The nature of voltage mains has changed greatly in the last 10 years. With the proliferation of non-linear loads such as inverters, power converters, switch-mode power supplies, and computers, there is a growing concern for the quality of our power sources.

Problems often arise which can cause equipment failure or shutdown resulting in significant costs and loss of production. Power quality problems can result in failure of compensation capacitors, tripping of fuses, over-heating of transformers and motors, failures of electronic equipment, and high neutral currents.

Energy costs are becoming a significant expense in most processes. With increased energy unit costs, decreased generating capacity, and the environmental concerns with the burning of fossil fuels, it is important that companies reduce their electrical consumption.

Carlo Gavazzi offers a broad range of power quality meters and transducers which give early warning of power quality problems - allowing preventative action to be taken before a major failure results. Most of their products offer relay outputs that can be used to immediately shut down a piece of equipment if a certain threshold is reached. Another option is to connect to your PLC or PC control system to provide plant wide monitoring of power quality using 4-20 mA current signals or via RS485 communications.

Carlo Gavazzi also offers a number of software products for monitoring of a network of meters and transducers. This allows at-a-glance viewing of your complete power system.

Metering

digital panel meters

Carlo Gavazzi offers a comprehensive range of digital panel meters and digital displays (current meters, ammeters, voltmeters, frequency meters, temperature meters and temperature controllers, tachometers, and rate meters) for the OEM, Panel Builder, Instrumentation, and MRO customer. Covering most input types (current/voltage/temperature/resistance/RPM), our digital panel meters are well suited for your display requirements.

The UDM series is a hi-tech modular panel meter family developed to meet your most advanced application needs. The series is available with either a 3 1/2 digit (UDM35), 4 digit (UDM40), or 6 digit (UDM60) display. It can also be ordered without a display and be used as transducer or signal conditioner (USC).

The UDM series accepts most signal inputs (current, voltage, temperature, tach) and offers an analogue output as well as up to 4 digital outputs (relay). Since these are modular meters, outputs can be added at any time in the field. Remote monitoring via a PLC or PC is possible by inserting an RS485 communication module into the meter. In this way many meters can be monitored without adding a lot of expensive analogue cards to your PLC.

The UDM40 meter also features a 3-colour display allowing at a glance indication of relative operating condition (OK - Green, Caution - Yellow, or Alarm - Red). Furthermore, the UDM40 is also able to handle and correctly display non-linear signals. THe UDM60 series is for displaying pulse type signals (frequency, RPM, period measurement, and counters). The dual inputs and dual LCD display allow simultaneous display (digital and analogue) of both inputs.