Q: How do meter configurations relate to unique IDs in the Data Exchange Specification?
A: The following diagrams illustrate some typical meter installations. In each example, some combination of unique IDs is used to distinguish: places where a facility delivers utility services, the metering technology measuring consumption, and which vendor or department is responsible for that service. The term “unique ID” or “unique identifier” refers to a distinct combination of numbers and characters that can be used to differentiate one thing (account, location, meter, service point) from another thing (account, location, meter, service point) in a facility’s CIS.
Note: Manually read meters without endpoints do not require endpoint serial numbers in their data exchange file entries.
Location A is a typical single-occupant business or facility. Its data exchange file entry requires a unique Location ID, a unique Account ID, a Service Point ID and a unique Meter ID along with the serial number of its endpoint.
Location B is an example of a business or facility where a compound meter has been installed. The high side and low side of the meter are connected to separate endpoints associated with a single Service Point ID, a unique Account ID and a unique Location ID. In this configuration, each side of the compound meter shares the same Meter ID. The Register Number field identifies whether it is the high side or low side of the compound meter.
Location C shows another possible configuration. It includes three separate Service Points, each with its own set of metering technology (a meter, an encoder register and an endpoint), and only two accounts. This configuration uses one Location ID, two Account IDs, three Service Point IDs and three Meter IDs along with the serial numbers of each endpoint.
TIP: Instead of using the Meter_SN field to record serial numbers, use it to identify where services are used.
This example is identical to Location C, but separate Location IDs (C1, C2, C3) have been assigned to each service point.
Location D could be a hotel complex, office building, university campus building or similar place where utility services are delivered to multiple Service Points, each with its own account and set of metering technology. The configuration uses one Location ID and multiple Service Point IDs, each associated with its own Account ID and Meter ID.
TIP: Instead of using the Meter_SN field to record serial numbers, use it to identify where services are used.
See Data Exchange for more on how Accounts, Locations, Meters and Service Points relate to your business processes.
