Upgrading an Analog Water Meter to Smart Meter

Question

A customized (analogy) water meter needs to be upgraded to AMR (automatic meterremote).
What are the steps to be taken in upgrading it?

Muhammad Alfalah Fauzi · Answer

Hi Jones,
You need to investigate whether your existing meter is ready for AMR via your meter manufacturer. Ready for AMR means that the rotation of meter register/pointer will be able to be translated into pulses or digitized by a module mounted on top of it or plugged in near the register (if it’s a reed switch contact which now is rarely be used anymore).
 
The module mounted which is normally pulse generator can be later connected to data logger or smart analyzer devices and sent to cloud/server via network communication e.g. GSM-GPRS or 3G Network. It is also possible that the meter manufacturer provides a compact device where the mounted device can store data and has Radio Frequency communication module. The meter data can later be collected via mobile handheld or fized network.
 
Well, in conclusion, your meter needs to be AMR Ready first so they can be paired to AMR device later and Meter Remote Reading method can vary depending on the situation or particular needs of your environment.

Gary Eaton · Answer

Here's another option.  You may want to keep the analog meter in place and use optical AMI built into the lid of the meter box to read the meter register and transmit the data via cellular service to the utility.  The cost is about 60% of traditional AMI/AMR and implementation can be completed dramatically faster.  The older analog meters could then be replaced as needed and as part of your system-wide asset management program.  A flyer for optical AMI is included for your review.

Matthew Lampe · Answer

Smart metering is really a system, not a meter.  There are many elements:
1) the meter may be a total replacement meter, with additional capabilities (on-off, system sensing) or an electronic radio transmitting device at detects the signalling in the existing meter and translates it to a digital format. The reading is then transmitted via a network.  Usually the transmission will occur on a schedule, and may contain reading at multiple shorter intervals.
2) the network will generally carry the reading to a head-end server.  this server will control the reading process, validating that the meter is on the system, and that the reading has been received.  If the reading has not been received when anticipated, it may send a signal to the meter to request the missing read.  The headend server may also manage firmware updates to the meter itself and the security protocol for the meter system.
3) the headend will generally aggregate the meter reading for a given period and forward them to a meter data management application where the data can be analyzed and used for billing or other business processes.
Systems tend to be proprietary although, for example, many meter data management applications can process data from different proprietary headend systems.  Some of the cloud based systems, which is the U.S. generally use the cellular networks for transport of the readings, provide the full range of services through billing, and customer presentation of usage information.

Miriam Surro · Answer

I suppose that this meter isn't ready for a pulse emitter so the steps are:
1. Substitute the meter with a meter ready for the remotereading
2. Plug the pulse emitter on the meter (every producer has its pulse emitter)
3. Plug the pulse emitter with a smart metiering device, possible self powered and complete with a cloud system for data analisys. as ours smart metering system ;-) www.midomet.com

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