Wireless Energy Meter
Every product or quantity we consume in our day-to-day life is measured using some measuring devices called meters like tachometer used for measuring the speed of electric motors or generators, voltmeters used for measuring voltage, ammeters used for measuring current and so on. Similarly, the electric power we consume in our daily life is measured using electricity consumption meters for calculating the electricity charges. These electricity consumption meters are generally called as energy meters. There are different types of energy meters such as prepaid energy meters, induction type energy meters, analog or digital electric energy meters, three-phase or single-phase energy meters, electromechanical energy-meters, micro-controller based wireless energy meters, smart energy meters and so on.
Wireless Electricity Consumption Meterl,
Wireless power meters or wireless energy meters are wireless technology-based electricity consumption meters. They are used for measuring power or electric energy and also to monitor using wireless communication. Wireless communication modules (such as GSM) enable conventional energy meters to become wireless energy meters. These wireless meters eliminate manpower for metering and billing the customer’s electricity consumption.
The electricity consumption meter shown in the figure facilitates the billing of energy meter along with load control using wireless GSM technology. This is a microcontroller-based wireless energy meter, as 8051 microcontrollers are used for controlling the entire system. This microcontroller based wireless energy meter consists of major components or blocks such as microcontroller, relays, loads, electricity consumption meter, LCD display, power supply circuit, GSM modem, DB9connector, MAX232, and relay driver.
Smart energy meter single phase diagram
It is an advanced metering technology involving placing intelligent meters to read, process and feedback the data to customers. It measures energy consumption, remotely switches the supply to customers and remotely controls the maximum electricity consumption. The smart metering system uses the advanced metering infrastructure system technology for better performance.
Smart energy meters
These are capable of communicating in both directions. They can transmit the data to the utilities like energy consumption, parameter values, alarms, etc and also can receive information from utilities such as automatic meter reading system, reconnect/disconnect instructions, upgrading of meter software and other important messages. These meters reduce the need to visit while taking or reading a monthly bill. Modems are used in these smart meters to facilitate communication systems such as telephone, wireless, fiber cable, power line communications. Another advantage of smart metering is complete avoidance of tampering of energy meter where there is the scope of using power in an illegal way.