the meter as well before removing the meter from service and before installing the meter in service.

With the new regulations regarding arc-flash hazards and safety, many utilities have adopted safety policies that no longer allow their personnel to work inside energized cabinets, pad mount transformers or other enclosures if the service is too large or if the voltage is too high. This is yet another thing that the test switch can be used for. It can be used to check and make sure that the customer is getting the proper voltage. You can also check the rotation in the meter base at the test switch as well.

All in all, it is a good practice to install test switches in all of your CT rated metering installations. They will allow you to test the meter in service, test the CT’s in service as well as allow you to check voltage and rotation. Test switches also allow you to safely install and remove meters from service by isolating the blocks of the meter base from current and voltage.








Can Compact Fluorescent Lights Lower Your Power Bill?

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Save Money on Your Power Bill with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Save Money on Your Power Bill with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Are you wondering if those little curly compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) can actually save you money on your power bill? Are you looking to have a more Energy Efficient Home? The answer is a resounding yes! When comparing CFLs to traditional incandescent light bulbs, there are a few key factors to consider: light color, wattage, and initial cost.

Understanding Light Color

Light color ultimately comes down to personal preference. Before CFLs became popular, many of us were accustomed to the soft white light of incandescent bulbs. Today, CFLs come in a variety of light colors, allowing you to choose the best illumination for your space.

  • Soft White/Warm Light: These CFLs mimic the warm, yellowish light of incandescent bulbs and are ideal for bedrooms and living areas.
  • Natural/Daylight: These bulbs emit a white to bluish light, resembling natural sunlight, and are great for home offices or kitchens.

To determine which light color suits you best, try purchasing a few different types and see which one you prefer in various rooms.

Wattage and Energy Savings

Wattage is another crucial consideration, both for illumination and cost savings. CFLs are designed to use less power while providing the same amount of light as their incandescent counterparts. For instance, a typical 60-watt incandescent bulb can be replaced by a 13-watt CFL, which provides the same amount of light.

Here’s a breakdown of how much energy you can save:

  • A 60-watt incandescent bulb uses 60 watts of electricity per hour.
  • A 13-watt CFL uses just 13 watts per hour, saving you 47 watts of electricity for every hour of use.

Initial Cost and Long-Term Savings

While CFLs may have a higher upfront cost compared to incandescent bulbs, the long-term savings on your power bill make them a worthwhile investment. Prices for CFLs have decreased significantly in recent years, making them more affordable than ever.

Calculating Your Savings

To better understand the potential savings, let’s take a typical home with 30 light bulbs, each using 60 watts, and 4 spotlights using 150 watts each. Here’s the math:

Incandescent bulbs:

  • 30 bulbs x 60 watts = 1,800 watts
  • 4 spotlights x 150 watts = 600 watts
  • Total = 2,400 watts per hour

CFLs:

  • 30 bulbs x 13 watts = 390 watts
  • 4 spotlights x 40 watts = 160 watts
  • Total = 550 watts per hour

Assuming electricity costs $0.12 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), running all incandescent lights for one hour costs $0.288. Running CFLs for the same time costs only $0.066. Over a month (24 hours/day for 30 days), this translates to:

  • Incandescent bulbs: 720 hours x $0.288 = $207.36
  • CFLs: 720 hours x $0.066 = $47.52

While it’s unlikely you’ll use all your lights continuously, this example highlights the potential savings. Over time, these savings add up, making CFLs a cost-effective choice.

Conclusion

Switching to CFLs is a smart move for reducing your energy consumption and lowering your power bill. Though you might not see a drastic change immediately, the cumulative savings over time will be significant.

For more detailed information on how to calculate your power bill, check out this guide.

If you’re ready to make the switch to energy-efficient lighting, consider Purchasing Some CFLs. Your support helps us continue providing valuable information.


Ductless Heating and Cooling Systems

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Ductless heating and cooling systems are an alternative to traditional central heating and air conditioning systems. What are they? Are ductless heating and cooling systems better than the traditional central heating and air conditioning systems? Can ductless air conditioning systems save you money on your power bill? Keep reading to find out.

What are Ductless Heating and Cooling Systems?

What is a ductless air conditioning unit? Ductless air conditioning units, also known as ductless mini split systems, are smaller self-contained air conditioning units that are meant to keep a space climate controlled. I say climate controlled because there are also ductless heat pump models as well. I will also refer to these systems as ductless heat pump, ductless air conditioners and ductless mini split systems, remember that they are all the same thing. Ductless mini split systems contain an evaporator that is mounted inside that also house the fan that blows the cool air or warm air into the space that it is keeping warm or cool. There are coolant lines attached to the evaporator that run outside to the condenser.

The units typically come with a remote control so that you can choose the setting that you want from the ground. They have built in thermostats that allow you to choose the temperature that is right for you. Ductless air conditioners also allow you to choose the fan speed. So, if you are hot and you want to feel more air rushing past you, you can do that. You can also use the unit as nothing more than a fan. If, for instance, it is already cool in the house but you just want a breeze you can use the fan setting.

Additional Features of Ductless Heating and Cooling Systems

Another feature that ductless mini split systems offer is a dehumidifier setting. This is good if you live in a humid climate. It is also good to prevent the growth of mold. Also, often times just by removing the moisture from the air you will feel cooler.

With all of these features, are ductless air conditioners better than the traditional central HVAC unit? That depends. Ductless A/C units are zone heating and cooling units. This means that if you like your bedroom to be 65 degrees while you sleep at night but you do not want to pay to keep your entire house at 65 degrees then a ductless solution could be right for you. One of the biggest advantages of the ductless heat pump system is that you do not have to run duct-work. This means that if you are remodeling and you have a tiny crawl space and you are looking to add some sort of air conditioning to replace your window units a ductless heat pump could be a better option than a traditional central system.

Saving Money with Ductless Heating and Cooling

Can a ductless mini split system save you money? This is the ultimate question and if used properly the answer is yes. Ductless air conditioners are efficient and being able to control one room at a time means that you do not have to have one central unit that is sized to heat and cool your entire house. You can have individual units that run only when you need them too. One thing to remember about most A/C systems is that they basically know one speed and that is on.

There are some systems out there that are more advanced that do not use as much power when it is not needed but the majority know one speed. This means that when they are on they are using x amount of power as long as they are on. They will use x amount of power for x number of hours to keep your entire home comfortable. But if you have a room such as an office or guest bedroom that is rarely used, why heat and cool it? You can use smaller units that use less power when they are running. So if employed correctly you will use less power and save money.

If you are interested in ductless heating and cooling then check out the links below.