Monitoring / analyzing power usage of very large (75 HP) electric motors

[sanddrag]

I am trying to research devices that would be able to monitor, log, and analyze (by graph or something of the sort) power consumption of large (up to 75 HP) "booster" pumps, but I haven't come up with anything so far. Hopefully some of the electrical engineers in here can point me in the right direction. I really don't know much of anything about how this would be done. I'm hoping to find something more fancy than a typical electric meter you'd find on the side of a building. This would be for a permanent installation application. A digital device with something like USB to download data or even network capability to provide real-time monitoring would be optimal, however I am unaware if such a thing even exists, much less where to find it or how it would work. Any help is appreciated.

[eshteyn]

Well here are 2 products I've used to monitor power consumption, they are both quite good

http://www.acscout.com/?gclid=CMDVgcnWpY0CFQMngAodpF8etA

http://www.accuenergy.com/product_detail2.asp?id=16

[Dick Linn]

Sanddrag,

In the last 15 years or so, electric meters have evolved from "simple" to quite sophisticated. With the advent of digital signal processing and all, they can be quite functional. Many are capable of near-real time monitoring, data logging, phasor display, voltage, current and power factor, communications, etc. Of course there are instruments that can far exceed them, but the cost of a meter is relatively low. There are also other moderately priced monitoring devices that might work better in your application. Shoot me an email, and I'll see if I can't put you in touch with someone in your area that has a lot more hands-on experience. I've worked in a business that was related to utility metering for over 20 years, and I know a number of factory people (from GE, ABB, Schlumberger) regional sales reps and guys who work in the metering departments of electric companies across the U.S. What you need does exist, it's just a matter of finding the most economical solution.

Assuming you are still around Glendale, one guy I'd recommend you get in touch with is Mario Natividad at Applied Metering Technology in Whittier. http://www.appliedmetering.com/

(P.S. Large motors are 100 hp to 50,000 hp. Very large motors get up to 100,000 H.P.)

If you do need a used meter, I know the guys who are in charge of changing out about 9 million meters for Pacific Gas and Electric's Automated Meter Reading project. We made the software that the meter exchangers are using on their Pocket PC handhelds.

[Mike AA]

Is this going to be a temporary project or a permanent situation?

Sounds like you're probably looking for one of these (http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1WXF9)

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1WXF9

I have used a similar design (maybe 10 years ago) and they work well and are easy to use.

-Mike AA

[artdutra04]

I wish I could offer better help (as my summer job working for a municipal Department of Public Utilities puts me near a lot of water and sewer pumps, gas meters, electric motors, monitoring equipment, sensors and logic systems, etc), but almost all of our technology hasn't changed much since the last system overhaul in the 1980s. We use a lot of analog paper recorders (for tracking data over long periods of time), simple digital readouts, and auto-dialers at remote pump stations to send data back to the control room.

[sanddrag]

I found this http://www.dentinstruments.com/detailsElitePro.htm which appears to suit the requirements quite nicely. Thanks.

[Peter Matteson]

I've used Nexus dataloggers on powerplants to get millisecond dataplots. We use them for a variety of puposes including in-rush for starting our 280 kW motor.

[skimoose]

I am trying to research devices that would be able to monitor, log, and analyze (by graph or something of the sort) power consumption of large (up to 75 HP) "booster" pumps, but I haven't come up with anything so far. Hopefully some of the electrical engineers in here can point me in the right direction. I really don't know much of anything about how this would be done. I'm hoping to find something more fancy than a typical electric meter you'd find on the side of a building. This would be for a permanent installation application. A digital device with something like USB to download data or even network capability to provide real-time monitoring would be optimal, however I am unaware if such a thing even exists, much less where to find it or how it would work. Any help is appreciated.

Are you just looking for consumption? kilowatts. Or are you looking for more detail like starting currents, voltage drop or sag at start, consumption at different load levels, ambient temperatures, power factor (pf, VARs, VA, and W) , harmonic distortion (neutral currents), etc.

Consumption can be logged with recording volt and current meters. For more detail you'd be better with a Power Quality Analyzer.

You can probably find a suitable power quality analyzer from either Amprobe or Fluke. Our utility uses a PQ analyzer and software from Dranetz (I think its a Power Platform 4300, but I'm not sure because I only get the data from the techs and we don't use it very often) Some of these PQ analyzers can get expensive $4k and up, but you can usually find rentals by the week or month. Google instrument rental labs or electrical test instrument rentals and you should be able to find a company in your area that can help suggest the best equipment for your needs. Current probes are generally clamp-on type, and voltage probes are generally alligator clip style.

Hope this helps.

[Dick Linn]

Here's an example of the things that are available. http://www.electricsubmeter.com/nationalmeter/meters/4000.htm#Ordering_Information

I don't know anything about that unit or the company that makes it, but at least you can see representative pricing.

You need to determine exactly what parameters you need to monitor and record or forward. There are dozens of things in the market. Have a look at some of the industrial metering product models here: http://www.gepower.com/prod_serv/products/metering/en/index.htm