metering basement rental property

[powerplay]

I was asked how to install a meter to monitor basement suites power consumption, but not with the power authority's meter. Is there a product that can be installed to monitor power consumption to an basement suite inexpensively?

 

[texie]

http://www.emon.com/index.html

 

[augie47]

If the intent is to bill the rental unit for power, you might check the legal aspects closely. In many areas, it is not legal to "re-sell" power.

 

[stew]

I just install a regular meter base. my local supplier also has meters. the E Mon D Mon is very spendy in comparison.Also I dont think its my responsibility to monitor whta the customer does with the meter readings he gets.Thats between him and the poco. I just install per code and get paid.

 

[sgunsel]

Sub-metering and charging is legitimate in many areas. Common at small apartments, condo offices and such. Sounds like owner wnts to get handle on house loads (not metered to tenants).

 

[kwired]

I just install a regular meter base. my local supplier also has meters. the E Mon D Mon is very spendy in comparison.Also I dont think its my responsibility to monitor whta the customer does with the meter readings he gets.Thats between him and the poco. I just install per code and get paid.

I can get old dial type meters from a local POCO for $25. They have gone to digital meters for their services with remote reading. I could use one to monitor anything I want not just what a tenant uses. Maybe I want to know how much of my electric usage is from my heat pump.

 

[gar]

110717-1436 EDT

texie:

I went to the website you referenced. I could find no useful information.

What are the specifications for each part? How does the system or systems work? How does their current sensor work? Implication is that it is not a normal type of current transformer. Thus, is it a Hall sensor or some other kind of magnetic field sensor? What is the working voltage range? Like 100 to 130 V or 85 to 125 or what? What does their current rating mean? What kind of data is available? What is the sample rate? What is the accuracy? How good is the performance as the load power factor is varied from 1.0 to 0.0 ? And many more questions.

As bad as the TED website is I can learn more about their system from their website than about emon systems from the emon site.
.

 

[texie]

110717-1436 EDT

texie:

I went to the website you referenced. I could find no useful information.

What are the specifications for each part? How does the system or systems work? How does their current sensor work? Implication is that it is not a normal type of current transformer. Thus, is it a Hall sensor or some other kind of magnetic field sensor? What is the working voltage range? Like 100 to 130 V or 85 to 125 or what? What does their current rating mean? What kind of data is available? What is the sample rate? What is the accuracy? How good is the performance as the load power factor is varied from 1.0 to 0.0 ? And many more questions.

As bad as the TED website is I can learn more about their system from their website than about emon systems from the emon site.
.

You sound angry about it. Sorry you didn't find it useful. I just mentioned EMON as it it is one of the more popular makers of this type of product. There are other manufacturers offering similar products.

 

[texie]

I just install a regular meter base. my local supplier also has meters. the E Mon D Mon is very spendy in comparison.Also I dont think its my responsibility to monitor whta the customer does with the meter readings he gets.Thats between him and the poco. I just install per code and get paid.

You're right-the standard POCO style meter is cheaper-but with a little CT type like the EMON (or similar-I don't want to offend) you can meter multiple branch circuits just by passing them thru the CT's of the same phase and they add to the reading. This is very handy since often in these installations there are multiple branch circuits to the area you want to measure.
Another problem with a POCO style meter is I have never seen a meter socket without a permanatley bonded neutral which is a problem if used for other than service equipment.

 

[kwired]

You're right-the standard POCO style meter is cheaper-but with a little CT type like the EMON (or similar-I don't want to offend) you can meter multiple branch circuits just by passing them thru the CT's of the same phase and they add to the reading. This is very handy since often in these installations there are multiple branch circuits to the area you want to measure.
Another problem with a POCO style meter is I have never seen a meter socket without a permanatley bonded neutral which is a problem if used for other than service equipment.

Pretty sure I replied to this but must have been lost in the problems the forum recently had so I will post it again.

You can pass the neutral through the meter can without landing it on the provided neutral lugs that are bonded to the can. If necessary you can land a EGC on that lug. If meter needs a neutral it will be a fifth jaw anyway and it will not meter neutral current. It just needs a neutral for functionality purposes.

Someone correct me if I am wrong but I believe the fifth jaw is only needed if metering 120/208 single phase.