Power Quality & Grounding
Electrical Grounding and the Weather
The Art of Ground Testing
Power Quality & Grounding

Solving Power Quality Troubles in VFDs
Q: What are some of the negative power quality impacts from voltage variances and transients on variable frequency drives (VFDs)? And, what are some recommended solutions to resolve this VFD site issue?
OUR EXPERT | Paul Wright, P.Eng, engineered drive solutions manager, Electrical Controls Manufacturing (Edmonton) Inc.
A: The supply voltage from the utility grid should be sinusoidal with almost no signs of distortion as shown in waveform A in Figure 1 (see image). However...
Related Articles

The Art of Ground Testing
Correcting the misconceptions of ground testing BY JEFF JOWETT, Megger Ground resistance testing is sometimes described as an “art”, and indeed something can be said for that description. Familiarity with the basic issues and common problems, however, can take much of the “art” out of it...

How to improve your NEC/CSA Installations
Grounding and Bonding are the least understood, the most misinterpreted and confusing elements in modern electrical and electronic systems and leads to poor design and installation work — especially as it relates to the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) and to the National Electrical Code (NEC)...

Understanding the DC Overpotential Test
The 411 on DC testing of low-voltage circuit breakers BY JIM WHITE, Shermco Industries, Inc. The direct current (DC) overpotential test is one of the basic tests conducted to ensure an insulation system has adequate insulation life to make it to the next scheduled maintenance interval. While not...

Go with the Power Flow
The importance of load studies BY KATHLEEN WOLF-DAVIS with CASY HENRY, Megger If you’re running an industrial power system—whether for an airport, a mill, a factory or a smelter—you’re focused on more than the traditional utility concept of keeping the lights on. You definitely need that...

Compatibility Issues with Generator-Backed Power Systems
Line-interactive uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems play a vital role in maintaining seamless operation during power outages. Their integration with backup generators, however, can pose challenges regarding synchronization and power quality. While both UPS systems and generators serve as...

How to improve your NEC/CSA Installations
Grounding and Bonding are the least understood, the most misinterpreted and confusing elements in modern electrical and electronic systems and leads to poor design and installation work — especially as it relates to the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) and to the National Electrical Code (NEC)...

INSULATION RESISTANCE TEST
Insulation Resistance (IR) test, often called Megger test, is more than 100 years old and assumed to be a very straightforward test. During my inspection and testing work in the past 15 years in Canada, US, and internationally, I have seen different practices of performing and interpretation of IR...

Power Usage Effectiveness in Data Centers
Guidance for calculation of efficiency in data centers BY VICTOR AVELAR, Schneider Electric The benefits of determining data center infrastructure efficiency as part of an effective energy management plan are widely recognized. The standard metrics of power usage effectiveness (PUE) and its...

The Art of Ground Testing
Correcting the misconceptions of ground testing BY JEFF JOWETT, Megger Ground resistance testing is sometimes described as an “art”, and indeed something can be said for that description. Familiarity with the basic issues and common problems, however, can take much of the “art” out of it...

Reducing Electrical Risks in Data Centers
Industrial-strength solutions to improve safety BY MIETEK GLINKOWSKI, ABB A major source of disruption and downtime in data centers is human error. And their largest safety hazard is in the increasing size of the electrical systems that power them. Both of these risks can be addressed at two...