PME modem connection basics | Schneider Electric USA

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PME modem connection basics

Issue:
A meter with Modem needs to be added to ION Enterprise or Power Monitoring Expert

Product Line:
ION Enterprise 6.x
StruxureWare Power Monitoring 7.x
Power Monitoring Expert 7.x
Power Monitoring Expert 8.x
Power Monitoring Expert 9.x
Power Monitoring Expert 2020
Power Monitoring Expert 2021
Power Monitoring Expert 2022
Power Monitoring Expert 2023

Environment:
PME Management Console

Resolution:
The implementation requires several steps:

In the application server:
1. Define a dial-out modem.
  1. This modem can be internal or external and its purpose is to allow communications between the application server and the remote meter(s) at a modem site using the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)
  2. Open Management console.
  3. Select Dial out modems
  4. Right-click on the right pane > New > The Dial out modem options window opens
  5. Modem type: Select the proper modem type from the list (The customer should know which modem brand and model has been installed on the server either as an external or internal modem, the list includes all supported modem types)
  6. Computer: This is the computer name of the application server machine where the dial-out modem is connected.
  7. Serial port: This is the computer serial port where the modem is connected (It can be a physical port. I.e. a DB-9 or D-25 external connector COM1, COM2 located at the back of the computer, a COM expander board for additional COM ports (8 or 16), or an internal modem board.
  8. It is possible to find the corresponding COM port using: The control panel > Phone and modem options or System> Hardware > Device manager > Modem > Properties
  9. RTS/ CTS: Defines if you are going to use hardware handshake (YES or NO) DTR: Defines if you are going to use Data terminal ready signaling (YES or NO)
  10. Enabled: Enable this dial-out modem (YES)
  11. Constraints: Informative only
  12. Description: Informative only
  13. Note: The telephone number to dial is not defined in this step.

Add a modem site to the PME network:
1. Open Management console.
2. Select Sites
3. Right-click on the right pane > New > Select: Modem site > Modem site options window opens
4. Name: Name of the site
5. Phone number: The telephone number of the remote modem site (Include any additional number for getting an external line, making a long distance call, dialing an extension number, and pauses as necessary) I.e. 9,,,1613,,2479514,,3333
  1. 9 is used for accessing an external (public) telephone line
  2. 1 is used for making a long-distance call
  3. 613 is the area code
  4. 2479514 is the telephone number associated with the remote modem site
  5. 3333 is the extension number at that location
  6. The comma (,) dial modifier causes the modem to pause while dialing. The modem will pause the number of seconds specified in S-Register S8 and then continue dialing. If a pause time is longer than the value in S-Register S8, it can be increased by either inserting more than one (,) in the dial command line or changing the value of S-Register S8
6. Enabled: Enable this modem site (YES)
7. Computer: Is the computer name of the PME server machine
8. Baud rate: Sets the speed of the digital communication in bauds per second. (Normally set to 9600 in most cases, but it can be set to auto)
9. Description: Informative only
10. Time sync ION enabled: Allows sending timing synchronization signals to the devices
11. Time sync 3720 enabled: Idem for that meter type
12. Time sync 3XXX enabled: Idem for that meter type
13. Note: Additional communications parameters can be set using the Advance Properties menu
  1. Right-click> Advanced properties

Add meters to the modem site
1. Open Management console.
2. Select Devices
3. Right-click on the right pane > New Serial Device> Serial devices options window opens
4. Group: The group name for this remote meter
5. Name: Identifies the meter
6. Device type: Type ION meter. (Select from list)
7. Unit ID: Identify the meter when it is connected on a RS485 loop (modem gate)
  1. This number should be unique in the loop Site:
8. Remote modem site (defined previously)
9. Enabled: Enable this meter (YES)
10. Description: Informative only
11. Note: Additional communications parameters can be set using the Advance Properties menu
12. Right-click> Advanced properties

In the ION meters:
1. Once the ION meter is installed and the modem is connected it is necessary to configure the internal modem and serial port(s) using the front panel.
  1. In an ION 7650 equipped with an internal modem, Modem= COM3 and Serial ports =COM1, COM2. It is very important not to confuse the COM port designations mentioned here with the COM port mentioned during the dial-out modem installation ( these are the meter’s communication ports and the other was the computer communication port)
2. It is also important to verify that the baud rate and unit ID should exactly match the ones defined in the Modem site and Serial device definitions.
  1. In our example Baud rate= 9600, Unit ID =9158 For a Modem gate connection the protocol on the meter port that acts as a gateway should be set as MODEM gate (I.e. COM2 in our example)
3. When there are multiple devices in a RS485 loop all devices should have the same baud rate and different Unit IDs. (Matching the ones defined in the Management console)
  1. Note that using the meter front panel and selecting COM3 setup we can set the number of rings before the modem answers (COM3 MODEM)

Connect the modem site

The final step is to connect the modem site
There are 2 alternatives:

Perform a manual connection
1. Select the modem site > Right click > Connect > A connect confirm window opens
2. We can define if the connection will be permanent (Stay connected) or if it will be connected only for a limited time period (connect for hours, minutes)
3. Click the connect button and the modem will dial and connect to the modem site and meters. The modem site status will change to “Connected” and the device status will change to “Port available”.
Perform a scheduled connection
1. In this case, the modem will automatically connect the modem site(s) at the specified date and time and for the specified duration.
2. Select Connection schedule
3. Right-click on the right pane> New > A Scheduled site connection window opens
4. General settings tab
  1. Name: define connection schedule name
  2. Description: informative only
  3. Enabled: Select it
  4. Schedule valid on or after this date: Select a proper date
5. Sites tab
  1. Press the Change selection button and select the proper modem sites
  2. Site connection settings: define how long it will be connected (min, max time)
  3. Select (check) if you want to automatically disconnect the site as soon all data is retrieved (recommendable), and if you want this schedule to loop after is finished starting with the first site.
  4. Schedule tab
  5. Date: Select daily or monthly connection
  6. Select the start and end time
  7. Press the OK button
The connection schedule is complete and it will run automatically on the specified dates and times