3/30/2019 Meter Basics

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Meter Basics

Meters are indispensable when working with electrical systems Over the
years, a wide variety of electrical meters has been developed to assist with
monitoring and troubleshooting electrical systems. Let's take a look at some
of the more common metering devices. Many meters were developed using
moving coil mechanisms, called D'Arsonval movements. A permanent
magnet provides a uniform magnetic eld

R. Fehr | Nov 01, 2003

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Meters are indispensable when working with electrical systems

Over the years, a wide variety of electrical meters has been developed to assist with
monitoring and troubleshooting electrical systems. Let's take a look at some of the
more common metering devices.

Many meters were developed using moving coil mechanisms, called D'Arsonval
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movements. A permanent magnet provides a uniform magnetic field into which a

spring-mounted moving coil is positioned. A pointer is attached to the moving coil.
The current to be measured passes through the coil, which is free to pivot. As the
current passes through the coil, it produces a magnetic field that interacts with the
uniform magnetic field produced by the permanent magnet. This interaction causes
the moving coil and pointer to rotate. Since these movements can be precisely
calibrated, they form the basis of many analog meters.

To eliminate the need for precise mechanical components and to reduce the
need for calibration and adjustment, digital electronics form the basis for much
metering done today. Analog voltage and current signals are converted to digital
values and then displayed as numbers. Digital technology allows one metering
device to display multiple values.

What can you meter?

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Both analog and digital metering methods can measure many useful electrical
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quantities, including the following.

Voltage.

A voltmeter is put in parallel with a circuit element to measure the potential

difference across that element. To minimize the current flow through the
voltmeter, they're often designed with internal impedances on the order of many
megohms per volt. Voltmeters can determine relay contact and switch states while
the circuit is energized, easing the troubleshooting process. A zero voltage reading
across the contacts indicates the contacts are closed, and a non-zero voltage
indicates they're open.
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Current.

Ammeters are put in series with a circuit element to measure the current flowing
through that part of the circuit. To minimize the voltage drop across the meter,
ammeters are designed with a very low internal impedance. Because of this low
internal impedance, improperly connecting an ammeter can result in a very high
current flow through the meter, which could damage the meter coil or electronics.
Therefore, ammeters are typically fused to protect the meter from excessive
current. Some ammeters, known as clamp-on ammeters, use a built-in current
transformer, which can be clamped around a conductor to facilitate a quick and
easy measurement
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3/30/2019 Meter Basics
easy measurement.
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Power.

Since power is essentially the product of voltage and current, you can meter power
using a voltage, or potential, element and a current element. If real power is to be
measured, the rms magnitudes of the voltage and current waveforms are multiplied
together, and that product is multiplied by the cosine of the angle difference
between the voltage and current waveforms, which is the power factor. If reactive
power is to be measured, the power factor is replaced by the sine of the angle
difference between the voltage and current waveforms.

Energy.

Integrating power over time yields energy; therefore, introducing a time standard
to a power meter makes it possible to measure watt/hours, VAR-hours, and volt-
ampere-hours. This is done electromechanically with an induction disk meter,
which is essentially an induction motor that rotates at a speed proportional to the
power measured by the potential and current coils. A mechanical register or
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odometer counts the disk revolutions. When the number of revolutions is scaled by
the appropriate constants — based on the meter design — it's possible to determine
the amount of energy passing through the meter.

The basic principles of metering can be used to measure other quantities like
frequency, power factor, and synchronism (voltage magnitude and angle
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comparison) across an open circuit breaker. While some of these metering methods
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may be quite complex, the fundamentals of metering remain the same.

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NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE > QUIZZES

Code Quiz of the Week: No. 170

Mike Holt | Mar 23, 2019

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Take this weekly quiz to test your knowledge of the 2017 National Electrical Code
(NEC) requirements. The Code Quiz features three questions that are presented in a
True/False, Fill-in-the-Blank, or Multiple Choice format. The answer to each
question is offered up on a separate slide, which follows the question. Good luck!

These materials are provided to us by Mike Holt Enterprises of Leesburg, Fla. To

view additional Code training materials offered by this company,
visit www.mikeholt.com.
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CONSTRUCTION
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Construction Groups Back Bill to Create New Temporary Worker Visa System

Mar 23, 2019

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The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC),
Stephen Sandherr, urged Congress to act quickly on a bill introduced in the House
of Representatives to establish a federal temporary visa program for construction
and other industries. The association is urging members of Congress to support the
measure. Other organizations including the National Roofing Contractors
Association have also voiced support.

The Workforce for an Expanding Economy Act was introduced last week by
Pennsylvania Congressmen Lloyd Smucker.

Under the terms of the bill, employers and potential laborers, classified in the bill
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as "H-2C nonimmigrants," would both apply for federal approval to participate.

The position must meet a variety of criteria including documentation that the
employer is operating in a "full employment area" (defined as a city or county with
unemployment of 4.9% or lower), document of prevailing wage rates in the
metropolitan area where the temporary worker is to work, and attestation that the
employer has not laid off and will not lay off a U.S. worker in the position within a
given window of time. The workers would be able to enter the U.S. only when they
have received approval from the government.

"The shortage of available, qualified, workers in many parts of the country

threatens to undermine continued economic growth," Sandherr said, noting that
80% of construction firms reported last year they were having a hard time finding
qualified workers to hire.

Sandherr said the association has long advocated for a temporary worker visa
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system for the construction sector that allows for more workers during periods
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when labor is scarce, but lowers the number of visas during slower economic
cycles. "Creating a temporary, flexible, worker visa system will allow all types of
economic development to proceed without costly delays caused by workforce
shortages," he said in a release.

Sandherr said the proposed legislation would help reduce illegal immigration by
creating a more viable path for qualified construction workers to enter the country
when demand rises and leave when demand subsides. "This measure will help put
an end to an immigration system that creates too many incentives for workers to
illegally enter the country while also boosting economic growth."

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