In the context of electrical meter sockets, what does the term 'load side' refer to?

In electrical terminology, the 'load side' of a meter socket refers to the side that delivers power to the load, which is essentially the customer's electrical system. This is the side where the electricity is being utilized after measurement by the meter, and it signifies the portion that connects to the customer's building or the load itself, such as lights, appliances, and other electrical devices.

When discussing electrical meter sockets, it's important to distinguish between the different sides. The source side, where the electrical supply comes from, connects to the utility grid and is not considered the load side. Similarly, the installation side refers to the part of the system where equipment is initially set up, but again, this does not correspond to where the power is delivered after being measured. The metering side is related to the device that measures electricity usage, but it does not define the path of power delivery to the customer.

Overall, recognizing the load side as the connection point for the customer emphasizes its role in the distribution of electricity from the point of measurement to the end-use applications.