A Communication-Enabled Feeder Monitoring Device for Smart Distribution Grids

Smart grid technologies require real-time monitoring of medium and low voltage distribution networks to ensure minimal outage times, efficient fault detection, and reduced operational costs. This paper presents a compact, cost-effective, and easily deployable distribution monitoring solution that integrates 4G cellular, LoRa-based wireless communication, and standard SCADA/IoT protocols, including IEC 60870-5-104 and MQTT. The proposed system comprises multiple modules: a main controller (RPM200) with 4G modem and multi-protocol support, LoRa-to-Modbus RTU converters for data aggregation, a voltage sensing module that detects line presence without direct conductor contact, an energy analyzer for multi-phase measurements, and an optional supercapacitor backup for short-term power outages. Field deployment in multiple distribution substations demonstrated reliable real-time fault detection, immediate outage alerts, and simplified integration with SCADA. Comparative analysis with existing commercial solutions shows that our approach offers a richer feature set and reduced total cost.