Electrical Contractor Riverside
Riverside Electrical’s last post was discussing a great article found on ecmag.com’s website. It is regarding surveying power quality options. There are many to choose from and Riverside Electrical can help you with this. The article continues below.
And fleeting surges and spikes-caused by on/off cycles in motors, as well as by lightning and utility switching-frequently cause physical damage to many kinds of motorized equipment, from air conditioners to elevators. Monitoring, analyzing, and protecting power quality, as well as correcting imperfections in power quality, can protect against loss of revenue when computerized and other equipment is down because it does not have pure power. It can reduce excessive operating costs resulting from poor quality power, and it can eliminate utility surcharges resulting from a low power factor.
When monitoring an entire system, experts suggest running the tests throughout one business cycle, whether one work shift or an entire week. To test power quality, use either portable equipment or equipment permanently connected to various circuits throughout a facility for continual monitoring and tracking of changes.
If there is a problem with full-time metering equipment, the printout from the meter–which has kept a constant record–is available to indicate the source of the problem, much like the data stored in a “black box” flight recorder on an airplane. With portable equipment, you will have to go back and sleuth to find the source of the intermittent problem unless the event happens while the equipment is connected. Contractors can also use more expensive portable equipment that often has more sophisticated troubleshooting features.
Monitoring is necessary not only to keep tabs on power quality but also to measure cost allocation and consumption. On the local level, plant managers want to know that power quality is good; on a corporate level, managers want to be able to determine the exact cost of power as part of the cost of production.
Fortunately Riverside Electrical can help you with this. Call us for our electrical contracting experience!