What you need to know about the smart electric wires

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SMART ELECTRIC METERS Smart electric meters are electronic devices which can track and record the use of electricity in customer’s homes. Electrical Boards across the country have been replacing the old analogue meters with the new and high-tech digital smart meter versions. These smart meters are adept in automatically capturing information about electricity consumption and then transmit it back to the electric service providers. Various switchgear manufacturers in India are working in collaboration with state electricity boards to manufacture domestic as well as commercial smart meters. Here’s a look at the benefits that intelligent meters usually present to modern households.

SMART METERS FACILITATE EASY ACCESS TO VIEW ELECTRICITY USAGE One of the highlighting traits of an intelligent meter lies in the fact that the user can easily view the current consumption of electricity. In traditional analogue meters, it was not possible. Many smart meters can also hold historical information about past energy consumption with usage. This helps households to save money by reducing their electricity consumption. These meters are user-friendly, which is another reason for their high popularity. With the help of smart meters, the consumers can benefit from the following.

• 1.Consumers can be informed remotely or locally
• 2.Allowing the consumer to reduce costs by increasing consumption during off-peak cheaper tariff periods
• 3.Multi tariff options can also be added

Fuse
A fuse is a safety device that protects against overcurrent in an electrical circuit. Its components include a metal strip or wire that melts when there is an excess of electricity flowing through the circuit. When the wire or strip melts, it breaks the circuit thereby interrupting the flow of current. A fuse is a sacrificial safety device i.e. once it has served its purpose, it will have to be rewired or replaced.

MCB
Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs) are more advanced than fuses in that they are electromechanical devices that prevent circuits from overcurrent. Modern MCBs such as that from HPL come with changeover switches that make them particularly good at securing the terminal connection. Unlike fuses, MCBs need not be replaced after a fault and therefore can be reused. MCBs are an improvement over fuses and remove any large operating costs. The main advantages that MCBs have over fuses are as follows:

1. MCBs are more sensitive to current than fuses. They immediately detect any abnormality and switch off the electrical circuit automatically. This prevents any permanent damage to electrical appliances and human beings. The MCB detects any excess current and breaks the circuit. This is reflected in the tripping of the MCB.
2. The fault in the electrical circuit can be identified easily if MCB switch is used. In this case, the Off position needs to be found. However, in a fuse, the entire wire needs to be checked. But this is not all! The fuse grip requires to be opened to identify the faulty zone making the work a little more tedious.
3. Another advantage to using MCB is that the power supply can be resumed almost immediately. The techno MCB changeover switch needs to be pushed backed to the On position. In the case of a fuse, the whole wire will have to be replaced first.
4. Using and handling an MCB is much easier than using a fuse. This is because unlike the fuse, the user is not exposed to any live wires or parts. But replacing a fuse is a tedious process, one which exposes the person to live current.
5. The best property of an MCB is that it can be used again and has minimal replacement and maintenance costs. This is not the case with fuses where the whole apparatus may require replacement when a fault is identified.

HPL’s changeover switches are an innovative design with Two Pole and Four Pole versions and have a secure terminal connection.
HPL Electric and Power Limited is a leading player in the electrical equipment industry in India. Choose from a wide range of its LED products that have been certified to conform to Indian and International standards such as ISI, CE, and KEMA.