ANSI Watthour Meter Testing & Certification Programs

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Laboratories, Inc.

First in Certification

ANSI

Watthour Meter

Testing & Certification Programs

By Jim Reed

Manager, Meter Accuracy Lab

and Manasi Bhandiwad

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Accreditations and

Recognitions

• A2LA accredited to test to ANSI C12.1 and C12.20, Measurement

Canada for electricity metering

• First Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL)

• Only laboratory recognized by Measurement Canada to test

previously approved electricity meters which have been modified

• FCC designated Telecommunication Certification Body (TCB)

• Certification Body (CB) by Standards Council of Canada (SCC)

• Recognized as electricity sub meter testing laboratory for the Public

Service Commission of Maryland and New York State Department

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Require

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nts –

ANSI C12.1 for Electricity Meters

MET Laboratories, Inc.

Test 1 No Load Test 21 Effect of Current Surges in Ground Conductors

Test 2 Starting Load Test 22 Effect of Superimposed Signals (this test no longer required) Test 3 Load Performance Test 23 Effect of Voltage Variation- Secondary Time Base

Test 4 Effect of Variation of Power Factor Test 24 Effect of Variation of Ambient Temperature- Secondary Time Base Test 5 Effect of Variation of Voltage Test 25 Effect of Electrical Fast Transient/Burst *

Test 6 Effect of Variation of Frequency Test 25a Effect of Electrical Oscillatory SWC Test * Test 7 Equality of Current Circuits Test 26 Effect of Radio Frequency Interference

Test 8 Internal Meter Losses Test 27 Radio Frequency Conducted and Radiated Emission Test 9 Temperature Rise Test 28 Effect of Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) *

Test 10 Effect of Register Friction Test 29 Effect of Storage Temperature Test 11 Effect of Internal Heating Test 30 Effect of Operating Temperature * Test 12 Effect of Tilt Test 31 Effect of Relative Humidity * Test 13 Stability of Performance Test 32 Mechanical Shock

Test 14 Independence of Elements Test 33 Transportation Drop Test 15 Insulation * Test 34 Mechanical Vibration Test 16 Voltage Interruptions * Test 35 Transportation Vibration Test 17 Effect of High Voltage Line Surges * Test 36 Weather Simulation Test 18 Effect of External Magnetic Field Test 37 Salt-Spray

Test 19 Effect of Variation of Ambient Temperature Test 38 Raintightness

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MET Meter Testing

Programs – 4 basic types

• ANSI Meter Certification Program

• All applicable tests performed on 3 meter samples

• Report of Compliance

• MET Meter Certification Program

• All applicable tests performed on 3 meter samples

• Report of Compliance and Certificate

• Annual continued compliance

• MET Meter Certification mark can be applied to meter

• Customer Specific Test Program

• Customer specifies the test program

• Report issued on the customer specific test program

• Pre-Test Program

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MET Meter Certification -

Core ANSI C12 Require

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nts

• MET will review the meter and its components,

including analyzing the implications of

communications module additions, and test to ANSI

C12.1 or ANSI C12.20 as appropriate for the meter

• Minimum of 3 meter samples must be submitted

for testing

• Detailed report of compliance and certificate

• Maintain database of certified meters on the MET

website

• Continued compliance annually checking meter

accuracy

• MET reviews firmware and hardware modifications to

determine if further testing is necessary

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Considerations when Testing

Smart Meters

• ANSI C12.1 and C12.20 accuracy standards are written for testing revenue generation utility meters: all features of the meter should be exercised

– Adapt test methods to cover features of meters that may affect test results

– Must have a computer loaded with SW for communicating with the meter and for configuring for proper operation during testing.

– Provide adequate wait time to allow meters to fully boot-up prior to starting any test sequences

– Wireless communications modules must be configured to transmit at full output power to be sure full power will not affect accuracy

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Accuracy Acceptance

Testing for Modified Meters

• All applicable tests that could be affected by the modification must be

performed on no less than 3 meter samples to determine full compliance • Engineering judgment can be used to determine a subset of tests that must be

performed to assure continued compliance with the requirements of the standard

• Modified meters are evaluated on a case by case basis to determine the tests that may be affected by the modification and therefore the tests that must be re-qualified after the modification

• Generally, previously tested meters are modified by changing things like the components or hardware changes that could affect the metrology of the meter,

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Conditions that could affect

Accuracy

• Temperature and humidity cycling at the extremes can affect accuracy of

meters

• Noise / interference created by the AMI/AMR modules

• High current faults or line voltage surges

• Service switches not operating after test

• Improper calibration of the meter at test amps

• Wireless AMI/AMR modules must transmit at max power

• Harmonics (voltage and current) from other equipment

on the line

• Corrosion and water ingress

• Vibration

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Most Common Failures for Accuracy and

Environmental Tests

• “As received” accuracy of the meter at full load, light load and power factor conditions (before any testing) is out of tolerance

• Accuracy performance under full range of current and power factor conditions (Tests #3 & #4) • Service switches in AMI meters weld closed or fragment open during the 7000A Overcurrent

Testing (Test #20)

• Accuracy problems during or after the Operating Temperature (Test #30)

• Circuit cards and connectors becoming damaged as a result of the transportation vibration, drop or mechanical vibration tests (Tests #32 - #35)

• Discoloration of displays during the weather simulation test (Test #36)

• Water entering the meter enclosure during the rain tightness test (Test #38)

• Meter Losses (Test #8) with AMI modules installed (module can be removed for test) • Communication problems

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EMC Test

Methods/Configurations

The following ANSI C12.1 tests involve EMC test methods…

• Test 15: Insulation

• Test 16: Voltage Interruptions

• Test 17: Effect of High Voltage Line Surges-6kV

• Test 18: Effect of External Magnetic Field- 100A through 1m coil

• Test 21: Effect of Current Surges in Ground Conductors- 20ms/50ms

• Test 25: Effect of Electrical Fast Transients/Burst

• Test 25a: Effect of Electrical Oscillatory SWC

• Test 26: Effect of Radio Frequency Interference

• Test 27: Radio Frequency Conducted and Radiated Emissions

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Common EMC Test Failures

• Leakage current exceeding 5mA on test #15

• Component damage or watt-hour reading increase during high voltage surge -test

#17

• Emissions measured exceed FCC Part 15 subpart B limits

• kWh on display changing by more than 1 LSD during radiated immunity test #26

• AMI/AMR module damage as a result of testing

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EMC testing of smart meters

• Is the product that is sent for testing a good representation of a typical installation?

• Is there any voltage sensing circuitry that needs to be disabled for insulation testing?

• Will the design withstand 6kV/3kA Surges?

• Does the meter use PLC to communicate with the utility? Is this communicated to the lab?

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Things to Consider

• Get familiarized with the standards-test setups and requirements

• Evaluate your product against the ANSI test requirements right from the design stage

• If your product is a sub-meter – get together with your buyer and get the test plan approved for the applicable tests

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Optional Testing –

MET

Meter Certification

• Product Safety Compliance • HALT/HASS

– Highly Accelerated Life Testing:

• Agitate the product to help reveal design weaknesses – Highly Accelerated Stress Screening:

• Test program to screen production units • Failure Evaluation

– Helps identify problems that occur after installation • Utility Defined Requirements based on field failures

– Interoperability – Software

– Extreme Environments

• FCC certification for radio communications (AMI) modules • CT Accuracy Testing

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Optional Testing –

MET

Meter Certification

• Product Safety Certification

– Utilities may request the meters be listed by an NRTL

– OSHA approved to test and certify meters to UL61010-1

– MET is approved by the Standards Council of Canada for standard CSA C22.2

No. 61010-1

– UL 2735 Standard for Safety of Electric Utility Meters

– NRTL requires follow-up Inspections 2 times

per year to ensure processes and

procedures have not changed

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Optional Testing –

MET

Meter Certification

• HALT/HASS

– This is a testing process that agitates the product to help reveal any

design weaknesses.

– Through this evaluation manufacturers can:

• Discover design and process flaws

• Decrease development time and cost

• Eliminate design problems that may

occur later in the product’s life cycle

• Ship as a mature product

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Utility Deployment Concerns

• Problem Areas

– Hardware (Disconnect Switches)

– Communication Modules

– Software/Firmware

– Installation methods

– Corrosion

• Additional tests beyond ANSI requirements

– Wider temperature ranges

– Operational criteria

– Higher peak surges

– Moisture testing

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CT Accuracy Testing

• IEEE C57.13.6

• IEC 60044-1

• IEC 60044-6

• IEC 61869-2

• ANSI C12.11

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Changes Coming for ANSI

C12.1-2015 Revision

• Adding 0.5% accuracy criteria

• Definitions – add definitions for Balanced Voltages

• Tighten accuracy criteria for portable and reference standards used for testing meters • Clarify performance requirements prior to testing

• Test 5 Voltage Variation – Added reference to C12.20 for wide ranging meters

• Test 9 Temperature Rise – Eliminated Empirical Rise and changed limits to fixed limits for temperature rise at the meter socket jaws

• Test 17 Line Surges – The accuracy check can be performed after both the ring wave and combination wave surges

• Test 25a SWC Test – Duration of test changed from 2 minutes to 2 seconds

• Tests 30 & 31 Op Temp & RH – Current range now defined and the accuracy checks can be performed after both tests are completed

• Section 5 for new and in-service utility meters updated for clarity

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Other Electricity Meter

Test Programs

• Measurement Canada LMB-EG-07

– Specifications for Approval of Electricity Meters

• Mexico - CFE Meter Standards – recent revisions have transitioned more

toward general harmonization with IEC requirements rather than ANSI:

– CFE G0100-05 (April 2015) – Advanced Metering Infrastructure System (AMI) – CFE GWH00-09 (January 2015) - Interactive System Infrastructure and Measuring

Electricity

• IEC 62052-11 -

Electricity Metering equipment (AC) General requirements, tests and test conditions - Part 11: Metering equipment

• IEC 62053-21 -

Electricity metering equipment (a.c.) - Particular requirements - Part 21: Static meters for active energy (classes 1 and 2)

• IEC 62053-22 -

Electricity metering equipment (a.c.) - Particular requirements - Part 22: Static meters for active energy (classes 0,2 S and 0,5 S)

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Benefits of a MET Meter

Certification

• Third party unbiased evaluation by industry recognized test lab

• Ensure all meters are consistently subjected to the appropriate

standards and requirements

• Monitor product changes through annual continuing compliance

program

• Public confidence of compliance to applicable

national standards

• Industry knowledge of updates to applicable standards

• Customizable test programs

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Choose MET Meter

Certification!

Please contact us for more information:

Email:

[email protected]

Phone:

410-354-3300

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Baltimore, MD 410.354.3300 Union City, CA 510.489.6300 Santa Clara, CA 408.748.3585 Austin, TX 512.287.2500 Raleigh, NC 919.481.9319 Shenzhen, China 86.755.82911867 Seoul, Korea 82.(0).2.2026.0191 Taiwan, R.O.C. 886.2.8227.8887 Europe 39.340.759.1189

OSHA NRTL Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory A2LA-Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005

(Baltimore: #0591-01, Union City: #0591-02) FCC TCB Telecommunications Certification Body SCC CB Standards Council of Canada Certification Body IECEE NCB National Certification Body

NVLAP-Accredited NIST CAB Conformity Assessment Body Verizon ITL Independent Testing Laboratory

DSCC-Accredited for Designated MIL-STD Testing

EPCglobal Inc, Official Test Lab for RFID Hardware Certification Program

EPA- Recognized for ENERGY STAR

_®

Testing & Certification VCCI - Voluntary Council for Control of Interference (Japan) ISTA Transit Tested Program Member - International Safe Transit Association

ACIL Member - American Council of Independent Laboratories Measurement Canada Recognized Test Facility for electricity meters