AMR for Customer Loads Greater than 500 KW
AMR - Multiple Meter Installations
All customers who will likely exceed 499 KW demand in any 15-minute interval shall be required to
provide equipment to facilitate phone-based Automated Meter Reading (AMR). This standard shall be
deemed an Electric Service Requirement.
General Installation Notes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Customers are required to provide a dedicated phone line to a designated point in an AMR
box that meets TID requirements. Customers are to provide a NEMA type 3S box (type 4 if
high dust or hose-down area) of minimum dimensions 14”Wx16”Hx8”D. Preferred location
of the box is on the side of the panelboard adjacent to the metering/CT section. Customers are
required to install a mounting board or plate in the back of the box to facilitate secure
mounting of TID communication equipment. Customers are to contact the TID Meter Shop at
(209) 883-8279 to confirm location. (Figures 3 & 4).
Customers are responsible for any initialization charge and ongoing phone charges from their
phone service provider.
Customers are required to provide communication wiring between meters. Meters may be
wired in either daisy-chain or star configuration (Figure 1).
Phone/meter lines are to be standard 2-pair (4 wires) 22 or 24 gage solid conductor copper
phone cable at minimum. CAT5 solid-conductor cable is preferred. In some environments
subject to electrical noise, or on long runs, it may be necessary to use a shielded version of
CAT5 cable.
Six (6) feet minimum of phone/meter cable slack should be left in the metering/CT section to
reach the back of the meter socket with the door open. Outside the metering/CT section
phone/meter cable should be suitably protected with appropriate conduit or other means to
minimize exposure to damage and facilitate replacement/repair. The phone/meter cable should
be terminated on a female RJ11 terminal block. The RJ11 terminal block should be left freefloating i.e. it need not be mounted within the enclosure. (Figure 3 & 4)
Wiring between meters should be consistent as to color code used when connecting to the
RJ11 terminal block. One pair should be connected to the red & black terminals and one pair
connected to the yellow & green terminals of the RJ11 terminal block.
TID will provide the connection from the meter to the RJ11 terminal block in each
metering/CT section, provide and install the modem and converter box, and make connections
within the AMR box. (Figure 2)
Remote Meter Installations:
8.
9.
Remote meter installations are those where the meter socket and meter are installed at a
location remote from the service panel, and the CT leads are connected between the two via a
conduit.
For remote meter installations, phone/meter cables should be run from the meter socket to the
AMR box rather than from the metering/CT compartment of the service panel. Consult TID
Meter Shop for entrance location.
Safety Notes:
10. Entrance to the metering/CT section should be closely coordinated with the TID Meter Shop,
and phone line installation should be performed by a qualified electrician/electrical contractor.
Care must be taken to ensure that the installation meets all applicable codes and requirements
and that the installation is in accord with proper and prudent electrical practice. Care should
be taken to ensure that metal shavings or other hazards are not introduced and left in the
customer’s panel, and that the installation does not allow intrusion of moisture, insects, or
other contaminants. The entrance of the phone conductor should be towards the front of the
panel and as far away from un-insulated bus and circuit conductors as is practicable, but in no
case closer than 6 inches from any exposed energized circuit conductor. (Figure 3)
11. Where phone/meter line is to be installed in a panel that is or has been energized, approval to
enter the metering/CT section should be requested from the TID Meter Shop at (209) 8838279. TID meter shop personnel will arrange with the customer to break seals on the meter
compartment and coordinate installation.
TID Notes:
12. For multiple meter installations, an approved AMR meter with internal RS485 board. [For
single meter installations, TID to install an approved AMR meter with internal modem board].
13. Cell phone AMR: all new AMR installations shall be via customer-provided hardwired
phone lines. Where existing cell phone AMR installations require replacement or
maintenance of the “bag phone” or meter, the installation should be converted to hardwired
phone line (requires customer coordination) or to a Transdata Mark V or other approved
meter with modem and cell phone contained within the meter glass.
Preferred
Conduit
entrance
area
Meter/CT
Compartment
1 ft.
Preferred
AMR
Box
Location