By Francisco Sotela, Director of Iotech
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this solution is to manage the ELITEpro XC Power Meter from the office without having to perform a site visit to collect the metered data, increasing efficiency and reducing project costs. Learn how the ELITEpro XC was integrated in the ideal remote solution.
DESCRIPTION OF APPLICATION
The power company in Costa Rica has customers throughout the country, many located in remote areas. Often, the power company needs to perform a temporary study (energy audit) with a customer who reports electrical problems, such as excessive consumption or short circuits. The audits are performed using an ELITEpro XC power meter at the customer site.
Because of the distances involved, it was important to develop a remote communication solution for the ELITEpro XC meter. Although the ELITEpro XC can be purchased with a Wi-Fi option, wireless internet is not always available at the customer site. Therefore, it was determined that cellular communications would be required.
Iotech, DENT’s Authorized Distributor in Central America, developed a solution where the ELITEpro XC was integrated with a cellular router in a weatherproof control cabinet. The ELITEpro XC meter was connected to the cellular router via the Ethernet port, allowing the auditors to connect to the ELITEpro XC meter from anywhere in the world using the Internet. Metered values, as well as harmonics, could be viewed in real-time using this solution.
The control cabinet used was weatherproof and could withstand direct sunlight – adding an effective layer of protection to the ELITEpro XC and cellular router. Cables for voltages and current sensors traveled through separate conduits in the side of the cabinet. The cellular communication module was powered by an extension that traveled through the side of the cabinet.
This solution has benefited the power company by saving countless trips into the field to gather data from the energy meters. It has also allowed the engineers in charge of the audit to verify meter setup prior to the installer leaving the field, ensuring proper configuration and reducing the number of field visits.
For more information about this application, please contact Francisco Sotela at Iotech.
Do you have a question about communicating with your ELITEpro XC remotely? If so, contact our technical support department at support@dentinstruments.com.