Substation circuit loads are mostly inductive, dominated by distribution transformers and large motors. Canceling a portion of this inductance with Power Factor Correction capacitors (PFCs) improves power factor by reducing…
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57 results by Caleb Payne — Clear
RMS Measurements and Harmonic Analysis
The RMS value is used to quantify the overall "size" of a waveform with a single number. By extension, harmonic amplitudes can be used to describe a complex waveform with…
Case Study: Spotting Pump Failure with a Boomerang and Canvass
In September of 2017 a homeowner discovered that his well was not delivering water. The suspicion was that the pump itself was in some way failing – perhaps the motor…
An Overview of IEEE 1250 – Guide for Identifying and Improving Voltage Quality in Power Systems
The IEEE 1250 standard was developed in response to the introduction of modern electronics onto an older electrical grid. These newer electronics were not necessarily built to withstand the traditional…
Live PQ Waveforms in a Web Browser
PQ Canvass is the next generation of online power quality analysis tools provided by PMI. This new cloud service offers enhanced graphing, a full suite of PQ analysis tools, recording-based…
Separating Voltage Sags from Steady State Voltage Readings
Ensuring that service voltage is within ANSI limits is a basic but important step in delivering power. Sophisticated programs such as Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR) and volt/VAR optimization require continuous…
Understanding Arc Fault Breakers
Arc Fault Breakers (or AFCI breakers) are sensitive breakers that augment traditional breakers' functionality by using logic and signal processing to determine whether or not an arcing condition is present.…
Analyzing Voltage Sags with Event Change
Identifying the sources for voltage sags can be a somewhat complicated task. Graphs such as waveform capture can obscure the essentials with an RMS-based voltage sag. PMI provides a triggered…
Real-Time Voltage Interruption Detection and Alerting
Utility situational awareness is critical with today's high customer expectations, increased regulatory scrutiny, and reliance on stable AC power. Voltage interruption/outage detection is the most basic, and usually the most…
Wireless Power Quality
The time and cost of deploying PQ instrumentation only to return later in order to retrieve it (without the guarantee that the PQ anomaly has occurred) is often times exorbitant.…
Understanding Crest Factor
Crest factor is an often neglected power compatibility measurement, but can be very important in certain applications. This white paper presents the definition of crest factor and the method for…
Configuring Alerts with a Guardian in PQ Canvass
PQ Canvass is Power Monitors Inc.’s newest iteration of web-based power quality analysis software. It builds on the foundation established by Canvass and adds many new features, including variable-interval stripcharts;…
