The goal of this project was to analyze the accuracy of an RF meter reader and to document installation and commissioning challenges with the product.
It is a plug-in 120V device that reports energy using a utility meter. By receiving the RF broadcasts the meter sends out, the device can capture usage which is used to produce a graph of the daily power demand. All this information is stored in a cloud environment and can be displayed using the vendor’s android/iOS App.
The device could potentially be used as a low cost measuring device for lab testing or perhaps to report customer electricity consumption. The test consisted of attaching three electric loads to a test bed where they can be measured by a utility meter and a PLC system.
A load profile was created for the loads to turn them on and off automatically based on a daily schedule. In addition to the PLC, a high resolution data acquisition system received the meter’s broadcasts.
Two main comparisons were made, one between RF meter reader’s data and the data acquisition system readings and the other between the PLC’s measurements and the data on the App.
Initial testing was completed in April 2019 and reflected positively on the device. Testing a product in the Energy Smart Innovation Lab is a significant step for NB Power in launching a new technology or a customer facing program.
It is a plug-in 120V device that reports energy using a utility meter.
