EKM Omnimeter Pulse v.4 - Pulse Counter Problem

[Jameson]

Hello Bill,

It sounds like you did not get our email.

We are able to re-create this issue by feeding a v.4 meter really terrible and spiky power. This should not occur on most normal power systems. We would be interested in looking at your power when you switch from grid power to backup generator power (or vise versa). The meter locks up on the pulse counts only, even thought the Inputs States and all other metered values can change and are live and good. The fix will probably be some kind of a constant Pulse Input value that always increments (once a second for example) added to the firmware, when it stops counting the meter would realize there is an issue.

For now the best way yo watch for it, is to setup the EKM Dash Triggers to let you know if the Pulse Input has not incremented for a day (or more depending on your usage)

We would be glad to swap this meter for you, or maybe you can set it up so that it gets shut down for when you switch from grid power to backup generator power.

Thanks for your help.

[Nevland]

I test the generator and transfer switch about the 15th of each month.
Some months no problem. Cannot guarantee that I tested the transfer switch each time though.
I am reasonably certain that it happened on the transferee back to utility power from the load being on the generator. (Not 100% sure of this, Need more tests)

I usually have the generator running. Using a load bank I then apply 1/2 and full loads to the gennie.
When I switch these 5 & 10 K loads gen takes a hit and frequency and voltage drops until generator governor recovers. Spec is < 2 sec
After 5 min run at near full power I add this load to the house load.
Momentary loss of load to genni when the load bank is switched to add the house load.
I then shut off the power from the utility.
Transfer switch detects loss of utility power and immediately, Using a break before make sequence, transfers the load to the genni.
Note gennie is already running heavily loaded. I would expect very short change in voltage and frequency.
Freq drops to about 58 hertzs, when genni is loaded to max rating. This is within spec.
EKM is OK as are household timers (Microwave digital clocks etc)
After about 5 or so minutes I remove the heavy load.
I then restore the utility power.
My data seems to indicate that this point that I the problem occurs
Generator is kept running with no load to allow it to cool down about another 5 minutes. Gennie then stops.

I will try and make more test toward the end of the week
Under heavy load genni uses about 1 cuft of propane every 2 seconds so watching the pulse counter with my computer update should not be a problem.
In any case if the problem is repeatable, I could lug my storage scope out to the barn to see if I can tell what is happening. Triggering the scope may be a problem though.

More later
Bill

[Nevland]

Another interesting clue is:
When the EKMV4 is in the fault condition (Pulse counters not updating) It (EKMV4) still processes Port Open/Closed correctly)
Pure Spec on my part. Does EKM V4 need additional pulse conditioning? Bios change ? Hardware Mod ?

My generator has a rotating field. It takes it's output from the Satter windings (non rotating) I would not expect to see noisy (Spikie) output.
However slip rings may need cleaning. Has caused problems to other usuers. Mostly from non use over long periods of time.

More Later
Bill

[Nevland]

v4 234 continues to stop counting when I test my standy by system. This has now gotten bazaar. On the April test, when I recycled the meter the password was corrupted. Now on a test made in August The Total Watt hours was changed. 702 hours moved to Reverse KWH. I then interchanged to V4 133. It also failed counting, but survived the password corruption.

BTW gen power look clean. Screen shots if I can figure a way to post them

[Jameson]

Hey Bill,

Thanks for this info, we have found an issue with the v.4 meter firmware that aligns with what you are experiencing. The Pulse Count would stop incrementing but the Input States would toggle. It has something to do with power cycling the meter and "Power Good" in the chip not working properly. We had to come up with a rig to reproduce this low quality power on startup and once we had that we were able to develop a firmware fix.

So, long story short, if we can get your meter back for a re-flash, we should have you up and running.

Thanks,

[Nevland]

Ok v4 233 will be sent first of next week. v4 154 has the same problem. Can send it when v4 233 returns. When you mentioned spikey power I lugged my scope out to the barn and checked . Power from generator looks good as I expected from a revolving field generator. Now that I know what to look for I will be on the look out. I will try and see if I can detect a transient spike during the transfer interval. Triggering the scope might be a problem though.

[Nevland]

I answered your email of 11/6/14. No responce I guess it got lost again in the span filter.[img][img][/img][/img]
Anyway I'll repost it here.

Well the jury is still out over this issue. When it arrived I installed in my portable test set up. It checked out Ok. I was disappointed that the pass word problem still exists and the Total KWH (702 KWH moved from total KWH to rev KWH.
Anyway I reinstalled it on the transfer switch Checked out OK. Went to make my monthly test and had a problem with my load bank so I could not test it at 1/2 and full load. I did kill the incoming power and made the transfer. The meter stopped counting.

OK so now I felt I needed more data. I need to be out in the barn reading out the data while it was happening
I repaired the load bank
I installed a shelf to put the computer on. Added a jack to tap into the 485 loop.
A new mystery. I have generic 485/USB converter. My computer could read the .exe program I wrote but nothing I could do would get it to read Dash.
I then took my portable Unit and installed it next to the transfer switch and connected it to the generator out put. I then took my little telephone dialer gismo and Installed it on input 1.
I then ran my normal full test. Everything worked OKorrect choise of transformers
Killed incoming power, transfer was OK counter still up dating. Restored power, counter continued to up date.

My main concern here is that it was just not the failure of the counters but other problems that have happened.
I think I know when, (not so sure now) I just don't know why.

Is it caused by:
1. Short on/off time ?
2. Pulse from contactors operating ?
3. Sudden change in frequency. ? Generator governor responds to change in load.
Problem might depend in how far the generator in out of sync/phase with utility power when switch is made. Time delay to recycle EKM is so how much ?
4. Sudden change in phase ?
5. Sudden change in voltage ?

Possible Tests
Re 1: Install DPST on EKM voltage input. Click on/off/on quickly as possible.
Re 2 Use storage scope to look at waveform. Need to figure out a way to trigger the scope.
Re 3. and 4. Obtain high power audio amp and low freq stable oscillator. With the correct choice of transformers you could drive the ekm from a source of different frequency and phase.
Re: Install DPDT switch. Swingers to EKM, Line to one side rev line to other side. This would give an 180 degree phase shift.
Re 5 My tests with my variac seems to show the the meter is not voltage sensitive.



Look at line 8 then 19. on previous included Dash Data.
Dash quits reading V4-233 Then starts again but it has moved 702 KWH from Total KWH to Rev KWH
Is a puzzelment
RSVP
Bill

[BlueHornet]

Interesting Thread in the fact that this issue or one very similar may very well extend to other registers in the V4 meters.

Now currently I am not using the Pulse Counters within the V4!

BUT

The other day (Monday 11th) we had a power failure at around 2.30pm, the TOU at the time should have been using the TOU 1 register (and hasn't missed a beat since the firmware upgrade for weekend holiday rates) but when the power was restored at around 2.50pm the energy was now accumulating to the TOU 2 register rather than the TOU 1 as it should have been!

I checked the meter time - Correct!
I checked that the TOU settings had not changed (Times for each TOU - 1 & 2, Season, Weekend) and they hadn't, everything was exactly as I had set it weeks earlier!
I tried cycling the meter OFF/ON!
I checked the meter again and still energy was accumulating to TOU 2 and displaying the T2 symbol on the meter!

Then using DASH I simply reset (using only the set radio button) the time, TOU settings, Season & Weekend and everything returned to normal.

Now I have tried duplicating the fault by cycling the meter but had no luck so far, guess I will just have to wait and see if it occurs again, only issue being is we rarely get power outages here, so it could be a long time waiting!

At first I was prepared to putting it down as a minor glitch but after reading this thread I'm not so sure????

[Jameson]

Hello Bill and Gary,

We just went through our meter flashing/documenting/verifying/testing process and think we could have screwed up these 2 meters (by flashing with an old firmware).

To Bill first, it looks like we shipped you a v4 meter with firmware 15 (we should not have done this), the latest v.4 test firmware that includes the fixes you are after is firmware 18 (this is for v4 meters only). I would be very interested to look at your Hex returns. Please go to EKM Dash > Help > Hex Inspector. You can email or post the data here. It looks like you missed our email to you on Nov 7, we have just re-sent it.

To Gary, I would also be interested in which firmware your v4 is flashed to. We also intended to flash your v4 meter to firmware to 18. I would also be interested to check out your hex return.

Hopefully our screw-up with the re-flash explains the issue.

Thanks for working with us on this. Best regards,

[BlueHornet]

Jameson,

The three V4 meters that were recently returned for firmware flashing are flashed with Firmware Version 17
The new V3 meter is flashed with Firmware Version 16

One important thing to note here is that all the meters are being used in co-generation solar installations

I emailed you the Hex Inspector dump.

Cheers,

Gary