Remote electricity metering: Overview of JOOBY ELECTRA MTX smart electricity meters

Wireless energy monitoring capabilities

Modern technology significantly simplifies energy consumption tracking, allowing organizations to automate a number of processes and gain additional capabilities. Using smart devices, providers, utility companies, and condominium managers can solve several tasks at once:

• receive metering data in real-time
• minimize the number of errors in data accounting
• free users from the need to submit monthly readings and reduce the workload of controllers
• get comprehensive data for analytics
• promptly identify and respond to emergencies
• reduce energy metering costs

Energy efficiency solutions

Metering electricity infrastructure consists of the following components:

• smart meters
• data transmission network
• data processing software
• data storage hardware

Smart meters automatically record readings at a preset frequency and transmit them via a radio channel to base stations. Each base station receives signals from dozens of meters, converts them into data, before sending it to a server. Electricity suppliers access the data using utility management software.  These energy optimization solutions mean that providers don’t waste time searching for specific components and having to configure them – the entire system will be ready to run out-of-the-box and is simply deployed to a project.

Benefits of remote data transmission

Smart grid technology will not only make electricity metering more advanced and convenient, but will also allow providers to:

1. Reduce operating costs. Specialists from both supply and management companies will no longer need to visit customers regularly to record meter readings. This reduces transportation and labor costs and improves overall efficiency.
2. Increase data accuracy and reliability. Smart electricity meters automatically transmit accurate data according to a set schedule. As a result, the amount of human errors, inaccuracies, and delays in taking readings are minimized. This is especially important for condominiums and utility management companies that want to increase their collection rate from residents.
3. Receive data promptly. Distance metering enables real-time utility tracking. Electricity providers promptly receive information about changes in network load, emergencies, accidents or unauthorized actions of customers and can immediately respond to them. 

Enhance analytics and forecasting capabilities. Automatic energy monitoring gives providers comprehensive data that can be used to analyze and forecast energy consumption, helping utility companies plan more efficiently and develop more favorable tariffs. It also helps management companies optimize energy use in apartment and office buildings.

4. Increase consumer convenience. Users don’t have to submit meter readings, simplifying the process and minimizing inconvenience. This is another important issue for utility management companies and with smart electricity metering they will be able to improve the quality of service for their customers.

How JOOBY ELECTRA MTX meters work

JOOBY ELECTRA MTX meters are installed in dry locations. You can set a convenient data transmission interval during installation, while installation itself only takes around 10 minutes.

The meter is equipped with an integrated LoRaWAN module, activated after the meter is connected to the network. If the meter is not automatically logged in the system it can be registered in the base station using the mobile application.

The meter records electricity consumption and the built-in radio module transmits the readings via a LoRaWAN wireless network according to the set schedule: the data is first sent to the base stations and then to the resource provider’s server. The data is converted into a convenient format on the server and made available in the software.

Benefits of Jooby smart meters

• Power management systems: the provider can remotely disconnect non-paying customers from the grid/restore their electricity supply, as well as remotely change meter settings, such as the data transmission frequency.
• Daily and monthly archive: meters store data in internal memory, ensuring that readings can be saved during blackouts and emergencies. As soon as is technically possible, the meter’s radio module will transmit the data to the server.
• Protection against unauthorized actions: the casing of a Jooby MTX meter is protected by tamper sensors and plastic seals. If the meter is exposed to a magnet, it sends a signal to the provider. The optical port is protected by a special sealed button, while the software has a three-level password.
• Support for metering according to the time of day, season, and tariff: the meter functionality means that it can be configured for electricity metering with tariff differentiation.
• Customizable data transmission frequency: from once a minute to every 30 minutes.

Remote electricity metering using smart meters allows providers, condominiums, and utility companies to enhance the efficiency of data collection, get comprehensive analytical data, improve user convenience, and reduce operating costs. Due to built-in radio modules, JOOBY ELECTRA MTX smart meters provide access to energy management technology: providers can remotely control meter functionality and even cut off electricity to subscribers if required. The implementation of these technologies helps to improve service quality, optimize energy consumption, and enhance analytical capabilities.