Power Monitoring

Hi folks,

We are looking at installing sometype of instrument to monitor our power, I'm currently investigating the GE PQM II. I'm open to suggestions for other brands also.

Has anyone used this before?
Does GE have a software package that would allow us to use a cheap PC for data collection vs. connecting to the current control system? The PQMII "speaks" MODBUS, and at this location, there are no existing MODBUS networks.


Assuming the software is $1000.00 or less, it would be cheaper to buy the software and a PC.


Thanks in Advance,


Ken

Square D used to have some very nice monitoring tools, but I am not sure what they have know. The last time I was involved in power systems was almost 10 years ago.

You could monitor the data and log it to Excel compatible .csv files with Tractrola for $200.
www.tractrola.com

You could monitor the data and log it to Excel compatible .csv files with Tractrola for $200.

Click to expand...

That looks like it might be the ticket, have you tried it?

We have a rather extensive power/energy monitoring system. We use mostly AB PowerMonitor 3000's. They are available in a variety of communication configurations. Modbus,Ethernet IP, ControlNet, RIO etc. They are available in a couple of different levels of accuracy/functionality. It depends on what you need. They can even do Harmonics I think. They can also collect Min/Max data. We don't use nearly all of their functionality.

Ours are all Ethernet IP. They have an on board Web Server. You can look at the current power conditions via Internet explorer. You could also use RSlinx and Excel to poll and log data if you wanted.

We use RSEnergy Metrix to data log all of our information. It is pretty expensive if I recall. Like I said we monitor a lot of systems though. We monitor Water, Steam, Compressed air, Central Vacuum, Ammonia Refrigeration, Comfort Cooling, Local Weather Data, and Electrical Power.

RSL

The GE software is here Kenhttp://www.geindustrial.com/cwc/products?famid=14&catid=55&lang=en_US

I have used the AB power monitor 3000 devices on Device Net into Omron PLCs and than on to Citect SCADA. Theya are very good and do monitor harmonics.

For something a little less expensive if %THD will do, try the Crompton Instruments 1534 series. Modbus, Johnson Controls etc available. Class 0.2 (0.2%) accuracy - very good actually. Use these things all the time - they are less than half the price of the AB ones and I have never had one fail. Here is a link to the manual
http://www.crompton-instruments.com/integra/us_din_1530.pdf