Accurate testing of transformers boosted.

Transformers are a crucial part of electricity distribution and transmission networks, performing the important conversion steps between the very high voltage at which power is transmitted over long distances to intermediate voltages in local networks, then down to the 240 V or 120 V at which electricity is typically supplied to households and commercial users.

Royal SMIT

Achieving this process with minimal losses is a high priority for electricity distribution and transmission network operators, who only earn revenues on the power that is actually supplied to their end users. When an operator commissions a new transformer, it specifies a maximum figure for no-load losses, produced by the voltage and generated continuously when the transformer is switched on, and load losses which are only produced when the transformer is loaded. If the transformer exceeds these specified, guaranteed values, the manufacturer can be liable for severe penalties.

The IEC 60076 and IEEE C57.12.00 international standards which define the method used to measure losses in a transformer specify that results have to be inclusive of any measurement error. Loss measurement results are therefore comprised of two components: the real losses attributable to core and copper losses in the transformer itself, and virtual losses attributable to uncertainty in the measurement system.

Royal SMIT Transformers B.V. supplies large, high-voltage transformers to energy generation and energy transmission companies all over the world. Part of the SGB-SMIT Group, it is based in Nijmegen (NL) where it was founded more than 100 years ago.

As well as phase-shift transformers and shunt reactors it is responsible for developing, producing, selling and maintaining transformers rated from around 200 MVA up to 1,200 MVA in a voltage range up to 765 kV. Its products play a crucial role in the reliable and efficient operation of power networks that serve hundreds of millions of residential and commercial users.

Every customer requirement is unique, and nearly every transformer is custom engineered to order. Being able to measure power losses accurately to make sure products comply with specifications is an important part of the process. Each of Royal SMIT’s test bays incorporates a three-phase transformer power-loss measuring system consisting of high-voltage reference capacitors, zero-flux current transformers, and a three-phase precision power analyzer supplied by Yokogawa Test and Measurement.

When Royal SMIT decided to build a new test facility, the challenge was to design a stable and reliable environment in which measurement uncertainty forms a negligible component of measured losses. Part of the solution, based on experience with Yokogawa precision power analyzers that have served Royal SMIT well in the past, was to use Yokogawa’s newer WT5000 model.*

The WT5000 Transformer Version’s exceptional accuracy of just ±0.008% at a power factor of 1 restricts measurement error to a negligible fraction of total measured losses. It also achieves the highest possible accuracy at power factors as low as 0.001.

One of the features that contributes to the WT5000’s accuracy and long-term stability is a special aging treatment. First the instrument is optimized by calibration at 53 Hz at power factors of 1, 0.5, 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001. Additional calibration at up to 100 kHz ensures the required performance when measuring distorted waveforms that can be encountered when measuring no-load loss currents.

Other features include an intuitive user interface with the ability to define and use event triggers and custom computations. Measurements can be viewed in numeric, waveform, bar, vector or trend formats, while multiple interface options support GPIB, USB and Ethernet communications. Backwards compatibility with communication protocols used by earlier models allows users replacing legacy instruments to continue using existing test software.

The WT5000 Transformer Version has helped Royal SMIT reduce measurement error significantly, with 12-month accuracy improved from ±0.01% to ±0.008%. The linearity of the WT5000 Transformer Version is also superior. The newer product offers one effective input range covering values from 10% to 110%, as well as sampling 50 times faster than the WT3000 and providing resolution that is four times higher.

Calibration certificates from Yokogawa’s ISO 17025 accredited laboratory give Royal SMIT’s engineers the confidence that they can consistently produce traceable low power-factor measurements that comply with the specifications of the IEC 60076-8 and IEEE C57.12.00 standards. According to Steven Lauf, Senior Test Engineer at Royal SMIT, the WT5000 has operated completely trouble free, and the three measurement channels being operated in the test system hardly need to be adjusted at all, even though the instrument can be on for days at a time.

“By installing the WT5000 Transformer Version in our test system, we can characterize the performance of every custom design more accurately than ever,” Lauf added. “This gives us the ability to offer the customer a guaranteed loss performance that is better than a competitor might be offering, and to do so with high confidence that we will deliver what we promised.”

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* The full Case Study 

@Yokogawa, @Yokogawa_EU, @Yokogawa_Europe @NapierPR #Automation #TandM #Netherlands

Power quality engineering specialist progresses.

Enspec has revealed plans to grow the business over the next several years through potential acquisitions.

A team of 30 people are employed across three offices in England and this is expected to grow between 40 and 50 by the end of 2024. The company will be opening a new and permanent base in Manchester (GB) later this year and it has a design and manufacturing site near Newcastle in the north east of England. Enspec forecasts £6 million revenues this year and £10m for 2025.

The CEO Mara Rastall and her husband CTO Tim Rastall acquired 75% of the electrical and power engineering firm in a management buyout (MBO) in February 2023. Tim is celebrating his 10th anniversary having joined Enspec as an intern in the summer of 2014.

Tim Rastall

“I’ve had the opportunity to see Enspec truly evolve over the last 10 years,” said Tim. “To have been here a decade and to also witness our growth since last year’s MBO feels like a fantastic achievement from the team. Our growth has been organic and we will continue to further this during the remainder of 2024. We will then look more actively at acquisitions to expand our value chain and reduce time to market.

“It’s a very exciting time for Enspec,” he added, “and one which has involved a little bit of reflection given it is 10 years since I joined this amazing business as a summer intern.”

Services provided by the company, which was founded in 1999, include power system studies, power quality analysis, renewable energy consultancy and site maintenance. Enspec also designs, manufactures and commissions bespoke products, including Harmonic Filters, Reactive Compensation, Power Factor Correction and Point-on-Wave Switching. Clients include large energy generators such as major wind farms, solar farms and hydro plants and major energy consumers including manufacturers and hospitals.

“After last year’s MBO Enspec reorganised the business, creating separate units for manufacturing, consulting and site services. The result has been significant growth in our customer base." he continued. Though our main focus now is the UK market, Enpec works with customers all over the world and we are in talks to expand into the US market with a potential partner. 

“Alongside Mara, the leadership team and our wider team we are very much looking forward to seeing what Enspec can achieve for its growing customer base during what will surely be the most crucial period of the energy transition.”

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@EnspecPower #PAuto #Energy #Quality

Power quality trouble shooter.

The 1770 series Power Quality Data logger/trouble shooter is the first instrument built on Fluke’s future platform for Power Quality Analysers with big gains in both form factor and operability.

“The new 1770 series of power quality analysers sets a new benchmark in plug and play data logging and troubleshooting of power quality and disturbances with the reassurance that even users with little experience can collect and analyse meaningful data,” according to Jai Gandhi, Fluke's Sales Programme Manager.

Typical applications for the Fluke 1770 series include routine maintenance and troubleshooting of equipment and power supply problems, energy surveys and optimization and new equipment installation. These measurements are often required in industrial and commercial facilities, universities, hospitals, electrical service providers, and service organisations to ensure continuous, safe, efficient operation of the electrical system. Its intuitive operation and automated connection verification make the 1770 ideal for use by professional engineers and less experienced users working in equipment installation, commissioning and servicing.

The 1770 measures, and automatically captures key power quality parameters including harmonics, dips, swells, unbalance, inrush current and more giving users the assurance that they are getting the right measurement results every time. The bright, large touch screen display coupled with physical navigation buttons and an optimised user interface means it is easy to change settings, manage logging sessions or investigate data in the field whether located inside a dark building or in direct sunlight—even with gloves on. 

Guided setup functionality gives users quick, fool-proof setup every time including the ability to auto-correct measurement connections digitally without having to change the physical probe connections, which improves the operators’ safety. Custom views can be set up to get the most important tests and data quickly, making it faster and easier to perform tests and allowing less experienced technicians to make field measurements with confidence.

The device is powered directly from the measured circuit so there is no need for users to find a nearby power outlet or worry that logged data will be lost by a power cord being unplugged.

The 1770 series utilizes common accessories from existing Fluke products including voltage test leads, current probes, hanger kit etc. offering users cost savings by being able to use them on multiple instruments, and supports Fluke’s Energy Analyse PC software application, providing the same great access to data that customers are used to, with a cleaner user interface and easier reporting.

Convenient data transfer
The 1770 provides flexible data transfer including PC to USB, Wi-Fi, ethernet and remotely via mobile network, without interrupting a logging session, power quality or energy survey.

@FlukeCorp @FlukeCal @NapierPR #TandM #PAuto 

Distribution manager for electromagnetic compatibility and power quality.

Schaffner have appointed Jamie Furness as their new Distribution Sales Manager for the EMEA region.

 

Jamie Furness

Jamie Furness is familiar with the Schaffner product range having previously represented Schaffner while working at Farnell, and with tenure at Avnet, TTI and Future he knows the distribution channel very well.  He also has experience managing distributors both across EMEA and globally from his time working with manufacturers TE Connectivity and, more recently, Anderson Power Products.

 

Graduating from Salford University (GB) with a BEng (Hons), he has more recently completed an MBA from Leeds University. After 6 years in the British Royal Navy, Jamie has now acquired over 20 years of experience in the electronic component industry. He will be based in the new office for Schaffner, recently relocated from Wokingham to nearby Binfield.

 

Paul Dixon, Sales Director EMEA at Schaffner, comments: “Jamie has a deep understanding of the component business and joins Schaffner with a wealth of experience covering both products and distributors. He has a passion for customer focus, and his industry knowledge and people skills make him the ideal candidate to lead our channel strategy in EMEA. I am delighted to welcome him to Schaffner and wish him every success in his new position.”

@proactivefleet #Schaffner #PAuto #Power #Britain

AC line reactors.

The Schaffner Group has introduced a new generation of AC line reactors with optimised design and best cost-performance ratio.

RWK 3044 and RWK 3062 are designed for 400 VAC and 690 VAC power networks, and provide impedance of 4% and 2%, respectively. The Schaffner Power Quality product portfolio continues to be expanded with the launch of the brand new 2% 690 VAC line reactor RWK 3062. This further strengthens the unparalleled one-stop-shop approach for Schaffner partners and customers.

AC line reactors are an economical solution to reduce harmonic currents, limit inrush currents and to protect variable frequency drives (VFD). An overall improvement of the true power factor and the quality of the input current waveform can be achieved by their implementation. Furthermore, by incorporating RWK 3044 and RWK 3062 line reactors severe damaging phenomena such as commutation notches are reduced to comply with the recommended notch depth and notch area as per IEEE519-2014 (C.1). With the installation of the new Schaffner AC line reactors, the electrical infrastructure is unburdened, and its utilisation is much more efficient and reliable. This extends the service life cycle of electrical equipment and reduces energy costs.

With Schaffner’s expertise in the field of inductor design as well as broad experience in power quality and various reactor applications, the RWK 3044 and RWK 3062 line reactors are suitable for the most demanding industrial environments while still being very compact. Up to 50% weight reduction in comparison to former generations of AC line reactors can be achieved.

Schaffner RWK 3044 AC line reactors are rated from 380 VAC to 415 VAC, with current ratings from 2 A to 1000 A, while the RWK 3062 series are rated from 500 VAC to 690 VAC with current rating from 1.5 A to 870 A. They are available as open frame product (IP 00) and can be operated at an ambient temperature of 45°C without derating and up to 100°C with derating. All RWK 3044 and RWK 3062 reactors are CE-marked and RoHS compliant. The new reactors are easy to install and maintain and are fully supported in Schaffner’s well known power quality simulator Schaffner PQS3 for a quick and accurate performance check.

As a power quality solution provider, Schaffner offers customer-tailored solutions by combining reactors with passive and/or active harmonic filters. This will ensure dedicated harmonic mitigation solutions which improve system efficiency and reliability. And as Schaffner power quality is more than just products a professional and dedicated service organization is available to support our valued customers worldwide.

@SchaffnerGroup #Power

3-Phase power quality loggers.

The measurement, understanding, and reporting of power quality in distribution systems requires capturing large amounts of data and then spending hours to analyse and report. With powerful software that automates setup, analysis, and reporting, the Fluke 1740 Series Power Quality Loggers simplify the collecting and reporting of critical utility power quality trends.

The compact Fluke 1740 Series Power Quality Loggers are used for studying and monitoring utility power quality and demand to industry standards. They offer advanced data aggregation and analysis that saves time, reduces manpower, and eliminates errors associated with traditional data collection and reporting.

The Fluke 1740 series loggers are fully compliant with the international power quality standard IEC 61000-4-30 and meet Class A requirements. They are capable of simultaneously logging more than 500 parameters for each averaging period, allowing technicians to analyse power quality in detail and to correlate intermittent events with detailed waveform data to identify the root cause of disturbances.
The included software makes it quick and easy to setup the logger, and automates the complex task of analysing and reporting the data. The software features:

• Easy setup in the field or workshop with PC application software: connect using Wi-Fi, wired Ethernet connection, or USB cable to setup the instrument, download logged data or download directly to USB memory stick.
• Energy Analyze Plus application software: download, analyse and report every measured detail of energy consumption and power quality state-of-health with automated reporting.
• One touch reporting: create standardised reports according to commonly used standards like EN 50160, IEEE 519, GOST 33073, or export data in PQDIF or NeQual compatible format for use with third party software.
• Advanced analysis: choose any available logged parameter to create a highly-customised view of logged measurements for advanced correlation of data.

An optimised user interface, flexible current probes, and an intelligent measurement verification function that allows technicians to digitally verify and correct connections makes setup easy and reduces measurement uncertainty. Connection errors are automatically indicated via an amber light on the unit’s power button which turns green once corrected. Because measurement and logged data can be viewed using a wireless Wi-Fi connection, the 1740 Series minimises technicians’ time in potentially hazardous environments and reduces the hassle of suiting up in personal protective equipment.

The loggers are rated 600V CAT IV/ 1000V CAT III for use at the service entrance and downstream.
Fluke is the market leader in portable power quality instrumentation solutions and the Fluke 1740 is the latest product in a range of products that includes the Fluke 430-II series analysers.

 @FlukeCorp  #TandM #PAuto

Power Quality Seminars programme for 2016.

Fluke offers a free Power Quality Seminar as part of its programme of seminars for 2016 throughout the Ireland & Britain.  Designed to help Facility Managers, Maintenance Engineers, Energy Consultants and Power Engineers to save money on energy bills and increase machinery lifetime, the seminars are one element of the Fluke Academy programme.

The seminars covering Power Quality explain how users of Fluke equipment can set up a load study, how they can measure the power quality from the power utility and how to detect disturbances in their facilities, thus learning how to save money and improve machinery lifetime.
Each seminar will cover:

• An introduction to Power Quality principles
• Flicker, transients, Volts, Amps and Hertz
• Load studies
• Energy consumption in facilities, offices and homes
• How to measure unbalance, harmonics, interharmonics
• Mains signalling, voltage dips and swells.

Other seminars in the Fluke Academy programme cover thermography; reducing energy costs; troubleshooting motors and drives to minimise plant downtime; process calibration; and electrical testing.

The Fluke Academy web page also provides access to webinars and webcasts that provide online training to obtain the maximum benefit in the application of thermal imagers and portable oscilloscopes, as well as highlighting training courses with partner institutions.

@FlukeCorp  #PAuto #TandM #Training

Power quality seminars programme announced!

Fluke is offering a series of free Power Quality Seminars as part of its programme of seminars for 2015 throughout Britain and Ireland. Designed to help Facility Managers, Maintenance Engineers, Energy Consultants and Power Engineers to save money on energy bills and increase machinery lifetime, the seminars are one element of the Fluke Academy programme.

Fluke 434 Energy Analyser

The seminars covering Power Quality explain how users of Fluke equipment can set up a load study, how they can measure the power quality from the power utility and how to detect disturbances in their facilities, thus learning how to save money and improve machinery lifetime.

Each seminar will cover:

• An introduction to Power Quality principles
• Flicker, transients, Volts, Amps and Hertz
• Load studies
• Energy consumption in facilities, offices and homes
• How to measure unbalance, harmonics, interharmonics
• Mains signalling, voltage dips and swells.

Other seminars in the Fluke Academy programme cover thermography; reducing energy costs; troubleshooting motors and drives to minimise plant downtime; process calibration; and electrical testing.

The Fluke Academy web page also provides access to webinars and webcasts that provide online training to obtain the maximum benefit in the application of thermal imagers, power quality meters and portable oscilloscopes, as well as highlighting training courses with partner institutions.

Power quality & energy analysis

The latest Fluke Power Quality and Energy Analyser captures 400Hz measurements in critical avionic power systems

A new power quality and energy analyser designed specifically for technicians in avionics and the defence industry has been introduced by Fluke. Featuring the most advanced power quality functions available in a rugged, reliable handheld tool, the Fluke 437 Series II 400Hz Power Quality and Energy Analyser is the ideal tool for submarine, aircraft, military ship and other transport applications where 400Hz measurements are mission critical.

The 437 is the latest model in the Fluke 430 Series II Three Phase Power Analysers, the first tools to use a patented algorithm, Unified Power Management, to measure and quantify energy losses due to harmonics and unbalance issues, allowing users to pinpoint the origin of energy waste within a system.

Both the 435 and the 437 models include PowerWave, a fast capture system that displays waveforms and half cycle RMS voltage and current values in full detail to measure interactions during switching operations to prevent motor/drive/load mismatches.

They are fully compliant with IEC 61000-4-30 Class-A. Each can monitor systems with up to ten power quality parameters on one screen, can record up to 150 parameters on four phases simultaneously, in accordance with the EN50160 standard, and are safety rated to 600V CAT IV/1000V CAT III.

Android user interface for power analysis

Outram Research's Bluetooth®-enabled power quality range now interacts with Android devices enabling flexible remote control using the latest tablets and mobile phones. Power engineers can now control the entire range of Outram’s power quality analysers with one application running on either an Android or Windows device.

Power quality analysers are often deployed in electrical cabinets or other difficult to reach locations, making it difficult for engineers to read a display on the instrument. Using a remote solution rather than a fragile integrated display eliminates problems of analyser location, permits a more robust product and allows for a more comprehensive, graphically superior user interface.

In addition to viewing information such as phasor diagrams to validate correct set up and operation, engineers can remotely access real time power quality data from the analyser. This wireless communication, via PMScreen, allows engineers to program the analyser on site, take snapshots of live data for reporting and check adherence to the EN50160 standard. Engineers can also view current, voltage, power, power factor and flicker, access harmonic data, and in the PM7000 this capability extends to over 500 general parameters. Detailed information is presented on events such as sags (dips), surges and interruptions in power as well as, in the PM7000, ranked waveforms, transients, interharmonics, ITIC Curves and 3D bar graphs.

“We wanted to offer our customers the opportunity to take advantage of the latest technology. Tablets and mobile devices are now prevalent in the workplace and are becoming an integral part of modern business and engineering workflow. Users can remotely control their power quality equipment without disturbing or needing access to the installation, eliminating the need to take time unlocking and locking cabinets or climbing back up the pole. It could mean not entering the building at all so avoiding drawn out entry or safety procedures,” said John Outram, Managing Director of Outram Research.

“Outram has harnessed the impressive processing power of today’s portable devices enhancing the user experience with the introduction of a bigger screen, better graphics and the opportunity to email snapshots of live data.”

Outram Research customers can select from a range of tablets and mobile devices to interact with their Bluetooth-enabled equipment. A Samsung Galaxy tablet is currently provided as standard on the market-leading PM7000, the industry’s Cat IV 600V Phase A-powered power quality analyser, and is available as an option on all other Outram analysers, including the 3-phase PM3000, single-phase PM1000 and the split-phase PM2000 that is designed specifically to troubleshoot residential power quality problems in the USA.

Power quality analyser for memory extension

New PM3000 Extended Memory Capabilities from Outram Research Speed Resolution of Power Quality Problems

Outram Research has developed four new memory extensions available for its PM3000 Analysers. The PM3000 is now available with a choice of 8MB, 16MB, 32MB or 64MB integrated memory. The new extended memory options offer larger memory capacities than the standard PM3000, which ships with 1MB, allowing more detail to be recorded and therefore made available to the user over longer recording periods. The PM3000s with larger memory will in turn offer enhanced profiles of disturbances such as dips, sags, surges and overall harmonic levels, whilst also providing better resolution of phenomena such as Instantaneous Flicker Sensation.

The new extended memory options enhance the capabilities of Outram’s renowned Single Cycle Adaptive Store™ which eliminates the need to set trigger levels when recording power quality parameters such as voltage, current, harmonics, flicker, unbalance, power factor etc. Adaptive Store intelligently chooses when to record in detail, down to a single cycle, using a complex predictive algorithm, without the need to set thresholds. This makes configuration of the unit and analysis of the data much faster and simpler than with other loggers. With larger memory capacities, potentially problematic occurrences can be recorded in more detail for longer, across 16 channels simultaneously, with the 64MB version able to record and store data down to single cycle detail for up to 2 months at a time.


“Power quality engineers are recording over longer timescales,” said John Outram, managing director of Outram Research. “A seven day period used to be typical, but today recording periods are often 14 days or more, which requires larger capacity power quality analysers to record all observed disturbances in the same detail.”

A key benefit of the increased memory is the ability to observe the relationships between Voltage and Current RMS in more detail, enabling power quality engineers and consultants to determine if problems are caused upstream or downstream from the point of measurement. It can then be determined if it is the electricity supplier or the installation that is the cause of the issue.


“The new memory extensions in the PM3000 analysers enable engineers to identify and resolve problems in less time,” continued John Outram. “The combination of our Single Cycle Adaptive Store™ technology with larger memory capacity makes troubleshooting
3-phase power quality issues quick and easy in any commercial, industrial or power distribution situation.”

PM3000 Power Quality Analysers with the new 8MB, 16MB, 32MB and 64MB memory extensions are available today from Outram Research and its distributors. Current PM3000 users can also take advantage of the new capabilities as most existing PM3000 analysers can be upgraded to the larger memory capacities.

3-phase power quality analysers

Fluke has introduced the new 430 Series II three-phase Power Quality Analysers, the first tools to use a patented algorithm to measure energy waste and quantify its cost. The 430 Series II helps facilities reduce electrical power consumption and improve the performance and lifespan of electro-mechanical equipment by providing the ROI justification to mitigate power quality distortion. Long the most popular three-phase power quality analysers on the market because of their simultaneous display-and-record capabilities, the updated 430 Series II models feature three new measurement functions as well as hardware, software and firmware improvements.

Previously, only experts could calculate how much energy was being wasted due to power quality issues. With the new, patented Unified Power function of the handheld Fluke 430 Series II, electricians, utility technicians, electrical engineers, field service technicians, and energy consultants can automatically determine how much power is being wasted and calculate exactly what the extra consumption costs.

In particular, the Fluke 430 Series II power quality analysers allow facilities to assess the impact of new energy-efficient, electronically-driven systems from lighting to motor controls to HVAC. While these new systems consume less energy as individual installations, they increase the level of power quality disturbance in the overall electrical system, increasing waste energy due to harmonics and reducing the total potential energy savings. The Fluke 430 Series II calculates the monetary cost of that waste energy.

Most popular power quality analyzer made better
The Fluke 430 Series II offer up to 32GB (8GB standard) memory, a swappable SD memory card and USB connectivity for longer power and energy logging and faster data download. Screen quality and battery life are both improved and the accompanying software has been redesigned to give users more options to analyse both power quality and power consumption. Both new models, the Fluke 434 and Fluke 435, are fully compliant with the stringent international IEC 61000-4-30 Class-A standard. Each one can monitor systems with up to ten power quality parameters on one screen and can record up to 150 parameters on 4 phases simultaneously, in accordance with the EN50160 standard, and are safety rated 600V CAT IV/ 1000V CAT III.

NEW, patented, Unified Power measurement function
From an algorithm first developed by Vincente Leon and Joaquín Montañana of the University of Valencia Polytechnic as an extension to the  IEEE standard 1459, the patented Unified Power function on the 430 Series II was developed in cooperation between Fluke Corporation engineers and University of Valencia scientists. Unified Power marks the first time that any test tool has provided the ability to automatically quantify the energy wasted by harmonics and imbalance, and, by inputting the utility rate structure, the user can even calculate the monetary cost of the wasted energy.

NEW Inverter Efficiency measurement function
The 430 Series II Inverter Efficiency function simultaneously measures the input and output power of inverters in solar systems, wind turbines and uninterruptible power supplies, allowing the operator to see how much electricity the inverter itself is consuming and whether it is operating efficiently. The measurements enable operators to adjust settings or make a case for a replacement unit.

NEW Power Wave measurement function
The 435 model includes PowerWave, a “fast capture” system that displays waveforms and half cycle RMS voltage and current values in full detail so motor and generator operators can measure the interaction during switching operations. This allows facility and utility service electricians, electrical contractors, and generator suppliers to easily gather measurements with one tool for load profiling, to prevent motor/drive/load mismatches, and for motor and generator commissioning and start-up testing.

Power quality analysis extension

Outram Research has announced a new revision of firmware for their PM7000 power quality analyser, Waveform Capture Extension, which allows capture of long-duration transients and waveform events. The new feature is designed to help engineers troubleshoot long-duration problems and to see the consequential impact of disturbances.

Whilst most transients and waveform events are over in less than three or four cycles, occasionally it is useful to capture longer periods. Examples include monitoring the network’s recovery from sag after reclosures, or to view the reaction of downstream control systems such as wind turbine control.

The Waveform Capture Extension allows for selective extension of the capture window beyond the 160ms that was previously possible, enabling recording for up to 60 seconds. Extensions of the different capture triggers can be set individually, enabling complete control over the monitoring of the disturbances that are recorded for the longer period. The PM7000 can automatically terminate recording when the Sag/Surge is over to optimise the use of the available storage.

Waveforms recorded by the Extended Waveform Capture feature can be displayed and analysed in Pronto, Outram’s logger control software that will also manage the data, produce comprehensive graphs, generate reports and export the waveform sample data to other desktop software packages such as Microsoft Excel.

The new firmware and Extended Waveform Capture feature are fully backwards-compatible, allowing previously saved configurations to be used without modification. Furthermore new configurations can be loaded into a PM7000 with older firmware, with the settings for Extended Waveform Capture ignored if the feature is not available.

The new Extended Waveform Capture feature is now provided as standard across the family of Outram Ranger PM7000 power analysers. New firmware to upgrade existing analysers is available on request.

Power quality

Outram Research's PM7000 now offers additional features to help identify and resolve power quality problems caused by the increasing use of energy-efficient appliances and renewable power sources. Harmonic distortion can become a significant problem, as more and more mains-connected devices use high-efficiency switching power supplies or inverter-type power sources and power is increasingly supplied from renewable sources that require a DC to AC conversion.

Switching power supplies, which are used in products such as variable frequency motor drives (VFDs), IT equipment, home entertainment systems and LED lighting tend to draw power through current spikes at the peak of the mains cycle. Low-energy compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) also exhibit the same behaviour. Drawing current at the peaks causes harmonic distortion which results in power being wasted in motors and transformers. It can also cause increased noise and wear on bearings and in extreme circumstances the equipment can fail due to overheating.

Renewable energy sources such as solar cells may require conversion of DC power to AC. If the output AC waveform is an imperfect sine wave, this harmonic distortion can have a similar effect.

The Outram Ranger PM7000 is the first power quality analyser to offer analysis of the phase difference between the harmonic voltage and current, giving additional detailed information about the source of distortion of the mains waveform. Modern switching power supplies often exhibit problems at high frequencies, and so the PM7000 offers one of the industry’s highest sampling rates, recording up to the 50th or 120th harmonic.


“Visibility is critical to help engineers solve the increasing problem of harmonic distortion of the mains waveform,” said John Outram, Managing Director of Outram Research. “By providing information on the phase difference between current and voltage up to the 120th harmonic we help engineers to identify and resolve problems more quickly and efficiently.”

The new harmonic distortion analysis features are now provided as standard across the family of Outram Ranger PM7000 power analysers. New firmware to upgrade existing analysers is available on request.