Arrangement for detecting a meter maintenance condition using winding resistance

1. An arrangement for use in a utility meter, comprising:

a meter blade coupled to a current coil;

a current sensor including a winding about a core, the current sensor in a current sensing relationship with the current coil, the winding having a resistance that varies as a function of temperature;

a processing circuit operably coupled to receive a measurement signal from the winding, the processing circuit configured to:

determine a DC component of the measurement signal;

determine the resistance of the winding based at least in part on the determined DC component; and

cause a value representative of the determined resistance to be displayed or communicated to an external device.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising:

a DC application circuit configured to apply a DC voltage across the winding.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the DC application circuit includes:

a DC voltage source operably connected across the winding to apply at least one volt DC to the winding.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the DC application circuit includes a switch configured to connect and disconnect the DC voltage source across the winding.

5. The arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to control the switch.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine the resistance of the winding based in part on a comparison of the determined DC component and a previously-determined DC component of the measurement signal.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the value representative of the determined resistance is a temperature measurement value representative of a temperature of the winding, and wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine the temperature measurement value based in part on the determined resistance.

8. The arrangement of claim 5 , wherein:

the DC voltage across the winding corresponds to the DC component in the measurement signal; and

the DC application circuit further comprises a burden resistor coupled from a first terminal of the winding to a first reference node, a first resistor serially coupled between a second terminal of the winding and the first reference node, and a second resistor having a first side coupled to the second terminal of the winding and a second side coupled to be at a reference voltage; and

the DC voltage source is operably connected between the first reference node and the reference voltage to provide a DC voltage to the first reference node.

9. The arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the switch is configured to open and close a circuit from the second terminal of the winding to the reference voltage through the second resistor.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 , further comprising a second switch operably coupled to controllably and operably disconnect a first path from the DC voltage to the first reference node such that a voltage other than the DC voltage is provided to the first reference node.

11. The arrangement of claim 10 , wherein:

the DC voltage is configured to provide the DC voltage to a second reference node;

the first path extends from the first reference node to the second reference node; and

further comprising,

a third resistor serially coupled from the second reference node to the first terminal, and

a fourth resistor serially coupled from the second reference node to the first reference node in parallel to the first path.

12. The arrangement of claim 11 , wherein a resistance value of the second resistor exceeds a resistance value of the first resistor, and the resistance value of the first resistor exceeds a resistance value of the burden resistor.

13. The arrangement of claim 9 , wherein a resistance value of the second resistor exceeds a resistance value of the first resistor, and the resistance value of the first resistor exceeds a resistance value of the burden resistor.

14. The arrangement of claim 2 , wherein:

the winding comprises a first terminal and a second terminal;

the DC voltage across the winding corresponds to the DC component in the measurement signal; and

the DC application circuit further comprises a burden resistor coupled from a first terminal of the winding to a first reference node, a first resistor serially coupled between the second terminal of the winding and the first reference node, and a second resistor having a first side coupled to the second terminal of the winding and a second side coupled to be at a reference voltage; and

a DC voltage source is operably connected between the first reference node and the reference voltage to provide a DC voltage to the first reference node.

15. The arrangement of claim 14 , wherein a resistance value of the second resistor exceeds a resistance value of the first resistor, and the resistance value of the first resistor exceeds a resistance value of the burden resistor.

16. The arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a display operably connected to the processing circuit.

17. An arrangement for use in a utility meter, comprising:

a meter blade coupled to a current coil;

a current sensor including a winding about a core, the current sensor in a current sensing relationship with the current coil, the winding having a resistance that varies as a function of temperature;

a processing circuit operably coupled to receive a measurement signal from the winding, the processing circuit configured to:

determine a DC component of the measurement signal;

determine the resistance of the winding based at least in part on the determined DC component; and

store a value representative of the determined resistance.

18. The arrangement of claim 17 , further comprising a DC application circuit that includes:

a DC voltage source operably connected across the winding to apply at least approximately one volt DC to the winding.

19. The arrangement of claim 18 , wherein the DC application circuit includes a switch, the switch configured to controllably operably connect and disconnect the DC voltage source across the winding.