Stopping power meter? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Mr. OBrien
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2014, 08:05:00 am
content: So I have a spare power meter in the house trying to figure out how the device in this video feeds a signal into the line to stop the meters induction motor. seems interesting but I have no idea where to start. CAn anybody tell me what kind of circuit this guy is using?

author: Richard Head
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2014, 09:36:43 am
content: No! Pay for electricity like everyone else.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2014, 04:19:16 pm
content: A switch to turn off unused devices? It works and is perfectly legal. It works especially well on some old devices with high standby losses.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2014, 05:41:22 pm
content: The simplest is to drive the current coil into saturation, either by using a massive mains rated capacitor or a massive inductor, so that the reactive current is over the rated current of the meter.However the newer meters ( those made in the last 20 years, and all electronic ones), will measure properly with this massive power factor error with no problems, and will actually overread the power used slightly. They are linear up to rated current with a resistive or reactive load with a power factor over 0.6, but under 0.6 they will have a slight error, always in the utilities favour.The way to stop or slow down the mechanical meters was to use a supermagnet attached close to the eddy current disk, so that it had extra drag. This though is very visible to the meter reader, and if one is found attached to the meter the typical response is for the meter and wiring to be removed, and the address blacklisted for power service for a period, or for them to install a prepayment meter at your expense and in a non accessible place off the property.Simplest is to tap off before the meter........... Though here that is solved by them bringing in a front loader and removing the meter along with the cabling from the street by ripping it out through the wall.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2014, 05:51:04 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on November 24, 2014, 05:41:22 pmI saw a meter housing that was broken, because someone had placed a huge and strong neodymium magnet next to it.The mechanical force was so high, that the housing snapped.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2014, 06:00:53 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on November 24, 2014, 05:41:22 pmA powerful magnet works well at stopping a great many electronic meters, too. As long as there is a magnetic core to saturate, a powerful enough magnet will do the job. An RC power supply or and SMPS with an air cored transformer is used in many meters to make them immune, but plenty are still susceptible. There isn't really a serious problem with meter readers arriving. Its so quick and easy to remove a magnet, as long as you are careful to avoid black fingernails. :-)

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2014, 06:40:08 pm
content: Here meters are mostly not in the house any more, most are either on the outside wall ( properties upgraded after 1950 or so) or on the outside boundary wall 9 all after around 2000) so they can be read without anybody being home. Only houses built before 1950 will have the meter in the kitchen, and there the condition on the house being sold is that the overhead bare wiring is now replaced with either airdac, split concentric cable or SWA cable, with the meter in a housing on the boundary wall.

author: SNGLinks
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2014, 07:04:57 pm
content: I know of 'someone' who had solar panels fitted and the meter went backwards when the sun came out.Then the electricity company said that the meter was not compatible with solar panels and had to have a more modern meter fitted.Ashley

author: sunnyhighway
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2014, 10:09:52 pm
content: Quote from: SNGLinks on November 27, 2014, 07:04:57 pmThat old meter was technically perfectly compatible with solar panels.The only problem is that it isn't compatible with their billing rules.They just want to buy your solar power cheaper than they want to deliver it to you.

author: mamalala
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 28, 2014, 10:05:22 am
content: Quote from: sunnyhighway on November 27, 2014, 10:09:52 pmWhich is what they do with any other source of electricity as well. They buy for a given price, then you have to add the cost for the grid, for the meter, taxes, profits, etc. So you will always end up paying more per kWh than what the electricity company paid. There is no reason to think that someone who feeds electricity into the grid should get the same amount of money that he would have to pay if he would take that electricity out of the grid.Greetings,Chris