Profession electric meter technician

Electric meter technicians install and maintain electric meter systems in facilities or buildings. They install the equipment in accordance with regulations and repair faults and other problems. They test the equipment and advise on the use and care.

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Personality Type

• Realistic / Investigative
• Realistic / Conventional

Knowledge

• Electrical wire accessories

  Electrical wire and cable products and accessories, such as electrical connectors, splices, and wire insulation.

• Electrical equipment regulations

  The national and international regulations with regards to the use and manufacture of electrical equipment on the workfloor. These regulations provide rules and guidelines on topics such as general risk management, electrical equipment manufacture, electrical equipment testing, electrical equipment installation, warning labels, and certificates.

• Electricity

  Understand the principles of electricity and electrical power circuits, as well as the associated risks.

• Electrical wiring plans

  Pictorial representation of an electrical circuit. It shows the components of the circuit as simplified shapes, and the power and signal connections between the devices. It gives information about the relative position and arrangement of devices and terminals on the devices, to help in building or servicing the device. A wiring diagram is often used to troubleshoot problems and to make sure that all the connections have been made and that everything is present.

• Electricity principles

  Electricity is created when electric current flows along a conductor. It entails the movement of free electrons between atoms. The more free electrons are present in a material, the better this material conducts. The three main parameters of electricity are the voltage, current (ampère), and resistance (ohm).

Skills

• Wear appropriate protective gear

  Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.

• Apply health and safety standards

  Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.

• Identify faults in utility meters

  Monitor the measuring instruments which calculate the consumption of utilities such as water, gas, electricity, and heat, in order to assess whether the readings are accurate, and to identify damage and need for repairs and maintenance.

• Use technical documentation

  Understand and use technical documentation in the overall technical process.

• Perform test run

  Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.

• Install electricity meter

  Place an electricity meter connecting the building to the electrical grid. The meter measures the amount of electricity used. Connect the appropriate wires to the electricity meter and configure the device.

• Troubleshoot

  Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.

• Use electrical wire tools

  Use tools to manipulate wire which will be used for electrical purposes, such as wire strippers, crimpers, soldering irons, torque wrenches, and heat guns.

• Install electrical and electronic equipment

  Install equipment which is dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields in order to work, or equipment to generate, transfer or measure such currents and fields. This equipment includes switchboards, electric motors, generators or direct current systems.

• Inspect electrical supplies

  Check electrical supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems.

• Measure electrical characteristics

  Measure voltage, current, resistance or other electrical characteristics by using electrical measuring equipment such as multimeters, voltmeters, and ammeters.

• Use testing equipment

  Use equipment to test performance and operation of machinery.

• Use wire hand tools

  Be able to use wire hand tools, such as crimp tools, cable strippers, and cable cutters.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB