Overview:

PQMS is an optional system available on all VPHK Products (single and 3 Phase PropSava and LiteSava). PQMS consists of a smart metering system (hardware) installed into VPHK Power Optimisation Systems. Windows based management software reads the data collected by the hardware via USB (for direct connection to a PC or Laptop) or BJ45 sockets to LAN or via a wireless system to LAN. The PQMS software allows management to record and access all historic power quality readings of the site/building(s).

The PQMS readings can help to identify:

a) Areas/sites that can benefit from additional energy saving effort;
b) areas/sites of high energy use;
c) increased energy use;
d) potential equipment failure;
e) areas/sites for reduction of CO₂ emissions.

 

There are 4 PQMS Options Available:

1. PQMS Direct:Single USB socket on Product with USB lead connection to PC or Laptop.
2. PQMS LAN Wired: BJ45 socket connection on Product for wired connection to LAN.
3. PQMS LAN Wireless: BJ45 socket connection on Product for wires connection to LAN with wireless connection.
4. PQMS Multi-Drive: Multi-Site, multi-product system with LAN (wired & wireless) and Internet connectivity.

Contents of PQMS:

5. PQMS Direct:
a. Meter and all wiring fitted to Product with USB socket. 2Mb on-board memory for all readings.
b. Hardware warranted for 5 years parts and labour based upon ‘return-to-base’.
c. 3 meter USB cable for computer connections.
d. 1, 2 or 3 User Windows Software License without Database. Full on-line tutorial for software installation and set-up of PQMS.
e. 1st year upgrade and bug fixes (Software Maintenance) for Windows Software FOC. Additional years available upon request.
f. Free email Technical support for 1 month after installation. Additional email Technical support available upon request.
g. Installation of software and connection to PQMS available upon request.
h. Software and PQMS Training available upon request.

6. PQMS LAN Wired:
a. Meter and all wiring fitted to Product with BJ45 socket. 2Mb on-board memory for all readings.
b. Hardware warranted for 5 years parts and labour based upon ‘return-to-base’.
c. 1, 3, 5 and 10 User Windows Software License with database. Full on-line tutorial for software installation and set-up of PQMS.
d. 1st year upgrade and bug fixes (Software Maintenance) for Windows Software FOC. Additional years available upon request.
e. Free email Technical support for 1 month after installation. Additional email Technical support available upon request.
f. Installation of software and connection to PQMS available upon request.
g. Software and PQMS Training available upon request.

7. PQMS LAN Wireless:
a. Meter and all wiring fitted to Product with BJ45 socket. 2Mb on-board memory for all readings.
b. Hardware warranted for 5 years parts and labour based upon ‘return-to-base’.
c. 1, 3, 5 and 10 User Windows Software License with database. Full on-line tutorial for software installation and set-up of PQMS.
d. 1st year upgrade and bug fixes (Software Maintenance) for Windows Software FOC. Additional years available upon request.
e. Free email Technical support for 1 month after installation. Additional email Technical support available upon request.
f. Installation of software and connection to PQMS available upon request.
g. Software and PQMS Training available upon request.

8. PQMS Multi-Drive:Prices subject to quotation and customer needs.

 

Benefits for Users:

• Instant access to Site Energy usage.
• Comparison of Energy usage to equate savings.
• Equipment Failure Alarms- Instant knowledge of problems.
• Time of Use – Identify where extra energy is being used.
• Multi Metered Sites- To compare which/why/where perform better on energy savings.
• Construct a full energy saving plan to cut costs.
• Accurately show savings for Carbon tax credits.
• Future application to allow full control of energy Output.

 

Meter Positioning/Connectivity:

The meter is positioned/mounted at the bottom of the 3 Phase PropSava and in various other positions in single Phase Products. All PQMS are hard wired with USB or BJ45 sockets to the rear left of the case; front facing.

Connectivity comes in the form of either a USB (for Direct to PC or Laptop) or BJ45 connection to a LAN or wireless network. Alternatively a USB connection can be fitted for use with a PC or Laptop.

 

Software Application:

PQMS software is a 32 bit Windows-based application primarily used to configure and retrieve data in a user-friendly manner from the PQMS. It can keep track of single or multiple PQMS Product systems spread across multiple sites. This PQMS software allows Users to see current and past power quality readings with customisable displays, presented as tables, waveforms or as graphs.

The PQMS Software comes with a Tutorial section enabling the user to familiarise themselves with all applications; from setting up the meter to customising the relevant data required for live applications and historical records.

 

Security:

Security is controlled by PQMS software using usernames and passwords on a meter by meter basis. When PQMS loads it will ask for a username and password.

The PQMS meter allows for up to six (6) users, before any operations can be performed a user must log on. Each user has a user name and password, each up to 7 and 15 characters long respectively. The user remains logged on until logged out.

Each user has a user level, when a user logs on the level they belong to is used to decide what they can access. There are 7 user levels numbered 0-6, each successive level can do all that the lower levels can do.

Alarms:

During operation the PQMS meter monitors a variety of external and internal conditions. If a problem is detected an alarm is raised called an Equipment Failure Alarm or EFA. These tests are designed to detect measurement failure, tampering attempts and hardware failure.

There are 17 alarms each representing a different fault. Each alarm has a corresponding flag letter that represents it.

An Alarm Flag can have one of 3 states. The Active state means that the alarm has been detected and is still occurring. The latched state means the alarm was active but is not active now. The inactive state means the alarm is not active and has not been in the past.

 

Event Logs:

The PQMS system keeps a variety of events that occur to the Meter. The size of these logs may be configured.

Event logs can be downloaded as a text file. Each file has a unique number starting from when the meter was started, which is only reset if a survey is cleared.

Time of Use (TOU) Channels:

An energy quantity such as import W/h is recorded in a TOU channel. Each TOU channel records both accumulated energy and the maximum demand and the time the maximum demand occurred. It can record these quantities separately for different times of the day, week, seasons, specials and year. Hence the term ‘Time of Use’. These are called different rates and a calendar controls when these rates occur. The calendar allows different rate structures for different days of the week and for different special days during the year. It can take account of seasons or complete customised rate conditions.

Load Survey:

A load survey is designed to give a detailed record of energy usage. PQMS has two load surveys available each independently programmable and each can record up to 32 channels. The load surveys in PQMS also have the ability to record instantaneous figures such as voltage and current.

Load Surveys can be downloaded as text files, similar to Event Logs.
The Load Survey on line status screen allows periods of time to be downloaded or entire surveys.