Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

ELECTRIC METER

Date

1961

Materials

GLASS, METAL, PAINT

No. Pieces

1

Height

13.5

Length

24.3

Width

20.9

Description

METER, ELECTRIC. BLACK, SQUARE. METER FACE SQUARE, TOTALLY ENCASED IN GLASS, HELD ON BY TWO SCREWS WITH A WIRE RUNNINF BETWEEN THEM. TWO BLACK PLATES FIXED TO FRONT OF METER BELOW GLASS -1- “RATIO OF SPEEDS” 2- “DIAGRAM OF INTERNAL CONNECTIONS”. GLASS CASING HAS “460 VOLT” & “X20” STICKERS ON FRONT (BLACK TAPE WITH WHITE RAISED TYPE). METER, “TYPE 53 POLYPHASE METER” “NUMBER 6136069”. PINKISH STAMP ON RIGHT SIDE READS “CANADA 8 19 61 STANDARDS DIVISION TRADE & COMMERCE”.

Subjects

ELECTRICAL & MAGNETIC T&E

Historical Association

BUSINESS

INDUSTRY

History

METERS WERE USED FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL METERING IN THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE. THIS METER WAS PREVIOUSLY ATTACHED TO A BOARD AND DISPLAYED WITH OTHERS IN A COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTING CITY ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT HISTORY AT THE METER SHOP UNTIL 2009. ACCORDING TO METER SHOP DONOR GRANT FYFE “THE ROLE OF THE METER SHOP IS TO INSTALL THE METERS, REPAIR THE METERS.” “THESE METERS USED TO BE REPAIRED RIGHT IN THE SHOP. TODAY WE DON’T DO THAT, BUT WE SEND ALL THE METERS OUT FOR RECALIBRATION. UP UNTIL THE YEAR 2000, WE SERVICED ALL THESE METERS. WE STRIPPED THEM DOWN, CLEANED THEM, REPAIRED THEM AND RECALIBRATED THEM. THE GOVERNMENT WOULD COME IN AND CHECK OUR WORK AND SEAL IT.” METERS WITH MECHANIZED REVOLVING PARTS BEGAN BEING REPLACED WITH ENTIRELY DIGITAL MODELS IN THE YEAR 2000. ACCORDING TO AN INTERVIEW WITH RETIRED METER SHOP FORMAN WAYNE SCHELLHORN “WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO KEEP THESE METERS BECAUSE THERE IS NO MORE STORAGE ROOM.” FYFE SAID “WE WERE JUST LIKE WATCHMAKERS IN A WAY BECAUSE SOME OF THE JEWELS AND STUFF IN THESE METERS WERE VERY SENSITIVE, AND HAD TO BE CLEANED PROPERLY AND INSTALLED PROPERLY, OTHERWISE THE METER WOULDN’T REVOLVE PROPERLY AND IT WOULD SEIZE UP. IT WAS INTRICATE WORK.” THIS METER IS RATED AT 460 VOLTS AND WAS SEALED IN 1961. ACCORDING TO SCHILLHORN “THE 460 VOLT SERVICE WAS USED IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK AT LUCERNE. IT WAS BRODER’S AT ONE TIME.” FYFE ADDED THAT LUCERNE IS OWNED BY SAFEWAY NOW [2010], AND IT’S WHERE THEY DO ALL THE CORN AND CANNING AND STUFF NOW”. FYFE SAID “THIS ONE HERE IS JUST AN ENERGY METER ONLY. THERE’S NO DEMAND SECTION TO THIS METER. THIS ONE HERE IS A 5 AMP METER, SO IT WAS USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT CURRENT TRANSFORMER THAT WE HAD THERE. YOU HAD TO HAVE THREE OF THOSE C.T.S HOOKED UP TO TWO OR THREE OF THEM AND THEN YOU’D READ THE CURRENT TO DO THAT. THE 230 VOLT METERS THAT WERE LIKE THIS ONE WERE USED IN WELDING SHOPS. I REMEMBER WELDING PRODUCTS THERE, WHEN THEY WERE STILL ON 5TH AVE. SOUTH. THEY HAD ONE EXACTLY LIKE THIS, BECAUSE WHEN THEY HAD THE OLD WELDERS GOING, ONE METER WOULD BE GOING, ZOOMING AHEAD, ONE SIDE OF THE METER AND THE OTHER SIDE WOULD BE GOING BACKWARDS EH. AND THERE’S CLUTCHES INSIDE HERE. DEPENDING ON HOW FAST WHAT SIDE WAS GOING, THEN THAT’S THE WAY THE HAND WOULD TURN.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20100046001

Acquisition Date

2011-09

Collection

Museum

Less detail