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RAVEn™
Radio Adaptor for Viewing
Energy
User Manual
Version 1.01
April 2011
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RAVEn™
User Manual
Copyright © 2011 by RAINFOREST AUTOMATION, INC (“RFA”). All rights reserved.
No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any from without the expressed,
written permission of RFA.
Under copyright law, this manual or the software described within, cannot be copied, in whole or
part, without the written consent of the manufacturer, except in the normal use of the software to
make a backup copy. The same proprietary and copyright notices must be affixed to any
permitted copies as were affixed to the original. This exception does not allow copies to be
made for others, whether or not sold, but all of the material purchased (with all backup copies)
can be sold, given, or loaned to another
person. Under the law, copying includes translating into another language or format.
Rainforest Automation may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other
intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly
provided in any written license agreement from Rainforest Automation, the furnishing of this
document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other
intellectual property.
Trademarks
Third-party brands and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or
registered trademarks of their respective companies and are the sole property of their
respective manufacturers.
Notice
The author(s) assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions that may appear in this
document nor does it make a commitment to update the information contained herein.
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RAVEn™
User Manual
RAVEn™ – Radio Adaptor for Viewing Energy
RFA-Z106
Version 1.01
User Manual
Table of Contents
Regulatory information ................................................................................................. 4
Initial Setup .................................................................................................................... 6
Step 1: Check your computer ................................................................................... 6
Step 2: Register your RAVEn™ ................................................................................ 6
Step 3: Install the Personal Meter Reader™ software ............................................ 6
Step 5: Plug in your RAVEn™ .................................................................................. 7
Using the Personal Meter Reader™ Software ............................................................ 9
Display Tabs .............................................................................................................. 9
Electric Information Display ......................................................................... 10
RAVEn Information Display .......................................................................... 11
Configuration Tabs .................................................................................................. 12
Home Menu .................................................................................................... 12
Help Menu ....................................................................................................... 12
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RAVEn™
User Manual
Regulatory information
FCC Notices
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user‟s
authority to operate the equipment.
FCC/IC RF Exposure Statement
This equipment complies with FCC and Industry Canada radiation exposure limits set forth for
an uncontrolled environment. The antenna(s) used for this equipment must be installed to
provide a separation distance of at least 8 inches (20cm) from all persons.
ICES-003 Compliance
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
This device complies with Industry Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is
subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation
of the device.
Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d'Industrie Canada applicables aux appareils radio
exempts de licence. L'exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes : (1) l'appareil ne
doit pas produire de brouillage, et (2) l'utilisateur de l'appareil doit accepter tout brouillage
radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage est susceptible d'en compromettre le fonctionnement
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates,
uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning
the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver
is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
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RAVEn™
User Manual
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Initial Setup
Step 1: Check your computer
Your computer must be running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7. It
must also have the .NET Framework (ver 2.0) installed. If .NET is not installed
on your computer, you will be prompted to download it during the software
installation procedure. You must also have an available USB port on your
computer to plug your RAVEn™ into.
Step 2: Register your RAVEn™
RAVEn™
User Manual
In order for your RAVEn™ to connect to the smart meter, you will need to
register your RAVEn™ with your utility. Please follow the procedure provided by
your utility. You will need the Install Code and MAC Address, which are found on
the Information Label on the underside of your RAVEn™.
Note that it may take some time for your utility to enable the smart meter to
connect with your RAVEn™. You should be advised by your utility how long this
will take. Your utility should also provide you with a Username and Password to
download the Personal Meter Reader™ software.
Step 3: Install the Personal Meter Reader™ software
Enter the following link into your internet browser:
http://www.rainforestautomation.com/download/
You will be prompted to enter the supplied Username and Password. Then you
will be connected to the Rainforest “Software Downloads” web page. Click on
the following link:
RAVEn Personal Meter Reader Software
Save the .ZIP file when prompted. Extract the files in the .ZIP folder. Double
click on the application file named “setup.exe”.
Note that this installation requires that you have the necessary permissions to
install programs on your hard drive. You may need Power User/Admin
permissions.
You must agree to run the install when you are prompted to do so. You will see
the Welcome screen for the Setup Wizard:
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RAVEn™
User Manual
Click on “Next” and follow the onscreen directions to complete the installation of
the software.
When the software installation is complete, there will be a new icon on your
desktop that is a shortcut to the Personal Meter Reader™ software:
Step 5: Plug in your RAVEn™
Before proceeding with this step, ensure that you have received confirmation
from your utility that Step 2 is complete, and that the smart meter is ready to talk
to your RAVEn™.
First, launch the Personal Meter Reader™ software by double clicking on the
icon. You should see the following screen:
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RAVEn™
User Manual
Then, plug your RAVEn™ into a USB port of your computer.
When your RAVEn™ is plugged in for the first time, the device drivers have to be
installed. This should be done automatically by Windows. If, for some reason,
Windows is unable to find the drivers, they can be downloaded by going to this
link: http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/CDM/CDM20802_Setup.exe
It may take a while for Windows to make the device „active‟ but it will let you
know; just as with any USB device, there will be a popup in the Status Bar.
When your RAVEn™ is ready, the display will switch to the “Electric” tab, and
you will see graphical real-time energy data on your PC:
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Display
Tabs
Configuration Tabs
Tab Expander
RAVEn™
User Manual
Using the Personal Meter Reader™ Software
The Personal Meter Reader™ software allows you to control your RAVEn™, and to
display the data it retrieves from the smart meter in a convenient graphical format.
At the top of the program window are a series of menu tabs:
The lower row of tabs selects the information display. The upper row of tabs selects
configuration options.
Display Tabs
The active Display Tab is colored green, and the screen attached to that tab is
displayed. The other tabs are blue, and their attached screens are not shown.
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Usage
Cost
Usage
Power
Energy
Price
Confirm
Message
Button
Meter
Reading
Message
Display
Box
Active
Tab
Electric Information Display
RAVEn™
User Manual
This is the main screen to show real-time smart meter electricity data. It is set up to
resemble a car speedometer. The rate of energy consumption is shown on the dial in
both kilowatts (inner scale) and estimated cost per hour (outer scale). The estimated
cost is calculated from the current price per kilowatt-hour multiplied by the current rate
of energy consumption. The display dial is self calibrating, and will rescale as usage
changes. The absolute values for usage are also shown digitally within (kW) and above
(¢/hr) the dial.
Below the dial and to the left is the Meter Reading, which is the raw total accumulated
kilowatt-hours reading from the smart meter. On the right is the Energy Price that is
currently in effect. The rate is shown in cents per kilowatt-hour. The current price value
is usually obtained directly from the smart meter, but it is also possible to manually set
this value.
At the bottom of the display is the Message Display Box, which will show the contents of
a text message when there is a message from your utility. A message can be up to 80
characters long. If the message requires an acknowledgment, the Confirm Message
Button to the right will be highlighted. Clicking this button sends a confirmation to your
utility, telling them that you have read the latest text message that they have sent to
you.
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RAVEn Information Display
RAVEn™
User Manual
This screen shows information about your RAVEn™. Each section has an expander
button in the top left-hand corner that will alternately hide or reveal the detailed
information in that section.
The Connection section shows the serial port that your RAVEn™ is emulating through
the USB connection. The Connect button initiates the connection between the Personal
Meter Reader™ software and your RAVEn™.
The Registration section reports the Install Code and MAC Address, as read from the
RAVEn™ (you must be connected to the RAVEn™ to read this information). This
information is used to register your RAVEn™ with your utility. These numbers should
match those found on the Information Label on the underside of your RAVEn™.
The Version section reports the manufacturer‟s information, as read from the RAVEn™
(you must be connected to the RAVEn™ to read this information). This information is
used to identify the specific revision of the firmware installed on your RAVEn™, as well
as the hardware version.
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RAVEn™
User Manual
Configuration Tabs
The Tab Expander Button in the top right-hand corner of the window will alternately hide
or reveal the Configuration menu items.
Home Menu
The Connect USB item initiates the connection between the Personal Meter Reader™
software and your RAVEn™. The Disconnect USB item terminates the connection
between the Personal Meter Reader™ software and your RAVEn™. These actions do
not affect the connection between your RAVEn™ and the smart meter.
The Restart item will cause the firmware on the RAVEn™ to restart, but retain its
registration with the smart meter.
The Hard Reset item will cause the RAVEn™ to reset, erasing all existing data and
configurations, and cause it to be decommissioned. It will then not be able to
immediately rejoin the smart meter. The smart meter will not allow the RAVEn™ to join
until the meter has also decommissioned the RAVEn™, and then reregistered the
RAVEn™ for joining.
Help Menu
The About item displays information about this version of the Personal Meter Reader™
software.
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