A utility meter includes: a rectifier configured to rectify AC voltage from a power grid to generate a primary DC voltage supply; and a primary holdup circuitry, including: first capacitors coupled to a primary DC voltage rail and configured to store energy from the primary voltage supply; a switch coupled to the first capacitors; and a control circuit configured to control the primary holdup circuitry, wherein the control circuit is configured to: determine that a secondary DC voltage of a secondary voltage supply is approximately equal to a first specified threshold voltage; and generate a control signal to causes the switch to turn on and cause the one or more first capacitors to release a portion of the energy stored in the one or more first capacitors to the primary DC voltage rail.

A system that detects temperature and current events in a power grid is provided. The system includes a magnetic field sensor associated with an electric meter, a first temperature sensor associated with the electric meter, a plurality of bus bars connected to the electric meter and at least one temperature sensor uniquely associated with each of the plurality of bus bars. The system detects a magnetic field and compares the detected magnetic field to an expected magnetic field threshold or magnetic field threshold range to provide a magnetic field comparison result and the system detects a plurality of temperatures and compares the detected plurality of temperatures to expected temperature thresholds or temperature threshold ranges to provide a temperature comparison result. The system determines if a notification should be sent based on the magnetic field comparison result and/or the temperature comparison result.

A method for determining degradation of a capacitor in an electric meter includes, charging the capacitor to a predetermined voltage value during a charging period using charging circuitry of the electric meter, discharging the capacitor, during a discharge period, from the predetermined voltage value using discharging circuitry of the electric meter, measuring, during the discharge period, a first capacitor voltage value at a first time and a second capacitor voltage value at a second time later than the first time using capacitor measurement circuitry of the electric meter, determining, by a processor of the electric meter, a capacitance value of the capacitor based on the first voltage value, the second voltage value, the first time, and the second time, comparing the determined capacitance value to a capacitance threshold value, and determining that the capacitor is in a degraded condition when the calculated capacitance value is below the capacitance threshold value.

Techniques for generating simulated waveforms for an electric meter include operating a meter in simulation mode without an external load device connected to the meter. Simulated waveforms are generated for a number of channels based on waveform component values. The waveforms are generated at a rate that corresponds to a sample rate of an analog to digital converter (ADC) of the meter. In simulation mode, the waveforms are provided to a meter firmware interface, instead of the waveform data obtained from the ADC.

A method for determining degradation of a capacitor in an electric meter includes, charging the capacitor to a predetermined voltage value during a charging period using charging circuitry of the electric meter, discharging the capacitor, during a discharge period, from the predetermined voltage value using discharging circuitry of the electric meter, measuring, during the discharge period, a first capacitor voltage value at a first time and a second capacitor voltage value at a second time later than the first time using capacitor measurement circuitry of the electric meter, determining, by a processor of the electric meter, a capacitance value of the capacitor based on the first voltage value, the second voltage value, the first time, and the second time, comparing the determined capacitance value to a capacitance threshold value, and determining that the capacitor is in a degraded condition when the calculated capacitance value is below the capacitance threshold value.

A metering device for monitoring power flow at a premises includes a metering module that measures power flow on powerlines at a premises and provides power flow data characterizing the power flow on the powerlines. The metering device also includes a communication module coupled to the metering module that transmits power flow data to a node on a meter network. The metering device further includes an energy storage element coupled to the metering module and the communication module. The energy storage element provides backup power to the metering module and the communication module in response to a voltage on the powerlines dropping below a first threshold for a time interval exceeding a second threshold, such that the metering module measures the power flow on the powerlines and provide the power flow data for a backup interval of time.

A method performs state estimation of a distribution network based on real time measurement values. The method includes calculating load scaling factors at least for non-redundantly measurable parts of the distribution network, determining whether each of the load scaling factors related to a non-redundantly measurable part of the distribution network is within a given range (RLSF), and discarding the measurement values related to the corresponding scaling factor for all load scaling factors outside the given range (RLSF). The network state of the distribution network is then estimated based on the remaining measurement values.

The invention relates to a test block intended to be implanted in the circuit connecting an apparatus to be tested such as an electricity meter or a protective relay and a power source supplying the apparatus to be tested such as an intensity sensor and/or a voltage sensor. The test block comprises a base including a plurality of inner electric circuits capable of allowing the transmission of information from the power source to the apparatus to be tested and a protective cover intended to be assembled in a dismountable manner with the base in order to form a closed enclosure in which the inner electric circuits are housed. The base and the protective cover are configured such that the removal of the protective cover gives access to a receiving site delimited by the base and capable of receiving by plugging a test plug independent of the test block and electrically linked to a test equipment, in particular a voltmeter and/or an ammeter and/or a dummy current source. A test appliance is also described.

There is described a test block intended to be implanted in the circuit connecting an apparatus to be tested such as an electricity meter or a protective relay and a power source supplying the apparatus to be tested such as an intensity sensor and/or a voltage sensor, the test block comprising a base including a plurality of inner electric circuits capable of allowing the transmission of information from the power source to the apparatus to be tested and a protective cover intended to be removably assembled with the base in order to form a closed enclosure in which the inner electric circuits are housed. The base and the protective cover are configured such that the removal of the protective cover gives access to a receiving site delimited by the base and capable of receiving, by plugging, a test plug independent of the test block and electrically linked to a test equipment, in particular a voltmeter and/or an ammeter and/or a dummy current source. The base and the protective cover comprise electrically conductive elements linked to each other and configured so as to ensure a continuity and magnetic shielding closure such that the enclosure delimited by the base and the protective cover is a Faraday cage protecting the inner electric circuits relative to the magnetic fields external to the enclosure delimited by the base and the protective cover.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems and methods for determining the state of health of a generator battery set and its ability to supply generator starter motor with start-up energy by capturing a profile of voltage across terminals of the battery during a supply of electrical energy from the battery to the starter and comparing the captured voltage profile to a reference voltage profile to determine if a difference between the captured voltage profile and reference voltage profile exceeds an acceptable amount.