Automatic Meter Reading / AMR
Efficient gas consumption monitoring with automatic meter reading.
EMS Approach to Gas
"Automatic Meter Reading"(AMR)
The future with Embedded Meters and data at no extra cost
Historic Gas Reading Technology
Historically automatic reading technology used for gas relied solely on an external cabled device attempting to read pulses from a reed switch or similar within a gas meter. This outdated technology meant the external device had to be told the meter reading upon its installation and it would proceed to estimate the meter reading based on counting the electronic pulses received.
Problems with The Old Pulse Technology
The first main problem with pulse reading technology is the drift between what the meter index read is and what the AMR device estimates the index read to be based on the meter pulses it has received. It is the AMR devices estimated read that is sent to the gas supplier for billing and received by the customer for energy management purposes. This AMR drift can only increase overtime unless the AMR device is resynced and the cause addressed.
Pulse leads becoming loose, unplugged, or damaged. Because these devices use external leads and plug’s they are easily knocked or unplugged. tangled wires
Meter Pulse units being broken.
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Pulsed AMR devices being attached to elderly meters where the pulse switch is wearing or worn out.
A pulse output on a meter is not designed to last forever. As the meter ages the pulse becomes weak or stops working altogether. This means any AMR device attached stops working along with it. The second problem with this pulse technology is the cost to the consumer. The consumer is already paying for the gas meter by way of standing charges included in the gas bill and are often asked to pay additionally for the AMR device through installation or data charges for meter readings.
EMS Solution | Embedded AMR Technology
EMS solution to gas AMR is simple and 2-fold.
1. Newer metering technologies developed over the last 5 years mean that the meter pulse no longer needs to be utilised. A sim card and communication module can now be built directly into the meter. No external equipment is needed to read the meter. This new technology uses a special device called an absolute encoder which reads the actual position of the meter counter. This means the electronic reading always matches the meter counter exactly so in turn what is shown on the meter index is what is sent to the consumer and gas supplier. That means no estimated reads from pulses, no wiring problems, and no broken connections, just half hourly data transmitted exactly as it appears on the meter.
For larger rotary meters a similar solution is available where a single hard-wired encoder using laser technology can read the exact digits of the meter and transmit the exact index read. Even meters that require a conversion/correction device fitted can use this same technology. In conjunction with EMS’ in house welding capabilities and expertise, most meters up to a 650m3/h capacity can benefit from this technology.
2. No charges for meter data. Firstly, as the automatic reading device is built into the meter itself there are no extra charges for a separate device to be fitted or maintained. Secondly EMS makes no extra charge to provide access to this half hourly data either by our web portal or to end the data directly to your inbox or FTP.
And as if the above wasn’t good enough because EMS is installing your new meter it will be installed using the highest quality workmanship, which means they will not only exchange your meter but also check and upgrade, where possible, your complete gas meter installation to current engineering standards and regulations. All carried out by a fully qualified gas meter engineer working for a registered Gas Meter Equipment Manager that has been operating for over 10 years.
