Abstract:
Technologies are generally described for a pocket junction box system. In an example, a pocket junction box is configured to fit inside a meter collar. The pocket junction box includes a first set of electrical terminals on a rear surface of the pocket junction box for interfacing with wire leads inside the meter collar, and a second set of electrical terminals on a front surface of the pocket junction box for interfacing with field wire leads outside the meter collar. The pocket junction box may further include at least one current transducer and at least one microprocessor for monitoring the power flow through the pocket junction box. A front casing is attached to the front surface of the pocket junction box and connected to the second set of electrical terminals. The front casing may include a communications circuit board for communicating with a meter data management system.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Distributed power generation systems (alternatively “DPGS”) are typically small power generators that are connected directly to local electric distribution grids. Examples of a DPGS may include solar cell arrays, battery or fuel-cell storage systems, electric vehicles, and small wind turbines. As developments in DPGS technologies progress, associated costs continue to decrease and performance efficiencies continue to improve. As a result, some customers of commercial electric utility companies have expressed a preference for using power which they, the customers, generate or store locally, or on-site. 
         [0002]    Among the problems that may confront a utility or utility customer seeking to install a DPGS at a customer site may include modifications in wiring of the customer&#39;s private electrical distribution system (the “load-side” network) to accommodate the DPGS at the customer&#39;s residence. The installation of new dedicated electrical circuits that comply with necessary safety codes and standards often incur significant expenditures of time and money. Another problem is that the customer&#39;s electrical distribution system should either be isolated from the utility company&#39;s power lines, or connected to the power lines in a carefully controlled manner, when the on-site DPGS is used. The isolation option prevents possible damage to the utility company&#39;s distribution system and to the loads of other customers. 
         [0003]    Meter collars may be used to alleviate these issues by interconnecting DPGS production on the line-side of the service disconnecting means. However, a safe and cost effective configuration of meter collars to accept field wiring is required. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In an example, a collar for a watt-hour meter may include a pocket junction box system that enables external termination of field wiring that connects a DPGS to a residential or business structure or to the distribution grid, while maintaining compliance to interconnection requirements for safety, power quality, and automatic disconnect capabilities. The pocket junction box system may also provide for environmental sealing, attachment of a cover to prevent exposure to live parts, and may contain internal mounts to interface with energy monitoring and data communication accessories housed within the cover of the pocket junction box. 
         [0005]    In another example, a pocket junction box may be configured to fit inside a meter collar. The pocket junction box may include a first set of electrical terminals on a rear surface of the pocket junction box for interfacing with wire leads inside the meter collar, and a second set of electrical terminals on a front surface of the pocket junction box for interfacing with field wire leads outside the meter collar. The pocket junction box may further include at least one current transducer and at least one microprocessor for monitoring the power flow through the pocket junction box. A front casing may be attached to the front surface of the pocket junction box and connected to the second set of electrical terminals. The front casing may include a communications circuit board for communicating with a meter data management system. 
         [0006]    The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a top view of an exemplary power junction box system that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a front view of an exemplary power junction box system that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of an exemplary power junction box system that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  shows a front view of an exemplary power junction box that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  shows a rear view of an exemplary power junction box that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  shows a front view of a front casing of an exemplary power junction box system that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  shows a rear view of a front casing of an exemplary power junction box system that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  shows a front view of a front casing mounted on an exemplary power junction box that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  shows a top view of an exemplary power junction box system mounted on a meter collar and that enables termination of field wiring in the meter collar. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the description. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. Furthermore, unless otherwise noted, the description of each successive drawing may reference features from one of more of the previous drawings to provide clearer context and a more substantive explanation of the current example embodiment. Still, the example embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein and illustrated in the drawings, may be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein. 
         [0017]    This disclosure is generally drawn to a pocket junction box system including a pocket junction box and a terminal block/strip. The pocket junction box includes integrated barriers, box lugs, bus bar, a sealing gasket, cover(s), current transformer(s), microcontroller, field swappable communications circuit board, and tamper evident sealable lid which may expose an electrical socket to receive a standard or custom plug carrying electrical energy or data. The pocket junction box is coupled with a terminal block/strip including receiving terminals for power and data connections. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a top view of an exemplary pocket junction box system  100  that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. Pocket junction box  102  is connected to front casing  104  and to pocket junction box rear cover  106 . Front casing  104  is covered by front casing cover  108 . Tamper seal mount  110  on front casing  104  and tamper seal mount  112  on front casing cover  108  allow tamper seal wire loop  114  to secure front casing  104  to front casing cover  108  while providing evidence of tampering. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows a front view of an exemplary pocket junction box system  100  that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. Pocket junction box  102  is barely visible behind front casing cover  108 . Front casing  104  is not visible as it is obscured by front casing cover  108 . Tamper seal mount  112  on front casing cover  108  has tamper seal wire loop  114  threaded through it. Tamper seal wire loop  114  also connects to the tamper seal mount on front casing  104 , which is not visible. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of an exemplary pocket junction box system  100  that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. Pocket junction box  102  is connected to front casing  104  and to pocket junction box rear cover  106 . Front casing  104  is covered by front casing cover  108 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  shows a front view of an exemplary pocket junction box  102  that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. Pocket junction box  102  contains screw holes  400  for mounting to front casing  104  and compressing the gasket  402  that runs along the rim of pocket junction box  102  between the pocket junction box and front casing that provides weatherproofing. Electrical screw terminal block  404  allows for the connection of a ground wire. Electrical screw terminal block  406  and electrical screw terminal block  408  allow for the connection to different phases of active electrical voltage. Electrical screw terminal block  410  allows for connection to a neutral electrical wire. Data contact terminal  412  can interface with spring contacts on a printed circuit board mounted in the front casing  104 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  shows a rear view of an exemplary pocket junction box  102  that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. Pocket junction box  102  contains screw holes  500  for mounting to the pocket junction box rear cover  106  and compressing the gasket  502  that runs along the rim of pocket junction box  102  between the pocket junction box and rear cover  106  that provides weatherproofing. Several electrical screw terminal blocks allow an installer to connect electrical wiring on this side of the pocket junction box  102 . Electrical screw terminal block  504  allows for the connection of a ground wire. Electrical screw terminal block  506  and electrical screw terminal block  508  allow for connection to different phases of active electrical voltage. Electrical screw terminal block  510  allows for connection to a neutral electrical wire. The active electrical voltage carrying wires that connect to electrical screw terminal block  506  and electrical screw terminal block  508  may each pass through one of the current transducers  512  for current measurement purposes. Current transducers  512  are connected to microprocessor  514  to monitor power measurements. Power measurement microprocessor  514  is also connected to electrical screw terminal block  506  and electrical screw terminal block  508  to monitor voltage on the active electrical voltage terminal blocks, as well as electrical screw terminal block  510 , the neutral wire electrical screw terminal block, as a reference voltage. These electrical connections also provide power to power measurement microprocessor  514 . Power measurement microprocessor  514  is connected to the data contact terminal  102  on the front of the pocket junction box  102  for data communication purposes. 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  shows a front view of a front casing  104  on an exemplary pocket junction box system  100  that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. Front casing  104  may have a gap cut out  600  that fits over pocket junction box  102 . Screw holes  602  attach front casing  104  to pocket junction box  102  and compress the weatherproofing gasket attached to the pocket junction box. Communications printed circuit board  604  resides in printed circuit board compartment  606  and is connected by wiring  608  to the data contact terminal pin strip  610  that is a part of front casing  104 . Communications printed circuit board  604  may communicate with a meter data management system either wirelessly or over a wired connection. Communications printed circuit board  604  may be swapped out while the pocket junction box system is connected to active electrical voltage by simply removing the front casing cover and sliding out communications printed circuit board  604  and replacing it with a new board. The printed circuit board may contain a data port  612  for receiving a standard data connection wire such as RJ-45. An installer may drill a hole in front casing  104  to attach electrical wiring to the electrical screw terminals and complete wiring to this side of the pocket junction box system. A plug and socket receptacle with wiring connections to the terminal block terminals  406 ,  408 ,  410 ,  404  and data port  612  may be mounted in the hole in lieu of permanent wiring. 
         [0024]      FIG. 7  shows a rear view of a front casing  104  on an exemplary pocket junction box system  100  that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. Front casing  104  may have a gap cut out  600  that fits over pocket junction box  102 . Screw holes  602  attach front casing  104  to pocket junction box  102  and compress the weatherproofing gasket attached to the pocket junction box. Communications printed circuit board  604  resides in printed circuit board compartment  606  and is connected by wiring  608  to the data contact terminal pin strip  610  that is a part of front casing  104 . An installer may drill a hole in front casing  104  to attach electrical wiring to the electrical screw terminals and complete wiring to this side of the pocket junction box system. 
         [0025]      FIG. 8  shows a front view of a front casing  104  mounted on an exemplary pocket junction box  102  that enables termination of field wiring in a meter collar. Front casing  104  has a gap cut out  600  that fits over pocket junction box  102 . Screw holes  602  attach front casing  104  to pocket junction box  102  and compress the weatherproofing gasket attached to pocket junction box  102 . Communications printed circuit board  604  resides in printed circuit board compartment  606  and is connected by wiring  608  to the data contact terminal pin strip  610  that is a part of front casing  104 . Communications printed circuit board  604  may be swapped out while the pocket junction box system is connected to active electrical voltage by simply removing the front casing cover and sliding out communications printed circuit board  604  and replacing it with a new board. Data contact terminal pin strip  610  is compressed against the data contact terminal  412  in pocket junction box  102  providing an electrical connection for the transmission of data signals between communications printed circuit board  604  and the microprocessor  514  that performs electrical power measurements mounted in the rear of pocket junction box  102 . An installer may drill a hole in front casing  104  to attach electrical wiring to the active electrical voltage electrical screw terminals  406  and  408 , neutral electrical screw terminal  410 , and ground electrical screw terminal  404  to complete wiring to this side of the pocket junction box system. 
         [0026]      FIG. 9  shows a top view of an exemplary power junction box system  100  mounted on a meter collar  900  and that enables termination of field wiring in the meter collar. Meter collar  900  has a recess to allow pocket junction box system  100  to mount inside of it. Pocket junction box system  100  can then be electrically wired to the bus bars and other wiring inside of meter collar  900 . 
         [0027]    From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.