How to monitior volts and amps wirelessly

[transman2]

Hope you guys can help! I have several 480 volt receptacles that Reefer containers plug into and I would like to be able to install all the components needed to monitor volts and amps wirelessly. The facility is large and I have hundreds of these witch I would like to monitor at my computer and install alarms when the volts or amps get out of wack on a program. Maybe I will need to build the program in excel not sure yet. If you could point me in the right direction on the components needed or online video that would be great. Thanks, and first time trying to do this, but I wont stop till I succeed.

 

[gar]

160630-1114 EST

There are many questions to ask.

1. What is the required response time? 1second, 1 minute, or 1 hour.
2. What accuracy is required?
3. Do you need power measurement?
4. Would power measurement alone be sufficient without voltage?
5. What is the total size of the field?
6. Is carrier current communication OK?
7. How many total points to measure?
8. How much money can you spend per measurement point?
9. Environmental rrequirements?
10. Is single phase measurement adequate or is 3 phase required?
11. What are thre voltage, current, and power levels to be measured? Also high and low limits?
12. Is random time of alarming required? In other words might immeasiate signalling of a phase loss, or overload be required?

.

 

[petersonra]

personally, i think this is not a DIY type project.

however, whether you DIY or hire someone to do it for you, the first step is to define exactly what it is you want to measure, how accurate that measurement has to be, and how fast. You also need to decide how you want to display it. Hint - Excel is probably a bad idea for various reasons, although it might be made to work.

a lot depends on how close the receptacles are to each other and various other things you have not stated.

lastly, I would ask about funding. you are probably realistically looking at $1000-5000 per truck. that is probably going to have to have a capital appropriation to fund. I know that is a huge range but with what little useful information you have provided, that is about as close as one can get.

ETA: one other thing. you have not explained why it is you want to do this. what you are trying to get out of it can make a huge difference in how something like this is approached.

 

[ron]

Generally there are many tenant sub meters available that you would install at the distribution panel that serves those receptacles. They can be connected wifi to a router and you can monitor remotely

Those manufacturers have real time software that you can provide alarm levels.

 

[Jraef]

Since it's 3 phase and industrial, you could use something like this:
http://ab.rockwellautomation.com/Energy-Monitoring/1425-PowerMonitor-W250

The first one would cost you about $1600 because it has to have a router. After that, the monitors (with the split-core flexible CTs) themselves are about $1000 each. That's honestly a lot of money for something like a refer plug in my opinion.

Another option is if you don't need super accurate info, you could put in a more simple current transducer on only one phase of each receptacle circuit, right at the CB (assuming one CB per plug), and just ONE voltage monitor, because aside from voltage drop, the voltage should be the same on all units. Then feed those signals into a little PLC as analog inputs and get a simple wireless interface for that PLC to send data to something else when that device polls the PLC for data (as opposed to continuous monitoring). Or simpler yet, many PLCs now have an SMS texting unit that can generate text messages that are triggered by events. So you would set up a threshold of normal and trigger an email / text message whenever something is out of that threshold.

 

[transman2]

Thanks guys, will dig and great info.

 

[electrofelon]

Hope you guys can help! I have several 480 volt receptacles that Reefer containers plug into and I would like to be able to install all the components needed to monitor volts and amps wirelessly. The facility is large and I have hundreds of these witch I would like to monitor at my computer and install alarms when the volts or amps get out of wack on a program. Maybe I will need to build the program in excel not sure yet. If you could point me in the right direction on the components needed or online video that would be great. Thanks, and first time trying to do this, but I wont stop till I succeed.

Check out EKM metering. I have used their stuff and it is revenue grade and quite affordable. I think they have a wireless option.

 

[iwire]

I think temperature monitoring of the trailers themselves would be a better way to go and how we deal with it at supermarkets.

 

[brantmacga]

I think temperature monitoring of the trailers themselves would be a better way to go and how we deal with it at supermarkets.

I would agree with that; the reality is that this is the concern the customer really has, is making sure the equipment is running to keep it at the right temperature.

You could do that in addition to phase monitoring at the service to look for system-wide problems.


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