ION9000 sag/swell data via IEC 61850

[Stuart_Cheng]

Hi All,

I am using an ION9000 to transmit voltage sag/swell data to SCADA via IEC 61850 URCB. Last week, the meter captured three sag events (found in ION Setup), but SCADA only received the final one.

Is it possible that because these events occurred in rapid succession, ION9000 is busy measuring and processing data so that the first 2 event data was overwritten before to be transmitted to SCADA?

If so, would switching to BRCB resolve this issue, or are there other recommended workarounds? Thank you.

[Mehran_Mehrnia · Accepted solution]

Hi @Stuart_Cheng 

As stated in IEC 61850 and ION Technology, unbuffered Reports are transmitted only once. If there is a communications issue or if the client is not ready at the exact moment of the event, the report is lost.

In your case, because the events occurred in such rapid succession (with two events separated by only 100ms), the first two reports were likely "lost" or overwritten before they could be successfully processed by the SCADA system.

So, Buffered Reports is recommended for reliable data delivery for the following reasons:

Queueing: If a client is not connected or the system is busy, reports are loaded into a circular, first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer.

Resending: These buffered reports are resent once the connection is stable and the report is re-enabled, ensuring no data points are missed during high-activity periods.

Implementation: Your meter's ICD file is preconfigured with specific report types. Please ensure your Sag/Swell data is assigned to a Buffered Report (GGIO dataset) to prevent further data loss.

Best Regards,

-Mehran

L3 Expert Advanced metering

[Stuart_Cheng]

Hi @Mehran_Mehrnia,

Thanks for your explanation and recommendation. We will switch to BRCB then. Thank you.

[Charles_Murison]

Hello @Stuart_Cheng and @Mehran_Mehrnia 

Note that the buffered reports in ION9000 meter come from a module that only accepts Boolean inputs. You cannot link numeric information to the module that has buffered reports. You example you could link the disturbance state however would not be able to link duration or magnitude. The labels also would not be able to be changed in the module output or CID file.

Most IEC61850 modules will operate every second, anything that happened within the second is not seen by the module. This may also apply to onboard IO modules.

Regards,

Charles

[Mehran_Mehrnia]

Hi @Charles_Murison 

Thank you for the helpful note!

I can see in the table above 'Hardware I/O'(which may be digital (Boolean) or analog (numeric)) as 'Buffered' which is preconfigured in the meter, but is there any conformance statement for example in IEC 61850 and ION Technology, or other resources that specifies which data types are supported in buffered/unbuffered reports in ION meters(such ION9000) or is this by design and is not officially documented?
Buffered Reports = event‑only = Boolean inputs
Unbuffered Reports = real-time data = numeric inputs as well as Boolean inputs, etc.

Best Regards,

-Mehran

L3 Expert Advanced metering

[Stuart_Cheng]

Hi @Charles_Murison and @Mehran_Mehrnia,

I tried to configure a BRCB using the "CUSTOMIO" dataset, which involves analog data. However, the CID file fails to upload to the ION9000. Wondering if this is a limitation by design for ION Meter?

If BRCB is not supported for analog data, is there a recommended functional module to place between the Sag/Swell Module and the IEC 61850 Module to create a buffer that prevents from losing data or overwritten during rapid successions of events?

Thank you.

[Charles_Murison]

Hello @Stuart_Cheng ,

You cannot make new buffered report blocks. ONLY the onboard IO report can be buffered. All other report blocks will always be unbuffered. This is a limitation in how IEC61850 was implemented on the ION meter.

Custom ION Frameworks have ways of using store modules that could possibly be used in a way to "store" the last X number of events. Will have some limits on how many inputs you can link to custom Analog IO in IEC61850 (16 inputs).

Would need to chain store modules in such a way as to make a new event update the "oldest" store module with info from the second oldest. Then when store is finished use the output from oldest store module link to second oldest to get update from store module third oldest, all the way to the "newest" store module.

Regards,

Charles

[Charles_Murison]

Hello @Mehran_Mehrnia ,

Each dataset in IEC61850 on ION meter comes from a specific ION module. To see what inputs the ION module supports you can use ION Reference. For example the IEC61850 MSQI Module.

In the IEC61850and ION technology Tech note, there is a line " Buffered reports are transmitted while the client is connected and the report has been enabled. If the client is not connected the report is loaded into a circular, first-in-first-out buffer, to be resent when client connection is re-established and the buffered report is re-enabled." This line does not mean that buffered reports are event driven. Only that the report is saved in memory until read from client.

Page 17 of IEC61850 and ION Technology Tech note has details on what reports are buffered and unbuffered and what dataset each report refers to.

Report                 Buffered/Unbuffered                    Description
Device Status      Unbuffered                                  Contains Status dataset.
Measurements     Unbuffered                                  Contains MMXU dataset
Energy                  Unbuffered                                 Contains MMTR dataset
Power Quality      Unbuffered                                  Contains PQ dataset
CustomIO             Unbuffered                                 Contains GGIO custom dataset
Hardware I/O       Buffered                                      Contains GGIO dataset

Regards,

Charles