Hi.
I have a device that have a DBO interface.
Could you please guide me how I can convert this interface to Rs232 or Rs485?
nta_xyz 
DBO TO RS232
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nta_xyz John_A_Brown
Level: Raving Lunatic
Joined: Sat. Sep 20, 2003
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Location: Underneath the Cotswolds escarpment, England.
More info required.
http://www.acronymfinder.com/DBO.html
My money's on "Dead Body Outline" or "Drinking Banning Order"
ka7ehk
DBO interface is unfamiliar. Almost everything that Google shows for "DBO Interface" refers to a database. Please specify more.
Jim
John_A_Brown
Level: Raving Lunatic
Joined: Sat. Sep 20, 2003
Posts: 6214 View posts
Location: Underneath the Cotswolds escarpment, England.
OBD maybe?
nta_xyz Sorry but same as you I have a same question! what is the DBO :D I do not know what is the dbo :D but I have a device that have this interface and I do not know how I can communicate with that :(
please see this page:
http://www.e-meter.net/show_table_eng.php?meter_id=13&&plant_id=1&&tt=firm
in part 17 you can see this:
Additional inputs and outputs:
- 1 or 2 impact telemetric output (IEC 62053-31 type A)
- serial interface (DBO)
- optical interface
DocJC
Not a very helpful website...
Clearly you need a technical manual for the device from the manufacturer as a starting point.
For "Smart Grid" monitoring, etc., you really want to be looking at the optically coupled, isolated interface unless you really, really know power engineering.
Other wise you are apt to fried a lot of equipment, and perhaps yourself!
JC
jgmdesign 
DBO = Data Bus Output
Edit:
I googled ACE5000 electric meter. Found a PDF about the thing
To he OP. BE VERY CAREFUL FOOLING AROUND WITH THIS THING!!!!!!
ka7ehk
Maybe DB0 is a typo and is should be DB9 - 0 is the key next to 9.
Jim
jgmdesign The PDF did call it DBO, and Data Bus Output. It did not say if it was rs232 or rs485 though.
I would guess rs485 since they call it a bus, and since it is an electric meter maybe they have times where you want to connect several together.
billysugger
Okay, I think I found the same PDF Technical guide that jgmdesign found. The clue lies in the description of the DBO/Pulse output in the table on p4 and the operating description on the top of p35. The clue is that there is one output port which can be configured for two different output modes: Either DBO (by default) or an IEC62053 pulse output.
I happen to have designed interface circuitry for smart meter IEC62053 pulse outputs. These outputs are "volt-free" contact type outputs, and are usually implemented using an opto-isolator, with the C&E pins of the phototransistor brought out as the pair of pulse output connections.
The idea is that you configure the meter to give you a set number of pulses per kWh of energy (say 5000 pulses/kWh), and your telemetry equipment counts the pulses (which often also flash an LED on the front of the meter) to monitor energy consumption.
In this case, it seems that this meter is configured to use the opto-output to provide serial data at 1200 baud unless the pulse output option is configured. This is a neat idea.
It seems to me that what you need to do is to connect the DBO+ pin to +5V via a 2k2 pullup resistor and the DBO- pin to the Gnd of the 5V supply. Hang an oscilloscope across the DBO output and see if you get a data pulse train that looks like serial data at 1200 baud.
If you do, the you have a couple of options: either use a TTL to RS232 interface (like a good old MAX232 chip) to convert to RS232 levels and connect to the COM port of your PC (with a 0V reference too); or buy a FTDI cable, (part ref. TTL-232R-5V-WE) which will give you both USB connectivity and the 5V pullup supply. Then use something like Teraterm set to 1200 baud to see if the meter sends anything intelligible.
See what that does for you and let us know how you get on.
nta_xyz Thank you jgmdesign and billysugger :)
could you please send me the PDF that you are talking about?
OK billysugger I am going to monitor the signals with oscilloscope and I will inform you about the result.
thank you again for guiding me :)
jgmdesign Google ace 5000 electric meter
nta_xyz finally I could read the data of my meter which has a DBO interface (data bus output).
as billysugger said I connected the dbo to the max232 and now I can get the data perfectly.
thank you billysugger :).
now I have a another problem!.
there is another interface in the meters which call "CLO"(current loop).
i found this circuit for convert CLO to rs232 but it does not work :(.
[img]http://i60.tinypic.com/33xu5jq.png[/img]
any one has an experience for this interface?
![http://i60.tinypic.com/33xu5jq.png[/img]](http://i60.tinypic.com/33xu5jq.png[/img]){kind=link}
awneil 
Level: 10k+ Postman
Joined: Fri. Jul 1, 2005
Posts: 25563 View posts
Location: Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK
nta_xyz wrote:
i found this circuit for convert CLO to rs232 but it does not work
But "current loop" could mean many things - how do you know that this circuit is for the same type of "current loop" as used by the meter :?:
ka7ehk
Current loop can mean 4-20mA (though usually called exactly that) for analog outputs. You can also have current loop digital which is what the old mechanical teletypes used; those were usually very slow speed (60 baud was common in the US at one time).
You should be able to put a small resistor there (maybe 100 ohms) as a current sensor and check the signal amplitude, rate, and polarity with a scope. One would hope that it is galvanically isolated in the device.
Jim
Kartman
This circuit requires dsr or dtr to be active. Thus your rs232 port needs to be configured correctly as the default config will most likely not work. Some terminal programs allow the manual setting of dsr/dtr. You want to measure a positive voltage on rs232 pin 6 or 20 (on a 25 pin connector)
DocJC
Also note that this circuit requires an external voltage source on the RXB pin. The circuit modulates, (turns on/off), the current, but doesn't provide a power source.
You provide the power source, and can then read the signal.
JC
raminlotfi
Hi
How do you connect DBO to the MAX232?
Last Edited: Thu. Oct 30, 2014 - 08:23 AM