README2 - microMETER Software Install and Application Notes
- Desktop Hookup - Digital Submeter
- PC Recommendations
- USB Connections, Wireless Options, WEB (router)
- WEB database
- Software Installation - PC with W98SE or newer
- Software Installation - Vista Support
- Downloads
- Data Backup Procedures
- FAQ
- Data Files
- Data File Special Parameters
- Data File Special Parameters - Grid-Connected Renewable Sources
- Windows Programs Cap2002.exe and Dis2002.exe tutorial
- Dis2002.exe Output File mm.htm
- Identifying COM Ports on your PC
- Protocol (mMI and mMII)
- Pseudocode and Source Code
- Linux Programs lcap2007 and ldis2007
Hardware
- Hardware Notes
- Processor Detail
- How Phase Matters
- CT Selection
- Convenience Stores with Gas Pumps
- Diagrams
- HVAC and Central Boilers, Water and Sewage
- Interactive Panel Schedule
- Electric Panel Worksheet (printable)
- RJ11 disconnect for lightning protection
- Transformer Primary Power Factor
- Passive Power Factor Corrections
- 3-Phase
Ordering
- CT Types (w current prices)
- PT Types (w current prices)
- Spare Parts List (with current prices)
General Information
- Addendums (important, please read)
- Troubleshooting
- DOS Archive
Software
1 - Desktop Hookup - Digital Submeter
The computer must have a standard, working com port (1-4) to use the software. If there is any doubt, please verify Identifying COM Ports on your PC. Newer PC's with USB but no com port can use adapters. USB Connections The software installation (below pp 2-2.2) must be complete.
Software Installation - new PC with W98 or newer
Shipments to first-time users are pre-configured with as much SETUP
information that was available when the order was made. The microMETER
arrives in the box with a temporary hookup so you can simply plug it in
and attempt a reading on your desktop. This should resolve most
common problems right away.
mMII final test
Step 1 - Connect the DB9 connector to a known, working PC comm port.
If this is not the case, determine what is available.
See Identifying COM Ports on your PC.
Step 2 - Connect power. The LED (under the terminal board) should flicker
in about 10 seconds and ever 10 seconds thereafter.
Another LED tester is included (with units shipped since 12/2/04).
See explanation in Troubleshooting - No Data.
Step 3 - Run the capture program Cap2002 choosing the subfolder mm01 or test. See tutorial.
Check Type 1 or Type 2 at the bottom of the form (v1.18).
It takes about 3 minutes to complete and it will
beep when done. If the wrong COM port is accessed, nothing will
happen and you may need to reboot the PC. If everything is OK, the
red panel will turn yellow for about 3 minutes and then turn green for
a few more seconds as it stores the data. This must be done twice the 1st
time for Dis2002 to have before-and-after readings to work with.)
See Vista for other methods for very new (Vista) pc's.
See DOS Archive for other methods for older pc's.
Step 4 - Run the display program Dis2002 choosing the subfolder chosen above. See tutorial.
Program should not fail with an incomplete file.
If this happens, there as a problem in Step 3. You should see 0
amperes on channel 1 (or whatever you may have put through the
attached CT). You may see maximum amperes appear on other channels
you intend to use that do not have CT's connected yet.
Choose the first and second captures (There must be at least 2.)
Click "mm.htm" button
Click "ie browser" button (or open a different browser and view mm.htm)
See DOS Archive for other methods for older pc's.
1.1 - PC Recommendations
The software, old and new, makes very little demand of a PC. Often a "junker" can be dedicated to the job. For those wanting to utilize the "latest and greatest", there are still some caveats: 1) 9/12/2007 - Be sure the pc's operating system supports serial communications. Some recent "home versions" are omitting this support. Specify at the time of purchase that you need serial capability and (preferably) get a built-in com port. The com port has 9 pins in 2 rows and is usually found in the rear. See Identifying COM Ports on your PC. 2) 11/20/2007 - Avoid proprietary systems. If you are using a Compaq or HP box, do not put inything in the root directory. Copy the cd folder "micromtr" to the desktop. 3) Avoid overloaded systems (10 lbs. in a 5 lb. bag). A corporate PC with a time clock connection, security monitors, etc. had no usable com port in spite of assurances that it did from the local support technician. 4) Avoid crippled systems. A corporate PC with standard o/s components disabled or removed can be difficult to work with if direct access to files and utilities is thwarted. 5) 02/25/2011 - from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_port#Settings Many personal computer motherboards still have at least one serial port, even if accessible only through a pin header. Small-form-factor systems and laptops may omit RS-232 connector ports to conserve space, but the electronics are still there. RS-232 has been standard for so long that the circuits needed to control a serial port became very cheap and often exist on a single chip, sometimes also with circuitry for a parallel port. Any form of remote desktop access will, of course, make reports available from anywhere. New browser-based software development is also reducing platform dependencies. Reports and files are html/text-based to maximize compatibility.1.14 - USB Connections, Wireless Options, WEB (router)
For PC's lacking com port connections, there are inexpensive USB serial adapters available. For example: Belkin Part # F5U103 "I used a belkin USB serial adapter $40 and it worked on com 1 of mM. Pretty much a plug and play application." - actual microMETER customer 11/13/2008 - Customer reported success with 4-serial to 1-usb adaptor from Sealevel2/22/2007 Sewell http://sewelldirect.com USB-to-Serial Adapter SW-1301 $13.95 This worked fine with Windows Vista. Com port # depends on which USB port is used.
Sfcable http://www.sfcable.com USB-to-Serial RS232 DB9 Adapter 1 ft $11.95 This arrived next day and worked perfectly as COM3 on a Gigabyte m/b that already had Com1 and XP pro A more industrial source has multiple serial ports from one USB: Quatech Another source for interface matching (serial-USB, serial-MODBUS, etc.) is MOXA
A source for LAN connectivity (wired ES1A and wireless ES1AWB) B&B 9/19/2007 - A LAN interface, ES1A $150 from B&B (above) successfully connected a mMII to a H/P Vista pc with no native comm support. This took all of 30 minutes from the time the box arrived! It connects the mM to a router and operates over the LAN. The Cap2002.exe program ran thru red, yellow, green states and captured the data. Email "how to" to a customer follows: - "30 minutes ago the ES1A arrived. I followed the quick setup guide for Vista (this pc with no native com ports). I just got a successful capture. The mM cable needs no modification. I used the "RealPort" profile and set the Basic Serial settings to 300,8N1. I copied the VCOM software folder from the cd to C drive and ran the Setup32 wizard. It took about five minutes to configure itself. I selected Com1 to be my port name. I ran Cap2002.exe (mM program) successfully using Com1." Wireless Options: 8/20/2008 - Customers report ease-of-use of 802.15.x wireless devices (Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc.) These have about a 300' foot range and are inexpensive for low baud rates like mM. Some use FTDI drivers to bypass physical 9-pin serial connections. 7/20/2010 - Be sure to verify that the wireless link will support 300 baud communications. 300 baud was originally chosen to maximize hard-wired distances to 300 feet with no "boosting". In a permanent installation, located entirely within a building, a simple CAT5 run is simple, reliable and does not need additional configuration or power connections. If wireless connection is required, consider the following 3rd-party solutions: http://wirelessresource.net 6/30/2010 - WEB (router) - Connection is made with a Rabbit 3720 processor pre-programmed with certain options described generally below. This is likely to become standard. "Pull" model allows user to direct browser to Rabbit that is attached to one (or more) mM processors. User clicks through steps to produce reports from buffered data (no 3-minute wait). "Push" model has a database that receives regular updates from an attached Rabbit processor. User directs browser to established database and produces instant reports. 1/23/2011 - Push models are based on generic microprocessors such as Rabbit, Arduino, Parallax, etc. All build a CGI "get" transaction consisting of the userID, procID, and database entry string similar to: GET /hitc/r2/3Get.php?userID=chriscle&procID=s612&ctdat=mM0120020909131542,01,010,38979,00028,010,38979,00028,10000, ... As long as these can access the Internet, they can add data to an external database such as MySQL hosted on Yahoo Small Business. While sharing is possible, a dedicated microprocessor for each mM is recommended because the processor ID (procID) must be uniquely added to the URL parameters to update the correct tables. Any SQL database server can host the three configuration files (ctdat, mmtxt, mmdat) and the large entry table with a new row added every 160 seconds. This goes on 24x7 so data can be mined thoroughly. Any language can be used to append a new row created from the pre-formatted string attached the URL. A date trigger should archive older entries to maintain responsiveness. The reporting queries can be written in any language that can access the database via the Web. The last entry timestamp should be examined to make sure current entries are being appended. While the mM is unlikely to stop updating, various router-connected processors can get hung or fail to pass data to the database. Watchdog mechanisms can be implemented in critical environments. Using a separate microprosessor for each mM eliminates the need for a local pc and port switching method.
1.15 - WEB database
07/14/2010 - To manage processors remotely, the following scalable method works: * Each processor is attached to a custom pre-programmed Rabbit Core Module 3720 running 1Get.C. * A Yahoo Small-Business database account is established for the user to collect data for all processors. * Processor configuration data is stored in the same database. * User runs php-based report/extract software on the Yahoo server. * Reports are readable on cell phone browsers and can be copy-pasted into spreadsheets. * This method will improve and eventually replace PC-based software.2 - Software Installation - new PC with W98 or newer
FOR THE MOST PART, THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN DRAGGING THE CDROM FOLDER CALLED "micromtr" TO YOUR DESKTOP.
The Windows program Cap2002.EXE can utilize COM 1,2,3 or 4 using Win 98 or newer. 1/5/06 - Windows does not recognize file suffixes .dat and .db1 as text files. Right-click open and "choose program from a list" (notepad) Check the box below to always open with notepad. Using the configuration CD: Step 1 - Drag the CDROM folder micromtr to your pc desktop. Ignore anything else on the CD. This should create a main folder called micromtr with subfolders mm01, etc. This will contain your customized files per correspondence. The "recovery" folder contains extra files only if they are needed. Proceed to Step 3. 04/22/2008 - Using the email-attached, configuration zip file microzip: Step 1 - Save the self-extracting file microzip.zip to your desktop. Step 2 - Doubleclick into it and extract all files. Note: This will put the folder "micromtr" inside a desktop folder called "microzip". Finish the installation: Step 3 - If desired, create desktop shortcuts to run micromtr\Cap2002.EXE and micromtr\Dis2002.EXE. Step 4 - Verify the following micromtr directory structures before proceeding. micromtr Cap2002 EXE - The capture program that reads the com port and builds the database. Dis2002 EXE - The display program that reads the database and creates the reports. b gif - a graphic pixel used by Dis2002.EXE mscomm32.ocx - MS runtime file - If placed here, there is no need to disturb anything else on your pc. msvbvm60.dll - MS runtime file - If placed here, there is no need to disturb anything else on your pc. mm01 (directory) - You may have as many more as needed, MM02, etc. Customized folders may have different names, usually 4 characters long based on your request. May appear as mm01, etc. TEST (directory) - simply to run captures or test other items without affecting anything else. micromtr\mm01 CT DAT 1,168 05-28-96 12:46p CT.DAT MICRO TXT 438 01-15-96 5:46p MICRO.TXT MICRO DAT 175 02-01-96 9:34p MICRO.DAT Several data files for one mM can be on \micromtr\mm01 but only these three are needed to start the new software. There should be no subdirectories under this one. Any additional subdirectories (folders) nested under \micromtr\mm01 will cause Dis2002.EXE to fail with a "problem with MM.DB1 file" message. A few new filenames will be created later when programs are used. MM.DB1 is the main database.
pp 3-7 DOS program descriptions archived
DOS Archive7 - Data Backup Procedures
8/18/2008 - * * * * * * DATA MUST BE BACKED UP PERIODICALLY * * * * * * The processor has a nonvolatile memory of total usage but no time interval data. The captured usage is recorded in the mm.db1 database. The configuration, which is initially customized but static afterwards, is also essential to recovery of accurate usage data. The subfolders, mm01, etc. contain the data that needs to be periodically copied. The main folder, micromtr contains executables and the sub folders.Since the executables are small by today's standards, it is easy and practical to simply copy the micromtr folder periodically to a thumb drive, removeable hard drive, or a network server. A zipped copy of the main folder is easy to create and can be emailed as an attachment. This also makes migration to another computer very easy. Just copy the micromtr folder to another computer's desktop and you're done.
8 - FAQ
1. Is it common for some CTs needing to be wired in reverse phase? **Yes, but it's easier to correct than plan. 2. Please explain how the CTs work if possible. It doesn't make sense to me why a coil attached to an AC line would not work hooked up forward or backward. The coil outputs AC voltage. Is it also reading current and this is the reason for being directional? **They are directional. It is not a simple explanation but is similar to reversing motor windings to make it reverse rotation. The CT phase must relate properly to the PT phase. 3. Do CT coils pickup voltage and current from wires running next to them on the outside? (It's very tight in the breaker box and many CTs have wires running next to them. ** Not at all. Again, not simple. Maxwell equations. 4. Is the polarity of the CTs a necessity of the hardware or software? i.e. if I wrote custom software would I be able to read negative values? ** Hardware, No. Normal power flow is unidirectional and omitting the - sign doubles + resolution. This is also why backflow must be measured on a different channel with an additional CT sense winding with reversed phase. 5. You mentioned something about new dis2002.exe that could account for the back feed values. Are you planning on having that in the near future? ** A means to leave line items out of the total, or subtract them has been added. Data File Special Parameters - Home Generation - Backflow 6. What happens if a power failure occurs on the micrometer? Does this affect the readings? Maybe you could provide some info on how the hardware operates, ie storing info in RAM until the next reading, or is it non-volatile memory, etc. ** It is nonvolatile flash. No power means nothing to record until it returns. Operational Overview10 - Data Files
All these files can be accessed with a plain text editor. Only the first 3 are used by
the new 32-bit software. The new software produces and uses 10 and 11 as well.
If you are using Cap2002/Dis2002, use Notepad to make changes.
1/5/06 - Windows does not recognize file suffixes .dat and .db1 as text files.
Right-click open and "choose program from a list" (notepad)
Check the box below to always open with notepad.
2/2/07 - DON'T USE MICROM.EXE to edit files for Cap2002 and Dis2002. Use Windows Notepad.exe.
If you are using MICROM.EXE (for everything on an older PC), use Setup dropdown.
11 - Data File Special Parameters
Use this Handy-Dandy Ruler for checking field lengths and starting positions: ....+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Files 1-3 are used universally by all s/w. They represent your configuration. 8/18/2008 - Note: XML versions of these files are simply tagged at each end of each line except CT.DAT. XML version of CT.DAT is tagged at each end of the circuit label and at each end of the numerical parameters on each line. 1. MICRO.DAT 12.75 (Scale1: This is fixed for v1.04 microMETER hardware) 2390.625 (Scale2: 286875 / your avg line voltage if using RMS with mMI) 16.96 (cents / kwh, based on total bill amounts) 1=DOS color/0=mono (used for default COM Port in MICROM.EXE) 3 rows of 4 numbers - special meanings for various programs example: 12.75 2390.625 16.96 1 0 1 2 3 <--- line 5 4 5 6 7 7 7 0 0 04/15/2009- Use this Handy-Dandy Ruler for checking field lengths and starting positions: ....+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Special options: Change the default value above to enable. Line 5 1st number: 0=non-analytic mMI or mMII - alternating row color in Dis2002.EXE Line 5 1st number: 2=analytic mMI - paired row color in Dis2002.EXE and special pf calc Line 5 1st number: 3=3-phase mMII - triple row color in Dis2002.EXE Line 5 2nd number: 0=unselect true power in Dis2002 display (v1.15) for mMII with incorrect phasing Line 5 3rd number: 0=use micro2.cap timing in Dis2002 display (v1.18) Line 5 4th number: >10=skip output by excess of 10 Cap2002 (v1.14) Line 6 1st number: 0=show before/after kwh Dis2002 (v1.21 3/7/06) Line 6 2nd number: 0=verify processor ID consistency Dis2002 (v1.28 11/21/07) 2. MICRO.TXT Company name (1st line) and text for DISplay and PRTBILL (7 lines total) microMETER Corp. 99999 <- processor ID - ignore if blank - Dis2002 v1.28 11/21/07 Energy usage charges due and payable for the period ending. Taxes and customer charges have been added proportionately. Thank you for your prompt payment. Customer Billing Period Usage Amount Due Rate: Non-demand, Non-TOU - Customer chg incl. @ xxxx cts/kwh 1/5/06 - Windows does not recognize file suffixes .dat and .db1 as text files. Right-click open and "choose program from a list" (notepad) Check the box below to always open with notepad. 3. CT.DAT CT #1 descr, CT size, power factor, circuit voltage, low alarm limit, high alarm limit CT #2 descr, CT size, power factor, circuit voltage, low alarm limit, high alarm limit ... Use this Handy-Dandy Ruler for checking field lengths and starting positions: ....+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 example: period is used to reserve space 1 - Kitchen/Dinette ,0040,1.00,120,000,999 . 2 - Water Heater ,0040,1.00,240,000,999 . 3 - Range ,0040,1.00,120,000,999 . 4 - Refrigerator ,0020,1.00,120,000,999 . 5 - Washer ,0020,1.00,120,000,999 . 6 - Garage ,0020,1.00,120,000,999 . 7 - Tool Shed ,0020,1.00,120,000,999 . 8 - Air Handler ,0040,1.00,240,000,999 . 9 - Master Bedroom ,0020,1.00,120,000,999 . 10 - Living Room ,0020,1.00,120,000,999 . 11 - Small Bedrooms ,0020,1.00,120,000,999 . 12 - Dryer ,0040,1.00,120,000,999 . 13 - A/C ,0040,1.00,240,000,999 . 14 - Pool ,0020,1.00,240,000,999 . 15 - GFI ,0020,1.00,120,000,999 . 16 - ,0000,1.00,120,000,999 . 9/26/2007 - The quote " in col 26 may now be replaced w a comma (,) in current distributions. Either will work. e.g. (older distributions) 1 - Kitchen/Dinette "0040,1.00,120,000,999 . 8/18/2008 - Note: ------1st XML tag set----- -------2nd XML tag set----------------------- for CT.DAT on server The low,high alarm limits ------------> 000,999 are passive until changed. Setting the low limit above 000 or setting the high limit below 255 will trigger alarm related events in any programs that use them. They are compared to the raw pulse count (second number from mM). Use this Handy-Dandy Ruler for checking field lengths and starting positions: ....+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CT.BIL and CT.BI2 are produced when the following option is selected. (v1.27 9/19/07) Line 6 1st number: 0=show before/after kwh Dis2002 The format is similar to DOS versions and includes KWH before-and-after fields at the end. 4 - Refrigerator 20070730 to 20070914 157 kwh $ 19.58 4123 4280 ....+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....9....+...10....+...11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.1 - Data File Special Parameters - Home Generation - Backflow For channels that see the same power a second time, e.g. mains: Put "0" (zero) in the very 1st column to keep it out of the totals. | V 015 - Mains A ,0200,1.00,120,000,999 . 016 - Mains B ,0200,1.00,120,000,999 . For circuits that contribute power, e.g. solar inverter, wind turbine: Put "-" in the very 1st column to subtract it from the totals. | V -15 - SunnyBoy A ,0060,1.00,120,000,999 . -16 - SunnyBoy B ,0060,1.00,120,000,999 . 11/21/2007 - New feature in Dis2002 v1.28 For circuits that are unused and should not be printed at all: Put "x" (lowercase) in the very 1st column to suppress the line printing only. | V x15 - ,0000,1.00,120,000,999 . x16 - ,0000,1.00,120,000,999 . Files 4-9 are described in the DOS Archive 1/5/06 - Windows does not recognize original file suffixes .dat and .db1 as text files. Right-click open and "choose program from a list" (notepad) Check the box below to always open with notepad. 10. alarmlog.txt - produced by Cap2002 - channel, status, unit, date-time 09 high mM0120040210122950 11. mm.db1 - used by 32-bit programs as main database. It has long lines that have the subdirectory, date-time, channel 1 data, channel 2 data, ... 04/15/2009- Use this Handy-Dandy Ruler for checking field lengths and starting positions: ....+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 This file layout looks like (depending on the processor type): mM0120020909131542,01,010,38979,00028,02,174,50596,00231, 14 more 19-byte groups for mMI = 322 bytes* mM0120020909131542,01,010,38979,00028,010,38979,00028,10000, 15 more 41-byte groups for mMII = 674 bytes* * (minus last comma) A day's worth of type 2 data requires 540 entries totalling 363960 or about 364k. The id,date and time is followed by processor streams for channel 1, 2, etc as described in "Protocol".
09/08/2009 - Downloads has new Java tools for converting Type 1 files:
Type 1 archives can be converted to Type 2 format.
Type 1 captures can be converted to Type 2 captures to append to archives.
04/15/2009 -
Use this Handy-Dandy Ruler for checking field lengths and starting positions:
....+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12. b.gif - a blue graphic pixel used to draw html demand graphs
13. filter.db1 - abridged database output from Dis2002 for spreadsheet imports
1/5/06 - Windows does not recognize original file suffixes .dat and .db1 as text files.
Right-click open and "choose program from a list" (notepad)
Check the box below to always open with notepad.
09/28/2009 - Processor Streams:
Type1:
4,5,60288,921
5,0,56614,373
6,14,42885,374
7,48,36923,626
8,58,30532,555
9,10,21428,403
10,3,38219,360
11,4,39786,409
12,0,25367,487
13,40,18498,521
14,0,55974,2550
15,0,57803,1409
16,0,45411,2020
1,0,38057,477
2,16,56987,1049
3,3,64545,492
4,5,60293,921
Type2:
8,8,25015,90,8,25064,105,10603
9,0,257,0,0,438,0,10603
10,0,28561,1,0,29182,1,10603
11,0,0,0,0,404,0,10603
12,0,255,0,0,553,0,10603
13,0,260,0,0,737,0,10603
14,0,275,0,0,534,0,10603
15,0,23020,164,0,58438,172,10603
16,0,544,0,0,828,0,10603
1,0,27585,80,0,22727,95,10603
2,0,18288,19,0,6289,21,10603
3,2,37108,42,2,36548,42,10603
4,17,43624,124,26,2540,161,10603
5,0,58117,41,2,22526,46,10603
6,0,29066,102,0,738,141,10603
7,0,10924,109,0,41318,148,10603
8,8,25023,90,8,25072,105,10603
12 - Windows programs Cap2002.exe and Dis2002.exe
Cap2002 screen shot Dis2002 screen shot
Cap2002.EXE
This is a 32-bit GUI program that replaces MICROM.EXE comm port functions. One of the
best features is the saving of every CAPture. This enables a great deal of ad hoc data mining
that was not possible before without a lot of manual intervention. Also, the
legacy .CAP files (produced for backward compatibility only) are not updated
until the CAPture is complete and successful. This will prevent legacy
program failure when files are incomplete.
When running, pick the appropriate subdirectory and click the
appropriate COM port button. Message area turns red, then yellow (with sync), then
green when complete. A database (flat file that gets data appended in chronological
order) called MM.DB1 will save every capture (in a new format) that will allow ad hoc
reconstruction of billing periods.
For multiple (refresh) captures, replace the 1 in the 3rd box with 100 to use Dis2002 realtime
display. This will run for about 5 hours. Put a higher number if desired.
07/23/2006 - Cap2002 v15 will accept 999999999 in the observation window and decrement from there
which would keep the program running for almost 100 years! Only 5 nines show but if you put in nine,
the displayed value will remain 99999 for all of this time except the last 3.5 days.
This program can create non-customized mm01 files by doing the following:
Click Type 1 or Type 2 choice at bottom of form (v1.18)
Change the 1 to the right of "End now" to 0.
Click "init" in lower left corner.
Click "End now".
download
Dis2002.EXE
This program is much easier to use than MICROM.EXE. There are no more RESETS and
dependence on four separate files to represent a time interval. It (only) reads the
new database file mm.db1 and allows you to
pick any time interval that has ever been recorded with Cap2002.EXE. As your
database grows, more and more statistics will be available. Older, little-used
functions are removed (temperatures, reconciles, demand graphs). In their place
there will be exports to modern spreadsheets and html browsers.
For realtime displays, start Cap2002 with multiple captures and minimize it.
Click all three buttons in Dis2002 and minimize it. Now watch your browser change
in realtime.
A listbox below the three buttons is a debugging monitor that shows a trace of the
program activity. If there is ever a problem processing your data, the last entry in
this box shows the last successfully processed code segment. To re-create the same
problem, a zipfile of the micromtr folder contents will be needed here.
For graphical output:
There is a checkbox in Dis2002 for graphs that must be checked BEFORE selecting
the directory. Links to the graphs will then appear in the html
output. The mm.db1 files can also be imported to Excel for more
elaborate treatment. For best results, try to get a number of evenly-spaced
captures, e.g. hourly, daily, weekly, etc.
In Excel, use the "Data" dropdown menu and choose "Import". Specify "comma delimited" and treat the first column as "general" or "text". You should then have a very large spreadsheet extending out to column DY. Every eighth column will contain the processor ID. It is redundant but also is a good way to verify the results. Remember this is raw data that should be scaled by CT.DAT factors Protocol (mMI and mMII) but the raw values can still make useful plots for relative comparisons. MMII demand data can be found this way: ------------- Excel columns --------------- channel true power demand volt-ampere demand 1 C F 2 K N 3 S V 4 AA AD 5 AI AL 6 AQ AT 7 AY BB 8 BG BJ 9 BO BR 10 BW BZ 11 CE CH 12 CM CP 13 CU CX 14 DC DF 15 DK DN 16 DS DV If you are using mMII processor, this assumes that true power phasing is correct. Version 1.16 has features to filter observations. By running Cap2002 continuously for a period, one can filter the observations down to intervals shown below. This is repeatable and causes no loss of original data. If used, the filtered data is put out on a new (abridged database) file called filter.db1. It is not necessary to use it to immediately display abridged results in mm.htm. That happens automatically. It is only provided for further spreadsheet analysis. 10/08/2007 - Column headings were requested so here is an example (Type 2). headings 07/31/07 Mathematical Model: Assume channel 1 has a CT20 which is mounted on a 120-volt feed wire. At 20 amperes, the digitized full-scale value (called "pulse count") is 255. Thus 255 pulses / 20 amperes = 12.75 pulses-per-ampere. This is Scale 1 (for demand). With 16 channels being processed one-at-a-time and each taking 10 seconds, channel 1 will be sampled every 160 seconds, or 22.5 times per hour (= 3600 / 160). This will accrue 255 pulses * 22.5 = 5737.5 pulses when 20 amperes flows for 1 hour (20 AH). Since the circuit operates at 120 volts, we have 2400 watts flowing for 1 hour = 2.4 KWH. 5737.5 pulses / 2.4 KWH = 2390.625 pulses-per-kwh. This is Scale 2 (for usage). Subsequent proportional scaling for different voltages and CT sizes is then applied. Both scale values are used as divisors for the simple reason that they are larger than unity and easier to recognise and remember. They can be used in integer-based processors. The demand repeatability error is 1/255 = .39%. The usage repeatability error (over one month) is 1 / (720 hours-per-month * 22.5 samplings-per-hour) = .006%. The sampling process can be likened to a rain gauge, probability-based but highly accurate over time. - 12.1 - Timing Facts: 8640 channel readings per 24 hours 540 sets-of-16 as a line in mm.db1 per day (8640/16) 22.5 sets (lines in mm.db1) per hour (540/24) 45 lines in mm.db1 per 2-hours (120 minutes) 9 lines in mm.db1 per 24-minute interval 3 lines in mm.db1 per 8-minute interval 1 line in mm.db1 represents 2.667 minutes Rather than ignore processor data in Cap2002, we can filter it in Dis2002. Run Cap2002 continuously to get all the processor data for a span of time. Two new parameters for Dis2002 control the initial loading of mm.db1. "Skip first" drops "n" lines from the beginning. "Use every" takes every "nth" line. This will allow uniform graphing of a useful range of time intervals. Only whole numbers may be used, e.g. hourly data cannot be gotten exactly by putting 22.5 in the "use every" field. These must be set prior to selecting the directory. 11/26/03 - Enhancement to Dis2002 to support multiple processors. Version 1.18 optionally displays 64 channels together in anticipation of the 64-channel mMIII processor. For now, it can be made to work with up to 4 mMII processors covering a mid-sized office building. Back in the DOS days, we did the same thing with batch files for "one-command reads them all" convenience. It's back as "one-click reads them all" in v1.18. Processes mm01,mm02,mm03,mm04 subdirectories as 64-channel virtual processor with one click in "4P" checkbox. Do not select the final subdirectory. Click 4P instead. 01/05/06 - Enhancement to Dis2002 to support multiple processors - v1.20. An "8P" checkbox will process mm01,mm02,mm03,mm04,mm05,mm06,mm07,mm08 subdirectories as a 128-channel virtual processor with one click. This will be compatible w mMI and mMII. Do not select the final subdirectory. Click 8P instead. Also, these subdirectories may now be nested below \micromtr\ to gain additional flexibility. 06/29/06 - Example: \micromtr\case1\micromtr\mm0x ... The executables and shared files in \micromtr\ must be copied to \micromtr\case1\micromtr\ Preparing folders and files for Dis2002 4P/8P reports. If you do not have a complete set of sub folders (above) and need "dummy" processors, do the following: 1) Click into the "test" folder and copy/rename the appropriate database. If you have Type 1 processors, copy/rename mm1.db1 to mm.db1. If you have Type 2, copy/rename mm2.db1 to mm.db1. 2) Right-click copy the test folder and paste/rename it as mm04, ... mm0x as needed to have a complete set of (dummy) sub folders. download - 12.2 - Emu2002.EXE - 01/05/04 This program is NOT used for normal measurements with a processor. It "fakes" readings and/or appends readings from raw processor data in text files. I am working on a new program that has a lot of interesting uses. In the ten years of working with microMETERs, I have had to occasionally fake a capture to produce a desired output. This is not easy to do. A long overdue emulator (called Emu2002) is available for download. It communicates with the existing Dis2002 via the database and utilizes circuit attributes already stored in the setup files. A new parameter was added to represent duty cycle (in percent). It can mimic a mMI or mMII processor as you adjust virtual circuit parameters. To create an arbitrary time span, clear the MM.DB1 file and do an init. Then edit the file and set the date back to cover the desired period up to the current date. Now do reads whenever you want and see the accruals in Dis2002. This program may also be used to create data files from a special file called ctcap.txt. If 16** complete lines of raw mMI or mMII output is saved (via cutpaste) in this file and placed in a mM subdirectory, the button marked "ctcap.txt" can be used to append the observation to the database and create legacy files with the system timestamp. For example, Windows Hyperterminal Identifying COM Ports on your PC is used to view a raw data stream. Copy and paste 16** complete lines to a text file and save it to the above name. Emu2002 can be used to produce files as if the capture had been done by normal means (Cap2002, MICROM, MCAP, etc.). ** get 17 to be "safe" since the first is always discarded. download 6/20/2008 - For special needs only: How to run Capture on Vista
13 - Dis2002.exe Output File mm.htm
Dis2002 screen shot
This report with standard default options set has the above header. Keep in mind that data is presented is several ways and certain columns relate in a way similar to a car's speedometer and its odometer. Either can have a high (or low) value relative to the other and still make sense. The 1st column is the channel number followed by the circuit label. Both come from the configuration file CT.DAT. It is possible, but not recommended, to use the whole column for the label without the channel number. DEMAND: The 2nd is expressed in amperes and watts/volts. In a perfect electrical relationship, they are equal but differ otherwise. Type I processors could only show one or the other and the program could not tell and just kept both headings. Type II processors show the circuit current demand at the time of capture and express it in amperes. The 3rd is power demand at the time of capture and expresses it in kilowatts. If the checkbox for true power is unchecked because correct phasing was not possible, the value is in kilovoltampere-hours which, again in a perfect circuit, would be equivalent. Both 2nd and 3rd columns are like the speedometer readings in that the car might not be moving at the time but may, or may not, have a lot of mileage showing elsewhere. USAGE: The 4th, 5th, and 6th columns with the white lettering represent something known as the The Power Triangle and show total usage. Like in a car, the odometer shows total miles. The 4th is kilowatthours (kwh). With the car analogy again, it relates to what you pay to drive. You buy these directly from the utility. Gallons of gas is what you are really buying for the car. The 5th is kilovoltamperehours (kvah) which is like the gas you pumped plus a little in the hose that you didn't get to use. It is always greater than or equal to kwh. The 6th is kilovoltamperereactivehours (kvarh) which is the phantom power you didn't get to keep (gas in the hose). It's good when it is low but is seldom zero. The 7th is $ cost created by multiplying kwh cost (above) times kwh The 8th is percent of total kwh for the kwh shown on the line. OPTIONS: The 9th shows "L" for low or "H" for high when comparing demand (in raw pulses) to limits in CT.DAT. The 10th shows "d" for selected demand graph, if available. The 11th is reserved for control software input (not yet available). The 12th is power factor, which describes the power triangle (above). .999 is perfect, .8 is common for many loads other than incandescent lamps (plain light bulb) and big things that heat (stove, space heater). .6 is not real good and can indicate a problem. Don't worry about it if the kwh cost is insignificant. The 13th and 14th appear with a special option set to show before-and-after total kwh for utility bill public assistance programs.
14 - Identifying COM Ports on your PC
The PC used to read the processor must have a standard COM port 1-4.
9/12/2007 - Some recent "home versions" are ommitting this support. Specify at the time of purchase
that you need serial capability and (preferably) get a built-in com port.
Windows Hyperterminal can be used to verify that a given port can be used. In Windows XP
Professional, the procedure is:
Be sure the processor is connected and powered up.
Click START, then All Programs, Accessories, Communications, Hyperterminal
(without any previously saved sessions).
Enter Name: mmtestcom1 and click OK. (This is for COM1. Repeat for COM2, COM3, and COM4)
Connect using: COM1 and click OK
Bits per Second: Change to 300 and click OK
Allow at least 10 seconds to see lines containing comma-separated numbers appear.
If you do not see these numbers, you cannot use this COM port.
Try Windows "hyperterminal" with Baud=300,8N1 to see the data stream.
Also see: USB Connections
p 15 intentionally omitted
16 - Protocol (mMI and mMII)
The microMETER (mMI) sends four numbers separated by commas and ending with CRLF (0x0D0A), every ten seconds (Baud=300,8N1). If you capture these values directly for use in a spreadsheet, you must convert them into useful information. Details for each follow: * First number - CT # (1 through 16). * Second number - KW or KVA demand pulse count, a value ranging from 0 to 255. Multiply by (actual CT size)/255 to get watts/volts. * Third number - KWH low bucket pulse count. Value range is 0 to 65535. * Fourth number - KWH high bucket pulse count. Multiply this value by 65536, then add the low bucket value above. Now, divide the sum by 2400 and multiply by (actual CT size)/20 to get KWH. example: 8,0,11823,64 for mMII only, extra values ignored by mMI s/w * Fifth number - current demand pulse count, a value ranging from 0 to 255. Multiply by (actual CT size)/255 to get amps. * Sixth number - KVAH low bucket pulse count. Value range is 0 to 65535. * Seventh number - KVAH high bucket pulse count. Multiply this value by 65536, then add the low bucket value above. Now, divide the sum by 2400 and multiply by (actual CT size)/20 to get KVAH. * Eighth number - Processor ID - Value range is 10000 to 65535. example: 8,0,11823,64,0,24514,64,1060217 - Pseudocode and Source Code
Pseudocode to illustrate capture from com port: (mMI) open com port while not CRLF listen //discard first input (partial or full) wend for i=1 to i=16 read j,k,l,m //get 16 full lines A[j] = k //index values into arrays by channel # B[j] = l E[j] = m end-for close com port open reset file (an earlier copy of above data) for i=1 to i=16 read "CT.RES" j,k,l,m //read from last reset file AA[j] = k //index values into arrays by channel # BB[j] = l EE[j] = m end-for close reset file Code snippet to illustrate conversion: i=0;while(i<16){ B[i] = B[i] - BB[i]; //subtract past readings E[i] = E[i] - EE[i]; F[i] = B[i] + E[i] * 65536; // BK = breaker (CT) size from CT.DAT // LV = line voltage from CT.DAT // PF = power factor from CT.DAT // SCAL, SCA2, PRICE from MICRO.DAT A[i] = A[i] / SCAL * BK[i] / 20; //Scale to amps K[i] = A[i] * LV[i] * PF[i] / 1000;//Scale to kw G[i] = (F[i] / SCA2 * BK[i] / 20 * PF[i] * LV[i]/120);//Scale to kwh C[i] = PRICE * G[i] / 100; i++;} All of the PC software has been open-sourced. Text files containing multiple program listings can be found in the link below. It is hoped that, in the spirit of open-source, takers will give back improvements so we all can benefit. I (Chris) am a lazy programmer, which is generally a GOOD THING. However, much more can be done by many imaginative users. download18 - Linux Programs lcap2007 and ldis2007 (in development)
8/28/2007
These are open source equivalents of the above described 32-bit Windows programs.
Most users use, or have access to, Windows pc's. The lack of compatibility between
Windows versions, however, makes software upkeep difficult and confusing. What is being
done here is taking the best ideas from all versions of the Windows programs and
combining them in a more stable Linux/Unix platform. Some key concepts and features are:
- Support files renamed as .txt, e.g. ct.dat becomes ctdat.txt.
- Consistent lowercase used on all directory names and file names, e.g. /mm01/ctdat.txt
- Directory structure and file structure remains the same.
- Less GUI, more scripting, more Web enabling.
- Type 2 processor supported, Type 1 processor not supported at this time.
- Written in ANSI c, c++, possibly some java
9/05/2007 lcap2007 v1.0 - Written in ANSI C and compiled with gcc (on ubuntu 6.06). The executable resides in main folder called micromtr. Always run with a 4-character parameter in terminal mode, e.g. ./lcap2007 mm01 which selects the subdirectory (processor) of interest. In most cases this is mm01. A special parameter "init" will cause the program to create a subdirectory called "test" and create three support files (micro.txt, microdat.txt, and ctdat.txt). The subdirectory can then be renamed to mm01 (or other) and the files can be customized with a text editor. 11/20/2007 - Mod for Type 1 processor to masquerade as Type 2 Look for the group of lines matching the 1st 4 here. Comment the next four and add the last four, as shown: if (commas == 0) { ct[cti] = dan; cti++; }// 8 values come in from type 2 processor if (commas == 1) { bb[bbi] = dan; bbi++; }// 3 long names shortened if (commas == 2) { cc[cci] = dan; cci++; } if (commas == 3) { dd[ddi] = dan; ddi++; } //if (commas == 4) { ee[eei] = dan; eei++; }// 4 new names are short //if (commas == 5) { ff[ffi] = dan; ffi++; } //if (commas == 6) { gg[ggi] = dan; ggi++; } //if (commas == 7) { hh[hhi] = dan; hhi++; } if (commas == 1) { ee[eei] = dan; eei++; }// Mod for Type 1 processor to masquerade as Type 2 if (commas == 2) { ff[ffi] = dan; ffi++; } if (commas == 3) { gg[ggi] = dan; ggi++; } if (commas == 3) { strcpy(temp2,"11111");hh[hhi] = temp2; hhi++; } ldis2007 v1.0 - Written in ANSI C and compiled with gcc (on ubuntu 6.06). The executable resides in main folder called micromtr. Always run with a 4-character parameter in terminal mode, e.g. ./lcap2007 mm01 which selects the subdirectory (processor) of interest. In most cases this is mm01. The program creates a web page called mm.htm in the subdirectory that can be viewed with a standard browser. The current implementation is sparse in that it will display the usage of the last two captures only and special features found in Dis2002.exe such as 3-phase display, multi-processors, and demand graphs are not yet implemented.
pp 19-29 intentionally omitted
--------------------------- Hardware -------------------------
30 - Hardware Notes
Processor types: mMI non-analytical - 16 channels all apparent power or all true power set by jumper block. *mMI analytical - 16 paired channels apparent power and true power for 8 circuits. *discontinued, use mMII mMII - 16 channels with true power and apparent power measured on each. mMII3ph - 5 3-phase A,B,C channel groups with true power and apparent power measured. mMII - wire color codes: In keeping with telco tradition, the Cat 1 (quad cable) colors will map to Cat 5 as follows: Table 30a mMI** mMII function 1 green white w blue rs232 return 2 red blue (w white) rs232 data from mM 3 black white w orange PT return 4 yellow orange (w white) * PT 29 vac A phase 5 white w brown * PT 29 vac B phase 6 brown (w white) * PT 29 vac C phase 7 white w green R2 select C phase instead of B phase 8 green (w white) R1 select other phase than A phase In single-phase true power applications, 4,5, and 6 are connected to A phase. Because Cat 5 is #24, the cable will be soldered to the PCB. **Note (01/19/2006): This applies to mMI and mMII. Cat 1 is no longer readily available. Cat 5 will be used for all processors and cabling. Color code equivalents are: Cat 1 Cat 5 green white w blue red blue black white w orange yellow orange 08/30/2006 - RS2329 cable assembly is replaced by RS2325 cable assembly: Table 31 RS2329 RS2325 function DB9 Pin Extendable Length 1 green white w blue rs232 return (ground) 5 300' 2 red blue (w white) rs232 data from mM 2 300' 3 black white w orange ring detect 9 do not extend 4 yellow orange (w white)* rs232 data to mM 3 do not extend 5 white w brown ** dtr 4 do not extend 6 brown (w white) ** dsr 6 do not extend 7 white w green ** rts 7 do not extend 8 green (w white) ** cts 8 do not extend * not used in mMI or mMII ** jumpered together 10/21/2008 - Special note about extending RS2325 cable: Only the blue/white pair needs to be extended. The other pairs are locally looped back or open and SHOULD NOT BE EXTENDED.31 - Processor Detail
32 - How Phase Matters
Most simple installations and orders shipped are set up to minimize the need to keep track of phase for successful operation. Phase matters in two areas, at the CT level, and at the processor level. In many cases, remediation is as easy, or easier, than the initial planning! No permanent harm can result from a mistake other than a loss of accuracy. (In a 3-phase situation, the planning is much more important. Simply reversing connections at the CT level will not always work.) At the CT level: If a CT is used to monitor more than one circuit, i.e. more than one wire passing through the center, they must be of the same phase or cancellation of magnetic fields will occur and the result will be under-representation of the power used. For example, an A-phase circuit lights a 60-watt bulb and a B-phase circuit lights a 100-watt bulb, The CT will only sense 40 watts because of the cancellation. When only one bulb is lit, the results are accurate. If these wires are the two sides of a 240 volt double breaker, the second must pass through backwards so that currents add, rather than cancel. When currents add like this, the voltage is considered to be 120v. An equal draw for a 240 volt load would register the same current twice so half the voltage (120) is used to compute the correct wattage. If more than one CT is used on a single channel, e.g. two sides of a double breaker feeding a mobile home each have a CT60, the signals must be combined properly to avoid cancellation. The method, described elsewhere in Diagrams, places the second CT facing the opposite way so that when the short lead of one is connected to the long lead of the other, the remaining short-long lead pair represents a properly combined signal. Alternatively, these two CT's can be connected to two separate processor channels. Each channel will record a portion of the total usage. In either case, the lower voltage, e.g. 120, is used in CT.DAT 06/14/2010 - Multiple Panels/Subpanels - Both phases will appear alternately on both sides of both panels. The electrician should verify with a voltmeter that any two positions are the same phase by seeing zero volts between them. If both panels start with the same phase (top slots right and left) then CT placement is done the same way in both. If 240 volts appears between the top slots of the two panels, the installer needs to position the CT's differently on the second panel to accommodate this. IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO MAKE THE PANELS THE SAME UNLESS THE LOAD BALANCE IS WELL UNDERSTOOD. At the processor level: For correct true power operation, the phase of the CT signals must correspond correctly to the phase of the PT (Potential Transformer). If the values are slightly smaller than the apparent power, the phasing is correct. If they disappear entirely, you have a phase problem on that channel that can be remedied 3 ways: 1) Reverse the CT connection - This is the preferred method. 2) Reverse the physical CT orientation - This is more trouble than 1) 3) Reverse the PT connection - This affects all channels. By doing any two of the above, you still have the same result on a given channel. If more than half of the channels are wrong, do #3 first. Follow up with #1.33 - CT Selection
The current transformer (CT) is designed to sense a dynamic range of current that includes the maximum expected value. A circuit breaker establishes a physical limit that often exceeds the maximum draw by two times. In the case of panel mains, and dedicated circuits for kilns, compressors, etc. the electrical code anticipates this safety margin. In small convenience outlet circuits, however, anything goes e.g. coffee pots, microwaves, space heaters, etc. It is not unusual to load these to the max. The CT choice should cover the maximum expected but allow for good resolution. Like a pegged meter movement, an undersized CT will not show the true maximum. An oversized CT will only show small variations with poor resolution. In either case there is no consequence except loss of information and accuracy. Considering the expected life of the product (10 years or more), it is well worth a little planning beforehand and a little extra effort during the installation. Solid core CT's are always more accurate and reliable than "split core" CT's that only save a few minutes during installation. Plain CT's are better than "auto phasing" types that only compensate for lack of skill during installation. Such added circuitry contributes nothing afterwards, is subject to failure, and has been known to "play tricks" when other generators and inverters are involved. The standard CT ranges are set by the ratio of wire turns internally. It is possible to change ranges externally as well. A wide range of "virtual" CT sizes can be created by passing the conductor multiple times through the center so the current is "seen" multiple times. The tables here suggest several, but certainly not all, of the possible ranges that can be sensed. Table 33 Max Amps Actual/Virtual CT type # Passes CT.DAT value 1 V CT20 20 0001 pic 5 V CT20 4 0005 pic 10 V CT20 2 0010 pic 20 A CT20 1 0020 pic 30 V CT60 2 0030 pic 40 A CT40 1 0040 pic 50 V CT100 2 0050 pic 60 A CT60 1 0060 pic 100 A CT100 1 0100 pic 200 A CT200 1 0200 picp 34-35 intentionally omitted
36 - Convenience Stores with Gas Pumps
Convenience stores are excellent sites for monitoring power. Monthly usage is in the tens of thousands of kwh. The petroleum-related circuits are usually grouped into a specialized sub panel that should not be disturbed due to specialized codes and safety requirements. It is usually fed from a double-pole breaker IN THE MAIN PANEL which is where to put CT's. Use one CT on each pole of the FEEDER BREAKER (located in the main distribution panel) to the Veeder Root(tm)/Power Integrity(tm) equipment to maximize analytical data. This will enhance safety attributes by providing additional power monitoring without any alteration of the specialized petroleum circuitry. The most important circuits to split out individually are those associated with refrigeration compressors. After that, HVAC and lighting are large cost components. Outlets used for electric vehicle charging are an emerging and presently unregulated profit center.37 - Diagrams
Diagram #0 *** Normal 120-volt breakers - e.g. lights, outlets pic
CT 20,40,60, or 100 Undersize for better low load resolution.
Enter in SETUP as actual CT size with voltage = 120. Diagram #1 *** Small Unbalanced 240 volt "X" - e.g. RV, boatslip, sub panel, electric range*, dryer, combined opposite-phase 120v loads pic
*Electric range can also be treated as a balanced load (easier, see diagram 3) with essentially the same result.
Enter in SETUP as actual CT size with voltage = 120. or, use a short jumper and wire nut as shown below: pic
Diagram #1 alternate
Enter in SETUP as actual CT size with voltage = 120. Diagram #2 *** 120/240 Large Single Phase 240 Volt Unbalanced, e.g. house, cottage, apartment pic
Connect sense leads in series aiding (- to +). A-Phase is the phase that the PT is connected to. A-Phase CT Leads point to load. Enter in SETUP as actual CT size with voltage = 120. 03/07/2008 Diagram #2c *** Combining Same-Phase Loads with a Split Window pic
Connect sense leads in series aiding (- to +) Enter in SETUP as actual CT size. This is equivalent to both wires going through a single CT. Diagram #3 *** Balanced 240 - e.g. electric range*, water heater, a/c compressor, air handler, pool pump, well pump, hot tub pic
*Electric range (slightly unbalanced) can be treated as a balanced load (easier, below) with essentially the same result.
Enter in SETUP as actual CT size with voltage = 240. Diagram #4 *** non-adjacent 120-volt breakers - Combined circuits, same phase pic
4 small breakers Enter in SETUP as actual CT size with voltage = 120.
Diagram #4b *** adjacent 120-volt single breakers - Combined circuits, alternating phase A, B
4 small breakers Enter in SETUP as actual CT size with voltage = 120. Diagram #5 *** Interface large current or clamp-on CT - e.g. 500 amps pic
500 amp service Enter in SETUP as actual commercial CT size.
- Typical apartment panel
- Typical smart house panel
8/31/2009
Diagram #6 *** 120/240 - Combined circuits, same phase on different sides of panel pic
If wires are too short for "X" style, the "loop back" style s/b used. Setup voltage is 120, not 240 in both examples. If right position is staggered by one, invert the loopback so that it remains on B-phase.
1/25/2012
For extending CT connections with Cat5 cable, follow standard Telecom color codes to avoid confusion. The "tip" represents the long, positive CT lead and "ring" represents the short, negative CT lead. Shielding must be grounded only once where all cables converge at the processor.
Pair # Tip - Ring (JK cable) Tip - Ring (PIC cable) 1 Green - Red White/Blue band - Blue/White band 2 Black - Yellow White/Orange band - Orange/White band 3 White/Green band - Green/White band 4 White/Brown band - Brown/White band http://www.shout.net/~wildixon/telecom/cable/color.html
38 - HVAC and Central Boilers, Water and Sewage
4/14/2010 Central air and heating can be allocated if individual rooms have electrical thermostats that call for heat or cooling. These typically operate with 24-volt circuits operating in the current range of one quarter to one half ampere. These are easily picked up with a CT20 at each thermostat. The current does not vary but the duration does. This can be used to allocate on a percentage (of fuel bill or chiller kwh usage) basis. Water and sewage costs can be apportioned with reasonable accuracy by picking up electric water heater usage for individual living areas. Assuming uniformity, the cost can be allocated on a percentage (of water utility bill) basis. This is fully consistent with RUBS practice.40 - RJ11 disconnect for lightning protection
The easiest and cheapest way to prevent lightning damage to the PC and mM is to use a common phone jack for a disconnect. At the PC when readings are complete simply disconnect the D connector. At the mM processor, use two RJ11 jacks and a RJ11 phone cord for the disconnect. Connect the inner pair of the first jack to the mM red wire, outer pair to the green. Do the same with the cable run and the second jack. Use any four conductor phone cord to connect the two. By using inner and outer pairs as the polarity convention, reversal is impossible. Just unplug one end of the phone cord at the pole. Use shielded wire for building to office runs. A suitable cable is available from www.DigiKey.com (1 800 344 4539). Order W504-X-ND (X is 100, 500 or 1000 feet). It is #24 stranded, so care must be taken when connecting to solid #22. Use good wire nuts or solder. The color code may be almost the same as telephone wire, but if the pairs are individually shielded, keep each circuit in its own shield. Bond the shields to ground at one end, preferably all together at the mM processor location.41 - Transformer Primary Power Factor
When measuring KVA and KVAH as estimates for KW and KWH from the primary side of a distribution transformer, power factor (PF) should be considered when loading is less than 50%. An experiment with a 400va isolation transformer and two 100 watt, 120 volt incandescent light bulbs yielded the following data: load watts primary amperes bulb amperes power factor load capacity 0 .46 0 0 (theoretical) 0 100 1.12 .84 .75 .25 200 1.86 1.68 .90 .50 What this means is that for very light loading, the billable consumption should be reduced by the power factor. As loading increases beyond 50% capacity, the difference narrows and could be safely ignored. PF can be entered separately for each mM channel in the software setup. Alternatively, the discounting of consumption might be handled administratively in the case where loading varies significantly and updating software parameters is inconvenient or likely to be forgotten. This concern can be avoided by metering the secondary side with larger CT's or by using true power mode.
p 42 intentionally omitted
43 - Passive Power Factor Corrections
One of the common goals of utilities and their customers is to make power factor as close to unity as possible. This minimizes "I square R" losses on both sides of the utility meter. A passive means is possible using analytical data from mMII. By combining leading loads with lagging loads as close as possible e.g. short electric power wire runs, some mitigation can be observed in subsequent readings. Table 43 Load Power Factor Feeder Distance to Common Connection Lighting (ballast) 3.1 kva .87 lagging 50 feet Server Bay 2.5 kva .92 leading 60 feet Combined Circuit 4.9 kva .96 lagging 25 feetpp 44-59 intentionally omitted
61 - CT Types (w current prices)
microMETER CT Sizes and Types, CT outer diameter 1.7", length 1.13" Lead length 24" - 48" unless otherwise specified. Discontinued items can be made for special orders but are no longer stocked. Std. Maximum Lead Window Type Amperes Color Size (inches) Price Qty For up to 300 volts: p/n CT20 20 blue .5 $30 _____ pic
CT40 40 green .5 $30 _____ pic
CT60 60 yellow .5 $35 _____ pic
CT100 100 white .5 $35 _____ pic
For up to 600 volts (thick orange leads, marked as 600v):
p/n
CT20HV 20 4 turns orange .5 $35 _____
CT40HV 40 2 turns orange .5 $35 _____ pic
CT60HV 60 5 turns orange .5 $35 _____
CT100HV 100 3 turns orange .5 $35 _____
CT200HV 200* 3 turns orange 1.0 $42 _____ pic
For special purpose applications*:
p/n
CT100LGD 100 6 turns white 1.0 $80 _____ pic
CT100LGRS 100 6 turns white 1.0 $45 _____ pic
second 100 6 turns yellow
CT100LGRSD 100 6 turns white 1.0 $90 _____ pic
second 100 6 turns yellow
CT200LV 200 3 turns white 1.0 $40 _____ pic
* parts developed after original mM was listed by UL
61.2 - PT Types (w current prices)
microMETER compatible PT Types (subject to availability) 04/11/2009 Note: Correct PT phasing produces a 180-degree shift of the secondary waveform relative to primary. This can be verified with a temporary jumper between primary neutral and secondary common ("B") and measuring the ac voltage between primary line side and secondary high side and observing the SUM of the primary and secondary voltages. Example: 120v + 29v = 149v. **** SEE CAUTIONARY WARNING BELOW. **** WARNING: Do not connect a jumper or perform this test with the processor connected. PT120 120 volt potential transformer sold out pic Basler Electric BE121620BAE 20va H1 black, X1 B sec 29.3v mMI black mMII wht w org H2 white, X2 A (original design component) PT120B 120 volt potential transformer Ault KS21239L4 7.5va (plug-in wall-wart) sold out pic H1 blade over term 3, X1 term 3 B sec 27.4v mMI black mMII wht w org H2 blade over term 2, X2 term 1 A PT120W 120 volt potential transformer MG Elect MGT2420P 20va (plug-in wall-wart) $42 _____ pic H1 blade over term 2, X1 term 1 B sec 27.8v mMI black mMII wht w org H2 blade over term 1, X2 term 2 A PT208 208 volt potential transformer 3ptyB _____ pic Honeywell AT140A1018 40va H1 red, X1 R B sec 26.76v mMI black mMII wht w org H2 black, X2 C A PT240 240 volt potential transformer 3ptyB _____ pic Honeywell AT140A1018 40va H1 orange, X1 R B sec 26.76v mMI black mMII wht w org H2 black, X2 C A PT277 277 volt potential transformer 3ptyA _____ pic Honeywell AT87A1189 48va H1 brown, X1 B yellow sec 26.5v mMI black mMII wht w org H2 black, X2 A blue 08/06/2007 PT277J 277 volt potential transformer 3ptyA _____ pic Johnson Controls Y66FUD-1 75va H1 red, X1 B brown sec 27.1v mMI black mMII wht w org H2 black, X2 A orange3ptyA - Third Party items - order direct from suppliers below: Kele Minvalco Alco
3ptyB TFCampbell Patriot NOTE: We can match a locally available transformer to your voltage. Calibrations are based on differences from PT120. Adjust software scales accordingly by secondary voltage ratios for correct true power readings. 08/06/2007 Determining PT phasing can be accomplished this way: 1) Connect H2 (primary common) to X2 (secondary common). 2) Energize primary. 3) Measure AC volts between H1 and X1. It should equal primary voltage minus secondary voltage. 4) If the volage measurement is higher, reverse either H1-H2 or X1-X2. Be sure the H1-H2 connection observes any "common" designations properly.
63 - Spare Parts List (with current prices)
p/n desc MB1.04R mMI Main Board Repair TBD _____ pic MB1.04 mMI Main Board (new from reserved inventory) $1050 _____ pic MB2.00R mMII Main Board Repair TBD _____ pic TB-D Terminal Board D discontinued, replace w TB-E pic TB-E Terminal Board E $75 _____ pic RIBN-C Ribbon cable C (use w TB-E) $45 _____ pic J-BOX J-box (w/o UL label) two port (mMI) discontinued, use 3-pty source J-BOX1 J-box (w/o UL label) one port (mMI,mMII) $12 _____ pic J-BOXC J-box cover $6 _____ pic RS2325 RS232 Connector Female DB9 Cat5 $35 _____ picp 64 intentionally omitted
65 - Addendums (important, please read)
Addendum 02.1: Terminal Board D re: equipment sold after May, 2003 The 16 position terminal strips with printed labels are no longer available. Unmarked 4-terminal blocks were substituted in groups of 4. Channel one is located towards the center of the main board. The +/- markings are reversed. These had tendency to lose coninuity more than any other. Foil traces on one side only. Replace with Terminal Board E. Addendum 02.2: Terminal Board E re: equipment sold after Nov, 2005 Channel one is located towards the center of the main board. The +/- markings are correct. The solder pads are larger and traces are on the top and bottom. This should put an end to continuity problems in the field. They are marked "REV E" and plated on both sides. CAD pic
Terminal board comparison photo
Addendum 05: ESD (lightning) protection
Experience has shown that the greatest vulnerability of the mM
to ESD is the RS232 communication link. The 75150 chip has taken
hits in certain Florida locations where long, unshielded runs were
made to the PC.
What happens is that the wire between them picks up a spike from overhead
lightning and pops the chips in both the PC and the mM. The mM keeps
on counting kilowatt hours but the PC can't get a readout. The fix
is to power down the mM and replace the 75150 chip.
Then, readings can be obtained with no loss of data.
An improved ESD protection device has been added to mM units sold
after April 1998. It has not failed yet. Shielded wire is strongly
recommended.
To prevent the problem in the first place (without additional ESD
protection) is to disconnect the wire at both ends until new readings are desired.
At the PC, simply unplug the DB connector from the COM port.
At the mM, provide a RJ11 connection (like a telephone) that can be unplugged.
When using RJ11 fittings, put the RS232 signal on the inner pair and
the RS232 return on the outer pair to prevent roll reversal.
pp 66-82 intentionally omitted
83 - Troubleshooting - rev 9/13/2007
Unable to capture data.
1) Make sure the RS232 signal is reaching the computer. Use the test LED tester that is taped to the DB9 female plug. Hold the plug facing you with 5 holes on top and four on the bottom (smiling). Put short LED lead in hole 5 and long LED lead in hole 2. The hole numbers go like this: 5 4 3 2 1 9 8 7 6 The LED should flash briefly every 10 seconds. If it is lit and briefly goes out every 10 seconds, the signal wires are reversed. Hole 5 is the green wire from Type 1 or white (w blue) wire from Type 2 processor. Hole 2 is the red wire from Type 1 or blue (w white) wire from Type 2 processor. If the LED does not flash, trace continuity back to the processor. Another LED, inside the processor, should be flashing every 10 seconds. Make sure processor is energized. 2) Make sure the computer has a working com port. Be sure you have properly identified the com port on your PC. See Identifying COM Ports on your PC. Try Windows "hyperterminal" with Baud=300,8N1 to see the data stream. See how to use.
Check device manager to be sure ports exist. (start/control panel/system/device manager).Cap2002 fails to run to completion (red,yellow,green).
09/14/2007 - Some of these errors have been fixed in v1.17. The version number appears in the title bar at the top of the panel. Downloads the latest. 1) "Runtime Error 75, Path/File Access Error" Are you trying to run from the CD? It cannot update CDROM files. Copy to desktop. If you have a Compaq, HP, or any such pc that restricts access to the C: root directory, use the default user directory that you get when you click "My Computer", "C:" or the "MSDOS" or "C\" icons. For example, this could be: Computer-> HP(C:)-> users-> yourname (Put the micromtr folder here.) Check to see if any of the application's files or folders are marked as read-only. 2) "Component 'mscomm32.ocx' or one of its dependencies not correctly registered: a file is missing or invalid" On Vista home edition and some later "home versions" of XP, these operating system components have been left out. Even with a USB-to-Serial adapter, these essential operating system components need to be present and registered. Seek competent maintenance advice to resolve this issue. Try to resolve it under your warranty or service plan. Alternatively, you can: 1) obtain a copy of this file and put it in the micromtr directory (may or may not work). 2) try the full install shield process that updates registry (contact us for help with this). This made Cap2002 v1.17 run correctly on an HP Pavilion a1520e with a USB-to-Serial adapter and MS Vista Home Premium o/s! 3) find pc with Windows 98 or better that has a com port. 4) try the Vista .net programs described on page 1 above. 5) try the Linux programs described on page 18 above. 3) "Error 62 - input past end of file" Request for help from MS Resolution from MS 12/10/07 4) "Runtime Error 5 - Invalid procedure call or argument" (along with garbled data stream) Verify that the computer connections (blue pairs) are not crossed with other processors or other color pairs. YOU CANNOT PARALLEL CONNECT OR DAISY CHAIN THE RS232 SIGNALS. Each processor must be read one-at-a-time with it's own computer connection.Dis2002 fails to run to completion (mm.htm,ie browser).
08/21/2007-08/23/2007 Apparent Microsoft Bug - 08/21/2007 - Improperly Captured Data Type 1-as-Type 2 12/22/2007 - Download Cap2002 v1.18 and choose type 1 or 2 checkbox before selecting com port. Apparent Microsoft Bug - 08/22/2007 - Failure to Display Captured Data Problem with file mm.db1 or directory structureReporting an error and getting tech support assistance:
04/22/2008 - Create a new zip folder called "error01" and copy the entire micromtr folder into it. Send the folder as an email attachment to tech support. Contact us for email information.Incorrect values, hardware, software setup
1) Zero or lower than normal readings: 07/02/07 - Be sure channel in CT.DAT has correct entries (CT amps > 0000). Try RMS mode (Type 1). If a particular circuit is zero, check the CT wiring or switch it with another CT. If True Power is zero and RMS is not, check phasing of each affected CT by reversing connections. If most of the CT's are affected, it is easier to reverse the PT connection first. See How Phase Matters. 2) Higher than normal readings, constant maximum reading on some channel(s): 07/02/07 - Be sure channel in CT.DAT has correct entries (CT amps > 0000). Unused channels must be jumpered (shorted out) on the Terminal Board to prevent this. Full scale readings can occur if the CT circuit is open. The multiplexer pulls the floating input to this state. Overtightening terminal board (Rev D) screws can break the traces. Terminal board Rev E is much better. Terminal board comparison photo
Make sure terminal board is seated properly with both rows of pins connecting to ribbon cable
and that ribbon cable is seated properly with both rows of pins connecting to main board.
pic
3) 04/22/2008 - Examine mm.db1 file for anomalies in the structure.
See example.
END OF DOCUMENT README2
