3 Phase Meter - house move

[Simon0211]

Hi all, just moved into our new house (old in age)with economy 7 and am looking to put in a basic energy monitor but am wondering if I have a 3 phase meter....does this mean I have 3 live inputs, one neutral and earth?



Would I therefore need to have 3 clips for the energy monitor around each of the lives to get a reading.

Also why would it be 3 phase (if it is?) as opposed to single phase?

Thanks in advance?

 

[Silly Sausage]

Single phase there, mate!

 

[Simon0211]

Oh really, ok thanks, live on the left presumably? am I right in thinking 3 is neutral and 4 earth? If so what are wires 2 and 5?

Thanks

 

[MFS Electrical]

It’s a single phase multi rate for things like storage heaters/immersion heaters you will need two clamps one for the Normal rate and one for the night rate or else you’ll not get accurate readings.

 

[Wilko]

Hello Simon and Welcome to the Forum!
As Archy and MFS have said, it's a single phase supply in and two outputs, one for 24 hour use and the other on a timer. In my humble opinion the meter tails (the 5 grey cables) are not nicely dressed, which may mean they also haven't been tightened correctly. So please been mindful if you are poking about in there. Any doubts, call your energy supplier (written on bill, maybe SSE).

 

[Simon0211]

Thanks for the replies, really helpful.

A couple of further questions
MFS - which 2 tails would I put the 2 clamps on?
Wilko- will def be mindful of your comments when in that area.

The energy monitor has the option for an LED sensor to read the output - on the red flashing pulse I believe, I assume that would be a better way of doing it over the clamp method?

 

[snowhead]

which 2 tails would I put the 2 clamps on?

The 2 on the far right, 4 and 5
4 is live all the time , 5 only live off peak (if you have storage heating etc)

The energy monitor has the option for an LED sensor to read the output - on the red flashing pulse I believe, I assume that would be a better way of doing it over the clamp method?

Given the state of the cables into the meter, that would be a better option.

 

[telectrix]

and what muppet put earth tape round a live conductor?

 

[Deleted member 26818]

You would put the clips on the first 2 on the left, the incoming mains.

 

[Simon0211]

Ok contradicting thoughts......2 on the left or 2 on the right?

The 2 on the right follow the example diag Wilko put in....but perhaps not in reality??

 

[Deleted member 26818]

As far as I am aware, the clips need to be attached to Line and Neutral.
Cables 1 and 2 are Line and Neutral.
Cables 4 and 5 are both Line, one of which is live, only some of the time.

 

[ElectroChem]

If you only want an overall usage graph then you only need one clip, on the incoming line. If you want to tell apart peak and off-peak usage, then two clips on the outgoing line(s).
Only rarely would you clamp the active and neutral of an incomer separately, say if you were hunting for leakage returns via the earth.

 

[snowhead]

As far as I am aware, the clips need to be attached to Line and Neutral.
Cables 1 and 2 are Line and Neutral.
Cables 4 and 5 are both Line, one of which is live, only some of the time.

I've never seen of fitted one of these but have just looked around at them.
If you buy a monitor with a single clip as most seem to be then as above it goes on cable 1.
If you buy the LED one then no clip involved.

If you want the monitor away from the meter you'll need to buy one with a wireless link.
The monitors work out off peak use.

 

[Simon0211]

Thanks for all the replies, really helpful and has cleared up my queries.

One final question, I noticed yesterday that the time on the meter is about 30mins out, is there a way to change this and will it likely effect the night rate time?