Virtual measurement points
A virtual point is a calculated point: it combines real meters arithmetically. There are two kinds. A hierarchical virtual sits in the site tree and requires its source meters to share a common parent. A non-hierarchical virtual can combine any meters you like, but it can never be placed in the tree. Ask support@augos.io to set either one up.
The two kinds
| Hierarchical virtual | Non-hierarchical virtual | |
|---|---|---|
| Appears in the site tree | Yes | No |
| Source meters must share a parent | Yes | No |
| Shows in Consumption Breakdown hierarchy | Yes | No |
| Can be plotted in Charting and Technical Analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Needs site settings completed first | No | Yes |
What you will see
- "I created a virtual meter to add three points together and it returns no data."
- "The virtual tab is not offered when I try to nest these meters."
- "Can we make a virtual meter that measures what the generator sends to our neighbour?"
Why it happens
- The virtual tab is missing. That tab only appears when a hierarchical virtual is actually possible, which means the source meters must sit under one common parent. If two of your meters are fed off one feeder and the third off another, a hierarchical virtual cannot be built.
- The virtual returns no data. A non-hierarchical virtual needs its site settings completed before it will calculate. A half-created one stays empty.
- The hierarchy does not match the site. If the tree does not reflect the actual reticulation, no virtual built on top of it will be right. The fix is to correct the layout first.
The rule that decides most requests
A virtual point can only combine what is already measured. It cannot invent a split that is not physically metered. If you want to know how much of a shared generator's output went to one party, you need a physical meter on one leg, and then the other party's share is the total minus that. There is no arithmetic that gets you there from a single measurement point.
The same rule catches derived quantities with storage in between. If you work out hot water as "filtration meter minus condenser meter" and there is a holding tank between them, the two meters are decoupled in time: the tank fills, the filtration meter stops, the condenser keeps drawing. The subtraction is then meaningless even though both meters are healthy.
What to do
- Email
support@augos.iowith the points you want combined and what you want the result to represent. - Say whether you need it inside the site tree or only for charting.
- If the calculation involves subtraction, describe or sketch the physical flow, including any tanks, reservoirs or ring mains.
Good to know
- Many customers use Not Measured rather than a virtual point, because it gives the uncovered remainder of a branch without any configuration at all.
- Where the reticulation is unclear, Augos will quote a site inspection. That is usually cheaper than metering the wrong thing.
- On sites with embedded generation, a parent virtual point nets out internal flow between its children, so the parent will legitimately not equal the sum of the children. See Net and gross on sites with solar.
Still stuck
Email support@augos.io with the point paths, the calculation you want, and a
sketch or description of the physical layout.