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Power Monitoring

Power Monitoring

Power Monitoring

(OP)
I discovered an Amprobe DM II sitting in the back of the maintenance shop and I am using it to do some power data monitoring. The amp probes will only fit around one feeder in places where there is more than one feeder coming from the power company transformer. I have 2 conflicting opinions on how the power is distributed in these feeders. One is that they are all carrying the same load and the other is that each feeder is carrying 1/number_of_feeders of the load. All variances aside I would think that the load would be split between each wire and the data I collect from one would then be multiplied by the number of wires on each phase.

RE: Power Monitoring

Not sure I understand. If by 'feeders' you mean parallel conductors of the same size and length, they each have roughly the same current. If there is 1 amp of total load and 3 parallel conductors per phase, each will have roughly 1/3 of an amp.

Alan
----
"It's always fun to do the impossible." - Walt Disney

RE: Power Monitoring

Except for the fact that there will always be ever so slight differences in resistance. You cannot make a perfect conductor or a perfect termination.


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RE: Power Monitoring

Yes. If measurement accuracy is important, measure each conductor separately and add them up, or get a bigger CT. (You can use Rogowski coil CT's with the DM-II).

Alan
----
"It's always fun to do the impossible." - Walt Disney

RE: Power Monitoring

I would think that it is possible that one of the feeders is more highly loaded than another.

You may get 0.5A down one and 1A on the other depending on the loads at the end of the feeder.  

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