Digital Energy Meters and MODBUS

In this manual we will describe how to use DOMIQ/Serial-4MB module to integrate digital
electricity meter SAIA BURGESS ALE3D5F11 with the DOMIQ/Base and display
measurement values in the DOMIQ/Remote application on the iPhone or on the DOMIQ/
Display touch panel.

In further part of this document you will find out how to:

• Read and display voltage values
• Read and display effective active power
• Read and display total energy counter
• Create resettable energy counter (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly measurement of electricity consumption)
• Signal power failure

DOMIQ devices comunicate with the meter using two-wire bus with MODBUS protocol.
Up to 32 devices can be connected to single DOMIQ/Serial-4MB. Each device must
have an individual addres in the range from 1 to 127. All devices also mus have configured the same transmission parameters (number of stop bits, parity type, transmission speed).

Most of the available Modbus devices requires external power supply (typically 24V DC).

1. Wiring diagram #

2. DOMIQ/Base module configuration #

Each MODBUS device is seen as a set of 16-bit registers. Functions of the specific registers are not pre-defined, so always the device documentation is required.

DOMIQ/Base and DOMIQ/Serial-4MB is a master MODBUS system. Each line in the configuration defines the device address, register number and the data format contained therein. Registers are queried periodically. Collected data is stored in the Base module and starts with the MODBUS prefix.

2.1. Creating the REMOTE menu #

To display measured values on the iPhone you have to define the menu. To do this follow these steps:

1. Click on the Remote tab
2. Click on the Remote tab
3. Add a new Page and give it a name Add a new Section e.g Measurement values
4. Add another Section e.g Status

2.2. Voltages #

In first step you need to find (in meter documentation) the registers numbers where the
values of voltage are stored. Next you can proceed to define registers reading.

2.2.1. Registers Definitions #

1. After logging in to the configurator, select the MODBUS tab.
2. Click on the Add button to add a new register read.
3. In Type select register type. For 16-bit registers select uint16, for 32-bit registers select uint32. In this one choose uint16 type.
4. In Address enter (in decimal) the device addres (it can be found in meter menu). In this
   example the meter address is 3.
5. In Register type register address where the value of voltage on the first phase is stored. In this case it is register 36. NOTE! Some manufacturers gives the addresses starting with 1, and the part starting from 0. On the MODBUS tab addresses are counted from 0. In the SAIA meter adresses starts from 1, so in the register read enter
   35 instead of 36.
6. In Name type a unique register name e.g voltage1. This name will be used to define the controls in the REMOTE application.
7. In Label add a short description of what the register readout concerns. e.g voltage phase 1
8. In the left bottom corner select transmission speed and parity control type. In this case :19200 baud/s and parity control 8E1.
9. For the remaining two phases repeat steps from 1. to 7. Remember to change the registers addresses to 40 and 45 at step 4. and change the registers names to: voltage2 and voltage3.

In result you will get:

2.2.2. Controls Definition #

To preview the voltage values on the iPhone you have to define controls. To do this please follow these steps:

1. Click on the Remote tab
2. Find the menu structure created in section 2.1.
3. Add Value channel to the Measurement values section
4. Double-click on the new channel and make its features:
5. W polu kanał wpisz nazwę kanału wybraną w czasie konfiguracji odczytu rejestrów:
   
6. Points 3. up to 5. we repeat analogously for the remaining phases.

Po zapisaniu ustawień konfiguratora otrzymamy następujący efekt w menu:

2.3. Effective Power #

Read and display the effective active power is similar to the procedure presented in section 2.2.

2.3.1. Registers Definition #

1. Enter the registers addresses where values of the effective active power are stored (in this case 35, 42, 47).
2. Należy dodać współczynnik Gain (wzmocnienie) równy 0.01, zgodnie z dokumentacją.

2.3.2. Controls Definition #

Modify the Channel field in the Value channel. For example: if you used moc1 as a name of the register read, in the Channel field type: MODBUS.moc1.

2.4. The total energy counter #

Read and display the total energy counter is similar to the procedure presented in section 2.2.

2.4.1. Registers Definition #

1. Change register type to uint32
2. Add Gain equal to 0.01 (in order to display floating point number)
3. Controls Definition Enter the registers addresses. In this case it’s a pair of registers: 31 and 32
4. Identyfikator odczytu rejestru
   

2.4.2. Controls Definition #

Modify the Channel field in the Value channel. For example: if you used energy as a name of the register read, in Channel type MODBUS.energia.

2.5. Resettable Energy Counter #

The resettable energy counter allows for convenient measure of electricity consumption in any time period (hour, day, week, month etc.).

The simplest implementation of such meter requires to save the current value of the energy counter when user clicks on the Reset button. Next the saved value is subtracted from the current value and and the result of this subtraction is presented as a resettable counter.

In DOMIQ/Base MEM channel is used for permament variables storing. The value placed in this channel is stored until the next change.

To store the current value of the meter is the best to use VAR channel – volatile variable.

To create the resettable energy counter follow procedure presented below.

2.5.1. Logic Script #

In DOMIQ Base configurator click on the Logic tab. Paste there the source code shown below:

-- definiowanie zmiennych --
licznik = use 'MODBUS.energia'
zapis = use 'MEM.energia'
delta = use 'VAR.energia'

-- definiowanie funkcji --
-- funkcja kasowania licznika --
function clear()
zapis:set(licznik.value)
delta:set(0)
end

-- funkcja obliczania zużycia energii po wyzerowaniu licznika--
function licznik:onchange(new)
delta:set(new - zapis.value)
end

The text written between the characters “–” is a comment.

Function clear will be called after clicking on the Reset button. It is responsible for saving the current state of
unresettable energy counter (variabl save) and reseting the value of the resettable energy counter (variable delta).

Function licznik is called after every change of the total energy counter. This function calculates and saves (to the variable delta) difference between current value of the total energy counter and value of the total energy counter saved after clicking on the reset button.

2.5.2. Controls Definitions #

1. Add Value channel to the Measurement values section in the Remote tab.
2. Po dwukrotnym kliknięciu uzupełnić właściwości. W polu Kanał należy wpisać nazwę zmiennej, która została zdefiniowana w zakładce Logika – w tym przypadku VAR.energia
   
3. Add Pushbutton
4. Double-click on it and make its features:
   • Give it a name e.g. Counter reset
   • W zakładce Przyciśnięcie wybrać Dodaj kanał i uzupełnić jak poniżej:
     

The result on the iPhone:

2.6. Power State Notifications #

When the power failure occurs you will receive a notification on the screen of the iPhone. It will also be visible in the Remote application.

Power failure is indicated when the measuered voltage falls below 180V. The additional VAR variable is created to signal the correct voltage in all phases.

2.6.1. Logic Script #

Paste the source code presented below to the Logic tab:

-- deklaracja zmiennych --
m_v1 = use 'MODBUS.voltage1'
m_v2 = use 'MODBUS.voltage2'
m_v3 = use 'MODBUS.voltage3'
v_v1 = use 'VAR.v1'
v_v2 = use 'VAR.v2'
v_v3 = use 'VAR.v3'
v_va = use 'VAR.va'

-- funkcja sprawdzająca poziomy napięć na poszczególnych fazach --
function monitor()
local v1,v2,v3 = 0,0,0
if m_v1.value > 180 then v1 = 1 end
if m_v2.value > 180 then v2 = 1 end
if m_v3.value > 180 then v3 = 1 end
v_v1:set(v1)
v_v2:set(v2)
v_v3:set(v3)
if v1 + v2 + v3 == 3 then
v_va:set(1)
else
v_va:set(0)
end
end

m_v1.onchange = monitor
m_v2.onchange = monitor
m_v3.onchange = monitor
monitor()

Remember to use variable names that are identical to names used to read registers.

In variable declaration part seven variables was declared. The first three of them (m_v) keep the voltage values on different phases. Remaing four (v_v) were used for signaling power failure on the iPhone.

Function Monitor checks the voltage values and sets proper variables. It is called after any change of the voltage value.

2.6.2. Power State Controls #

Power state controls will be represented as the lights that change color depending on the
power state. It allows for a quick diagnose on which phase power failure occured.

To create power failure controls follow these steps:

1. Add Status channel to the Status section in the Remote tab.
2. Po dwukrotnym kliknięciu na tym elemencie uzupełniamy właściwości jak poniżej:
   
3. For the other two phases do the same, but remember to change the names of the variables to: VAR.v2 and VAR.v3.

The resulting behavior on the iPhone in the case of a two-phase power outage is shown in the image below:

2.7. Power Fail and Restore Notifications #

Notifications are displayed on all paired iPhones with DOMIQ/Remote. This section will describe how to use notifications to notify user about power failure and power restore.

2.7.1. Power Failure Notification #

1. Add an new event (click on the Add button) in the Events tab
2. In Channel type E.VAR.va
3. Set match to 0
4. In Command click on Add channel and type in Channel C.REMOTE.notify. In Value type content of the notification that will be displayed on the iPhone screen. For example POWER FAILURE!

The resulting action is shown in the image below:

2.7.2. Power Restoration Notification #

1. Add an new event (click on the Add button) in the Events tab
2. In Channel type E.VAR.va
3. Set match to 1
4. In Command click on Add channel and type in Channel C.REMOTE.notify. In Value type content of the notification that will be displayed on the iPhone screen. For example POWER RESTORED!

The resulting action is shown in the image below:

2.8. Visualization for the DOMIQ/Display #

In this section we will show how to implement the functionality in the DOMIQ/Display. In order not to increase the volume of this document we will only describe how to:

• Display voltages values
• Display power status
• Display power failure and power restoration notification

2.8.1. Visualisation Screen #

1. In the DOMIQ/Base configurator select the Display tab.
2. From New list add a new Screen to Tree (drag and drop)
3. Give it a unique name (e.g. Energy meter).

2.8.2. Voltage Values #

To display the values of voltage follow the procedure presented below:

1. Add Value to the visualisation screen (drag it from New and drop it on the visualisation
   screen)
2. Click on it and type in Channel MODBUS.voltage1
3. Add Text element to the visualisation screen. Click on it and type short description in the text field. For example Phase 1.

For the remaining two phases repeat steps from 2 to 4. Remember to change channel names to: MODBUS.voltage2and MODBUS.voltage3 and controls descriptions to Phase 2 and Phase 3.

Add another Text element, click on it and type in the text: Voltage. The result is presented in the picture below:

2.8.3. Power Status #

To display the power status please follow these steps:

1. Add Light to the visualisation screen
2. Click on it and type in the channel: VAR.v1
3. Choose green from Theme list
4. Add Text to the visualisation screen. Click on it and type short description in the text field. For example Phase 1.
5. For the remaining two phases repeat steps from 2 to 4. Remember to change channelnames to:VAR.v2 and VAR.v3 and controls descriptions to Phase 2 and Phase 3.
6. Add another Text element, click on it and type in the text: Power status.

Power State Messages

2.8.4. Power outage and restoration notifications #

To receive a power failure notification on the DOMIQ/Display screen follow the procedure
presented below:

1. Click on the Events tab. Add a new channel (In Command click on the Add Channel button) to the earlier defined event (channel E.VAR.va, match 0)
2. In Name type C.DISPLAY.message. In Value type content of the notification that will be displayed on the DOMIQ/Display touch screen. For example POWER FAILURE!

To receive a power restoration notification on the DOMIQ/Display screen follow the procedure presented below:

1. Click on the Events tab. Add a new channel (In Command click on the Add Channel button) to the earlier defined event (channel E.VAR.va, match 1)
2. In Name type C.DISPLAY.message In Value type content of the notification that will be displayed on the DOMIQ/Display touch screen. For example POWER RESTORED!