This post illustrates how to enable the automated transmission of meter readings from your Accuenergy AcuVIM II meters to the Wattics Energy Analytics Dashboard in eight easy steps.
Accuenergy AcuVIM II meters allow for automated data transmission via HTTP Post, meaning that once the meter is given internet access it can be configured to send data to Wattics without the need of additional hardware requirements such as a gateway device. The set up to configure the meter to automatically push data to Wattics is extremely easy and can be carried out in a few minutes following this step-by-step guide.
STEP 1: Request a Meter ID from Wattics
Each meter you wish to connect to Wattics requires a Meter ID as unique identifier. Unless your meter has been pre-configured already with a unique Meter ID, you must request a new Meter ID from Wattics via the Wattics Meter ID Request Form. One of our agents will be in touch shortly with your new Meter ID needed to configure your meter.
STEP 2: Install your meter
If not done yet, install your meter using the AcuVIM II user manual.
STEP 3: Provide network access to your meter
Connect your AcuVIM II meter to your Ethernet LAN with a cat5 cable.
NOTE: The meter can either use DHCP to enable Internet access automatically, or be assigned with a static IP address. Find below step-by-step instructions for either setting:
– Press H and V/A buttons simultaneously to activate the display mode selection and the cursor will flash.
– Press P or E to move the cursor right or left. You need to move the cursor to ‘Setting’ then press V/A.
– Press P to move the cursor downwards, and press V/A to select NET.
– Press P until you reach the IP settings page where you can change the DHCP settings, IP address, Subnet and Gateway IP address.
If you reboot the meter it should acquire the correct IP address and show on your router’s table.
If your meter does not have an Ethernet port you need to order the AXM-NET-P Ethernet plug-in module from Accuenergy.
STEP 4: Retrieve your meter IP address
The meter IP address can be retrieved via the meter display menu:
- Press H and V/A buttons simultaneously to activate the display mode selection and the cursor will flash.
- Press P or E to move the cursor right or left. You need to move the cursor to ‘Setting’ then press V/A.
- Press P to move the cursor downwards, and press V/A to select NET.
- Press P until you reach the IP Address page and note the IP address of your meter (e.g. 192.168.1.254).
Write the meter IP address down for the next step.
STEP 5: Open the meter’s web server page
Access a PC or laptop connected to the same LAN as the meter, open an Internet browser window, type in the meter IP address in the URL bar and hit the Enter key. The meter’s web server page will be displayed.
Alternatively you can unplug your meter from the LAN and connect it to your laptop with a cat5 cable for configuration. The meter will need to be reconnected to the LAN after configuration.
AXM-NET-P module
Click on the ‘Settings’ menu tab and submit the password (default password is ‘12345678’).
AXM-WEB-PUSH module
Note: some browsers will throw automatic security warning when trying to reach the web interface, please accept the security exceptions to proceed to the login page.
Login to the web page as ‘Admin’. The default password is ‘admin’.
STEP 6: Configure the network parameters
AXM-NET-P module
After the password has been entered, a ‘Network Parameter Configuration’ page is displayed.
- Select Manual or Auto Setting to enable Internet access on your meter. You will need to get network parameters from your IT department if IP Address, Subnet Mask and Gateway IP address must be registered with your IT department for Internet access. You can select Auto Setting if DHCP is enabled and no firewalls are in place.
- Enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 for the primary and secondary DNS servers.
- Enter ‘502’ for the MODBUS Port.
- Enter ‘80’ for the HTTP Port.
- Enable SNTP, and click on the link below to find the correct SNTP server for your country. On the link you will need to select your area and copy your country’s server URL. That URL must be copied in the SNTP Server field.
- Select the correct timezone for the geographical location where the meter is installed.
- Submit.
https://support.ntp.org/bin/view/Servers/NTPPoolServers
For example, for Italy, you will click on Europe, copy it.pool.ntp.org, and paste it in the SNTP Server field.
AXM-WEB-PUSH module
Upon successfully logging in you will be redirected to the Dashboard where a brief report of data from the meter will display. The Dashboard will also display at the bottom how long the AXM-WEB has been up and communicating.
To configure settings related to the network select the ‘Communication’ option from the ‘Settings’ tab.
You can change the configuration of your network parameters there:
- DHCP: Select ‘Manual’ to manually configure the IP address to access the meter. If set to ‘Manual’, you’ll also need to set the Subnet Mask and Gateway. Select ‘Auto’ to have the meter assigned an IP address automatically. With this selection the Subnet Mask, Gateway and DNS servers will also be automatically assigned. Note: After changing DHCP to Auto, check the display of the meter to obtain the new IP address that was assigned.
- IP Address: If the DHCP is configured to Manual, the IP address can be configured from this page.
- Subnet Mask: If the DHCP is configured to Manual, the Subnet Mask can be configured from this page.
- Gateway: If the DHCP is configured to Manual, the Gateway can be configured from this web page.
- DHCP DNS Server 1: Enter the address of the DNS 1 server in this page (e.g. 8.8.8.8).
- DHCP DNS Server 2: Enter the address of the DNS 2 server in this page (e.g. 8.8.4.4).
- HTTPS Port: Enter the HTTPS port number of the meter. By default, this setting is configured to 443. The range can be from 6000 to 9999.
- Modbus TCP Port: Enter the Modbus port number of the meter. By default, this setting is configured to 502. The range can be from 2000 to 5999.
Click ‘Save’ after changing any settings. The AXM-WEB will also need to be rebooted from the ‘Management’ page.
The SNTP function can be configured to allow the meter to synchronize its time with an Internet time server at intervals of time. Click on the ‘Settings’ tab and select ‘Communications’, then select ‘SNTP’.
The following settings need to be configured:
- SNTP Enabled: Select ‘Yes’ to enable the function and to further configure the settings related to the SNTP function.
- SNTP Interval: Enter a number from 1 min to 6000 min to configure how often the meter will synchronize it’s time with the time server.
- SNTP Server 1;2;3: Enter up to 3 SNTP servers in “SNTP Server 1”, “SNTP Server 2” and “SNTP Server 3”. Click on the link below to find the correct SNTP server for your country. On the link you will need to select your area and copy your country’s server URL. That URL must be copied in the SNTP Server field.
- Time Zone: Select the time zone the meter is in or the time zone in which you would like the meter’s time to be synchronized to from the drop down list.
https://support.ntp.org/bin/view/Servers/NTPPoolServers
For example, for Italy, you will click on Europe, copy it.pool.ntp.org, and paste it in the SNTP Server field.
Click ‘Save’ after changing any settings. The AXM-WEB will also need to be rebooted from the ‘Management’ page.
STEP 7: Configure the Http Push functionality
AXM-NET-P module
Hover over the ‘Settings’ tab and select the ‘Http Push’ option from the list. Configure your meter to automatically send data to Wattics cloud platform as follows:
- On the Http Push webpage, tick the ‘HTTP POST Enable’ button.
- Enter the Post URL received from Wattics by email
- Enter the Meter ID received from Wattics by email
- Set ‘HTTP Port’ to 80.
- Leave ‘Post Channel 2’ sub-menu empty.
- Set ‘Post Interval’ to 5 minutes.
- Tick all five ‘Post Content’ buttons.
Click on ‘Submit’ to complete the configuration. Reboot your meter (power down and up again), your meter is now configured to upload new data readings to the Wattics platform every five minutes.
AXM-WEB-PUSH module
Click on the ‘Settings’ tab and select ‘Communications’, then select ‘HTTP/FTP Post’.
Configure your meter to automatically send data to Wattics cloud platform as follows:
- HTTP Push Log Period: Select 5 minutes.
- File Name Format: Select Old Format.
- Timestamp Format: Select Local Time String.
- HTTP Push Channel 1 Enable: Select Yes.
- HTTP Push 1 Enable: Select ‘Yes’.
- HTTP Push 1 Meter Upload ID: Enter the Meter ID received from Wattics by email
- HTTP Push 1 Meter Upload Url: Enter the Post URL received from Wattics by email
- HTTP Push 1 Port: Set to 80.
- HTTP Push 1 Password: Leave blank.
STEP 8: Get started with Wattics!
You will receive an email from Wattics as soon as the first meter readings are received.
This email will provide you a link to create a username and password to access your Wattics dashboard. From then on you will be able to log in to your Wattics Dashboard at https://dash.wattics.com and get started! You will be able to edit the name of your (new) organisation, site and meters from the Attributes tab, so that you can add multiple meters and manage them all together in one place.
Troubleshooting: if you don’t see data in the dashboard, you can test your network setup for data push to Wattics, to ensure the firewall does not block outbound communication
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