Sonix IQ alerts
The following information describes the alarms, errors, and warnings for the Sonix IQ meter.
If the meter is installed on a fixed-base FlexNet system, alarms are also transmitted to the Regional Network Interface (RNI). Alarms can also be collected while reading a walk-by or drive-by route, but they display a bit differently. The meter LCD displays active alarms as a letter followed by a number. Alarms transmitted over the FlexNet network do not display an alarm letter code.
The letter assigned to each alarm indicates the alarm class.
Recent (historical) alarms display as the same letter and number sequence followed by the letter H.
| Alarm Class | Alarm Class Description |
|---|---|
| A Flag | Significant Error (meter stops working) |
| b Flag | Environmental Abnormality or Security |
| C Flag | Operational Situation |
| r Flag | Radio Failure |
| L Flag | Battery Life issue |
| E Flag | Valve issue |
| P Flag | Pressure channel alarm |
| t Flag | Temperature channel alarm |
| F Flag | Volume channel alarm |
| Flag | Meter event name | RNI event name | Event description | Event trigger | Xylem recommended action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "A" flag | A1 | Memory Error | This alarm will be triggered in the case of Index Lost, Configuration Lost, Calibration Lost or other error codes. | Index Lost: The reading index value is corrupt or lost. The volume totalizer is incorrect. Metering stopped. Configuration Lost: The core metrology configuration values are corrupted. The metrology is inaccurate. Metering stopped. Calibration Lost: The metrology calibration data is corrupted. The metrology is inaccurate. Metering stopped. | Replace the meter. |
| "A" flag | A4 | Metrology HW Failure | This alarm indicates failure of core hardware components critical to accurate metrology. The metrology is inaccurate and metering is stopped. Based on error flags reported by core metrology module. | Core hardware components for uncompensated volume metrology failed. Metrology inaccurate. Metering stopped. This includes a temperature sensor failure that can trigger the metrology FW alarm. | Replace the meter. |
| "b" flag | b1 | Meter Power Reset | Meter power removed and restored resulting in meter reset. Possible metrology volume missed. Occurrence of this alarm may indicate tamper. | The processor has reset due to power loss. | |
| "b" flag | b2 | Optical Port Comms Failure or Optical Port Communication Failure | Optical port detected excessive communication failure conditions. Read timeout, noise, protocol failure, bad packet. Receiving this alarm may indicate the meter is being tampered with. | An optical port command has failed. A magnet was present on faceplate for an extended duration. | |
| "b" flag | b3 | Non-standard Operation | The meter is in a non-standard operating mode such as Fast Sample Mode. | Exceeding the time threshold for operating in a non-standard sample mode. Only checked if meter is sealed. Meter is unsealed. | |
| "b" flag | b4 | Meter Reboot | Meter reboot occurred. This could be due to a command, firmware issue or hardware issue. The Reset Reason code in the additional data provides more information. | Processor Reset command received. | |
| "b" flag | b5 | Physical Tamper | The meter detects a condition indicating possible physical tamper. This includes significant reverse flow. Thresholds and algorithm are meter dependent. | Possible physical tamper condition is detected, such as a significant reverse flow. | |
| "b" flag | b7 | Air in Meter | The meter has detected air in the meter. | This alarm has a grace period for which gas must be detected before air in meter alarm will be triggered by the presence of air. Grace period is entered after JTAG of FW and after the alarm transitions from disable to enabled. Customer tools can re-enable grace period by sending a command to disable air in meter alarm followed by a command to enable air in meter. It may be beneficial to disable this alarm when a meter is pulled from the field and re-enable prior to or at installation. | |
| "b" flag | b8 | Unknown Gas | Unknown gas is detected in the meter. This may indicate tamper or service issues. This alarm has a grace period for which known gas must be detected before unknown in meter alarm will be triggered by the presence of unknown. Grace period is entered after JTAG of FW and after the alarm transitions from disable to enabled. Customer tools can re-enable grace period by sending a command to disable unknown gas alarm followed by a command to enable unknown gas. It may be beneficial to disable this alarm when a meter is pulled from the field and re-enable prior to or at installation. | Metrology signals unknown gas, METRO_ERROR_UNKNOWN_GASTYPE. If other metrology errors are signaled making the unknown gas detection state unknown or unreliable, the last result is carried forward until the next valid measurement. | |
| "b" flag | b9 | Reverse Flow Shutoff | The meter detects significant reverse flow and attempts to close the valve to stop gas flow. | The meter detects significant reverse flow. | Close the valve. If you are stuck in a loop of having the valve auto-close and then opening the valve, then having the valve auto-close again, reconfigure the alarm threshold so that the alarm is no longer triggered by the current state. The alarm will become inactive when the valve is successfully opened. The alarm may be active while the valve is open if the valve failed to close. Resolve the issue, close the valve, then open it. Once the alarm is no longer active and there are no other alarms that need attention, send the reset command to reset all alarms. |
| "b" flag | bA | Air in Meter Shutoff | The meter detects air in the meter and attempts to close the valve to stop gas flow. Alarm is optional and customer configurable. | If you are stuck in a loop of having the valve auto-close and then opening the valve, then having the valve auto-close again, reconfigure the alarm threshold so that the alarm is no longer triggered by the current state. The alarm will become inactive when the valve is successfully opened. The alarm may be active while the valve is open if the valve failed to close. Resolve the issue, close the valve, then open it. Once the alarm is no longer active and there are no other alarms that need attention, send the reset command to reset all alarms. | |
| "c" flag | C1 | Unsatisfactory Read | Indicates a percentage of reading over a rolling window are considered unsatisfactory because of data sources being out of expected ranges. Potential bad meter. Could factor into Metrology HW Failure alarm. | Metrology signals a measurement error present in mask. | |
| "c" flag | C2 | Temperature Compensation Failure | Not available for Sonix IQ Phase 1. Temperature measurement for compensation has failed. Temperature compensation in reading disabled. Potential bad meter. Could factor into Metrology HW Failure alarm. | ||
| "c" flag | C4 | Excess Flow | This alarm indicate flow is "above the rated capacity" such as 250cf/h or 400cf/h. This alarm does not indicate the flow is above what the meter is capable of measuring. The meter will stop incrementing when flow rate is above what the meter is designed to measure. Pre FS 11: Gas flow is at the programmed rated capacity. New definition for FS 11: Gas flow rate is at the operational maximum of the meter and accumulation has temporarily stopped. | The flow is above programmed threshold. | Alarm stops when the gas flow rate drops below the threshold. |
| "c" flag | C5 | Meter HW Failure | This alarm indicates failure of hardware non-critical to accurate metrology but still degrading the functionality of the product. The metrology is accurate, but meter functionality is impacted. | This alarm is triggered based on hardware self-diagnostics including optical probe present sensor, external flash, LCD controller, and whether a pressure sensor error is detected. | |
| "E" flag | E1 | Valve Transition Failure | The valve malfunctioned during operation. | The alarm must be shown in the user interface within 5 minutes of the valve attempting to turn, if it's an automatic actuation, or 5 minutes of the user issuing the valve command. Minimize what would appear to the customer as "false alarms" or "nuisance alarms". If there is a valve failure condition which may be temporary, and immediately trying to turn the valve again results in success at least 50% of the time, then the firmware must automatically implement retries to reduce the number of nuisance alarms. Even with retries, the time requirement above must still be met. | |
| "E" flag | E2 | Unexpected Flow | The purpose of this alarm is to detect flow after the meter believes that the valve is closed. This may indicate valve tamper or valve obstruction. This alarm has a grace period that begins when the IPC reports a closed valve state. After this grace period, the meter will begin monitoring for the alarm condition. The condition evaluates a time threshold and flowrate, in either direction, to determine if the alarm should go active. The alarm should remain active until the valve is opened. | Flow is detected, in any direction, when the valve state is closed. | The alarm stops when the valve is successfully reopened onsite. |
| "F" flag | F1 | High Flow Shutoff, formerly Excess Flow Shutoff | The gas flow rate is above the rated flow rate of the meter, and the meter attempts to close the valve to stop gas flow. Alarm is optional and customer configurable. Renamed in FS11. | By default, this alarm will trigger when gas flow is at the programmed rated capacity. However, the user can increase this value up to the operational maximum of the meter. | If you are stuck in a loop of having the valve auto-close and then opening the valve, then having the valve auto-close again, reconfigure the alarm threshold so that the alarm is no longer triggered by the current state. The alarm will become inactive when the valve is successfully opened. The alarm may be active while the valve is open if the valve failed to close. Resolve the issue, close the valve, then open it. Once the alarm is no longer active and there are no other alarms that need attention, send the reset command to reset all alarms. |
| "F" flag | F2 | High Flow | The gas flow rate is above the rated flow rate of the meter, and the meter is attempting to close the valve to stop gas flow. | By default, this alarm will trigger when gas flow is at the programmed rated capacity. However, the user can increase this value up to the operational maximum of the meter. | The alarm stops when the gas flow rate drops below the threshold. |
| "L" flag | L1 | Near End of Life | The meter issues a warning at 19.5 years from the date of manufacture. Meter continues to measure and operate. | This alarm stops when the End of Life alarm starts. | |
| "L" flag | L2 | Beyond End of Life | The meter issues a warning at 20 years from the date of manufacture. Meter continues to measure and operate. | ||
| "L" flag | L3 | Low Metrology Battery Volts | Indicates battery capacity is nearing depletion, based on activity and measurements instead of time. | The voltage is checked every 15 minutes. If the voltage is less than 2.8V, the alarm is set. If the voltage is greater than or equal to 2.8V, the alarm is cleared. | |
| "P" flag | P0 | High Pressure | The gas pressure in the meter is too high. | The threshold pressure and maximum pressure reported with the alarm must be in the same units and precision as normally-transmitted pressure readings. The alarm must be shown in the user interface within 5 minutes of the condition being detected by the meter. | This alarm clears when the pressure falls below the threshold. |
| "P" flag | P2 | Low Pressure | The gas pressure in the meter is too low. Alarm is optional and customer configurable. | This alarm clears when the pressure rises above the threshold. | |
| "P" flag | PC | High Pressure Shutoff | The gas pressure is much too high, and the meter is attempting to close the valve to stop gas flow. | If you are stuck in a loop of having the valve auto-close and then opening the valve, then having the valve auto-close again, reconfigure the alarm threshold so that the alarm is no longer triggered by the current state. The alarm will become inactive when the valve is successfully opened. The alarm may be active while the valve is open if the valve failed to close. Resolve the issue, close the valve, then open it. Once the alarm is no longer active and there are no other alarms that need attention, send the reset command to reset all alarms. | |
| "P" flag | Pd | Low Pressure Shutoff | The gas pressure is below the threshold and the meter is attempting to close the valve to stop gas flow. | The threshold pressure and minimum pressure reported with the alarm must be in the same units and precision as normally-transmitted pressure readings. The alarm must be shown in the user interface within 5 minutes of the condition being detected by the meter. | Command can be issued through Device Manager to try to shut off the valve. Customer must get a response back within 5 minutes. If the valve still cannot be closed, customer issues a work order to have someone go out to manually shut off the gas and investigate the reason for the low pressure. If you are stuck in a loop of having the valve auto-close and then opening the valve, then having the valve auto-close again, reconfigure the alarm threshold so that the alarm is no longer triggered by the current state. The alarm will become inactive when the valve is successfully opened. The alarm may be active while the valve is open if the valve failed to close. Resolve the issue, close the valve, then open it. Once the alarm is no longer active and there are no other alarms that need attention, send the reset command to reset all alarms. |
| "r" flag | r1 | Radio Comms Failure or Radio Communication Failure or Radio Communication Failed | Meter communication with the integrated FlexNet radio is not functioning. Remote communication, AMR, and AMI functionality are not working. Only available on integrated radio variant. | ||
| "t" flag | t0 | High Temperature | The gas temperature is too high. | The alarm must be shown in the user interface within 5 minutes of the condition being detected by the meter. | This alarm stops when the temperature drops below the threshold. |
| "t" flag | tC | High Temperature Shutoff | The gas temperature is much too high, and the meter is attempting to close the valve to stop gas flow. | If you are stuck in a loop of having the valve auto-close and then opening the valve, then having the valve auto-close again, reconfigure the alarm threshold so that the alarm is no longer triggered by the current state. The alarm will become inactive when the valve is successfully opened. The alarm may be active while the valve is open if the valve failed to close. Resolve the issue, close the valve, then open it. Once the alarm is no longer active and there are no other alarms that need attention, send the reset command to reset all alarms. |