Guideline P.O.

Box 7550
CH-6302 Zug / Switzerland

Physical Address:
Dammstrasse 16
CH-6300 Zug / Switzerland

Phone +41-41-724 24 48
Fax +41-41-724 24 25

Date Author Phone direct / E-Mail

April 2016 Horst Adams +41-41-724 27 03

How to locate customer needs in the field of portables for electricity

Customer requirements in the field of meter testing are sometimes a little bit confusing. The representative is
challenged to offer suitable equipment or to give sufficient information to the principal in order to work out a
quotation. This paper can be used as a guideline in the discussion with the customer. Depending on the local
situation some questions do not make any sense or others should be added.

1. General questions
1.1 Where does the customer want to test meters?
 Laboratory  On-site  Rough factory environment  Usage in laboratory
conditions (without air conditioning and on-site
etc.)
Comments/Evaluation
Laboratory conditions mean clean environment with air conditioning and controlled humidity. Here
all test equipment can be offered.
In all other cases you have to know, which environmental influences exist and if the offered unit is
suitable for this purpose.
1.2 How many meters should be tested simultaneously?
 1 Meter  2 Meters  3 Meters  More than 3 meters
Comments/Evaluation
In case of 1 meter testing, all portable reference standards are possible.
In case of testing 2 meters at the same time PWS 3.3 and PWS2.3 genX are available. For 3 meters
PRS 600.3, CALPORT 300 or K2006 are possible.
For 4 meters and more it should be a stationary system (see guidelines stationaries)
1.3 Transportation capability of the unit
 Portable  Moveable  Stationary
Comments/Evaluation
Portable (see next chapter)
Moveable (tailor made; contact your principal)
Stationary (see guideline stationary test equipment)
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Guideline for portables
2. Questions regarding Portable test equipment
In the range of portables we principally have following alternatives (tables see ppt file).
To find out suitable solutions for the customer, some information are useful:
2.1 What kind of meters should be tested?
 Electro mechanical meters  Electronic meters
 Whole current meter  CT operated meter
 Maximum demand meter  4 Quadrant meter
 Max. number of  Max. number of
Maximum Demand registers: …….. Tariff registers: ……..
 Substandard meters
 Further technical data
 Nominal frequency
- 50 Hz
- 60 Hz
- 16 2/3 Hz
 Minimum nominal current:
…………………
 Maximum current:
…………………
 Max. voltage
 Phase-Neutral: …………………
 Phase-Phase: …………………
 Highest accuracy class of the meter under
tests
 Power proportional Pulse output
 S0-output according to DIN
 Non-potential contact
 Other outputs, e.g. KYZ pulse
 Number of outputs
 Design
 Bottom-connected / rectangular design
 Bottom-connected / round design
 Socket type according to ANSI standard
 19 inch plug-in unit
 Measurement modes
 2 wire active/reactive
 3 wire active/reactive true
 3 wire reactive cross-connected A/B
 4 wire active/reactive
 4 wire reactive cross-connected
 4 wire apparent
 Others: …………………
…………………
Evaluation/Comments
Electro mechanical / Electronic meters
Today all our test systems are able to test both. Our scanning heads are able to detect LED pulses
as well as disk mark revolutions. If the customer has a lot of electromechanical meters SH 11 with
automatic adjustment feature can be very useful.
Whole current meters
Pls. consider max. current of the meter under test to select the right standard.
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Guideline for portables
CT operated meters
Pls. note, that it is possible to connect high current clamps to PRS 600.3 / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300
/ PWS 2.3 genX and CheckMeter 2.3 to test meters from the primary side with consideration of the
ratio. In PRS 600.3 / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300 error of common clamps can be compensated.
For PRS 600.3 / CALPORT 300 / PWS 3.3 /PTS 2.3 C and PWS 2.3 genX flexible current sensor
FLEX 3000 can be used. These FLEX 3000 are very suitable for on-site tests of primary currents in
low voltage networks.
PRS 600.3 / CALPORT 300 /PWS 3.3 /PTS 2.3 C (only current) and PWS 2.3 genX have the
possibility to connect high voltage/current sensors for testing in high voltage networks from the
primary side.
Maximum demand meters
All MTE 3-phase standards are able to test maximum demand.
4 Quadrant meters
Pls. note, that our standards are able to test both energy directions without changing the connection.
Test of other substandard meters
K2006 / PRS 600.3 / PWS 3.3 and CALPORT 300 have power proportional input to calibrate other
substandard meters
Nominal frequency
Our standards are designed for 50 and 60 Hz measurement. 16 2/3 Hz is general possible, but
requires a customer specific design. This is important to know for the test report only. Because
standards should be tested at the frequency of the later use.
Minimum nominal current
IEC standard requires for start test 0.5% and lowest load point is 5% of the nominal current.
For instance 10/60 A meter will be tested at 50 mA. One of the outstanding features from our
standards is the very low measurement current of our error-compensated clamps. We differentiate
between 10 A and 100 A clamp. For instance 10 A clamp starts to measure at 5 mA.
Power proportional Pulse output
Our standards work according to the substandard meter comparison method, which means they
compare pulses or disk revolutions of the meter under test with internal power proportional pulses.
Pulses or disk revolutions can be detected by scanning head or can be counted by using a snap
switch. Another possibility can be S0-pulses or non-potential pulses. On our standards all 3 variants
can be connected, although snap switch is not recommended for high accurate tests.
Design of the meter
This is important to know for adaptation of the scanning head. Our holding device can be adapted to
round meters as an option also. For 19” inch plug-in units we have special scanning heads with
magnetic probe.
Measurement mode
For single phase meters we have the standard CheckMeter 2.1 and CheckSystem 2.1 (with internal
current source) in our programme. For three phase meters K2006 / PRS 600.3 / PWS 3.3 and
CALPORT 300 have all measurement modes. PWS 2.3 genX and CheckMeter 2.3 have all modes
except 3/4wire reactive cross-connected. In case of symmetric net conditions, true measurement
mode can be used for it as well.
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2.2 What does the customer intend to do on-site?
There are different reasons to test meters on-site:
 Installation
 Continuous check after defined time
 Handling of customer claims
Installation
During installation it is important to know:
 Are the meters still o.k. after transportation? This can be done with an accuracy test, for Ferraris
meters preferable at a low load point. If no load is available, phantom load is necessary.
 Is the connection o.k. (phase sequence/current direction)? This can be evaluated with power factor
information or power direction in PWS 2.3 genX, CheckMeter 2.3 and CheckMeter 2.1. Vectorial
display is very helpful and is available in all 3 phase standards.
 Is the operating burden of the instrument transformer in the allowed range? PRS 600.3 / PWS 3.3,
CALPORT 300, PWS 2.3 genX, PTS 2.3 C, PTS 3.1 C and PTS 3.3 C can test burden of instrument
transformers.
Continuous check
This can be done to avoid any tampering or to secure working capability. It is recommended to make:
 Accuracy test
 Connection check
 Additional checks, such as visual check of the sealing, comparison of meter number, check of the
internal clock, change of the battery. All that checks can be reported in our portables.
In case of any claims
Due to increasing power consumption and costs, the number of claims increases as well.
Beside the tests of the continuous checks also special function tests are necessary to find out the source
of the problem
2.3 Which features are required for portables?
Phases?
 1 phase
 CheckMeter 2.1 / CheckSystem 2.1 / PTS 3.1 C
 3 phase
 K2006 / PRS 600.3 / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300 / PWS 2.3 genX / CheckMeter 2.3 /
CheckSystem 2.3 / PTS 2.3 C / PTS 3.3 C / PTS 400.3PLUS
Test load?
 Coming from the net
 All standards can be used
 Using mains voltage and generating current internally
 CheckSystem 2.1 / CheckSystem 2.3 / PTS 2.3 C
 Generating current and power factor; voltage from the net
 CheckSource 2.3
 Generating voltage and current
 3-phase: PPS 400.3 / PTS 3.3 C
 1-phase: PTS 3.1 C
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Guideline for portables
Current measurement?
 With error – compensated clamps
10 A clamps PWS 2.3 genX / PWS 3.3
100 A clamps CheckMeter 2.1 / PWS 2.3 genX / CheckMeter 2.3 / PWS 3.3 /
CALPORT 300 / PRS 600.3 / CheckSystem 2.1 / CheckSystem 2.3 /
PTS 3.1 C / PTS 2.3 C / PTS 3.3 C / PTS 400.3 PLUS
1000 A clamps PWS 2.3 genX / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300 / PRS 600.3 / PTS 3.1 C /
PTS 2.3 C / PTS 400.3 PLUS
1000 A clamps CheckMeter 2.3
(max. 120 A)
Flexible clamps up PWS 2.3 genX / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300 / PRS 600.3 / PTS 3.1 C /
to 3000 A PTS 2.3 C / PTS 400.3 PLUS
High voltage PWS 2.3 genX / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300 / PRS 600.3 / PTS 2.3 C /
sensors for current PTS 3.3 C / PTS 400.3 PLUS
up to
2000 A
High voltage PWS 2.3 genX / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300 / PRS 600.3 / PTS 400.3 PLUS
sensors for voltage
up to
40 kV

 Direct mode
 all except CheckMeter 2.1 and CheckMeter 2.3
Auxiliary voltage from the test voltage?
 For PRS 600.3 / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300 / PTS 2.1 / PTS 2.3 / PWS 2.3 genX / CheckMeter 2.3 /
CheckMeter 2.1
 For PWS 3.3 and PWS 2.3 genX a battery mode is available.
Displaying actual values / Vectorial diagram / Flexible integration time
 All devices show actual values in one view with freely definable integration period and vectorial
display
Tests
 Accuracy test
 all
 Energy / Register test
 all
 Dial test with controlling phantom load
 PRS 600.3 / CheckSystem 2.1 / CheckSystem 2.3 / PTS 3.1 C / PTS 2.3 C / PTS 3.3 C/
CALPORT 300
 Maximum demand test
 all 3 phase standards
 Burden measurement
 PRS 600.3 / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300 / PTS 3.1 C / PTS 2.3 C / PTS 3.3 C / PWS 2.3 genX
 C.T. ratio test
 PRS 600.3 / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300 / PWS 2.3 genX / PTS 3.1 C / PTS 2.3 C
 Harmonic measurement
 K2006 / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300 / PWS 2.3 genX / CheckSystem 2.1/ CheckSystem 2.3 /
PTS 3.1 C / PTS 2.3 C / PTS 3.3 C/ CheckMeter 2.1 / CheckMeter 2.3
 Testing substandard meters
 K2006 / PRS 600.3 / PWS 3.3 / CALPORT 300
Accuracy and max. current
See table in ppt file