New wireless energy sensor for real-time monitoring of electrical assets

RS Components has announced availability of the PowerTag wireless energy sensor from Schneider Electric, which is designed to monitor MCBs and other electrical panel devices. The device delivers precise real-time data on electrical loads to building owners and facility managers, flagging up potential issues and resulting in a significant reduction in system downtime. Ideal for installation in either new buildings or in existing panels, the device is designed to be used with Schneider’s Acti 9 Smartlink Modbus and Ethernet-based system, which is used to communicate data from Acti 9 devices to a PLC or monitoring system. In addition, PowerTag is the smallest wireless energy sensor available on the market and can easily fit into any existing panel, taking up no extra space on the DIN rail. In combination with the Acti Smartlink system, it offers a high-density metering solution that saves space and delivers smart connected circuit breakers with no change in the switchboard footprint. The system allows switchboards to be connected with building management systems for energy monitoring and control or enables the easy addition of metering in existing switchboards for energy-efficiency compliance. Delivering key information on potential electrical issues, such as whether there is a problem with the end load or the circuit breaker, its devices provide real-time monitoring of a range of electrical characteristics including power, total and partial energy, load balancing by phase, current by phase, and voltage by phase. The system concentrates the data that is received wirelessly from the units and simplifies the connectivity of individual breakers within a building management system. The system can also provide immediate email alerts to devices such as smartphones, tablet or PCs in the event of downtime. Data can be displayed via specially designed web pages, which means there is no requirement for a local display panel. ?Easy to install and commission via free Acti 9 Smart Test software, up to 20 PowerTag units can be installed with no additional wiring, which cuts installation time to just a few minutes, even for existing panel installations. Deployment also means fewer cabling errors and lower cost, as there is no need to replace existing panels.