3 Phase Meter Query - usage on each phase?

[skhudy]

With prices going up, I'm trying to get a better understanding of the electricity usage around the building at different times. We have a 3 phase smart meter, but is there a way to get usage on each phase? Each phase feeds into its own fuse board.

If not its just going round with a power monitor / plug on each known appliance

TIA

 

[SUNRAY]

get clamp-on energy meters, ask friends for the meters they no longer use.
my first google hit:

ACM20-2-AC1-R-F-C | Murata Power Solutions ACM20 1 Phase LED Energy Meter, 22.1mm Cutout Height | RS

uk.rs-online.com

 

[ericmark]

This

is not a true energy monitor, as it only measures amps, not volts and power factor, but in the main it is enough to work out where and how much energy is used.

 

[SUNRAY]

This View attachment 277487is not a true energy monitor, as it only measures amps, not volts and power factor, but in the main it is enough to work out where and how much energy is used.

The calculated power assumes 230V so in reality these devices may tend to read a tad low but as Eric says they are fine for most domestic usage.

I've fitted loads of this type of thing:

Advanced Panel Meter: APM Power Meter - Trumeter

Trumeter's advanced panel meters include the universal power meter ideal for power monitoring applications. Flexible power meter for electrical monitoring.

www.trumeter.com

with current transformers and they are usually as accurate as the DNO meter. The capabilities vary across the different makes/models but generally they record crazy amounts of info. I suspect the cost of supply and fit will take a long time to recoup in any energy savings you may make.

 

[ericmark]

I have three plug in energy monitors, and one total usage type given free by Scottish power before the move to smart meters.

This

is the result from one of those plug in meters today, connected to a smart lead acid battery charger, I am watching to see if the old VRLA battery recovers, mainly just for interest, rather than a need to know, but the display above does not really show what is going on.

Watching the built in volt meter on the battery charger I can see the voltage raising to 14.4 volts at which point the charger switches off, and drop to 12.8 at which point it switches on again, swapping from 0.1 amp to 0.8 amp each time. So around 2 watt to 10 watt, but the time scale means the monitor shows average of 2 to 3 watt.

And this is the problem with energy watching, it can give misleading results, in the main we know a device uses 65 watt or other figure as written some where on a plate on the device, what we don't know is how long it uses 65 watt for. So the freezer is rated say 240 kWh/annum so we know there are 8760 hours in a year, so an average of around 27 watt, so it should run for 23.7% of the time, so around 3 times the static time to run time.

I can do that with my wrist watch if I really want to, but even if it runs equal time on and off, what am I going to do about it? Is it really worth renewing?

I know my sky box powers the LNB so it knows if there is a problem change, I could fit a time clock so it only switches on when there is a program I want to watch, but I know I will not do that, so why bother measuring?

 

[JohnW2]

get clamp-on energy meters, ask friends for the meters they no longer use.

Indeed. One could use separate clamp-on meters for each phase. However, one can get 3-phase ones (with three 'clamps'). As I write, mine is currently showing ...

Kind Regards, John