Power Quality Analysis

Total Power Solutions has been conducting Power Quality Analysis since 2002.

We conduct audits for engineers, consultants, contractors and individual business owners.

 

By undertaking a Power Quality Analysis of your electrical equipment, we are able to determine if there are any potential inefficiencies or problems that may require rectification works to ensure that your installation runs smoothly without preventable power outages.

 

These could be things such as:

• high or low voltage levels
• unbalanced phase currents
• high harmonic levels
• low lagging power factor levels
• high leading power factor levels

 

Total Power Solutions owns 9 Circutor AR5-L and 2 Circutor AR6 power analysers, which allows us to monitor multiple supplies simultaneously. Each power analyser is calibrated at a certified calibration laboratory on an annual basis to ensure that they are working correctly and the results we record are accurate. 

 

We have three types of Power Quality Analysis that we undertake:

 

Load Profile Report

 

A load profile gives a report of the main electrical parameters over the testing period at defined intervals.We also record the minimum and maximum values recorded between each interval.

This report includes:

• Voltage levels for L1, L2 & L3 and the average Voltage levels of the 3 phases
• Current levels for L1, L2 & L3 and the average Current levels of the 3 phases
• kW levels for L1, L2 & L3 and the average kW levels of the 3 phases
• pf levels for L1, L2 & L3 and the average pf levels of the 3 phases

The report will have a summary of the findings for each parameter, along with graphs showing each parameter clearly for whole testing period.

 

Power Quality Report

 

Our Power Quality Reports provide the same information as the Load Profile, but also include additional parameters, including:

• THDV (Total Harmonic Distortion - Voltage)
• THDI (Total Harmonic Distortion - Current)
• Harmonic Spectrum graphs showing individual harmonics up to either 30th or 50th orders
• Waveforms for each phase in Voltage and Current

Total Power Solutions technicians interrogate all data recorded and produce a detailed report complete with recommendations and comments relating to compliance with relevant Electrical Codes and Standards.

 

PFC Output Testing

 

Our PFC Output Testing Reports are for customers who have an existing Power Factor Correction unit installed on-site, and want to know that it is operating correctly, at its designed output. We conduct these reports as part of our PFC maintenance service.

 

As the capacitors within the PFC unit operate, they can be damaged by things such as high temperatures, high voltage levels, and high harmonic levels within the connected supply.

 

Quite often customers have power factor steps with no capacitive output in 1 phase of the capacitor, but still have a current draw due to the capacitors being internally connected in delta format.

 

By testing the output of each step on an annual basis, we are able to ensure that each step is operating at its correct kVAr output, and diagnose any early signs of wear and tear on the capacitors.