Replacing an electric meter in an apartment and in a private house: procedure and rules for performing the replacement

From July 1, 2022, network organizations and guaranteeing suppliers began to install smart metering devices, so-called “smart” meters, which can themselves transmit indicators. According to the law, from July 1, 2022, it is still possible to install conventional meters, and from the beginning of 2022, it is necessary to use exclusively telemetric devices connected to smart metering systems.

As stated in Government Decree No. 554 of April 18, 2020, meters with expired verification for citizens are not out of order until January 1, 2022. Accordingly, verification and replacement of serviceable devices with new ones may not be carried out until this date.

What are the advantages of a multi-tariff meter?

A multi-tariff metering device provides differentiated metering of consumed electricity depending on the time of day. The day is divided into zones, each zone has its own electricity tariff.

The multi-tariff metering system provides residents with the opportunity to pay for electricity consumption at night at a tariff that is approximately four times cheaper than the daytime tariff, and during the period of “half-peak zone” tariffs the savings are approximately 25%. Additional savings can be achieved by redistributing the operation of energy-intensive household appliances to half-peak and night tariff zones.

How to apply for a replacement electric meter online

There are several ways you can communicate the need for replacement. The simplest is to use the RosChet website.

The website contains a special form for receiving citizens' requests. As a last resort, if there is no such form, you can send a regular email to the address specified in the contact information.

In a letter or appeal, you must clearly state the reason for replacing the meter and leave your contact details, which can be contacted to coordinate the time of arrival of the team.

This can also be done using bots in common instant messengers. This opportunity is currently available only to residents of Moscow and several other large cities, which already actively use a unified infrastructure that helps receive requests from citizens automatically. Every year the list of cities is updated, so it is necessary to follow the news regarding resource supply organizations of settlements that are of interest to the subscriber.

At whose expense is the replacement of the metering device carried out?

Replacement of a faulty meter or an overdue meter is carried out on a paid basis at the expense of the consumer’s own funds, since the maintenance of the electric meter is carried out at the expense of the owner, regardless of the installation location (clause 145 of the “Basic provisions for the functioning of retail electricity markets”, approved by the RF Government of 04.05 .2012 No. 442).

The installed meter must be sealed by the energy supply organization (Rules for the technical operation of consumer electrical installations, approved by Order of the Ministry of Energy of Russia dated January 13, 2003 No. 6).

You can get acquainted with the cost of services on the website of PJSC Mosenergosbyt.

Who will pay for verification of electricity meters?

From July 1, 2022, consumers will no longer bear the costs of both the purchase and installation of electricity meters and their verification. The consumer remains responsible for monitoring the safety of the meter if it is installed in his area of responsibility (for example, in an apartment or on a plot of land where a private house is located).

As follows from the law, all financial obligations for replacing and checking metering devices in houses and apartments will be assumed by energy workers. In the future, companies can compensate for the costs incurred through sales allowances. According to clause 6.3 of Art. 23.1 of the Law “On Electric Power Industry”, the costs of the supplier of last resort incurred by him to fulfill his obligations are included in the sales premium.

Types of electricity control control checks

There are two types of meter checks: primary and periodic. The metering device undergoes initial verification at the manufacturer before installation and use for its intended purpose.

Periodic inspection is carried out until the end of the prescribed revision interval. An extraordinary check of the electricity meter may also be scheduled. It is carried out if:

there is no document confirming the periodic inspection;
there is a confirmed need to configure such a counter;
There was a need to install a new meter.

Inspection intervals may vary for different types of instruments. Also, the frequency of the audit may be affected by various emergency situations.

Electricity metering can only be carried out using a meter that has a product passport or a certificate confirming its compliance with current standards.

Carrying out inspections of metering devices is the responsibility of special organizations. You can call a specialist from such an organization to your home. If this option does not seem reliable enough to you, take the meter to a special organization. After checking the measuring device, you will be given an inspection report.

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Required documents

Before starting work, you must familiarize yourself with the requirements of existing regulatory documents. If the rules are violated, the supervisory authority will take sanctions. The replacement of an electric meter in a private home is regulated by the following legal acts:

Art. 541-544 Civil Code;
Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation “Rules for electricity metering”.

House meter
To install or replace an electric meter, you will need the following documents:

Statement from the home owner. It indicates: the date and place of writing; full details of the applicant; the address where the work needs to be performed; personal account number with the energy supply company; characteristics of the meter and details of the energy supply agreement.
Photocopy of the house owner's passport;
Power of attorney if the owner is represented by another person.
Home energy supply agreement;
Documents for ownership of real estate;
A copy of the passport for the installed electric meter.

Replacement procedure

It is necessary to decide who will pay for the replacement of the meter.

If this is a management company, then its employees draw up an agreement with the energy supply organization, and it carries out all the work.

If the contract states that replacing the meter is the responsibility of the home owner, then you will need to replace it yourself or hire the same energy supply organization (the best option).

Whoever replaces this device must have permission from the electricity supply company. Even when the meter is broken, you still cannot carry out any actions until the appropriate permission is received.

After completing the work, company representatives seal the meter and issue a certificate of completion of the work indicating the device number, seal and its readings.

Procedure for replacing the electric meter:

writing an application and agreeing on the time of work;
the controller takes readings from the meter and removes seals;
preparing a place to install a new device;
a box for this device is mounted;
an electric meter is installed;
the device is connected to the network;
a test run is being performed;
the functionality of both the device itself and the entire electrical network in the house is checked;
a locking device is installed, since in private houses the meter is often located on the street;
checking the electricity meter by representatives of the regulatory authority;
sealing a new device.

Only a specialist who has the appropriate qualifications should replace the electric meter. Mistakes made not only lead to incorrect operation of the device, but also to emergency situations that are dangerous to human health.

Service life

Service life is the time period during which the meter fully performs its functions. This period includes the warranty period and the verification interval.

During the service life, the manufacturer assumes the following responsibilities:

Bears responsibility for shortcomings that may arise due to the fault of the manufacturer during operation of the device.
Ensure that the consumer can use the meter for its intended purpose.

In practice, the service life is thirty years or more.

The duration of the warranty is usually between three and a half to five years. The warranty differs from the service life in that during this period all costs associated with repairing the device will be borne by the seller.

Another factor that determines the operating time is verification. It is a procedure carried out in laboratory conditions, during which the level of accuracy of the meter's measuring function is determined.

There are three types of verification:

Primary. It is carried out after the device is manufactured.
Periodic. Performed at certain time intervals. For electronic devices every sixteen years, for induction devices - eight.
Extraordinary. It is carried out in the event of loss of documentation, broken seals, the need to adjust the device, missed periodic verification, or the meter gives inaccurate readings.

It should be noted that external influence, such as an impact, can also be a reason for laboratory analysis.

For what reasons may a replacement be required?

Replacing the electric meter in an apartment may be necessary for several reasons:

in case of mechanical damage to the device itself. For example, the glass may be damaged or completely missing;
when the received data on electricity consumption is distorted. That is, if there are facts that the meter readings do not correspond to how much energy was actually spent;
if it is necessary to replace an outdated model of electric meter. In particular, if the meter in a residential area has an accuracy class level of more than 2.0, then it will require replacement. In cases where the law requires a transition to a multi-tariff type of payment, the old device should also be dismantled and a more modern analogue installed.

The listed reasons are the basis for replacing the device in the apartment. However, questions about what the rules are for replacing the electric meter and who will do this most often arise among apartment owners. Below is a list of actions that will be the only correct ones if such a replacement is necessary.

Old style electric meter

Electricity meter replacement act

After the specialists replace the meter, a report is drawn up, which is signed by the owner of the house and the contractor. The document contains the following information:

address of work;
technical characteristics of the removed and installed meter;
date of completion of work;
date of verification of the old and new electricity meter;
indicators of the new device;
the amount of unaccounted electricity during the absence of the device;
reason for replacement;
information about the organization that carried out the work and its full details.

Counter on the street

The act of replacing the electric meter is carried out in two copies, one of which remains with the owner of the house, and the second - with the energy supply organization.

Do-it-yourself meter replacement in a private home

In order to install an electricity meter with your own hands, you must have the appropriate knowledge and skills. You can purchase an electrical panel assembled, or you can buy everything you need separately:

electric meter;
box for its placement;
cable with a diameter of at least 3 mm;
din rail;
circuit breaker;
fasteners.

Usually, the passport of the purchased device contains a diagram of its connection. The order of work will be as follows:

first, distribute all the elements in the shield, so you will understand whether it fits the dimensions, and there will be no problems during the installation process;
markings are made on the wall according to which the DIN rail and box are fixed;
an automatic switch is installed on the rail;
according to the existing diagram, the wiring is done;
the phase is output to the switch;
the wires are stripped to 10-20 mm and securely fixed in the terminals;
cables should not overlap, otherwise they will overheat in these places;
grounding is installed.

Modern electricity meters have the ability to transmit data remotely, which facilitates the work of supervisory authorities.

By law, both electronic and induction electricity meters can be installed, but they must meet existing standards and have an error of no more than 2%. Knowing the technical requirements, you will be able to correctly buy the necessary device, decide who should pay for its replacement, and, if necessary, replace the electric meter yourself.

Stages of checking electricity meters at home

The first thing people pay attention to when checking an electricity meter is that it is connected correctly. Using a visual inspection, the meter is checked for the absence of additional connections and connection failures.

Unaccounted for electricity consumption may be indicated by:

the presence of holes in the meter that are not provided by the manufacturer;
violations in the fastening of the glass of the metering device;
presence of an unintended connection;
presence of a loose connection screw.

Any of these signs indicates that the rules for using the meter are being violated and electricity is being used illegally.

At the next stage, the inspector calculates the self-propelled vehicle. The term “self-propelled” is used to refer to situations in which the disk of the metering device rotates without load.

Then the gear ratio of the metering device is checked. The gear ratio refers to the number of times the disk rotates or the electronic indicator blinks when one kilowatt of energy is consumed.

The next stage is to identify the measurement error of the metering device. It is carried out in one of three ways:

current clamps;
multimer;
electrical appliance.

If checking the meter reveals a measurement error of more than 10%, the device will have to be replaced.

The last thing you need to do when checking the drive is to determine its magnetization, since under certain conditions the magnetic field can not only slow down, but also accelerate the disk, which will increase the size of the bills for consumed electricity.

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Algorithm of actions

Even if the device itself was purchased and installed at the expense of the apartment owner and electricity consumer, all actions related to it must be carried out only by representatives of Energosbyt. Employees of this organization can remove the seal from the cover of the old meter, intervene and change the design of the existing device.

Who pays

There are two scenarios when the device in question is replaced in a residential area:

the device is the property of the energy supply company or was originally commissioned by the housing and communal services service. In the above situations, replacement should be carried out free of charge;
The meter is the property of the apartment owner and is located in the residential premises itself. Then all work must be paid for by the consumer.

These situations prescribe at whose expense the replacement of electricity meters should be carried out.

Sequence of steps

If it has been decided that it is necessary to change the old device for calculating electricity consumption to a more modern one, you should be patient and knowledgeable. And the steps must be performed in the following sequence:

Prepare your civil passport and all documents with which you can confirm ownership of the residential premises in which the device is installed. If the replacement process is not carried out by the owner of the premises, then a power of attorney issued by a notary will be required.
Next, you need to visit the energy supplier and write a sample application for changing the device.
Now it's up to the representative of the electricity supply company. A company specialist is sent to the location of the meter, who checks whether it is necessary to replace the old device with a more modern one, about which a corresponding report is drawn up.
Next, the specialist removes the seals from the cover of the old meter, recording the latest readings on energy consumption.

From the moment the meter is removed, calculation and further payment for consumed electricity will be made at a separate tariff.