3 phase board single phase meters

[deafboy]

Ok i visited a property today that has a 3 phase consumer unit fed via 3 single phase meters, not something i have ever seen before..
can anyone tell me is this allowed and also would the owner be paying more for their electric as they have 3 separate bills?

 

[malcolmsanford]

Are they actually 3 seperate phases or just 3 supplies ?

 

[trebor]

are you by any chance in the london area, if so this is common practice for metering and has been for years, it makes no difference to the customer the 3 meters are simply summed and a single standing charge is made just as for a 3 phase meter, I dont know about other parts of the country though, since privatisation and edf being on the scene I believe london is now using 3 phase meters

 

[deafboy]

Hi thanks for the replys its in lincs not london, its a 3 phase supply with 3 single phase meters (1 for each phase) these then all go to the same 3 phase board it seems the client receives a seperate bill for each meter which i thought was rather odd.
I think it probably had 3 single phase boards at one point feeding separate units and someone has removed and fitted a new 3 phase board
I am under the impression that if the 3 phase supply is not summed up they will be paying more fo their electric?

 

[trebor]

if its one supply they should only get one standing charge, the unit cost will be the same as a 3 phase meter, if they paying a standing charge for each meter this is wrong, do the seperate bills have the same account number

 

[BlueToBits]

This is not uncommon here in the North West, The client may be able to get a better tarrif deal, but not without entering into the murky work of electricity supply companies.

 

[deafboy]

Im not sure as i have not seen the bills, just going by what they have told me they get 3 separate bills, i have told them to contact their supplier about it, I just wanted to check that i am correct in advising them 3 separate bills for a 3 phase supply is wrong.

 

[malcolmsanford]

Most likley find that the building in it's life as been many things and over those years the electrical supply system as changed. It may have started out as a single unit, then split into perhaps 3 seperate units and now back again.

It is normal to see a 3 phase supply metered with single phase meters, but as said above the owner must check to make sure he is not being charged for individual accounts.

 

[deafboy]

ah so im not wrong but im not right either thanks for the replys

 

[BlueToBits]

You are right to bring your client's attention to anything you suspect is incorrect. He is paying you to do so.

 

[Amp David]

Its done in most small commercial units around my area

 

[vincentb]

do you remember how the neutrals were wired ?

 

[deafboy]

I Believe all neutrals went to a henly block combined and then one to the 3 phase board

 

[vincentb]

so the meters only had the neutrals in on each one. I looped the neutrals in and out of each meter in series . i dont know which method is correct.

thank you for your reply.

 

[deafboy]

I beleive either would be acceptable as i think meter neutral terminals are common to each other and not across the meter

 

[vincentb]

that's what i thought. kind regards vincent