EKM-Omnimeter I v.3 – Universal Smart Meter, Single Phase or 3-Phase, 120 to 480V, 50/60Hz, up to 5000 Amps

Can Omnimeter I v.3 powers up EKM-485Bee the same way as Omnimeter v.4 without AC power adapter?

No, the Omnimeter I v.3 does not provide the 12VDC needed to power the 485Bee.  Only the Omnimeter Pulse v.4 and the Omnimeter Pulse v.4 UL have the relay controlling outputs that you need to power the 485Bee. 

The EKM 485Bee can be powered by 1 of the 2 outputs from the Omnimeter Pulse v.4.  You just have to turn this relay on using our EKM Dash software and our EKM Blink USB converter connected to the Omnimeter Pulse v.4.  (this will not work with the Omnimeter v.3)

This output supplies 50mA at 12VDC which is enough to power the 485Bee.  We often mount the 485Bee at an advantageous location 50 feet from the Omnimeter Pulse, so that I gets a good line of site connection to the other 485Bees.  We then use a single CAT5 cable between the 485Bee and the Omnimeter Pulse v.4, this cable can carry both the 12VDC on one pair and the RS485 on another pair inside the CAT5 cable.

The controllable outputs are ports 18 and 19 on the Omnimeter Pulse v.4, you will have to connect your 485Bee + to port 18  or port 19 Omnimeter Pulse v.4 and connect the 485Bee negative to ground on the Omnimeter Pulse v.4

what is the communication protocol use by this device.

Here is a link to the string parsing for our Omnimeter v.3.

Here is a link to the string parsing for our Omnimeter Pulse v.4.

This is a simple request response string that returns most of the data that is stored inside of the meter.  If you use our EKM Dash software "Hex Inspector" and a serial sniffer software it will simplify your job to be able to "see" the request and response.  If you have a PC the software "RealTerm" is a good software to use for sniffing the RS485. The last 2 bytes are a CRC-16 checksum.

30 represents a 0, 31 represents a 1, 32 represents a 2, etc.

Here is more information about the RS485 protocol (including code examples) for both v3 and v4 meters at the bottom of this page.

are these meters surge protected?

If you are talking about a voltage surge then they can handle quick small surges only.  They are not surge protected per-se.  We have seen these meters get damaged due to a lightning strike for example.  The RS485 is protected by opto-isolators.

Will this meter log data? Looking for Peak amps per leg.

This meter does not have much in the way of internal logging for real-time amps or watts for example.  This meter does log Max Demand, which is a value that is based on maximum watts.   To log maximum amps per phase, you will want to use the EKM Push system.  Your EKM Push will log once per minute reads to the cloud.  It is then easy to use our Summary API to determine the peak amps on each phase per hour, per day, per week, or per month.  This is the richest dataset for what you are trying to accomplish.

Must I use the same 3phase power that I\'m trying to read to feed the meters? In other words, can I feed three separate meters via one local 3phase panel, but install the cts to the conductors of 3 different panels?

Yes. A good way to meter three sub panels is actually at the main panel. It is important that the meters reference the correct voltage(s) for the system that they are metering. The combination of the current transformer(s) (amperage) and voltage reference(s) is what allows the meter to calculate kWh, Watts, and other values. So in this case the 3 meters would share common voltage references and the CTs for each meter would be installed on the lines running to each meter's sub panel.

For a three phase system, is there an alarm function for over/under voltage?

The meter itself doe not have a alarm function. The meter can handle up to 480V so it can handle a wide range of voltages. If the meter is set up to be read remotely you can set up alerts based on the voltage in software. The EKM Dash software allows you to set alert thresholds bases on the meter data. So for example, you can have Dash send you an email and/or text message if the voltage is over or under a certain level.

Is it possible to meter two separate 220v breakers with just one of these meters?

You would need two meters in order to get separate kWh values for each breaker. If you want to aggregate the data into one kWh value then yes, you can use this model to meter two breakers.

Can I connect the EKM Omnimeter on a Machine\'s electric panel like a Pipe bender, Press brake, compressor, etc?

Yes. Our Omnimeter models can be installed on most electrical systems in common use. These include single phase and three phase systems in residential, commercial, and industrial applications. These meters can be installed on any system that you want to meter, including on subpanels, solar arrays, car chargers, or individual pieces of machinery in an industrial setting s as you've described. We have customers that use these meters to monitor the health of their machinery to make sure that they aren't running out of spec. This allows them to do preventative maintenance before a major failure. Of course you can also just monitor the energy consumption (kWh) of individual machines if that is what you're looking to do.

If there is a blackout and the power goes off for a period of time, when the power returns, will the meter automatically continue to read power usage, or does it need to be reset?

The meter will automatically begin to read power and increment kWh again. It will essentially just start from where it was when the power was turned off. There is nothing you will need to do for the meter to start again. The meter will retain it's kWh readings for up to 10 years without power.

Is there an update available to allow this meter to display in dash the net power?

Yes, Dash will display Net Watts on each line, as well as Total Net Watts, on the Dashboard. This is only available for v.4 Omnimeters that are being read by the EKM Push system. This will NOT work for this v.3 Omnimeter model.

I have a three phase meter which serves two shop and also a water pump. Currently I am using power via a breaker from the two 110 volt wires at the pump to give 220 volt service to a single family home near the pump. With one of EKM-Omnimeter 1v.3 meters can I measure the kwh used for the 220 service to the house and with another similar meter measure the kwh for the pump? Also with a similar meter can I measure the power used by the pump?

Yes, the Omnimeters I v.3 can meter single phase (2 wire or 3 wire) or three phase systems (3 wire or 4 wire) up to 480 volts. It is adaptable to almost all electrical systems up to 480V (except 3-phase 3-wire above 415V). So yes, this meter will work for both systems you've described. The meter will provide Total kWh as well as, Watts, Volts, Amps, and Power Factor on each line.

I have two single phase revenue meters on a two phase 3 wire system (A ph, Bph, neutral). Is it possible to view usage separately per phase with the EKM software or would I have to install 2 single phase meters to view split usage?

If you use an Omnimeter Pulse v.4 you will be able to see kWh usage per phase (for up to three phases), as well as an aggregated kWh total.

Does the monitoring option direct-link between the OmniMeter I v.3 and lets say a router? i e, can I split out a CAT5 and directly connect to my Omni for monitoring?

We have a number of options for reading our meters, either directly with a computer, over you LAN, or over the internet. Our Omnimeters communicate via RS-485, which uses a 2-wire connection between the meter(s) and one of our communication devices. We recommend using a twisted pair of wires found inside of CAT5 cable for this wired connection. This Article in our online Knowledge Base explains the reading options.

Is the meter output BACnet compatible so that it can be read by our building management system?

Our meters will not currently work with BACnet, LonMark or Modbus communication protocols.  Our meters use a heavily modified version of the IEC 62056-21 communication standard. Our meter protocols are documented here.

However, we are actively working on a Omnimeter Pulse v.4 meter that can be read using Modbus.  If you are interested we can let you know when it is ready. For more information contact us at support@ekmmetering.com

We also have an open API for our EKM Push system's cloud data, documented here.

Does the digital display read amperage as well on each leg separately ?

Yes, on the LCD screen, registers 06–08 display Amps on L1, L2, and L3 respectively. This document shows what each LCD register is.

Can you stop the Omnimeter I v.3 from auto cycle mode to just read Total kWh?

No, v.3 Omnimeters cannot change what values cycle on the LCD display. However, the v.4 Omnimeter does have this capability. This Part of our v.4 Omnimeter installation video shows how to set the LCD screen to only display Total kWh.

Will the Omnimeter fit inside a typical loadcentre that is sized for standard MCB's?

It is hard for me to say absolutely. I would point you towards the spec sheet for this meter, which provides the external dimensions in millimeters.

Is there a simple way to zero the total every month, for submetering uses?

Our kWh meters, including this model, cannot be reset to zero. This is to prevent tampering when the meters are being used for revenue purposes. The Omnimeter Pulse v.4 has a secondary kWh register that can be reset using our EKM Dash software. More info on that here.

Is there a way to prevent tampering? If someone removed a CT, would the meter become ineffective?

Each meter is locked with a tamperproof seal but as your question alludes to, if someone were to remove or cut any of the wires going to the meter (voltage reference or CT leads), the meter would no longer be metering accurately. The best way to prevent tampering is to install the meter in a locked enclosure, with all of the wires and CTs also inside an enclosure or conduit. This prevents access to any of the critical components of the metering system. Our UL Listed Enclosure is able to be locked. One option for a lock is our Tamper Proof Meter Seal.

1- Is the spit core current transformer as accurate as the solid core CT? 2- Can I assume that the split core CT is easier to install and a bit safer to install? 3- Which models record data?

1.) Yes, provided that the split core CT is installed correctly with the mating surfaces completely closed, they are as accurate as our solid core CTs.
2.) The split core CTs are easier to install in retrofit situations, because they prevent you from needing to disconnect any of the wires being read in order to install them.
3.) I'm not entirely sure what you mean by model. The Omnimeter, when combined with one or more current transformer (any of our CTs), record kWh data. If you combine the Omnimeter with the EKM Push gateway then you will log lots more data to the cloud (Watts, Amps, Volts, Power Factor, and more).

Can I put multiple loads of the same phase through the CT for a cumulative measurement? I need to monitor multiple loads but individual totals is irrelevant, need the total of all. I need to monitor 10 different loads.

Yes. As long as each load is on the same phase, you can pass multiple wires through a single CT. In this case the amperage from each of the wires is added together to give one total. You can also use multiple CTs around wires of the same phase and run the CT lead wires to the same ports on the Omnimeter. This will also sum all of the amps from each wire and provide one total value.

We want to find the meter reading in two different places in the building. Can we connect another digital display for each meter? We have 120 meter in the building.

The best way to accomplish this is with the EKM Push system. This system connects the Omnimeters to the internet and sends their meter data to the cloud. Once the data is in the cloud, the data can be displayed on multiple computers or mobile devices from anywhere in the world. 

Up to 50 Omnimeters can connect to a single EKM Push gateway and you can have an unlimited number of Push gateways sending data to the same Push account. The Push service is also free, so the additional cost is low when you consider the benefits that it provides.

I need to monitor the output of a DC power supply, both wattage output and accumulated KWh usage. Can i connect the output of the DC supply through the meter to accomplish this?

Our meters are only designed for AC power. So in order to use our meters your DC power would first need to be converted to AC using an inverter.

Can I use multiple sets of CT's to monitor three different 3 phase breakers?

If you are trying to monitor three different 3-phase electrical systems then you will need to use three meters, each with their own CTs. If instead you are trying to monitor three breakers from the same 3-phase system then it might be possible, depending on your particular setup. I would need more information to say for sure. It is possible to put multiple CTs around different wires of the same phase and run all of the CT leads to the same ports on the Omnimeter. In this case, the meter simply samples the common voltage of the shared phase and adds all of the amperages together, from each CT, to give you one value for all of the CTs. You can also pass multiple wires, from the same phase, through one CT. If you have more questions about this, please send us some more detail about your needs via this Contact Form.

Does this item include 1 or 2 CTs? Or do I buy them separate, and do you sell them?

The Current Transformers are sold separately. This is so that you can choose the correct quantity, amperage rating, and diameter for your particular needs. We also have solid core (closed) and split core (open-able) CT options. Any of the CTs that we sell will work with any of our Omnimeter models. All of our products, including CTs, are available to purchase in our online store.

The Omnimeter I v.3 apparently displays 15 different data values. I only want the total KWH. Is it possible to set the meter so that this is all that it displays or do I have to wait 75 secs until it comes round again?

This meter does not have the ability to set the LCD display values. However, the Omnimeter Pulse v.4 does have this ability. In order to do this the meter needs to be set up to be read with a computer directly with an EKM Blink USB converter and the EKM Dash software. There is a Tutorial about how this is done in our online Knowledge Base.

Can I use this to monitor my total electric usage? My local power company installed a new "smart meter" and my light be has doubled!

Yes, you can install this meter on your incoming electrical lines to meter your entire load. Typically this is best done near your breaker panel and "behind" (downstream) from your utility meter. Often times this meter is installed next to the breaker panel in its own enclosure and the Current Transformers are installed around the main electrical lines where they enter the breaker panel. Voltage reference lines can be tapped of of the same lines, or tapped from the main lugs of the breaker array.

Is there a wire length limitation between CT's and meter?

Our CTs come with 6 foot lead wires.  CTs with extended leads lose ~1% accuracy every 50'.  We cannot certify accuracy when you do this.  It's ideal to locate the meter and CTs at the power system you are monitoring, so it isn't necessary to extend the leads, and then you can go long distance with the RS485 communication wires to EKM Push, USB Converter, iSerial, etc., if applicable.  Of course, if the 1%/50ft difference is not an issue for your situation, then extending the CT wires may work fine for you. If you must do this, I recommend that you solder the ends of the wire leads together so that you get get the best connection possible.

Does the meter scroll through the display readings (i.e. volts, amps, PF, kWh, etc.) in 5-second time intervals?

Yes. Each displays for 5 seconds. This meter has 15 different data values so it takes 75 seconds to complete the full cycle and begin again. Here is a link to download a document that shows what each register on the Meter LCD Display mean.

WIll these meters work on 230vac, 1-phase, 2-wire-230 to ground?

Yes. This meter will work with single phase 230VAC 2 wire systems (230VAC line to neutral). You can see this setup explained in our Support Desk HERE.

Is this one 3 Phase available?

Yes, this meter is capable of metering either single phase or 3 phase electrical systems. If you have a 3 phase, 3 wire system (up to 415 volts) then you will need to pair the meter with 2 appropriately sized Current Transformers. Alternatively, if you have a 3 phase, 4 wire system (up to 480 vlots) then you will need to pair the meter with 3 appropriately sized current transformers.

Does this meter record the use of electricity so I can deduct from the electric bill?

Yes. This is a revenue grade kWh meter that records electricity usage (kWh), very much like your utility meter does. If you're trying to separate out a portion of electricity usage, from the overall usage metered by your utility, this is a great meter to use. It's called submetering and is exactly what this meter was designed for. This could either be separating usage by apartment in an apartment complex, adding a meter to a granny unit, etc.

I have a small apartment that has 8 circuit breakers, will this meter work in this application? Thanks

Yes it will, but how you set it up depends on what you are trying to achieve. One of these meters will work well if your goal is to get a total kWh reading for the apartment, or to just monitor its total usage in general. In other words, the sum of all circuits, not each circuit separately. If you're trying to determine the usage on individual circuits separately then you would need multiple meters.

If you are indeed trying to determine the total kWh usage for the apartment, then you would typically instal this meter and put the Current Transformers on the main lines before the breakers. This is usually where access to the mains is easiest. 

If your apartment has a 120/240v electrical system (two hot lines, one neutral) then two CTs would be needed. If it is just a 120v system (one hot line, one neutral) then only one CT would be needed.

I have a small apartment that has 8 circuit breakers, will this meter work in this application? Thanks

Yes it will, but how you set it up depends on what you are trying to achieve. One of these meters will work well if your goal is to get a total kWh reading for the apartment, or to just monitor its total usage in general. In other words, the sum of all circuits, not each circuit separately. If you're trying to determine the usage on individual circuits separately then you would need multiple meters.

If you are indeed trying to determine the total kWh usage for the apartment, then you would typically instal this meter and put the Current Transformers on the main lines before the breakers. This is usually where access to the mains is easiest. 

If your apartment has a 120/240v electrical system (two hot lines, one neutral) then two CTs would be needed. If it is just a 120v system (one hot line, one neutral) then only one CT would be needed.

Do these meters have a reset button to clear the reading and start from zero again?

Because our meters are made to be revenue grade they cannot be reset. This prevents someone who is being billed with our meters from resetting the data and so not being charged for their full usage. The meters just work like a classic meter - the reading is cumulative.

I have two loads that I would like to meter as one combined usage. Can I wire two sets of CTs to a single meter and the reading be of the two loads combined?

Yes, you can do this.

Here is an article that describes how you can pass multiple wires from the same phase through a current transformer:
https://help.ekmmetering.com/support/solutions/articles/6000131301-can-i-pass-multiple-wires-through-a-current-transformer-

Here is an article that describes how you can use multiple current transformers on the same phase:
https://help.ekmmetering.com/support/solutions/articles/6000131304-can-i-use-multiple-current-transformers-on-the-same-phase-

What are the physical dimension of the Omnimeter I v.3?

Dimensions are:
100mm tall
78mm wide
66.5mm deep
Spec sheet

Can I place 2 CT's on the load end of 2 separate breakers (1 CT on each breakers ) and feed them to 1 meter ?

Yes, provided that the CTs are on the same phase.  This article will do the best job of explaining how to use multiple CTs on the same phase.

I just want to be able to find out how many killowatts were used over a period of time. Thanks

This can be done by simply readying the LCD screen of the meter multiple times and then subtracting one value from another to determine the difference. Register 01 on the LCD screen is Total kWh so that is often the register that you would use. If you're using the EKM Push data system to read your meter remotely, our software options, like encompass.io, will automatically provide these values for you for any time period that you choose.

I have the meter without the web communication software. It shows 15 different settings. I need an explanation of what the numbered lines mean that I can print out. Thanks

You can find out what each of the LCD screen registers means on the last page of the meter's spec sheet.

how to change an omnimeter from 200 amps to 800 amps?

This support article walks you through how to change the CT ratio.

what kind of Open Current Transformer can I use with with an EKM Metering Omnimeter I v.3

We have a variety of open-able (split core) Current Transformers available on our website. These CTs are 0.1% accurate and have a 26.6mA output.  If you are looking for a 3rd party CT, you could use any CT with these specs.  Our Omnimeter can be set to a range of CT ratios, so you will want to find a CT that has a ratio that the Omnimeter can be set to. (200 amp, 400 amp, 600 amp, etc)

is there a PDF on how to read this meter once installed ? we are using it for a mall location and metering electrical use for a tenant. any help would be appreciated the Serial number of the one we have is 000000029324

Thanks for the inquiry. This page shows all the data displayed by the meter.  

For more help, please contact us and send us your question along with more details about what products you are using.

Can I collect data on 1 push pro from 3 different Blinks?

Thanks for your inquiry. Are you asking if you can read 3 differnet electric meters with one EKM Push Pro? If so, the answer is yes - you can wire up to 50 Omnimeters to one Push Pro.  More about our metering options here.

Will the Iv.3 work on 480v single phase, 2 hots no neutral ?

Thanks for the inquiry. If you do not have a neutral then this will not work (unless your voltage did not exceed 415 volts). Note that we are working on a higher voltage meter and expect to have it in 2019. Reach out to us here and we can help you out further.

does it come with the CTS

Thanks for your inquiry. The EKM-Omnimeter I v.3 has many CT options, and these are all sold separately. This page explains your options.

What terminals do I come off of to go to a digital counter?

The Omnimeter I v.3 has a pulse output from terminals 15 (negative) and 14 (positive).   This meter pulses at a rate of 800 pulses per kWh when the meter is set to be used with 200 amp CTs.  Polarity sensitive. Maximum 27VDC, 27mA.  Please find more information about this meter by looking at the spec sheet.

We generally prefer to connect to the Omnimeter over RS485 to an EKM Push or a USB Converter to a computer.  RS485 offers many advantages over pulse output and pulse counting.  It is like the difference between morse code and an internet connection, the later is much quicker, more accurate, and can transfer much more data.

How readily available are these meters and CTs? ETA please

Unless the product is listed as SOLD OUT then it is available to be shipped during business hours, Monday through Friday.

if i lose power to my building, does the counter reset for used kwh or is it saved