Electric meter installation issue detection based on orientation change

#Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

#An electric meter measures electrical power consumed by a customer of an electric utility provider. The electric meter is plugged into a meter socket that is mounted in an enclosure on a pole, a building, or other structure. The electrical connection between the electric meter and the socket is formed with a series of male connectors, sometimes referred to as “blades,” which are received by a corresponding series of female connectors, also referred to as jaws. When an electric meter is installed at a customer premises, the electric meter is oriented such that a front face of the electric meter is parallel to the vertical mounting surface (e.g., the meter is plumb).

#One issue that utilities face is unreported damage to their assets, of which one such asset is the electric meter. A further challenge for utilities is that many meter installations (meter bases and load side wiring) are the property of the energy consumer (e.g., home owner or landlord). Damage to meter installations can occur suddenly in the case of storm or vehicle damage or slowly in the case of earth settling or heaving over many years and may not be noticed or reported by the energy consumer. Improper orientation can be an indication of damage to the electric meter or the electric meter installation.

#Aspects and features of the various embodiments will be more apparent by describing examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating electrical connections to an electric meter and meter socket some aspects of the present disclosure;

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example implementation of an electric meter;

#While certain embodiments are described, these embodiments are presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection. The apparatuses, methods, and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the example methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the scope of protection.

#Embodiments according to the present disclosure can detect possible changes to orientations of electric meter installations. Changes such as tilting of an electric meter from an initial orientation when the electric meter was installed can create safety or power quality issues. For example, changes to the orientation of the electric meter installation could create strain on electrical conductors or connectors, or even expose the electrical conductors resulting in shock or fire hazards. Detection of changes in the orientation of the electric meter installation can prevent loss of life as well as damage to structures and electrical equipment.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating electrical connections to an electric meter and meter socket. The meter and meter socket are located at the customer premises. The meter measures and controls the electricity delivered to the customer premises via the electric distribution system (i.e., the grid). The meter may be combined with a communications module to enable the meter to communicate with other meters and with the utility. As illustrated in FIG. 1, power from the grid 110 (i.e., the electric distribution system) is supplied to the meter socket 120 via electrical wiring L1 and L2. Electrical wiring L1 and L2 may provide power from two phases of the grid. The neutral wire N, sometimes referred to as ground, is connected between the grid 110 and the electrical service 140, for example, at an electrical service panel at a residential or commercial customer premises. In some installations, the neutral wire N may not have a connection within the meter socket. In other installations, the neutral wire N may be connected within the meter socket.