A datalogger was used to monitor flowmeter power supply and document meter violations. |
Pasco County Utilities installed a dataTaker DT82I Intelligent Industrial Data Logger from CAS Dataloggers into a portable Pelican case. The logger and case could be chained to a concrete pole adjacent to an onsite meter to confirm the actual utility usage from clients and spot suspected meter violations.
The dataTaker DT82I is a stand alone, low power data logger that offers an array of features including USB memory stick support, 18-bit resolution, extensive communications capabilities and a built-in display. The logger's Dual Channel concept allowed up to four isolated or six common referenced analog inputs to be used in many combinations. The universal inputs enabled technicians to take measurements from almost any type of sensor including thermocouples, RTDs, thermistors, and strain gauges as well as voltage, process current, resistance and frequency.
The logger includes support for Modbus sensors and SCADA systems, FTP and Web interfaces, and switchable, regulated outputs to power sensors. Additionally, the data logger's digital I/O channels and high speed counters can be used to monitor equipment status or to count events or pulses.
"With the analog outputs of the dataTaker, we found out the real usage in suspect cases by measuring the water and sewage flow itself, and the digital outputs measured the dry contacts on the pumps," said Pasco County Electronic Technician Clifford Farris. "We also monitored loss of power, comparing the power usage of the pumping station against the meter, looking for any discrepancies. If the power went out at any point, we'd see that, and if it went out for just the billing meter, we would see that too."
The logger is able to store up to 10 million data points (expandable). Staff simply plugged a USB stick in the front for data retrieval. Users could overwrite or stop logging once allocated memory was filled, archive data on alarm event, copy to USB memory or transfer via FTP.
The dataTaker datalogger allows downloading all the metering data in a strictly unalterable binary file format, which the utility company's legal representation then brought into court as proof of criminal tampering. Pasco County Utilities used the logger data to spot meter violations and win subsequent court cases.
"The dataTaker is worth its weight in gold for proving our case in these types of violations," Farris said. "We can't edit or otherwise alter the binary format in any way —that qualifies it a legal digital copy."
For more information on the CAS system, visit the company's website at www.dataloggerinc.com.
More WaterWorld Current Issue Articles
More WaterWorld Archives Issue Articles