Unix time on ION Meters (8650) - 2038 Issue

[RafaelCiriaco]

Hi there!

Some days ago I was configuring an ION Meter, especifically an ION8650C, changing the clock configuration through ION Setup when I got the message "DST Setup Error: DST END before DST START".

After acessing the Daylight Saving Time Settings (DST Settings) setup I noticed that the last two lines were configured unproperly, DST END was really before DST START.

Once in Brazil billing meters DO NOT use DST, and we always disable this feature, to solve this issue was easy, I've configured a DST END after DST START.

But the important thing about this issue is the reason the I got this message. I guess that this happened because of the 2038 Issue of the Unix time, more details can be found here: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem).

Once the meter automatically calculates the next 20 years DST periods, and we are in 2019 it ended up in 2039, which is an year not reacheable by Unix time.

The reason I'm posting this here at the Community is to warn the ION Meter users and also to start think in a solution to this.

Attached is a picture showing the last second that can be reached by Unix time (January 19th 03:14:07 am).

Any comments are welcome!

[Charles_Murison · Accepted solution]

Please note, updated versions of ION Setup are able to set the DST start and End dates to prevent the error message.

What version of ION Setup were you using?

[RafaelCiriaco · Accepted solution]

Hi Charles,

Thanks for you reply. You are right, my problem was with ION Setup version. I've perfomed several tests for different ION Setup versions and you can see a summary of the results below:

3.0.13338.01 (don't work)

3.0.17090.01 (don't work)

3.0.18075.02 (don't work)

3.1.19095.01 (works)

Rafael