Meter

Testing an Electromechanical Meter

Practical Example of Use
OMICRON Test Universe

Manual Version: Expl_Meter_ElmechMeter.AE.1 - Year 2013

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 Meter

1 Meter
1.1 About Meter
Meter is a test module for testing electronic and electro-mechanical energy
meters with a meter class of up to 0.2S1 for the following types:
• Watt-hours (Wh)
• var-hours (varh)
• VA-hours (VAh)
• V-hours (Vh)
• V2-hours (V2h)
• I-hours (Ih)
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• I -hours (I2h)
• Q-hours (Qh)
The Q-hour meter is a regular watt-hour meter that is installed with the
potential circuits wired one phase behind the standard watt-hour
connection (lagging the watt-hour connection by 60 degrees).
• Multifunctional, i.e., meters with more than one pulse output and various
physical quantities of the above-mentioned types.
Once the parameters for a particular meter have been entered in the module's
test object parameter section, the data can be saved to be used again later. For
the test, a meter is connected to the OMICRON CMC test set and its
corresponding data file is reloaded.
Meter can be used with the following test equipment:
• CMC 56
• CMC 156
• CMC 151
• CMC 256
• CMC 256plus
If the meter under test has more than one output, all of these outputs can be
connected to the CMC's binary inputs at the same time. Meter is then configured
accordingly and measures these outputs sequentially.

1. Depends on the test hardware used

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The meter tests can be carried out in four different modes:

• load test (meter error test with or without a reference meter; in the case of
a load test without a reference meter, a correction table can be used to
compensate for CMC measurement errors)
• mechanism test (test of total meter error, i.e., test of both the meter's
measurement and counting unit)
• injection test
• no-load test
• creep test.
The same report functionality that is available for the other test modules of the
OMICRON Test Universe is used by the Meter module to format the test reports
and to document the test results. In addition, a condensed test report format is
available.
The reports are user-defined, serve as verification of a successful test, and can
later be used as a template for repeating the test.

1.2 Time Sequence of a Meter Test

Figure 1-1:
Lapse of a meter test V I

warm-up time start-up time test object measurement

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
test object

reference meter

reference measurement
t

1 2 3 6
4 7
5

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 Meter

1. Warm-up time:
– If the test is started with the icon, the specified warm-up time
precedes the actual test.
– If the button N O M I N A L V O L T A G E O N is pressed prior to the test
and the test is started later, the specified warm-up time is ignored. In
this case the warm-up time is the time period between switching on the
nominal voltage manually and the start of the test.
2. Start-up time: Here the values that are set in the following test line are
output but pulses are not yet recorded.
3. The specified start-up time has elapsed: The start-up time is delayed until
the meter under test outputs a pulse.
4. The first pulse received after the specified start-up time has elapsed is the
initialization pulse that starts the actual test. However, this pulse is not
counted.
The time measurement for the meter under test is started.
5. If the test is carried out with a reference meter, the time measurement for
the reference meter is started with the first pulse received from the
reference meter after the initialization pulse of the meter under test.
6. When the pulse specified under "Pulses | Nominal" (here pulse number 9)
is received, the end of the first test line (line 1 in the test table) has been
reached and the program goes to line 2. The time measurement stops
when the last pulse is received. Now the time for the test object
measurement is known. Independently of the mode, the next test line
starts with the start-up time again (topic 2).
7. If the test is performed with a reference meter, the first pulse of the
reference meter received after the stop pulse of the meter under test is
the stop criterion. Until this moment, the generators remain switched on.
Now the time for the reference measurement is known. Normally this time
will differ slightly from the time of the test object measurement. To obtain
exactly the same time base for both measurements, the energy value of
the reference meter is corrected by calculating the meter error by the
factor tTO / tRef.
The test continues with the next test line with no interruption of the voltage.
When the last test line is reached, the voltage remains switched on if the button
"Nominal Voltage ON" was set.
Otherwise the voltage is switched off after the last test line is passed.

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1.3 Meter Example: Testing an Electromechanical

Meter
Sample files:
• Meter2-ML266.met
• Meter2-ML266.ohc
• Meter2-ML266.rio
Stored at:
...OTU installation path\Test Library\Samples\SW Manual Examples\
Measurement

 Task
A three-phase meter with the ML266 (Landis & Gyr) induction measuring
element is to be tested.
The meter measures "active power import" (Wh.-exp.) and has a backstop for
the other energy direction. The rotations of the meter disk are read optically with
a photoelectric pick-up head.
The meter is used in a three-phase four-wire system and is connected to the test
set accordingly. The meter is connected directly to the voltages (3 x 220 V L-N)
and via a 100/5 current instrument transformer.
The specifications of the meter are as follows:
• Three-phase four-wire meter for active power
• One energy direction
• Accuracy: class 0.5 s
• Meter disk for a pick-up of the rotations
• Vnom: 3 x 220 V / 380 V
• Inom: 5 A
• Primary pulse rate: 37.5 rotations / kWh which results in 750 pulses / kWh
secondary
• Pulse width of the pick-up head: approx. 1 ms

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 Meter

The following test steps are carried out, based on the PTB standard:
• Accuracy test for a number of specified test points
• Test the creep behaviour
• Test the no-load behaviour
• Check the counting mechanism
A CMC 256 test set with the Meter software module and accessory equipment
(consisting of CMLIB B, power supply for CMLIB B, photoelectric pick-up head
SH2003 and connecting cables) is available for the test.
According to the test procedures of the user, a reference meter must be used.
For this purpose the three-phase TVE 102/3 (Landis & Gyr) meter is available.

 Solution
The test is carried out with the following steps:

1.3.1 Considerations Prior to the Test

The power resulting from the nominal values is:
P = 220 V x 5 A x 3 = 3300 W
According to the meter constant, one rotation of the meter disk corresponds to
1.333 Wh or 4800 Ws. Thus, at nominal power, there is one rotation
approximately every 1.5 seconds and one pulse is output from the pick-up head.
One of the 10 binary inputs can be used to monitor this, because they can be
used for frequencies of up to 3 kHz and a minimum pulse width of 0.15 ms.
Because the pick-up head uses a connecting cable with a five-pole connector to
connect to the CMLIB B, connect the pick-up head via CMLIB B (socket A) to
counter input 1 (see Figure 1-2: "Test setup with meter (ML 266), reference
meter (TVE 102/3) and CMC256 test set" on page 8).
The reference meter has a similar connection and is connected to counter
input 2 via socket B. In this example, the reference meter must be connected via
socket B of CMLIB B because the meter constant of the reference meter is
50 x 106 pulses / kWh which would exceed the capacity of the CMC 256. For the
current input range of 0 ... 1 A at 220 V, this corresponds to a relatively high
pulse rate of 9 kHz.
Only the RF counter input of the CMLIB B is able to read such a high pulse
frequency correctly.

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1.3.2 Test Setup

Figure 1-2:
Test setup with meter VO LTAGE OU TPUT
1 2 3 N 4 N
AUX DC BIN ARY OUTPUT
1 2 3 4
AN ALO G DC IN PUT
0..± 20mA 0..± 10V
= ∼
220V
(ML 266), reference
meter (TVE 102/3) and
CURREN T O UTPUT A
1 2 3 N

BIN ARY / AN ALOG IN PUT Ext.

CMC256 test set CURREN T O UTPUT B
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Interf.
1 2 3 N

CMLIB B

B A

TVE 102/3
Reference Meter

ML 266
Optical
Meter to be tested pickup
SH 2003

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 Meter

1.3.3 Starting Meter in Stand-alone Mode

Start Meter in stand-alone mode from the OMICRON Start Page by clicking
METER.

1.3.4 Setting up the Test Object

To configure the meter you are testing, use the Test Object software function.
Open Test Object either by using the pull-down menu item
P A R A M E T E R S | T E S T O B J E C T or by clicking the Test Object icon in the
toolbar. In Test Object you can browse, access and edit the test object
parameters.
A detailed description of Test Object and the closely related subject "XRIO" can
be found in section 3 ”Setting up the Test Object” of the "Concept" manual.

1.3.5 Configuring the Hardware

Select P A R A M E T E R S | H A R D W A R E C O N F I G U R A T I O N and then click the
Binary / Analog Inputs tab to define counter input 1 as a pulse input for
"Wh exp." of the meter being tested.
Define the counter input 2 as a pulse input for the reference meter.

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1.3.6 Defining the Test Steps

Select the Settings tab to specify the measurement conditions for the test.
Figure 1-3:
Measurement settings

Values are:
Defines the entries and readings as primary or secondary values.
Warm-up time:
Defines the time period during which the nominal voltage is output to the
voltage inputs of the meter.
This period allows the meter to reach its operating temperature prior to the
beginning of the actual test. In particular for class 0.2 meters, an appropriate
warm-up time is important, because the influence of the operating
temperature on the meter error is the highest for such meters (for warm-up
times see the manufacturer's description or DIN EN 61 036, 5/7, section
3.6.13).
Note: If the nominal voltage is manually switched on prior to the test (Test
tab at Test View) and the test is then started, the warm-up time is ignored.

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 Meter

Start-up time:
Defines the time that immediately follows the warm-up time without any
interruption of the voltage. During the start-up time, the quantities defined for
the subsequent test line are output. The meter starts to output pulses. The
first pulse after the start-up time has elapsed is the initialization pulse
(number 0) for the start of the test.
Ambient Temperature and Relative Humidity:
Define the values of the ambient temperature and the relative humidity.
These values later appear in the test report.
The TVE 102/103 meter is used as the reference for the test. Select "Use
Reference Meter" and click the N E W button to define the reference meter.
Figure 1-4:
Defining a new
reference meter

In this example, the reference meter has three different meter constants based
on the current input range.
When you have finished defining the reference meter, click O K to return to the
Settings tab.
Note: To make the settings of this reference meter available for other tests, save
them to a text file (*.rmf). You can do this with the E X P O R T button in the
Settings tab.
The settings of several meters can be saved together in one .rmf file. The data
of the reference meter you have just defined are shown in Figure 1-5.

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Figure 1-5:
Extraction from a .rmf
file

This reference meter can now be used for future tests by importing this file.
Switch to the Test tab in order to define the test lines.

Step 1
The error limits are verified (accuracy test). According to the PTB standard, the
load points in Table 1-1 will be output for all measurement quantities.
Table 1-1:
Three-phase four-wire Three-Phase Four-Wire System Meter for Active Power Consumption
system meter for active
power consumption
P Load current (in % of In) cos ϕ Error limit
(% of PN) I1 I2 I3 (%)
0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 1 0.5
0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 1 0.5
0.05 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.25 1.0
0.067 0.2 0 0 1 0.6
0.067 0 0.2 0 1 0.6
0.067 0 0 0.2 1 0.6
0.25 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
1 1 1 1 1 0.5

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 Meter

Note the following special items:

• The input range 1A-L is used by the reference meter (0 ... 1 A) for test
points 1 to 6 (0.25 to 1 A).
Therefore ensure that the reference meter is set to this range before the
test starts.
• The input range of the reference meter must be changed to 10A-L
(0 ... 10 A) for test points 7 and 8 (2.5 and 5 A).
This has to be done manually between test line 6 and test line 7, while the
test is running. To do this, select the "Pause test" check box in line 7 and
define instructions for the tester. When running the test sequence, the test
stops at the beginning of line 7 (the nominal voltage is output during the
pause).
A dialog box appears showing the instructions for the tester (refer to
Figure 1-6: "Define Trigger dialog box" on page 13). The test continues
with line 7 after the input range of the reference meter has been changed
and the "continue test" command has been issued.
Figure 1-6:
Define Trigger dialog
box

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 OMICRON Test Universe

After defining the 8 load points, the dialog box appears as in Figure 1-7.
Figure 1-7:
Test View 1

Note: The Detail View, shown in Figure 1-8, is not needed to define symmetrical
loads (test points 1-3, 7, 8). If the currents of the individual phases are different
(test points 4-6), open the Detail View to enter the current values.
The permissible error limits depend on the particular load point and must be
defined for every line individually in the "Tolerance" input field. The number of
test runs should be 1 for all test lines.
Figure 1-8:
Detail View

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 Meter

Step 2
The next step is testing the creep behaviour, i.e., testing whether the meter
starts or not. The "Creep" test mode must be selected and, according to the PTB
standard, a load current of 0.005 x IN = 25 mA must be output at cos ϕ = 1.

 This test can be performed with either a single pulse as passed/failed criteria or
the necessitiy of an additional pulse.
This test line is inserted into the test table as line 9 shown below.
Figure 1-9:
Test View 2

The setting of the creep current is defined as a percentage of the nominal

current. The default value is 1 %. Therefore the setting for a current of 25 mA is
0.5 %.

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Step 3
The no-load behaviour is tested. For this test, the "No-Load" test mode is
selected, the voltage is set to 110 V (L-L) and the test time is set to 300 s. The
current in all phases is 0 A and the voltage is between 80 % and 110 % of the
nominal voltage (according to the PTB standard).
For this test to be assessed as "passed," the meter disk must not make a
complete rotation. The standard does not specify the duration of the test period;
so choose 5 minutes.

 This test can be performed with either no pulse or max. one pulse as passed/
failed criteria.
Note: The assessment of this test is rigorous. If the option "Accept one pulse in
the no-load test" is not selected, and one pulse is registered, the meter is
considered moving/started, and the assessment is negative ("test failed").
Depending on the position of the mark on the meter disk, even a very small
movement of the meter disk can result in the registration of a pulse; e.g., if the
mark was near to the pick-up head at the beginning of the test.
We recommend to select the option "Accept one pulse in the no-load test". This
way Meter accepts exactly one pulse and still assesses the test as "passed".
Figure 1-10:
Test View 3

Please note that now the test mode "No-Load" is selected, the voltage is set to
110 V (L-L) and the test time is set to 300 s.

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 Meter

Step 4
In the fourth and last step the counting mechanism is tested.
For this purpose 10 kWh at nominal load is output to the meter. The necessary
time (3 hours, 1 minute and 50 seconds) is calculated by the software and
displayed in the field "Nominal Time."
Note: At the beginning of this test line, a dialog box appears where you enter the
meter reading at the beginning of the counting mechanism test. This dialog box
appears again at the end of the test where you enter the meter reading at the
end of the test. The error of the counting mechanism is calculated based on the
entered values.
The complete test appears as in Figure 1-11.
Figure 1-11:
Test View 4

The test can be started. The test lines in the table are performed beginning at
test line 1. The results of each test line are entered into the table immediately
after the test line is finished.

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During the test run, the test status is displayed:

Figure 1-12:
Test status during the
test run

etc.
At the end of line 6 an information box appears prompting you to change the
input range of the reference meter:

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 Meter

Figure 1-13:
The test is paused

The test continues with line 7 after the input range has been changed and the
C O N T I N U E button has been pressed. Line 11 (counting mechanism test)
requires manual input as well.
Figure 1-14:
Counting Mechanism
Test dialog box

When the test is finished, the results are available for the report.

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The view in Figure 1-15 is displayed after the test is finished.

Figure 1-15:
Test View 5

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 Meter

1.3.7 Defining the Test Report

Select P A R A M E T E R S | R E P O R T | R E P O R T S E T T I N G S and click
D E F I N E . A dialog box appears where you can define the scope of the report.
Choose the "Condensed Report."
Figure 1-16:
Defining the test report

The condensed test report appears as in Figure 1-17.

Figure 1-17:
Condensed test report
(extract)

The report can either be printed or exported to a file in RTF format (Rich Text
Format). The file is later available for further processing with other programs
(e.g., Word for Windows).

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1.3.8 Saving the Test Report

The results of the test, along with all of its settings (test object, hardware
configuration, test module settings and test results) can be saved to be used
again.
Select F I L E | S A V E A S . . . and enter a name for the test.
If you want to repeat the test later, re-load the document, delete the old test
results, and then start the test.
This way tests can be repeated in exactly the same manner and error trends can
be observed and recorded over a period of time.

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