Pulse Output for water meter

kevini · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2012 1:22 pm **Posts:** 5

Thanks, where did you find the cables? Also on ebay?

vitaliy_kh · **Joined:** Tue Sep 28, 2010 9:46 am **Posts:** 41

Hi,

Yes, on ebay and from the same seller but I forgot who he was.

- Vitaliy

ben · **Joined:** Fri Jun 04, 2010 10:39 am **Posts:** 848

Thanks for the pictures/information guys.

Going to sticky this to make it more visible.

Ben

Teken · **Joined:** Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:09 pm **Posts:** 254

vitaliy_kh wrote:

Hi,

Photos of Water and Gas Sensors are attached.
Both sensors are “diffused photo reflective sensors”.
Water Sensor has fiber optic cables. This way light spot
is very small and detecting fast spinning triangle is not
a big deal. But sensor location is very critical. My sensor
is mounted on a piece of clear plastic. Entire assembly
attached to the meter with “glue stick”. “Glue stick” is
strong enough to hold sensor in place but from the other
side it was easy to move sensor around and find a very
nice detection spot.

Well, as far as meters with pulse output, I am sorry but
I cannot recommend anything. I did my research
couple years ago but did not find anything reasonably
priced with relatively high resolution. High resolution
meter are very expensive (over $500). Meters around
$100 also are not cheap but resolution was very low.
I am very happy with my optical sensors.

- Vitaliy

Just to clarify here: In the picture of the water meter, the optical sensor is the one in the center correct?

The other black device which I see at the bottom is not part of this system right? Could you provide a few pictures of this sensor wired into your ECM for me. I am trying to understand if there are other parts involved here.

Teken . . .

vitaliy_kh · **Joined:** Tue Sep 28, 2010 9:46 am **Posts:** 41

Hi,

Here is a link to the sensor spec:
http://www.emxinc.com/pdf/photoelectric ... FP989S.pdf

I am using an optical cable with the reflective head (Example 2 at the bottom of the spec).
Yes, my sensor is right in middle. It mounted on a clear piece of plastic. This way I see the
laser beam and aim sensor to the tip of spinning triangle. Entire assembly simply glued to
the water meter with glue stick. It holds sensor very well but at the same time it is enough
flexible to move sensor around.
Big black device at a bottom is a native sensor. This one is used by utility company and
I don’t have any rights to intercept its signals.

- Vitaliy

Teken · **Joined:** Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:09 pm **Posts:** 254

vitaliy_kh wrote:

Hi,

Here is a link to the sensor spec:
http://www.emxinc.com/pdf/photoelectric ... FP989S.pdf

I am using an optical cable with the reflective head (Example 2 at the bottom of the spec).
Yes, my sensor is right in middle. It mounted on a clear piece of plastic. This way I see the
laser beam and aim sensor to the tip of spinning triangle. Entire assembly simply glued to
the water meter with glue stick. It holds sensor very well but at the same time it is enough
flexible to move sensor around.
Big black device at a bottom is a native sensor. This one is used by utility company and
I don’t have any rights to intercept its signals.

- Vitaliy

Thank you so much for the clarification on that point. The tech sheet clears it much better for me.

Teken . . .

Teken · **Joined:** Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:09 pm **Posts:** 254

vitaliy_kh wrote:

Hi,

Here is a link to the sensor spec:
http://www.emxinc.com/pdf/photoelectric ... FP989S.pdf

I am using an optical cable with the reflective head (Example 2 at the bottom of the spec).
Yes, my sensor is right in middle. It mounted on a clear piece of plastic. This way I see the
laser beam and aim sensor to the tip of spinning triangle. Entire assembly simply glued to
the water meter with glue stick. It holds sensor very well but at the same time it is enough
flexible to move sensor around.
Big black device at a bottom is a native sensor. This one is used by utility company and
I don’t have any rights to intercept its signals.

- Vitaliy

Vitaliy,

I have found a similar sensor but the seller indicates its a PNP and not a NPN model. Can this still be used for the GEM to capture the water as you have?

Teken . . .

vitaliy_kh · **Joined:** Tue Sep 28, 2010 9:46 am **Posts:** 41

Hi,

It may work if ECM-1240 (or GEM?) likes “active pull-up” (PNP output case) vs. “active
pull-down (NPN output case). I have no idea what is used as a Pulse Counter Input.
Ben or Paul should answer this question (if it is not already addressed in a manual).
Also you can always use opto-coupler.

- Vitaliy

ben · **Joined:** Fri Jun 04, 2010 10:39 am **Posts:** 848

vitaliy_kh wrote:

Hi,

It may work if ECM-1240 (or GEM?) likes “active pull-up” (PNP output case) vs. “active
pull-down (NPN output case). I have no idea what is used as a Pulse Counter Input.
Ben or Paul should answer this question (if it is not already addressed in a manual).
Also you can always use opto-coupler.

- Vitaliy

Paul is going to look at the spec sheet to see.

All 4 counters on the GEM have opto-coupler input, 2 are completely isolated.

Ben

Teken · **Joined:** Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:09 pm **Posts:** 254

ben wrote:

vitaliy_kh wrote:

Hi,

It may work if ECM-1240 (or GEM?) likes “active pull-up” (PNP output case) vs. “active
pull-down (NPN output case). I have no idea what is used as a Pulse Counter Input.
Ben or Paul should answer this question (if it is not already addressed in a manual).
Also you can always use opto-coupler.

- Vitaliy

Paul is going to look at the spec sheet to see.

All 4 counters on the GEM have opto-coupler input, 2 are completely isolated.

Ben

Ben,

Much thanks and please do extend the same to Paul.

Teken . . .

Pulse Output for water meter

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