This article discusses the features of such accounting equipment as an electric meter that transmits readings: the specificity of devices, their device, advantages and disadvantages, the system of using devices with remote control, the transfer of readings for electrical energy consumption, and the rules for performing this procedure according to the requirements of regulatory bodies.
Electric meter that transmits readings: features of devices
The meters equipped with a remote reading system are suitable for apartment owners who don’t want to think every month about how and where to transfer the readings of the metering device. If the consumer of electrical energy has a similar device installed at home, data transmission will be carried out automatically without direct human intervention.
Sending winding kilowatts does not take much time, and the process is comfortable and convenient. Enterprises engaged in the supply of electricity, with the help of these devices can track the level of energy consumption by the population.
In a global sense, electric meters that are capable of transmitting information remotely allow you to rationalize energy consumption and achieve efficient operation of the entire system, starting with energy production, ending with its consumption and data processing for paying utility bills using network information and measurement systems.
Note! Accounting equipment with remote transmission of information differs from a standard electric meter by the possibility of tariff switching. When removing data, the user can see three indicators: night, total and day. In this case, switching is carried out every 15 seconds.
Network systems designed to collect measurement information on meter indicators, organize the process of remote data transmission from accounting equipment through the worldwide Internet.
The work of such systems is automated. Due to the software, the information is read and the received data is sent to the server of the energy supplying company.
Information and measuring systems are used to automate the following processes:
- collection of information;
- data transfer;
- analysis of indicators for energy consumption.
The use of information-measuring systems by energy supplying companies not only gives them access to indicators of electrical energy consumption, but also provides a number of additional functions. These include the following features:
- work of accounting equipment in the mode of several tariffs;
- connection or disconnection of a power consumer in remote mode;
- individualization of work with the consumer of electrical energy, taking into account the conditions of the signed contract;
- forwarding alert notifications;
- effective analysis of the collected information, etc.
Note! Customer feedback with the company engaged in energy supplies, or a service company through a data processing system is carried out using the Internet.
Installing meters in their apartment that have the function of automatic remote data transmission, the homeowner receives many advantages.
The advantages of the system for users:
- solution of disputable situations – readings on the meter can be recorded every day. Such a data transfer scheme allows to exclude conflict situations if there are problems with receipts or the subscriber does not regularly transmit information;
- control of indications – accounting devices provide an opportunity to take indicators from places that the consumer rarely visits, for example, from a rental apartment, a garage or a country house;
- high accuracy of calculation during tariff switching – if there are no readings on the date of tariff change, energy companies make accruals based on averages. As a rule, the calculation is carried out in favor of the supplier company. The use of metering devices with the function of remote transmission allows you to avoid such problems;
- remote control of the meter operation – the equipment can be used to pre-heat the housing. It is enough to connect the appliance a couple of hours before arriving home, so that the heater system warms up the rooms for arrival. This will require a smartphone;
- safety – if the homeowner forgets to turn off the appliance, such as an iron or stove, there is no need to return home. It is enough to de-energize the apartment by remotely turning off the meter;
- practicality and time saving – the user does not need to spend time and effort on taking readings, waiting at the cash registers or transferring information using standard methods.
Important! In case of non-payment of bills, the company can remotely disable the access of electricity to the apartment. To do this, employees do not even need to visit the apartment of the debtor.
Equipment designed to account for electrical energy is a kind of converter that re-forms the analog signal into a pulse frequency. When counting these pulses, the amount of electricity consumed is calculated.
If we compare electronic devices with induction type devices, the differences affect not only the internal structure, in which there are no mechanical rotating elements.
The main feature is the advanced functionality:
- extended time interval for input voltage;
- convenient organization of multi-tariff accounting systems;
- availability of a mode for viewing indicators for past periods (months);
- ability to measure power consumption;
- the ability to connect to systems of automatic removal and transmission of data.
With regard to the structural structure, the modern electronic counter is a case frame equipped with a measuring current transformer, a terminal block, and a printed circuit board. The latter serves as the basis for mounting the electronic component of the device.
Note! A large number of additional functions is due to the presence of software in the device microcontroller. Such components are present in almost all electric meters of the modern generation.
The design of a modern electronic counter consists of the following elements:
- LCD display;
- real time clock;
- current transformer;
- telemetry output;
- control and management bodies;
- power supply intended for servicing the electronic circuit;
- supervisor;
- optical port which can be installed optionally.
The LCD display is an alphanumeric indicator of the multi-digit type. Its main function is to indicate the operating modes of the counter. In addition, the component displays information on consumed electrical energy, the current time, as well as the date.
The power source provides the voltage on the microcontroller and other components installed in the electronic circuit. Directly connected to it is a supervisor, which forms a reset signal for the microcontroller, which occurs when the power is turned off or on. In addition, the supervisor monitors changes in input voltage.
Clocks that display real time are used to accurately record the date and current time. In some versions of the counter, the microcontroller performs a similar option. In order to reduce the load on this part, a separate chip is often provided for such purposes. It saves the power consumption of the microcontroller, directing this energy to the implementation of more important tasks.
Using the telemetric output, the meter is connected to a personal computer or a system for remote data transmission. The optical port is designed to take readings directly from the accounting device.
Note! Optical port is not present in all devices. In some models it is involved in the programming of information.
The most important part of the device is the microcontroller. It performs most of the functions:
- conversion of the input signal coming from the current transformer into digital data;
- mathematical processing of information;
- output of the result to the display;
- receiving commands from governing bodies;
- interface management.
The list of functions of the microcontroller depends on the installed software. Today, active work is being done to improve such equipment, which is to add additional functions. Such options include the ability to monitor the state of the power grid, while transmitting data to the control center.
Electronic devices in relation to the creation of automated transfer systems of readings have significant advantages, which are determined by the information component and extensive service capabilities.
The disadvantages of such equipment include the need for a permanent connection to the network. When leaving for a long time you can not use a fuse to turn off the meter. For this purpose, a special switch. The exclusive factor is electrical work. The rest of the operation of electronic meters, independently transmitting readings, accompanied by the benefits to the user.
