Abstract

The ability to monitor live power consumption and remotely connect or disconnect electric service to customers is a foundational feature for a smart electricity meter. Utility operators remotely control latching relays in smart electricity meters to connect or disconnect electric service for reasons, such as emergency or immediate safety concerns, failure to pay bills, or even a service restart recharge of pre-paid accounts in case of pre-paid smart electricity meter. This application note discusses how an eFuse can be used to facilitate available power from the source during relay operation, which leads to a reduction in the hold-up energy needs, and hence lowers the hold-up capacitor size. This document also provides design and measurement results showing the performance benefits of using eFuse .