# Medium Voltage Electrical Meters



## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

of course there is.

something about the way you worded the question makes me wonder if proper attention to safety has been addressed. What kind of PPE is required ? Have the technicians had 70E training ?


----------



## Tim E Lewis (Jan 4, 2012)

wildleg said:


> of course there is.
> 
> something about the way you worded the question makes me wonder if proper attention to safety has been addressed. What kind of PPE is required ? Have the technicians had 70E training ?


Thanks wildleg.
Yes they have had the 70E training and have the proper PPE but I can't say they follow it as they should.
The meter-divider we use is a hands off method where you hook it up then energize-read-then isolate, but the engineers want a loaded voltage reading and since these are large motors 2000 hp+ we don't want to start and stop any more often than necessary.


----------



## SteveO. (Oct 17, 2011)

In my opinion, if you don't know if a meter exists you're not qualified to use it. Get someone who understands the risks, the safety requirements to work with a voltage like that, has the proper meter and knows how to use it properly.


----------



## Tim E Lewis (Jan 4, 2012)

SteveO. said:


> In my opinion, if you don't know if a meter exists you're not qualified to use it. Get someone who understands the risks, the safety requirements to work with a voltage like that, has the proper meter and knows how to use it properly.


You are right...I am not qualified to use it.
I am just trying to do the leg work for the field technicians to standardize on a meter that they can learn to use.


----------



## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I read Tim's profile and decided that this question was okay since he was talking about the technicians using the equipment. Of course, they should know also and if they are not trained I would not let them go near this equipment with a meter or not.


----------



## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

You need phasing sticks for MV

http://www.hoytmeter.com/products/PC_11K_Phasing_Sticks.html


----------



## Tim E Lewis (Jan 4, 2012)

Thanks Zog


----------



## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

Tim E Lewis said:


> Thanks Zog


Be careful. Taking MV voltage readings is a dangerous task that companies specializing in MV rarely do. 

We typically take readings off a PT in the system in a case like this, much safer and plenty accurate for your needs.


----------



## Tim E Lewis (Jan 4, 2012)

Thanks Zog
I agree with the PT approach but in this case the step-up terminals are the last access point on the system: Line - Controller - Step-Up - long cable(up to 21,000 feet) - Motor


----------



## bmart (Dec 28, 2011)

Utilithy workers wear protective clothing and use a AB chance phase tester that measures voltages up to 12 kv. It has two scales with a low voltage and high voltage selector switch. You must be adequately trained for useage. It also contains a hi-pot adapter to prove out cables when de-energized.

bmart


----------



## BDB (Jul 9, 2008)

Zog said:


> You need phasing sticks for MV
> 
> http://www.hoytmeter.com/products/PC_11K_Phasing_Sticks.html



I agree with Zog on this one, we have the phase sticks that we use on MV measurements.


----------



## Tim E Lewis (Jan 4, 2012)

Thanks BDB and thank your young man or daughter for serving.


----------



## Mshea (Jan 17, 2011)

Fluke does make HV probes for the 87 but they are not safe for testing distibution only things like HV output of a flyback transformer in a TV or maybe the HV output of a Neon transformer or output of an air cleaner. I ruined a Fluke on the output of a photocopier. Actually got it fixed by Fluke for free as the internal MOV worked.
While some of the PPE is the same for low energy and high energy High voltage testing the meters are not. Some meters are intended to be used at the end of a hot stick and some probes are handheld. I do not believe any handheld meter I know of is safe for high energy testing.


----------

