Schneider Electric Enhances Powerlogic Software for Meters

March 18, 2008
Schneider Electric has released several new features for its Square D PowerLogic ION7550 and ION7650 power and energy meters (firmware version 350) as well as a companion Service Pack 1 for the PowerLogic ION Enterprise version 5.6 power management software.

Schneider Electric has released several new features for its Square D PowerLogic ION7550 and ION7650 power and energy meters (firmware version 350) as well as a companion Service Pack 1 for the PowerLogic ION Enterprise version 5.6 power management software. New features for the PowerLogic ION7550 and ION7650 meters include advanced power quality capabilities, a trending and forecasting module viewable through new Web pages, and support for the new 100Base-T/FX communication card.

PowerLogic ION7550 and ION7650 (v350) meters are now available with disturbance direction detection, which analyzes disturbance information to determine its direction relative to the meter. Results are provided in the event log, along with timestamp and the level of certainty of the disturbance direction. These meters also have the ability to log adaptive waveforms captures, which provide records of events for up to 60 seconds.

In addition, the new alarm setpoint learning feature helps simplify alarming configurations. The meters monitor normal operating parameters and over time learn what constitutes a sag, swell, transient, or high and low setpoint. Learning can be configured in either ION Setup or PowerLogic ION Enterprise software. Simply select to install learned values automatically once learning duration is complete, or install manually after the results are reviewed.

Other advanced Class A-compliant power quality features that have been added include flicker and anti-aliasing. Flicker describes the sensation perceived from the fluctuation of light output due to varying loads. This can be problematic in work environments such as industrial manufacturing. Short–term (a short interval such as 10 minutes) and long-term (a long interval such as two hours) flicker can now be measured.

Aliasing occurs when a digital power monitor tries to measure frequency components above the monitor’s useful range. The new anti-aliasing filters available in v350 firmware eliminate signals that are above a monitoring device’s measurable range, improving its accuracy in that range. Anti-aliasing filters can help eliminate confusion and erroneous conclusions when analyzing waveforms and troubleshooting problems.

The PowerLogic ION7550 and ION7650 now include register-based trending and forecasting, which allow electrical data to be viewed graphically to determine historical trends as well as predict future levels based on past performance. These graphs can be viewed over Ethernet on newly added Web pages hosted on-board the meters.

PowerLogic ION7550 and ION7650 meters feature a Modbus communications upgrade and can now be ordered with 100Base-T/FX options. They also can communicate selected parameters over the Ethernet using simple network transfer protocol (SNMP). The meters are preconfigured to communicate 30 common power measurement parameters via SNMP once it is user-enabled during communications setup.

PowerLogic ION Enterprise 5.6 Service Pack 1 adds full support for the new features now available in the PowerLogic ION7550 and ION7650 v350 firmware as well as complete compatibility for several additional PowerLogic monitoring devices. New device support now includes the PowerLogic PM210, PM710 and PM750; the PM800 series; and MicroLogic A, P and H circuit breaker control units.

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