Ampy 5235a Electricity Meter

[ban-all-sheds]

To all: Thanks for the recent flurry of interest!
It seems to me that this thread is moving away from the original problem with the Landis & Gyr #Ampy 5235a electricity meter, towards the recently introduced topic of the Efergy electricity monitor. Although this product is interesting in itself, please be clear as to which item you are referring (especially comment re 're-programming port'....)
Roy

Frankly I am very surprised that given this sequence of posts:

I have a Landis & Gyr #Ampy 5235a electricity meter, which has two leds, one of which, [rhs/KWh] flashes at varying rates.

Whats the other led for then.

It's not an LED - it's an optical port for reprogramming the meter.

and the fact that LEDs had not been mentioned with regard to the energy monitor and the fact that "It's not an LED - it's an optical port for reprogramming the meter" was hardly likely to be a reply to "just get one of these... " but did make perfect sense as a reply to "Whats the other led for then", that you're unable to work out what's going on.

 

[nishnish]

Whats the other led for then.

It's an infrared serial IEC 62056-21 (formerly IEC 61107, formerly IEC 1107) interface for communicating with the meter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_62056

Probably the most interesting point for the home user is that you can interrogate the meter for usage data.
See here:

http://www.elektor.com/magazines/2002/march/iec1107-electricitymeter-interface.55617.lynkx

Though it is possible to purchase ready made devices:

http://www.elstermetering.com/en/941.html

http://www.meter-test-equipment.com/index.php?page=products&lng=en&dir=333&link=iec1107-usb_en.html

Theoretically, you should be able to calculate exactly how much electricity you are using or have used. I'm not sure whether the induction based meters (which have an induction loop clipped around the power cables) are quite that accurate.

 

[martinxxxxxx]

Due to my low intelligence, I am missing why you cannot just take a reading and then take another reading; deduct the second one from the first and hey presto - there is your usage.

Why buy any gizmo at all?


Martin

 

[Steve]

Why buy any gizmo at all?

In commercial buildings now, meters are used that transmit readings every 15 minutes. This enables the consumer to analyse their electricity useage in so many ways. For example, the company I work for uses a report that shows "closed electricity used" vs "open electricity used".

This report highlighted who was leaving things switched on when our stores were not trading. As such, several stores had new lightswitches fitted (ffs yeah, some of our stores didnt know how to, or couldnt, turn their shop floor lights off). All of our stores now have occupancy detectors. Most have a building automation system fitted, which turns on heat, aircon (when appropriate) and light when the alarm is unset. They have started getting very anal about this now too, to the point that we have to get on a stool and turn off the customer facing cctv monitor above the front doors. cos that uses all of 50 watts.

 

[nishnish]

Why buy any gizmo at all?

Long term usage monitoring. Computers are very useful for number crunching
Some devices, fridges etc., can only be reliabilty monitored long term.

Some clever so and so's have also written software to monitor an old fashioned meter with a webcam:

http://www.calc-electric.com/cehome.htm

 

[universalmeterservices]

The light on the left is for the optical probe,the light that flashes is the pulse which varies with load and has to pulse 1000 times for 1 kwh.
regards
www.universalmeterservices.co.uk

 

[universalmeterservices]

the other led is for bi-directional information between the meter and an optical probe that fits onto the meter for software enabled communication.
The software allows reading of the meter and changes to the parameters of the meter.eg 1 rate or two rates.
www.universalmeterservices.co.uk

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So you keep saying, for some reason.

It's not an LED - it's an optical port for reprogramming the meter.

 

[Wontdothatagain]

The red flashing light is what is called the "constant" indicator. The "constant" for the meter will be indicated next to the flashing light, ie 1000 flashs = 1 KWH of electricty used. On older meters, this was indicated by a wheel turning in the meter.

This should not be confused with the programing portal which is different but is incorporated together on your meter, on the 5219a (poly phase) it is separate.

Untitled

• Wontdothatagain
• 3 Dec 2010
• 1

With a clamp meter, a stop watch, the constant and a known load on the meter, you can "roughly" work out if your meter is inaccurate.

I will post the procedure for doing this later on as it is buried in the putor somewhere and i can remember what i named it as.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'd be obliged if whoever thought that my post above was wrong would explain what is wrong in it, as I did think I was right about the reprogramming port.

 

[Wontdothatagain]

I'd be obliged if whoever thought that my post above was wrong would explain what is wrong in it, as I did think I was right about the reprogramming port.

You are completly right. On that particular meter the constant LED and the re-programing LED are in the same window

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well someone obviously thinks otherwise but won't explain why.

 

[Spark123]

You may see a bit of an error if you try to work it out using Volts x Amps = Watts however this will be in your favour.
This is caused by any inductive or capacitive loadings on the system and is referred to as the power factor. The power factor is variable depending on loading but 0.8 seems to be a pretty common figure.

 

[grixxles]

the other led is for bi-directional information between the meter and an optical probe that fits onto the meter for software enabled communication.
The software allows reading of the meter and changes to the parameters of the meter.eg 1 rate or two rates.

I found your information quite useful.
Wondered if you could tell me what additional information can be uploaded or downloaded from the meter, using the software.

Also, can I use a computer with a standard infrared port to do the programming?
Many thanks.

 

[matt1e]

So you keep saying, for some reason.

It's not an LED - it's an optical port for reprogramming the meter.

maybe you need one of these smileys BaS