How does a two-tariff electricity meter work and is it profitable?

It would be nice to reduce your electricity bills without resorting to illegal methods - twisting, attaching magnets, installing additional emitters, etc.Do you agree? This seems unlikely to consumers, but housing and communal services organizations claim that modern two-tariff electricity meters will help save money. Is it really?

In this publication we will talk about what two-tariff meters are and how they work. Let's calculate the real benefits of using a modern metering device and find out which consumers will benefit from installing such a metering device, and who would be better off using a conventional electricity meter.

Purpose and types of two-tariff meters

Two-tariff meters are devices for metering electrical energy consumption with two sets of counting mechanisms, each of which operates at set intervals. They were put into operation to relieve the evening and morning peak electricity use and improve the reliability of power supply.

The fact is that any fluctuations in electricity consumption negatively affect the operation of power plants, professional equipment and transmission lines. Uneven consumption of electricity on the line during the day leads to increased wear and tear of equipment at power plants and substations.

There are two main temporary load peaks: from 7 to 10 And from 18 to 23 hours. In the morning, people get ready for work, and therefore turn on electric kettles, microwave ovens, hair dryers, irons, etc.In the evening after 6 pm they come home from work and begin to actively use split systems, microwave ovens, electric kettles and other household and lighting appliances.

Any device plugged into an outlet is an additional load on the electrical network, which can cause a serious accident on the line

To adjust the load on the power grid, a multi-tariff system was developed.

With a single-rate tariff, the cost per kilowatt remains unchanged around the clock. If there is a two-tariff meter, electricity consumption is calculated at a differentiated tariff.

The two-tariff meter alternately displays readings for the day and night operating modes of the device, which must be indicated when paying for electricity

The two-tariff device controls consumption in two time zones: from 7.00 to 23.00 and from 23.00 to 7.00. At night, electricity calculations are made using a reduced coefficient, during the day - using an increased one.

A kilowatt hour during the day on a two-tariff meter costs more than on a single-tariff meter. The authorities considered that this would be an additional incentive for citizens not to load the networks during peak periods.

The principle of operation of the electric meter

Double-tariff and single-tariff meters are similar in operating principle. These devices receive energy consumption data from current and voltage sensors located in the housing. Then they are converted by an electronic circuit and the final results are displayed on the display.

In modern two-tariff meters, all results are transmitted to the electricity supplier’s server via secure radio channels. This allows you to control and take into account the nature of electricity consumption of each consumer individually.

More expensive meters are equipped with a special interface for connecting to a PC. They are used for the functioning of the system "Smart House".

When building the functionality of a smart home system, entire machines are installed that can control not only the change of time, but also the turning on and off of various household devices

When installing a two-tariff meter, it is programmed to calculate energy consumption at a lower tariff in the period from 23:00 to 7:00. Those. consumption calculation occurs automatically and is displayed on the display in the form of readings T1 and T2 (these indicators change with a certain frequency).

In addition to them, the screen displays the exact date, time and total amount of electricity consumed.

Some modern two-tariff electric meters also display voltage and frequency - the general parameters of the network of the house in which the apartment is located

Most new electricity meters have LCD displays on which all numbers are easily visible.

The amount that needs to be paid for light is calculated in a standard way. You must first obtain the difference between the meter readings for the current and last months, and then multiply this value by the cost of 1 kW.

Types of electricity metering devices

There are several ways to classify two-tariff meters. According to the type of power supply network they are divided into single-phase And three-phase. Each type of device corresponds to the number of phases of the electrical network. The choice of a single-phase or three-phase meter depends on what kind of electricity input is organized in the apartment (house). 90% of city apartments have a single-phase connection. You can install simple single-phase meters in them, which are much cheaper than three-phase ones.

The cheapest two-tariff single-phase meters are products from the Moscow Electrical Instruments Plant (model SOE-55), but there is no point in buying them yourself. Each energy company that serves certain homes and neighborhoods has the necessary electricity meters available. It is best to purchase them from the housing and communal services organization.

Two-tariff electric meters are sold on both Avito and Yula, but you should not buy metering devices in person, as they may be faulty and too worn out

The counters are also divided by accuracy classes: 0.5, 1 and 2. The smaller the class, the more accurate the device and the smaller the error. Devices with accuracy class 0.5 are the most expensive. In addition, electricity meters can be classified according to installation method.

By type of installation they are divided into:

• DIN rail mounted devices;
• devices with a three-point installation system;
• devices with universal fastening.

DIN rail mounting is a way to install a modern electric meter in special box using a unified fastening for the groove and clamp.

Meters with a three-point installation system are suitable for apartments with old switchboard designs. Some metering devices can be installed both in the traditional way and on a DIN rail. They are considered universal.

Calculation of the benefits of a two-tariff flow meter

Benefit is a flexible concept. It must be determined by everyone for themselves, depending on the characteristics of the operation of certain household appliances. For ease of calculations, you can use standard indicators of electricity consumption for home devices.

The most powerful household appliances include:

• fridge (consumes approximately 30 kW per month depending on the model);
• washing machine (30-35 kW);
• Personal Computer (36-40 kW, but the figures can be 2 times higher if we are talking about a powerful PC);
• electric kettle (approximately 25 kW per month, although for 1 hour of operation this device consumes an extremely large amount of energy);
• hair dryer (5-15 kW);
• Dishwasher (20-22 kW per month when used about 3 hours per week);
• microwave (10-13 kW);
• TV (5-12 kW);
• vacuum cleaner (5-10 kW);
• iron (around 7-8 kW).

Now, based on the consumption of each device, you need to check how much you will have to pay for light with a single-tariff and two-tariff meter.

All calculations are carried out taking into account electricity tariffs in Moscow and the Moscow region. In the Moscow region, for a single-tariff meter, the cost of 1 kW is 5.47 rubles.

For two-tariff electricity meters, prices are slightly different. When using a differentiated tariff at night (from 23 to 7 o'clock) a fee of 2.13 rubles per kilowatt will be charged, and during the day - 6.29 rubles per kW. In other regions, the cost per kilowatt may differ, but the proportion itself will remain the same.

The cost of a kilowatt depends on the geographical features of the region: for example, Chukotka and Kamchatka have the highest electricity tariffs in Russia

When calculating the financial benefits of a two-tariff electric meter, you need to take into account the time at which the specified household appliances usually operate. This will make it possible to carry out correct calculations.

The operating time of each household electrical appliance looks something like this:

1. The refrigerator operates 24 hours a day.
2. The washing machine can be started after 23:00, but at night you can wash it a maximum of 2 times (and usually once), because the washing cycle is 1-2 hours, depending on the program used.
3. The computer is used both day and night, depending on the schedule of life and the nature of work.
4. The electric kettle is turned on in the morning (including before 7:00), and in the evening, when they come home from work (before 23:00), and after 23:00. But mostly the kettle is boiled between 18:00 and midnight.
5. Hair is often dried with a hairdryer after 7 am, when electricity is calculated at the daily rate.
6. The dishwasher with the dirty dishes accumulated during the day can be turned on after 23:00.
7. Food is heated in the microwave mainly from 7 to 23 hours.
8. TV is watched in the evening on weekdays, so it often works during the night tariff.
9. Due to the noticeable noise (if you do not take into account some modern models), the vacuum cleaner is practically not turned on early in the morning (before 7:00) or late in the evening (after 23:00).
10. You can iron things with an iron even during the night tariff (after 23:00).

Now you can do some small calculations. For examples, we take information about the average electricity consumption of household appliances per month.

For a single-tariff electric meter, the calculations will be simple. First, the total consumption of all devices is calculated based on averaged data. It is equal to 173 kW. Without any devices (for example, a dishwasher, vacuum cleaner or electric kettle), this value may be lower. On a single-tariff meter, for 173 kilowatts according to Moscow tariffs you need to pay 993 rubles.

We also recommend that you read in the best ways data transmission at the expense of.

Before installing any electrical appliance in an apartment, you must first evaluate its energy efficiency, and then buy it

Before calculating the benefits of installing a two-tariff meter, you should analyze the actual electricity consumption in the apartment and determine the devices that are constantly working.

The calculations are a little more complicated, so it would be more appropriate to calculate the cost of consumed electricity separately for each device, and then add up the information obtained:

1. Fridge It works both at night and during the day, so you need to calculate one half of its operating time according to the day rate, and the second half according to the night rate. The example looks like this: 15*2.13+15*6.29=126 (rub.).
2. Washing machine can be used similarly, but here it is better to take a ratio of 1 to 3, i.e. according to the night tariff, you should calculate only a third of the total consumption: 10 * 2.13 + 20 * 6.29 = 147.1 (rub.).
3. Calculation for computer: 18*2.13+18*6.29=153.69 (rub.).
4. For electric kettle approximate calculation: 13*6.29+12*2.13=107.33 (rub.).
5. Hairdryer They rarely turn on before 7 am and after 11 pm, so it is better to take into account only the daily tariff: 5 * 6.29 = 31.45 (rub.).
6. Dishwasher can be turned on at any time, but let’s assume that it is set on a timer after 11 pm: 20 * 2.13 = 42.6 (rub).
7. Microwave calculation: 10*6.29=62.9 (rub.).
8. For TV: 3*2.13+2*6.29=18.97 (rub.).
9. For vacuum cleaner: 5*6.29=31.45 (rub.).
10. For iron: 7*6.29=44.03 (rub.).

If you add up all these values, you get 765.5 rubles. This is almost 230 rubles less than the amount that you will have to pay for the consumption of household appliances when using a single-tariff meter. But this is subject to loading the dishwasher late in the evening and periodically washing at night.

If there is no dishwasher (and not every family has one), then the difference in readings will be less: 722 rubles for a two-tariff meter versus 880 rubles for a single-tariff meter. Those. the overpayment in the second case will be about 160 rubles.

Savings and convenience rarely go hand in hand, so when installing a two-tariff meter you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to turn on the dishwasher or washing machine at an inappropriate time

Then you need to calculate how much electricity all the light bulbs in the house consume. They are found in chandeliers, floor lamps, sconces and other lighting fixtures.

The number of kilowatts depends on the type of lamp:

• led light bulbs consume 10 watts per hour;
• luminescent – 36 Watt per hour;
• incandescent lamps – 96 Watt per hour.

The lights are turned on at night. In winter, it starts to get dark at 16:00, but a lot depends on the region. On average, each light bulb in the house works about 4 hours a day (some less, some more). Those. per month, one LED lamp consumes 1.2 kW, a fluorescent lamp consumes 4.3 kW, and a regular lamp consumes 11.5 kW.

LED light bulbs are expensive and are not sold in all stores, but they can significantly save on monthly electricity bills

The number of light bulbs in apartments depends on the personal preferences of its owners and the total area of ​​the room. For example, in a two-room apartment there can be either 5 or 25. But for calculations, you can take an approximate value of 15 lamps: 3 in the kitchen and both rooms, two in the hallway and bathroom, and one in the pantry and toilet.

If all the light bulbs in the apartment are LED, 18 kW will accumulate in a month, if they are fluorescent - 64 kW, and if they are regular - 172.5 kW.

The more lamps, floor lamps and sconces in an apartment, the brighter and more comfortable it is, and therefore you should not skimp on lighting fixtures

If a regular single-tariff meter is installed in the apartment, then you will need to pay 98.5 rubles per month for LED bulbs, 350 rubles for fluorescent bulbs and 943.5 rubles for regular bulbs.

If you use a two-tariff meter, your electricity bill will be reduced. However, the lights often turn on before 11 p.m., so the bulbs will still work during the daytime tariff. The ratio can be taken as 1 to 3.

The cost of a month of electricity consumption is equal to:

• for LED light bulbs: 6*2.13+12*6.29=88.26 (RUB);
• for fluorescent: 22*2.13+42*6.29=311.04 (rub.);
• for incandescent lamps: 57.5*2.13+115*6.29=845.83 (rub.).

The benefit depends on the type of light bulbs installed. For LEDs it will be about 10 rubles, but for incandescent lamps – already 100 rubles. But does it make sense to buy a two-tariff flow meter if you can replace the light bulbs in the house with more economical ones?

Who will benefit from a two-tariff meter?

From the calculations above, it is clear that a two-tariff meter allows you to save money. But not everyone will benefit from this method.

A two-tariff flow meter is needed in the following cases:

1. A person actively uses electrical appliances and turns on the lights at home after 11 pm. For example, he comes home after work at 10 pm. If the whole family goes to bed before 11 pm, then a two-tariff meter will not be profitable, because the main electricity consumption will be calculated at an increased daily tariff.
2. The apartment has many electrical appliances (including heated floors), and the chandeliers have ordinary incandescent light bulbs.In this case, a lot of electricity is consumed, and the benefits of using a two-tariff electric meter will be noticeable. If at home you only have a refrigerator, a washing machine and a TV that rarely turns on, then the savings will be insignificant.
3. In a private house, electricity is required to operate heating, hot water and lighting systems. Moreover heating boilers consume large amounts of electricity. But cottage owners have the opportunity to control the operation of boilers using a timer and start them only at a certain time (after 11 pm).

If a person leads a nocturnal lifestyle, then he will be able to experience the benefits of installing a two-tariff meter.

In all other cases, the benefit will be in question, since you will have to pay extra for installing the meter. Installation of the simplest two-tariff electricity meter according to Mosenergo tariffs will cost almost 4 thousand rubles. Prices may vary in other regions.

How to speed up the payback of such a device?

The payback of a two-tariff meter is a separate topic. You need to pay a tidy sum for installing or reflashing the device. These devices are not installed free of charge and are more expensive than standard single-tariff flow meters.

We talked about the cost of installing and replacing electric meters in this material.

A two-tariff meter of any brand is more expensive than a single-tariff meter due to the features of the software and more complex functionality

Externally, a two-tariff electric meter is no different from a standard meter. The difference between them lies only in the readings, which display information for night and daytime differently.

Due to the fact that the dimensions of the meters are the same, a new device can be installed in place of the old one.

Any person who understands electricity and fire safety can install a new two-tariff meter, but only an employee of the company providing the service can seal the device

Before installation, you need to evaluate the feasibility of using the device and, perhaps, settle on a single-tariff device.

If an electric meter is already installed, you can think about the optimal consumption of electricity:

• turn on the washing machine and dishwasher only after 23:00;
• set a timer on the multicooker so that it starts cooking before the household wakes up, i.e. until 7 am;
• start the water heating mode in the boiler (if there is one) only at night, and during the day activate the temperature maintenance function in it (maintaining the water temperature requires much less electricity than heating it).

In this case, you will be able to save about 200 rubles per month. Those. The installation of an electric meter will take 2 years.

If you don’t try to use electrical appliances after 23:00, then there will be no tangible benefit, because even the meter itself will take about 5 years (if not more).

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

A look at the profitability of a two-tariff electric meter is reflected in the following video:

A two-tariff meter is not suitable for everyone. Before installing it, you need to carefully calculate all your expenses on electricity in order to understand whether it is needed or not.

There is no universal answer to the question of the advisability of installing a two-tariff metering device.Without accurate calculations of energy consumption in a specific apartment or private house, it is difficult to say in advance whether it will be profitable or not.

Do you use a two-tariff electric meter? Share your experience with other users - tell us whether using it was beneficial for you. If you are just looking at this type of counter and want to clarify a number of nuances, ask your questions in the comments block located below under this publication.