Seals for electricity meters

How to properly seal the electricity meter, and who should do it

Sealing meters - confirmation of the mechanical integrity, serviceability and performance of the metering device. This process is a protective function to eliminate the possibility of unauthorized entry in order to select electrical energy from the supplier network. Sealing of electricity meters is considered a mandatory process, each working electricity meter must have a seal from the service provider.

Today there are two different types of fillings:

• sealing by the meter manufacturer;
• seal from the service provider.

A seal from the manufacturer's factory can confirm the operability of the electricity meter, for mechanical integrity, taking into account the compliance with the declared characteristics and metering accuracy. In addition, the sealing of the electricity meter indicates the tests carried out, which is confirmed by the passport of the meter itself.

Another type of sealing is carried out during commissioning by energy sales employees when installing and placing an electric meter on the balance sheet of the service provider. Representatives of the inspection of the controlling service are required to seal the electricity meter before putting the unit into operation for calculating electric energy.

How to choose an electricity meter

For personal use and industrial use, we recommend purchasing an electricity meter with accuracy class 2 or 1.

The electric energy meter is entered into the State Register. The equipment must have a seal of a civil service verifier, on which a stamp and the date when the verification was carried out are affixed.

When buying a meter, the seller must submit documents for the product, which indicate the date of manufacture, the accuracy class of the meter and the date of verification.

Electric meters can be put into operation, since the release of which has passed:

• no more than 2 years for single-phase electricity meters.
• no more than one year for three-phase electric energy meters.

If more time has passed since the purchase than prescribed by state acts, then such a device must be given for verification to special organizations. Upon completion of the verification work, the client is issued an act, and a seal is made. The act has a validity period, as for factory products.

How to seal an electricity meter

Putting a seal on metering devices should be carried out free of charge by the executive bodies of the service provider if this is the first installation of an electric meter.

A fee may be charged if the meter is re-sealed. This issue is regulated by the relevant draft laws.

Paragraph 8 of Decree No. 442 says that there is no payment for the service for sealing the unit being put into operation or other means of visual control of the integrity of the product.

Decree number 354, paragraph 81, paragraphs 8, 9, 14 says:

• sealing must be performed immediately before signing the acceptance into operation for the money of the executive body;
• the cost of launching electricity meters is paid by the service provider;
• the consumer is obliged to pay for re-sealing and pay for repair work in case of damage to the electricity meter;
• services of verification of electric meters are not paid.

The electric energy meter can be sealed for the following reasons:

• initial launch of the product;
• transfer, replacement or restoration of a faulty electric energy meter.

What to do if the seal on the electric meter is broken

Like it or not, absolutely everything can be damaged, and the electricity meter is no exception. In case of damage to the seals on the meters, you should:

• first of all, record the date of discovery and photograph the damage;
• immediately notify the managing organization of the identified problem;
• write a statement of damage in two copies and leave one of them with the sales organization, on the other receive a seal or signature with the date the statement was accepted.

The fact that the seal is broken or damaged cannot lead to serious consequences, in particular, if the meter itself is located outside the territory of the apartment, but it is worth remembering that power engineers are highly suspicious of such cases and suspect the owner of trying to steal some electricity. It is for this reason that it is better to identify damage to the seal to the owner of the apartment, and not to power engineers during a scheduled current check of the energy economy.

Terms of sealing the electricity meter. How to seal an electric meter How to seal an electricity meter

The electric meter is sealed when the meter is moved to a new location or after the initial installation, as well as in case it is removed due to failure, or to repair switching equipment located in the same shield under the same seal with the meter. In this article, we will try to consider in as much detail as possible how to seal an electricity meter in a private house and apartment.

Sealing cost

Sealing the electricity meter can be either free or paid by the tenant. Not always the cost of installing a seal is paid by the consumer

It is important to understand what was the reason for the work. If the device has to be sealed at the request of the service provider, as in the case of the initial installation of a new one, or the replacement of an obsolete electric meter at the initiative of Energosbyt, then the service fee is not charged

When re-sealing, for reasons beyond the control of the consumer - for example, failure of the meter or protection devices - you will have to pay for the services. You can find out the current prices for re-sealing the electricity meter from your electricity supplier.

Procedure

To seal the electricity meter again, if the owner himself wishes to replace the meter with a new, modern electricity meter, follow the following procedure:

1. Contact your local electricity supplier.
2. Submit a written application (you can find out what documents are needed from the supplier).
3. Agree on the time and date of the work. By the way, the terms for sealing the electric meter are not regulated, but they should not exceed one month. This time is counted from the date of installation of the meter and your writing an application for sealing the electric meter (clause 81 of the "Rules for the provision of public services").
4. Pay the received check with bank details at the branch where payments are accepted.

Upon completion, an employee of the organization will draw up an act on the work performed, in which he will indicate the current readings of the old and new meters, the installation location, date, and the name of the organization that carried out the work.

Who can seal the electricity meter?

Only employees belonging to the electricity service provider are entitled to seal electricity meters. No “advertised” electricians have such authority. Be aware that in case of illegal unsealing and sealing, you will have to pay a fine. Contact on this issue only in Energosbyt.

Residents of apartment buildings need to contact the power grid or the organization servicing the house directly. To seal the electricity meter when moving it in a country house or in a private house, the owners will need to contact the power grid directly.

Problems that may arise

People, due to ignorance of the law, are forced to pay for sealing the meter even during the initial installation or when replacing the device at the initiative of the power grid. Such requirements are easily disputed, because the Russian government decided to seal electricity meters for free in these cases. Specifically, this is indicated by resolution No. 422 of May 4, 2012, namely paragraph 8 of the general provisions. Order No. 354 of May 6, 2011 also allows sealing the device at the expense of the electricity supplier.

For consumers living in a private house, power engineers are required to install an electricity meter only on the street in a shield. You can refuse them this based on the requirements of clause 1.5.27 of the PUE. It establishes that the consumer is responsible for maintaining the meter. Therefore, the tenant is only required to place it in an accessible place and in compliance with the installation standards, one of which is at a height of 0.8-1.7 m from the floor level.

Types and methods of installing seals

Seals for electricity meters are of two types:

In conclusion, I would like to note that it is necessary to correctly determine for what purpose and on whose initiative it is necessary to seal the electricity meter - the amount of money spent, as well as precious time, depends on this. Knowing the laws and regulations will help you avoid fines and blackouts.

Thanks to the installation of a seal, the meter will be a mechanically integral device. It also confirms its correctness. The seal serves as a protection against the illegal consumption of electricity by the supplier. It must be installed on every working device. In order for this work to be done correctly, you need to know the rules for sealing electricity meters.

Requirements for sealing meters in the regulations of the Russian Federation

There are provisions in the legislative acts of the Russian Federation that all energy metering devices after installation must be checked and sealed without fail. This is a necessary measure to prevent unauthorized access to the internal elements of devices. The law also states that meters that have not passed the sealing procedure are not allowed to register. This means they cannot be used for their intended purpose.

Access control devices must be installed by utilities. The service is included in the number of free and is provided without fail. Charging a fee for sealing a meter is considered an administrative violation. For this, management companies are fined up to 20,000 rubles, officials - up to 2,000 rubles.

Sealing gas meters

It is necessary to seal the gas meter immediately after installing a new device. To do this, apply for sealing to the gas service. The application must include contact details, passport number and series, and telephone number. It is also necessary to provide information on the counter:

• time of putting the device into operation;
• serial number of the meter and its type;
• the address where the measuring device is installed;
• information about the company that performed the installation;
• meter readings at the installation stage;
• date of the next check.

The application for sealing the object is also accompanied by the technical passport of the product and the data of the last check (only for re-installation). Within three days, utilities must respond to the application, indicate the date of the visit and seal the measuring device.

Sealing of electricity meters

Electric meters are needed to account for the electrical energy consumed by residents. Since these data are under the control of energy supply organizations, metering devices undergo a sealing procedure. The installed seal serves as a guarantee that the consumer does not interfere in the accounting process and cannot influence the meter data.

New measuring instruments have a factory seal.After the meter is subjected to a second verification procedure, a new sealing device is placed on it with a stamp of the state verifier.

Some companies use self-adhesive seals with the logo of the organization that carried out the inspection for sealing. Anti-magnetic devices are also quite often used, which fix attempts to change the meter data using a magnet. If a violation is detected, the sticker changes color, and this process is irreversible.

The sealing of the meter is carried out after submitting an application to the RES. In the appeal, it is necessary to indicate the reason for installing a new seal (replacing the device, changing its location, replacing the wiring).

Sealing of water meters

To recalculate the payment for water, it is necessary not only to install meters, but also to seal them. The sealing procedure is obligatory for registration of the measuring device. If this measure has not been taken, you will continue to pay for water at the standard rate (based on a fixed price per person).

The sealing procedure is carried out only by those companies that have the right to draw up acts for submission to the registration authorities. Before installing the seals, the specialist inspects the device, checks whether the water meters are connected correctly and whether they are damaged. He also gives the owner of the counter a technical passport of the product and other necessary documents for its registration.

The Law "On Water Supply and Sanitation" states that the payment for sealing the meter is not made during the initial installation, after verification and repair. An exception is the replacement of a device that has failed due to the fault of the user.

Types of seals for electricity meters

We offer to purchase seals for electric meters of the following types:

• Lead seals are the most common method of protection. The principle of installing such a seal is quite simple - a wire is pushed through two holes, and then the seal is clamped on both sides with a sealer, leaving a unique license plate on the lead surface.
• Rotary seals are made of a transparent plastic case with a unique digital code and a ratchet mechanism. The transparent design of the seal allows you to monitor its integrity, and the digital combination eliminates the possibility of replacing it.
• Sealing stickers - a high-strength adhesive is applied to the back of such a seal. The sealing sticker is firmly glued to the electric meter and, in case of an attempt to peel it off, the inscription “Opened!” appears. Thus, it will no longer be possible to stick the seal-sticker on the device again. In addition, each sticker has its own unique number, so it is not possible to replace it.
• Antimagnetic seal - structurally it is a sticker inside which there is a small capsule with a specialized suspension that is sensitive to magnetic waves. If the electric meter was affected by a magnet, the suspension spreads over the entire sticker. Each anti-magnetic seal has its own serial number, which excludes the possibility of its replacement. And in case of unauthorized tearing of the seal from the device, the inscription “Open void” appears.

Antimagnetic seals on the electricity meter, how to choose antimagnetic stickers

An anti-magnetic seal sticker for an electric meter can be installed on an energy meter at any time - devices of this type are commercially available. Most often, protective equipment is installed by utilities, management companies, and the owners of residential areas do not always agree with such a “modernization” of control devices.

In Russia, the so-called unwinding of electricity meters has taken on a nationwide scale. That is why anti-magnetic stickers have been put into production.Products are applied as additional protection of the municipal accounting equipment from unauthorized impact.

The seal is a PVC sticker with a small transparent capsule. The capsule contains a magnetically sensitive suspension compressed into a dense ball (1.5–2 mm in diameter) powder. As soon as a magnet appears next to the sticker, the substance is distributed throughout the capsule, signaling the fact of interference with the operation of the counter. It is not possible to collect the suspension/powder back into the ball. An attempt to peel off the seal leads to the destruction of the adhesive strip and the indelible inscription "Opened" is imprinted on the meter case. It is also impossible to erase the paint, restore the integrity of the seal.

IMPORTANT! All the consequences of inept and unsuccessful fraudulent actions will have to be disentangled by the owners of metering devices.

Penalties for Fraud

The law provides for a PENALTY for detecting magnets attached to electricity meters. The monetary penalty is assigned to the owner of the device, calculated for the period that has passed since the last check or, if it has not been carried out, for 36 months. The average daily indicator in the calculation is taken at a 10-fold rate. The amount is serious.

In case of damage to the meter, the cost of purchasing and installing a new device is borne by the owner of the premises. An antimagnetic seal is installed without the consent of the owner of the house.

It is clear that the further use of communal resources takes place under the particularly close attention of the management company.

What seals to protect against fraud

As protection against magnets on electricity meters, anti-magnetic stickers are used. The tool is inexpensive, works reliably.

The Plomba XXI Vek company produces stickers against magnets that react to magnetic disturbances from 75 mT. Products meet the requirements of GOST. There are two types of protective equipment in the range:

1. 1) "Antimagnet" (22x66 mm) with a built-in capsule and a magnetically sensitive substance in the form of a ball 1.5–2 mm in diameter;
2. 2) "Nanocrystal" (25x60 mm) with a system of 4 indicators.

Both types of fixtures can be ordered right now, the cost per unit of goods when buying large quantities of stickers is reduced.

What happens if you remove the seal from the water meter

Recently, measures to prevent such violations by consumers have been noticeably tightened. It is the consumer who is responsible for the safe condition of the seal.

The legislation clearly stipulates that electricity meters must be sealed. Otherwise, their testimony is not taken as the basis for calculating the payment. In some cases, this causes the situation to be defined as theft of electric current, for which the consumer will be punished in the form of a fine or more serious consequences. Therefore, seals for electricity meters are a sign that this device is working correctly, without violating the law.

It should be noted that two seals are usually installed on the electric meter:

1. Factory, which guarantees that no one will climb into the device.
2. A seal put by a representative of an energy sales organization. It is usually installed on the terminal box, thereby ensuring that the inside of the wire transfer box is not penetrated for the purpose of theft.