Curious box enclosing meter, with electronics

[SJD]

Can anyone cast some light on a curious meter I came across today.

The old-style meter has a circuit board fitted on top, and the whole lot enclosed with a Perspex cover, with meter seals at each corner to prevent access. See photo below (hopefully).

What is this for?

I'll try to add a close-up of part of the board in another post.

 

[SJD]

I don't think it's 'smart', just a telemetry interface for remote reading. There's a pulse output terminal on the meter at 6Wh/pulse, which the board totalises and transmits. It does enable tamper detection as the mechanical total should equal the electronic total. I am not sure whether the transmitter itself is present.

So in an urban estate, from what was one of the "social" units that the developers had to include, where would the telemetry be received?

And do you think this is more likely as a tamper deterrent, rather than a need to read remotely.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

I would imagine it was fitted to monitor suspicious activity or where there were ongoing access problems. Perhaps it could be interrogated from outside the property? I don't think it's GSM.

 

[buzzlightyear]

where would the telemetry be received

cop shop,, you could ring the DNO and ask them before you take it apart.

 

[Sparksaflyin]

So in an urban estate, from what was one of the "social" units that the developers had to include, where would the telemetry be received?

And do you think this is more likely as a tamper deterrent, rather than a need to read remotely.

So just so I can be sure........ it’s a tamper like was stated earlier?

 

[Sparksaflyin]

And no I’m not taking the credit! I just agreed......

 

[Sparksaflyin]

And no I’m not taking the credit! I just agreed......

 

[Lucien Nunes]

A tamper (a.k.a rammer) is a lump of iron on the end of a long handle used for compacting soil or asphalt, e.g. where a power rammer can't access.

 

[Sparksaflyin]

A tamper (a.k.a rammer) is a lump of iron on the end of a long handle used for compacting soil or asphalt, e.g. where a power rammer can't access.

Ok. Getting past a mere technicality, you know what I mean! I mean a device that is put in place to prevent and inform of unwanted access.

 

[Percyprod]

Looks very dodgy. The plastic cases were fitted in cases where the meter had been tampered with, a new meter would be fitted and the plastic cover fitted. Although it wouldn't prevent another go at interference, it would be very obvious, so no chance of 'I don't know anything about it!'. I don't think a meter would be left with no terminal cover fitted though, so could be a 'black box' has been fitted, to slow or stop the meter. I woyld certainly advise you to contact dno or supplier.

 

[telectrix]

a lot of houses were built with these perspex enclosures i outside meter boxes. think the idea was to prevent tampering before the fact rather than after.

 

[Percyprod]

They were definitely after the fact! Tampered with meter was removed as evidence of theft, and a new meter fitted. Originally we used fixing scrrwd that could only be tightened, not undone . All sealed up and supply left on. Sometimes had to drill hole for cards if a card Meyer fitted

 

[Marvo]

Looks like an early generation IC/SS power line communication set up. A predecessor to the ethernet over power plug-in systems you get today. Probably used to remote read the meter.

 

[w0z]

There's green LED on lhs, does that flash at any particular rate linked to the meter rate?

 

[SJD]

There's green LED on lhs, does that flash at any particular rate linked to the meter rate?

I've finished work at the property, and not expecting to return, so no idea about the flashing rate.

In reply to Percyprod post #34, I was also surprised to see no cover over the meter terminals, but I guess that was to be able to connect the fly leads to the electronics board. From the board manufacturer name, I don't think it is some device to slow or stop the meter. But then again, if you were making such a device, you'd try to make it look like something else that was legit.

 

[Percyprod]

Yes, don't see why fly leads couldn't be fitted into terminals.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

As I mentioned earlier it is a special meter with a pulse output to drive the telemetry module. The box is not something someone has randomly slapped over a regular meter as they don't have a pulse output.

 

[w0z]

As I mentioned earlier it is a special meter with a pulse output to drive the telemetry module. The box is not something someone has randomly slapped over a regular meter as they don't have a pulse output.

hence my question about the led

 

[stevels4]

The concentric cable from the cut out to the meter is definitely anti tamper, the electronic gubbins appears to be a pulse counter.