meter change

[bernardgreen]

The big silver circle and the hole in the middle - what is the purpose of this?

Looks like a infra-red data port, if it is you maybe able to see two round objects in the rectangular area. An IR emmiter and receiver. The meter reader's data collecter can connect via this to read the meter and other data that doesn't appear on the display.

 

[dannyboi2003]

Looks very similar to an energy usage monitoring system that was installed at the college where i used to work. Each mains supply/meter to the college had an "en save" device attached to it, these had a mobile phone sim card in them and an antenna similar to the one pictured in Steve's shop. They monitor the supply 24/7 and dial up nightly to a central database and upload the stored data. This could then be viewed by logging into a secure website, the system was very successful as it identified a huge surge in electricity demand on one of the sites on a sunday afternoon, as the college was closed on weekends this was a mystery. This was traced to a problem with the environmental control system on one of the newer blocks which was coming online despite it not being programmed to do so. Following a successful trial they also extended the same system to include the gas meters.

A picture of one of the installed devices is below. The BT line on the board is connected to the DNO meter, they take the reading via the telephone line and send someone to make sure its correct occasionally, the same system was used for the gas meters, the water meters were read manually i think.

All the best
Dan

 

[securespark]

white, rounded bottom

When did you meet Mrs Secure?

 

[Deleted member 54734]

I may be the metering man but CT metering is out of my depth.

Not sure what I can add as it all looks to be answered but what I can tell you though is AFAIK .....

Dan and BERNARD and EFISTE are spot on.

As Efiste and Bernard said the silver circle is an infared port, a few types of meter have these including most telemeters.
This enables the meter to be programed to different tariff's etc, saves a meter change although is only usually done on the CT side and normal meters get changed.
The silver bit is just a strip on metal so the magnetic infared dongle can stick to the meter while it's being programed.

The yellow button as Efiste said does cycle through all the display's just as your old one did.

And this does look like the same setup that Danny was talking about.
The aerial is so it can be read remotely before the aerial they did used to use a small 14.4 modem and phone line, these types of setup (in our company anyway) are only normally used in places a meter reader can't go eg a chemical factory etc.

As for the multi utility label.. I don't know, possibly something to say it can accept all tariffs.

Are you sure they changed the meter or did they just add the comms?

 

[bernardgreen]

I may be the metering man but CT metering is out of my depth. ?

The principle is the same. In a domestic meter there is a CT inside around the Live conductor. At domestic power levels the CT and the live conductor can be made small enough to fit inside.

With larger power and thicker phase conductors it is more convenient to have the CT external.