You got the power; With PowerDB lite

Electrical Tester - 15 October 2008

Bruce Buxkemper  - Director of group software

 

PowerDB Lite software allows the generation of professional test record forms. These comprehensive forms cover all popular earth ground test methods, and diagnostic insulation tests*. A Lite version of the proven PowerDB software, PowerDB Lite will provide a cost effective solution for test report generation; and is even supplied free of charge with selected instruments.

INSULATION RESISTANCE TESTS
*These test forms work hand in hand with the Megger range of MIT and S1 5 kV and 10 kV downloadable insulation resistance testers. Test results can either be downloaded from the instruments memory or during the test with real time download.
 

Instruments supported
MIT520         S1-552        S1-554
MIT520/2      S1-552/2     S1-554/2
MIT1020       S1-1052      S1-1054
MIT1020/2    S1-1052/2    S1-1054/2
A number of industry standard forms are provided to suit various types of equipment and associated diagnostic tests.

 

Standard equipment test forms
 Cable PI test                                   Transformer DAR test
Generator PI test                             Transformer PI test
Motor PI test                                    Rotating machinery PI test
Synch motor PI test                         Rotating machinery step
Synch motor PI test armature          Voltage test
In addition there are four generic forms to cover other applications for each of the widely used insulation diagnostic tests
 

Generic test forms

 

Polarisation Index (PI) test

 

Step voltage test

10 kV INSULATION POWER FACTOR TESTS
These forms work hand in hand with the Megger range of 10 kV automated insulation power factor test sets, the Delta 2000 and the new Delta3000. Results stored can be downloaded to a PC or to a data key for transfer later.

Comprehensive forms cover equipment such as:

Instrument transformers
Circuit breakers
Transformers
Rotating machinery

Also included are some Power Factor ‘Quick Test’ forms and one
generic equipment form.

EARTH/GROUND RESISTANCE TESTS
Two major challenges of earth ground resistance acceptance and maintenance testing are quickly addressed in this simple and easy to use software package:

  • Producing professional forms showing the test method utilised in a clear and easy to read format
  • Carrying out the required calculations for chosen test method. Many methods that offer real advantages are not utilised because of the their complexity

 

Earth test methods covered by PowerdB Lite

Full fall of potential                        Soil resistivity
Simplified fall of potential              Star delta
Slope                                             Four potential
61.8 percent rule                           Intersecting curves


Complex methods, for example the four potential method where knowledge of the electrical centre of the earth system is not required, can now be easily performed with calculations built in to the test forms.

PowerDB Lite is an evaluable tool that will professionalise earth ground and insulation test reporting. There’s even a CSV output facility for those who wish to export data to Excel and produce their own forms. Even difficult earth ground testing calculations are also a thing of the past with PowerDB Lite.

TRANSFORMER TURNS RATIO TESTS
These forms work with Megger advanced range of transformer turns ratio (TTR) test sets. Supporting both the 503 series and the new TTR300 series.

All four units in the TTR300 Series come complete, at no extra charge, with PowerDB Lite. PowerDB Lite allows the operator to completely program a test routine, in advance, for a transformer, save it under the transformer ID number, and then recall it in the future as required.

Testing on the TTRs can be performed in a remote control manner, via PowerDB Lite. Once testing is complete on all of the instruments, results are easily downloaded to the external PC in an “open” XML data format. The instruments’ internal memory also maintains historical datafiles so that, through interface to PowerDB Lite, current and past results can be archived, compared, analysed, displayed in trend charts, and compiled into test reports.
Control of the TTRs in this remote-control manner offers the following benefits:

  • Easy to use interface between operator and instrument. 
  • Problems such as PASS/FAIL are flagged visually using a RED highlight. 
  • Easily recall transformer setups from a custom settings menu. 
  • Quickly download results to the PC for completing a transformer test report.

CURRENT TRANSFORMER TEST
Test forms are also available to work with the new MCT1600. All catalogued test results can be uploaded to PowerDB Lite for report generation and saturation curve plotting on a computer. PowerDB Lite also has the ability to operate the MCT1600 with any operator intervention, thus providing a completely computer controlled automated test system.