Frequently Asked Questions

What is "power quality"? And how can it save me money?

Your electric utility company or generator system is tasked with supplying your facility with a steady source of electrical power: a predictable, stable voltage; a predictable, stable frequency; a dependable, steady source of maximum current. Any deviation from these three targets, at your supply point or inside your facility is a deviation from the ideal, and is referred to as a "power quality" problem. Of course, the presence of each of these three factors at your supply and inside all points of your electrical system is considered perfect power quality.

No facility has perfect power quality. In fact, within today's increasingly complex electrical systems, power quality is an often overlooked and costly element. There is a widely held myth that poor power quality has no cost, so long as there are no obvious, clearly seen manifestations...such as tripping breakers, burning of equipment or electronics, or erratic production operations. In fact, the same variations from perfection of voltage, frequency, and current supply that cause these problems when present in sufficient magnitude also cost money when at smaller, less obvious values, even if there are no overt "problems." Electronic and motor loads are regularly damaged and affected by poor power quality, and create the greatest costs. Unwanted variations in voltage or frequency cause cumulative wear in both types of loads. A weak current source starves these loads of power and creates over-hot operation, which leads to premature failure.

Electric motors are silent witnesses to the cumulative effect of poor power quality. Because of their long operating lifetimes, motors are usually just replaced or repaired as they fail, and the cause of the failure is often not diagnosed.

Poor power quality issues can cut electric motor lifetimes in half. Would you like to double the operating life of your motors?

Our system improves your Power Quality.