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‫‪Page 1‬‬

‫‪User’s Manual‬‬
‫‪tPrime Series‬‬
‫‪280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter‬‬
‫‪Created July 12, 2012‬‬

‫‪Version Man280T-12071403_v15‬‬
Page 2
tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 1 -

WARNING!

(1) The 280T heat meter is not certified for use in hazardous environments. The

local site safety codes and regulations must be observed.

(2) The 280T heat meter contains Lithium batteries. Please check to see if they’re

working before using the heat meter. The batteries must be recycled or disposed of

properly.

Page 3
- 2 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

Contents

1. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1

§1.1 Preface ............................................................................................................................... 1

§1.2 Features ............................................................................................................................. 1

§1.3 Typical Applications .......................................................................................................... 2

§1.4 Safety Instructions ............................................................................................................. 2

§1.5 Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) ..................................................................................... 3

 §1.6 Built-in Time-Keeper ......................................................................................................... 3

§1.7 Product Identification ........................................................................................................ 3

2. Technical Information ..................................................................................................... 4

§2.1 Parts Identification............................................................................................................. 4

§2.2 Packing List ....................................................................................................................... 6

§2.3 Battery Specifications ........................................................................................................ 6

§2.4 Specifications .................................................................................................................... 7

§2.5 Units systems..................................................................................................................... 9

§2.6 How to protect the cables .................................................................................................. 9

§2.7 Serial number .................................................................................................................... 9

§2.8 Model Selection ............................................................................................................... 10

3. Operation ................................................................................................... 11

§3.1 Built-in Battery ................................................................................................................ 11

§3.2 Power On ......................................................................................................................... 11

§3.3 Keypad ............................................................................................................................ 11

§3.4 Menu Windows................................................................................................................ 12

§3.5 How to check if the instrument works properly ............................................................... 13

§3.6 Battery life ....................................................................................................................... 13

4. Installation ................................................................................................... 14

§4.1 Location selection ............................................................................................................ 14

§4.2 Flow-cell installation ....................................................................................................... 14

§4.3 Installation Guide for Flexible Flanges ............................................................................ 16

Page 4
tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 3 -

§4.4 Temperature Sensor Installation ....................................................................................... 17

§4.5 Electronic Box Mounting Location.................................................................................. 18

§4.6 Common installation mistakes ......................................................................................... 18

§4.7 Operations check ............................................................................................................. 19

5. Troubleshooting ............................................... 21
§5.1 Power-on Errors .............................................................................................................. 21

§5.2 Working Status Errors ...................................................................................................... 21

§5.3 Other Problems and Solutions ......................................................................................... 21

6. Interface/Communication ................................................................................................... 24

§6.1 General ............................................................................................................................ 24

§6.2 Set up PC Software .......................................................................................................... 24

§6.3 Communication Protocol ................................................................................................. 24

§6.4 Wiring Diagrams ............................................................................................................. 26

§6.5 Pulse Metering System .................................................................................................... 29

§6.6 M-Bus Metering System .................................................................................................. 29

§6.7 GSM Wireless Metering System ...................................................................................... 30

§6.8 RF Wireless Metering System ......................................................................................... 31

§6.9 BACnet Metering System ................................................................................................ 32

§6.10 Automatic Meter Reading .............................................................................................. 33

7. Warranty and Service ................................................................................................... 34

§7.1 Warranty .......................................................................................................................... 34

 §7.2 Service ............................................................................................................................. 34

8. Appendix ................................................................................................... 36
§8.1 Battery Maintenance and Replacement ............................................................................ 36

§8.2 Principle of Measurement ................................................................................................ 36

§8.3 Heat Energy Calculation .................................................................................................. 36

§8.4 Water Density and Specific Enthalpy Tables.................................................................... 39

§8.5 Heat Meter Mounting Location ....................................................................................... 41

Page 6
5 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 1 -

1. Introduction§1.1 Preface
A member of the tPrime Series, the 280T ultrasonic heat meter offers the most advanced BTU
measurement in the market by using state-of-the-art ultrasonic flow measurement technology. The
280T does not have moving parts to wear out, thus it literally requires no maintenance. It is also
very cost-effective, especially in the long run. This means both commercial and residential
installations can profit from the advantages of wear-free heat measurement, such as precision,
operating security, and long service life.

With its maximum operating temperature of 95°C (130°C version available upon request) and
nominal pressure of 1.6MPa, the technical specifications meet the standard for residential meters.
The high measurement dynamic allows a load of up to double the rating, thereby ensuring
high operating security.

The 280T heat meter uses transit-time ultrasonic flow measurement principle to reliably measure
the flow rate: sending and receiving transducers in opposition send ultrasonic signals alternately
with and against the flow direction. The flow rate can be precisely calculated from the difference
between the two transit times. There are no moving components in the sensor, and as a result, the
measurement is wear-free and stable over a very long time period.

Suitable for both commercial and residential applications, this compact meter fits in even the
smallest installation conditions and can be mounted separately from the electronics console. The
meter includes an order option for remote read-out (pulse, M-Bus, or RS485 output). The large
display can be set to display heat consumption, temperatures, flow total, working time, velocity, etc.

The 280T also offers tools for building energy management. When equipped with a M-Bus module,
the heat meters can be networked through a two-wire bus to a central location for integrated
resource management. An optional concentrator and data acquisition software make the whole
system installation and integration easy. Spire Metering provides a complete AMR (automatic meter
reading) solution as well.

Spire Metering’s 280T Ultrasonic BTU meter stands out among its competitors due to its unique
reflector-free sensor design and multipath technology. The 280T is able to work reliably even when
the water is dirty, which is useful because the HVAC circuit could be like this after years of
operation. Both commercial and residential installations can profit from the many advantages of
wear-free heating/cooling energy measurement, such as precision, operation security and long
service life.

§1.2 Features
• Wear-free ultrasonic measurement. No maintenance needed
• Proprietary robust sensor design. No reflector, thus works reliably for both clear water
Page 7 - 2 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

and dirty water

• Excellent long-term stability. Accuracy does not degrade over time
• Not impacted by water impurity or magnetic interference
• Wide measurement range
• Low pressure drop
• For both hot and cold water
• Free positioning for mounting
• Battery supply for 6 or more years
• Nominal pressure up to 1.6MPa
• Pulse / M-Bus / RS485 for remote readout
• Optional BACnet or M-Bus concentrator
• Optional AMR and data management software, including meter reading software and
utility billing software
• Simple and easy to install. Electronic box can be detached from the sensor body and
installed separately
• Low cost over long run, low cost of ownership

§1.3 Typical Applications

The 280T is suitable for both commercial and residential applications, such as district heating and
cooling, HVAC, green energy management, and AMR and billing. It meets the standards of
industrial, utility, and submetering systems:

• Wider dynamic range allows for a load of up to double the rating, thereby ensuring
high operational security
• Maximum operating temperature of 95 °C (up to 130 °C optional)
• Nominal pressure of 1.6MPa

This compact meter fits into even the smallest installation locations and can be mounted separately
from the electronics console.
The large LCD screen can be set to display the heat consumption, temperature, flow total, working
time, flow velocity, etc. The meter also has a remote readout which can be configured as pulse,
M-Bus or RS485. An optional BACnet module is available upon request.

§1.4 Safety Instructions

• Never hold and transport the meter by the electronics box, but instead only by the flanged
or threaded joint
• Assembling and dismantling should be carried out only when there is no pressure in the
pipe
• Beware of sharp edges
• After installation, the tightness must be verified by pressurizing with cold water
• Use meter only under the specified operating conditions
When conducting pressure test, make sure the pressure does not exceed 2.5MPa. Otherwise,

Page 8 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 3 -

dangers may arise and will void the warranty

Make sure the flow rate range does not exceed the specifications
• Calibration, maintenance, replacement of components, and repairs must only be performed
by a qualified person familiar with the hazards involved
• Calibration-related seals of the heat meter must not be damaged or removed! Otherwise,
the warranty will be void
• Disposal of the Lithium battery must be in accordance to environmental regulations
• We regret that we do not provide lightning protection, however, lightning protection should
still be ensured through other proper means

§1.5 Automatic Meter Reading (AMR)

AMR is a system for building energy management. When equipped with a connection module,
 multiple 280T heat meters can be networked through a two-wire bus to a central location for
integrated resource management. Spire Metering Technology provides an entire system of AMR
solutions, making the system installation and integration very easy.
Its SpireCaptureTM system is a cutting-edge fixed AMR system which integrates both wired and
wireless AMR/AMI technologies. It can accommodate a variety of metering networks, such as
M-Bus, Pulse, RF wireless, GSM/GPRS, BACnet module, and TCP/IP. The data center software
communicates with those networks through a standardized platform, which allows you to start with
a simple AMR system and gradually expand to a large metering system.

For more information on AMR and serial communication, see Section §6.

§1.6 Built-in Time-Keeper

A time-keeper is integrated in the 280T heat meter. The time-keeper remains operating as long as
the battery is alive. In case of battery failure, the time-keeper will not keep running, and the time
data will be lost. The user must re-enter the proper time values after the battery failure is recovered.
The user can also set the date and time as desired.

§1.7 Product Identification

Each set of the 280T series heat meter has a unique product identification number or ESN written
into the software that can only be modified with a special tool by the manufacturer. In case of any
hardware failure, please provide this number.

Page 9 - 4 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

2. Technical Information
§2.1 Parts Identification

Small size BTU meter (DN15-40)

Integrator

Integrator Holder

Temperature Sensor
Mounting Port

Flow-cell Sensor

Temperature
Sensor Cable

Flow Sensor Cable

Interface Cable
 Temperature Sensor 2
Temperature Sensor 1
(Already Installed)

Extension Piece (optional)

Tee Connector / Thermal well (optional)

Gasket

Page 10 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 5 -

Medium size BTU meter (DN50-DN100)

Flow-cell Sensor

Removable Flange

Integrator

Temperature Sensor

Note: for DN80 and Large size BTU meter (DN125-DN500)

DN100, the temperature
sensors are the same as
those for DN125 and
above.

Flow-cell Sensor

Interface Cable

Temperature Sensor

Flow Sensor Cable

Page 11 - 6 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

§2.2 Packing List

DN 15-40

Item Description Quantity Unit Notes

1 Ultrasonic Heat Meter 1 set

2 Tee with temperate sensor port 1 piece (optional)

(so-called thermal well)

3 Plumbing Adapters (extension 2 set (optional)

connector, nut, gasket)

4 Installation Guide 1 copy

DN 50+

Item Description Quantity Unit Notes

1 Ultrasonic Heat Meter 1 set

2 Thermal-well sleeve 1 piece 2 pieces for DN250

Mounting pocket and above

3 Thermal-well sleeve 1 piece None for DN50, 65

2 pieces for DN250+

4 Installation Guide 1 copy

§2.3 Battery Specifications

Lithium-Thionyl Chloride ER18505 type battery

Dimensions: 18.5mm diameter by 50.5mm height
Weight: average 28g
Nominal Capacity: 3.8 Ah
Nominal Voltage: 3.6V
Max Recommended Continuous Current: 100mA
Max Pulse Current Capability: 200mA
Operating Temperature Range: -55℃ to 85 ℃

Page 12 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 7 -

§2.4 Specifications

Size Flowrate (m3/h) Dimension (mm) Weight1 Pipe Joint2

mm Qn Qmin Qmax L W H (kg) (BSP/DIN)
Sensor Ext.

15 1.5 0.03 3.0 110 120 86 0.7 G3/4B G1/2B

20 2.5 0.05 5.0 130 120 86 0.8 G1B G3/4B

25 3.5 0.07 7.0 160 128 89 0.9 G1 1/4B G1B
32 6.0 0.12 12.0 180 130 96 1.3 G1 1/2B G1 1/4B
40 10 0.2 20 200 134 98 1.8 G2B G1 1/2B

50 15 0.6 30 200 165 190 5.8 Nut 4-M16

65 25 1.0 50 200 185 204 6.8 Nut 4-M16

80 40 1.6 80 225 192 220 9.0 Nut 8-M16
 100 60 2.4 120 250 220 240 11.6 Nut 8-M16
125 100 4.0 200 250 230 235 16.2 Nut 8-M16

150 150 6.0 300 300 265 270 18 Nut 8-M20

200 250 10.0 500 350 350 320 22 12-M20

250 400 16.0 800 450 405 405 60 12-M24

300 600 25.0 1200 500 460 460 80 12-M24

350 800 30.0 1600 500 520 520 105 16-M24
400 1200 48.0 2400 500 580 580 123 16-M27
450 1500 60.0 3000 500 640 640 157 20-M27

500 2000 80.0 4000 500 715 715 208 20-M30

(in.) (qpm) (qpm) (qpm) L (in.) W (in.) H (in.) (lb) Sensor Ext.

1/2” 6.6 0.1 13.2 4.33 4.72 3.38 1.54 G3/4B G1/2B
3/4” 11 0.2 22 5.11 4.72 3.38 1.76 G1B G3/4B
1” 15.4 0.3 30.8 6.29 5.03 3.50 1.98 G1 1/4B G1B

1 ¼” 26.4 0.5 52.8 7.08 5.11 3.77 2.86 G1 1/2B G1 1/4B

1 ½” 44 0.9 88 7.87 5.27 3.85 3.96 G2B G1 1/2B
2” 66 2.6 132 7.87 6.49 7.48 12.78 ANSI #150
2 ½” 110 4.4 220 7.87 7.28 8.03 14.99 ANSI #150
3” 176 7 352 8.85 7.55 8.66 19.84 ANSI #150
4” 264 10 528 9.84 8.66 9.44 25.57 ANSI #150

Notes: 1. Weight may differ depending on accessories.

2. Pipe joint could be NPT/ANSI flange upon request. For DN50-DN100, the flange is
removable.

Page 13 - 8 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

Electrical Data
Power Supply: Battery, 3.6V, Lithium
Battery type: Lithium, 3.6V
Battery life: 6 years. Optional 10 years
Backup Power Supply: Internal SuperCap
Communication Interface: M-Bus (default)
Optional: RS485 with MODBUS support, Pulse, optical
isolated, BACnet/MSTP, Radio, GSM
CE approval: EN61326-1:2006
Pressure: ≤1.6 MPa

Press loss: <0.025 MPa

Replacement Interval: 6 (optional 10) years at tBAT <30°C (86°F)
Network Power Supply: Automatically switch to M-Bus or RS485 power if
available
Power Consumption: <0.2W
Standby (Static) Current: <10uA

Accuracy / MPE (Maximum Permissible Error)

Accuracy Class: Class 2
MPE according to OIML R75, the whole system error is the combination of the following:
- Calculator (Integrator): Ec = ±(0.5 + 2 / ΔΘ )
- Temperature Sensor: Et = ±(0.5 + 4 / ΔΘ )
- Flow Sensor: Ef = ±(2 + 0.02 qn / q )
Here ΔΘ is the temperature difference between the flow and return of the heat exchange
circuit. q is the flow rate and qp is the nominal flow rate.

Calculator (Integrator)
Display: LCD, 8 digits
Resolution: 999.99999 - 999999.99 - 99999999
Energy Unit: KWh – MWh – GJ
Communication Protocol: M-Bus (default). Optional: MODBUS, BACnet
 Temperature Measurement
Sensor Type: PT1000, 2-wire
Measurement Range: 0…150°C C (32…302°F)
Difference Range: ΔΘ: 3K … 70K
Permissible Temperature: Θ: 2°C…60°C (35…140°F) for long term and up to 95°C
(203°F) for short term
High-temperature version: up to 130°C (266°F)

Mechanical Data
Metrological Class: 2 (according to OIML R75)
Environmental Class: B, optional C (outdoor)
Electromagnetic Class: E1
Environmental Temp: 0…55°C (32…131°F)

Page 14 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 9 -

Enclosure Protection: IP65, optional IP68

Enclosure Material: Plastic
Integrator Detachable: Yes
Pressure: PN16
Flow Sensor Body Material: Brass
Flow Sensor Cable: 1.2m (10m upon request)
Temperature Sensor Cable: 1.2m (10m upon request)
Gasket for flow /temperature Sensors: Silicon Rubber

Pressure Loss
The pressure loss of a flow sensor is proportional to the square of the flow:
Δp = k x q2
Here Δp is pressure loss, q is volume flow rate and k is the coefficient.
All meters have Δp less than 0.25bar at qp.

§2.5 Units systems

Currently, the 280T device does not support additional unit systems, and so it measures
everything in Celsius and kW h by default. However, one can use these simple equations to
convert between units:
If you prefer to use BTU as the unit for energy, you may use the formula 1 kW h = 3412.3
BTU.
If you prefer to use °F as the unit for temperature, you may use the formula °F = °C * (9/5) +
32.

§2.6 How to protect the cables

When mounting the sensors, please be careful not to touch the meter wires. All cables must be
properly protected so that no damage, short-circuit, or disconnection occurs to the device.

§2.7 Serial number

First, go to the A2 menu layer. Then cycle through the menus until you reach flow rate. The
serial number is in the screen right after flow rate. You should have the serial number ready
when you contact the manufacturer for support.
Page 15 - 10 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

§2.8 Model Selection

Example:
280T-DN025-1-A-2-A stands for the 280T tPrime series BTU meter for pipe DN25mm with
M-Bus interface, BSP pipe joint, extension pieces and T-connector (thermal well), with
standard temperature rating.

Page 16 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 11 -

3. Operation
§3.1 Built-in Battery

The instrument operates from the built-in Lithium battery, which is long-lasting with 6 to 10
years of operating time. The static current of the battery is less than 10uA, and the terminal
voltage reaches around 3.6V. If the 280T is connected to an outside power source, such as
M-Bus, the meter will not use the battery but instead draw power directly from the M-Bus.

Due to transport regulations, the battery might be deactivated by an insulating strip, which
must be removed completely in order to activate the meter. If a replacement battery is needed,
please contact Spire Metering. If the meter needs to be sent by air freight, then the battery
must be removed prior to shipping.

For safety precautions, the batteries should not be opened, come into contact with water, or be
 exposed to temperatures above 80 °C. Batteries should be disposed of at proper collection
centers.

§3.2 Power On

First, make sure to activate the battery. Press and hold the red button until it turns on the
power.

The 280T screen should display E0 when it is not connected to a water pipe (There is no water
inside of the flow sensor). When the meter is connected to a water pipe, and the water is full
in the pipe, the device will display the quantity of heat. If there is any abnormality,
corresponding error messages will be displayed.

Generally, there should be no display of error messages, and the heat meter will go to the most
commonly used window, which displays the total energy in kW h.

The heat measurement program always operates in the background of the user interface. This
means that the heat measurement will keep running regardless of any user window browsing
or viewing.

When the red button on the front panel is pressed, it cycles through different display windows
such as supply water temperature (t1), return water temperature (t2), temperature difference
(∆t), working time (hr), accumulated water quantity, water velocity, etc.

Once it is turned on, the 280T will keep on running until its long-lasting battery runs out.
There is no need to turn off the device when not in use.

§3.3 Keypad
The keypad of the 280T heat meter has 1 key for all functions.

Page 17 - 12 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

§3.4 Menu Windows

The user interface of this heat meter comprises of several results displays that can be viewed.

In order to get into a certain menu window, the user can press the red button to change the
LCD display. The heat meter calculates the results and updates the display every 8 seconds.
The following values can be displayed:

• Total Energy (kW h or MW h)

• Power (kW)
• Supply water temperature (t1)
• Return water temperature (t2)
• Delta (change) in temperature (∆t)
• Flowrate (m3/h)
• Total Volume (m3)
• Total Working Time (h)
• Current Date

Each short press of the red button switches the display screen to the next item. The menus are
displayed in loop-fashion. After pressing the red button, the display may stay at an item for a
short time and then return to the original display item. If you want the meter to display heat
 output all the time, first press the red button to switch to the heat output screen, then press and
hold the button for 8 seconds. The display resolution is 0.001 kWh. If you want the meter to
display water flow total all the time, first press the red button to switch to the flow total screen,
then press and hold the button for 8 seconds. The display resolution is 0.00001m3.

These are the top layer (A1-layer) of the menu display structure. On the second layer
(A2-layer) of this structure, more information can be seen. To go from the A1-layer to the
A2-layer, press the red button until it displays the flow rate. Then, press and hold the button
for 8 seconds, and you should see “A2” on the LCD for a short time. This indicates that you

are ready to view the menus on the A2-layer. On the A2-layer, the following menus are
displayed:

Page 18 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 13 -

• Total Volume with High Resolution (5 decimals)
• Total Energy with High Resolution (3 decimals)
• Current Date
• Error Code
Factory Data 1
• Flowrate
• Serial Number
• Manufacturing Date
• Factory Data 2, followed by Meter Size
• Factory Data 3 (version)
• Factory Data 4 (Calibration Coefficient for Q1 and Q2, hex numbers)
• Factory Data 5 (Calibration Coefficient for Q3 and Q4, hex numbers)
• Supply water temperature (t1)
• Return water temperature (t2)
• Factor Data 6
• Special Number 110001400
•

To go back to the A1-layer, scroll to the Flowrate item of A2, then press and hold the button
for 8 seconds until “A1” appears on the LCD. Or, simply leave the button alone for a certain
time, and the meter will automatically switch to the top layer display.

Note: Factory Data 4 and Factory Data 5 are the calibration coefficients for Q1 (normal
flowrate), Q2 (0.2 times normal flowrate), Q3 (0.1 times normal flowrate), and Q4
(minimum flowrate).
Example: If Menu Factory Data 4 shows 626C 63CE, then the coefficient for Q1
is626C (Hex) or 25196 (Dec), and the coefficient for Q2 is 63CE (Hex) or
25550 (Dec). Similarly, this applies to Factory Data 5.

§3.5 How to check if the instrument works properly

Generally speaking, when all the displayed data make sense and change accordingly to
different conditions, the heat meter is functioning properly. However, be aware of these error
messages:

If an ‘E0’ flashes, it means there is no water flowing through the heat meter. Check the pipe’s
water supply and try to get it so that the pipe is full of water.

If an ‘E1’ is displayed, it means that the flow rate is over the supported range of the
instrument.

If an ‘EA’ is displayed, it means that the temperature sensor is short-circuited.

If an ‘EB’ is displayed, it means that the temperature sensor is disconnected or broken.

§3.6 Battery life

See the battery icon on the top right corner. Four bars signify almost full battery in the device.
Page 19 - 14 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

4. Installation
§4.1 Location selection
• Find a suitable location for connecting the flow cell (the “tube” part of the device
where water flows through) to the pipe line.
• Do not install the meter within 0.5m of an AC power line or a high-frequency
radiation source.
• It is recommended to have a 5D straight pipe run upstream and 2D straight pipe
run downstream, where D stands for pipe diameter.
• When two or more heat meters are installed closely, make sure they are distanced
by 0.3m or more.
• If the flow meter is installed on the common return of two heating circuits (e.g.
heating water and hot water), the mounting location must be at a sufficient
distance, at least 10D, from the Tee, to ensure that different temperatures
homogenize (refer to the figure on the bottom).
• For more information on optimal location, go to Appendix §8.4.

25 °C

>10D

85 °C

§4.2 Flow-cell installation

• When installing, make sure the arrow on the meter sensor points to the flow
direction.
• When installing, do not turn the electronic box. When using a wrench to install,
hold the metal part of the sensor rather than the electronics box.
• When the meter is used as cold meter, remove the meter’s main box and its
mounting base and install the main box on a wall or other objects where the
temperature is within 0~55°C. In addition, the meter box needs to be higher than
the cold pipe, so that the condensed water on the cold pipe will not flow into the

Page 20 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 15 -

meter box along the wires.

• The meter sensor can be installed vertically or horizontally:
When it is installed vertically, make sure the flow goes upward.
When it is installed horizontally, make sure the ultrasonic transducers of the
flow-cell are on the side instead of the top or the bottom (please refer to the figure
below)

•
Tee with Temperature Sensor Port
•
•
• Return Return

•
•
PT1000 Temperature Sensor (Blue)
•
Thermal •
Exchange •
 System • Valve
• Filter (optional)
Supply •
Supply
•
•
•
•
PT1000 Temperature Sensor (Red)
Plumbing • Gasket
Adapters
•

• Flange connection
(1) Check the flow-cell dimension and reserve sufficient clearance for the
flow-cell installation.
(2) Install flexible flanges if applicable (DN50-100), see next section for details
(3) Install the flow-cell between two shut-off valves.

Sealant

Transducer

Page 21 - 16 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

§4.3 Installation Guide for Flexible Flanges

Ultrasonic heat meters from sizes DN50 to DN100 normally use flexible flanges for pipe
connection. Here shows how to assemble the flexible flanges with the flow-cell sensor
and install them into a pipe line.
1. Each water meter or heat meter of size DN50-DN100 comes with a flow cell, a pair of
flexible flanges, and two pieces of metal rings.
2. First, put the 2 pieces of flanges into the flow cell.

Flow-cell Flange

Transducer

The bigger opening side of

the flange is facing outside

Metal Ring Slot

3. Put the metal ring into the metal ring slot. Do this for both sides of the flow cell.

Metal Ring
 4. Connect the flow cell to the pipe:
Put the pipe sealant in place metal. Rotate the flange so that the two transducers are in
the horizontal plane. Note that if your pipe is vertical, you may skip this step. Just make
sure the flow in your vertical pipe is going upward, not downward. Put the bolts through
the flange holes as shown below. Screw in the nuts with caution. Leave the nuts loose
for this moment! Check whether the flow cell is in line with the pipe. If not, adjust the
flow cell position. Tighten the bolts and nuts.

Page 22 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 17 -

§4.4 Temperature Sensor Installation

For DN 10-40
The red-labeled Temperature Sensor should be already
PT1000
pre-plugged into the flow cell. In order to install the blue-labeled Temperature
Temperature Sensor on the return pipe, follow these steps: Sensor
(1) Insert the Tee into the desired location along the pipe line.
(2) Remove the Temperature Sensor Port plug from the Tee.
O-Ring
(3) Insert the O-Ring deep inside the Temperature Sensor Port.
(4) Gently insert the blue-labeled Temperature Sensor into the
Tee’s Temperature Sensor Port, being careful not to break the

O-Ring, and then tighten it.

Tee

For DN 50-120
(1) Install the red-labeled temperature sensor into the temperature sensor mounting pocket on
the flow-cell. Refer to the lower left figure for details.
(2) On the return pipe (assuming the heat meter is installed on the supply pipe), make a hole
with size slightly bigger than the mounting pocket.
(3) Insert the mounting pocket into the hole and weld it onto the return pipe.
(4) Install the blue-labeled temperature sensor into the mounting pocket:
- For DN80 and larger meters, refer to the lower center figure.
- For DN50 and DN65 meters, refer to the lower right figure.

PT1000
Temperature
Sensor

Mounting
Pocket
(Supply) Thermal-well
sleeve

PT1000
Temperature
Please wrap
Sensor
Teflon to seal

Thermal-well
Sleeve
(For sizes ≥DN80
only) Mounting
Pocket

Temperature sensor
Installation on the flow-cell For sizes ≥ DN80 For sizes DN50 and DN65

- 18 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

Page 23
§4.5 Electronic Box Mounting Location

The electronic box can be mounted horizontally, vertically, or inclined on the meter mounting
base of the flow sensor.
(1) Make sure the surrounding temperature is less than 55°C. If not, remove the meter
mounting base and install it together with the electronic box on a wall that is at room
temperature.
(2) If the water temperature is higher than 90°C, remove the meter mounting base and
install it together with the electronic box on a wall.
(3) When used as a cold meter, remove the meter mounting base and install it together with
the electronic box on a wall. In addition, the box should be above the pipe so that no
condensed water will drop onto the box or run along the wire into the box.

§4.6 Common installation mistakes

Use both wrenches when tightening the nuts

Page 24 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 19 -

For horizontal pipes, the flow-cell should be installed in a way so that the meter box faces upward and the
two ultrasonic transducers on the horizontal plane.

The pipe must be full of liquids.

Pipe is Full
 Pipe may not be Full

For vertical installation, the flow

must go upward.

Flow Flow

§4.7 Operations check

• After the installation is complete, the air in the pipe has to be purged out
completely.
• Make sure the pressure in the system is normal.
• Make sure the red temperature sensor is installed in the temperature sensor port of
the flow-cell, and the blue temperature sensor is installed in the temperature
sensor port of the Tee. For pipe sizes DN65 or bigger, you may need to drill a hole
to install the blue temperature sensor. Please contact the manufacturer for

Page 25 - 20 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

instructions.
• Make sure the O-ring for the sealing is centered at the joining point. Otherwise, it
could generate disturbance to the flow, thus, degrading the meter accuracy.
• Use meter only under the specified operating conditions. Make sure flow rate
range is proper for the pipe.
• If the heating system is not running in winter, always empty the pipe. Otherwise,
the pipe may burst when water freezes.
• Important: The pipe must be full of liquids during operation!
Page 26 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 21 -

5. Troubleshooting
§5.1 Power-on Errors

When powered on, the 280T series ultrasonic heat meter automatically starts the
self-diagnosis process to see if there are any hardware and software problems. If a problem is
identified, an error message will be displayed. The following table shows the possible error
messages, the corresponding causes, and their solutions.

Error message Causes Solutions

E0 No water in pipe detected (1) Make sure water flow is turned on
in pipe
(2) Check the flow cell connection
E1 Flow rate is over the range Check flow source
supported by device.
EA Temperature sensor was (1) Reconfigure the temperature
short-circuited. probe installation
(2) Contact the manufacturer
EB Temperature sensor is Reconnect the temperature probes, or
disconnected or broken. order new parts from the
manufacturer
Reboot repetitively Hardware problems Contact the manufacturer

§5.2 Working Status Errors

Whenever something goes wrong while the device is on, the 280T heat meter will show an
Error Code, just like with the power-on errors. When any abnormal Error Code shows,
counter-measures should be taken.

§5.3 Other Problems and Solutions

(1) Q: Why does the instrument display 0.0000 flow rate while the liquid in the pipe is
actually flowing?
A: There might not be enough water in the pipe. Try to get it so that water flow through
the flow cell is almost full. Additionally, check the installation to see if it is in a
desirable location.
(2) Q: The displayed flow rate is much lower or much higher than the actual flow rate in the
pipe under normal working conditions. Why?
A:
(a) The flow cell and meter might have been installed incorrectly. Check the

Page 27 - 22 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

 connection.
(b) The amount of straight pipe run upstream and downstream may be too small.
This can cause the data reading to be inaccurate.
(c) When the meter sensor is installed vertically, make sure the water flow goes
upward. When it is installed horizontally, make sure the ultrasonic transducers of
the flow cell are on the side instead of the top or bottom, as this may skew
results.
(3) Q: Why is the temperature reading incorrect?
A:
(a) When 2 or more heat meters are installed closely, make sure they are separated
by 0.3m or more, otherwise the measurements are affected.
(b) Make sure the temperature sensor is installed correctly in the temperature sensor
port.
(c) Make sure the meter box is not in direct contact with the pipe if it’s a used as a
cold meter.

For more information, please refer to our technical support website:

http://www.spiremt.com/support

Page 28 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 23 -

Page 29 - 24 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

6. Interface/Communication
§6.1 General
The tPrime 280T series ultrasonic heat meter integrates a USB communication interface and a
complete set of serial communication protocol. By using this serial communication link, one
can configure the heat meter and acquire measurement results from a PC. Additionally, the
280T heat meter has multiple AMR/AMI integral options, including:
•Pulse
•M-Bus
•RS485 with Modbus
•RF
•TCP/IP
•BACnet modules

§6.2 Set up PC Software

To facilitate the use of and to fully explore the potential of 280T heat meter, Spire Metering
has developed proprietary PC software, which is particularly useful for those who are not
familiar with computer communication technology.

Please visit the following technical support website for more information on available PC
software:
http://www.spiremt.com/support

§6.3 Communication Protocol

These are the main methods to read data from tPrime 280T heat meters: Infrared Meter
Reading, RS485 Meter Reading, M-Bus Meter Reading, BACnet Meter Reading and RF
Wireless Reading.
Infrared reading is a local meter reading method. The others are remote meter reading
 methods. The communication protocol discussed here is applicable to remote reading
methods.

MODBUS Protocol:
Master-Slave communication architecture. The 280T meter is the slave.
Use RS485 serial communication. Default parameters are:
• Baud Rate: 9600 bps
• Checksum: None
• Data bit: 8 bits

Page 30 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 25 -

• Stop bit: 1 bit
With the MODBUS module option, the 280T supports standard MODBUS protocol.

MODBUS REGISTER TABLE

Register # Variable Name Data Type Notes
Address reg.
0001-0002 2 Flow Rate LONG *
0003-0003 1 Flow Rate Unit INTEGER *
0004-0005 2 Power LONG *
0006-0006 1 Power Unit INTEGER *
0007-0008 2 Flow Total LONG *
0009-0009 1 Flow Total Unit INTEGER *
0010-0011 2 Heat Energy Total LONG *
0012-0012 1 Heat Energy Total Unit INTEGER *
0013-0014 2 Cold Energy Total LONG *
0015-0015 1 Cold Energy Total Unit INTEGER *
0016-0017 2 T1 /Supply Temp LONG x0.01degC
0018-0019 2 T2 /Return Temp LONG x0.01degC
0020-0020 1 State INTEGER
0021-0022 2 Working Time LONG Unsigned. second
0023-0024 2 Clock BCD Writable. 3bytes BCD for second,
minute and hour. Low on left
0025-0026 2 Date BCD Writable. 4bytes BCD for day,
month and year. Low on left
0027-0027 1 4-20mA output current value INTEGER x0.01mA
0028-0029 2 Flowrate/Energy rate at 4mA LONG Unit similar to (0003)
0030-0031 2 Flowrate/Energy rate at 20mA LONG Unit similar to (0006)
0032-0032 1 Size LONG mm (saved in flash)
0033-0034 2 SN# BCD High on left
0035-0035 1 MODBUS ADDR INTEGER Writable (saved in flash)
0036-0036 1 Meter Type INTEGER BIT0=0:water meter
BIT0=1:heat meter
(saved in flash)
0037-0037 1 Comm Mode Select INTEGER Writable.
0 - 9600/MODBUS （Default）;
1- 2400/Mbus**
0038-0038 1 Firmware Version INTEGER Hex

Notes:
*Unit code:
05– KWH; 14 – Watt; 32 – Litre/H; 2C – Cubic Meter;
02– WH; 08 – GWH;

Page 31 - 26 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

 17– KW; 1A – GW; 29 – Litre; 35 – Cubic Meter/H.
Data Format:
For LONG data, it has 32bits. Thus, two registers are used to store a LONG. The first register
(lower address) is for the lower 16bits of the data. The second register (higher address) is for
the higher 16bits of the data.

** Use factory software to change the communication protocol. If you set the Communication
Mode to 1, and set the duration to 6556, then the meter will switch to M-Bus protocol.
Resetting the external power will switch the mode back to MODBUS protocol.

M-Bus Protocol:
Master-Slave communication architecture. The 280T meter is the slave.
Use M-Bus serial communication. Default parameters are:
• Baud Rate: 2400 bps
• Checksum: None
• Data bit: 8 bits
• Stop bit: 1 bit

The 280T adapts the EN1434 / EN13757 M-Bus protocol. This allows it to communicate with
any standard M-Bus master device.
Please note that only the major functions of the protocol have been implemented.

§6.4 Wiring Diagrams

Pulse Interface:

tPrime 280T (DN 10-40)

Number Wire Name Color
1 Return Temperature Sensor Blue Flag
2 Supply Temperature Sensor Red Flag
3 Transducer Cable Black
Red (Plus)
4 Pulse Output Wires Blue (Minus)
Black (Ground)

Vcc
Specifications:
Optocoupler
Vcc: 12~24 VDC power supply Isolation Red/Blue Rx
Rx: 2kOhm
Pulse width: 15ms
Pulse frequency: Pulse
Counter
1 kWh/p (≤DN32),
10kWh/p (DN40~DN80),
100kWh/p (DN100~DN150),
Black/Yellow

Page 32 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 27 -

1000kWh/p (≥DN200)
M-Bus Interface:

tPrime 280T (DN 10-40)

Number Wire Name Color
1 Return Temperature Sensor Blue Flag
2 Supply Temperature Sensor Red Flag
3 Transducer Cable Black
4 M-Bus Output Wires Red (Plus)
Black or White (Minus)
 Two wires, no polarity.
Wire size: AWG26 or bigger,
depending on distance.
Wire length: <1.2km
Twisted cable with shielding is
better.
Once 280C-0 concentrator can
support up to 250 M-Bus meters.
Refer to the figure on the left for
details.

RS485/MODBUS Interface:

tPrime 280T (DN 10-40)

Number Wire Name Color
1 Return Temperature Sensor Blue Flag
2 Supply Temperature Sensor Red Flag
3 Transducer Cable Black
4 Modbus Output Wires Red (Plus)

Blue (Minus)
Black (Ground)
Yellow (B)

Page 33 - 28 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

The RS485 output is an

opto-isolated serial interface. It
needs an external 5VDC/0.1A
power supply.
This communication port setting
is fixed at 9600,8,n,1.
This serial interface supports
standard Modbus protocol.

BACnet Interface

tPrime 280T (DN 10-40)

Number Wire Name Color
1 Return Temperature Sensor Blue Flag
2 Supply Temperature Sensor Red Flag
3 Transducer Cable Black
4 Output Wires Red (Plus)
Blue (Minus)
Black (Ground)

Yellow (B)
 Interface: Upper Link: BACnet MSTP
Downlink: RS485/MODBUS
Power Supply: 5VDC/0.5A

Page 34 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 29 -

§6.5 Pulse Metering System

The pulse system is the easiest way to connect the 280T meter to an output source for serial
communication. As shown in the wiring diagram in §6.5, be sure to include a black output
wire for the ground.

The pulse output interface can be connected to a pulse wireless transmitter to send the meter
data to a remote data center through a fixed wireless AMI infrastructure (refer to section $6.8
for details). It may also send data to a handheld meter reading device for mobile reading when
AMI infrastructure is not available. Please contact [email protected] for more
information.

§6.6 M-Bus Metering System

M-Bus Cable
The M-Bus uses two wire cables which are going from the M-Bus Master / Repeater to each
M-Bus device (bus structure). The M-Bus is polarity independent and needs no line
termination resistors at the end of the cables.

Any cable type may be used as long as the cable is suitable for 42 V / 500 mA. Shielding is
not necessary and not recommended since the capacity of the cable should be minimized.
In most cases a standard telephone cable is used which is a twisted-pair wire with a diameter
of 0.8 mm each (2 x 0.8 mm). This type of cable should be used for the main wiring. For the
wiring to the meters from the main wiring (last 1 … 5 m to the meter) a cable with smaller
diameter may be used.

Please refer to the picture in section §6.4 for wiring details.

The M-Bus system is an European instrument “bus” standard designed for domestic
metering devices, such as water meters, heat/water meters, gas meters, etc., to communicate
with data centers. The “bus” simply uses two non-polarized wires to achieve a variety of
options for reliable meter reading, remote diagnosis, remote control, incremental pricing,
time-based pricing, batch service, prepaid billing, and more. This ‘bus’ system is both
simple and economical to wire and implement.

A typical M-Bus AMR system consists of a number of M-Bus utility meters, several M-Bus
concentrators, a GSM/GPRS Data Transmitter Unit (DTU) for each M-Bus concentrator, and
a data center. The M-Bus Concentrator communicates with the data center computer through a
GSM/GPRS network. The data center first issues a meter reading command and sends it to the
network. The DTU receives the command and forwards it to the M-Bus concentrator. Then,
the concentrator either replies to the command with requested data or passes the command to
its submeters transparently.

Page 35 - 30 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

Please note that you may not need the DTU unit if you can connect the M-Bus
 concentrator(s) to your computer directly. Alternatively, you may connect the
concentrator(s) to your computer through TCP-IP network by using Ethernet-232 adapters.
Similarly, you may connect the concentrator(s) to your BACnet or MODBUS network by
using proper adapters.

The 280C Concentrators are used for an AMR system to facilitate the communication between
the data center and the M-Bus utility meters of the AMR system. These concentrators support
not only the 280T BTU meters, but also the 280W water meters and STE101C electricity
energy meters. A wireless M-Bus concentrator is also available, where the M-Bus
concentrator is affixed with a GSM/GPRS data transmitter unit (DTU).

A DTU (Data Transmitter Unit) is a GSM/GPRS modem which provides a wireless interface
for the concentrator. Spire Metering’s EP280 GSM modem and EP260 GPRS modem are
specially designed for this application. Both EP280 and EP260 have the following features:

● Support GSM900/1800M dual band or GSM850/1900M dual band

● Transmitting power: 2W (900MHz) or 1W (1.8GHz)
● Receiving sensitivity: <-102dBm
● Frequency error: < +/- 0.1ppm
● Low power consumption
● International standard interface
● Standard RS-232 interface
● Provide SMS services，meet GSM07.05 standard
● DTU device for transparent communication
● Auto reset after power off or manual reset

§6.7 GSM Wireless Metering System

For remote locations where wired metering networks or RF networks are not suitable, Spire
Metering offers GSM-enabled utility meters. This allows the utility meter to communicate
with the data center directly.

One example is a 280T heat meter that has a built-in GSM modem (EP280). When the EP280
GSM modem is powered up, it starts to establish a wireless link with the GSM wireless
network. On the data center side, another GSM modem (EP260) is connected to the computer.
When this modem is powered up, it will also start to establish a wireless link with the GSM
wireless network.

The data center software sends a query command together with the destination’s phone
number and address to its modem, EP260. EP260 then packs the command in SMS format
and sends the SMS package to the GSM/GPRS cellular wireless network. The SMS service
routes this package all the way to the destination modem EP280, whose phone number
matches that of the command.

Page 36 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 31 -

When the EP280 receives the SMS package, it strips off the SMS packing information and
extracts the original command. Consequently, it sends the command to the meter whose
address matches the one in the command. In this way, a number of utility meters, such as
water meters, electricity meters, gas meters and valves, can be connected to the same EP280
GSM modem, as long as they have different addresses.

When the heat meter receives the command from its EP280 modem, it executes the command
and responds with the requested data. The data will be sent to the GSM/GPRS cellular
wireless network via SMS service. The SMS service routes this data all the way back to the
data center computer. After receiving the response from the water meter, the Data Center
Manager software will process the data, saving the data to SQL database.

§6.8 RF Wireless Metering System

This fixed network Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system utilizes a Remote Data
Logger (RDLR) to receive and transfer meter data from transmitters located at each utility
 meter on to the utility computer. The SpireCapture data management software suite allows
easy access to system information and a variety of customer service tools. In addition to
providing meter data to the utility’s billing system in a flexible and compatible file format, the
meter data management software also monitors and controls system performance, manages
data, and remotely reconfigures the RDLR as needed.

Repeaters
amplify
messages Wireless Utility Meter:
280W, 280T, STE 101

Wireless Remote Data

Logger (RDLR)

Data Center

Clubhouse

Page 37 - 32 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

The RF system consists of 3 parts:

• RF transceiver: 433 MHz
• Repeater: an intelligent transceiver that identifies signals from the endnote transceiver
and rebroadcasts those signals. The repeater transmits at a higher power than the
endnote, so the endnote radio transmissions need only reach the repeater, not the
Remote Data Logger (RDLR). This extends the life of the battery in the endnote and
creates an accurate, reliable, and cost-effective wireless system.
• Remote Data Logger: interfaces to the wireless network for collection of utility
consumption data, stores the collected data, and transfers the data to a remote billing
server for bill generation.

§6.9 BACnet Metering System

The 280T meter can utilize a BACnet/MSTP adapter to provide the BACnet interface. It
connects to the BACnet/MSTP adapter through RS485 and uses the MODBUS protocol to
communicate. The BACnet adapter has passed the BTL certification test. It has proven to be
robust, reliable, and flexible. The BACnet module has two banks of DIP switches, enabling
the users to quickly configure the serial protocol settings without the need for any third party
software. Settings available via the DIP Switches include
• MAC address
• Baud rate (including auto-baud setting for BACnet MSTP)
• Node ID

The BACnet module supports the following protocols:

• BACnet MSTP
• Metasys N2
• Modbus RTU
• Modbus ASCII
• Allen Bradley DF1

The data link layer options include BACnet IP (Annex J), MS/TP master (Clause 9), with a
baud rate of up to 76.8 Kbps, and MS/TP slave (Clause 9). The networking options are
BACnet/IP Broadcast Management Device (BBMD), as well as registrations by foreign
devices.
 The standard object types supported by BACnet interface are device object, analog input,
analog output, analog value, binary input, binary output, binary value, multi state input, multi
state output, multi state value, and notification class object.

Page 38 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 33 -

§6.10 Automatic Meter Reading

Spire Metering’s SpireCaptureTM system is a cutting-edge fixed AMR system which integrates
both wired and wireless AMR/AMI technologies. It provides a unified platform for meter
reading and data management through M-Bus networks, RF wireless networks, GSM
networks, GPRS networks as well as TCP/IP networks. In addition, the AMR system works
seamlessly with Spire Metering’s billing software to make data exchange easy, fast and
reliable.

GPRS network
Wireless M-Bus Concentrator (cellular data network)

Gateway
Data Center

SpireCapture is an advanced, highly robust meter reading solution that delivers

comprehensive usage information as well as timely, high-resolution meter reading. This data
enables gas, water, heat and electric utilities to eliminate on-site visits and estimated reads,
reduce theft and loss, implement time-of-use billing, and profit from all of the financial and
operational benefits of a fixed-network AMI/AMR.

SpireCapture is based on a flexible, expandable, multi-tier architecture that can accommodate

a variety of metering networks. The data center software communicates with those networks
through a standardized platform, which allows you to start with a simple AMR system and
gradually expand to a large metering system. SpireCapture communicates with utility meters
using primarily the MBus protocol. It can also be extended to other protocols such as Modbus.
This allows other brand utility meters to be integrated into the SpireCapture system.

Page 39- 34 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

 7. Warranty and Service
§7.1 Warranty

The products manufactured by Spire Metering Technology are warranted to be free from defects in
materials and workmanship for a period of two years from the date of shipment to the original
purchaser. Spire Metering’s obligation should be limited to restoring the meter to normal operating
conditions or replacing the meter, at Spire Metering’s choice, and shall be conditioned upon
receiving written notice of any alleged defect within 10 days after its discovery. Spire Metering will
determine if the return of the meter is necessary. If it is, the user should be responsible for the
one-way shipping fee from the customer to the manufacturer.

Spire Metering is not liable to any defects or damage attributable to misusage, improper installation,
out-of-spec operating conditions, replacement of unauthorized parts, and acts of nature.
Additionally, fuses and batteries are not part of this warranty.

THE FOREGOING WARANTY IS EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER EXPRESS OR

IMPLIED WARRANTIES (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND WARRANTIES
ARISING FROM DEALING, TRADE OR USAGE.)

§7.2 Service

The manufacturer provides instrument installation services for its customers, and the charge will
depend on the complexity of the installation.

For operational problems, please contact the technical support department by telephone, fax, or
email. In most cases, the problem can be resolved immediately.

For any hardware failure of the instrument, we recommend our customers to send back the
instrument for service. Please contact the technical support department with the model number and
serial number of the unit before sending the unit back to us. Both numbers can be found on the
product label. For each service or calibration request, we will issue a Return Materials
Authorization (RMA) number.
Take notice that the cost for repairing can only be determined after receipt and inspection of the
instrument. A quotation will be sent to the customer before proceeding with the service.

Important Notice for Product Return

Before returning the instrument for warranty repair or service, please read the following carefully:
1. If the return item has been exposed to nuclear or other radioactive environments, or has been in
contact with hazardous material which could pose any danger to our personnel, the unit cannot be
serviced.

Page 40 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 35 -

2. If the return item has been exposed to or in contact with dangerous materials, but has been
certified as hazard-free device by a recognized organization, you are required to supply the
certification for the service.
3. If the return item does not have a RMA# associated, it will be sent back without any service
conducted.
Page 41- 36 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

8. Appendix
§8.1 Battery Maintenance and Replacement

The battery is a Lithium non-rechargeable battery. Therefore, one needs to replace the batteries
once they run out of power (usually lasts 6 or 10 years). Please contact the manufacturer for
purchasing new batteries. Dead batteries should be disposed of at proper collection centers.

§8.2 Principle of Measurement

The tPrime series 280T heat meter consists of an ultrasonic flow sensor, a pair of PT1000
temperature sensors, and a BTU unit. The microprocessor-based BTU unit controls the ultrasonic
sensor to transmit and receive ultrasound in an orderly fashion in order to conduct precise flow
measurement. The BTU unit also has electronics dedicated to measure the temperature in the supply
pipe as well as the return pipe via PT1000 sensors. The BTU unit calculates the heat energy based
on the flowrate and the temperature difference between the supply and the return.
The figure on the right illustrates how the
ultrasonic flow sensor works. Two ultrasonic
transducers (A and B) are mounted on a
spool piece face-to-face; one is on the
upstream and the other on the downstream.
The electronic console (e.g., the BTU unit)
operates by alternately transmitting and
receiving a burst of sound energy between
the two transducers and measuring the transit
time it takes for sound to travel between the
two transducers. The difference in the transit
time measured corresponds directly to the
velocity of the liquid in the pipe

§8.3 Heat Energy Calculation

In today’s heat meter industry, there are two kinds of methods to calculate heat energy based on
 volume flow and temperature measurements. One method is to use the heat coefficient table, using
this equation.

Page 42 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 37 -

where:
Q is the quantity of heat given up or absorbed
V is the volume of liquid passed
k is called the heat coefficient, a function of the properties of the energy-conveying liquid at the
relevant temperatures and pressure
ΔΘ is the temperature difference between the flow and return of the heat exchange circuit

The true conventional value of the heat coefficient (k) for water, if it is used as the system’s heat
conveying liquid, can be obtained from a standard heat coefficient table.

Another method is to use the specific enthalpy table. Spire Metering Technology’s BTU meter
utilizes the second method to calculate the heat energy of a heat exchange circuit. The advantage of
this method is that the flow sensor can be installed in either the supply or return line, as long as the
Red-tagged temperature sensor is installed on the flow sensor side. The equation is below:

where:
Q is the total heat given out or absorbed, from time τ0 to τ1, [J] or [Wh]
ρ(Ts, Tr) is the density of the liquid passed[kg/m3]
∆h(Ts, Tr) is the specific enthalpy difference, calculated from the supply and the return line
temperatures, in [J/kg].

To calculate heat (Q) accurately, both flow and temperature measurements must be accurate. Of the
two, measuring flow rate is more challenging, as all of the values in the integral on the right side of
the equation below must be correctly measured, determined, or pre-calibrated.

Here are the equations used to find qv

Tup= L / (C - V cosθ ) Tdown= L / (C + V cosθ)

L ∆T
V= × and qv = k S V
cos2 θ TT
up
• down

where:
ϴ is the angle between the flow direction and the sound path
L is the transducer separation
Tup (Tdown) is the transit time upstream (downstream), and ΔT = Tup – Tdown
k is a factory-calibrated scale factor, a function of the sensor structure and the fluid properties
S is the cross-sectional area of the flow at the sensor

Page 43- 38 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

280T heat meter

 The figure on the right
illustrates a heat measurement
system using the 280T meter.
The temperature sensors
Supply
measure the supply and the
return lines, while flow rate is
calculated as given above. The Temperature
280T calculates the heat Sensor (red )

transferred, Q, during a time

interval, using the equations.

Temperature
Sensor (blue)

Return

Depending on the pipe size, there are two kinds of

transducer arrangements. For large pipes, a
straight-through design is recommended. However,
for small pipes, the straight-through does not
provide enough sound path to obtain good
accuracy. To increase the sound path, our
competitors put a sound reflector in the pipe to get
a V-shaped path or even put two sound reflectors
to get a U-shaped path. The problem with the
reflector occurs when the liquid in the pipe gets
dirty, which is quite common in real
heating/cooling loops. After many years in
operation, the reflector surface is not smooth
anymore, and its reflecting efficiency becomes
very poor. This could cause the heat meter accuracy to be largely degraded, or even cause the meter
to fail to register. With expertise on flow dynamics, Spire Metering Technology has designed a
unique flow guide which allows the sound path to be more than 5 times longer than the
straight-through design. This design significantly increases the measurement accuracy. Since there
is no reflector, the sensor is very robust and reliable.

Page 44 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 39 -

§8.4 Water Density and Specific Enthalpy Tables

A1 When pressure is less or equal 1.0MPa:

Table 1 P =0.6000MPa，Temperature 1℃～150℃

Temp Density Enthalpy Temp Density Enthalpy Temp Density Enthalpy
(°C) (kg/m3) (kJ/kg) (°C) (kg/m3) (kJ/kg) (°C) (kg/m3) (kJ/kg)
1 1000.2 4.7841 51 987.80 214.03 101 957.86 423.76
2 1000.2 8.9963 52 987.33 218.21 102 957.14 427.97
3 1000.2 13.206 53 986.87 222.39 103 956.41 432.19
4 1000.2 17.412 54 986.39 226.57 104 955.67 436.41
5 1000.2 21.616 55 985.91 230.75 105 954.93 440.63
6 1000.2 25.818 56 985.42 234.94 106 954.19 444.85
7 1000.1 30.018 57 984.93 239.12 107 953.44 449.07
8 1000.1 34.215 58 984.43 243.30 108 952.69 453.30
9 1000.0 38.411 59 983.93 247.48 109 951.93 457.52
10 999.94 42.605 60 983.41 251.67 110 951.17 461.75
11 999.84 46.798 61 982.90 255.85 111 950.40 465.98
12 999.74 50.989 62 982.37 260.04 112 949.63 470.20
13 999.61 55.178 63 981.84 264.22 113 948.86 474.44
 14 999.48 59.367 64 981.31 268.41 114 948.08 478.67
15 999.34 63.554 65 980.77 272.59 115 947.29 482.90
16 999.18 67.740 66 980.22 276.78 116 946.51 487.14
17 999.01 71.926 67 979.67 280.97 117 945.71 491.37
18 998.83 76.110 68 979.12 285.15 118 944.92 195.61
19 998.64 80.294 69 978.55 289.34 119 944.11 499.85
20 998.44 84.476 70 977.98 293.53 120 943.31 504.09
21 998.22 88.659 71 977.41 297.72 121 942.50 508.34
22 998.00 92.840 72 976.83 301.91 122 941.68 512.58
23 997.77 97.021 73 976.25 306.10 123 940.86 516.83
24 997.52 101.20 74 975.66 310.29 124 940.04 521.08
25 997.27 105.38 75 975.06 314.48 125 939.21 525.33
26 997.01 109.56 76 974.46 318.68 126 938.38 529.58
27 996.74 113.74 77 973.86 322.87 127 937.54 533.83
28 996.46 117.92 78 973.25 327.06 128 936.70 538.09
29 996.17 122.10 79 972.63 331.26 129 935.86 542.35
30 995.87 126.28 80 972.01 335.45 130 935.01 546.61
31 995.56 130.46 81 971.39 339.65 131 934.15 550.87
32 995.25 134.63 82 970.76 343.85 132 933.29 555.13
33 994.93 138.81 83 970.12 348.04 133 932.43 559.40
34 994.59 142.99 84 969.48 352.24 134 931.56 563.67
35 994.25 147.17 85 968.84 356.44 135 930.69 567.93

36 993.91 151.35 86 968.19 360.64 136 929.81 572.21

37 993.55 155.52 87 967.53 364.84 137 928.93 576.48
38 993.19 159.70 88 966.87 369.04 138 928.05 580.76

Page 45- 40 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

39 992.81 163.88 89 966.21 373.25 139 927.16 585.04
40 992.44 168.06 90 965.54 377.45 140 926.26 589.32
41 992.05 172.24 91 964.86 381.65 141 925.37 593.60
42 991.65 176.41 92 964.18 385.86 142 924.46 597.88
43 991.25 180.59 93 963.50 390.07 143 923.56 602.17
44 990.85 184.77 94 962.81 394.27 144 922.64 606.46
45 990.43 188.95 95 962.12 398.48 145 921.73 610.76
46 990.01 193.13 96 961.42 402.69 146 920.81 615.05
47 989.58 197.31 97 960.72 406.90 147 919.88 619.35
48 989.14 201.49 98 960.01 411.11 148 918.95 623.65
49 988.70 205.67 99 959.30 415.33 149 918.02 627.95
50 988.25 209.85 100 958.58 419.54 150 917.08 632.26

A2 When pressure is higher than 1.0MPa but less than or equal to 2.5MPa:

Table 2 When P =1.6000MPa，temperature 1℃～150℃

Temp Density Enthalpy Temp Density Enthalpy Temp Density Enthalpy

(°C) (kg/m3) (kJ/kg) (°C) (kg/m3) (kJ/kg) (°C) (kg/m3) (kJ/kg)
1 1000.7 5.7964 51 988.23 214.89 101 958.33 424.51
2 1000.7 10.004 52 987.77 219.07 102 957.61 428.72
3 1000.7 14.209 53 987.30 223.25 103 956.88 432.93
4 1000.7 18.411 54 986.83 227.42 104 956.15 437.15
5 1000.7 22.611 55 986.35 231.60 105 955.41 441.37
6 1000.7 26.808 56 985.86 235.78 106 954.67 445.59
7 1000.6 31.004 57 985.37 239.96 107 953.92 449.81
8 1000.6 35.197 58 984.87 244.14 108 958.17 454.03
9 1000.5 39.389 59 984.36 248.33 109 952.41 458.25
10 1000.4 43.579 60 983.85 252.51 110 951.65 462.48
11 1000.3 47.768 61 983.33 256.69 111 950.89 466.70
12 1000.2 51.956 62 982.81 260.87 112 950.12 470.93
13 1000.1 56.142 63 982.28 265.05 113 949.34 475.16
14 999.95 60.327 64 981.75 269.24 114 948.57 479.39
15 999.80 64.511 65 981.21 273.42 115 947.78 483.62
16 999.64 68.693 66 980.66 277.61 116 947.00 487.85
17 999.47 72.875 67 980.11 281.79 117 946.21 492.08
18 999.29 77.057 68 979.55 285.98 118 945.41 496.32
19 999.10 81.237 69 978.99 290.16 119 944.61 500.56
20 998.89 85.417 70 978.43 294.35 120 943.81 504.80
21 998.68 89.596 71 977.85 298.54 121 943.00 509.04
 22 998.45 93.774 72 977.27 302.72 122 942.19 513.28

Page 46 tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter - 41 -

23 998.22 97.952 73 976.69 306.91 123 941.37 517.52

24 997.98 102.13 74 976.10 311.10 124 940.55 521.77
25 997.72 106.31 75 975.51 315.29 125 939.72 526.02
26 997.46 110.48 76 974.91 319.48 126 938.89 530.27
27 997.19 114.66 77 974.30 323.67 127 938.06 534.52
28 996.91 118.84 78 973.70 327.86 128 937.22 538.77
29 996.62 123.01 79 973.08 332.06 129 936.37 543.03
30 996.32 127.19 80 972.46 336.25 130 935.52 547.28
31 996.01 131.36 81 971.84 340.44 131 934.67 551.54
32 995.69 135.54 82 971.76 344.64 132 933.82 555.80
33 995.37 139.72 83 970.21 348.83 133 932.95 560.07
34 995.04 143.89 84 969.93 353.03 134 932.09 564.33
35 994.69 148.07 85 969.29 357.23 135 931.22 568.60
36 994.35 152.24 86 968.64 361.42 136 930.35 572.87
37 993.99 156.42 87 967.99 365.62 137 929.47 577.14
38 993.62 160.59 88 967.33 369.82 138 928.58 581.41
39 993.25 164.77 89 966.66 374.02 139 927.50 585.69
40 992.87 168.94 90 965.99 378.22 140 926.81 589.96
41 992.49 173.12 91 965.32 382.43 141 925.91 594.24
42 992.09 177.30 92 964.64 386.63 142 925.01 598.53
43 991.69 181.47 93 963.96 390.83 143 924.10 602.81
44 991.28 185.65 94 963.27 395.04 144 923.19 607.10
45 990.87 189.82 95 962.58 399.24 145 922.28 611.39
46 990.44 194.00 96 961.88 403.45 146 921.36 615.68
47 990.02 198.18 97 961.18 407.66 147 920.44 619.97
48 989.58 202.36 98 960.48 411.87 148 919.51 624.27
49 989.14 206.53 99 959.77 416.08 149 918.58 628.57
50 988.69 210.71 100 959.05 420.29 150 917.65 632.87

§8.5 Heat Meter Mounting Location

The first step in the installation process is to select an optimal location for installing the device in
order to make the measurement reliable and accurate. A basic knowledge about the piping and its
plumbing system would be advisable.

An optimal location would be defined as a long straight pipe line full of liquid that is to be
measured; it can be in a vertical or horizontal position. Principles to select an optimal location:
(1) The straight pipe should be long enough to eliminate irregular flow induced error. Typically,
the length of the straight pipe should be 5 times of the pipe diameter (5D) straight pipe run
upstream and 2D straight pipe run downstream, the longer the better.
(2) Make sure that the temperature of the mounting location does not exceed the range for the
heat meter. When the meter is used as cold meter, remove the meter’s main box and its
mounting base and install the main box on a wall or other objects where the temperature is
within 0~55°C. In addition, the meter box needs to be higher than the cold pipe, so that the
condensed water on the cold pipe will not flow into the meter box along the wires. If the
heating system is not running in winter, always empty the pipe. Otherwise, the pipe may burst
when water freezes.
(3) Select a relatively new straight pipe line if possible. Old pipe tends to have corrosions and

Page 47- 42 - tPrime 280T Ultrasonic Heat Meter

depositions, which could affect the results.
(4) If the flow meter is installed on the common return of two heating circuits (e.g. heating water
and hot water), the mounting location must be at a sufficient distance, at least 10D, from the
 Tee, to ensure that the different temperatures homogenize.

Spire Metering Technology LLC

15 Craig Road, Acton, MA 01720, USA

Tel. +1 978 263-7100 / 888 738-0188 (toll-free) Fax +1 978 418-9170
[email protected] www.SpireMT.com

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