How Do Energy Meters Use Power Lines for Communication?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the communication methods used by domestic energy meters with power utility centers, specifically focusing on the use of power lines for this communication. Participants explore the hardware involved and the technical aspects of powerline communication, as well as alternative approaches.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes the use of A-band powerline communication from electric meters to a concentrator unit at residential distribution transformers, noting that this setup varies based on the type of residences and regional factors.
  • The concentrator unit is said to gather encrypted meter data and forward it to the Utility Data Center, potentially using RF or GSM modems for this transmission.
  • It is mentioned that meters can act as proxy nodes to facilitate communication, especially in cases where direct communication with a distant meter is not possible due to signal attenuation and noise.
  • Another participant questions the practicality of using Pocket PC technology for this application, suggesting it may be too expensive for implementation in India and proposing a regular wireless sensor network as an alternative.
  • A later reply challenges the Pocket PC suggestion, indicating a lack of familiarity with the technology and emphasizing the difficulty of achieving a cheaper and better solution than existing products.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the proposed technologies, with no consensus reached on the best approach for communication between energy meters and utility centers.

Contextual Notes

Some technical details regarding the proprietary nature of the technology and the specific limitations of powerline communication in terms of signal reliability and noise are mentioned, but remain unresolved.

dk99
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How do the domestic Energy meters communicate with the power utility centers (Using the Power Lines) ??

What kind of hardware do they use?

Please help me out :)
 
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dk99 said:
How do the domestic Energy meters communicate with the power utility centers (Using the Power Lines) ??

What kind of hardware do they use?

Please help me out :)

[full disclosure] The following information is from the company that I work for. [/full disclosure]

We generally use A-band powerline communication from the electric meters to some "Concentrator" unit mounted at the residential distribution transformers. Each transformer can service a number of homes, with that number varying, depending on what part of the country you are in, and what kind of residences they are (houses, condos, apartments, etc.).

The Concentrator unit gathers the encrypted meter data, and forwards it to the Utility Data Center. It may use RF for that forwarding, and GSM modems are commonly used.

One key to reliable powerline networking in this type of application (lots of attenuation of PL comm signals, lots of noise) is to be able to use the meters themselves as "proxy" nodes. So if the Concentrator cannot communicate with a meter that is too far away, it can use intermediate meters to gather the far meter's data. Much of that technology is proprietary, but some of it is being published now. Here is some information from our website that may help you to understand:

http://www.echelon.com/support/docu...r_Line_Repeating_Network_Management_Guide.pdf

.
 
Last edited:
It is using Pocket PC.. isn't it?
I think it's pretty expensive. I don't think it's really implementable in India.
My friend is proposing Regular wireless sensor network.
How does it sound?
 
dk99 said:
It is using Pocket PC.. isn't it?
I think it's pretty expensive. I don't think it's really implementable in India.
My friend is proposing Regular wireless sensor network.
How does it sound?

Pocket PC? No, but I don't even know what that is. I shouldn't push my company's products here obviously. But it's pretty hard to do it cheaper and better -- that's why the company is in business. Just go to their website and find your local sales office. You can get quotes and other information from them.
 

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