Maxim > Design Support > Technical Documents > Reference Designs > ASICs > APP 4663 Maxim > Design Support > Technical Documents > Reference Designs > Energy Measurement & Metering > APP 4663 Maxim > Design Support > Technical Documents > Reference Designs > Microcontrollers > APP 4663 Keywords: MAXQ3180 reference design, polyphase, energy meter, smart meter, smart grids REFERENCE DESIGN 4663 INCLUDES: Tested Circuit Schematic BOM Description Test Data Software Reference Design for an Energy Meter Using the MAXQ3180/MAXQ3183 AFEs By: Kenneth Tang Oct 27, 2010 Abstract: The MAXQ3180 and MAXQ3183 are polyphase multifunction energy measurement analog front-ends (AFEs) with many advanced power-monitoring features such as power factors, vector sum, and harmonic components. Metering accuracy and electric fast transient (EFT) are critical requirements for electric meter designs, and Maxim provides reference designs that have been tested for accuracy and EFT. These designs demonstrate the metering features of the MAXQ3180/MAXQ3183. This application note describes a reference design for evaluating the MAXQ3180/MAXQ3183 as an energy meter. The reference design includes an electricity meter and the companion PC software. Evaluation boards, schematics, bill of materials, and test results are shown. Contents About the MAXQ3180/MAXQ3183 About the Reference Design Specifications Display and Communications An Under-the-Hood View of the Meter AC Connection Terminals Connecting Communication/JTAG Cables Connecting the Meter to a Meter Tester Using a USB/Serial Adapter Meter Operations Parameters Displayed on the LCD PC Software Startup and Select a Target Device Communication Configuration Meter Configuration Status Harmonics Vector Sum (MAXQ3183 Only) Calibration Gain Phase Angle Linearity Calibration Power Script MAXQ3180 Registers RAM Registers Map Virtual Registers Map System Commands File Operations Configuration File Accuracy Tests Active PowerBalanced Loads Reactive PowerBalanced Loads Active PowerPhase A Active PowerPhase B Active PowerPhase C Page 1 of 35Active PowerFrequency Influence Current RMSPhase A/B/C Harmonics: IEC Phase Fired Current Waveform (IEC 60235:21) Vector Sum (MAXQ3183 only) Balanced Loads (I + I + I ) A B C Unbalanced Loads (I + I + I ) A B C Schematics and Build of Materials (BOM) Measurement Board (Hot Board) BOM Listing Main Board (Cold Board) BOM Listing Updating the Application Code Connecting the JTAG Cable Loading Code with MTK Order Information Next Steps About the MAXQ3180/MAXQ3183 The MAXQ3180 and MAXQ3183 are polyphase multifunction, energy measurement, analog front ends (AFEs) with many advanced power-monitoring features. The devices incorporate an 8-channel high-accuracy ADC. A digital signal processor (DSP) processes the ADC samples to provide a rich array of energy and power-measurement parameters including, but not limited to: active/reactive/apparent power and energy, power factors, and harmonic components. An SPI port is provided for interfacing with a host controller. The MAXQ3180 and MAXQ3183 are two of the three polyphase AFE devices from Maxim Integrated. The third part, the MAXQ3181, is for active energy and power only. Table 1 summarizes the key features of the polyphase AFE family. Table 1. Feature Comparison for the Polyphase Metering AFE Devices Feature MAXQ3181 MAXQ3180 MAXQ3183 Active energy and power: positive/negative Reactive energy and power: positive/negative V and I RMS Neutral current monitoring Vector sum of currents Temperature sensor Phase sequence indication V V V, I Voltage and current harmonics Current THDN Total energy and power Fundamental energy and power Voltage phasor angles Serial interface SPI slave SPI slave SPI slave Pulse output CFP CFP, CFQ CFP, CFQ Package 28-pin TSSOP 28-pin TSSOP 28-pin TSSOP The MAXQ3181 is fully pin compatible with the MAXQ3180 and its registers are a subset of the MAXQ3180 s registers. Consequently, the same reference design can be used to evaluate the MAXQ3181. The AFE device on the measurement board was changed, but no alteration of the application code or the PC software was required. Note that when evaluating the MAXQ3181 in the rather simplistic manner of the reference design, some metering parameters that are not available in the MAXQ3181 will appear random and meaningless. For simplicity, this application note will refer to the target device simply as the MAXQ3180 the MAXQ3183 and its unique features will be cited only when necessary. The devices reference designs share the same metering board and use the same host microcontroller (i.e., the MAXQ2000). The application code (residing in the MAXQ2000) and PC software support both AFEs. About the Reference Design Page 2 of 35