V4 Push 2 & Dash on RS485 Loop

General questions and discussions focused around the EKM Metering System. Discuss your meters, installations, and meter communications here.
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Nevland
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 2:56 pm
Location: Nevada City CA

V4 Push 2 & Dash on RS485 Loop

Post by Nevland »

Not sure how they would co exist.
Now that you have v4's able to work with push, I want to put V4 push 2 on my want list, but need to know if they play well together sharing the 485 loop.
I understand that the push box bridges the RS485 loop.
So how then do you make changes in the EKM box settings. ?
Un plug or cut power to the push box to disable it so Dash can talk to the EKM via 485. ?
How does the dash computer to to talk to the selected EKM box?
When you switch data sources in dash does it shut of the push box data flow?
Does dash have the smarts to override (interrupt) the date flow from EKM to push box.
Do I need to install a DPDT switch to switch between the two. ?

Just trying to a little preplaning and or wiring.

Bill
Jameson
Posts: 860
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2011 7:42 pm
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Contact:

Re: V4 Push 2 & Dash on RS485 Loop

Post by Jameson »

Hi Bill,

You can have both a USB converter and and EKM Push attached to the same RS485 bus (network) at the same time. But if you have your EKM Push set to read once per minute, you will not be able to use your USB converter at the same moment. The USB communications and the EKM Push communications will overlay eachother on the RS485 bus and the data will be garbled. This is OK, you will just get an error.

So if you set both your USB converter and your EKM Push to 1 read per minute, the chances of the communications overlapping would be quite small. That being said, I would just use your USB converter to make meter settings and your EKM Push to read the meter.

===

The EKM Dash is not very good at switching from Push to USB and back, you can give it a try but the Dash does not remember the Push key you are using when you switch back and forth.

====

Just to be clear, when you say "EKM Box" are your referring to the EKM Omnimeter, or the EKM Push, or something else?

====
So how then do you make changes in the EKM box settings. ?
If you are referring to the EKM Push gateway: we make settings changes to your EKM Push gateway in the backend of the EKM Push system. We can make settings such as: read rates per meter, the meter numbers (and protocols) a given Push is responsible for, meter groups, keys, server clusters, and some other admin stuff.

When you switch data sources in dash does it shut of the push box data flow?
No, what you do in the Dash does not affect the operation of your EKM Push gateway or the data in your EKM Push account.
Do I need to install a DPDT switch to switch between the two. ?
You should not need this.

Let me know if you did not get one of your questions answered.

Thanks,
Jameson
EKM METERING
http://www.ekmmetering.com
831.425.7371
Nevland
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 2:56 pm
Location: Nevada City CA

Re: V4 Push 2 & Dash on RS485 Loop

Post by Nevland »

When I said the EKM box I meant my EKM Omnimeter v4 ser # 233. When I said Push box I meant Push V2.
I'll try to be more expliced in the future.

I had some problems when I tried to access Dash and my own software at the same time. Don't remember the details.

Bill
Jameson
Posts: 860
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2011 7:42 pm
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Contact:

Re: V4 Push 2 & Dash on RS485 Loop

Post by Jameson »

Not a problem, just making sure we are on the same page.

Yes, if you have 2 different software applications running on the same computer at the same time, they often do not like sharing the same port (serial or USB). So you have to either close the port on one or quit one of the software applications and use the port with one application at a time.

You do not need to worry about this with the Push as it does not use any ports (just the internet). So you can have your software open and the EKM Dash open at the same time if the Dash is reading Push meters.

Hope this helps.
Jameson
EKM METERING
http://www.ekmmetering.com
831.425.7371
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