Net Metering Meter Adapter

Which side is the magnet on? Connector side or meter side? I was thinking maybe a 35mm film canister.

Brenor! Excellent research.
I was hoping that the ANSI interface was RS-232 over light.

Here is a web page showing an inexpensive Extech thermometer with an optical RS-232 interface. The whole meter costs less than the Fluke cable alone.



http://www.procooling.com/index.php?func=articles&disp=100

I have one of these cables and will try it on the GE meter as soon as it's installed.

There are two ANSI specs of interest:

ANSI C12.18-2006 "Protocol Specification for ANSI Type 2 Optical Port" This Standard details the criteria required for communications between a C12.18 Device and a C12.18 Client via an optical port. ANSI C12.19-1997 "Utility Industry End Device Data Tables" Defines a table structure for utility application data to be passed between an end device and a computer.

I think so, yes. It's very close to the Extech one -- different connector. But the price is right.

I'm curious to see if I can run a length of thin optical fiber from the meter and still achieve communication. 12-foot TOSLink cables are inexpensive and flexible.

Ideally, I'd like something I can leave in place for live monitoring, yet doesn't interfere with the utility meter-reader visits.

I spoke with a representative from SDG&E who explained that the GE 2kv meter will not report instantaneous use, but only 15-minute averages. Even so, that's a lot more information than I have today.

Great find on the low cost optical to RS232 cables. For reference here is the drawing of the ANSI type-2 port. Hopefully the distance between the LEDs is a close match.

I've been monitoring my gekv2cs meter for several months now. I've attached the optical coupler to the optical port on the front of the meter and it's attached all of the time - I don't take it off. I put a sign on the meter for my meter reader explaining that I am not tampering with the meter, just doing read-only monitoring, with a contact name at PG&E if he has any questions. My meter reader only took the cable off for the 2nd read (I just reattached it later in the day), no other times, no other problem so far. I think he's probably still just visually reading the meter (hardly anybody else in the neighborhood has a digital meter) and so the cable wouldn't bother him.

As to the instantaneous kw display, PG&E may program the display on the meter differently than SDGE but mine appears to be instantaneous -- when I turn on the dryer, the instantaneous kw shoots up immediately and comes back down when the dryer turns off. From what I've read about the meter, it seems capable of instantaneous (every 60 cycles) measurement.