MBUSREAD USER MANUAL V3.0
Table of Contents
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1.
Comments regarding this documentation
This documentation describes the range of functions provided by the Actaris MBusRead software. This documentation does not describe the M-Bus as such or the hardware components needed to run M-Bus networks. The first section explains the individual menus, submenus and various windows in MBusRead with the help of text and graphics. This documentation assumes a basic knowledge in these related areas. It also assumes general PC ® literacy and a certain level of familiarity with the user interfaces of Windows 98 / Me / Nt / XP / 2000.
2.
What is MBusRead?
MBusRead is a software package that enables to read data, either direct or via modem, from meters recording consumption at an M-Bus installation and which presents this data to the user in the form of normal and understandable text. The spectrum of functions performed by MBusRead ranges from the initial recording and structuring of an M-Bus installation – via tests for existing configurations – right trough to remote reading and saving meter data. The data is ® ® ® read out and performed in terms of editable concepts in ASCII (text & CSV) or Excel , Paradox or DBASE format for the purposes of further processing. The data can be read out either directly on site or via modem.
3.
PC system requirements ®
PC:
Normal IBM - compatible PC, at least Pentium II, 300 MHz or better 800 x 600 display CD Rom drive
Operating system:
At le least Win Window 98 / NT
RAM:
At least 64 MB
Hard disk:
At least 200 MB free, depending on the size of th the M-Bus ob object
Interface:
At least one free serial connection RS-232 at port COM 1-9
4.
®
MBusRead M-Bus device prerequisites
Generally speaking, metering devices and M-Bus installations from any manufacturer can be read, providing they implement the ML-Bus transmission protocol as per EN 1434-3 with a variable protocol in low-byte-first mode and respond via primary or secondary addressing. However, we recommend M-Bus metering devices from Actaris because MBusRead automatically recognizes such equipment and is able to provide supplementary information regarding the received data .The special information provided on Actaris M-Bus meters (CF-Sensor / CF-Combi, Integral-MK Maxx, CF50, CF150, CF-Echo and cyble Mbus) are all fully readable and supported. For the purposes of communicating with the M-Bus, a simple repeater (Actaris M-bus-Repeater) or an intelligent central unit (Actaris M-Bus-Concentrator) is required. The Actaris central unit M-Bus-Concentrator can be parameterized and configured via MBusRead. Data can be read out either via a direct RS-232 interface or via any normal commercially available modem.
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5.
Installation (most important windows)
Tip : It is impossible to install MbusRead twice. The second installation forces the removal of MbusRead. You have to be local administrator to install MBusRead The installation is completely automatic. You just have to insert the CD in the CD drive and follow the instructions.
Regarding the license agreement, you have to read and accept it to continue the installation.
Here please enter the requested information. The serial number can be found on the CD jewel case inside cover.
When the installation is completed, you have to restart your computer:
If you tick off this proposition, the restart is automatic.
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6.
Starting MbusRead
For the first start of MBusRead, the password asked is blank. #Do not forget to change it as soon as possible.
To change the password go in the Option menu and click in the new window on miscellaneous. 1. 2. 3. 4.
Capture your old password Write the new one Write the new one again Click on the button “Change password”
The first step is to create a new database or choose an already existing one. Tip: this message only appears from the second start.
This o tion is ticked off b default.
Check this option avoid this message box at the next opening.
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7.
The MBusRead desktop
The MBusRead desktop includes four main windows:
It shows the access path for the directory where the database is.
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Structures : You will find here the list of all the items you want to read. This window is the picture of your physical network.
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Arrangement: In this window, you will have the possibility to create groups of meters and manage them to organize the data as you want. As an example you can read all the water meters in a first group ,all the heat meters in another…
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Communications : Events logging Communication errors Protocol errors Meters errors Communication logging (optional)*
Data: This window displays the data read from the M-Bus network.
Tips : display the « Communication logging » tab: $ $ $
In the main menu choose « Options » Go to the Miscellaneous Tick off the menu « show Communications tab in the log »
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8.
Working with MBusRead: Basic operations
8.1.
Configuration of the installation
The first step is to create a master (concentrator, repeater, optical probe…). To do so, you have two possibilities:
•
In the structure window, click on the right button of the mouse, Create Item, Create Master
•
The fastest solution is to click on the “create master”
button in the tool bar.
Then, the following window opens:
Enter your concentrator password to access your network.
Choose the type of master
Select the appropriate COM port when the interface is connected (concentrator ,modem…). If you use a modem to access your site network, enter here the phone number.
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Tips : If the master is a concentrator you can change its properties (after creation) by clicking on the
button .
Then the following window opens. In this one you can change the reading cycle or the baudrate for example.
If any change is requested, it is possible to edit the parameters. To do so, you can either double-click or right-click on the desired items and go to “Properties”. The previous window will appear again. At this step it is necessary to build the network tree in the “Structure” window. This tree will be the picture of the physical architecture of your network. To do so, three possibilities exist (next paragraphs).
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Note : this search method is not available for the optical probe.
Position the mouse in a master (Structure window), right-click on it, go to “Create Item” and “Search meters”.
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•
If the master is a concentrator, there is no search option. But the following message will appear:
If you choose Yes, MBusRead will copy and display the meter list already stored in the concentrator. If you choose No, the central unit will search meters by itself. This process em ploys the concentrator’s operating system functions and may take up to 20 minutes.
After completion, the following window appears:
Once the list appeared , click here to transfer the meter list in the structure window.
The list of the connected meters appears.
•
If the master is a repeater: 1. Select the communication speed
2. Choose the addressing method. By default ,the primary & secondary addresses are tick off.
3. Click here to launch the search
4. Click on this button (when the search is complete) to transfer the meters list in the structure window.
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You can also manually add some meters, either by right-clicking on the master in the structure window:
Or by clicking on the slave button
in the tool bar. This option is useful to create slaves one by one.
Both leads to the same result: Enter the primary address of the new meter.
Choose the meter type in the scrolling list.
These meter errors are device dependant : the label will change according to the type of meter.
Select the correct baudrate.
Give a name to the meter.
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If your different installation (master / salves / devices) are very similar and in order to save time , you can copy and paste some elements. TO obtain the menus right clicking on the element.
If you want to create a master, a meter or a device and its properties on the model of an already existing one :
The master appears and its properties are he same than the one you have copied.
If you have different structures in the same model you can copy and paste the master with all the meters connected. First of all you have to select the master.
The new master appears with all the meters connected to it. The master (and the different meters) have the same properties than the one you have copied.
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It is also possible to create a complete list of meters. In the structure window, go on a master, right click and select “Create Item” and “Add several meters”
or click in the tool bar on the following button:
The following window appears:
Choose the number of meters wanted.
Click here to obtain the slave properties window (see § 8.1.2 ; p.11)
After having chosen the m eter, you will obtain this window:
You can delete meters : one by one or all the meters of the list.
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Pattern management : In order to save time, it is possible to create a meter and keep its properties, as a pattern, to create other meters on the same model. To do this:
1. 2. 3. 4.
Select (underline) one meter on the “New meters list” Click on the button “Define selection as pattern”. Choose how much number you want. And click on the button “Add Pattern(s)”. After you will obtain the following window:
The meters have been automatically addressed. Their primary address have been increased.
In clicking here you add this meters list under the master in the structure window.
8.2.
Data reading
To read the data of all the Mbus devices connected to a selected master:
1. 2. 3.
8.3.
Select the master (structure window) Right-click on it And select “Read Data”
Data window
When individual meters, group or whole installations have been read, the meter data is presented in this window in sheet form. Each measured value transferred from an M-Bus meter, e.g. energy type, volume, check-date, is written together with its associated texts, serial number, description (…) to a reserved row.
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Such measured value thus represents an individual data record and such data records can easily be incorporated into other programs. Thanks to a comprehensive filter function (see § 9.4.1 & 9.4.2) the required data can be selected from the variety of available values and data fields and then stored in the CSV format to be used after with Excel, Dbase, Paradox or ASCII. This procedure enables the user to generate specific data records per application and prevents superfluous data from being imported unnecessarily into the processing system.
All the data of the meters attached to the master is displayed. You can also see the data only for one slave of the master.
8.4.
Arrangement window
In this window logical groups of M-Bus meters can be formed. These groups are independent of the system’s physical structure. A meter can also be copied from the devices list window into a group using the drag-anddrop technique. The groups can have designations and comments appended. To use this feature, it is necessary (at first) to create a new group. For this, right-click in the window arrangement, select “Create Group” and enter the requested information.
Enter a description for the group of meters.
Choose the reading cycle you want for this group.
If the automatic reading option has been selected ,this indicates when the next reading will occur.
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After the creation of the group(s), you have to click this button automatic reading.
(in the tool bar), in order to activate the
The following message appears automatically:
This cyclic reading feature is useful when used with the automatic export function: the data read from the group of meter selected are automatically put into a file, defined by the user.
8.5.
Communication Window
This window tracks the activity of the system, and reports the errors in real time, if a problem occurs during the working session. It mainly helps during troubleshooting.
This window contains 4 main tabs and an optional one:
Events lo in
Communication logging (option)
Communication errors
Meter errors
Protocol errors
See paragraph 11.1 to have the list of error messages.
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You have also the possibility to save the communication by right-clicking on the com munication window. This option is only possible for the Events and Communications logging tabs.
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9.
Working with MBusRead: Advanced operations
9.1.
The tool bar
Quit the application
Create a new database
Open an existing database
Print the structure window
Create a master
Create a slave
Add several meters
Activate or deactivate the automatic reading
Different positions of the main windows
9.2.
The File menu
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Click on this icon to change the destination directory. You have to enter a name for the database.
The “Description»,”Serial number” and “Comment” are optional.
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It allows to open a database in any directory.
This menu makes available the 10 last opened databases.
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Thanks to this window you can choose the printer and its properties.
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The available formats are XLS (Excel), DBF (Dbase), DB (Paradox), TXT and CSV (text file). The XLS format option is usable only if Excel is installed on the computer and the minimum version is Excel 95. The active data window is always that of the individual meter, group or concentrator / repeater which is currently marked in the devices list or devices assignment.
9.3.
The Option menu
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Mbus reading tries : Number of communication tries before the failure statement. Meter reading tries : “Number of Mbus reading tries”
Do not change these values.
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By default, only English or French versions are available. For other languages please contact us.
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This window sums up all the slaves supported by MBusRead and shows the properties of each one. With the red arrows you can change the position of the slaves in the list in order to put in first position the meters you use often.
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Here, for each slave you can choose the frames you want to read just by clicking on it.
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Change your password here
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It just represents a list of the connected modems.
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9.4.
The Data menu
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It opens a selection window enabling the user to define how the data records listed in the data window are to be treated.
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The user can blank out some data fields, descriptions, media and can select data according to UnitNumber for e.g. water meters with MultiSensor and StorageNumber for e.g. check-dates. If the displayed data comprise a number of readings, it is also possible to select according to reading time or reading period. Once a setting has been selected you can assign a name and save it. The filter thus generated is applied to the data window by confirming with the OK button.
This selection list can be used to define which data fields, i.e. columns, will appear in the data record. The following data fields can be displayed and saved, this is the maximum.
Data field Group Designation Group Serial Number Group Comment Counter Designation Counter Serial Number Counter Comment Medium Primary Address Secondary Address Generation Manufacturer Error Code Unit Number
Origin Devices assignment Devices assignment Devices assignment Devices list Devices list Devices list M-BUS M-BUS M-BUS M-BUS M-BUS M-BUS M-BUS
Storage Number Tariff Number Read Out Time Data Description Data Function
M-BUS M-BUS PC M-BUS M-BUS
Data Value Device Number
M-BUS Database
Description Text field, generated by the group properties designation Text field, generated by the group properties serial number Text field, generated by the group properties comment Text field, generated by the meter properties designation Text field, generated by the meter properties serial number Text field, generated by the meter properties comment Medium of the measured value: heating, cold water, hot water… Primary address of the M-BUS meter, values “000-250” Secondary address of the M-BUS meter, 8 characters Generation of the M-BUS meter, e.g. 1=CF Sensor, 5=CF Echo Manufacturer identity, encoded in M-BUS, normally “SLB” Encoded error message of the M-BUS meter, no error = ”00” Defines the origin of the data, e.g. “0” = Main device,”1” = Subordinate device 1,”2” = Subordinate device 2 Distinguishes current data from check-date, current = “0” Normally = “0” Format “DD/MM/YYYY HH’MM’SS Description of the transmitted measured value, encoded in M-BUS Function of the measured value, encoded in M-BUS, normally “Current Value” Physical unit to which this measured value refers Consecutive device number, generated from the MBusRead database.
This selection list can be used to view or mask out data records with certain descriptions. Each M-BUS meter transmits a number of different measured values. The descriptions, contained in the additional information encoded in M-BUS protocol and assigned per measured value, are tr anslated by MBusRead into normal text. The usual descriptions are “Energy type»,”Volume»,”Power»,”Volume flow»,”Temperature difference”.
This selection list can be used to select data records according to the measuring medium of the connected M-BUS meters. MBusRead displays the medium, also encoded in the M-BUS protocol, in normal text. The usual media are “Heating (VMFT or VMRT)»,”Cold water»,”Hot water” and “Water”.
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The unit number, also encoded in the M-BUS protocol, distinguishes the origin of the data. Using CF Sensor, it is possible to connect two external water meters. The unit number is defined like in the following sheet: E=0 E=1 E=2
Data from the heating meter Data from the meter number 1 Data from the meter number 2
If e.g. Equal to 0 is selected, only heating meter data is displayed in the data window. If Unequal to 0 is selected, a filter is generated which masks out the heating meter data and only the connected water meters with their respective consumption values are displayed. For other possible unit number definitions (e.g. heating meters from other manufacturers), please refer to the device-specific description of the meter’s M-BUS interface.
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The storage number, also encoded in the M-BUS protocol, distinguishes current data from check-date data. For CF Sensor, the storage numbers are as defined in the following sheet: S=0 S=1 S=2
Current data of the heating meter and the water meters Data from the most recent check-date Data from the check-date before last
A filter with the setting Equal to 1 e.g. causes only the CF Sensor data including the connected water meters as per the most recent check-date to be displayed. For other possible storage number definitions (e.g. heating meters from other manufacturers), please refer to the device-specific description of the meter’s M-BUS interface.
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The MBusRead object database retains all readings, including those from previous remote readings, in the database memory until such data is, partly or wholly, deleted (See § 9.4.3 and 9.4.4). The data is saved together with a reading time derived from the PC’s system time. By filtering data according to its reading time is possible to display data from defined reading periods. The date and time-of-day must be entered in the predefined format, thanks to the scrolling list.
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The following window appears, which lists the filters already saved. You can choose one of the filters to apply it to the data. You can also edit the properties of the filter or delete it.
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It deletes the data of the selected device in the structure window.
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This completely deletes all the read data from all devices connected to the master in the structure window.
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This updates the data in the data window if new readings have been made in the meantime.
9.5.
The window menu
This menu allows you to select the arrangement of the main windows.
This option shows you on which window you are working.
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10. Devices properties
For each command you want to change, underline the device and make a right-click. You can see § 8.1.2.
Recapitulative sheet for each slave:
10.1.
Set Primary Address
Set Secondary Address
Change baudrate
Resynchronize
CF Sensor
Y
N
N
N
Pad Pulse
Y
N
N
N
CF 100
Y
N
Y
N
CF 50
Y
N
Y
Y
ISWZ
Y
Y
Y
Y
CF Echo
Y
Y
Y
Y
TH 4
Y
Y
Y
Y
M-Bus meter
Y
Y
Y
Y
Cyble M-Bus
Y
Y
Y
Y
ABB SVM F2
Y
Y
Y
Y
Primary Address
The primary address of each meters can be modified with this menu. This not necessary if the secondary address is known. When the device is read for the first time via its secondary address, any primary address that may have been programmed is recognized automatically and subsequently shown in the device list.
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10.2.
Secondary Address
The meter’s secondary address can be modified here. If the installed meters are from Actaris, the secondary address is automatically produced thanks to the serial number of the meter.
10.3.
Change baudrate
It is possible to change the baudrate of the master. This will set the speed to which the master will interrogate the meters.
10.4. Resynchronize It is possible to synchronize the date and time of the meters in comparison of the PC.
10.5.
Status
Select a meter and right-click on it, choose the properties menu and click on the status button
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This window displays additional information regarding the M-BUS selected meter. It lists not only normal texts such as Description or Comment and the M-BUS addresses but also all the groups in the devices assignment in which the meter is used.
10.6. Properties Select a meter and right-click on it, choose the properties menu and click on the properties button
This window displays more information about the selected meter. These information only regard the meter itself (manufacturer, serial number, generation…).
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11. Miscellaneous
11.1.
Errors codes messages
599).:1(11)/(1 3 = Closing concentrator 4 = Searching meters 5 = Primary address reading 6 = Secondary address reading 7 = Extended Secondary address reading 8 = Wake up optical probe... 9 = Initializing modem 10 = Dialing 11 = Disconnecting modem 12 = Opening serial port 13 = Connecting modem 14 = Opening concentrator 15 = Concentrator password authentication 16 = List of conflicts 17 = Closing serial port 18 = Loading Concentrator parameters... 19 = Changing primary address 20 = Changing secondary address 21 = Changing baudrate 22 = Changing date and time 23 = Get Concentrator meters list 24 = Waiting for concentrator to reboot 25 = Reading concentrator memory 26 = Storing concentrator memory into database 27 = Setting Concentrator parameters...
(165.1(1(11)/(1 101 = The new password has been validated 102 = The old password is valid yet 103 = No data are buffered in concentrator 104 = Searching finished 105 = No conflict 106 = User interrupt! 107 = Primary slave search in progress 108 = Primary slave search, found slave 109 = Primary slave search, collision 110 = Secondary slave search in progress 111 = Secondary slave search, found slave 112 = Secondary slave search, collision 113 = Secondary slave search, unsolvable collision 114 = Extended secondary slave search in progress 115 = Extended secondary slave, unsolvable collision 116 = Extended secondary slave search, slave found 117 = Extended secondary slave search, collision 118 = Modem : DialTone 119 = Modem : Dialing 120 = Modem : RingBack MBusRead Software – User Manual –
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121 = Modem : Busy 122 = Modem : Connected 123 = Modem : Proceeding 124 = Modem : Disconnected 125 = Modem : Line Closed 126 = Concentrator slave search : slave found 127 = Concentrator slave search in progress 128 = Modem : No dialtone 129 = Stopping slave search
=41**5*1 201 = Primary address not found 202 = Secondary address not found 203 = Extended Secondary address not found 205 = Cannot open concentrator 206 = Concentrator password authentication failed 207 = Loading Concentrator parameters has failed 208 = Reading meter has failed
)0)=)1(**5*1 301 = No opened database 303 = This Database is not a 2.0 version. Use ConvMBus to convert database
:-0**5*1 401 = The password has not been correctly validated 402 = Parent node not found 403 = Excel must be installed 404 = Error during printing 405 = Null addresses are forbidden 406 = Import file is corrupted on line
! (0(***5* 501 = Meter error
" 5994.-+)0-5.**5*1 601 = COM port cannot be opened 602 = Dialing failed 603 = Disconnecting modem failed 604 = Modem initialization failed 605 = Cannot connect to modem 606 = No phone number for this master
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11.2.
Retrieving old version of MBusRead databases
With this menu you can only convert a database from the second version to the version 3.
11.3.
Language troubles ®
According to the Windows MbusRead.
language installation some windows will be in another language that the one of
The first window of MbusRead (where the password is required) will be ever in English.
11.4.
Troubleshooting
Under some versions of Window 98 some icon display trouble may occur. This is due to a missing DLL on you system. On the root of the CD there is a program named “50Comupd.exe”. Launching this program will install the missing file on your computer. You will have to reboot your PC and the system will then work properly.
11.5.
FIFO ®
How to disable the FIFO under Windows NT :
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