ALPHA Plus® Meter

ALPHA Plus Means Powerful Metering System Service Tests

Elster Electricity’s ALPHA Plus meter is a powerful meter that System service tests are performed to check the validity of the
builds on the patented ALPHA® metering technology. The electrical service as wired to the meter. The ALPHA Plus meter
ALPHA Plus meter can be a single phase, 240 volt, one–rate verifies the service type, phase rotation, and validity of phase
demand meter or a polyphase, wide voltage supply, multi–rate, voltages. The ALPHA Plus meter also determines if phase
real/reactive meter that validates meter service connections currents are within a user–defined threshold.
automatically, performs power quality monitoring, and
provides load profile reading with remote communications. Instrumentation
Instrumentation values provide near instantaneous analysis of
Load Profile and Event Logs the electrical service. All quantities can be programmed to
The main circuit board has 28 KB of memory available to display on the LCD in the normal or alternate display
record load profile and data logs. The following table shows sequence:
an example of the quantity of load profile data the meter can • per phase voltage and per phase current
store with a 15–minute demand interval.
• per phase voltage and per phase current phase angles
Number of channels Maximum days stored (as measured to phase A voltage)
1 channel 141 days* • per phase current phase angle as measured to
4 channels 36 days* same–phase
*Number of days may be fewer depending on the number voltage
of event log entries.
• per phase power factor and power factor angle
The integrity of load profile data does not depend on the • per phase kW, kVAR, and kVA
meter battery because load profile memory is stored in • per phase total harmonic distortion for both voltage and
nonvolatile EEPROM. When enabled with the load profile current
capability, the ALPHA Plus meter records date and time stamps
for the following events: • system frequency
• power failure • system kW, kVAR, kVA, power factor, and power factor
angle
• test mode
• time change Revenue Metering
• demand reset A1K+ and A1R+ meters measure, store, and display a full set of
energy and demand values for both real/apparent and
With power quality monitoring enabled, the meter also
real/reactive quantities, respectively. These meters provide two
includes date and time stamps of PQM events, including
complete blocks of time-of-use data. Each TOU rate is
voltage sags.
supported by separate fractional energy registers.
Power Quality Monitoring The A1R+ meter offers vectorial kVA values as a metered
When this feature is enabled, the ALPHA Plus meter searches quantity choice. Average PF can be displayed when kW and
for exceptions to user-defined thresholds for items such as kVA are selected as metered quantities.
voltage, current, power factor, and total harmonic distortion.
The meter performs various tests that measure and collect
power quality data 24 hours a day.
Communications Specifications and Technical Data
Data can always be retrieved using the standard optical port.
By adding an option board, additional communications Absolute Maximums
interfaces are available for the ALPHA Plus meter, including Voltage Continuous at maximum of operating range
ANSI C37.90.1 2.5 kV, 2500 strikes
the following: oscillatory
• 2400 bps internal telephone modem with outage callback ANSI C37.90.1 fast 5 kV, 2500 strikes
transient
• RS-232 serial interface Surge voltage withstand ANSI C62.41 6 kV at 1.2/50 µs, 10
strikes
• RS-485 serial interface IEC 61000-4-4 4 kV, 2.5 kHz repetitive
burst for 1 minute
• 20 mA current loop ANSI C12.1 insulation 2.5 kV, 60 Hz for 1 minute
• external serial interface Continuous at Class amperes
Current
Temporary (1 second) at 200 % of meter max. current
Operating Ranges
Nameplate nominal range Operating range
120 V to 480 V 96 V to 528 V
Voltage
63 V to 240 V* 54 V to 264 V*
S–base Dimensions Dedicated 240 V 192 V to 264 V
Current 0 to Class amperes
6.95 1.35 Frequency Nominal 50 Hz or 60 Hz ±5 %
[177] [34]
Temperature range -40 °C to +85 °C inside meter cover
Humidity range 0 % to 100 % noncondensing
Operating Characteristics
6.4 Power supply burden Less than 3 W
[162] (Phase A)
Per phase current burden 0.1 milliohms typical at 25 °C
120 V 0.008 W
0.75 Per phase voltage burden 240 V 0.03 W
5.5 [19]
[139] 480 V 0.04 W
Power supply ANSI C12.20 accuracy
A–base Dimensions 120 V to 480 V Meets accuracy Class 0.2 %
6.95 Accuracy 120 V to 240 V
[177] 7.6 Dedicated 240 V
[193] 63 V to 240 V* Meets accuracy Class 0.5 %
General Performance Characteristics
10.3 Starting current Form 1S & Form 3S 10 mA for Class 20
[262]
64 100 mA for Class 200
[162] 160 mA for Class 320
9.4 All other forms 5 mA for Class 20
[238]
50 mA for Class 200
80 mA for Class 320
2.56 Startup delay Less than 3 seconds from power application to pulse
LINE LOAD
[65] accumulation
2.5 Creep 0.000A No more than one pulse measured per quantity,
[62] (no current) conforming to ANSI C12.1 requirements
Primary time base Power line frequency (50 Hz or 60Hz), with selectable
Dimensions in inches [millimeters]. For reference only. Do crystal oscillator
not use in construction. Secondary time base Meets the ANSI limit of 0.02 % using the 32.768 kHz
crystal. Initial performance is expected to be equal to
or better than ±55 seconds per month at room
temperature
Outage carryover capacity 6 hours at 25 °C. Supercapacitor rated at 0.1 Farads,
5.5 V
Battery (optional) LiSOCl2 battery rated 1000 mAhr, 3.6 V and shelf life
of 20+ years. 5 years continuous duty at 25 °C
Optical port 9600 bps (nominal)
Communications rate
Remote port 1200 to 19,200 bps
Shipping Weights All values are approximate
Single 5.5 lbs [2.49 kg]
S-base
4-pack 15.5 lbs [7.03 kg]
Single 7.5 lbs [3.4 kg]
A-base
4-pack 26 lbs [11.8 kg]
*Not available on meters with the CPS power supply.

Elster
Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
+1 800 338 5251 (US Toll Free)
+1 905 634 4895 (Canada) © 2005 by Elster. All rights reserved. Information herein is subject to change without
support@us.elster.com notice. Product specifications cited are those in effect at the time of publication.
www.elster.com Printed in the United States. Rev. A. July 2007.