What Is an Ampere-Hour Meter?
An ampere-hour meter is a device that measures the totalization of current over time. Also called a watt-hour meter, it is used to determine the amount of electricity used and the amount of electricity generated.
This machine, which is always installed in ordinary households, calculates monthly electricity rates by calculating the power consumed. Torque proportional to electric power is generated to rotate the disk, and the number of revolutions is calculated as the integrated current value.
In recent years, however, electronic ampere-hour meters that do not use a disk have been developed, and their measurement accuracy has improved.
Uses of Ampere-Hour Meters
Ampere-hour meters are used to measure electric power in various locations, the most familiar being household electric meters.
In addition to factories and large power plants, there is always at least one ampere-hour meter installed in each home. Its purpose is to calculate the electricity consumed in the home. Monthly power consumption is calculated by the ampere-hour meter, and the electric power company sets the electricity rate based on that value.
Analog ampere-hour meters, which are commonly used, are convenient because they measure only active power, but they are vulnerable to vibration and shock, so care must be taken when handling them.
Principle of Ampere-Hour Meters
Ampere-hour meters have been widely used as household power consumption meters. These were mainly mechanical, analog type machines, but in recent years digital, electronic types have also appeared.
- Mechanical Ampere-Hour Meter
This is an ampere-hour meter that mechanically measures electric power from the number of revolutions of a disk. A torque proportional to the electric power is generated by the coil for voltage and the coil for current, which rotates the disk. The number of revolutions of this disk is measured as the integrated electric power. Although widely used for a long time, the disadvantage of this device is that it is difficult to miniaturize because of the use of a disk. It is also vulnerable to vibration and shock, so care must be taken when handling it. - Electronic Ampere-Hour Meter
This is an ampere-hour meter that measures current and voltage from an electric circuit built into a device and calculates electric power. Since it does not require a mechanical structure like a disk, it can be miniaturized and installed in a small space. It also has high measurement accuracy and can be used for a long period. It can also record hourly power consumption. This allows you to record information on power outages and to find out when you are using too much power. In addition to saving energy, the system can also check the amount of electricity generated by the hour for households with power generation equipment.