1. business and industrial
2. energy
3. electricity

Field vs. Shop
Meter Testing
The Logistics
The Economics
The Equipment
By
John Young
Primary Lines Inc.
March Madness!!!
Field vs. Shop
Meter Testing
The Logistics
The Economics
The Equipment
By
John Young
Primary Lines Inc.
It’s No Longer
Load-Boxes & StopWatches!
With the recent advent of portable
lab-grade automated meter test equipment,
many utilities are examining the idea of
routine meter test
being performed in the field
rather than the shop.
Field testing should be looked at
separately in context of
Single Phase, Polyphase,
and High Bill Complaint.
• The available equipment for single phase &
polyphase varies by type of meter
• The required skill level varies by type of meter
installation
• The impact on the utility and its bottom line is greatly
different for each category
Single Phase (Residential)
• Single Phase Constitutes the majority of testing
requirements in terms of numbers of meters
• Least complex meter installation- Usually no more
than 4 Forms employed (1S, 2S, 3S, 4S)
• Residential errors have least impact on utility bottom
line
• Residential errors have greatest impact on public and
PUC/PSC perceptions of the power utility
Formerly, residential field test almost
as complex as 3-phase:
Field Work
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Arrive, set up test kit
Start to fill out test card
Check meter form, Kh
Make meter connections
Start Full Load burden, adjust to desired amperage
Run 10 Turns, Stop
Record results
Adjust for Light Load burden
Run 1 (or 2) turns, Stop
Record results
Get out calculator and compute weighted average
Record Results & any site problems
Reseal Meter & Pack Test Kit
Repeat process, turn in test cards at end of day
Residential field test :
Back-office Work
Enter results info file system
Periodically prepare required reports
Advances in field testing equipment
have streamlined the process:
Field Work
1
2
3
4
5
Arrive, remove tester from carry bag
Check form
Remove meter, plug in tester, plug meter into tester
Confirm form and Kh as detected by meter tester
Push “Start”, wait for tester to indicate test completion (time for
one donut!)
6 Enter meter number into tester & enter any site problems
7 Remove meter from tester, tester from base
8 Replace & Re-Seal meter, Pack Test Kit
Repeat Process, download meter tester to PC at end of day
Advances in field testing equipment
have streamlined the process:
Back Office Work
Periodically prepare required reports
Shop Test Venue:
Field Work
1
2
3
4
5
Field Person arrives on site with new meter
Record meter number & reading on card
Pull Meter, replace with new
Record new meter number & initial reading on card
Turn in old meters & test cards at end of day
Shop Test Venue:
Back-Office Work
• Enter Meter change data into CIS & billing systems
• Explain reading change & “odd bill” to customer on
phone
Shop Test Venue:
Lab Work
•
•
•
•
•
Remove & clean glass
Test Meter in automated tester
Zero Register
Replace glass, seal
Return to warehouse
Financial comparisons
Travel time and expense is assumed as a constant for
both venues
$28.00/hr assumed labor constant
Shop Test Venue:
Typical Unit Cost
Meter pull/ replace time: 8 minutes $3.68
Shop test time : 8 minutes $3.68
Crating & Handling: 2 minutes $0.92
Tagging & Inventory: 4 minutes $1.84
Data Management/records: 2 minutes $0.92
Total per meter cost $11.04
Field Test Venue:
Typical Unit Cost With Automated Field Tester
Field Test Time: 11 minutes $5.06
Data Management: 2 minutes $0.92
Total per meter cost $5.98
SHOP EXPENSES - TOTAL $11.04
Crating and Handling
$0.92
2 Minutes
Tag and Inventory
4 Minutes
Shop Test
8 Minutes
$1.84
$3.68
$3.68
Field Expense
8 Minutes
$0.92 Data Management
2 Minutes
FIELD EXPENSES - TOTAL $5.98
Data Management
2 Minutes
$0.92
$5.06
Field Test
11 Minutes
Three Phase Testing
Divided into two groups:
Self Contained & Transformer-Rated
Self Contained 3-Phase Field Test
• Self-contained installation is only slightly more
complex than residential
• ANSI testing requires element test & series
• New “inexpensive” automated test equipment now
available and can perform an ANSI accuracy test to
within the rated accuracy of most solid state selfcontained meters.
• Economics probably close with new automated field
test equipment as overwhelming majority of meters
tested could be left in place after test.
Proper Transformer Rated Testing
involves more than just
testing the meter
• Experience has shown 90-95% of site problems are
outside of the meter.
• Site Testing equipment can “verify” a meter to within
test standards (+/- 1%, +/- 2%) NOTE: An autoranging meter using VT’s to meter a 480V circuit at
120V should receive a complete site check, not just a
meter test.
Customer Complaint Testing
• The majority of high-bill complaints come from
residential customers.
• The majority of customer high-bill tests result in a
meter that is either within specification, or underregistering in favor of the customer
• Customers do not like lab testing.
Customers do not like lab testing
because:
They do not like loosing “custody” of the meter
during process
Customers do not like
manual test kits or stopwatch tests
with a clamp-on ammeter
Customers do not understand metering
concepts & testing process.
As soon as you pull out the calculator,
you have lost their confidence.
Equipment Survey
Single Phase/Residential
• Lightweight & Portable Test Kits are now available
which offer lab-grade accuracy with automatic test
data retention.
• Weighing under 10 lbs, these units offer accuracy of
0.02% (and better)
• Field test time is reduced by 2/3rd compared to
traditional “test kits”
Typical Modern Residential
Field Test Kit
Probewell MT1-NT
Three Phase Meter Test Sets
• Lightweight & Portable Test Kits are now available for
self-contained application, which offer lab-grade
accuracy with automatic test data retention.
• Weighing under 10 lbs, these units offer accuracy of
0.02% (and better)
• Field test time is reduced by 2/3rd compared to
traditional “test kits”
New Generation 3-Phase
Meter Test Sets
MT-1/NT9
Other 3-Phase Meter Test Set
TransData Model 2130
Powermetrix
Other 3-Phase Meter Test Set
Tesco
Powermetrix
Typical “Site Check” Devices
Fisher-Pierce PCA
Spinlab Bird-Dog Plus
Conclusions
With the advent of relatively inexpensive (Under $4K)
field test equipment for single phase applications and
3-phase self-contained applications (under $10K),
field testing has proven to be more economic
than shop testing procedures.
THANK YOU!
Have a great day!
Questions?
We invite you to call if you require additional information or assistance.
John J Young
PLI - Primary Lines Inc
610-751-0983
[email protected]
www.primarylines.net