Smart metering (Electricity)

Forums › Off topic › Smart metering (Electricity)

mjb

996 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#34361 22-May-2009 12:48

Does anyone have smart metering installed at their home yet? (looking for someone in ChCh, as they would have been done by the company that'll do ours).

I'd love to get some detailed pictures of the meter and associated data transceiver. Anyone care to grab their camera?

contentsofsignaturemaysettleduringshipping

1 | 2 | 3

3000 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#217006 22-May-2009 16:23

Bugger, I had some images but lost them with a snapped card..

This one was simply a electronic meter with a GSM modem device in another box, quite crude really. I know somone who can probably get a pic of one.

mjb

996 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#217016 22-May-2009 17:17

Interesting. Apparently the GSM/GPRS bit is being dropped in favour of PLC, with GPRS from a receiver up a pole along the street.

But yeah, pics please. I'm asking because I'm seriously considering swapping out my meter for one that I can monitor (with pulse output using an Arduino or something).. but I want to know if I can go straight to smart metering early, so that when that happens *scoff* I wouldn't have to replace a meter I'd just put in.

contentsofsignaturemaysettleduringshipping

paradoxsm

3000 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#217022 22-May-2009 18:23

ahh, of course. I'll ping the person(s) concerned and come back.

zocster

1983 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#217036 22-May-2009 19:23

I used to work for the company who install this, .. the ones that we use and I have at home is not the GSM/GPRS variant, it's their own RF network, unless you're talking about the other smart meter, that Vector and AMS is rolling out?

Edit: who's your retailer?

Edit 2: Here's a cool product

Edit 3: and another one.

Andy Ghozali Geekzone Member	E: andy@ghozali.ru M: +64 21 395 458 A: Andy's Business Services, 231 High St, Christchurch 8011, NZ
www.andy.mobi

kingjj

1728 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#217037 22-May-2009 19:30

I've got a Contact installed GSM Meter that was stuck in a few months ago, is this what you were interested in?

zocster

1983 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#217038 22-May-2009 19:33

kingjj: I've got a Contact installed GSM Meter that was stuck in a few months ago, is this what you were interested in?

If he's not I am ... please post pics :)

Andy Ghozali Geekzone Member	E: andy@ghozali.ru M: +64 21 395 458 A: Andy's Business Services, 231 High St, Christchurch 8011, NZ
www.andy.mobi

manhinli

2483 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#217043 22-May-2009 20:00

Mercury Energy installed new electricity meters at our place a few months ago - I was away at the time and my dad said that the technician said that it could communicate (somehow)

Here is our one:

Find me on Twitter!

I posted 1, 2 x 10^3 times!

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

mjb

996 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#217046 22-May-2009 20:34

@manhili - that's perfect. The meter has a pulse output.. see the "1000 imp/kWh" in the bottom right? That's the pulse rate. Looks like that meter pulses the LED(s) in the middle left.. to get the output you'd have to build a small opto-sensor circuit, not difficult.

contentsofsignaturemaysettleduringshipping

manhinli

2483 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#217047 22-May-2009 20:42

It does show the numerical reading (which was set a 0 at the time of install), you just have to wait for some time to cycle through the stuff that it displays on the display.

Find me on Twitter!

I posted 1, 2 x 10^3 times!

mjb

996 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#217048 22-May-2009 20:44

zocster: I used to work for the company who install this, .. the ones that we use and I have at home is not the GSM/GPRS variant, it's their own RF network, unless you're talking about the other smart meter, that Vector and AMS is rolling out?

Edit: who's your retailer?

Edit 2: Here's a cool product

Edit 3: and another one.

I'm talking about the one that Arc Innovations will be installing, not sure what the tech is, but as I understand it's an RF model of some sort. A contact I have informs me that the other is PLC (Power Line Carrier) which is common. He also says that it may not happen that soon, but who knows.

I've got a Centameter, which is pretty good, but it's quite inaccurate, being that it's an inductance meter, not an actual opto-isolated sensor from the meter itself.

I'm looking at getting one of the Q1MR's here: www.metec.co.nz (select "Electricity Meters", "1 Phase").

Sadly, it's not a nice multiple for the impulse rate - 1600 imp/kWh, but it's adequate, because ultimately the pulse rate is irrelevant.

As for what meters I'm interested in, anything - it's the meter, not the comms device that matters, seeing what's got a pulse output that can be used without interrupting the normal operation.

As a side note, the tariff you pay to the power companies includes rental of the meter, which belongs to them. There's nothing stopping you buying your own meter, as long as it's EGR compliant, and getting a sparky to install it (if you can find a sparky that can/will - not all can). He'll arrange an inspector to come and check it and take the first reading. The guts is you have to tell your retailer that there's a new meter. They can't stop you, but they'll try and charge you for the change. Politely tell them that you'd rather they waive the fee, or actually give you the discount on the tariff you pay. :)

contentsofsignaturemaysettleduringshipping

mjb

996 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#217049 22-May-2009 20:47

manhinli: It does show the numerical reading (which was set a 0 at the time of install), you just have to wait for some time to cycle through the stuff that it displays on the display.

Right, but to get the data into a datalogger (well, database in my case), it's easier to build a circuit to deal with a pulse, rather than a complex lcd display :)

Also, the pulse rate has waaaay more definition than the pretty coarse kWh reading. (As a 1000 imp/kWh is actually letting you measure Wh's)

contentsofsignaturemaysettleduringshipping

mjb

996 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#217050 22-May-2009 20:48

Oh hey, I just noticed that meter has a "LAN ID"... I think it's actually one of the ones that has a port for this very purpose. cool :)

Not sure if it's an ethernet port, or just an interface port - I hear they're kitted out with ethernet though.

contentsofsignaturemaysettleduringshipping

manhinli

2483 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#217051 22-May-2009 20:51

mjb: Also, the pulse rate has waaaay more definition than the pretty coarse kWh reading. (As a 1000 imp/kWh is actually letting you measure Wh's)

True... true...

Measuring more accurately than what power companies charge for is pretty pointless anyway (though in our other residence, it took us ages to get to 100kWh since we don't really live there that often)

Find me on Twitter!

I posted 1, 2 x 10^3 times!

zocster

1983 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#217052 22-May-2009 21:01

ok i will post the RF model one I have installed, they have the G2, GE meter which is considerably smaller, which I may have access to.

Andy Ghozali Geekzone Member	E: andy@ghozali.ru M: +64 21 395 458 A: Andy's Business Services, 231 High St, Christchurch 8011, NZ
www.andy.mobi

mjb

996 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#217053 22-May-2009 21:07

zocster: ok i will post the RF model one I have installed, they have the G2, GE meter which is considerably smaller, which I may have access to.

Please do.. Especially important is the labeling, and the connections if you can see them without touching. not likely though. If your meter serial number is visible, you should obscure it in the picture. It's not that important, but someone could cause you grief by getting your power disconnected, or switched to another provider, etc etc.

contentsofsignaturemaysettleduringshipping

1 | 2 | 3