our customer is using the building power supply for there equipment and the building owner is having us reuse a 480v single phase meter as metering device for billing purposes. The prints shows us reusing metering device but do you guys think that will fly with inspector? the 480v will be inline with circuit to meter power usage. We normally would use a Emon Dmon but thats not on SOW. my question is can a meter and meter can be used in such a way?
metering device
- Thread starter mannyb
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electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
I dont see why not. I have installed "utility style" meters for sub-metering on several occasions. You could also check out EKM meters (just google it), they are great and low cost. The two notes of caution I can think of: 1) if using a standard meter socket, make sure the neutral can be unbonded from the can 2) sub-metering is technically not legal in some places, but of course pretty hard to enforce. If you have a tenant that reports you, you probably dont want them as a tenant anyway
- Location
- Massachusetts
2) sub-metering is technically not legal in some places, but of course pretty hard to enforce. If you have a tenant that reports you, you probably dont want them as a tenant anyway
Funny, I would not want to be a tennant of a law breaker.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Nothing is wrong with measuring that energy, it is the sale of it that may be illegal.
One can still monitor usage and bill customer accordingly just be careful how it is done. Itemizing kWhrs on an invoice is probably not the way to do it. Figuring out the average usage and factoring that cost into the rent is not selling energy.
One can still monitor usage and bill customer accordingly just be careful how it is done. Itemizing kWhrs on an invoice is probably not the way to do it. Figuring out the average usage and factoring that cost into the rent is not selling energy.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Check your local laws, they vary greatly from place to place.
meternerd
Senior Member
- Location
- Athol, ID
- Occupation
- retired water & electric utility electrician, meter/relay tech
A single phase 480V meter would be a Form 2S. Not too many around and buying a new one would be several hundred bucks, which is why he wants to use the old one. If it's an old electro-mechanical, I'd worry a bit about accuracy. Sub-metering at the retail rate or the wholesale rate? In most all states, re-selling power at the retail rate is a no-no. When utilities credit customers who produce more solar than they use, at the end of the billing cycle, the customer gets credit at the wholesale rate. Have to be a utility to sell retail everywhere I've ever worked. Maybe just a West coast thing, though.
electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
From my experience in the parts of the country I have been and investigated the issue, I would not agree with "most all". Maybe it is different in your neck of the woods.
- Location
- Massachusetts
My experiance is the same as meternerd, in most cases selling power is prohibited.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Maybe not so much prohibited, but to attain proper licensing, authority, or whatever status is necessary is just not worth it for such a small amount of net sales.
If you do sell power you will need to comply with standards on certain aspects just like all other utilities, collect and remit sales taxes where applicable, maybe other fees related to your city, state, etc.
electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
Selling power likely but being reimbursed not so much. Occording to this site, 22 states have sub metering regulations, but most are not prohibitions just standards and rules
http://www.ncsl.org/research/energy/utility-submetering.aspx
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