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Quick guide to power quality symptoms and causes - 2
Quick guide to power quality symptoms and causes - 2

Quick guide to power quality symptoms and causes

To the untrained eye, problems in electrical distribution systems or the equipment connected to the circuit may not be recognizable as power quality problems. When no immediate problem is apparent, it may be written off as just an old breaker that needs replacing or a one-time nuisance reset. You might look at types of loads on the system and monitor for harmonics, unbalance or disturbance patterns.

Harmonic distortion issues and voltage and current anomalies represent the areas where common problems in power quality occur. Voltage and current anomalies can produce problems; however, many can be corrected before they damage equipment. Use this chart to help spot the symptoms:

IssueSymptomsPotential causes
Dips or Sags
  • Lighting dimming, computer lockups, relay and contactor chatter or complete dropout, equipment and system shutdowns
  • Spurious and unexplained alarms and shutdowns
  • Starting large loads, especially large inductive
  • Similar operations in neighboring facilities
  • Severe weather
Swells
  • Failed power supply
  • Overvoltage shutdowns and alarms on variable frequency drives (VFDs)
  • Fault on single phase of three-phase system
  • Sudden load decrease
  • Capacitor bank switching
Transients
  • Flashover and arcing effects in distribution equipment
  • Damaged insulation
  • Failed electronics
  • Computer lockups
  • Lightning strikes
  • Switching of capacitors
  • Reenergizing systems after a power failure
  • Sudden stoppage of large equipment
  • Dirty or worn contactors
InterruptionsEquipment shutdownsMomentary loss of utility power
UnbalanceOverheated three-phase motors and transformers
  • Unbalanced loads across individual phases of three-phase panelboards
  • Unbalanced utility supply
  • Operation of single-phase welders
  • Open-delta transformers
Harmonics
  • Overheated neutral conductors
  • Overheated transformers
  • Overheated inductive motors
  • Spurious and unexplained alarms and shutdowns of electronic equipment
  • Nonlinear loads such as switching power supplies
  • Converter sections of uninterruptible power supply (UPS), VFDs and battery chargers
  • Welders
  • Arc furnaces

Recommended products

Fluke 1742, 1746 and 1748 Three-Phase Power Quality Loggers
Fluke 1742, 1746 and 1748 Three-Phase Power Quality Loggers

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    • Products
      • Accessories
        • See all
      • Building infrastructure
        • HVAC tools
        • Indoor air quality testing
        • Industrial Ethernet tools
        • Laser distance meters
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        • mA loop calibrators
        • Multifunction calibrators
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      • Electrical tools
        • Basic electrical testers
        • Battery analyzers
        • Clamp meters
        • Digital multimeters
        • Earth ground
        • Installation testers
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        • Insulated tools
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        • Power quality
      • Fluke software
        • Fluke Calibration software
        • Fluke Networks software
        • Fluke SmartView
      • Industrial imaging
        • See all
      • Intrinsically safe
        • See all
      • Mechanical maintenance
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        • Contact thermometers
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      • Thermal imaging
        • IR windows
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        • Visual IR thermometers
      • Awards
      • New Fluke products
      • Test tools catalog
    • Learn
      • Best practices
        • Custody transfer
        • Electrical inspection
        • Energy efficiency
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        • Fluid systems
        • Measurement basics
        • Motors and drives
        • Pressure calibration
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        • Test tools basics
      • Blog
      • Fluke education partnership program
      • Leak detector
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