When power quality meters stop keeping up

ENGINEERS STILL relying on discontinued and outdated power quality meters face a twofold challenge: the hardware lacks an upgrade path and modern electrical networks are becoming more complex. As a result, users will soon be seeking guidance or a replacement, not just for high-end equipment, but for basic metering too. 

One example is the ageing Dranetz 61000-series installations, a legacy family of power quality analysers commonly installed across industrial and utility sites. Form-factor constraints and obsolete components can both limit replacement options for operators and engineers using this technology, unless they seek specialist support.

The risk with legacy

Unlike equipment with a defined design life, such as variable speed drives (VSDs) or programmable logic controllers (PLCs), power quality meters sit in controlled environments and are rarely replaced unless a whole distribution panel is renewed. Panels can stay untouched for 20 years or more. 

During that time, the wider ecosystem around the meter steadily moves on. Communications protocols change, monitoring software evolves and the original programming tools may no longer be supported. A meter may still appear functional, but it is no longer able to integrate with modern systems or capture the right data.

Today’s electrical environments present an even bigger challenge. Modern loads, such as EV chargers and active front-end (AFE) drives, produce complex waveforms, high harmonics and even supraharmonics. In these applications, legacy meters might give the impression that everything is healthy simply because they’re unable to measure certain network disturbances.

Retrofitting and replacing

The good news is that the retrofit path is often straightforward. Many panel-mounted meters share the same 96 mm square cut-out, making like-for-like replacement simple. 

For example, CP Automation’s metering range supports all major communication protocols, allowing new analysers to slot seamlessly into existing networks with minimal disruption. For sites that prefer an internal installation, DIN-rail options are available too.

Accuracy levels vary across the market, yet the portfolio spans everything from basic meters to Class A analysers capable of meeting the strictest utility and billing requirements. This variety allows operators to match the measurement capability to the application’s criticality, and whether they require a simple energy meter or a high-end analyser that provides wider spectrum visibility.

Integration with platforms such as PQView is another advantage. Widely used by Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) for managing fleets of sites, PQView ensures that even large organisations can monitor hundreds of devices from a central point. More sophisticated meters can interface directly with this system, simplifying long-term management and reporting.

CP Automation is working with Powerside to provide clear upgrade paths and customer-specific retrofit solutions, including direct support for ageing 61000-series installations. Meanwhile, the PQube3 form factor lends itself to straightforward replacement of many legacy Dranetz units, and the PQube 3e analyser offers a practical multi-circuit option for sites that want to consolidate monitoring into a single device.

Condition-based maintenance

Looking ahead, the next generation of meters will be defined by connectivity and analytics. Standards, such as IEC 61000-2-2 and 2-4, include requirements for measuring supraharmonics. Devices, such as those from Powerside, are already designed with this capability. 

Cloud integration, remote access and machine learning will become standard features, enabling meters to identify trends and warn operators when plant behaviour starts to drift from normal.

Once operators see a before-and-after comparison that links a problem directly to poor power quality, the value becomes obvious. With the grid under increasing strain, driven by renewables, electrification, high-performance drives and the rapid growth of data centres, accurate, continuous monitoring is becoming essential rather than optional.

While power quality meters are often treated as fit-and-forget devices, they play a vital role in plants and other industrial facilities. When these become obsolete, it’s important to work with an experienced power quality partner that can provide continuity and ensure that any analysers installed are capturing the required data.

John Mitchell is global sales and marketing director at CP Automation

www.cpaltd.net