Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

SET, STANDARD METER

Date

1910, 1909, 1918

Materials

WOOD, METAL, GLASS

No. Pieces

3

Description

STANDARD METER SET (3 PCES. – ITEMS A, B,C) ALL PIECES ARE IN WOODEN CASES WITH LEATHER HANDLES AND SINGLE METAL CLIP CLOSURES WITH CATCH RELEASES. A) STANDARD METER, RED “WATT METER” STICKER ABOVE LEATHER HANDLE. SPEC. SHEET ON INSIDE OF LID FOR WESTINGHOUSE PORTABLE SINGLE-PHASE WATTMETER”. STYLE AND SERIAL NUMBERS HANDWRITTEN IN BLANKS ON SHEET IN BLACK INK. ALSO APPEAR ON METER FACE. “STYLE 48332A” SERIAL NO. 146863”. PATENT DATES ON FACE OF METER “DEC. 26, 1893, JAN. 1, 1895 OCT.22, 1895, AUG.9, 1898 DEC. 30, 1902”. 2 GREEN CONDUCTOR CORDS VISIBLE IN BR CORNER. (1 PCE – LID NOT REMOVABLE). (HEIGHT: 13.7, LENGTH: 23.7, WIDTH: 20.3). B) STANDARD METER, RED STICKER WITH WHITE RAISED TYPE READS “0/5 0/10 AMMETER”. INSIDE LID, AFFIXED SPECS FOR “ALTERNATING CURRENT AMMETER TYPE P NO. 481594” “CITY OF LETHBRIDGE MAR. 6TH/18” HANDWRITTEN ON SHEET. INNER SURFACE OF LID HAS DOME SHAPED AREA DESIGNED TO ACCOMADATE DOME SHAPED “GE” SYMBOL ON METER. LABEL AFFIXED TO AMMETER CONTAINS PATENT DATES “APR. 2, 1901 JUNE 1, 1909.” (1 PCE – LID NOT REMOVABLE). (HEIGHT: 14.8, LENGTH: 25.5, WIDTH: 21.1). C) STANDARD METER, NO STICKERS ON OUTSIDE OF BOX. INSIDE LID FIXED SPEC. SHEET FOR “WESTINGHOUSE PORTABLE AMMETER FOR ALTERNATING CURRENT”/ STYLE AND SERIAL NUMBERS ARE HANDWRITTEN IN BLUE INK ON SHEET. “STYLE NO. 35123” AND “SERIAL NO. 65095”. “RECHECKED” DATE, “DEC 4TH 1916” STYLE AND SERIAL NUMBERS ALSO APPEAR IN BLACK PRINT ON METER FACE ALONG WITH PATENT DATES “DEC. 26, 93, Jan. 2, 94, Feb. 25, 96, July 11, 05.” (HEIGHT: 13.8, LENGTH: 25.7, WIDTH: 20.4).

Subjects

ELECTRICAL & MAGNETIC T&E

Historical Association

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.” A) INSTRUMENT USED TO MEASURE WATTS. B) INSTRUMENT USED TO MEASURE AMPS. C) INSTRUMENT USED TO MEASURE VOLTS ALTERNATING CURRENT AMMETERS (B) WERE USED STARTING AT 5 AND 10 AMPS. CHILHORN SAID “YOU HOOKED THIS UP TO ONE OF THOSE TRANSFORMERS AGAIN AND THAT’S HOW YOU READ IT. THEN GOING THROUGH THE MULTIPLIERS AND YOU COULD TELL WHAT KIND OF CURRENT WAS ON THE PRIMARY CIRCUIT WITHOUT READING IT.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20100046006

Acquisition Date

2011-09

Collection

Museum

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