Detecting Power Quality Issues Inside vs Outside Your Facility

Understanding where power quality issues originate is critical to maintaining the performance and reliability of your facility’s equipment. When voltage sags, transients, or other anomalies occur, one of the most important questions becomes: is the issue coming from within your facility or from the utility supply?

Volta Insite helps answer that question with precision. Through strategic placement of monitoring nodes, Volta Insite can determine whether power quality disturbances are generated inside your facility or are being delivered from the outside.

Pinpointing the Source of Power Quality Events

Whether the monitoring node is installed on a motor, a transformer, a distribution panel, or at the utility mains, Volta Insite can identify the origin of a power quality issue. The secret lies in understanding the relationship between voltage and current during an event.

For instance, if a node is placed at a motor and it detects a voltage sag that occurs before a current reaction, that typically means the disturbance came from upstream—most likely outside the facility. Conversely, if a current spike happens first, followed by a voltage drop, the issue is likely being caused by something downstream, such as equipment malfunction or a jam in the motor load.

This upstream versus downstream analysis allows facility managers to confidently isolate the problem and respond appropriately.

Strategic Monitoring Locations for Clear Insights

The location of your Volta Insite node greatly affects the granularity and value of the data. Monitoring a single motor gives insight into that specific load, but placing nodes on the distribution lines offers a broader view of multiple systems. This helps determine whether power quality events are isolated to a specific area or affecting multiple parts of the facility.

The most comprehensive view comes from installing a node at the utility mains. This top-level monitoring position captures everything coming into the facility—providing a clear answer to whether poor power quality is being delivered by the utility or caused internally.

Facilities using Volta Insite at the utility mains can collect data on apparent power, reactive power, voltage stability, and more. When power anomalies occur, this data becomes invaluable in conversations with utility providers. Instead of speculation, you have clear, timestamped evidence to back your claims.

Real-World Benefits of Source Detection

In real-world applications, Volta Insite has helped customers avoid unnecessary troubleshooting and equipment replacement by accurately identifying external sources of power quality issues. This not only saves time and money but also helps protect relationships with vendors and utilities by focusing discussions around data-driven insights.

Volta Insite’s monitoring capabilities go beyond simple alerts. They provide actionable intelligence about your electrical system’s health and performance, empowering your team to make informed decisions.

Take Control of Power Quality at Your Facility

Power disturbances can disrupt production, damage equipment, and inflate energy costs. Knowing where those disturbances originate is half the battle. Volta Insite gives you that visibility—whether the problem is a failing motor, an overloaded circuit, or a utility-level voltage drop.

If your facility experiences unexplained electrical issues, it’s time to get clarity. Contact Volta Insite today and take control of your power quality from the inside out.

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Detecting Power Quality Issues: Inside vs. Outside Your Facility