Describes How a SCADAmetrics Universal Duplexer Can Assist a Metron-Farnier VNR Endpoint to Monitor a Commercial Property's Water Meter in Parallel with the Utility's AMI/AMR System without Interference.

1. Jim Mimlitz, P.E.
SCADAmetrics
Engineering Principle of Operation
Cooperative Water Meter Sharing Between the Utility
and the VNR-Equipped Commercial Customer
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SCADAMETRICS
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2. Latest Technology Solves The Common Problems Involved With
Connecting Flow Meters To Commercial Sub-Metering Systems.
• Universal Duplexer Enables Co-Metering Between
Water Utility and Commercial Water Customer
By Monitoring the Same Water Meter As The Utility, The Commercial Customer Is
Better Able To Manage Water Consumption and Perform Early Leak Detection.
Does Not Interfere With Water Utility AMR System.
Patent-Pending Technology Based on Signal-Activated Switching Architecture.
Does Not Alter Meter Data Signals.
• Leverages Standard AMR/AMI Protocol Technology.
Metron-Farnier/Sensus, Neptune, Elster Meter Communication Protocols.
All Encoder-Type Meter Makes/Models Are Compatible.
Compatible With Both 3-Wire and 2-Wire (Touch-Read) Communication Methods.
• No Manual Pulse Synchronizations Required
Legacy Co-Metering Systems Were Often Pulse-Based and Susceptible to Counting Errors.
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SCADAMETRICS
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Why Co-Meter?... SCADAmetrics
Metron-Farnier VNR
Universal Duplexer

3. Ensuring The Commercial Customer Meter Reading System
Does Not Interfere With the Utility AMR/AMI System.
• Collision Avoidance: If both the MTU and VNR were to attempt a meter-read at the exact same time, we
would refer to that a “collision”. We don’t have specific engineering information on how the Sensus MTU handles
a data collision, but we anticipate it would be interpreted as a one-time read error or checksum error, followed
by a retry. I anticipate that most/all MTU’s would handle it that way. However, a key to smooth “coexistence”
within a co-metering system would be to minimizing the likelihood of data collisions by implementing a relaxed
sampling period within the VNR. 60-second (or greater) sampling periods have been observed to be sufficient.
Furthermore, a rare collision, followed by a successful retry, should be transparent to the Water Utility.
• Meter Battery Preservation: A subset of water meters contain an integral lithium battery; and therefore
another key to smooth “coexistence” is to ensure that the battery within the water meter is not adversely
affected by the extra reads performed by the VNR. In this regard also, the implementation of a relaxed
sampling period within the VNR will help to preserve the water meter’s battery.
Behavior Under Loss-of-Power: The Utility MTU is connected to the “Normally-Connected” Circuit; and
therefore its connection will be kept alive under all Loss-of-Power events. Consequently, the VNR will be
permanently disconnected during these times.
• Major Water Utility Approvals: In 2016, after an extensive compatibility testing and due-diligence, New
York City DEP approved SCADAmetrics Duplexers as the only permitted system for water co-metering. In
2015, after a similar approval process, the City of Montreal (Quebec, CA) granted approval to the Duplexers
for co-metering. American Water (NYSE:AWK) is the originally utility company that requested a new water
meter duplexer product; and has since extensively utilized SCADAmetrics Duplexers to enable co-metering
between their SCADA Systems and AMI/AMR systems at custody-transfer stations.
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SCADAMETRICS
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Concerns Addressed… SCADAmetrics

4. Universal Duplexer is a 3-Circuit, Signal-Activated, Solid-State Switch.
Duplexer Activated by Sensitive Voltage-Detection Circuitry Monitoring the
Secondary MTU.
Activation Occurs During the Secondary MTU Read, and Halts Immediately
Following Read.
Entire Read Process Takes Approximately 0.5 second.
Universal Duplexer Operating Sequence…

5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Customer-Owned VNR Wakes Up to Read
Meter Once Every 15 Minutes.
Read Duration ~ 0.5 sec.
Utility-Owned MTU Wakes Up to Read
Meter Once Every 15 Minutes.
Read Duration ~ 0.5 sec.
Universal Duplexer
Water Meter
Customer-Owned VNR
Utility-Owned MTU
“Normally-Connected” Circuit
“Normally-Disconnected” Circuit
When VNR is Idle (>99% of the Time),
Duplexer is De-Activated…

6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Customer-Owned VNR Wakes Up to Read
Meter Once Every 15 Minutes.
Read Duration ~ 0.5 sec.
Utility-Owned MTU Wakes Up to Read
Meter Once Every 15 Minutes.
Read Duration ~ 0.5 sec.
Water Meter
Customer-Owned VNR
Utility-Owned MTU
“Normally-Connected” Circuit
“Normally-Disconnected” Circuit
Duplexer Activates When High-Speed
Detection Circuit Senses VNR Signal...
Universal Duplexer

7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Customer-Owned VNR Wakes Up to Read
Meter Once Every 15 Minutes.
Read Duration ~ 0.5 sec.
Utility-Owned MTU Wakes Up to Read
Meter Once Every 15 Minutes.
Read Duration ~ 0.5 sec.
Water Meter
Customer-Owned VNR
Utility-Owned MTU
“Normally-Connected” Circuit
“Normally-Disconnected” Circuit
After VNR Read Complete (~0.5 sec),
Duplexer Deactivates...
Universal Duplexer

8. Jim Mimlitz, P.E.
SCADAmetrics
St. Louis, Missouri
scadametrics.com
© 1995-2019 COPYRIGHT
SCADAMETRICS
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
SCADAmetrics