The purpose of this post is to define the terms that I use elsewhere on this site, including documents, articles, tutorials, etc. If you ask most electrical engineers what’s low voltage, or high voltage you are not likely to get a straight answer. There are a lot of good reasons for this, Colin over at […]
Background Information
Installing VTScada
Compared to a lot of industrial software VTScada is very easy to install and get started with. A few years ago I went through the process for a client to figure out what was the best solution for their company. I choose VTScada and have NEVER regretted that decision. In fact its one of the […]
How Induction Machines Work
There are two main types of induction machines used to transmit electrical energy and perform work: transformers, and AC induction motors. In order to understand how they work, first you need to understand the principle of induction. Induction Induction is the process by which a magnetic field can induce current in a wire. The easiest way to test […]
How Voltage Drop Affects the Operation of Induction Machines
Induction machines do not like voltage drop. When talking about induction machines, what most people think about is the 3 phase AC induction motor. For the most part, the power output of an induction machine is directly proportional to voltage and current. If the voltage of a motor drops, the motor must draw more current to […]
Power Factor Correction
One of the great things to do after you get a power system study completed, is implement power factor correction. With power factor correction you will be able to properly support the voltage at your site, but more importantly you will likely be able to save some money. Large loads on a utility are charged […]
Industrial Power System Configuration – Main Tie Main
Industrial power systems can become very complex, and the related processes need a reliable source of electricity to keep the process running, both for economic and safety reasons. There are many different kinds of distribution systems. This article will only focus on one of them: the Main-Tie-Main system configuration. Industrial Power System Main-Tie-Main Configuration Main-Tie-Main, […]
3 Causes of Harmonics on your power system
Harmonics are voltages or currents in the electrical system that are at some frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental frequency. The fundamental frequency varies by region: for example, in North America the fundamental frequency is 60hz, but in Europe it is 50hz. Harmonics cause unwanted heat on your system, which leads to both […]
Three Different Types of Grounding
Today I’m going to give you a brief overview of three different types of grounding systems that are important. These three systems are: Ungrounded Systems Resistance Grounded Systems Solidly Grounded Systems I’ve already talked a little bit about what grounding is, including giving a brief overview of why we do it and what it’s used for. If […]
What is Grounding?
What is grounding in an electrical sense? Anyone with a little bit of a background in electronics will tell you that grounding is something you need to keep your circuit safe and it keeps the electrical parts of your circuit from blowing up. But what is it, exactly? Grounding is a connection between an electrical […]
What is Electricity?
What is Electricity? Electricity is everywhere: it powers our homes, our transportation, and our entertainment. Electricity is the reason that you can read this article right now! But what is electricity? The importance of understanding the basics of electricity (what it is and how it works) cannot be understated. Without understanding electricity, you could not […]