digital meter question

[motdaeng]

unexpectedly, PEA showed up at our house to let us know that there will be a 10-minute power outage. 

this interruption is due to the installation of a digital meter! anyway, it's not a issue for us since we don't have solar (yet).

 

my previous disc meter had a capacity of 3 phases and 15 (45) A. 

the new digital meter is also 3 phases but with a capacity of 5 (100) A. 

 

i'm curious about the implications of this change. is having only 5 A instead of 15 A a cause for concern? 

should I consider reaching out to PEA to address this matter?

 

thanks, motdaeng

 

 

 

old disc meter:

 

 

 

new digital meter:

 

[Crossy]

No issue whatever, the digital meters are all good for 100A whereas your old meter was only good for 45A.

 

EDIT

The first number is the calibration current and the second the maximum current where cal is still in limits.

 

The older whizzy meters being electromechanical have a smaller "accurate" range then the all-singing digital ones.

 

 

[mahjongguy]

Hmm, I know you are correct about this because you are Crossy.   :)

 

But help me understand. The mechanical meter could safely and accurately provide up to 45 amps for each of the three phases. That's 135 amps total. The digital meter can provide 100 amps in total, spread evenly or unevenly across the three phases.

 

So I would have answered (incorrectly, it seems) that the OP now has less peak load available to him.

 

[Crossy]

The new meter can do up to 100A per-phase before going outside cal range. So, about 66kW total load.

 

Similarly, the old unit could do up to 45A per-phase whilst remaining in cal. Which would be about 30kW total load.

 

Note that the limiting factor is actually the cables to the house and the incoming breaker rather than the meter entering low-earth orbit