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Thursday, November 6, 2014

Case Study: Power Quality Problems Can be Costly; Lost Revenue, Interrupted Operations


www.dranetz.com
Despite their differences, continuous-process industries share underlying characteristics: they maintain continuous operations in facilities that represent substantial start-up costs and time, yet can be interrupted or disrupted by seemingly minor fluctuations in power quality. If the product stream is disrupted, lost productivity and lost product can create a large financial burden. For example, a voltage sag in a paper mill can waste a whole day of production and inflict a $250,000 loss, while a 5-cycle interruption at a glass manufacturing facility can cost a minimum of $200,000. It is estimated that three percent of every sales dollar in the US is spent on power quality problems. Seventy five percent of all power quality problems occur inside customer facilities, requiring power engineers and electricians to diagnose and solve these problems themselves.
Unfortunately, these percentages will only increase as loads become more sensitive to power quality events and the power utilities become more decentralized. For facility managers and engineers, understanding and managing power system infrastructure is essential to ensuring reliability of production, optimizing equipment performance, and controlling escalating energy costs. Power monitoring can potentially detect deterioration in power quality before problems arise.
The Dranetz Encore Series Power Monitoring system enables users to proactively monitor their power system, potentially identifying and correcting problems before they occur. Additionally, with the proprietary AnswerModules, this system aids in troubleshooting by quickly identifying the direction, or source, of the problems before and after they occur.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Dran-View 7 Has Arrived!

www.dranetz.com
DRAN-VIEW 7 software is a Windows based software package that enables power professionals to simply and quickly visualize and analyze power and energy monitoring data. It is a snap to navigate, delivers automated functionality, and incorporates powerful analytical capabilities and customizable options to meet the needs of each individual user. Dran-View is successfully used by thousands of customers around the world, and has become the industry leading power management software tool. Click here for a free 10 day Dran-View 7 trial, or contact Technical Support for upgrades, any questions you may have about Dran-View 7, or any other Dranetz product.

Monday, October 13, 2014

When is Ground not a Ground?

By Richard P. Bingham, Dranetz
www.dranetz.com

Grounding is a term that has many different facets, depending on the application. Some of the reasons for grounding systems and equipment are to: limit the voltage imposed by lightning, line surges, or unintentional contact with higher voltages; stabilize the voltage to earth under normal operation; establish an effective path for fault current that is capable of safely carrying the maximum fault current and with sufficiently low impedance to facilitate the operation of overcurrent devices under fault conditions. In addition, the most important application is to increase the protection people and equipment from shock and/or damage.

In the power quality field, grounding plays an important part in the proper operation of "sensitive" equipment. "Of all the power and grounding problems affecting electronic load equipment, almost 90% are caused by electrical power and grounding conditions inside the facility in which the equipment is used....More importantly, almost 75% of the power quality problems inside the facility relate to grounding, which makes it the single most important factor from a facility standpoint, in having reliable equipment operation." [Warren Lewis, "Quality Grounding and Power Quality: Having Your Cake and Eating It, Too", EC&M Power Quality Advisor, February 1998]

More numerous than the reasons for grounding are the terms related to grounding. The Grounding Subcommittee of NFPA70B Electrical Equipment Maintenance Committee has compiled over fifty related definitions. Article 250 of the National Electric Code is a good source for many of the definitions, though one must remember that the primary purpose of the NEC is to protect life and property, and not necessarily ensure that equipment will run properly in a facility. This does not imply that any of the requirements should be compromised for the sake of improved performance, but rather additional efforts may be required.

A grounding system has several key components: the connection to earth (often the grounding electrodes); the grounding conductor (typically called the green wire); the bonding jumper that connects the grounding conductor to the grounded conductor (often referred to as the neutral); and, the connection of the equipment connected to the grounding system. A few of the definitions from the NEC are listed below, to ensure that we are all speaking the same language.

Bonding Jumper -  A reliable conductor to ensure the required electrical conductivity between metal parts required to be electrically connected.

Grounding ConductorA conductor used to connect equipment or the grounded circuit of a wiring system to a grounding electrode or electrodes.

Grounding Conductor, EquipmentThe conductor used to connect the noncurrent-carrying metal parts of equipment, raceways, and other enclosures to the system grounded conductor, the grounding electrode conductor, or both, at the service equipment or at the source of a separately derived system.

Grounded ConductorA system or circuit conductor that is intentionally grounded.

Grounding Electrode Conductor - The conductor used to connect the grounding electrode to the equipment grounding conductor, to the grounded conductor, or to both, of the circuit at the service equipment or at the source of a separately derived system.

Grounding Electrode A grounding electrode is a conductive body deliberately inserted into earth to make to electrical connection to earth.

The grounding system operates under the same rules as the normal current carrying conductors.


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Proactive Energy and Demand Monitoring


www.dranetz.com
In today’s world where facility staff managers and team members are wearing multiple hats, having information at your finger tips is a requirement. Even more so, having valuable information that can be acted up is even more critical. A typical facility can save from 10% to as much as 40% annually on energy costs by implementing a comprehensive energy action plan. And, while each facility will require an organized approach to recognize those savings, facilities first need to understand their power consumption, location of major loads, electric demand usage patterns, and associated costs.
Many companies today are developing energy management plans and actions requirements to address and limit their growing costs of energy. Part of these plans is the act of reducing energy consumption when peak demand levels are being reached or when electric rates are at their peaks. In order to do this facility operators need to have intelligent metering in place which is capable of recording and forecasting electrical usage in a real-time basis. Additionally, the responsible staff needs to know what these values are at any point in time and know what action to take. However, having someone sit at a computer screen or in front of meter panels to watch the energy levels increase and decrease is not a productive use of time or money. This is why it’s critical to have an intelligent system monitoring the various parts of the facility.
Utilizing the Encore Series ES230 DataNode’s along with the Encore Series Software, a facility can easily view their instantaneous, historic and predicted demand, energy consumption (as well as many other parameters), and associated costs at each point whenever they need. Additionally, the Dranetz Encore Series Software has built-in intelligence which proactively monitors any or all points identified, and has the ability to create alarm points based on an the plans requirements. This system proactively monitors present and predicted demand and usage levels, when the programmed threshold (limit) is exceeded, the Encore Series Software will send out alarm notifications to as many individuals as needed. These notifications can be in the form of email, pager, or the ever popular text message to a cell phone.
The Encore Series Software is a web enabled application that does not require the installation of any software on a local users computer. The system can be accessed from any web-enabled browser by multiple people simultaneously, and performs a variety of operations, including; data collection, data analysis, reporting, alarming, and remote setup of the equipment. With the Modbus driver installed the software can easily read data from any previously installed instrument that supports the Modbus protocol. Additionally, the software allows for easy expansion, including the addition of Power Quality instruments for more detailed analysis of power anomalies.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Dranetz Power Monitoring Seminars - Fall 2014



Sign-up NOW for Dranetz Power Monitoring Seminars! 
Dranetz Technologies provides no-cost educational seminars at select cities in the continental US throughout the year. This incredible value is open to anyone interested in learning more about power monitoring, and only requires registration to reserve your seat. Our power monitoring seminars are 1/2 day, run from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, and a continental breakfast is included. 
To register online CLICK HERE.

Come to our seminar and see the NEW, revolutionary Dranetz HDPQ Family of Power Quality Analyzers, and the latest Dran-View 7 power and energy analysis software!
Seminar Schedule:
October 7, 2014
Richardson, TX
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
October 14, 2014
Seattle, WA
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
October 16, 2014
Tempe, AZ
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
November 4, 2014
Charlotte, NC
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
General Agenda:
  • Introduction to monitoring
  • What are we measuring?
  • Transducer considerations
  • Introduction to power
  • Energy and demand, power factor
  • Real-apparent-reactive power
  • Utility company billing practices
  • Case study — determining energy costs
October 8, 2014
Houston TX
8:00 am - 12:00 p.m.
October 15, 2014
San Diego, CA
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
October 23, 2014
Edison, NJ
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
November 6, 2014
Marietta, GA
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.




  • Going beyond energy and demand to improve reliability 
  • Introduction to power quality
  • Impact on business productivity
  • Maintenance and operating costs
  • Identify typical power quality events (overview of sags, transients, harmonics, etc.)
  • Q & A: Your application questions

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Monday, August 4, 2014

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Electrical Systems Reliability is Paramount


Power Quality has always been a key issue for healthcare facility managers. With the rapid advances in medical technology, hospitals, medical clinics and laboratories increasingly rely on sophisticated electronic devices for diagnosis, treatment and monitoring. This reliance demands a high degree of power quality and reliability to prevent disruption of mission-critical operations and procedures. Power quality disturbances can be caused by a range of internal and external phenomena and often re-occur because the location and nature of the event is not well understood or identified
While the costs of downtime or failures can result in thousands of dollars per hour, and the costs of power and equipment failures in critical patient operations are immeasurable, hospitals now know that electrical systems reliability is paramount.
The Dranetz HDPQ family of Power Quality Analyzers are ideal for proactively monitoring the power systems of healthcare facilities.
Never before has power quality and reliability been such a key issue for facility managers. Not only can the cost of downtime run into thousands, or even millions of dollars per hour, but power quality events can impact sensitive equipment such as servers, motors, process equipment and computers. This end-use equipment is often interconnected within networks, industrial processes and power infrastructure and can be negatively affected by events that arise both from the supplying power system and are generated within the facility. Power monitoring is key to maximizing uptime and ensuring all power infrastructure is functioning properly.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Introducing the Dranetz HDPQ family of Power Quality Monitors


Dranetz HDPQ' Power Quality & Energy Instruments Set the Standard for High-Definition Performance, Safety, Productivity and Usability


The key benefits of the Dranetz HDPQ line are:
  • Safety and Control - 1KV CAT III (arc flash safety), innovative hookup and lead management scheme for voltage and current inputsremote communications/Apple-Android apps/VNC, industry's most extensive range of communications, and interface options.
  • High Definition - Higher sampling rates and improved data resolution - 512 samples/cycle and 1us transient capture, improved data resolution, 7" high-definition, wide-screen touch display the largest in the industry.
  • User Interface - Tablet-like GUI, icon driven, taskbar shortcuts, dashboardintelligent AnswerModules
  • Real-time Reporting - Mini-Report, snapshots, XML file - Annotations & customizable, Dran-View 7 software.
  • Enhanced Dranetz Tech Support Snapshots, Mini-Report and remote communications provide for the sharing of files and instrument setups with Dranetz technical support personnel and easily and quickly. Live support available 12 hours per day Monday through Friday.
The HDPQ product line comprises three models:
  • Dranetz HDPQ Visa
    • Power Quality (IEC 61000-4-30 Class A, IEEE 1159)
    • Harmonics (IEC 61000-4-7, IEEE 519)
    • Voltage Flicker (IEC 61000-4-15, IEEE 1453:2011)
    • Energy and Demand Monitoring
    • Ethernet, USB
    • Motor Analysis AnswerModule
  • Dranetz HDPQ Guide - All HDPQ Visa features plus:
    • Advanced Energy (IEEE 1459)
    • AnswerModules identify Sag/Dip Directivity, Capacitor Switching and Motor Analysis
    • Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
  • Dranetz HDPQ Xplorer All HDPQ Guide features plus:
    • 1 microsecond transient capture

Thursday, April 10, 2014

7X24 Customer Service Center


An international shipping company opened a new 24x7 customer service center to support its US customer base. To maximize uptime and ensure high reliability, a redundant UPS system was installed, protecting both the supply and the facility loads. Integral to the facility design was the Encore Series power monitoring system from Dranetz installed on the input and output of these UPS systems. The Encore Series provides real-time access to all power monitoring information using a standard web browser. This feature was quite important to the nationwide facility manager who travels frequently and required remote access to the facility’s infrastructure regardless of his physical location. He also needed a system that allowed multiple facility personnel from around the world to review system data, view trends to prevent future problems and remedy any inconsistencies.
Within a mere few months, the Encore Series provided valuable information to ensure power reliability at this critical facility. Most important, the system verified the expected performance of the UPS system and detected no disturbances on the UPS output feeding the critical loads (figure 1). However, monitoring the incoming power from the utility supply indicated more than 50 disturbances in the first three months of operation (figure 2). These disturbances included sags and transients that could have impacted unprotected loads, seriously compromising power reliability. Armed with the data, the facility manager contacted the utility who was able to pinpoint the problem as a faulty relay. The problem was corrected, while the Encore Series system continues to provide proactive information to support the uptime needs of the facility.


Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Dranetz Power Quality Seminar Schedule - Spring 2014


Cost: FREE - Dranetz Technologies provides no-cost educational seminars at select cities in the continental US throughout the year. This incredible value is open to anyone interested in Dranetz instruments, and only requires registration to reserve your seat. Our morning power quality seminars are 1/2 day, run from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, and a continental breakfast is included. Our Edison, NJ seminar is a 1/2 day seminar, runs from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m., and lunch is included.
To register online CLICK HERE.




Seminar Schedule:
April 8, 2014
Warrendale, PA
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
April 30, 2014
Fargo, ND
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
May 7, 2014
Brea, CA
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

General Agenda:
  • Introduction to monitoring
  • What are we measuring?
  • Transducer considerations
  • Introduction to power
  • Energy and demand, power factor
  • Real-apparent-reactive power
  • Typical utility billing practices
  • Case study — determining energy costs
  • Going beyond energy and demand to improve reliability 
  • Introduction to power quality
  • Impact on business productivity
  • Maintenance and operating costs
  • Identify typical power quality events (overview of sags, transients, harmonics, etc.)
  • Q & A: Your application questions
To register for any of the Dranetz PowerQuality Seminars, click here, or call 732.287.3680


April 10, 2014
Edison, NJ
12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
May 6, 2014
Van Nuys, CA
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Friday, February 28, 2014

Dran-View 6; The Industry Leading Power Management Software Tool


Dran-View® 6 is a Windows-based software package that enables power professionals to simply and quickly visualize and analyze power monitoring data. Not only is it a snap to navigate, it delivers automated functionality, and incorporates powerful analytical capabilities and customizable options to meet the needs of each individual user. Dran-View is successfully used by thousands of customers around the world, and has become the industry-leading power management software tool. Dran-View is availble in two versions: the Pro version, which has a powerful feature set, and the Enterprise version which has even more features and functionality.
Find out more about Dran-View 6 in our video below:


Download Dran-View 6 Brochure here

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Encore Series System Solves Hospital's Power Outage Problem

By monitoring the incoming and outgoing power from a UPS supplying critical power to the Cath Lab X-Ray System and using the cross triggering comparison feature, the Encore Series instrument (at the time, this instrumentation was referred to as 'Signature System') was able to pinpoint the power outage problem.

The Encore verified the interruption of the utility supply and that the UPS was doing its job, providing a "clean" supply of power to the load. However, twenty seconds passed before the emergency generator came on-line, causing downtime and confusion. The Encore data enabled the customer to determine that the X-ray Emergency Power Off switch was being incorrectly fed directly by emergency power, rather than feeding the UPS as was specified in the hospital’s power system design.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Case Study: Stalled Motors


In this case study, we look at an industrial customer with two 1250 hp motors on a 4kV circuit, whose motors would not start. To determine the problem, we installed a Dranetz PowerGuide 4400 at the motor input. The power monitoring instrument quickly identified the motor itself as the source of the problem. In fact, the motor start caused a deep sag to occur, which impacted the motor control circuitry and stopped the motor from starting. In effect, the motor was "shooting itself in the foot," creating a cycle of non-performance.
The customer was presented with several mitigation options, including adding more capacity to the circuit, installing a constant voltage transformer, or installing an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system. The customer selected the UPS option, which was installed to protect the motor control circuitry during motor start-up and verified using the PowerGuide 4400.
Inrush currents, such as those associated with motor starting can cause interaction problems with other loads. When motors are started they typically draw 6-10 times their full load, which can cause voltage sags. These events can dim lights, cause contactors to drop out, disrupt sensitive equipment, and as in our case study, affect the successful start of a motor. The use of a power quality monitor that can capture waveforms during long duration start-ups will be quite effective in characterizing and optimizing motor starts.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Energy Management for Healthcare Facilities


Energy and demand costs have a direct impact on a company’s bottom line. In fact, the cost of energy is one of the most commonly mismanaged expenses, regardless of a company’s size or the industry represented. In healthcare facilities energy management can be more difficult than any other industry, because you not only have to manage expenses, but you’re also dealing with managing human lives. Additionally, managing so many different functions within a single operation requires extra work to manage and measure energy improvements. Managing energy expenses does not have to come at a cost of sacrificing patient safety.
A typical facility can save from 10% to as much as 40% annually on energy costs by implementing a comprehensive energy action plan. And, while each facility will require an organized approach to recognize those savings, facilities first need to understand their power consumption, location of major loads, electric demand usage patterns, and associated costs.
A well organized monitoring and reporting system allows determination of where energy is going, identifies the biggest users, and decides which areas are likely to reap the largest benefits from energy management efforts while managing the impacts on patient safety. The benefits from applying monitoring and reporting principles and guidelines can be seen by comparing theoretical, equipment, system, and actual kWh/unit of production as a function of time.
Because a healthcare facility operates so many different areas and operations, the units of production will vary by department. As an example, the Xray, CT, MRI Test Department may be measured on the number of tests performed per hour, day or week vs. the amount of energy consumed; the Emergency Room (ER) would be measured by the number of patients treated per hour; and the Intensive Care Unit would be measured based on the amount of occupied patient beds per hour. Subsequently, in order to realize measurable improvements in energy conservation, it is essential to measure each of the various areas and apply the proper unit of production accordingly.
Benefits of Energy Monitoring Systems:
  • Energy expenditure reductions: Load profile can be generated to track daily, weekly and seasonal variations in energy consumption, while critical loads can be metered and sub-metered to evaluate consumption and reduce energy costs.
  • Allocate Costs and Perform Activity-based Costing: Track energy-related costs by department, tenant, process or output. Revenue-accurate metering allows for easy cost comparison with utility bills.
  • Manage Energy Purchase Agreements: Use historical load profile data to develop price/risk curves for evaluating energy purchase agreements or for joining an aggregated group to purchase power at reduced costs.
  • Perform Energy Conservation and Load Reduction: Shed non-essential loads or bring distributed generation on line to reduce consumption and/or participate in utility-sponsored demand reduction programs. Evaluate the value of energy efficient equipment such as lighting and HVAC changes.
  • Reduce Demand Peaks and Related Costs: Avoid demand surcharges to predict kW demand and identify the cause of demand peaks and limit peak occurrences. Generate alarms on events such as excessive load, equipment failure, or when operations are likely to exceed contract terms for energy supply.
  • Evaluate Impact of Production Equipment on Energy Costs: Monitor the efficiency of large, energy-consuming equipment to improve performance. Plan for expansion by analyzing load trends and available capacity for new equipment.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Data Center Uptime


In today’s 7x24 uptime world, a power outage begins after four milliseconds and can cost millions of dollars a year in downtime. Minimizing the probability of that impact requires facility managers to fully understand their power system infrastructure so they can maximize power reliability and quality. And while most data centers have invested in power Power monitoring is key to maximizing uptime and ensuring all power infrastructure is functioning properly.
mitigation technologies such as UPS and backup generation technologies, a 7x24 operation needs continuous power information to ensure that these systems are delivering highly reliable, clean power. 
Handheld and Portable Instruments: Typically used for troubleshooting or forensic investigation of power quality problems, these instruments can be brought into the field and used to collect information on an as-needed basis. Dranetz’s weather-resistant packaging enables users to leave instruments in the field for long-term monitoring and studies.
Permanently Installed, Continuous Monitoring Systems: The continuous capture of power quality and energy data puts facility managers in a position to proactively manage their power infrastructure, by increasing their knowledge and giving them the tools to increase system reliability.
Power Quality Software: Interpreting power monitoring data can be an overwhelmingly complex and time-consuming task. Dranetz prides itself on having the most user-friendly power quality software on the market.