Sensus water meter AMR/AMI (aka UI-1203) protocol?

[ecborgoyn]

I'm thinking of installing a water meter to be used for HA application (leak detection, usage monitoring, etc.).  My water utility installs Sensus SR-II meters interfaced to their RF AMR/AMI system.
 
(The best I can tell) The Sensus meters implement a serial protocol where the AMR module polls the meter for the current usage reading.  I strongly prefer this architecture over a 'pulse counting' config where the meter just closes a contact based on incremental usage.
 
The Sensus website indicates that the protocol is provided to system integrators for AMR/AMI interfaces.
 
Does anyone in the community have this spec?  Has anyone reverse engineered the protocol?  I see references on the web that the meter serial interface is powered by the serial protocol.  Something about one of the three wires being a clock signal.....   (The meter could scavenge power from the clock signal).  So it's NOT a simple serial port.....
 
If this serial interface isn't known, are there similar water meters where the protocol is open.  I don't want to use a pulse counting scheme.....
 
Thanks for any information.
 

 

[pete_c]

I have one.  I just updated my old brass 3/4" water meter to the new Sensus 1" water meter.  It is all plastic. 
 
Some mention about the old brass meters having lead in them and new federal EPA mandate requiring the elimination of lead products.
 
I asked about purchasing one similiar to the one installed as today I am using the pulse counters for my HA stuff.
 
From chatting with the city water inspector; the transport and protocol and RF module appear to be somewhat propietary.
 
You could probably request some information on the behest of a small town or village and let the company do their dog and pony show and find out a bit more. 
 
That and you can look up the patent and you will most likely find some granular details about their mechanisms / protocols utilized.
 

ASCII PROTOCOL
For each wheel on the odometer ASCII encoding contains10 bits of information that include a start, stop and parity bit, the latter used to insure that the interrogation device has correctly received the data from each wheel. The Sensus ICE-Opto Register extends the use of the ASCII-based communication protocol first utilized by Rockwell, in 1984. Although additional data fields have been incorporated, the register can be read by any AMR/AMI reading device that could read earlier ECR registers. The Sensus three-wire AMR/AMI interface protocol is made available to other AMR/AMI equipment manufacturers, thereby insuring the compatibility of Sensus ECR registers with present and future AMR/AMI systems and networks.

 

[ecborgoyn]

I'll do some research on the Sensus protocol.  The plumber that I would have install the meter is actually an employee of the local water/sewer authority (moonlighting as a master plumber....).  I'll ask him if he can help.
 
Are there other 'absolute encoder' type of water meters where the serial protocol is open/known?  I read about Neptune, Badger, etc.  Some of these seem to use the Sensus protocol, but there might be others.
 
I might also talk with Sensus directly.  They are somewhat local to me and I might find a friendly engineer willing to assist.It's not like I want to compete with Sensus....

 

[chngshen]

Hi Acborgoyn, have you found the Sensus AMR protocol? I am looking for it as well. Are you able to share?
thanks

 

[ecborgoyn]

Thanks for following up and asking me about the AMR protocol.  I've been totally 'distracted' with new employment and have NOT been able to pursue the protocol specs.  Looking at the data on my last posting, it was just prior to a hectic series of interviews and finally starting a new job at the end of August...