Self-Contained Metering Site Training Bench

Powermetrix 8813

Every new metering technician starts on self-contained services, and the mistakes made there range from lost revenue to backfeed on a live service. The Powermetrix 8813 from Radian Research lets technicians learn to find those problems on a safe, energized training bench before they meet them in the field.

The bench creates 28+ common field errors on 1S, 2S, 12S, and 16S services without rewiring. Paired with the Training Administrator Station, an instructor can run up to four benches from one tablet and record every trainee’s results.

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Why Train on a Metering Bench?

Because a wrong meter can look right. A reversed current, a meter in the wrong socket, or a meter set upside down can leave a site registering wrong, or not at all, while everything looks normal from the sidewalk. Technicians need to recognize these faults on sight and confirm them with a test set.

Because the field is no place to learn. Line-side voltage, backfeed, and load-side faults are hazards on a live customer service, and real faults don’t wait for a trainee to be on site. The 8813 brings those faults into the classroom, energized and repeatable, with safety built into every step.

Because training should be consistent and documented. Every trainee gets the same scenarios, as many times as it takes. With the TAS, each trainee’s performance is recorded and time-stamped for every session and can be exported, giving you a record of who is qualified on what.

The meters technicians see most. Sockets for 1S (120 V), 2S (240 V), 12S (3-wire network and delta), and 16S (4-wire wye and delta) services, plus a 120 V/240 V socket for probewell equipment. A built-in three-phase source supplies 69 to 480 V and 100 mA to 30 A per phase, with phase angles adjustable in 0.1° steps, and an independent 240 V, 500 VA source has 4mm inputs.

Real test methods. Technicians test meters under customer load (passive) or apply an artificial load (active) with a Powermetrix 3302, Powermetrix 6618A, or RADIAN RW-30X/31X. Instructors can change amplitudes and phase angles to show how a meter behaves inside and outside its calibrated range.

Built for your utility. Custom wire color coding and mounting of most utility-specific meter cans make the bench look like your field. It runs on one standard 120 V, 15 A outlet and rolls on locking casters, with lockable drawers and a storage shelf.

Features

A three-phase self-contained metering training bench built with classroom safety in mind

Self-contained sockets for 1S, 2S, 12S, and 16S services, plus a 120 V/240 V socket for probewell equipment
28+ predefined field errors, created by the bench with no wiring changes, and instructor overrides for amplitude and phase angle
Line-side voltage, backfeed, and load-side fault scenarios found in the field
Built-in three-phase source: 69 to 480 V and 100 mA to 30 A per phase, 0.1° phase steps, 60 Hz, plus an independent 240 V, 500 VA source
Passive (customer load) or active (artificial load) meter testing with RADIAN test equipment
Pairs with the Powermetrix 8843 Training Administrator Station (TAS), an instructor tablet that controls up to four benches over a closed Wi-Fi network and records, time-stamps, and exports each trainee's performance
Custom wire color coding and mounting of most utility-specific meter cans
Safety by design: resettable 5 mA GFI on each energized point, active-bench beacon, energized lights on each meter, PPE check before every test, and E-Stops on the bench, screen, and TAS

Running a Training Scenario, Step by Step

Set up the bench from the TAS tablet, or from the bench touchscreen in technician mode.
Select the meter socket to train on: 1S, 2S, 12S, or 16S.
Choose a scenario, from a normal installation to a reversed current or a backfeed fault.
Confirm that PPE is in place, then start the test. The beacon and energized lights come on.
Test the site with a Powermetrix 3302, Powermetrix 6618A, or RADIAN RW-30X/31X: check the vector diagram, waveforms, and values, then run a meter test.
Adjust amplitude or phase angle to extend the exercise, then stop the scenario. With the TAS, results are recorded for each trainee and can be exported to a spreadsheet.

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Which Training Bench Fits Your Program?

Powermetrix offers three metering training benches. The 8813 focuses on self-contained meters. The Powermetrix 8833 focuses on transformer-rated meters with the widest range of field errors, and the Powermetrix 8803A covers both on one budget-friendly bench.

Together, an 8813 and an 8833 let technicians move from self-contained to transformer-rated metering. The Powermetrix 8843 Training Administrator Station controls up to four 8813 and 8833 benches from one tablet.

	8813	8833	8803A
Metering	Self-contained	Transformer-rated	Self-contained and transformer-rated
Meter forms	1S, 2S, 12S, 16S	3S, 4S, 5S/45S, 6S/36S, 9S/8S	1S, 2S, 12S, 16S, 9S
Field errors	28+	130+	30+
CTs and PTs	None	200:5 CTs, 2:1 PTs (600:5 and 2.5:1 optional)	200:5 CTs, 2:1 PTs
Instructor tablet control	Yes, up to 4 benches	Yes, up to 4 benches	No, controlled at the bench
Best for	Self-contained meter training	Advanced CT/PT troubleshooting	One bench for both meter types

Powermetrix 8813 FAQ

Why train on a simulator instead of in the field

Real field errors are unpredictable and happen on energized customer services, where nobody can stage a fault for training. On the 8813, an instructor can create the same error for every trainee, safely and on demand, and repeat it until the skill sticks. Faults like backfeed and line-side voltage can be practiced without putting anyone at risk on a live service.

Which meters can trainees work on

The 8813 has sockets for 1S (120 V), 2S (240 V), 12S (3-wire network and delta), and 16S (4-wire wye and delta) services, plus a 120 V/240 V socket for probewell equipment. Custom wire color coding and mounting of most utility-specific meter cans let the bench match your field.

Can one instructor run several benches at once

The Powermetrix 8843 TAS is a ruggedized Windows tablet that controls up to four 8813 and 8833 benches over a closed Wi-Fi network. Instructors set up benches, change scenarios, and monitor trainees in real time. Each trainee's performance is recorded and time-stamped for every session and can be exported to a spreadsheet, and the TAS can E-Stop one bench or all of them at once.

What safety features does the 8813 have

Each energized point has a resettable ground fault interrupter (GFI) with a 5 mA trip point and a trip response under 200 ms. A beacon on top shows when the bench is active, and a light on each meter shows when it is energized. Trainees must confirm their PPE before a test can start, and E-Stops are on the bench, the touchscreen, and the TAS.

What does the bench need for power and space

It runs on one standard 120 V, 15 A outlet, with a maximum draw of 700 VA plus 200 W for the PC. The bench is 73" wide, 79" high, and 36" deep and weighs 750 lb (340 kg), on locking casters. It is designed for indoor training rooms at 25 °C ±5 °C and 30% to 80% relative humidity.