Outram Research Improves Quality of Power Measurements with IEEE1459

IEEE 1459 is an emerging standard that defines new formulae providing detailed information on the power that is being consumed. Uniquely the standard defines a rigorous measure of distortion power, a measure of the power consumed due to imperfections in the current and voltage sinusoid. Many modern electronic products – particularly low-energy florescent light bulbs – do not draw current in a sinusoid. These devices pull small spikes of current at the peak of the voltage sinusoid, distorting both current and voltage waveforms on the supply network, which in turn can lead to more power being wasted in motors and other appliances that require sinusoidal supplies.

In addition to the new functionality, the PM7000 measures power quality to the IEC61000-4-30 standard, harmonics to IEC61000-4-7, and flicker to IEC61000-4-15 with a measurement accuracy better than 0.25% ± 2 LSB. The device offers four voltage channels rated up to 1000V and four current channels that measure up to 6000A with high speed sampling of up to 1.22M samples per second on all inputs. The system provides measurement up to the 50th harmonic, interharmonics and instantaneous flicker as well as short term and long term results; transients; high speed waveform capture; symmetrical components; and sags and swells.

Uniquely all Outram power quality analysers offer Outram’s patented single-cycle Adaptive Store that ensures detailed capture of intermittent power quality problems over long recording periods. In the PM7000 this operates on up to 32 channels, selected from any of the available parameters; and in addition approximately 500 general parameters are recorded automatically at (selectable) fixed intervals for applications such as demonstrating compliance to standards.