how to find out who is stealing electricity in an apartment building

Home / Car rental / How to Steal Current

Team of lawyers - Russlidsurist writes to you. We share our experience and knowledge, which in total we have more than 43 years, this allows us to give the correct answers to what may be required in various life situations and at the moment we will consider - How to Steal Current. If in your case you need an instant response in your city or online, then, of course, in this case it is better to use the help on the website. Or ask in the comments people who have previously encountered the same question.

Attention please, the data may be out of date, laws are updated and supplemented very quickly, so we are looking forward to your subscription to us on social media. networks so that you are aware of all updates.

Using an illegal connection to the power grid, you can steal electricity. In order to reduce payments for the kilowatts of electricity expended, some craftsmen use various tricks, according to which the operation of metering devices is changed or the electrical circuit is supplemented with various additional elements. But not everyone thinks about the consequences of illegal connection to the general electrical network.

It is necessary to connect the zero contact of one of the sockets to grounding in order for an artificial zero to appear in the entire circuit. When inspectors come to check the functionality of the electrical recorder, it is enough to simply disconnect the contact from grounding, simulating a “malfunction” of the electrical wiring.

Ways to steal electricity

How to properly break the neutral wire? It is best to break the natural neutral wire in two places - before and after the device itself, so that grounding prevents electric current from entering the meter.

Monitoring the state of the network using a special program Possible liability for the theft of electricity If the above arguments are left unattended, and there is a desire to take a risk in order to save on stolen kilowatts, then the consumer and potential thief of electricity should be aware of the possible consequences in case of exposure. First of all, this is the upcoming investigation and trial, with payment for the services of a lawyer in the case of theft of electrical energy.

They steal electricity

If the amounts on your latest electricity bill were suspiciously high, it's possible that several nearby apartments are using your electricity.

How to calculate. On forums dedicated to electrics, they offer many ways to expose your neighbors: check whether the zero and phase in the panel have been swapped, whether there are any extra wires going to the meter, whether the integrity of the seals has been preserved.

It is quite difficult for a non-professional to understand the panel, but you can simply turn off all electrical appliances in the house, and then see if the meter is spinning. If so, perhaps one of the neighbors is being cunning.

Unplug absolutely everything from the network: phone chargers, even if the phone is not currently connected, a TV that is not currently working, a set-top box with a working LED, and a microwave with a clock and timer. Or simply turn off the machine on the indoor switchboard, if you have one.

One check may also not be enough: if the neighbors are not at home, it will not be easy to notice the leak. Conduct the experiment several times during peak electricity consumption hours - for example, in the evening after work.

Sometimes cunning neighbors remove a separate wire from the old meter: the phase is connected to the socket, and the zero is grounded to the battery - the meter does not take into account the kilowatts passing through such a circuit. This is dangerous: batteries in other apartments can electrocute residents. To check whether electricity is being stolen in this way, use an indicator screwdriver: touch the tip of it to your battery, and if there is voltage, the light on it will light up.

How to fight. Report to the management company, invite an electrician to check and draw up a report - residents have this right by law. If it becomes clear that neighbors have unauthorizedly connected to someone else’s power grid, they can be fined 10-15 thousand rubles.

How to determine the fact of theft?

There are several ways to understand and check that neighbors are stealing electricity in a private or multi-story building:

You can check the condition of the seals or the connection of the electricity meter to the network. Let's say the conductors go to the apartment, bypassing the meter, or there are extra wires connected to it. Or the zero and phase may be changed - all this is a sign of electricity theft.

The second way is to check the functionality of the lighting when turning off the circuit breakers in the panel. To do this, you need to turn off the circuit breakers in the panel, then turn on all the lights and check the voltage in the sockets. If at least one of the rooms is illuminated or the voltage in the sockets does not disappear, the fact of theft is obvious, and it can happen even in your apartment. During the construction of old panel houses, a through hole was made between adjacent rooms between apartments, where sockets were installed. Particularly cynical neighbors may connect to other people's outlets and thus steal electricity, for which others have to pay. To prevent this. It is necessary to carry out an audit of the wiring, namely, check all sockets and junction boxes for external connections.

Check heating batteries. Most scammers simply ground themselves through risers in houses. From a financial point of view, this method of theft does not threaten you, but there is another problem, this is the risk of receiving an electric shock. If you received an electric shock in the bathroom, then your neighbors above or below are probably stealing electricity. Try to check the condition of their batteries, since grounding to the pipe requires that it be without paint. Therefore, you need to consider such a section of the riser from your neighbors. You can also use a screwdriver with an indicator and check your battery, if it is energized, it is a hundred percent theft.

The next method is to turn off the lights and all appliances in the house from the outlet. If the meter keeps counting, there is a problem that needs to be addressed by a professional electrician.

• Residents of private houses can steal electricity using the so-called wire tapping. This method will be visible to the naked eye, without special tricks.

In order to detect and prove the fact of theft, you must understand at least a little about wiring, otherwise you won’t prove guilt and you will quarrel with your neighbors.

Theft can also occur using a transformer. But it is carried out only by professionals, so it is not possible to catch a thief in the act.

They steal water

It may be more difficult to notice that your neighbors are stealing water: they are unlikely to be able to connect directly to your pipes, which means there is no point in focusing on the number of cubic meters of water spent.

Living in the same house with people who deceive the management company is unprofitable: the difference between total and individual consumption is divided equally among all residents. Although residents should not pay more than the norm, they still don’t want to cover other people’s theft with rubles.

How to calculate. Dishonest neighbors install powerful magnets on the meters that prevent the disk from spinning. But sometimes magnets give themselves away: because of them, neighbors can hear clicks or crackles in the pipes. True, old pipes crack on their own. But if bills for general house needs have reached the maximum, and the stairs in the entrance are not washed very often, it’s worth listening to see if there are any suspicious sounds.

How to fight. Write an application to the management company. If experts discover magnets, they will recalculate and force the neighbor to pay for the “hidden” cubic meters of water.

Which organizations should I contact?

If you do find out that your neighbors are stealing electricity, then try to talk to them, since it is not so easy to prove the fact of theft. If the method of theft is to connect to someone else's outlet, then they will blame it on the previous owners or unqualified electricians who repaired the wiring and mixed up the connections.

However, if you decide to call the experts who will determine the fact of theft, then your actions should be as follows:

1. Write a statement to the management company, which is required to carry out regular inspections.
2. Report the incident to energy sales specialists.
3. After the assigned electrician verifies the fact of theft, you should photograph all the evidence and ensure that a theft report is drawn up. Also make sure that witnesses are present and collect supporting signatures from them.
4. Write a statement to the appropriate authorities (court, prosecutor's office).

Qualified electricians detect theft not only by its general signs, but also using devices such as “Stork” or “Poisk”.

How to find out who is stealing electricity in an apartment building

Hello! Today I would like to talk about popular methods of stealing electricity in an apartment and house, which are used by electrician thieves.

The purpose of this article is to inform ordinary homeowners about the schemes used by unscrupulous consumers to steal, possibly your electricity. In this publication we will look at the most used methods of fraud and theft of electrical energy from power supply networks and their calculation. Our goal is to warn ordinary users about the consequences of such actions in relation to the electricity service provided to them. We also note that regulatory organizations and departments are well aware of these methods of fraud, a set of measures has been developed aimed at exposing careless consumers, and measures have also been developed to counter them. Previously, we talked about legal ways to save energy.

ways to save energy

Basically, unscrupulous consumers are pushed to steal electricity by: low level of income, constant increase in tariff coupled with high energy consumption, misuse of the resource. But there are also individuals for whom such manipulations are a way of self-affirmation in the eyes of friends and themselves.

The result of such actions may be a significant fine from the supplying organization. Often, unauthorized wedging into the electrical network leads to short circuits and subsequent fires.

How to find justice for electricity thieves

LET'S START WITH CONTROL.

You can arrange a check yourself. The head of the center for work with household electricity consumers of SOP Energosbyt of PJSC Kyivenergo, Alexey Biloshapka, advises turning off all electrical appliances in the apartment and monitoring the meter for a few minutes. In an induction device, the disk should turn until a red mark appears in the window and stop; in an electronic device, the load LED will stop blinking and begin to shine continuously.

If the disk continues to rotate / the LED blinks, then there may be several reasons: you forgot to turn off some electrical appliance, the meter itself is faulty, leaks due to dilapidated aluminum wiring of the Soviet era, decayed insulation on wires running in damp plaster, oxidized twists . But it is quite possible that there is an electrical thief in your networks.

Common methods of stealing electricity

"Bug" or theft of electricity from wires

This method is applicable in the private sector. We recommend that you periodically inspect the overhead cable line running through your street. It may turn out that they are stealing from you! This is relevant in dacha cooperatives, since the general cooperative needs for electricity supply will fall on your shoulders.

An unauthorized connection of the entire home network to an electrical input or overhead power line occurs, thereby bypassing the energy meter. Sometimes scammers use this method to power individual particularly powerful consumers. As a rule, supply wires are thrown onto an unprotected power line, the other ends of which are already integrated into the intra-house network after the meter. In this case, the input machine is turned off, excluding the flow of current through the meter itself. Or they simply power a powerful, voracious consumer, such as an electric heater, welding machine, or other devices, using this method.

If you are sure that your neighbor has energy-intensive equipment, then it is worth taking a closer look.

"Left zero." Operation of the meter without a neutral wire

Once again, when passing by the energy meter, pay attention to whether it is counting. If the readings do not change for a long time, but you are sure that electricity is being used, we recommend contacting the relevant authorities.

This method is very common among scammers in the post-Soviet space due to its simplicity. The essence of the theft process is the notorious bypass of the meter along the neutral wire. We recommend taking a closer look at old disk counters. Old-style metering devices are susceptible to the flow of currents through the neutral wire, and in the absence of such, the device simply stops taking into account electricity consumption. As a rule, “zero” is removed from the outlet network and grounded. Borrowers can be water supply and heating pipes, metal supporting structures of the building.

A sign of such theft is the tingling sensation of electric current from heating and water supply pipes. This means that one of your neighbors is doing this.

Interference with the operation of the meter.

If the design of a metering device allows an attacker to influence its internal mechanisms, then perhaps he will not interfere with the operation of the metering device. For example, old-style meters are tilted forward at a certain angle, and they no longer adequately count energy. Also, with such counters, with certain skills, scammers manage to get through the front glass to the counting mechanism and stop it.

Magnets for the meter body

Heavy-duty magnets deserve a special place on the list (according to their advertising). We are more familiar with such products as neodymium magnets. It is understood that such products are applied to the body of the metering device, which entails failures and disruptions in the operation of the latter. The metal parts of the counting mechanism are inhibited, and the integrity of the magnetic field of the current counting coils is disrupted. At least that's what the advertisement for these magnets says. I am inclined to believe that the manufacturers of metering devices have provided for the influence of such magnets. Since counting mechanisms have long been made of non-magnetic materials.

Operation Impulse.

Craftsmen also did not sit still and finally invented a device capable of consuming electricity without “winding up” kilowatt-hours on the meter. The principle of such a device is the originality of energy consumption. This device takes it in short-term pulses, which in turn does not allow metering devices of older models to read current. This occurs due to the mechanical inertia of the counting mechanism parts.

Reprogramming the counter.

If the level of professional training of a lover of free energy is high, then he can carry out the procedure of reflashing the program algorithms of a modern meter in order to steal a certain part of the electricity.

from the electricity supply can track down such a thief .

“Alien phase” or power supply from neighbors.

There are cases when in apartment buildings two sockets are installed coaxially in the space between apartment walls. One is directed and powered to apartment A, the other to apartment B. An enterprising swindler from apartment B dismantles the body of his socket and throws the thieves’ wires onto socket A. Result: your swindler neighbor uses electricity at your expense, and you don’t even know about it. Sometimes a foreign phase can be taken from the basement energy input distribution device (IDU). They also put wires on the busbars or terminals of the ASU, drag the cable into their apartment and use it. There are cases where the cable is powered from public lighting networks. The only differences are in the connection point.

But even here the thief can be tracked through the wires and reported to the right place.

Here are the most popular ways to steal electricity. I would like to note that regulatory organizations are not sitting idly by. They regularly study the experience of violators, know about most theft schemes, and build more modern countermeasures. And manufacturers of metering devices are constantly improving their products.

Source

Electric meter verification procedure

The verification period for the electricity meter is controlled by the owner of the apartment or private house. The obligated citizen must independently agree on the date of transfer of the device for diagnostics and deliver the IPU to the address of the metrological center. However, at the legislative level, conducting verification without removal is an acceptable procedure if the contractor has accreditation.

Step No. 1: Analysis of the correct connection of the electric meter

The use of a control device depends on the type of IPU and the number of phases. On the diagram this can be reflected as two connected inputs - zero and phase, as well as the point of connection with the load circuit.

The controller can diagnose problems with the electric meter by identifying additional sources of connection to the network. In the second case, suspicion may be caused by a violation of the connection sequence.

Deviations from the norm are grounds for additional verification, since such cases often indicate theft of resources through unauthorized connection. The correctness of the connected individual energy consumption device is carried out by simple inspection.

Step #2: Self-propelled research

The concept of “self-propelled” meter means circumstances under which the device disk rotates without additional load, i.e., on its own and at the same time all electrical appliances are de-energized. After turning on all the diverter automation, the controller observes the movement of the mechanism for 7-10 minutes.

If the device is working properly, then rotation will not occur, and the indicator will not show more than one pulse. In the opposite situation and a flashing sensor, the procedure ends with re-verification or installation of a new IPU.

Step #3: Gear Ratio

The gear ratio is set on the external panel of the electric meter. The coefficient provides information to the consumer and the RSO about the number of revolutions or blinks - the type of reading depends on the type of device.

How to understand that it is time to replace the meter.

Based on the rotation of the disk or electronic indicator, the consumed resource is calculated. In other words, these figures act as indications for calculating electricity - 1 kilowatt is equal to the approved tariff in the region.

Step #4: Establishing the error

Another necessary stage of conducting an inter-interval check of the electric meter is error diagnosis. The event is conditioned by establishing the correctness of the transmitted readings.

Step #5. Detection of meter magnetization

A pressing question for consumers is how often the electric meter is checked for magnetization. The topic is of interest to those property owners who have an old-style disk device installed. The new generation of IPUs are created on the basis of induction and have a protective seal that changes color when interacting with a magnet. Verifications of this type are required by the RSO to be carried out no more than once every six months.

An analysis of the magnetization of an individual consumption device can be carried out using a regular needle - if it is attracted to the equipment, then, therefore, the IPU has a strong magnetic field. It is noteworthy that such circumstances work both to the consumer’s advantage and to the disadvantage. That is, prohibited devices will not slow down, but, on the contrary, will accelerate the rotation of the disk, which means the owner will pay more.

Verification period

The timing of verification of electricity meters depends on the specifics of the procedure, i.e. whether the IPU needs to be removed or not. In the first case, a thorough diagnosis and issuance of a result on the possibility of operation will be required. This procedure can take several hours or 2-3 days.

If the inter-verification analysis does not require dismantling the electric meter, then the defining parameters are:

• diagnostics of the nominal voltage in the network - takes about 15-20 minutes;
• checking the fact of “self-propelled” – this will take 10-20 minutes;
• 10 min. an inspection is performed to ensure that there are no physical defects on the IPU;
• additional time is spent completing the report on a special form and sealing the meter.

Theft of electricity in an apartment building

There are many ways to steal electricity. Knowing them by sight and having a clear understanding of the nuances of their implementation, you can clearly imagine how to detect the theft of electricity.

The main “schemes” that allow unscrupulous owners to significantly reduce costs or not pay for electricity at all include:

The neutral wire from the circuit in which the electric meter is included is functionally replaced by grounded building structures, such as plumbing, fittings, etc. Installation of a separate line connected to a branch in front of the meter, in order to exclude it from the circuit. Replacement of “zero” and “phase” in front of the meter, which makes the meter work “in the opposite direction.” The use of all kinds of devices and instruments in order to make the meter, again, work “in the opposite direction.” The use of high-power magnets to act on the meter mechanism to slow down or completely stop metering electricity. Mechanical impacts, especially relevant for disk counters that are still used in some places. For example, in the body of the device, in an inconspicuous place, at the level of the rotating disk, an inconspicuous hole is drilled into which a match is inserted, slowing down or stopping the operation of the counting device.

Using formulas

Using the formula P=U*U/R, real electricity consumption is calculated. This is done in order to find out how much the lamp actually consumes at the moment.

To check, you still need to find out how much power was consumed during the test period, for example, let it be 2 minutes. To find out, real consumption must be divided by the test time, in this case 120 s.

You can check the error using the following formula: 1000 multiplied by the number of revolutions divided by the constant on the front panel of the device. For example: 1000*10/3200. The error is determined by subtracting the figure from the last step from the actual consumption. Next, all this must be multiplied by 100. If it turns out to be about 5%, then this is an insignificant error.

E = (P*T*A/ constant number of pulses – 1)*100%,

where E is the error value in percent, P is the lamp power, T is the time during which the meter makes one full revolution, A is the gear ratio of the meter.

Theft of electricity in SNT

To answer the question of how to combat the theft of electricity in SNT, it is necessary to clarify the main features of electricity consumption in gardening non-profit partnerships.

The owner of the site is at the same time the owner of the electrical networks passing through its territory. This greatly facilitates his own access to distribution devices and lines to metering devices, but, as a result, makes it difficult for regulatory authorities to access them. Therefore, the access of the energy supply company’s controller to the owner’s metering devices is negotiated separately in the electricity supply agreement. Failure to provide access may result in a power outage.

But how can a representative of a gardening association check the electricity meter for theft? If special measures are not defined in the charter of the partnership, then it is very difficult to carry out an inspection, which is what dishonest gardeners take advantage of.

The main energy-consuming load in the village is electric heating and electricity consumption during repair and construction work (welding, concrete mixer, etc.). The methods of theft are the same as in apartment buildings, but especially “throwing” current collector rods with hooks onto the overhead line in front of the meter is common.

Businessmen from housing and communal services were given a slap on the wrist for huge charges

Taking advantage of the gaps in the legislation, having distorted the essence of the law itself beyond recognition, the housing and communal services dealers charged monthly electricity consumption of 5,000-10,000 rubles from each apartment for one light bulb burning in the entrance of the house.

There was no common sense at all with this kind of accrual. In fact, such a large volume of electricity consumed by ODN was obtained as a result of the theft of electricity by residents - thieves in the house.

But searching for electricity thieves is a troublesome task; it’s easier to distribute all the stolen electricity to bona fide payers, fortunately, almost every house has a common house electricity meter installed.

Fine for theft of electricity in 2016

Measures taken against electricity theft in 2016 involve a system of fines and even criminal liability.

Unauthorized connection to energy networks, oil pipelines, oil product pipelines and gas pipelines, as well as unauthorized (unaccounted for) use of electrical, thermal energy, oil, gas or oil products - entails the imposition of an administrative fine on citizens in the amount of three thousand to four thousand rubles; for officials - from six thousand to eight thousand rubles; for legal entities - from sixty thousand to eighty thousand rubles.

Article 7.19 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation

If material damage is caused on an especially large scale, criminal liability may be brought in accordance with Article 165 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Causing property damage to the owner or other owner of property by deception or abuse of trust in the absence of signs of theft, committed on a large scale, is punishable by a fine in the amount of up to three hundred thousand rubles or in the amount of the wages or other income of the convicted person for a period of up to two years, or by forced labor. for a term of up to two years with or without restriction of freedom for a term of up to one year, or imprisonment for a term of up to two years with a fine in the amount of up to eighty thousand rubles or in the amount of the wages or other income of the convicted person for a period of up to six months. and with or without restriction of freedom for up to one year.

Article 165 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

How to detect electricity theft

To understand how to detect the theft of electricity, you need to start from the fact that the theft of electricity can be determined by direct and indirect evidence. Direct evidence can be instant control in comparison with real facts, while indirect evidence can be an imbalance in the electricity readings of the general meter and the summed readings of all individual consumers.

Electricity theft detection methods

Practical methods include:

Checking the connection diagram of metering devices; Load control on common house lines and public lines - unauthorized connection of dishonest consumers to them is possible with a corresponding sharp increase in load; Visual inspection of metering devices and lines suitable for them to eliminate bypass power supply lines, mutual replacement of phase wires with neutral wires and mechanical braking or stopping of metering devices; When visually inspecting the consumer’s premises, pay attention to the presence of large electrical equipment, transformers, throw-on rods with hooks for throwing on overhead lines, additional grounding lines, as well as the condition of the sockets (when connecting the ground to the neutral wiring through the socket, one of the holes is larger than the other).

The listed measures will help to identify and prove the theft of electricity in general.

Methods for detecting electricity theft using ASKUE

Considering that in Russia electricity is purchased not as a product, but as a service, its theft is not directly considered a criminal offense. The theft of electricity, no matter how depressing it is for those who pay for the offenses of others, is still included in the category of administrative offenses. And it is very difficult to prove this theft so that the fine for theft of electricity becomes a real deterrent.

The turning point in this confusing issue was the use of automated systems for commercial electricity metering - ASKUE, with the help of which, to the question of how to prove the theft of electricity, it became possible to provide not one, but several adequate answers at once.

ASKUE provides, first of all, unlimited possibilities for monitoring the balance of received and consumed electricity. Add to this the possibility of remote access to data and automation of information collection, and you get the notorious three pillars on which the solution to problems associated with the theft of electricity is based.

The use of external remote power sensors, complete with meters equipped with built-in radio modules, installed at the very beginning of the line extending towards the consumer, allows you to compare the power readings of the meter and directly in the line.

As a result, to accurately monitor electricity consumption, you need to log into your personal account on the website, click on two buttons and compare the readings. If the meter shows less power consumption compared to data from an external sensor, then it is clear that electricity is being stolen.

The use of such a system solves the issue of access to the owner’s territory - it is simply not needed. All data can be obtained remotely. In this case, the owner himself bears responsibility for the safety of the equipment installed on the territory.

When is an extraordinary verification required?

A citizen can initiate an investigation of the electric meter if its readings seem incorrect. For example, the constant consumption of electricity according to the figures of the device has increased too much or decreased without any real reason. In addition, theoretically, the energy supplier can also take the initiative. The company's specialists analyze the evidence provided by clients.

The supplier has the right to come to the consumer’s home to carry out visual inspection. At the same time, it is forbidden to visit private owners more than once every three months. The reason for extraordinary control may be the client’s failure to provide electricity meter readings for six months in a row.

The reasons for an extraordinary verification may be:

• loss of equipment passport;
• loss of a certificate of previous control;
• malfunction, etc.

Metrologists consider most old electricity meters unsuitable for further use. The accuracy of instruments is constantly improving, and citizens are encouraged to commission more advanced equipment.

Combating electricity theft

Knowing how to detect facts of electricity theft in apartment buildings and gardening communities, it becomes easier to imagine what measures should be taken to combat theft.

Methods to combat electricity theft

Combating electricity theft using ASKUE

The energy efficiency of remote readings collection technology is determined by several basic components, namely the presence of a sufficiently large range, the cheapest possible dispatch, ease of building a network architecture with the ability to easily connect new devices and, of course, reliability and noise immunity.

Meters with a built-in radio module will accurately and timely transmit data from each electricity metering point. And if you have old-style meters, it is possible to install an external modem that will transmit readings directly to the base station - without wires or hubs. Using a convenient interface, the management company will be able to monitor readings for each metering point and for the connection as a whole.

The question of how to prove the theft of electricity disappears by itself if there is a database that reflects the volumes of electricity consumed both as a whole for the connection and separately for each consumer. If necessary, you can use data from external sensors installed on branches to consumers.

Thanks to the automation of readings collection, there is no possibility of under-metering of electricity or hiding part of the consumed power by preventing the owner of the management company from accessing the meter.

Control over each metering point via the Internet

The ability to constantly remotely monitor energy consumption is provided by the STRIZH web interface. Using a personal account, representatives of the management company can monitor the distribution of received power online and control its consumption with the possibility of remote shutdown.

Prevention of electricity theft

In the modern world of high technology and 4G Internet networks, there is no doubt about the effectiveness and economic feasibility of using remote control systems to combat the theft of electricity and its economical use.

By installing STRIZH equipment, the management company gets the opportunity to clearly control and account for consumed energy resources, complete with simple and convenient access to the database.

Eliminate electricity theft with ASKUE!

Source

What to do if neighbors steal electricity?

In domestic practice, no one is surprised by the theft of electricity, even in Soviet times, when the tariff was mere pennies, people still tried not to pay even what was charged by simple induction meters. With the advent of capitalism, electric utilities began to count every kilowatt and made incredible efforts to prevent the theft of electricity.

Due to the crackdown, unscrupulous consumers have lost the ability to directly bypass the security system, so they have found a loophole by connecting to their neighbors' networks. If you have any doubts about your neighbors stealing electricity, you should immediately check this fact for both your financial and electrical safety.

Methods for detecting electricity theft

Of course, as soon as it seems to you that your electricity bill is too high, you should not immediately accuse your neighbors of theft, since the reason for the incredibly high costs may not be the theft of electricity at all. Therefore, in order not to quarrel with the residents of your entrance, you should first understand the current situation in detail.

The most obvious signs that your electricity is being stolen are:

If, when examining your meter, you identify any third-party wires that are suitable in addition to the normal circuit, then this indicates that your neighbors are stealing electricity, taking it away from your meter. The direction of these additional conductors should then be found.

This method of theft is quite difficult to track down unless you deliberately set out to do so, and it can also come from distribution boxes, but this happens much less frequently.

To combat the above methods, no measures in the form of automatic electricity metering systems or meters with magnetic seals will help, since power will be taken directly from your line.

Please note, even if you have cleaned out the neighbors who are wasting electricity from you or from communal meters, you should not take any radical measures on your own. To deal with people who steal electricity, you need to contact the appropriate authorities.

Obviousness of known methods of electricity theft

A special anti-magnetic seal that is destroyed by a powerful magnetic field Measuring currents to detect theft of electricity Since, according to PUE standards, the neutral wire must follow inextricably to the electric meter, disconnecting this conductor is generally impossible. But, if when these rules are ignored or in the case of operating an old power supply system, electricity is stolen, then it can be detected by checking the currents of the phase and neutral input wires using current clamps.

Theft of electricity. warning of consequences

In general, today you can deceive an electric meter in different ways: by attaching a magnet, a bug, or by shunting current circuits. This procedure is illegal. If a person is caught tampering with the readings of counting equipment, he will pay penalties that are double or even triple the amount.

Any device will not work if a switch is installed between the meter and the load and power is supplied through a separate, additionally organized zero. To do this, you need to make additional grounding.

Where to report electricity theft?

It should be noted that at that very moment, as soon as you managed to identify unscrupulous neighbors, you must first of all record the fact that they are stealing electricity. Of course, we should not forget that the neighbors may claim that this is not their fault, the connection was made by someone else, the previous owners, and they are not aware of any connections at all. Therefore, to resolve the situation with illegal electricity consumption, it is important to contact the electricity supply organization .

The procedure for bringing neighbors who steal electricity to clean water consists of the following actions on your part:

Having received the act, you can safely go to court to determine guilt and get a decision about the neighbors who are stealing your electricity. But the verdict of law enforcement agencies for the identified violation may be different.

How to calculate an energy thief

After all, anonymous businessmen expose all citizens to serious dangers. Since the beginning of the year, energy workers have identified more than 10 cases of non-contractual electricity consumption. The list of violators included individual entrepreneurs, car repair shops, hotels, and shops.

So, on the mountain, one enterprising man adapted a garage box for two cars into a car wash, and when it was declassified, he began to defend himself by claiming that he had been working for less than a month and had already completed all the necessary documents.

True, he was unable to confirm his words with papers. On Western 4th, the owners converted a garage box with 2 spaces into a car repair shop.

How to figure out who is stealing electricity in an apartment building.

The volume of one can be reduced, but it will still not be possible to reduce it to zero. No matter how dilapidated or, conversely, modern ergonomic house, there will still be a certain set of energy-consuming equipment, the operation of which will have to be paid for. In addition, losses in intra-house networks are also inevitable in every home. At the same time, a situation may arise in the house when, as a result of a control walk, the volume of electricity consumed by all rooms of the house will be higher than the volume recorded by the ODPU, the so-called “generation”.

What is the legal threat to an electricity thief?

Today, neighbors who were caught stealing electricity will be subject not only to administrative penalties in the form of a fine, but also to criminal liability. Therefore, you should understand that the result of your appeal will be the imposition of penalties or even imprisonment for up to 2 years.

As Article 165 of the Criminal Code states, if the guilt of neighbors is proven in the amount of 250 thousand rubles, then the above punishment may be applied to them, together with the imposition of a large fine in the amount of six months’ income.

So, depending on the magnitude of the damage caused, the minimum fine or other measure of influence depends.

Meter verification methods

Self-propelled gun

If the device being tested is connected correctly, you should proceed to determining the presence of the so-called self-propelled device. This word denotes one of the malfunctions in which the device records non-existent electricity. Before checking the accuracy of the electric meter readings, you need to eliminate spontaneous movements of the disk, if any. To do this, you need to turn off all electrical appliances.

It is important to remember that you need to turn it off and not put it in standby mode.

A more correct result will be achieved by turning off the group machines that are located after the counter. However, they are not always present. It is also worth leaving the introductory machine running. Under these conditions, the counter indicator (if electronic) should not make more than 1 flash in 5–10 minutes of inactivity, and the induction device disk should not make more than one revolution. The longer this period of time, the better, but it is better to familiarize yourself with the documents supplied with the device, in which this time is indicated precisely.

Error

Next, the reading error is measured. To check the accuracy of the meter, you should use an incandescent lamp and a multimeter. It would be optimal to use the electronic version of the multimeter and not use household appliances as a load. The bottom line is that modern models of household appliances are capable of independently regulating power and therefore, given the use of their nameplate power in measurements, it will not be possible to reliably check the electric meter.

The “control measurement” process looks like this:

1. mains voltage measurement;
2. lamp current measurement;
3. determination of the actual current strength in the lamp;
4. measuring the time during which the disk of a meter connected to the network will spin 10 times while simultaneously monitoring the voltage in the network. For electronic models – 10 blinks of the indicator;
5. determination of the counter constant, which is usually indicated on the front panel. For example, 3200 pulses/kWh;
6. calculation of actual electricity consumption;
7. calculation of the current consumed during the test;
8. checking the meter for error using the formula 1000 * number of revolutions / meter constant;
9. determination of the error value. Permissible error value – up to 10%

Magnetization

A counter of a simpler design can be checked as follows. You should take a thin needle and bring it to the panel - if it is attracted, this will indicate the magnetization of the counter. Usually 2-3 days after removing the magnet, this phenomenon disappears. If the magnetization does not go away on its own, you need to use a demagnetizer.

Accrual and amount of fine

According to the requirements established by Article 9.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, the amount of the minimum fine will directly depend on the form of ownership, because neighbors who steal electricity can do this not only for private purposes, but also to solve any commercial problems.

Thus, the accrued fine is distributed according to the following principle:

In addition to the above penalties, neighbors who stole electricity may also pay a fine of 300 thousand rubles. for deception or abuse of your trust.