Sensible approaches to diagnosing power quality problems

Power quality site surveys are electrical system investigations that attempt to locate and solve power quality problems affecting electrical and electronic equipment. Site surveys combine state-of-the-art diagnostic instrumentation with the intuitive nature of the individuals who endeavor to utilize them. Successfully performing a power site survey requires the management of issues and resources on many levels. Some of the minutiae to consider are: (1) coordinating the involved parties, (2) procuring and safely utilizing necessary test equipment, (3) implementing proper diagnostic techniques to the perceived problem, (4) suitable interpretation of the results, and (5) providing cost-effective recommendations to eliminate or mitigate the cause of the disturbance. A problem-solving checklist and its components can be introduced as a guide for participants who may have a concern with the uniformity of their troubleshooting techniques. This paper reviews these and other aspects of a power site survey based upon the changes to the recommended practices set forth by Chapter 6 of IEEE Std. 1100 (Recommended Practice for Power and Grounding Electronic Equipment-Emerald Book).