User’s Manual for

PowerSightPS3000

Summit Technology, Inc.Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Tel: 1-925-944-1212Fax: 1-925-944-7126

support@summitTechnolgoy.comhttp://www.summitTechnology.com

Rev 2.6a24 key

Copyright 1993-2001 by Summit Technology

PowerSight is a registered trademark of Summit Technology, Inc.

The PowerSight model PS3000 complies with part 15, subpart B,of the FCC Rules for a Class A digital device.

Model PS3000 is in compliance with the requirements ofENC61010 for an overvoltage category II, pollution degree II,double insulated electronic device.

Model PS3000 is manufactured by Summit Technology, Inc in theU.S.A. The standard warranty period is 12 months from date ofpurchase. We encourage you to advise us of any defects of designor manufacture of any of our products. We are dedicated to yoursuccessful use of the product.

Table of Contents

Introducing PowerSight ...............………................................…1

In a Hurry? --- Three Basic Rules of Operation ....…..……...... 3

Connecting to PowerSight .......................................…….…..… 5§ Voltage Test Leads..................................………...........................…..….. 5§ Current Probes ...............................................................………..........…. 6§ Connections to PowerSight........................................………..............…. 9§ Connecting to Single Phase Power............................………............….. 10§ Connecting to 120 V Outlet Adapter Box..................………...........…..…12§ Connecting to Multiple Single Phase Loads.................………..........…...13§ Connecting to Three Phase Phase-Neutral (Wye) Power....………….....14§ Connecting to Three Phase Phase-Phase (Delta) Power....……….........15

Turning PowerSight On .....................………............................ 17§ Connecting to Power..........................................…...…………....…........17§ Turning PowerSight On......................................………………...............18

Verifying Connections and Wiring...............….……................ 19§ Introduction to Verifying Connections and Wiring........…….……............19§ Checking Voltage Levels..................................…….................……....... 20§ Checking Voltage Phase Sequence……........…..................................... 21§ Checking Current Levels.......................…………................................... 22§ Checking I Phase Sequence...........................…..………....................... 23§ Checking Phase Lag Angle.............................……........……................. 24

Setting Measurement Modes........................….......………...... 26§ Introducing Measurement Modes…………........……..…..….................. 26§ Phase-Neutral versus Phase-Phase Voltages.......................………..... 26§ Fixed versus Variable Frequency....................................…...………..... 27§ Absolute versus Positive/Negative Power.........................…...………... 29

Measurements .......................................................………......... 31§ Voltage Measurements...................................….....……….................... 31§ Current Measurements......................................…............……….......... 32§ Power Measurements...................……….............….................…......... 34§ Power Factor Measurements..................……….....…...............…......... 35§ Energy Measurements.......................................…………...................... 37§ Cost Measurements ......................................................…………........... 38§ Demand Period Measurement................................……….…...….......... 38§ Frequency Measurements ................................................……...…........ 39§ Duty Cycle Measurements...........................................………..….......... 40§ Power Cycle Measurements ............................……......................…….. 40§ Time Measurements...............................................…….................……. 41§ Measuring Harmonic Distortion........…...........................……........…….. 41§ Monitoring Energy Consumption....….................................….…....……. 43

§ Logging Energy Consumption....…….........……...............….................. 44§ AutoTHD Feature...............................…….......…….......….....................46§ Disturbance Monitoring.............................…….......……........................ 46

Other Functions..................………............................................ 49§ Setting Input Ratios ............……..........................................……........... 49§ Saving Waveforms....................……..........................................…….....50§ Calibrating PowerSight....................…….................................……....... 51§ Setup Functions.......................................…….............................…….. 52§ Administrative Functions...............................…….................……......... 52§ Changing the Interface Language.........................……...............……... 54

Specifications ..........................................…….......................... 56

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Introducing PowerSight

Congratulations on your decision to buy PowerSight! You havejust purchased the smallest, most cost effective instrument formeasuring and analyzing electric power that exists.

PowerSight is four instruments in one:♦ a data logger♦ a demand analyzer♦ a harmonics analyzer♦ a disturbance analyzer.

The philosophy of the product is to give you an instrument thatanswers just about all of your questions about electric power in atruly convenient size at an attractive price. With the addition ofoptions, like the PC Control/Analysis Option, the capabilities justmultiply.

Whether your interest is in measuring♦ true power♦ actual cost♦ harmonics♦ power quality

or any of 100 basic and advanced measurements of three phase andsingle phase circuits, you've found your tool of first choice.

Whether your interest is in♦ present values of variables,♦ maximum, minimum, and average values,♦ the complete data log of what's occurred, or♦ viewing actual waveforms (with the PC Control/Analysis

Option)

PowerSight puts all the power in the palm of your hand!

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In a Hurry? --- Three Basic Rules ofOperation

If you're in a hurry and have good sense, these three rules ofoperation will probably be enough to get you going:1. Review the chapter on Connecting to PowerSight, paying

special attention to the safety warnings. You or the unitcan be hurt if you don't do things right!

2. Repeatedly press the button that's closest in meaning to themeasurement you want until what you want is displayed.For instance, if you want a reading of the current in PhaseC, press [Current] repeatedly until the measurement for Icappears.

3. If the measurement that is displayed is close to what youwant, but not quite what you're after, press [More...]repeatedly. For instance, if you want to know the averageapparent power, press [Power] until apparent power isdisplayed, then [More...] until average apparent powerappears.

These rules will safely provide you with a hundred differentmeasurements.

Note: Throughout this manual, whenever we refer to an individualkey of the keypad, we print the name on the key enclosed bysquare brackets. For example, the “Volt” key is referred to as[Volt].

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Connecting to PowerSight

Voltage Test Leads

The Deluxe Voltage Probe set (order DXV) is recommended foruse with PowerSight. Each of the four voltage test leads of the setare 6 feet long, with safety banana jacks at one end and safetyplunger clamps at the other end. Each is labeled at both ends asthe Va, Vb, Vc, or Vn test lead. The safety plunger clamps havetelescoping jaws that you can actuate while keeping your fingersthree inches away from the actual metallic contact. Regular testprobes have conventional alligator jaw attachments that requireyour fingers to be within one inch of the metallic contact. Also,the method of attaching them can allow a gap in the insulationbetween the lead and where they join. This is where your thumband finger are pressing while you actuate it.

For these reasons, to avoid unnecessary risk of shock,regular voltage test leads should not be connected to ordisconnected from live circuits and should definitely not beconnected to or disconnected from voltages above 120 Vrms.

Another word of caution: Whenever connecting to a livecircuit, remember that the jaws of a voltage test lead are muchwider when they are open than when they are closed. Thepotential to short two adjacent terminals or wires is a constantdanger when connecting to a live circuit. Depending on thecurrent capacity of the circuit being shorted, a deadlyexplosion of molten material can result!

Once they are securely connected, the deluxe voltage leads are safefor steady voltages of the 600 Vrms rating of PowerSight.

Summit Technology also sells a fused voltage lead set (orderDFV). The safety advantage of fused leads is that if there is ashort through the insulation of a lead to ground, the fuse in the

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handle should quickly blow out, preventing the lead fromvaporizing in an explosion of molten metal. The safetydisadvantage of fused leads occurs when the fuse is blown or isremoved. The user will measure 0 volts on a live circuit and maybe tempted to lower his safety awareness, possibly resulting inshock or damage.

Current Probes

Summit Technology provides a variety of probes for your use.They offer different measurement ranges, different sizes andphysical characteristics, and the ability to measure different typesof current.

Probes such as the HA1000 are excellent choices to use withPowerSight because they support all the accuracy specifications ofthe product. For instance, the HA1000 has an accuracy of 0.5%whereas many probes on the market have an accuracy of 2-3%.Also, the HA1000 maintains its accuracy for frequencies up to20,000 Hz. This allows accurate current and power readings ofdistorted waveforms, accurate readings of harmonics, and themeasurement of current transients that other probes would not evendetect. Finally, the HA1000 has excellent phase lagcharacteristics.

Phase shift is also an important probe characteristic. The HA1000has less than 1/2 degree of phase shift across the frequency rangewhen measuring currents above 50 amps and just 1.5 degrees at 5amps. This means that instantaneous measurements of power arehighly accurate, regardless of the waveform shape. The phase shiftcharacteristics of most other probes on the market are not thisgood. This results in erroneous power and cost measurements anddistorted waveforms. Please Note: To diminish phase shift whenmeasuring small currents, it is advisable to clamp onto multiple"turns" of the same conductor in order to increase the effectivecurrent being sensed.

The HA10 offers two advantages over the HA1000, but theseadvantages come at a cost. Its advantages are that the HA10 is a

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very small size (5.00 × 1.25 × 0.75 inches) and second, it offersmuch greater sensitivity since it reads currents from 30 milliampsto 10 amps (as compared to the HA1000 measuring 1 - 1,000amps). The tradeoff is accuracy. The probe has a basic accuracyof 2% and its phase shift varies by frequency and by amplitude.All told, you can expect to measure current to a nominal 3%accuracy and power and cost to a nominal 6% accuracy using theHA10 probe.

The HA150 probe is the same compact size as the HA10. TheHA150 measures from 1 to 150 amps at 1% accuracy. It is a goodchoice over the HA1000 if you wish to lock PowerSight, its leads,and current probes inside a power panel that you are monitoring. Itis also a good choice when small size is important while measuringcurrents above 10 amps. These are a popular choice for a secondset of probes.

The HA100 probe measures from 0.1 to 100 amps. It's advantageover the HA150 is its increased resolution in measuring smallcurrents, but it is less accurate (2%).

For very large currents and large bus bars, we offer the HA3000,the FX3000, and FX5000. The HA3000 is capable of clampingonto cables of up to 2.50 inches wide and bus bars of 1.97 × 5.31inches or 2.56 × 3.94 inches. It offers linearity of ±0.5% ±1.5amps from 5 to 3000 amps. The HA3000 offers added safety tousers who clamp over bare bus bar since the user's hands do notpass close to the exposed bus bar.

The FX3000 and FX5000 are "flex" type probes. They consist of atube about 0.55 inch in diameter and 24 inches long. The ends ofthis tube can snap together around a conductor to measure current.Flex probes are very handy when space is tight, when multiplecables must be clamped around, or when connecting around anunusual bus bar that the HA3000 cannot fit over. They are alsolighter and less expensive. The flexible tube creates a circle withan inside diameter of 7 inches. This circle can be deformed intovarious shapes to accomplish your measurement goals. The basic

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accuracy of the flex probes is good, measuring from 10 to 3000amps within 1% accuracy. However, readings can vary as much as2% depending on the position of the flex probe while connected.Position the flexible portion of the probe around the conductor sothat the cable from the probe drops straight down and the headrests against the conductor and is at a right angle with theconductor. The frequency response of flex probes is very good,but phase shift increases with frequency. They require no batteriesto run their circuitry.

You must use added caution when connecting an FXseries current probe around exposed conductors and bus barssince you must pull the tube around the conductor and thus getyour hands and arms closer to it than when using HA seriesclamp-on type current probes. Wise practice dictates that youuse high insulation protection on hands and forearms in thesecircumstances or deactivate the circuit.

The DC600 probe is used for AC current measurements from 5 to400 amps and DC measurements from 5 to 600 amps. It offersaccuracy of 2% ±1 amp from 5 - 400 amps and 3% accuracy forDC from 400-600 amps. This probe relies on Hall effecttechnology and its output varies slightly over time. Therefore, azero level adjustment is provided on the probe's handle for initialzeroing before each measurement session. The probe accepts onecable up to 1.18 inch diameter or two cables of up to 0.95"diameter.

New probes and adapters are being introduced regularly, so if youhave a special need, give us a call.

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Connections to PowerSight

Voltage test leads plug into the back end of PowerSight. Each testlead of the Deluxe Voltage Test Lead set is labeled (Vn, Va, Vb, orVc) and each jack is similarly labeled (Vn, Va, Vb, or Vc).

Note: The Vn test lead is a different color from the otherleads (black). Similarly, the Vn jack on PowerSight is adifferent color from the other ones (black). Connectinganything other than neutral or ground to the Vn jack canjeopardize your safety, the functioning of the unit, and theaccuracy of the unit.

Current probes plug into the sides of PowerSight. Each currentprobe is labeled (Ia, Ib, Ic, or In) and each jack is similarly labeled(Ia, Ib, Ic, or In). The Ia and In probes plug into the left side of theunit. The Ib and Ic probes plug into the right side of the unit.When plugging a current probe into PowerSight, the flat side of theplug should be faced upwards so the label is readable. This willalign it properly for plugging into the PowerSight case.

Clamp-on probes have a correct orientation in which to attachthem. On most probes' head, there will be an arrow pointing in thedirection of the conductor being measured. When clamped onto Ia,Ib, or Ic, the arrow should point along the conductor from thepower source towards the load. If the current probe is connectedbackwards, its waveform will appear upside-down when youupload waveforms, it may be slightly less accurate in its currentreadings, and, most importantly, if you are in positive/negativepower measurement mode, power readings will be disastrouslywrong.

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Connecting to Single Phase Power

Figure 1 presents the basic connections to a single-phase system.

Be sure to follow the safety warnings of the previoussections before making the connections.

Clamp your Aphase currentprobe onto the"Hot" wire.Make a metallicconnection toneutral with theVn voltage lead.Similarlyconnect the Valead to "Hot".Since voltagenow comes intoPowerSight onVa and current issensed by Ia, thepower and powerfactor for thissingle phasesystem will beavailable asphase A powerand phase A power factor.

Fig 2 shows the complete connections to a single phase system asfound in commercial and residential facilities. There are two"Hot" wires 180 degrees out of phase with each other and sharingthe same neutral. Appliances such as ovens that require 240V willspan across both hot wires. The ground connections are notrequired.

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In thisconfiguration, areading of Van isof hot-neutral,Vbn is hot2-neutral, and Vcnis ground-neutral. Thepower associatedwith one hot ismeasured asphase A, thepower of theother hot ismeasured asphase B. Inphase-neutralmeasurementmode, thevoltage readingswill be from hot-to-neutral. Ifyou change the measurement mode to phase-phase, Vab will be thehot-to-hot voltage that serves the high power appliance.

Caution: Until you are certain that your voltageconnections to PowerSight are correct, disconnect any currentprobes. This is because PowerSight and all of its connectionsfloat at the potential of Vn. If Vn is "hot", there may be abreakdown through the insulation of any attached probes.

Helpful Hint: How to Identify the "Neutral" lead.Normal single phase wiring follows the convention of "neutral"being the white wire, "hot" being the black wire, "hot2" being thered wire, and "ground" being the green wire. If the wiring andyour connections to PowerSight are as shown in figure 2, Van willbe some relatively large number like 120 volts and Vcn will be asmall voltage like 3 volts. If you then reverse the ground and

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neutral leads, Van will now read slightly less, like 117 volts. If"hot" and "neutral" are reversed, then Vcn will become a largenumber, like 117 volts.

Connecting to 120 V Outlet Adapter Box

The 120 V Outlet Adapter Box accessory offers a safe, convenient,and accurate way to monitor voltage in a commercial setting or toevaluate power usage of appliances.

Figure 3 presentsthe connectionsto the AdapterBox. Simplyplug the adapterbox into a wallsocket and thenattach thevoltage andcurrent leads intoPowerSight.Each lead islabeled toeliminate errorsin connections.

Note: TheVa lead mustnot beconnected toVn. If the Ialead is connected, a short circuit will result that will quicklydisable PowerSight. Also, make sure that the hot and neutralwiring being measured is not reversed. If so, PowerSight andits attachments will "float" at 120 V.

To evaluate the power usage of an appliance, simply plug theappliance into the top of the 120 V Outlet Adapter Box after the

120 Volt Line Adapter Box

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other connections have been made and verified. Even without anappliance plugged in, the adapter box offers a convenient means ofchecking for transients or analyzing the harmonic content of theincoming voltage.

Connecting to Multiple Single Phase Loads

Figure 4 presentsa means tomonitor 3 singlephase loadssimultaneously.The loads mustall share thesame neutralvoltageconnection. Ifthe loads run offthe same linevoltage, connectVa, Vb, and Vcto the same "hot"wire. Ia, Ib, andIc serve the 3loads. Thisapproach canalso be used toevaluate thecurrent of a 4thload, but the power used by that load will not be calculated.

In this configuration, each voltage and current can be displayeddirectly, however PowerSight will display only the total power ofthe 3 loads. There is a way to determine the power in each load. IfPowerSight is linked to a computer equipped with the PCControl/Analysis Option (order PCCA), the three individual powercomponents can be retrieved, analyzed, and graphed on the PC.

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Connecting to Three Phase Phase-Neutral (Wye) Power

Figure 5 presentstherecommendedconnections to athree phasesystem withvoltagesreferenced toneutral, a "wye"or "phase-neutral"configuration.

Be sure tofollow the safetywarnings of theprevioussections beforemaking theconnections.

Although thecurrent of eachphase is carried by neutral, neutral current is generally relativelysmall since the currents of the 3 phases largely cancel each other inthe neutral leg. In a perfectly balanced system the current inneutral would be zero.

In a wye system, each phase is essentially independent of eachother. For this reason, the power factor of each phase has directmeaning, but the total power factor is less meaningful.

Most commercial wiring and newer industrial wiring is in this wyeconfiguration.

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Connecting to Three Phase Phase-Phase (Delta) Power

Figure 6presents therecommendedconnections toa three phasesystem withvoltagesreferenced toeach other, a"delta" or"phase-phase"configuration.

Be sureto follow thesafetywarnings ofthe previoussections beforemaking theconnections.

Please Note: Do not connect the Vn input to anything whenmeasuring in phase-phase measurement mode. This mayaffect the accuracy of the measurements.

Please Note: When in phase-phase measurement mode,PowerSight will not measure neutral current or the harmonicsof neutral current.

In a delta configuration, current flowing in each phase is due to theinteraction of 2 different voltages. For instance Ia current is theresultant of Vab and Vca. Normally, there is no way to determinewhat portion of the current is due to which voltage. For thisreason, only the total power and total power factor have real

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meaning in a delta system. However, comparing the power factorsof each phase can be valuable for spotting a connection problem

Delta power is common in motors and older industrial sites.

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Turning PowerSight On

Connecting to Power

Although PowerSight comes with rechargeable batteries, thosebatteries are intended to keep PowerSight functioning during briefpower failures and to allow quick measurements without the botherof always having to find a 120 Vrms source. When fully charged,the batteries can power the unit for up to 10 hours.

For longer usage and to recharge the batteries, your unit has beensupplied with a special wall mount power supply that has beenmodified especially for PowerSight. This power supply must onlybe used with PowerSight. To use this power supply, simply plug itinto any 120 Vrms source and then plug its pigtail into the 12 VDCinput jack on the back end of PowerSight. If the unit is charging,an LED indicating light will immediately shine through the smallhole located to the left of the input jack.

If you wish to operate PowerSight without being tethered to apower outlet, the Line-to-DC converter accessory (order LDC)offers the ability to power PowerSight directly off the line voltagebeing monitored. It works with 50 Hz and 60 Hz power, operatingoff 120 to 600 Vrms input, single phase or three phase. All thisversatility is obtained without setting switches or changingconnections. The LDC is especially convenient when monitoringin areas where 120 V outlets are not readily available. One wordof caution about using the LDC is needed, however. The LDCabsorbs transient voltage spikes, so it must not be connected tovoltage leads that are being monitored for voltage spikes.

The internal batteries are automatically trickle-charged when thewall mount supply is connected to the unit (or when PowerSight isconnected to the LDC accessory).

The internal batteries are not replaceable by the user. Onlybatteries provided by Summit Technology are to be used inPowerSight.

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Turning PowerSight On

Simply press the red push-button switch on the front panel andyou're in operation (pressing the button again, turns the unit off).The initial greeting immediately comes on the screen. You canchange this greeting at any time by following the directions in theadministrative functions that are accessed by pressing the [Admin]key. Please note that turning PowerSight on does notautomatically start monitoring and logging. Refer to theMonitoring Energy Consumption and Logging EnergyConsumption sections for how to start monitoring and logging.

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Verifying Connections and Wiring

Introduction to Verifying Connections and Wiring

After connecting to power, it is wise to check that everything isconnected correctly and that the wiring of the facility is correct.The "Checkout Connections" feature is intended to allow you toquickly and easily do this.

Normally, if current probes are attached backwards, PowerSightsenses this and turns them around in software so you get thecorrect power readings. This is one of the features that makesPowerSight easy to use. However, if you press the [Wave] key tosave waveforms and a current probe is backwards, that current willappear upside down (180 degrees out of phase). The CheckoutConnections tests will eliminate this problem. More importantly,if PowerSight is in the Positive/Negative Power measurementmode, a backwards current probe will have a disastrous effect onthe power, KWH, and cost readings (typically the display willpresent 1/3 of the correct value).

The Checkout Connections feature consists of a series of tests thatpresent measurements for you to verify that everything isconnected and measuring correctly. Start the feature by pressingthe [Setup] key and then pressing [Yes] to the question "CheckoutConnections?"

The tests performed are:§ Checkout Voltage Levels - measurements of all 3 voltages

appear on the display at the same time§ Check V Phase Sequence - the phase sequence of the voltage

is listed with the phase angles between each of the 3 voltages§ Checkout Current Levels - measurements all 4 currents

appear on the display at the same time§ Check I Phase Sequence - the phase sequence of the currents

is listed with the phase angles between each of the 3 currents

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§ Check Phase Lag Angle - the approximate displacement phaseangle between the voltage and current of each phase isdisplayed at the same time.

Once you have proceeded through the tests and the measurementresults are acceptable, you can proceed with confidence knowingthat the power wiring is correct and that PowerSight is connectedto it properly. The next sections talk about each of these tests inmore detail.

Checking Voltage Levels

After pressing [Yes] to the display "Checkout Connections?", youare asked "Checkout Voltage Levels?". If you press [Yes], thenthe voltages of all three phases are presented on the display and areupdated each second:

First check that the voltage measurement mode is correct. If themeasurement mode is phase-neutral, all measurement labels takethe form Vxn, where "n" stands for neutral and "x" is a, b, or cdepending on which phase is being presented. If the measurementmode is phase-phase, labels take the form Vxy, where "xy" is ab,bc, or ca. Changing the measurement mode has a large effect onthe size of the voltage readings. For instance, in a three-phase 120volt phase-neutral (wye) system, the voltage measurements will be208 volts (120 3× ) if it is measured in phase-phase mode.Similarly, a three-phase 480 volt phase-phase (delta) system willdisplay 277 volts (480/ 3 ) if it is measured in phase-neutralmode.

At this point, examine the voltage measurements to see if their sizeseems correct. In single-phase measurements as described in thesection on "Connecting to Single Phase Power", typically themeasurement mode is phase-neutral. Hot-neutral is generally

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120V in North America and Japan and 230V everywhere else.Ground-neutral should be no more than a few volts. Largerground-neutral readings probably mean that the neutral is underheavy load, there is a faulty neutral-ground bond, there is a highresistance neutral connection, or the ground wire is floating. Iftwo "hot"s are connected, as in figure 2, you may wish to be inphase-phase measurement mode so that Vab reads 240V as istypically used for heavier residential loads in North America. Inthis case, Vbc and Vca should each read 120V.

In a three-phase phase-neutral system, all three voltages should beroughly the same. Typical values are 120V, 277, and 346V.

In a three-phase phase-phase connection, all three voltages shouldbe roughly the same. Typical values are 120, 208, 240, 480, and600V. If one of the phases has a center tap midway through it andthe center tap is connected to neutral, this is a "center-tap delta"service (also known as a "high leg", "wild leg", "hot leg", "redleg", "stinger leg", or "power leg" delta). Depending on the loadbeing monitored, it may be best to measure a center-tap deltasystem in phase-neutral measurement mode. Typical readings on a240V center-tapped delta service in phase-neutral measurementmode would be 120V on two of the phases and 208V on the thirdphase.

The voltage readings of this test are updated each second. Whenthe readings appear to be correct, press [Accept] to move on to thenext test.

Checking Voltage Phase Sequence

In a three-phase system, each of the three voltage phases is 120degrees out of phase with the other two phases. This means that ifone phase reaches its peak at one instant, the next phase will reachits peak 120 degrees later and the third phase will reach its peak240 degrees after the first (the first will again reach its peak 360degrees after its last peak). This provides for the smooth supply ofthree-phase power.

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Certain loads, such as motors, must have the voltages connected sothat the peak voltages arrive in a certain sequence. If this sequenceis reversed, the load will not work and damage may occur.Determining the voltage phase sequence is necessary beforeconnecting such loads. Also, if voltage leads of PowerSight arenot connected to the correct phases, the voltage readings will bemislabeled and the power readings will be incorrect. For thesereasons, it is a good idea to check the phase sequence of thevoltages before connecting loads or beginning monitoring.

To determine the phase sequence, press [Yes] when asked "CheckV Phase Sequence?". The following display is typical:

The order in which the voltages are listed is the order in which thepeaks of the voltage arrive. Looking at the first phase letters, theexample above shows a phase sequence of A-B-C, which istypical. If the displayed sequence is C-B-A, then it's likely that thevoltage leads are connected incorrectly or that the phases aremislabeled. The numbers of the second line are the number ofdegrees between each phase. These numbers are updated eachsecond. They are approximate measurements that may vary by±15 degrees.

When the readings appear to be correct, press [Accept] to move onto the next test.

Checking Current Levels

Checking the current levels provides an instant view of whether thesystem is operating correctly and the current probes are attachedcorrectly. To view all current levels at once, press [Yes] when

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asked "Checkout Current Levels?". The following display istypical:

Generally, the 3 active phases should be similar in size and theneutral current should be relatively small. The readings areupdated each second.

When the readings appear to be correct, press [Accept] to move onto the next test.

Checking I Phase Sequence

In order to get correct power readings for each phase, voltages andcurrents of the same phase must be combined. The phase sequencefor voltages was determined in an earlier test. Next we need toverify that the currents have the same phase sequence.

To determine the current phase sequence, press [Yes] when asked"Check I Phase Sequence?". The following display is typical:

The order in which the currents are listed is the order in which thepeaks of the current arrive. Looking at the phase letters, theexample above shows a phase sequence of A-B-C, which istypical. If the displayed sequence is C-B-A, then one or morecurrent probes are either connected to the wrong phase or areconnected backwards (unless the voltage phase sequence was alsoC-B-A).

If the current phase sequence is correct, it does not automaticallymean that the current probes are connected correctly. The phase

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angles between them and the phase lag between the voltage andcurrent (the next test) must also be examined.

The numbers of the second line are the approximate number ofdegrees between each phase. In a normal three-phase system, theyshould appear as 120 degrees ±15 degrees. If there is a largeimbalance between the angles of the phases (like 62-228-69), thenone or more current probes are backwards. If one of the numbersis 0, then the current probes on either side of it are connected to thesame phase. Also, even if the phase sequence and degrees arecorrect, the current probes may be connected to the wrong phases.For instance, if Ia is paired with Vb, Ib is paired with Vc, and Ic ispaired with Va, the current sequence and phase angles will appearcorrect, but power readings for each phase will be incorrect.

Note that in a single phase system with two hots, the phase anglebetween them will be 180 degrees.

The sequence and phase angle numbers are updated each second.When the readings appear to be correct, press [Accept] to move onto the phase lag angle test.

Checking Phase Lag Angle

Current may lead or lag voltage by as much as 90 degrees.Typically current lags voltage or may slightly lead it. The PhaseLag Angle Test displays the approximate phase angle, also knownas "displacement", between voltage and current for each phase.

To determine the phase lag angle for each phase, press [Yes] whenasked "Check Phase Lag Angles?". The following display istypical:

The measurement is presented as the number of degrees thatcurrent lags voltage for each phase. If the current of a phase lags

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the voltage by 30 degrees, the display will show 30 degrees (±15).If the current leads voltage by 7 degrees, it will be displayed as -7.

In a three-phase connection, if all previous tests had acceptableresults but this test reveals that one and only one of the phases hasa phase lag of 0 or 180 degrees, then the current probes arematched with the wrong voltage phases. If all previous tests hadacceptable results and none of the phases is 0 or 180 degrees, butthis test reveals that one or more phases have lag angles of morethan 90 degrees, then one or more current probes are connectedbackwards. Simply clamp the current probe on backwards for thephase that has a phase angle of greater than 90 degrees.

The phase lag angle numbers are updated each second. When thereadings appear to be correct or if you wish to perform all the testsover again, press [Yes/Accept] to move back to the first test.

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Setting Measurement Modes

Introducing Measurement Modes

PowerSight performs so many measurements that it is quite achallenge to keep the instrument easy to use. Often, you makemeasurements on one general type of system. There is no need tocomplicate your task by PowerSight repeatedly asking you to makethe same choices over and over. The [Measure Mode] key allowsyou to make these basic choices only when needed. As newmeasurement capabilities are added to PowerSight, the [MeasureMode] key will keep the product easy to use.

Phase-Neutral versus Phase-Phase Voltages

When measuring voltages, you either need them recorded in phase-neutral format or in phase-phase format. A phase-neutral voltagereading is the difference in potential between one of the phaseinputs (Va, Vb, and Vc) and the neutral input (Vn). They arepresented as Van, Vbn, and Vcn. A phase-phase voltage reading isthe difference in potential between two phase inputs. They arepresented as Vab, Vbc, and Vca.

Wye systems are usually measured using phase-neutral voltages.Delta systems are usually measured using phase-phase voltages.On occasion, you may wish to measure phase-phase voltages in awye system if the equipment that you are monitoring bridges twohot voltages (like a single phase air conditioner running at 240 V).

To determine which voltage measurement mode PowerSight is in,simply press the [Measure Mode] key and read the display. Tochange the voltage measurement mode from what is displayed,press the [No/Reject] key and then press [Yes/Accept] when thedesired measurement mode is displayed.

The voltage measurement mode that you choose will stay in effectuntil you change it. It will not be changed by turning PowerSightoff.

27

There are several points to consider when operating in phase-phasemeasurement mode. First, voltage disturbances can only bemonitored from phase-neutral even if the measurement mode is setto phase-phase. However, by connecting the Vn input to ground,disturbances can be measured in a phase-phase system, but thereadings and voltage threshold will be in phase-neutral notation.

Next, the power factor and power reading of each phase are notstrictly accurate. This is not due to any accuracy problem withPowerSight. Instead, it is the result of each phase's current beingthe result of two different phase-phase voltages. Although thepower factor and power readings may have diagnostic value, theyare not true representations of the actual power factor or powerbeing used for a given phase. Nevertheless, the measurements thatcount most, the total power factor and total power, are correct inphase-phase mode. This result may seem surprising, given that theindividual phase measurements are not exact, but the mathematicsof combining three equations with three unknowns results incorrect total power factor and total true power measurements.

Please Note: When in phase-phase measurement mode,PowerSight will not measure neutral current or the harmonicsof neutral current.

Fixed versus Variable Frequency

Another basic choice is among the fixed and variable frequencymeasurement modes.

When in variable frequency measurement mode, PowerSightdetermines the fundamental frequency of the voltage or currentthat is attached to it every second. The fundamental frequency isrecorded and is used to determine the true RMS values of allvoltages and currents. This mode of measurement is preferred inseveral circumstances:§ measurements on a system powered or backed-up by a

generator§ measurements of the output of a variable frequency drive

28

§ measurements on a system powered by a utility that cannotprovide power at a stable frequency.

The variable frequency measurement mode provides accurate trueRMS readings of voltage, current, and power for input frequenciesvarying from 45 to 66 Hertz. If even one voltage or current inputis in this frequency range, PowerSight can also measure the trueRMS of DC and rectified signals that are also connected while inthis measurement mode.

The fixed frequency measurement mode is necessary whenmeasuring DC voltage or DC power. In a DC system, thefrequency is 0 Hertz, which is clearly outside of the variablefrequency measurement range. By setting PowerSight in either thefixed 50 Hertz or fixed 60 Hertz measurement mode, PowerSightno longer measures the input frequency each second, it simplyassumes the frequency. This assumption of the time required tomeasure the inputs allows for accurate readings in DC systems andsystems in which only higher harmonics are present (as withrectified signals). It also allows accurate readings of AC andmixed AC/DC signals (such as AC ripple on a DC voltage). It canalso be helpful when monitoring a phase-phase system withcurrents that vary widely relatively often. In that type of system,PowerSight may not be able to do all its measurements within 1second consistently, which results in less measurements being usedin calculating maximum, minimum, and average values. Leavingthe unit in fixed frequency mode insures that there is plenty of timeavailable for PowerSight to get its measurements done everysecond.

To determine which frequency measurement mode PowerSight isin, simply press the [Measure Mode] key twice and read thedisplay. To change the frequency measurement mode from what isdisplayed, press the [No/Reject] key and then press [Yes/Accept]when the desired measurement mode is displayed.

The frequency measurement mode that you choose will stay ineffect until you change it. It will not be changed by turningPowerSight off.

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Absolute Power versus Positive/Negative Power

Most of our users perform measurements on equipment that iseither always consuming power or always generating power.However, there are cases in which you may wish to measure poweruse on equipment that is alternatively consuming and generatingpower (like a pump jack). Absolute Power measurement mode andPositive/Negative Power measurement mode are provided to allowease and accuracy of measurement of both type of situations.

When PowerSight is shipped from the factory, it is set for AbsolutePower measurement mode. In a typical setup, if you connect acurrent probe backwards, the power for that phase will appear to benegative. In Absolute Power measurement mode, PowerSightsenses this and automatically turns the current probe backwards insoftware so that all phases measure positive power. This automaticcorrection is a convenience for our customers, allowing them toconcentrate on readings rather than connections. Accuracy may beslightly better when the probe is oriented correctly, but for mostmeasurements this added accuracy is of no significance withPowerSight. If current and power readings of the highest accuracyare necessary, use the Checkout Connections feature that isdiscussed earlier in this manual or view the waveforms in order toensure that current probes are connected correctly.

If you need to monitor equipment that alternately consumes andgenerates power, you need to select the Positive/Negative Powermeasurement mode. In this mode, positive and negative powerreadings for each phase are accepted and are combined to find thenet power usage. Depending on the result, positive or negativepower, energy, and cost results may be displayed. When negativepower measurements are allowed, it is necessary to have all currentprobes connected properly. Use the Checkout Connections featureor view all the waveforms before taking measurements. Failure todo so will typically result in readings 1/3 of the correct value.

To determine which power measurement mode PowerSight is in,simply press the [Measure Mode] key three times and read thedisplay. If PowerSight is in Absolute Power measurement mode,

30

the display will read "Power Readings Always Positive". IfPowerSight is in Positive/Negative Power measurement mode, thedisplay will read "Negative Power Readings Allowed". To changethe power measurement mode from what is displayed, press the[No/Reject] key and then press [Yes/Accept] when the desiredmeasurement mode is displayed.

The power measurement mode that you choose will stay in effectuntil you change it. It will not be changed by turning PowerSightoff.

31

Measurements

Voltage Measurements

PowerSight performs most desired voltage measurements. Whenin phase-neutral measurement mode, the RMS (root mean square)voltage between Vn and the Va, Vb, and Vc jacks is available bysimply pressing [Volt] repeatedly. The sequence of the display isVan > Vbn > Vcn. In the phase-phase measurement mode, Vab,Vbc, and Vca are available instead. If energy consumption isbeing monitored, the maximum, minimum, and average RMSvoltage is displayed by repeatedly pressing [More...] afterdisplaying the appropriate present voltage. In this way, bycombining the [Volt] and [More...] keys, there are 12 RMS voltagemeasurements available.

For instance, if the average voltage between Vb and Vn is desired,press: [Volt] (to display )Van, [Volt] (to display Vbn), [More...](to display maximum Vbn), [More...] (to display minimum Vbn),

Any Display Other Than Voltage

Volt

Van Van max Van min Van aveMore MoreMore

Volt

Vcn Vcn max Vcn min Vcn aveMore MoreMore

Volt

Vbn Vbn max Vbn min Vbn aveMore MoreMore

Volt

32

and then [More...] (to display average Vbn). Note that ifPowerSight is not monitoring consumption, the maximum,minimum, and average values are the results from the lastmonitoring session.

RMS voltage is defined as the square root of the mean of thesquare of the instantaneous voltage over one cycle of the

fundamental frequency: 2v

Vrmsn

= ∑ .

When measuring DC volts the RMS value is the same as the DCvalue.

To set PowerSight for reading phase-neutral, phase-phase, or DCvoltages, refer to the chapter on Setting Measurement Modes.

Crest factor is another measurement of voltage. It is the ratio of

the peak voltage to the RMS voltage ( pk

rms

v

V). A perfect sine wave

has a crest factor of 1.414 ( 2 ). Crest factors are displayed forwaveforms uploaded into your PC using the PC Control/AnalysisOption.

The total harmonic distortion (THD) of voltages are displayedusing the THD function, discussed later in this chapter.

Current Measurements

PowerSight performs most desired measurements of current . TheRMS (root mean square) currents of the A, B, and C Phases and ofthe Neutral Line are available by simply pressing [Current]repeatedly. The sequence of the display is Ia > Ib > Ic > In. Ifenergy consumption is being monitored, the maximum, minimum,and average RMS current is displayed by repeatedly pressing[More...] after displaying the appropriate present current. In thisway, by combining the [Current ] and [More...] keys, there are 16RMS current measurements available.

33

For instance, if the average current of the C Phase is desired, press:[Current] (to display Ia), [Current] (to display Ib), [Current] (todisplay Ic), [More...] (to display maximum Ic), [More...] (todisplay minimum Ic), and then [More...] (to display average Ic).

Note that if PowerSight is not monitoring consumption, themaximum, minimum, and average values are the results from thelast monitoring session.

RMS current is defined as the square root of the mean of thesquare of the instantaneous current over one cycle of the

fundamental frequency: 2i

Irmsn

= ∑ .

When measuring DC current, the RMS value is the same as the DCvalue.

Ic Ic max Ic min Ic aveMore MoreMore

Current

In In max In min In aveMore MoreMore

Current

Ia Ia max Ia min Ia aveMore MoreMore

Current

Ib Ib max Ib min Ib aveMore MoreMore

Current

34

To set PowerSight for reading DC currents, refer to the section onFixed Versus Variable Frequency Measurement Mode.

Crest factor is another measurement of current. It is the ratio of thepeak current to the RMS current. Crest factor readings areavailable for waveforms uploaded into your PC using the PCControl/Analysis program.

The total harmonic distortion of currents are displayed onPowerSight using the THD function. K factor, another distortionmeasurement for current, is available for waveforms uploaded intoyour PC using the PC Control/Analysis Option.

Power Measurements

PowerSight performs most desired power measurements. Truepower (watts or KW), reactive power (VAR or KVAR), andapparent power (VA or KVA) measurements are available bysimply pressing [Power] repeatedly. The sequence of the displayis KW > KVAR > KVA. If energy consumption is being

Any Display Other Than Power

Power

Power

Power

Power

PowerTrue Max True

PowerMin TruePower

Ave TruePower

More MoreMore

VARTotal Max VAR Min VAR Ave VARMore MoreMore

VAPower

Max VAPower Power

Min VAPowerAve VAMore MoreMore

35

monitored, the maximum, minimum, and average power isdisplayed by repeatedly pressing [More...] after displaying theappropriate power type. In this way, by combining the [Power]and [More...] keys, there are 12 power measurements available.

For instance, if the maximum reactive power is desired, press:[Power] (to display watts), [Power] (to display VAR), and then[More...] (to display maximum reactive power).

Apparent power is defined as the sum of the products of the RMScurrents and their associated RMS voltages:

( ) ( ) ( )app rms rms rms rms rms rmsP VA Van Ia Vbn Ib Vcn Ic= = × + × + × .

Unless the load is purely resistive, the apparent power willoverstate the actual power consumed.

True power is defined as the sum of the products of theinstantaneous currents and their associated instantaneous voltages:

( ) ( ) ( )true an a bn b cn cP Watts v i v i v i= = × + × + ×∫ ∫ ∫ .

True power equals apparent power when there is no phase lag inthe load and no harmonics are present, otherwise it is less thanapparent power. This is why an ammeter cannot be used toaccurately measure true power in most industrial circuits.

Reactive power is the square root of the difference between thesquares of the apparent power and the true power:

2 2var ( )true appP VAR P P= = − .

When the fundamental voltages and currents are in phase and noharmonic currents are present, reactive power is zero.

Power Factor Measurements

PowerSight performs many desired power factor measurements.The true power factors of the A, B, and C Phases and the totalpower factor of the three phases are available by simply pressing

36

[Power Factor] repeatedly. The sequence of the display is PFa >PFb > PFc>PFt. If energy consumption is being monitored, themaximum, minimum, and average power factor are displayed byrepeatedly pressing [More...] after displaying the appropriatepower factor.

For instance, if the average power factor of the C Phase is desired,press: [Power Factor] (to display PFa), [Power Factor] (to displayPFb), [Power Factor] (to display PFc), [More...] (to displaymaximum PFc), [More...] (to display minimum PFc), and then[More...] (to display average PFc).

In this way, by combining the [Power Factor] and [More...] keys,there are 16 power factor measurements available.

The display of power factor tells you if current is leading orlagging voltage. For instance, if current lags voltage in phase A,the display will read "(Van,Ia)". If current leads voltage, thedisplay reverses the order and reads "(Ia,Van)". Determining

PFc PFc max PFc min PFc aveMore MoreMore

PFt PFt max PFt min PFt aveMore MoreMore

PFa PFa max PFa min PFa aveMore MoreMore

PFb PFb max PFb min PFb aveMore MoreMore

In any display otherthan True Power Factor

Power Factor

Power Factor

Power Factor

Power Factor

Power Factor

37

whether current is leading or lagging is necessary when correctingpower factor by using capacitance. Of course, by uploading thevoltage and current waveforms, the lead/lag relationship may beviewed directly.

True power factor is defined as the ratio of the true power to the

apparent power: true

app

PtPF

P= .

Power factor is 1.00 for a purely resistive load and drops down asthe reactive power or harmonic content increases. Power factor is1.00 for a purely DC system.

Displacement power factor is related to the phase lag between thefundamental frequencies of the voltage and current. When theharmonic content of voltages and currents is low, the true powerfactor is equivalent to the displacement power factor.

Energy Measurements

PowerSight performs most desired energy measurements. Whenmonitoring consumption, the actual energy consumed is displayedby pressing [Energy]. Based on the history of consumption,estimates of energy use per hour, energy use per month, andenergy use per year are calculated each second. These estimatesare available by repeatedly pressing [More...]. In this way, bycombining the [Energy] and [More...] keys, there are 4 energymeasurements available.

For instance, if the estimated energy use per year is desired, press:[Energy] (to display total energy consumed), [More...] (to displayKWH / hour), [More...] (to display KWH / month), and then[More...] (to display KWH / year).

Energy consumed is defined as the sum of the true power overtime: ( )trueE P t= ×∫ . If measurements are taken every second in

units of watts, then the KWH consumed during that second is

38

assumed to be sec /1000/3600E W= . The energy used over alonger time would be the sum of each of these energymeasurements of each second.

Cost Measurements

PowerSight performs most desired true cost of energymeasurements. When monitoring consumption, the actual cost ofenergy consumed is displayed by pressing [Cost]. Based on thehistory of consumption, estimates of the cost per hour, the cost permonth, and the cost per year are calculated each second. Theseestimates are available by repeatedly pressing [More...] afterdisplaying the cost measure.

For instance, if the estimated cost per year is desired, press: [Cost](to display total cost incurred during monitoring), [More...] (todisplay $ / hour), [More...] (to display $ / month), and then[More...] (to display $ / year).

In this way, by combining the [Cost] and [More...] keys, there are4 cost measurements available.

The cost of energy consumed is defined as the product of theenergy consumed times the user-defined rate: $= KWH rate× .

You may view or change the rate used by PowerSight to estimatecost. It is one of the setup functions that can be accessed throughthe [Setup] key.

Demand Period Measurement

During monitoring of energy consumption, the peak demandperiod is constantly updated. The peak demand period is theperiod of time during which the most true power was consumed.The first demand time interval starts when monitoring begins andlasts for the number of minutes set by the user (the "log interval",set by you as one of the setup functions). PowerSight comes fromthe factory with the log interval set to 15 minutes. Hence a new

39

unit that starts monitoring at 7:00 A.M. will update the demandperiod at 7:15, 7:30, 7:45, 8:00, and so on. If the most power wasconsumed between 7:45 and 8:00, then the demand period will bedisplayed as 7:45. Note that even if the power peaked briefly at7:29, the demand period would still be reported as 7:45 since morepower was consumed over that 15 minute period.

To see what the demand was during the peak demand period, press[Demand] (to see the time and date of the peak demand period) andthen [More...]. (to see the amount of energy consumed during thatperiod).

Frequency Measurements

PowerSight performs most desired frequency measurements whenoperating in the variable frequency measurement mode. Thefundamental frequency is displayed by pressing [Freq]. Ifconsumption is being monitored, the maximum, minimum, andaverage frequency is displayed by repeatedly pressing [More...]after displaying the frequency.

For instance, if the minimum frequency since monitoring began isdesired, press: [Freq] (to display fundamental frequency),[More...] (to display maximum frequency), and then [More...] (todisplay minimum frequency).

PowerSight scans its inputs each second to look for an activepower signal to measure. If none is detected, all voltage andcurrent measurements are assumed to be zero for that second. Thisscanning feature allows the user to connect and disconnectPowerSight to various signals without concerning himself with thesource of the frequency measurement.

It is important to monitor frequency at installations that generatetheir own power. Measuring frequency each second is alsoimportant to assure the accuracy of all other measurements. If aninstrument makes the wrong assumption about the fundamentalfrequency, all voltages, currents, powers, etc. will be inaccurate.

40

Duty Cycle Measurements

PowerSight performs most desired duty cycle measurements. Ifconsumption is being monitored, the per cent of the time thatcurrent is flowing in the A phase is displayed by pressing [On/OffCycles]. The average "on" time and the average "off" time aredisplayed by repeatedly pressing [More...]. For instance, if youare monitoring a refrigeration unit, press [On/Off Cycles] todisplay how much of the time the compressor is running and thenpress [More...] to display how long the compressor runs onaverage.

The level of current considered to be "on", may be easily set by theuser. It is a function accessed through the [Setup] key. Using thisfeature, a user could define 2 amps as "on" (and hence anythingless than 2 amps as "off"). This would allow minor currents toflow in a circuit without affecting the duty cycle measurement.The unit comes from the factory with the "on" current set to 1 amp.

Power Cycle Measurements

PowerSight performs most desired power cycle measurements. Ifconsumption is being monitored, the number of times that currentin the A phase goes "on" is displayed by pressing [On/Off Cycles]once or twice. Based on the history of monitoring consumption,estimates of the rate of on/off cycles are calculated each second.These estimates are available by repeatedly pressing [More...] afterdisplaying the total number of power cycles.

For instance, if you are monitoring an air conditioning system andwish to know how many times per hour the unit turns on and off,press: [On/Off Cycles] until the number of power cycles duringmonitoring is displayed and then [More...] to display power cyclesper hour.

As mentioned in the previous section, the "on" current used formeasuring on/off cycles can be set by the user. It is a functionaccessed through the [Setup] key.

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Time Measurements

PowerSight performs most desired time measurements. Pressing[Time] yields the present time in 24 hour format. Whenmonitoring consumption, again pressing [Time] displays theelapsed time since monitoring of consumption began.

The time and date that monitoring began can be obtained bypressing [Time] (to see the present time), [Time] (to see theelapsed time) and [More...] (to see the time and date thatmonitoring began).

In this way, the [Time] key provides 3 time measurements.

The time (and date) may be easily changed by the user. It is afunction accessed through the [Administration] key.

Measuring Harmonic Distortion

PowerSight performs most desired measurements of harmonicdistortion. The total harmonic distortion (THD) of any voltage orcurrent can be calculated and displayed upon demand by simplypressing [Harmon] and then [Yes/Accept] or [No/Reject] inresponse to the displayed questions. The sequence of the questionsis "calculate THD of Ia?" > Ib? > Ic? > In? > Van? > Vbn? >Vcn?. When the calculation is completed, the result is reported asa percent. If the Harmonic Analysis Option is loaded on the unit,the relative magnitude of each harmonic frequency is displayed byrepeatedly pressing [More...].

For instance, if the THD of Ib is desired, press: [Harmon]whereupon it asks to calculate THD on Ia, [No/Reject] (to rejectcalculating THD of Ia), and [Yes/Accept] (to calculate and displaythe THD of Ib). If the Harmonic Analysis Option is loaded,pressing [More...] three times will display the relative harmonicamplitude of the third harmonic of Ib.

The Harmonic Analysis Option allows displaying individualharmonics through the 15th on the unit. By combining this option

42

with the PC Control/Analysis Option, individual harmonicsthrough the 50th can be measured and graphed on the computer.

In this way, the [Harmon] key controls 7 harmonic distortionmeasurements. If the Harmonic Analysis Option is loaded, 105harmonic measurements are available on the PowerSight display.

It must be noted that harmonic distortion measurements are socomputationally demanding that PowerSight stops monitoringenergy consumption in order to perform the calculations. For thisreason, if the user presses [Harmon] while monitoringconsumption, the unit will insist that the user end monitoring ofconsumption before the calculations begin.

There are two basic types of THD calculations used in power.Normally, THD normally refers to finding the THD of theharmonics relative to the fundamental frequency (THD-F). THD-Fis defined as the square root of the sum of the squares of themagnitude of each harmonic of the fundamental frequency dividedby the square of the magnitude of the fundamental frequency:

2 2 22 3 50

21

( ...H H HTHD

H+ + +

=

For instance, if you are monitoring a 60 Hz voltage that hasminimal distortion, H1 (the magnitude of the 60 Hz fundamental)might be 120, H3 (the magnitude of the third harmonic, 180 Hz)might be 2, and all the other harmonics might have magnitudes of0.

In this case, the magnitude of the third harmonic would be reportedas 0.02 (relative to a fundamental magnitude of 1.00).

2

2

22%

120THD = = .

A related measurement is K factor. K factor measurements areavailable on the PC if the PC Control/Analysis Option andHarmonic Analysis Options are present.

43

Monitoring Energy Consumption

When PowerSight is first turned on, it operates like a reporter,describing what it sees. New measurements are generated eachsecond that replace old measurements. Old measurements arediscarded. When you direct PowerSight to begin monitoringconsumption, it not only reports what it sees, it also generatessummary information each second. Summary informationincludes:§ maximum values since monitoring began§ minimum values since monitoring began§ average values since monitoring began§ totals since monitoring began.

These summary statistics are of great value to you as you askquestions such as: "What is the minimum voltage?" "What is themaximum current?" "How much does it cost to run thisequipment?" "What is the average load?" "When is my demandperiod?".

When you tell PowerSight to stop monitoring, these summarymeasurements remain available to you. To make sure that youdon't assume that they are still being updated, PowerSight flashesthe warning "-Not Monitoring-" when you view measurements thatare no longer being updated.

To start monitoring, press the [Monitoring On/Off] key and followthe directions that are displayed. For instance, to startconsumption monitoring after turning PowerSight on, first press[Monitoring On/Off] and it asks if you wish to begin monitoring ofconsumption. Press [Yes/Accept] and monitoring begins. You areflagged that monitoring is in progress by the flashing asterisks, "*",that appear on both ends of the bottom line of the display.

Please Note: Before you start monitoring, verify that PowerSight'swall charger is charging the internal batteries. The internalbatteries won't operate PowerSight for many hours without

44

assistance. Verify that the charging indicator light is shiningthrough its hole near the DC input jack.

To stop monitoring, press the [Monitoring On/Off] key and followthe directions that are displayed. Typically you would press[Monitoring On/Off] and it would ask if you wish to stopmonitoring energy consumption. Press [Yes/Accept] andconsumption monitoring immediately ends. You are assured thatmonitoring has ended by the absence of the flashing asterisks, "*",that appeared on both ends of the bottom line of the display and bythe "-Not Monitoring-" warning that flashes when looking atsummary measurements.

Logging Energy Consumption

The basic PowerSight unit monitors energy consumption asdescribed in the previous section. When the Data Logging Optionis installed in your unit, a large amount of additional data isobtained. With data logging, the maximum, minimum, andaverage values of many variables are calculated and stored duringregular time intervals. The time frame over which these readingsare regularly calculated is called the log interval.

One record of measurements is created and stored in PowerSight atthe end of each log interval. Thus if the log interval is set to 15minutes and you monitor a circuit for 1 hour, 4 data log recordswill have been created and stored (one each 15 minutes). Thebasic measurement rate is still once per second, even though thelogging interval is longer. Therefore, each of the records in thisexample would contain summary information for 900 seconds (15minutes) of measurements (saving the maximum, the minimum,and the average values of each of the variables for that 900seconds). You can set the log interval to any length of time from 1second to 99 minutes (it comes from the factory set to 15 minutes).

Each record consists of 60 variables. They include the maximum,the minimum, and the average of the following variables:§ voltage from neutral to A phase (phase-neutral mode)§ voltage from neutral to B phase (phase-neutral mode)

45

§ voltage from neutral to C phase (phase-neutral mode)§ voltage from A phase to B phase (phase-phase mode)§ voltage from B phase to C phase (phase-phase mode)§ voltage from C phase to A phase (phase-phase mode)§ current in A phase§ current in B phase§ current in C phase§ current in neutral§ true power in A phase§ true power in B phase§ true power in C phase§ VA power in A phase§ VA power in B phase§ VA power in C phase§ true power factor of A phase§ true power factor of B phase§ true power factor of C phase§ fundamental frequency.In addition, it contains the time and the date that the log intervalbegan and optionally may contain a snapshot of the harmonicdistortion in each of the voltages and currents (see the AutoTHDFeature).

The Data Logging Option permits the storage of 975 of theserecords. Thus if 15 minute log intervals are used, the data log willhold summary data for the last 10 days of energy consumption (15minutes x 975). If 1 minute log intervals are used, the data log willhold the summary data for the last 16 hours of monitoring. Ifmonitoring continues long enough to fill the data log, a new recordis written over the oldest record of the log. In this way, you couldleave a unit monitoring unattended for months and always have themost recent data available for analysis.

The contents of the data log cannot be displayed on PowerSight'sdisplay. To obtain the information, it must be uploaded fromPowerSight to your computer using the PC Control/AnalysisOption software. The data is recorded into a file in a plain textformat that may be easily imported into spreadsheets, databases,

46

and word processors. In addition, the PC Control/Analysissoftware has extensive graphing and printing capabilities.

Only one data log exists within PowerSight at any given time.Thus when monitoring of consumption is proceeding, the data logis growing by one record after each log interval. When monitoringis stopped, the data log no longer grows, but it is still available.The data is preserved even if the unit is turned on and offrepeatedly. However, when monitoring is started again, the old logis immediately erased to make room for the new log.

AutoTHD Feature

The autoTHD feature presents several benefits and compromises.When it is active and energy consumption is being monitored, aTHD measurement is taken for all active inputs to PowerSight.Each THD measurement is a snapshot of the harmonic content ofthe signal at that time. It is included in the data log and may begraphed and printed using the PC Control/Analysis software. If anactive signal is not present, its THD is recorded as 0 in the datalog. If autoTHD is disabled, the THD of all signals is recorded as0.

A limitation of autoTHD at this time is that while the calculationsare being done, normal measurements are suspended. Hence, if anew maximum or minimum voltage or current occurs during thecalculation time, it will not be recorded. Similarly, themeasurements of total energy used and total cost will not beincreased during that time. For these reasons, we disable theautoTHD feature when we ship a new unit. You may enable thefeature (or disable it again) whenever you choose as one of theadministrative functions.

Disturbance Monitoring

PowerSight can monitor for power disturbances. Commondisturbances are transients, surges, and sags. During disturbancemonitoring, PowerSight monitors for voltage or current transientsthat last at least 32 µsec. During consumption monitoring,

47

PowerSight is guaranteed to catch voltage and current sags andsurges that last for 1 second (surges and sags of less than thatduration may or may not be caught depending on timing).

A transient is a sudden rise in voltage or current that happensirregularly. During disturbance monitoring (or "spike monitoring")PowerSight devotes all its resources to looking for transients on theone voltage or current signal that you specify. Whenever it sees amagnitude above the level that you specify, the event is noted and,if it is the worst transient since monitoring began, its statistics arenoted.

To begin monitoring disturbances, press the [Monitoring On/Off]key and follow the directions that are displayed. For instance, tostart monitoring transients on Van, first press [Monitoring On/Off]and it asks if you wish to begin monitoring of consumption. Press[No/Reject] and it asks if you wish to begin monitoring ofdisturbances. Press [Yes/Accept] and it asks if you wish tomonitor Van. Press [Yes/Accept] and it asks if you wish to set thetransient threshold at a suggested value (the value is at least 20volts above the peak value that PowerSight presently sees for thatsignal). Press [Yes/Accept] and disturbance monitoring begins.You are flagged that disturbance monitoring is in progress by theflashing exclamation marks, "!", that appear on both ends of thebottom line of the display and by the summary display of howmany transients above the threshold have been encountered sincemonitoring began.

Since disturbance monitoring takes all of PowerSight's attention,any request you make causes it to suspend monitoring. Forinstance if you press [Volt] to check the present voltage level,PowerSight immediately suspends monitoring to service thatrequest and asks if it was OK to suspend monitoring. If you pressYes/Accept] then monitoring stays suspended. You are remindedof this fact by the exclamation marks remaining on permanently onthe bottom display line. You can now obtain any measurement andperform most functions without limitation. If you had pressed[No/Reject], PowerSight would have immediately returned to

48

disturbance monitoring and the exclamation marks would haveresumed blinking.

While monitoring is suspended, pressing [Spike] causes thesummary display to appear. This states how many transientsexceeded the threshold that you set when monitoring began.Pressing [More...] repeatedly displays information about the worsttransient that was detected. The worst transient is defined to be theone with the largest magnitude. Pressing [More...] the first timedisplays the peak magnitude of the worst transient. Pressing[More...] again displays the duration of the transient, inmicroseconds (µsecs). Pressing [More...] again displays the risetime of the transient, in microseconds. Pressing [More...] onemore time displays the time of day that the transient occurred. Thedate that it occurred flashes on the screen every few seconds.

When you wish to resume monitoring, press [Monitoring On/Off].PowerSight will ask if you wish to resume monitoring. Press[Yes/Accept] and the disturbance summary is displayed and theexclamation marks resume flashing. Any new transients are addedto the old total and are compared to the previous worst transient.

If you wish to end monitoring after it has been suspended, press[Monitoring On/Off] whereupon it asks if you wish to resumemonitoring. Press [No/Reject] whereupon it asks if you wish tostop monitoring of disturbances. Press [Yes/Accept]. This causesthe exclamation marks to disappear and allows a new disturbancesummary to be created the next time you begin monitoringdisturbances.

Please note: Be careful with how you connect a Line-to-DCConverter (LDC) accessory while operating in disturbancemonitoring mode. The LDC absorbs transient voltage spikes, so itwill defeat the purpose of monitoring. The solution is to connectthe LDC to two voltage leads that are not being monitored. Thisway it will have no affect on the lead being monitored.

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Other Functions

Setting Input Ratios

There are several occasions when you may choose to enter inputratios for measuring voltage and current. The most commonoccurs when monitoring a large main circuit to a facility. Thecurrent may be too large to measure with the current probes youown, or you may not be able to physically clamp around the cablesor bus bar. In those instances a permanently installed CT mayhave been wired in for a metering system. By clamping onto thesecondary of such a CT (typically with an HA10 probe), youobtain readings proportional to the primary side of the CT.Entering the ratio of the CT into PowerSight allows all recordedvalues to be scaled appropriately. PowerSight then recordsprimary values, although it is connected to the secondary.

There are other instances where input ratios are valuable. If a largecurrent is carried by 2 or more parallel conductors, you can clamponto 1 conductor, enter in the ratio (for instance 4 total conductorsto 1 measured conductor) and thereby record the total powerwithout clamping around all the conductors. However, before youuse this approach, verify that each conductor is carrying the sameamount of current. It's not uncommon for parallel conductors tocarry different loads when high currents are involved. If the loadsare different in each conductor, you may enter the appropriateinput ratio. For instance, if 2 cables carry 2000 amps and the oneyou monitor carries 980 of the amps, you can enter the ratio 2000 :980 and all readings will be correct.

There are cases where you may wish to measure very smallcurrents with a large probe. In order to improve the accuracy ofthe readings, you may wish to clamp onto several turns of the wire.This essentially amplifies the signal (and boosts the signal to noiseratio). For instance, if you were reading 1 amp with an HA1000probe, you might clamp onto 10 turns of the wire to boost thesignal to 10 amps. If you then entered a ratio of 1 : 10, thereadings will be scaled correctly and be more accurate.

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Finally, in measuring high voltages, you may choose to monitorthe output of a PT (potential transformer), enter the PT ratio andthereby record the primary values. Similarly, if you use a highvoltage probe, enter the ratio of the probe (for instance, 100 : 1)and record the actual voltage being measured.

Using these techniques, you can measure anything withPowerSight. The measurement range extends from 1 milliamp tomore than 4 million amps, 1 volt to more than 4,000 kilovolts, 1watt to more than 40 megawatts!

As an example, suppose you wish to record the primary of apermanently installed CT while clamped onto the secondary withyour Ia current probe. First press [Calibra]. When it asks if youwish to calibrate current, press [Yes/Accept]. When it asks if youwish to set the input ratio, press [Yes/Accept]. Assume that theratio of the CT is 600 : 5. When it next asks you to enter the ratio,enter the source value ("600" in this case) using the keys withnumbers on them and then [Yes/Accept]. The cursor then movesto the right side, the input side. Enter the input ("5" in this case)and then [Yes/Accept]. It next asks if the ratio ("600 : 5" in thiscase) is for Ia. Enter [Yes/Accept]. It next asks if the ratio appliesto Ib, then Ic, then In. Answer yes or no as is appropriate.

Note: Once it is entered, an input ratio is kept for the specifiedinputs until you either change the ratio again or you turn the unitoff. After turning PowerSight on, the input ratio for all inputs isautomatically set to 1 : 1.

Saving Waveforms

PowerSight has the ability to store sets of waveforms. Thesewaveforms may be uploaded and displayed on your PC if you havethe PC Control/Analysis software.

Whenever you wish to take a "snapshot" of the voltages orcurrents, press [Wave] at the lower right corner of the keypad. All3 voltages and all four 4 currents will be recorded for 50

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milliseconds. This time-coincident snapshot of 7 waveforms iscalled a "waveform set". The display confirms the recording bydisplaying "Waveform Set 1 Stored". If [Wave] is pressed again,another waveform set is stored and "Waveform Set 2 Stored" isdisplayed. These sets are not lost when the unit is turned off.They are only lost when they are next written over. In thisexample, pressing [Wave] will replace old waveform set 1 with anew waveform set 1.

Waveform sets allow you to save “before” and “after” snapshots tobe printed later. If a setup is giving odd measurements, taking asnapshot and looking at it later can aid in understanding what theerror was.

Calibrating PowerSight

PowerSight is calibrated at the factory and automatically zerositself every second during normal use. However if drift hasoccurred over time, provision has been made for you to quicklyrecalibrate it yourself.

You may calibrate the current and voltage readings by simplyattaching to a known source, pressing [Calibra] and following theinstructions. For instance, to calibrate the input voltage, simplyconnect the Vn and Va test leads to a convenient power source(120 Vrms is recommended) and simultaneously measure thesource with a good voltmeter (one with better than 1 / 2 %accuracy). Press [Calibra] and it asks if you wish to calibratecurrent. Press [No/Reject] and it asks if you wish to calibratevoltage. Press [Yes/Accept] and it asks if you wish to set the inputratio. Press [No/Reject] and it asks if you wish to calibrate the Vaninput voltage. Press [Yes/Accept] and it requests that you enter thecorrect voltage. Press the keys with the numbers to enter thenumber you read from the voltmeter. When you are done andsatisfied, press [Yes/Accept] and the calibration is complete.

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Setup Functions

Several functions used in setting up measurements are availableusing the [Setup] key. They include:§ checkout of connections and wiring§ setting the log interval§ setting the utility rate§ setting the on/off current level.

The Checkout Connections feature is discussed in its own chapterin this manual. To review the log interval, press [Setup] twice.The present setting will be displayed. To change this setting, press[No/Reject] and then follow the instructions to enter the new loginterval. When the new interval is entered correctly, press[Yes/Accept]. The interval may be set from 1 second to 99minutes. The log interval is used in determining the demandperiod and in assembling and storing data log records.

PowerSight allows you to set the utility rate used in calculating thecost of energy consumed. Presently, one simple rate is used. Thatrate can be displayed by pressing [Setup] three times. To changethis rate, press [No/Reject] and follow the instructions to enter thenew rate. When the new interval is entered correctly, press[Yes/Accept]. The rate may be set from $0.00001 to $999999 perKWH. This wide range is helpful when setting the rate for certaininternational currencies.

The present "on" current setting is displayed by pressing [Setup]four times. To change this setting, press [No/Reject] and followthe instructions to enter the new setting. When the new setting isentered correctly, press [Yes/Accept]. Note that this value is onlyused in relation to the current in the A phase.

Administrative Functions

A collection of functions that are neither measurements norcalibrations are collected under the heading of administrativefunctions. They include:§ Identifying the unit

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§ Identifying the options that are loaded§ Reporting the warranty expiration date§ Changing the time and date§ Changing the initial display§ Enabling/Disabling AutoTHD.

All administrative functions are available by pressing [Admin] andfollowing the directions. Changing the measurement mode andenabling/disabling autoTHD have already been discussed in theirown sections in this manual.

Identifying the unit results in the following being displayed:§ Serial number of the unit (its unique identity)§ Firmware revision level (what level of software is active within

PowerSight)§ Hardware revision level (what level of hardware compatibility

it is).These identifiers are important in any communications withSummit Technology about your unit.

Identifying the options that are loaded results in a display such as:"Options: HLS4567".

This display indicates that the Harmonics Analysis Option ("H"),the Data Logging Option ("L"), and the Serial Communications("S") are active. This information may be important incommunications with Summit Technology.

Identifying the warranty expiration date results in a display suchas:

The date, 6/24/04 is the date that the warranty expires on theproduct. Contact Summit Technology to extend the warranty priorto that date since re-instating the warranty after that date will costextra. The next number is for the use of Summit Technology

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personnel. The final number is the highest level of PowerSightManager software that the unit is presently eligible to work with.

Changing the time and date is useful for identifying the demandperiod, for identifying when monitoring began, and is used to labeleach record of the data log (if the Data Logging Option is active).To set the time and date, press [Yes/Accept] when asked if youwish to change it. Then use [<-] or [->] to position the cursorunder a digit that you wish to change. Repeatedly press [Incre] or[Decre] until the digit is what you wish it to be. Do this for eachdigit you wish to change and then press the [Yes/Accept] key tosave the new time or date.

Changing the initial display, or "greeting", is accomplished byusing [<-] or [->] and [Incre] and [Decre] to modify individualcharacters. This approach, although tedious, is effective incustomizing the instrument for your use. If the PCControl/Analysis Option is available, the greeting may be quicklytyped directly into the PC and then sent to PowerSight via thecommunications cable. When repeatedly pressing [Incre], thesequence that a character goes through is :A>B>C>...>X>Y>Z> >a>b>c>...>x>y>z>0>1>2>...>7>8>9>->/>:>;>,>.>!>?>@>&.

Pressing [Decre] modifies the character in the opposite direction.

Changing the Interface Language

All PowerSight units have multiple language interfaces built intothem. However, most units have the feature disabled that allowsyou to switch languages. You can enable or disable the ability tochange languages by following this procedure:

1. Turn PowerSight off and then on.2. Before you press any other keys, simultaneously press the

[Freq] and [Demand] keys once3. Turn PowerSight off and then on.

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If this procedure enabled multiple languages, if you now press the[Admin] key, PowerSight will ask if you wish to change theinterface language. As long as this feature is enabled, wheneveryou press the [Admin] key immediately after the unit is turned on,you will be presented with the choice to change languages.

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Specifications*

Size4” Wide × 8” Long × 1.75” Deep

WeightLess than 2 pounds

Operating Range0 - 50 degrees C (32 - 122 degrees F)Relative humidity to 70% (non-condensing)

Power Requirement12 VDC @ 50 ma, wall mount power supply includedInternal Ni-Cad operates up to 10 hours after overnightcharge

VoltageInput Range: 1 - 600 Vrms steady-state (direct input),

or 600 – 5,000 Vrms with 5KVP probes,or 600 – 15,000 Vrms with 15KVP probes.

Display Range: 1 - 6 megavolts (using input ratios)Accuracy: 0.5%Frequency Response: No derating of accuracy for

harmonics through 25th harmonic (1500 Hzfor 60 Hertz fundamental)

CurrentInput Range: 0.01 - 5000 Amps, AC or DC with the

proper current probe attachedWith FX5000: 10 - 5000 AmpsWith HA1000: 1 - 1000 AmpsWith DC600: 5 - 600 Amps DCWith HA100: 0.1 - 100 AmpsWith HA10: .01 - 10 Amps6 autoranges

Display Range: 1ma - 6 megamps (using input ratios)Accuracy: 0.5% plus accuracy of current probeFrequency Response: dependent on current probe attached

With HA1000: no derating of accuracy forharmonics through the 25th harmonic (1500Hz for 60 Hertz fundamental)

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FrequencyRange: DC and 45 - 66 Hz fundamental frequency

DC and 45 - 1650 Hz for RMS readings45 - 3000 Hz for harmonic measurements

Accuracy: 0.5%

Power, Energy, Cost, Power FactorDisplay Range: 1 watt - 60 megawatts (using input ratios)Accuracy: 1% plus accuracy of current probe

Harmonic Distortion:Range: Basic unit has THD only

With Harmonic Analysis Option, individualharmonics through 15th (900 Hz)With Harmonic Analysis and PowerSightManager software, harmonics through 50th(3000 Hz)

Accuracy: To within 1% of fundamental

Transient DetectionMinimum duration to guarantee capture: 32 µsecMeasurable Range of Magnitude: ±2500 Vpk

Captured WaveformsQuantity: 14 waveforms organized into 2 time-

coincident sets of 7 each (3 voltages and 4currents)

*specifications are subject to change without notice.