Just wondered what test devices people are using for obtaining a basic load profile for sizing of inverters/batteries etc for back-up power.
I have a 20+ year old Chauvin Arnoux Power Quality Analyzer that I use but it's got many limitations and it was made before smartphones were a thing so obviously no app integration. It was designed as a power quality troubleshooting instrument, a role which it does admirably but whilst it will log data it only has 16 mb of onboard memory where it dumps a csv file. I then use that file to do manual graphing of voltage, current, power factor and energy usage in Excel which is a bit clunky to say the least.
In recent years I've shifted from using it almost exclusively for fault finding to using it as a simple power logger and I've decided that it's time to invest in something more suitable for this application.
There's a few requirements I would have for this type of device;
Portable
3-phase and neutral
Flexible (rogowski type) clamps for easy installation
Recognised brand name with aftersales support and able to be calibrated
Can capture voltage, current, power factor, energy usage etc and also start and inrush currents for at least 7 days unattended.
Free to use software and NOT cloud-only based.
I'd be interested to know what people are generally using or if you've got any recommendations.
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