Power analyser/data logger

Guys need some advice.  I need a analyser/logger what ever you call them to monitor an install. 
any advice on which type and cost, 

will need to see volts,current, harmonics as a start. 
was going to hire one initially but will probably end up purchasing one. 

This is @Sidewinderforté

probably got a shed full of them

Canoeboy said:

CA all the way

https://catalog.chauvin-arnoux.co.uk/uk_en/produits/chauvin-arnoux/loggers

or

https://catalog.chauvin-arnoux.co.uk/uk_en/produits/chauvin-arnoux/power-energy-and-disturbance-analysers

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Well hello Paddler, didn’t realise the magic words to bring you out of hiding were power analyser!! 
how have you been, other than busy! 

I was recommended the CA PEL 103 as a good starter package? It’s unlikely that it’ll get a huge amount of use so don’t want to blow too much on one if I can help it. 

I must admit I’m not over-struck on the thought of leaving it on site for a couple of weeks unattended! 
 

I just need to haggle for a good price now.  

I bought a dead basic one second hand from eBay about 15/18 years ago.. worked on MSDoS.  It's in the garage somewhere, no idea where the software is!

saved my client a fortune when we saw where/ when  the losses were

Basic one! What did it do? 
I’ve seen cheaper options just didn’t know if they’re up to much? 

Canoeboy said:

The PEL 103 is excellent

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Though I do find it a bit strange to use, I initially got caught out by the fact that the recording light flashes to say its ready to start recording, and when it is recording its a double flash. Guess who left it not actually recording for a week.....

Also pays to remember that if the battery runs down because its not been used for a while, then it'll start up on site assuming that no time has passed since it was powerered down, thats fair enough, but if you then later correct the time on the unit, there is no option to correct all the incorrect time stamps, so you have to remember to charge and connect to computer the night before and check its all ready to roll

Sharpend said:

Basic one! What did it do? 
I’ve seen cheaper options just didn’t know if they’re up to much? 

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I'll dig it out after work and have a look

deffo,got 3 CTs on it, optional voltage  from each phase

pugs into 13A socket

power

voltgae

current

p.f.

i think

I remember it plated Beethovens Vth at some stage, oh.....and I think it's blue

kerching said:

I bought a dead basic one second hand from eBay about 15/18 years ago.. worked on MSDoS.  It's in the garage somewhere, no idea where the software is!

saved my client a fortune when we saw where/ when  the losses were

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Did the same myself a while back got one of these http://www.sinergymeters.com/products/e-tracker/  took it back to the manufacturers in Macclesfield as it needed a new battery and a calibration check which cost more than I paid for the unit. It was quite interesting looking at all the calibration benches they looked a bit heath robinson but were very effective.

The Sinergy meters equipment is not that expensive brand new compared to some of the competitors with a new E-tracker ISTR starting around the £1500 mark depending on what CT's and accessories you want , if you contact Sinergy I think they will sell direct to end users

The Deltrax software is also easy to use and gives a lot of information

Thanks for feedback guys. 
I’m probably thinking of hiring one for a couple of weeks in initial job so any recommendations on where to hire one from? 

Update: 

so looking into these things -damn ain't straight forward! 
 

I can hire the Pel103 but don’t get software to do the report! 
so how easy is it to interpret the data and write your own report? 
Do you guys write your own or have you the units specific software? 
or is it worth paying for the report separately as some say they will do it for you? 
 

how much can you deduce from the basic units, as feedback is mixed as to whether the cheaper ones are useful or not? 
 

oh and what length do you do the recording for, again feedback suggests only a week? Is it necessary to do longer, or is the reporting painfully long winded to do so? 
 

sorry for all the questions but I really need to gauge this right, otherwise it could be an expensive nothing? 

Duration wise the longer the better.

It depends upon the premises and business type.

Minimum 1 week, if possible 1 month.

What is the purpose for the monitoring?

I have got the software and could be persuaded to do a report for you at a mutually acceptable cost.

Well I was thinking a 3wk period but advice is saying start with a week, if it’s a standard daily use then any anomaly will show within the week? Only if it occurs regularly I’d have thought. 
 

the reason for it is that there was a significant increase in apparent usage in one month without any specific change in demand. 
 

I'm also being directed towards a Sonel analyser, any experience/knowledge of? 
 

thanks for support. 

Nope I am a Chauvin user.  Though I have used the Fluke and a few Kewtech units.

Ok fair play. 
 

Would you say that a 2week period would give a fair sample of data, obviously if the anomaly is regular it would show but if not would a 2 week period give a good base data collection to build upon in the future if needed? 
I know these sort of tasks can be hit and miss in finding something that may be random so am conscious not to be seen to be extorting money for the sake of it? 

I think if you are looking for a previous short-term increase in demand, without a crystal ball or a time turner you are not going to find it with a power analyser now.

All you can achieve is to confirm the meter readings are ok and reasonably accurate during the time of your monitoring the supply.

To identify a previous increase you would have to have been monitoring it at the time and all that is going to do is confirm the increase.

You are going to have to turn detective on site and look for the loads likely to have caused the increase I think. 

plant farm next door stealing your customers leccy?!

Sharpend said:

I can hire the Pel103 but don’t get software to do the report! 

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AFAIK, the device specific utility is downloadable from the manufacturers website (thats what I did when I started working from home and had to export from out PEL103s)

You don't do much, download, as just take the SD card out, put it in reader on PC, copy files across and open them in the utility. Now I'm not sure what exactly the utility can do, but I don't bother, I just export them all as a spreadsheet, then it opens up in excel and you can plot your own graphs

Here: https://catalog.chauvin-arnoux.com/fr_en/pel103-power-energy-logger.html?liste=/en/produits/recherche/PEL103

click support and then pel transfer and then the link to the zip file.

Thanks Phoenix, just noticed that if you go into Support on the top tab then you can get the DATAVIEW software, but you have to register an account, now it doesn't say that its chargeable, do you have an account is it chargeable or is it an online registration only to get the software?

I was told earlier to day that the software cost is i.r.o £500?