Who has a TOU meter in the Metropolitian area?

[Metropolitian]

Today the electric company exchanged the old TOU meter (those with the spinning wheel) for a brand new meter.

I tried to look up for a manual, but couldn't find anything useful, all the search results pointed to jeans and other brands.

 

The meter is a 'smart device' with 3G AMR module and the main component is G-STAR model DTS27.

 

I am both happy and unhappy with this meter. But I am hoping the information I wished to find would shuss me.

Happy because the information is more accurate, it tells the time and tells me WHEN the tariff change.

Unhappy because I have a bunch of solar panels waiting here for fixed on the roof, it's the ongrid system. With the old meter it would just turn the disc the other way round.

But this meter...?

 

 

Anyone there in the same situation or knows just that little bit more that I don't?

 

Regds,

[blackcab]

Moved to the Electrical Forum.

[Crossy]

This meter? https://www.szstar.com/Products/Conventional-Meters/2d0d7f42-b075-489a-a131-b5055dc50e5b.html

 

I've registered to download the data.

 

[justin case]

welcome to EMF... 10.000 micro pulses send each day, cancer causing dna damage

 

 

[Metropolitian]

On 12/5/2019 at 9:33 AM, Crossy said:

This meter? https://www.szstar.com/Products/Conventional-Meters/2d0d7f42-b075-489a-a131-b5055dc50e5b.html

 

I've registered to download the data.

 

No but good catch, went on that site too.
Photo coming..

[Metropolitian]

I would like to monitor it. The only thing I can think of is put a detector on the pulse led (and counting, logging..) or reading the data from the IrDA port.

It's not working on low RF which can be sniffed but 3G mobile. And the modbus data isn't accessible unless I break these tabs.

 

The PEA has a service to share the data, but couldn't find it on the MEA sites.

 

I have ordered a smart meter with rs485 connector which will be fixed in home just before the consumer unit to get the data, but that would missing the tou signal information.

 

 

[tjo o tjim]

Usually the IR port is dumb— justpulses, IIRC.  Modbus is the only thing that you would be able to get the actual values for the various tariff buckets, if it is configured that way.  Most meters I have seen lately (not in LoS though) just dump dumb table data on use per interval, and the utility servers apply the relevant time domain rates.  I doubt you will get modbus access though, as I think you can re-write registers for CT ratios and the like typically.

 

A second meter downstream is the easy way out.  

[Crossy]

5 hours ago, tjo o tjim said:

A second meter downstream is the easy way out.  

 

Yeah. Anything attached to the meter is going to arouse suspicion, smart secondary meters are really cheap these days.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

4 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Yeah. Anything attached to the meter is going to arouse suspicion, smart secondary meters are really cheap these days.

 

For the uninitiated could you give an example of the kind of meter that you’re talking about please. It’s all too easy to buy the wrong thing or junk without a guru’s guidance.

[Crossy]

39 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

For the uninitiated could you give an example of the kind of meter that you’re talking about please. It’s all too easy to buy the wrong thing or junk without a guru’s guidance.

 

It really depends what you want to do.

 

You can go from a really simple unit with just a pulse output https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33058354021.html

 

To something with RS-485 ModBus https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32812065998.html couple that with an Arduino or Raspberry Pi and the world is your oyster.

 

Even get one that talks to your mobile / Alexa https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000317953506.html

 

Some also have a relay which you can control remotely, great for resorts, apartment blocks and the like.

[sometimewoodworker]

14 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Even get one that talks to your mobile / Alexa https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000317953506.html

Thanks for that, I think I may have enough space for these.

[Metropolitian]

21 hours ago, tjo o tjim said:

Usually the IR port is dumb— justpulses, IIRC.  Modbus is the only thing that you would be able to get the actual values for the various tariff buckets, if it is configured that way.  Most meters I have seen lately (not in LoS though) just dump dumb table data on use per interval, and the utility servers apply the relevant time domain rates.  I doubt you will get modbus access though, as I think you can re-write registers for CT ratios and the like typically.

Not sure about the ir port is dumb. I have read information that it delivers a stream of ASCII data with all data like that like what you will get on the modbus but it's harder to encode and handle and better left to those handheld readers, not for continuous monitoring if you can use other means.

 

Pulses are another output, in most case a flashing led and some models have connectors too.

On the meters you can see a number 1000imp or 1600imp. That's the count of flashes which then is one kWh.

 

21 hours ago, tjo o tjim said:

A second meter downstream is the easy way out.  

Already ordered and on the way.

 

One with WiFi, rs485 and a separate connector for the pulses.

 

Plan is to hookup the atmels to either pulses or rs port and the WiFi just for displaying.

 

[Metropolitian]

15 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

Yeah. Anything attached to the meter is going to arouse suspicion, smart secondary meters are really cheap these days.

 

Have to confess it once came into my thought to put a webcam in front of the meter, and monitor it 'live' indoors.

No physical touching the meter.. but would surely arouse suspicion, more than a small sensor sticked on the pulse led,  and even partly on the driveway of next door.      (Townhouses, and the meter is facing away from my side.)

 

A indoor meter it will be.