Ensuring That Smart Power Really Is

摘要

The continuing emphasis on smart power has increased the importance of power meters, monitors, and analyzers. They all measure rms voltage, current, and power but differ in how and where they are used as well as in the additional functions each provides.Typically, the term analyzer implies that you can examine power in more detail, which usually means there is something special about the instrument hardware. You might require a fast sampling rate and wide bandwidth if the higher harmonics in a pulse-width modulated (PWM) motor drive are important. Or, capturing up to the 50th harmonic of the basic 60-Hz power frequency could be fine if there also is a sensitive current range to determine low values of standby power.