Safeguarding Yourself: A Guide to Personal Safety with Electrical InstallationsThe audience for this post are technical engineers and meter installers from power companies and utilities. Meter users are not allowed to exchange the batteries. Opening the battery compartment will lead to tamperTampering of Electric Energy Meters.
Not each energy meterDiscover the Power of Electronic Energy Meters with Our Expertise has a battery inside, for example, some with simple designs, as required by customers. For smart energy meters, there must be batteries.
What are the purposes for having batteries?
Energy meters transmit data via its network, different from other meters via radio. And there is a real time clock (RTC) inside a meter to collect events. Meters have to work without stop to make data transmission and RTC normal. When power cut off, batteries function as backup power supply.
SuperCap is a capacitor, it can supply power only for 48 hours to 72 hours. Reporting communication data at blackout needs big current to supply, SuperCap then can help the meter work well. At areas with temporary power cut, the application of SuperCap is available.
For a longer time, choose batteries. Especially at the time energy meters are distributed from manufacturers to installation, backup batteries enable their time buffer not to delay, so that data and events inside them will keep in order.
Can batteries be sometimes exchangeable?
Energy meter batteries have two designs in terms of change. One can't be changed with design life of ten years, same life as the meters. Another is changeable, aim to tariff and other time functions.
The latter kind of batteries install outside the meter cover, and can be changed in hand directly. Unchangeable batteries have a lifetime of common ten years, while changeable batteries have a shorter life, which depends on blackout power consumption, use environment and their own quality. The design lifetime of changeable batteries is eight to fifteen years, but actual lifetime is typically shorter due to environmental influences.
What will happen to the meter when the battery is empty?
For energy meters with changeable batteries, if there are no batteries, something bad will occur. For example, without battery, energy meters with function of time mark will go back to starting time; energy meters with tariff will count in wrong number.
But how do we know the empty battery situation of a remote energy meter, installed in the wild, in particular? The smart energy meter via its network solve this problem due to its function of power source and voltage detection. Once power source and voltage are low, it will alarm and send message to its AMI systemAdvanced Metering Infrastructure AMI if with communication function.
Conclusion
Under regular conditions, it is not necessary to change batteries.
Thanks for reading my article. If you are also interested in this topic, please leave a comment to discuss more.
Best wishes!
Editor's note: This article was originally published in July 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
English
Français
Español
Русский
indirect smart meter (connected via CTs and PTs for current and voltage measurement) operating in generator mode must differentiate between legitimate export energy (from a generator) and tampered reverse current effectively. This is particularly critical to prevent fraudulent activities where customers manipulate reverse current to simulate export and avoid payments.
(How to resolve this?)
Thank you for your question. The meter itself can only detect the direction of energy flow; it does not possess the capability to verify whether the energy being generated is legitimate or the result of tampering. However, over the long term, it's possible to analyse patterns that may raise red flags, such as solar generation occurring at midnight or excessive wind generation during calm conditions.
To enhance security and reliability, it's crucial that the installation location of the meter is locked and sealed. Additionally, regular verifications are vital. For instance, in Germany, CT/PT installations are typically verified every three months. This practice ensures that any potential issues are identified and addressed promptly.
Good morning. I use Ikeja Disco. My prepaid meter is not coming on at all,even after putting battery. I was told that I need to charge it. It has been plugged for the past one hour but not still coming on. Please help
You need to recharge your meter with new units. The batteries are only needed in case you are already disconnected and are not rechargeable.
If the battery is empty, can I replace it with the battery I buy from the shop or I have to buy the same type battery of its origin battery
Thank you very much for your comment. Unhappily, you can't change the battery on your own. Your meter still keeps working for a while even without a battery. Only your power company can change it. Otherwise, it will lead to tamper if you open the meter.