Creating a disturbance in mains power monitoring

“The distinguishing feature of the Elspec Blackbox range, making it unique in the mains power disturbance analyser market, is the fact that these devices provide constant monitoring,” commented Aspen’s managing director, Howard Venning. “Other products only start to monitor when something goes wrong.”

The Elspec G4400 and G4500 analysers require no triggers or thresholds to be set as all mains parameters are measured. With no missed events, and every disturbance accurately analysed, the root cause of any problem can be traced precisely to its source.

“In addition, the Elspec Blackbox units can make measurements that other disturbance analysers can't make, like real time power consumption,” Venning added. “We believe this is the only combined disturbance analyser/power consumption monitor on the market”.

A key feature of the Blackbox analysers is their real-time monitoring capability, which using Elspec’s patented data compression algorithm, PQZIP, gives a typical 1000:1 compression ratio. This allows the storage of upto 1000 times more information; ensuring data gaps are avoided. Further, the analysers are able to store all waveforms of every cycle for up to a year, at up to 1,024 samples per cycle resolution. They can calculate cycle by cycle RMS, frequency and harmonics, upto the 511th , as well as a variety of other values from waveforms. These are particularly useful for post-processing and analysis.

Other features include: compact flash extension ports, built in web server for remote monitoring using standard web browsers, integral OPC servers (DA and AE) for seamless integration with SCADA systems, 2 Ethernet ports (100 MBit) with Power Over Ethernet (PoE) device and source, USB and RS485 ports, and AC/DC power supply. An optional Multi I/O Expansion module extends the monitoring capabilities with additional digital and analogue I/O ports.

For large installations, up to 9 modules can be supported, and a unique time synchronisation algorithm assures that logged data from multiple units is synchronised and displayed on the same time scale, typically with 0.1ms resolution.

The Elspec G4100 Remote Display LCD Unit is a stand alone controller that allows the user to configure any number of G4400 series Power Meters via the local network or anywhere in the world through
TCP/-IP communications.

The G4500 Blackbox portable power quality analyser offers the same functionality of the G4400, and operates wirelessly. The built-in 802.11b/g access point and built-in Ethernet router, allows remote analysis.

The Elspec power quality monitors are designed and manufactured in Israel. In the UK, the G4400 Blackbox series costs from £2000 to £5700, and the G4500 Blackbox portable unit is priced at £8000. Analysers are available on 4 to 6 weeks lead times.