10 reasons to measure permanently
1. Measurements of incidents
2. Determining space in the installation
3. Safety
4. Continuous improvement
5. Burden of proof (legal framing)
6. Preventive and performance-oriented maintenance
7. Registration of consumption
8. Recording trends
9. Notifications and alarms
10. One-time investment
From snapshot to continuous insight
Insight into the electrical installation is a must for a company. You can achieve this by measuring temporarily or permanently. What do you choose? Is a temporary measurement a logical choice? The answer to that is no. With a temporary measurement, you actually take a picture of the installation, which is only a snapshot.
Production processes, weather conditions and seasons have an influence on the power consumption and failures occur unannounced. A permanent measurement is like a film in which everything is recorded that is needed for analyzes and reports.
1. Measurements of incidents
Voltage dips, current peaks and unwanted effects during switching actions, can lead to malfunctions. These failures cannot be predicted. With a continuous measurement voltage dips and unwanted current peaks are measured and recorded. Based on these measurement data, it can be determined whether the dip or peak is caused by internal equipment or comes from the electricity grid. This allows for faster deployment and timely appropriate measures. By registering the dips and peaks and reporting them in good time, the consequence costs can be reduced by up to 80%.
2. Determining the space in the installation
A snapshot is not sufficient to determine the available power space on the transformer, generator or free group. In addition to a day or a week profile, the consumed power can also differ greatly over the course of a year. For example, chillers or heat pumps can exhibit peak loads in summer or winter. That is why permanent insight into data over a longer period is necessary.
3. Safety
Placing temporary measurements entails safety risks. Usually, the measurement must be carried out in installations that are under voltage, so that only highly qualified personnel with protective equipment such as safety screens, insulation mats and gloves can perform the work. The workplace must also be cordoned off. And this all has to be organized for a temporary measurement.
To ensure that all this is not necessary, it is recommended to place a permanent measurement during, for example, regular maintenance work. It is also cheaper.
4. Continuous improvement
Continuous improvement plays an important role in management processes. In these cases the PDCA cycle is used (Plan Do Check Act). This is reflected in, among other things, energy management (ISO50001), optimization of production processes, power quality management and the realization of environmental objectives. A permanent measurement - and therefore a permanent measurement system - fits perfectly within this way of working. Periodic reports are generated automatically and are essential for the 'Check' within the PDCA Cycle.
5. Burden of proof (legal framing)
Legal framing and the creation of a burden of proof is important in liability issues involving expensive machinery and equipment.
Warranties expire in case of too much harmonic pollution or too high a voltage. That is why it is important to record 365 days a year whether the voltage meets international standards.
6. Preventive and performance-oriented maintenance
By continuously measuring the load, the power quality and unwanted zero and earth fault currents, it is possible to intervene before a fault situation occurs and helps prevent premature failure of equipment or protections. A 'traffic light' report helps to interpret measurement data that is difficult to understand. That is why permanent measurement is a necessary tool to better plan maintenance and prevent downtime.
7. Registration of consumption
Continuous measurement is a must for measuring, registering and reporting energy consumption. In this way, the effectiveness of energy-saving measures can be proven, standby consumers can be traced and necessary reports can be drawn up. Permanent measuring and recording are necessary for every energy management system.
8. Recording trends
If you don't measure continuously, you don't see any problems coming. You are in fact blind to what is going on in the installation.
By continuously recording information, trends are determined and connections can be made between events in the installation, outside conditions and their influence on consumption, reactive power and power quality.
This provides a better insight into the behaviour of the installation and timely appropriate measures can be taken. Read more about reactive power reduction in the white paper.
9. Alarms and notifications
A timely warning in the event of undesired deviations in consumption, load, power quality or dips or peaks is desirable to intervene and even prevent unwanted outages. A permanent measurement makes it possible to give a timely warning via e-mail, SMS or alarm overviews.
10. One-time investment for a permanent result
The combined costs of a temporary measurement are often higher than the price of purchasing and placing a permanent measurement.
The costs of a temporary measurement consist of the placement of a measuring case, the rental costs, the security measures to be taken, the removal of the case and the manual reporting added together.
Because it is a one-off activity, an investment in a permanent measurement yields more returns.
A permanent measurement in your installation?
Then choose an analyzer from Janitza with memory and built-in web-based visualization. This is suitable for any common web browser for PCs and mobile devices. Software is therefore not immediately required, and you have all the benefits that permanent measuring can offer you at relatively low starting costs.
Please feel free to contact us so that we can help you choose the right energy measurement device or draw up a complete measurement plan.
