Electrical Power & Protection


Power monitoring solution via the Web

November 2013 Electrical Power & Protection

In a joint local effort, Omniflex and R&C Instrumentation have developed a complete power monitoring system available on a local network or via the Internet. Nearly every factory, shopping mall, airport, hospital, office or high rise apartment complex has an electrical room providing power distribution throughout the facility. Most of these equipment rooms reside in the basement out of sight and in many cases out of mind, until there is a failure.

The distribution system usually includes high voltage metal-clad switchgear, cast resin transformers, low voltage switchgear and panels. A fault or failure in any one of these components can result in power outages, loss of productivity and even fire or an explosion.

Routine checks of these components normally consist of current and voltage measurements and most recently thermographic ‘snapshots’ of the temperature distribution in the switchgear. These tests are normally done once or twice a year and whilst adequate for some applications do not provide a 24/7 monitoring service.

The solution

The installation of the simple power monitoring system allows all voltage, current and non-contact temperature measurement of critical power services, to be checked and monitored either via a local control room display or via the Internet. This can be expanded to generate user defined alarm points that are transmitted to the cellphones of the required personnel.

High connection temperature, overload, phase imbalance, power factor, voltage and current levels are all available via the system. Even power consumption and costing can be displayed.

The system consists of the Omniflex GPRS module providing the intelligence with its data inputs coming from Raytek’s Mi3 series IR thermometers and a conventional power monitor. The units all communicate on a Modbus network to allow for system expandability. This 24/7 system monitoring critical power supplies can save both plant downtime and labour and ensure peace of mind from a safety perspective.

For more information contact R&C Instrumentation, 086 111 4217, [email protected], www.randci.co.za



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Raptor switches
Phoenix Contact Electrical Power & Protection
The Phoenix Contact Raptor switches enable reliable and safe operation in extreme ambient conditions. The managed switch portfolio meets the stringent requirements of IEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 standards and is ideal for critical infrastructure and power supply applications.

Read more...
Half brick second generation converter
Vepac Electronics Electrical Power & Protection
The Supreme series half brick second generation converter from Vepac is composed of isolated, board-mountable, fixed switching frequency DC-DC converters that use synchronous rectification to achieve extremely high power conversion efficiency.

Read more...
Multimeters: the perfect entry-level choice
Comtest Electrical Power & Protection
Experience the precision, durability and safety of professional-grade test tools with the entry level Fluke 15B+ and 17B+ digital multimeters.

Read more...
South Africa can become an important EV manufacturer
Electrical Power & Protection
A year ago, South Africa was mired in loadshedding, with the importance and relevance of electric vehicles (EVs) far from the public imagination. Fast forward a year and much has changed

Read more...
Self-contained standalone lightning warning system
Senseca Electrical Power & Protection
Biral, now part of the Senseca Group, and a specialist in environmental and meteorological measurement instrumentation, has launched its BTD-200 lightning warning system, which is a complete detection and warning system.

Read more...
Compact, high density power protection system for AI, data centre and large-scale electrical workloads
Schneider Electric South Africa Electrical Power & Protection
Schneider Electric has launched its new Galaxy VXL – a highly efficient, compact, modular, scalable and redundant 500-1250 kW (400 V) 3-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS), complete with enhanced cybersecurity, software and safety features.

Read more...
Taking the pain out of panel building
Omron Electronics Electrical Power & Protection
Panel building stands as a cornerstone of industrial automation, shaping the efficiency and reliability of automated systems across different and diverse industries, from manufacturing to infrastructure. Omron leverages over 80 years of experience to furnish OEMs and builders with cutting-edge control panel solutions.

Read more...
Powerless is not an option
Electrical Power & Protection
When the power goes out it is important for commercial and tertiary facilities to be able to keep essential electrical equipment running. UPS systems are critical for transitioning and emergency backup power.

Read more...
High-performance surface inspection systems for battery production
Electrical Power & Protection
As battery manufacturers increase their focus on yield optimisation to meet growing demand, AMETEK Surface Vision is highlighting the essential role of processes to improve quality and reduce defects.

Read more...
Securing the power supply
Electrical Power & Protection
Grid management systems are the linchpin of modern transmission and distribution networks. To understand the intricacies of grid management, it is necessary to unpack its core components: scada systems, energy management systems, outage management systems and wide area management systems.

Read more...