Each property owner sooner or later has to be interested in how to replace the electricity meter in the apartment. Not always the main reason lies in the technical malfunctions of the device. There may be many prerequisites. However, the procedure for paperwork and installation work is the same.
Which appliance can be installed instead of the old one?
Before you replace the electric meter in the apartment, you need to choose the best option for specific operating conditions. The modern market offers a large number of models that differ in basic parameters and sizes.
First, you should decide on the type of device according to the principle of operation.
- The induction counter functions due to the generated magnetic field, which affects the rotating element. Usually a special disk is installed inside the product.
- Electronic countermakes measurements by converting analog electrical current signals into a special pulse or code. Instead of the usual disk, a light indicator is installed.
Next, you need to decide on the number of tariffs. With the active use of electrical energy at night, you can think about purchasing devices that have the ability to measure at different times of the day. When choosing, one cannot ignore the option of connecting to an electrical network, which can have one or three phases. Don't forget about functionality as well.
Law considerations
Before starting work, you need to understand who has the right to replace the electric meter in the apartment, who will have to pay for verification and other activities related to removing the old device and installing a new one. Ignorance of the legal aspects can lead to unnecessary problems with the law.
The Civil Code states that the owner of the dwelling bears all the financial costs of servicing the appliances on his own. According to regulatory documentation, the property owner is obliged to pay for the following operations:
- directly installing the device for electricity metering;
- replacement of the product due to the end of the operational period or other possible reasons;
- service consisting of verification and calibration.
All of the above items are relevant only for privatizedareas of residence. However, many do not understand who is obliged to replace the electric meter in a municipal apartment, although the answer lies on the surface. For such events, the city or village government must pay, since the property is their property.
The removal of the old meter and the installation of a new one must be done with the permission of the energy supply company. In any region of the Russian Federation, replacing devices without notifying such an organization is considered a violation of the contract, therefore, it can lead to a fine in the form of a serious amount of money.
Which meters need to be replaced?
Knowing who is obliged to replace the electricity meter in the apartment, you need to understand in what cases this needs to be done. Quite often this is due to the fact that the devices are simply outdated. For example, now there have been changes that do not allow the use of products with a measurement error of more than 2 percent. The accuracy class of a particular model can be found in the technical data sheet.
Instruments must also be replaced in the following situations:
- in case of incorrect functioning of the counting mechanism;
- if there are serious deformation changes on the case;
- in case of leakage or defects in the viewing window.
Operation of metering devices with damage usually leads to an increase in measurement errors. Financial losses can be borne not only by network organizations, but alsoconsumers.
Standard documentation
Before you change the electricity meter in the apartment yourself, you must submit an application from the owner of the property directly to the company that provides energy to the house in the region. She is obliged to accept it and explain all the rules of such an event.
The application must contain the contact details of the customer and the address of the facility where the replacement will be carried out. It is mandatory to reflect the details of the contract for the conduct of energy supply. You must have documents confirming the right of ownership with you. If the organization is contacted not by the owner himself, but by his representative, then a power of attorney must be provided.
Qualifications and tools for work
Before you replace the electric meter in the apartment, you should familiarize yourself with the qualification requirements that apply to the masters of energy companies, and the necessary tools for the work. Organization workers must have Group 3 clearance or higher.
Despite the required level of qualification, the legislation does not prohibit independent work. Replacing the device without the involvement of specialists is quite possible. However, to carry out such an operation, a certain set of tools is required, which includes:
- digital multimeter;
- screwdrivers (flat and Phillips);
- cutters;
- pliers.
For markupa marker is useful. Insulating tape will be needed to hide exposed contacts.
General installation rules
The question of whether it is possible to replace the electric meter in the apartment yourself is no longer asked, since the answer was positive. However, work cannot be carried out without knowledge of the general principles of installation. They will be especially useful when moving the counter to another location.
- The device is installed in a convenient place for reading, maintenance and technical inspection.
- The room in which the new meter will be located must be dry with a temperature regime of more than 0 degrees.
- The device can be mounted on shields made of metal, plastic or wood.
- The optimal height for placing the device ranges from 150 to 170 cm.
Usually, along with the installation of the product, the installation of circuit breakers is carried out. Their choice must be made taking into account the load characteristics of the electric line.
How to replace an electric meter in an apartment: a sequence of actions
If the seal has already been removed, then you can proceed to dismantle the old device and install a new one. In this case, a certain sequence of actions should be followed.
- First, the switch on the submarine line is turned off. It may not be available in old-style electrical networks, but according to the rules of electrical installations, its presence is a prerequisite.
- Next, the retaining screws are unscrewed,and the cover is removed. Using a measuring device, the voltage at the terminals of an electrical device is checked.
- Now the wires are disconnected directly from the meter. If there is no color marking, it is recommended to take a felt-tip pen and make special marks.
- Dismantling is completed by unscrewing the fasteners. The new device is installed in the reverse order. If it is transferred to another location, then new holes will need to be made to fix it.
- Wiring in progress. With four outputs, the phase output is connected first, and then the zero one.
- At the final stage, the installed device is tested. To do this, just turn on household appliances or lighting. The disc should spin to the right.
The job is not super complicated, so many property owners already know how to replace the electricity meter in the apartment. In Moscow, such a procedure will have to pay a considerable amount. Do-it-yourself installation of the device will help save money.
If the power grid cannot be turned off
There are places where it is not possible to turn off the power supply, so some people are thinking about how to change the electricity meter in the apartment under power. Despite the potential risk of electric shock, this option is quite acceptable. In this case, you do not have to disconnect other consumers directly from the network.
Option with observance of techniquesafety implies the use of terminal test boxes, which are a base made of non-combustible material with a lid. They have bolt clamps and special contact pads. When replacing, it is necessary to remove the voltage from the installed device and short-circuit the secondary windings.
The terminating plug is made as a simple screw, equipped with an insulated holder for safe use. Using screwdrivers with special handles, the contact plates are lifted up. After performing this action, the current metering circuit will close through a common plate, and not through the meter. It remains to replace the device according to the standard procedure.
Actions after installing a new device
The above description of the replacement process allows you to understand how to replace the electric meter in the apartment yourself. However, after installing a new device, the process cannot be considered complete. The installed meters must be mandatory checked and sealed by employees of regional companies involved in energy supply. They usually send an inspector from a branch that is within the service area of a residential area upon request.
Additional information must be attached to the application:
- technical data sheet of the installed product;
- readings taken from the dismantled device;
- documents to identify the owner of the dwelling;
- in some cases, a seal is required that was removed from the old device.
After replacing the electricity meter in the apartmentsucceeded, an act on the replacement made is drawn up directly. It is signed by both parties. The document contains the following information: the address of the residential building and the place of installation, the characteristics of the new device with a description of the model and year of manufacture, as well as the date of installation and details of the organization.
Privileges and contentious issues
According to the decree of the government of the Russian Federation, metering devices located in privatized apartments do not belong to common house property. They do not fall under the jurisdiction of service organizations. Therefore, replacement, installation, dismantling, sealing, verification and other activities are carried out at the expense of the property owner.
However, individuals may think about how to replace the electricity meter in the apartment for free. This category of the population includes:
- large families;
- veterans and participants of the Second World War;
- pensioners with small benefits.
A certain ambiguity exists with metering devices that are not located inside a residential apartment. Employees of management companies interpret the legislation in their favor, since the common property of the building includes equipment that serves several apartments, and not just one.
As for lawyers, they consider the law from a different angle. If metering devices are located in the entrance, then they should be equated to the common property of a residential building. To avoid difficulties, it is recommended to study the contract more carefully,concluded with the management company.
Checking correct accounting
I managed to find out if it is possible to replace the electric meter in the apartment myself, but is there a way to make sure that the accounting is correct? This is necessary if, after the replacement, the amount of payment for electricity has increased significantly over time. There are special testing methods to ensure the accuracy of the instrument readings.
The easiest option is to completely disconnect the home from the electrical network. The meter must be energized. After turning off, note the time and follow the disk of the induction product or the indicator of the electronic analogue. For the first of them, the disk should not make more than one revolution within 15 minutes. As for the electronic device, only one pulse is allowed.
A more complex option involves determining the error with which the counter is operating at a given time. To do this, you will also have to completely turn off all appliances and lighting. A device with a light bulb with a power of 100 watts can act as a standard. It connects to the network, after which, using a stopwatch, the time of a perfect impulse or revolution is calculated.
When calculating the error, the formula shown in the table is used.
| E=(Ptn/3600-1)100% | |
| P | Power of the reference used |
| t | Time to make a revolution or impulse |
| Gear ratio (available on the device) | |
If a negative number is obtained after calculations, then the installed device works in advance mode. A positive error indicates that the product slows down. To be convincing, the calculations are carried out with standards of different power. An error of no more than 10 percent can be considered normal.
Maintenance work
Persons who have the third group of access to electrical installations or higher are allowed to work on the maintenance of the device. They must complete a full safety briefing. The primary task of specialists is to check the reliability of connecting the power and interface circuits of the device.
To do this, remove the seal from the protective cover, and then remove the dust directly from the terminal block. Then carefully tighten the screws that secure the power and interface cables. After checking and tightening the fasteners, you need to install the cover back, fixing it with special latches, and seal it.
As a conclusion
From the above information, we managed to find out whether it is possible to replace the electric meter in the apartment on our own without inviting the master. The process of dismantling and installing the device is not difficult, therefore, in most cases it does not lead to negative results, especially if safety precautions are strictly observed.
