Who should change the electricity meter and according to what principles

Each apartment, private house or industrial facility must have energy metering. The device from which readings are taken are electricity meters. In order to avoid overpayments, you should monitor the technical condition of the electricity meters during operation and replace them in a timely manner when their service life expires. The organization of verification and replacement of the electric meter according to legislative acts is entrusted to the owner of the house or apartment. There are a number of reasons that justify replacing the electricity meter.

Factors that determine when to replace a meter

First of all, you need to change the electric meter if it malfunctions. If the electricity meter breaks down, the signs that determine its condition will be the following:

• traces of melting will appear on the body of the device;
• traces of burning may appear on the glass of the window, on the wires, on the same body;

  

• when there is no load, the device continues to change readings;
• when checking the meter connection diagram, if there is voltage at the input, there is no voltage at the output;
• The meter indicator is “silent” when a load is applied to the electric meter.

There are a number of other reasons that make it necessary to replace the electricity meter.

• All old-style meters with an accuracy class of 2.5 or more must be replaced. This is due to the large measurement error of such devices, which was the impetus for the issuance of a decree of the Russian Federation on the mandatory use of more accurate means of determining electricity consumption.
• The meter makes a lot of noise during operation. There may be several reasons: from the use of an outdated model to moisture and dust accumulated inside the device.
• The meter produces information that is difficult to understand. This problem usually happens with electronic meters where individual elements do not work.
• There are doubts about the correct display of electricity consumption by the device. When the load increases, the readings may increase quite slowly, and when the load decreases, nothing may happen, the readings do not change.
• The basis for the replacement is the transition to a multi-tariff system. It is practiced where there are differences in the cost of electricity during the day and at night.

  

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• Technological progress does not stand still; so-called “smart” meters are appearing. They transmit readings directly to the electrical energy producer.

Do I have to change the electricity meter on the landing at my own expense?

At the same time, the obligation to ensure that electricity grid facilities of one network organization are equipped with metering devices at the points of their connection to the power grid facilities of another network organization, unless otherwise established by an agreement between such network organizations, rests with the grid organization whose power centers at a given connection point have a lower voltage class, and if the voltage classes of the power centers at the point of connection are equal - to the network organization, into whose power grid facilities a year before the planned date of installation of metering devices, the flow of electrical energy was predominantly carried out.

Hello, in this article we will try to answer the question “How are the meters located on the site in relation to the apartment.” You can also consult with lawyers online for free directly on the website.

In February 2020, I turned to the Eclex company for the service of registering a lease agreement, the cost was told to me right away (20,000 rubles), for this money I received the entire package of documents that I needed, consultation on all issues, verification of all documents that already existed, lawyers organized the process of submitting documents to authorities and receiving documents. The most important thing is that they prepared a lease agreement for me, taking into account all my wishes and modifications, and not a standard one downloaded from the Internet. I am completely satisfied with the result.

Another reason for replacement is the device’s non-compliance with the established requirements. In 2012, the Government of the Russian Federation adopted a resolution that established a new requirement for devices that meter electricity. In accordance with this decree, their accuracy class must be at least 2.5. On older devices this figure may be lower than two. True, you may not rush to replace it.

The date of verification is indicated on the seal of the meter body, Roman numerals indicate the quarter of the last check, and Arabic numerals indicate in which year it was checked. These deadlines are also regulated by the PUE. Requirements for the switchboard The basic standards do not have clear requirements for the design features of electrical switchboards. However, there are still certain conditions:

• there must be free access to the terminals of the electric meter and to the current transformer;
• it is necessary to ensure the possibility of comfortable replacement of equipment;
• so that there are no obstacles to installing the meter at an angle of up to one degree;
• It is very important to ensure that all installation and repair work is carried out from the outside of the equipment.

Replacement procedure

Replacing an electric meter in an apartment, private house, industrial or other facilities is impossible without obtaining permission from the energy company that supplies electricity to a specific consumer. The fact that the meter is owned by the consumer does not allow him to independently open the seals in order to avoid penalties, since they belong to the supplier company.

Where to go to get permission

• You can contact the energy company in person. There is no standard form; it is written in free form, for example, as in the image.

  
  After registering the application, the energy company will send a specialist who will record the meter readings. The presence of almost every mobile phone with a photography function simplifies this process. An image of the meter with readings taken using mobile electronics can be printed and sent to the energy company along with the application. A specialist will be needed only at the sealing stage after the meter replacement procedure, where he will check the readings from the photograph.

• An inspector can be called to your home. As a specialist, he will check the feasibility of replacement, which he will confirm with the appropriate document and open the seals.
• If there is no voltage in a house or apartment due to a faulty meter, you must use the services of an emergency service. The arriving specialist has the right to remove the seals or will limit himself to permission for this action. After which the emergency service will notify the energy company so that the replacement of the device is official.

Who should change

Any person with knowledge of electrical engineering and practical experience in this field of activity can change the electricity meter. An electrician from an electricity supply organization can do the replacement, you can invite a specialist from a housing and communal services office, or simply ask an electrician you know to do the work. Is it possible to change the electricity meter in an apartment yourself? No one forbids doing this, but you should know that responsibility for the quality of work lies with the contractor.

In an apartment building, the landlord is not always obliged to replace the electricity meter, even if he lives in a privatized apartment. If the electrical device is located in the entrance, on the staircase, then it belongs to the common property of the house and the management company must monitor its technical condition. In exceptional cases, when the device breaks down due to the fault of the owner or the agreement with the management company stipulates that the owner must replace the electric meter in the apartment, problems with replacement are not within the scope of the management company.

In almost all cases, an electric meter in a private house must be purchased, installed and, if necessary, replaced with a new one by the owner of the house. Installation of metering devices in such houses, at the request of the electricity supply organization, is carried out on the street, which makes it easier for inspectors to take readings. However, this goes against the PUE (Electrical Installation Rules), according to which the meter must be installed in dry rooms with a temperature not lower than 0 °C. This requirement can be used when concluding an agreement on balance sheet ownership with a resource supply company. When installing a meter on a street pole, it should be reflected in the document that responsibility for moving or replacing the meter should be borne by representatives of the electricity supplier company.

How to choose a new electricity meter

An electricity meter must be selected not only by appearance and price, but also by technical needs.

Power supply type

Meters are single- and three-phase. To choose the right one, determine how many phases your network has. This can be done in several ways:

1. Look at which cable is suitable for the input machine and the meter. If there are two wires on it (phase and zero), you need a single-phase meter. If there are four wires (three phases and zero), a multiphase one is needed.
2. Look at the old meter board. If only one number is indicated on it (220 or 230 V), the network has one phase. If there are several (220/380 or 230/400 V) - three.

Single-phase and three-phase meters

Number of electrical appliances

An important criterion for choosing a meter is the maximum current that can be passed through it. For an ordinary consumer of electricity, a value of 40–60 A is enough. However, if your apartment is filled to capacity with modern appliances, it is better to choose a meter with a reserve. If the operating current is greater than the maximum, the meter may burn out.

Tariff plan

Check what tariff you pay for light: general (one price per kW) or “day-night” (at night the cost of kW is lower). Depending on this, choose a counter. The multi-tariff system will provide viewing of individual readings by time of day.

Mounting method

Different meters are installed either using bolts or on a special rail. Look at the mount of the old device and choose the appropriate model. To avoid problems with fastening, take a photo of the electrical panel and show it to the store consultant.

Installing an electric meter on a DIN rail and in a panel

Device release date

Pay attention to the age of the meter. Single-phase should be released no more than two years ago, and three-phase - no more than a year. Otherwise, before installation you will have to carry out a verification procedure for the metering device. The release date is indicated on the electric meter panel or in the device passport.

Additional functions

Here you can take a walk. Now they produce meters with backlighting, time and date display, internal memory and built-in GSM modems. All of this is not necessary to accurately measure your electricity consumption, but it may be useful to you.

How to change an electric meter with your own hands

If, after receiving permission to replace the meter, you decide to do the work yourself, then, regardless of the presence or absence of experience as an electrician, you should follow the following sequence of actions.

When removing the meter, the following conditions must be met:

• the circuit breaker in front of the meter should be turned off;
• remove the seals (if permission is available) from the lid and open it;
• use an indicator screwdriver to check the absence of voltage on the meter;
• Before disconnecting the wires, you should sketch out the wiring diagram; you can, for example, wrap the ends of the wires with white electrical tape, on which you can make the necessary marks;

  

• then the wires are disconnected and the device is removed;
• be sure to insulate the disconnected wires for any unforeseen cases;
• The removed meter is not thrown away; it is handed over to the energy supply organization along with the readings at the time of removal.

The process of installing a new meter consists of the following steps:

• Before installation, you need to check whether the circuit breaker is turned off;
• additionally check with an indicator screwdriver that there is no voltage on the phase wires;
• you should open the cover of the device being installed to provide access to its terminals;
• remove the emergency insulation from the wires;
• connect the meter according to the diagram sketched when removing the old meter;
• wires that are fixed in terminals with screws must be securely clamped;
• The operation of the meter is tested in various modes of electricity consumption in the apartment.

After installing the meter, it is necessary to put it into operation, for which the following actions are performed:

• an application is written to the energy supply company to seal the meter;
• payment is made through the bank for sealing services;
• the time of arrival of the inspector is agreed upon;
• inspector checking that the device is connected correctly;
• if there are no comments regarding the installation, a seal is placed on the meter and on the input machine (located directly in front of the meter);
• In the end, everything is completed by issuing a report on the work performed, which includes the following information: readings of the old meter, readings of the new meter, brand and serial number of the meter, as well as installation time.

After all the above steps, the meter is put into operation, and payment for electricity will be made according to its readings.

Who should install electricity meters?

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When the meter is located in a home, the question arises of who is the owner of the metering device, since most of the time it is not the owner of the home.

An exception may be the fact that the HOA and other management forms of the house appeared after meters were installed in the housing. These circumstances require the availability of the original document (copies of it are retained by energy sales and must be provided upon subscriber requests)

Installation of electricity meters in an apartment: is it possible to install requirements for placement, how to save on payments

These deadlines are also regulated by the PUE.

The basic standards do not have clear requirements for the design features of electrical panels. However, there are still certain conditions:

1. so that there are no obstacles to installing the meter at an angle of up to one degree;
2. it is necessary to ensure the possibility of comfortable replacement of equipment;
3. there must be free access to the terminals of the electric meter and to the current transformer;
4. It is very important to ensure that all installation and repair work is carried out from the outside of the equipment.

To attach electric meters, it is allowed to use panels made of wood, plastic and metal.

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Read the article about which electricity meters are best for an apartment.

What are the features of paying for electricity when changing a meter?

Despite the absence of an electric meter, life in the apartment continues, household appliances fulfill their functional purpose. Electricity consumption between the removal of the seal and the acceptance of the meter into operation is determined according to a tariff specially established for this case. In the first three months, a kilowatt of electricity is paid at a price based on the average taken over the last six months before replacement.

If the apartment owner does not change the metering device within three months, then payment is made at a tariff with increasing coefficients. From a savings point of view, it is better to take measures to replace it as soon as possible.

Changing the electric meter - who should do it on the landing in 2020

Thus, its functional features are violated and the testimony showing it is not truthful. Therefore, the main reason for replacing such a meter is that it is outdated. Of course, situations when it breaks are not excluded.

Therefore, it is very important to accurately monitor product consumption and identify faults in time.

In this case, it is also necessary to remove the old one and install a new device. Determining the service life of a device is quite simple. The manufacturer is obliged to indicate it on the packaging and provide a guarantee for its product.

If during this period the device arrives

Recommendations for purchasing a new meter

Regardless of the type of meter purchased (induction, electronic, multi-tariff, single-phase, three-phase), in addition to wondering how much the device costs, you need to pay attention to its following characteristics.

• Check the date of the initial meter inspection. PUE (Rules for the Construction of Power Installations) regulate the possibility of installing a metering device if two years have not passed since the initial inspection for single-phase meters and one year for three-phase ones.
• The brand of the meter should be agreed upon with the energy supply organization. It may not be suitable for the accuracy class and in this case will not be accepted for use.
• Check the presence and integrity of seals on the metering device. To access them if you don't know where they are, ask the seller for their location.
• Carefully inspect the meter housing. There should not be any damage to it. The presence of even a small crack will be grounds for refusal to accept the device for operation.
• Be sure to fill out the warranty documents and keep the receipt in case of a factory malfunction of the meter to return it to the store.

In what cases is it necessary to replace the meter?

An electricity meter is a device that has its own technical characteristics and service life. Before starting work, accounting devices are sealed twice. One seal is placed on the mechanism body at the manufacturer’s factory.

It is called a state verification seal and indicates that the meter is not mechanically damaged and is ready for use. Another seal is installed on the safety cover by the energy supply company.

Both seals are numbered, just like the electrical appliance itself, and if they are damaged, the culprit faces a fine. All numbers are recorded in the meter installation certificate, which is a strict reporting form. Reinstalling the meter entails making changes to the documentation, so grounds for its replacement are required. These include:

1. The device failed due to mechanical impact.
2. The meter has stopped showing current readings.
3. The model of the mechanism is outdated and the energy supply company offers to replace it with another modification.

All cases of meter replacement are stipulated in the electricity supply agreement, which is concluded between the resident and the power engineers. The agreement usually stipulates at whose expense the electrical appliance will be replaced.

Features of installing smart meters

The transition to “smart” metering devices is regulated by Federal Law No. 422 of May 4, 2012. One of the points establishes who will pay for this transition from 2020. Since the resource supplying organizations will benefit, they will bear the installation costs. “Smart” meters will reduce the cost of checking and taking readings, since they will provide accounting and verification independently, without the use of additional human resources. They can be equipped with the function of cutting off the electricity supply to debtors.

Replacement will be carried out gradually due to reaching the end of the service life of the electric meter, or its emergency condition. Construction projects commissioned from July 1, 2020 must already be equipped with “smart” metering devices.

Solving the problem of how to replace an electric meter is not particularly difficult. To save money, you can do the replacement work yourself. When performing work, you just need to show care and responsibility. However, the presence of an electricity supplier is mandatory, at least to establish the legality of the new meter.

Features of accommodation in private houses

It is better to install an electric meter in a private house in a heated room.

Best suited for these purposes:

• heated loggia;
• corridor;
• warm hay.

An important point is the inadmissibility of moisture entering the electric meter in the form of precipitation or evaporation. A safety grounding must be installed to the electrical panel, which will prevent damage to electrical equipment. The main installation parameters remain the same as indicated in the basic rules.

Replacing an electricity meter through the Mosenergosbyt website is free

Although a law was passed on free replacement of electricity meters, as you can see, it does not apply to all categories of the population and not to all meters. In 2020, the following situation remains: the majority of citizens change their electricity meters for money.

What can an ordinary electricity consumer who does not belong to any of the benefit groups claim?

The Mosenergosbyt portal says: “When ordering a replacement meter in your Mosenergosbyt Personal Account, you will receive a 100 ruble discount.” There you can also apply for warranty service for the replacement or repair of a failed electricity meter after the end of its warranty period for an additional 2, 4 years and 7 years. So, with a standard 3-year manufacturer's warranty, you can save yourself from headaches for 5-10 years, even if the meters suddenly start to break down an unlimited number of times!

Electricity meters are usually replaced or installed within 9 working days after full prepayment. By the way, if you had an electronic multi-tariff system installed several years ago, then from the beginning of 2014 they do not need to be replaced. The law allows you to reprogram such metering devices, for which you need to contact Moselektrosbyt with a corresponding application. The fastest way to do this is on the portal of PJSC Mosenergosbyt. Reprogramming is not free if you are not one of the beneficiaries. Its cost can be clarified on the website or by calling the dispatcher. It’s good that prices for services do not change often and do not keep up with inflation. There is a list of services that can be paid for on credit.

Russians are expecting a massive replacement of electricity meters. Who will pay for this?

So, fundamental decisions have been made at the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation. All electric meters for all consumers in the country, including us citizens, must become “smart”. And energy companies will install them - they will also be their owners.

This was clearly stated on May 15 by Vyacheslav Kravchenko, Deputy Minister of Energy, at the round table “The situation in the retail electricity market”, organized by.

But there are still discussions about how to achieve this. The bill on the transition to a new accounting system passed its first reading in the State Duma back in November 2020. But since that moment, developers and market players have made many amendments.

Why do they want to change them?

Intelligent (“smart”) meters automatically and remotely transmit readings to the energy company—the consumer no longer has to do this. They signal a network failure. About unauthorized intervention. They can remotely limit and even turn off electricity to a defaulter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdy-UGSxErQ

The discussion about replacing electricity meters with “smart” ones was led by Marianna Maksimovskaya. press service of Inter RAO.

“Such metering devices significantly reduce the costs of both network and distribution companies, significantly reduce the number of disputes and disagreements between consumers, sales and network companies, and minimize losses,” says Deputy Minister Kravchenko.

And even more than that: they minimize theft, authorities hope.

Ilnar Mirsiyapov, head of the strategy and investment unit, installed counters for the experiment in the Kaliningrad, Tula and Yaroslavl regions. Electricity losses have decreased by 10-30%, according to several media reports.

Who will be responsible for the meters?

Who will install smart meters? Definitely not citizens. Most experts agreed: sales companies will install them in apartment buildings, and network companies will install them in private residential buildings and legal entities.

These same companies will also become their owners: whoever installed them will put them on their balance sheet and bear full responsibility for them. With one caveat: large consumers buying electricity on the wholesale market will own meters, as they do now.

Valery Nagornov, General Director of Altaienergosbyt:

“This decision was made in the interests of consumers - after all, network organizations have virtually no contact with consumers from apartment buildings.

By transferring responsibility for the safety, verification and replacement of meters from citizens to professional market participants, we are protecting the weak side, believes Natalya Nevmerzhitskaya, Chairman of the Board of the Association of Guaranteed Suppliers and Energy Supply Organizations.

When will the replacement start?

The authorities do not intend to rebuild the electricity metering system immediately. The deadline for the next verification has come or the meter is broken - they will replace it with a modern one.

But the authorities have not yet announced the start date of perestroika. Perhaps it will be January 1, 2020. From now on, the release of obsolete (not “smart”) meters will not be allowed, Kravchenko explained.

At the same time, industrialists will be ready to completely switch to the production of new generation meters within a year, the deputy minister assured.

Who will pay for the replacement?

Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Energy, “smart” meters for individuals cost 3.5–7 thousand rubles.

In other words, the overall costs of metering reform will be considerable: in the Altaienergosbyt coverage area alone, the calibration interval for 28 thousand metering devices will end in 2020.

It turns out that if the law had already come into force, their installation would have required at least 100 million rubles. Who, according to the developers of the reform, will pay for this?

Consumers will not have to pay directly, Vyacheslav Kravchenko assured - the costs will be borne by energy companies. Although, of course, the consumer ultimately pays for everything, he admitted.

Will tariffs increase?

Officials reassure: the implementation of the program will not lead to an increase in tariffs. Despite the costs that energy companies will incur.

Vitaly Korolev, deputy head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service:

— The forecast of socio-economic development, which is approved by the government annually, provides for the possibility of increasing the tariff for the population by about 5% per year. That is, there will not be a tariff increase of more than 5% on average in Russia.

In addition, according to Vyacheslav Kravchenko, the authorities will limit the cost of the meter, which can be taken into account when calculating the tariff for the energy company. “This will encourage manufacturers to reduce the cost of metering devices,” the official believes.

Electricity meter.

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They will pay from savings

Officials explain the conclusion that new costs will not lead to an increase in tariffs. Installing smart meters will lead to savings - not only for consumers, but also for energy companies.

Brake for retail

It must be said that not all details of the reform have yet received support in the expert community. For example, the same Natalya Nevmerzhitskaya is not sure that responsibility for meters should be removed from industrial enterprises that have the service of a chief power engineer.

First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee Sergei Yesyakov believes: such a design will lead to the fact that residents of apartment buildings will be strictly tied to sales companies.

Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Energy Sergei Yesyakov. press service of Inter RAO.