Interface to meter with IEC 62056-21 optical port.

Hi there my electric meter actaris ace 2000 290 Have a IEC 62056-21 optical port, for what i read it sends the meter information by infrared , I'm planning to build something that can grab that infrared information to arduino..


http://www.actaris.com/html/index.php?module=actaris&func=viewmedia&idmp=8225

I found these kind of sensors but very very expensive more than 100? rs232 and 199? USB (99? for ftdi chip )..

So i believe if this is only some kinf of infrared serial cominication will be easy to integrate with arduino...
My first attempt will be using a standard laptop infrared port to see if it grabs something....

I'm asking if any has experience of this IEC 62056-21 optical port and knows the protocol...

Thanks

Don't think an IRDA port will work - IRDA uses baseband signalling, but 62056-21 uses 38kHz modulation.
Try an IR remote receiver.

Try an IR remote receiver.

Can you explain ?

IRDA just turns the transmitter on and off at up to the line rate; that's baseband signalling
So, here it would turn the IR Tx LED on for "one" and off for a "zero" for each transmitted bit, for a period of 1/1200 th of a second. (for a line speed of 1200 bits per second.)

This 62056-21 protocol modulates the "one" bits with a burst of 38kHz, so making a receiver means detecting the 38kHz "tone" instead of just sampling the receiver photodiode every 1/1200th of a second.

Luckily, the 38kHz frequency is the same as your TV remotes use, so a ready-made IR remote receiver helps your design.

Hi & thanks
do you think this could do the trick to check if the meter is sending something out ?

just don't know how to psychical connect the ir receiver to arduino...

Thanks

do you think this could do the trick

What is "this"?

I have a setup to read the optical port on my electric meter. Mine does not have any data protocol per se, but generates a 5ms infrared pulse every watt hour of consumption. I built my own experimental sensor and feed the pulse into an amplifier, Schmidt trigger and thence to an Arduino.

What I did for my sensor was to use a bog-standard IR photo-transistor. I made an infrared-pass optical filter using a piece of exposed and developed E-6 film. I understand unexposed C-41 (colour negative) film would work as well. I then have the whole thing attached to the front of the meter using HVAC putty -- perma-gum is what they call it.

In my case the Arduino simply counts pulses and times the interval, and passes the data via serial to a real computer a couple of times a minute.

this= to this :
http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Code/InfraredReceivers

sorry

My meter also as green led that blinks 1000 times per kw/h..

But this can lead to failures i prefer to read real data... if i can't i will go the led...

thanks

Did somebody got some success with reading (and writing?) the iec 62056-21 (1107) protocol... I have found info (on the protocol) but no schematic how to build serial (infrared) interface and paying 79 euro's for a commercial optical probe isn't fun :slight_smile:

i'm finishing my alarm project.
Already a arduino board and ir receiver ready to start to my first tests...
First i will check what (if) the meter is sending out...
Is raining and my meter is outside, so i will test this simple setup asap.

Thanks

this could be helpfull

http://manuals.lian98.biz/doc.en/manual98en.html

and

http://helpful.knobs-dials.com/index.php/Electronics_project_notes/DIY_home_resource_metering

HTH