Utility meter arc detection system

#The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to meter technology. More particularly, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to tools for detecting arcing faults inside a utility meter.

#Some utility companies, for example, certain electrical companies, employ utility meters (e.g., an electrical meter, a smart meter or any other form of meter configured to monitor utility service consumption at a location) to regulate and or record the amount of service (e.g. electricity) being consumed by a given location or consumer. These utility meters include a meter base which monitors service consumption at a given location via a connection with a set of terminal blades at a meter socket. In some meter systems (e.g., retrofitted meter systems, systems with degraded meter sockets, etc.), a poor connection may develop between the meter socket and the terminal blades. This poor connection may lead to arcing between components of the utility meter (e.g., the terminal blades and meter socket). This arcing may damage the utility meter, damage the meter socket, subject the utility meter to installed stress and/or loads, or cause a fire in the utility meter or at the location.

#Systems for detecting arcing faults inside a utility meter are disclosed. In one embodiment, an arc detection system for a utility meter is disclosed including: a photoreceptor sensor configured for placement within a utility meter housing; and a computing device communicatively connected to the photoreceptor sensor, the computing device adapted to monitor arcing events within the utility meter housing by performing actions comprising: obtaining illumination data about an area within the utility meter housing from the photoreceptor sensor; and analyzing the illumination data to determine whether an arcing event has occurred within the utility meter.

#These and other features of this invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various embodiments of the invention, in which:

#FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional blow-out schematic illustration of portions of a utility meter in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

#FIG. 2 shows a partial cut-away schematic view of a utility meter in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

#It is noted that the drawings of the disclosure are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the disclosure, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the disclosure. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings.

#As indicated herein, aspects of the invention provide for systems configured to monitor arcing faults in a utility meter. These systems employ at least one photoreceptor sensor connected to a utility meter base and positioned to detect light and/or variances in light intensity associated with arcing in the utility meter housing.

#Some utility meters use a meter base connected to a meter socket via a set of terminal blades to monitor and regulate service consumption at the meter socket location. However, in some of these utility meters, a degraded and/or poor connection may develop between the meter socket and the set of terminal blades as a result of a degraded meter socket, a poor fitting retrofit of a new meter base on an existing meter socket, etc. A poor connection between the meter socket and the set of terminal blades may result in arcing faults occurring within the utility meter. This arcing may damage components of the utility meter, damage the meter socket or cause a fire at the utility meter location.