XT Series

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Cost-effective Approach to Utility Revenue Protection
Cost-effective Approach to Utility Revenue Protection 150 150 Yvan Abel
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The core business of utilities is the sale of energy, most of the net benefits are concentrated on a handful of clients denominated as C&I (Commercial & Industrial). They represent a small percentage of utility customers, but account for the largest volume of energy consumption.

Mariana Napoli | Sales and Marketing Director | Probewell Lab Inc.
Mariana Napoli
Sales Director
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Revenue protection is an important part for any business that operates over an extended period of time. When it comes to the commercial and indultrial (C&I) market, it is imperative to maintain peak performance installations at all times. Undetected problems in the C&I market can result in exponential revenue loss for every month that a problem goes unresolved.

 

The revenue loss equation is quite simple:

Energy consumption x Rate x Error % x Number of months = Revenue Lost

The potential risk for a customer installations range from wiring problems to defective installations, faulty equipment and even tampering.

As opposed to damage control, routine inspection or preventive maintenance has two positive impacts, allowing utilities to detect these issues before they ever impact their ROI as well as providing the baseline to analyzing future test results.

Addressing quality concerns early in transformer-rated installation by means of preventive maintenance is a good approach to revenue protection.

[vc_empty_space][vc_message icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-exclamation-circle”]While mitigating the risks, utilities can also save their field crew an entire days’ worth of work… Every week [/vc_message]

Less Time per inspection, More Preventive Maintenance

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In addition to revenue protection, hense ­having a better ROI, being able to perform inspections in 20 minutes or less, instead of 2 hours, allows electrical companies to invest more in preventive maintenance without affecting there bottom line since they are spending six time less on wage per inspection.

 

Indeed, only if the site tester is intuitive and easy to use will the inspection process be accelerated. This is possible given that technicians spend less time per test as well as avoiding redundant clerical and administrative tasks.

 

Boosting customers confidence

As opposed to damage control, implementing a ­quality ­assurance program is a proactive avenue to address ­quality concerns by means of preventive maintenance, thereby lowering the risk factor for utilities and boosting customers confidence.

Preventive maintenance is a smart way to catch failures, such as rusty wires, faulty installations, defective equipment and tampering, before they become real problems.

All of this is made possible and accessible to utilities who opt for the right socket-type site tester.

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Explore six failure scenarios,
their potential cost and
how to prevent them:

Probewell | White Paper | Transformer Rated Site Tester | Revenue Protection | What are the key technical and non-technical risks of utilities revenue loss and how can they be prevented?

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ST-3/XT3

Transformer Rated Wireless Site Tester

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Why testing from the meter base?

A site tester that connects directly to the meter base minimizes any safety risk and human error that could result in lost revenue. In fact, the tester reads exactly what the meter sees, tests the entire system, and gets real data in real time straight from the meter base. All these features contribute to improved performance and further reduce revenue loss.

 

No need to trade the ­performance of the installati­ons for team ­productivity.

It is in the utilities’ best interest to choose a portable site tester that guarantees them a fast, effective response and reliability in order to optimize their technicians’ productivity and maximize their ROI.

Choosing the right site tester to perform the necessary inspection is crucial for identifying the sources of revenue loss and being able to fix them adequately. But it also has other benefits.

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Probewell XT Series Eransformer Rated Site Tester

Enhance Utilities ROI on the Go

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Complete site diagnostic within 20 minutes (including setup time).

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+ Make full data-driven assessment of CT and PT performance

+ Get timestamped  traceable reports

+ Enhance productivity with task automation

+ Share your findings instantly (CSV or PDF)

+ Get actionable insights to enable fast, effective response and maximize productivity.

+ Never compromise safety

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Probewell socket-type wireless field testers are the baseline for utilities looking to minimize risk while enhancing their productivity and profitability on the go.

 

It allows you to perform a site diagnostic by thoroughly assessing electrical installations, securely records, and easily share critical insights needed to help make evidence-based decisions. All the while minimizing risks, enhancing team productivity and time management

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How does it work?

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Available test:
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | Power Quality (PQ) Power Quality
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | Phasors Phasors
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | Real-Time Waveform Real-time Waveform
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | Total Harmonic Distortion Total Harmonic Distortion
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | CT & PT Ratios Test Primary and Secondary Analysis
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | CT Burden Burden
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | Admittance Admittance
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Want to know more about our wireless meter tester? Get in touch!

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Useful Links
  • Yvan Abel
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How to Improve ROI by Testing the Accuracy of an AMI Meter?
How to Improve ROI by Testing the Accuracy of an AMI Meter? 150 150 Yvan Abel
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Nowadays, electric utilities expect AMI electrical grids and MDMS solution to provide advanced data analytics so they can make informed data-driven decisions to achieve operational efficiency (hardware and services).

Mariana Napoli | Sales and Marketing Director | Probewell Lab Inc.
Mariana Napoli
Sales & Marketing Director
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Customers often distrust new technologies and are reluctant to adopt them. It is up to the utilities to reassure their customers as part of their onboarding process and a good way to do this is to keep them informed by making the process as transparent as possible.

When it comes to AMI efficiency, the key factor is the accuracy of the meters, thus the reliability of the data they aggregate.

When deploying or maintaining an AMI grid, some discrepancies may be noticed in the data after the initial transition. For instance, the data collected from a mechanical meter may differ from the data collected from a digital meter, which is often more accurate, naturally prompting clients to question their bill.

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AMI – Advanced Metering Infrastructure
MDMS – Meter Data Management Systems

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Verifying the accuracy of the meter

 

The WT Series wireless tester help building a better customer’s experience, by allowing sharing of traceable test reports as part of the onboarding process and facilitate the adoption of the AMI technology and finally, improve your ROI without affecting your bottom line.

Our meter tester enables a wide range of testing options. It allows the operator to assess the electric meter on site and in real time, checking the accuracy of the meter’s reading and performance. The typical accuracy is ± 0.02%, to ensure fair billing.

It is possible to perform a Quick Test, using the Probewell Connect application to quickly assess the accuracy of each meter and keep a traceable report of the meters accuracy readings, before and after the transition (as found and as left reporting). The Quick Test runs a series of sub-tests (for each of the loads: HL, PF and LL and it calculates the weight average), in a single operation.

The test results are securely stored within the unit and includes the meter ID, time-stamped and geolocation data for traceability purpose. The test reports can be shared by e-mail, right from the operator’s mobile to the customer and the utility’s customer service department for a follow-up.

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Advantages:

· Quick and easy setup
· Customizable configuration
· Task automation
· Validation of test results at a glance
· Undeniable traceability
· Shareable findings, (export report as CSV or PDF)
· Lower operating costs thanks to optimized processes.

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Available test:

  • Quick Test
  • Full Test
  • Custom Test
  • Line Monitor
  • Demand Test

 

  • Creep Test
  • KYZ Test
  • Manual / Tracking
  • 4 Quad Test VARh
  • 4 Quad Test Wh
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Transformer rated installations.

 

If it’s a CT rated installation, the Probewell ST-3/XT3 site tester is another great way to improve your ROI during a site visit., Perform a complete quality assessment of an installation, including the CT/PT ratio, the burden and the admittance test. Within minutes, a CT/PT instrument-rated installation can be accurately tested by a field worker.

Get immediate confirmation, that the installations are optimal to achieve hardware and service operational efficiency by using the Probewell WT Series meter tester or XT Series site testers as part of your AMI deployment field tools.

  • Achieve hardware and service operational efficiency
  • Build a better customer’s experience,
  • Share traceable test reports as part of the onboarding process
  • Improve your ROI without affecting your bottom line.
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Advantages:

  • Full RMS and line cycle measurement of both secondary and primary currents and voltages
  • Compatible input voltage from 100 to 480 VAC
  • Plug & “Play”
  • Uncompromised accuracy
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Available test:

  • Power Quality test
    • Real time waveform analysis
    • Voltage and Current phase angle
    • Total Harmonic Distortion analysis
  • CT/PT ratio and phase shift
  • Burden test
  • Admittance

To know more about our solutions, get in touch!
sales@probewell.com

Click here to see the MT-1/WT3  full technical specifications

Click here to see the ST-3/XT3  full technical specifications

  • Yvan Abel
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Why You Should Care about Ratio, Burden and Admittance Testing on Transformer-Rated Installations
Why You Should Care about Ratio, Burden and Admittance Testing on Transformer-Rated Installations 150 150 Yvan Abel
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Keeping transformer-rated installations within the operating range recommended by ANSI plays a critical role in the financial health of both utilities and their customers.

Mariana Napoli | Sales and Marketing Director | Probewell Lab Inc.
Mariana Napoli
Sales & Marketing Director
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Current and potential transformers rarely have problems, but they can arise, whether due to magnetization of the CT over time, faulty wiring, a closed CT shunt, corrosion on the switches or a bad meter insertion at the socket. When these problems occur, costs quickly add up, and not just to fix the hardware issue.

[vc_empty_space][vc_message icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-exclamation-circle”]It’s imperative that these types of issues be promptly caught and resolved or the utility could lose several thousands in revenue every month that the problem remains undetected.[/vc_message][vc_empty_space]

Not to mention the hassle when it comes time to announce additional billing for backlogs to the customer, or an upward rate adjustment (sometime up to 300%) in order to rectify the situation.

 

On the other hand, when assessing an installation in response to a high bill complaint, utility companies could discover that they have been over charging their customers. When this happens, damage control is needed. But even after the utility fixes the problem and negotiates the amount to be reimbursed to the customer, the situation will have eroded trust in the company’s services and tarnished its reputation.

 

These types of problems can easily be detected when servicing a transformer-rated installation by performing  CT/PT ratio, burden and admittance tests.

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Better safe than sorry!

 

With good planning, you can manage the risks that stem from these challenges. For instance, performing a full assessment, including ratio, burden and admittance tests on transformer-rated installations upon deployment as part of a routine quality assurance check. Then be sure to include it in your yearly maintenance plan, which is already mandatory in some states. To do so, an easy-to-use testing solution that fits seamlessly into your usual maintenance routine is vital…

 

Probewell | Site Tester | ST-2/XT3

Why the XT Series is up to the task?

 

  • Ergonomic design
  • Advanced, yet easy to use
  • Uncompromised accuracy

In response to the ever-growing need for efficiency and portability, we proudly introduce the ST-3/XT3, the first socket-type transformer-rated site tester with integrated WiFi technology. it’s well-suited to the task and here’s why:

 

The portability and accuracy of the ST-3/XT3, paired with the advanced, yet intuitive Probewell Connect application is the best solution when it comes to testing transformer-rated installations.

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Run all the required tests from a single measurement device weighting only 4.5 lb.

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Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | Power Quality (PQ) Power Quality (PQ) 
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | Real-Time Waveform Real-Time Waveform
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | Total Harmonic Distortion Total Harmonic Distortion
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | Phasors Phasors
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | CT Burden CT Burden
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | CT & PT Ratios Test CT & PT Ratios
Probewell | Probewell Connect app | Test | Admittance Admittance

 

Probewell | ST-3 XT3 Installation Diagram

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Control it wirelessly from a laptop or mobile device using the Probewell Connect app.

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Probewell | Probewell Connect 2.0 | Power Quality Test | Real-Time Waveform

  • Quick and easy setup
  • Customizable configuration
  • Task automation
  • Validation of test results at a glance
  • Undeniable traceability
  • Data-driven insights
  • Export report as CSV or PDF
Full RMS and line cycle measurement of both secondary and primary currents and voltages 
  • Rooted at its core is high-performance multiphase energy-metering circuitry.
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Compatible input voltage 

The ST-3/XT3 series is powered directly from the meter base for quick and easy setup between phase and neutral.
  • From 100 to 480 VAC

Plug & “Play” and read all three phases simultaneously

Connect the CT and PT measurement accessories to the front of the device and test all three phases simultaneously, thereby negating the risk of inaccurate measurements due to current fluctuations.

Uncompromised accuracy

The tester has three built-in current sensors of up to 20 amperes to analyze the secondary current directly at the meter socket.
  • 3 current sensors up to 20 A
  • Typical accuracy of 0.05%
  • Maximum accuracy of 0.1%
[vc_empty_space][vc_message message_box_color=”grey”]Regularly testing their transformer-rated installations as part of their quality assurance program is a good practice for utility companies. Probewell XT Series wireless site testers are perfect for the task: they are portable, easy to use, compatible with multiple forms and offer a wide range of tests that are key to maintaining a healthy electrical installation and keeping customers satisfied.[/vc_message][vc_empty_space]

 

Main features of the ST-3/XT3 wireless site tester

COMPATIBLE INSTALLATION
Single-phase 3S and 4S
Polyphase 5S*, 6S, 8S, 9S, 35S* and 45S*
*Adapter required (included)
INPUT
Voltage 100 – 600 VAC
Working voltage 100 – 480 VAC +/- 10%
Line frequency 58-62 Hz
Bypass circuit 20 A (max for CT Rated)
Circuit breakers 2 x 1 A (press-to-reset mechanism)
MULTIFUNCTION MEASUREMENTS ACCURACY
RMS current ±0.1% maximum
RMS voltage ±0.1% maximum
Frequency ±0.1% maximum

 

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Other advantages of using ultralight XT Series wireless site testers

Probewell | ST-3/XT3 | Managing the Risk | Minimize human error

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Manage risk

  • Quickly setup the testing device and speedup the assessment process without ever compromising safety.

Minimize human error

  • Minimize the time spent doing clerical work and other redundant back-office tasks by automating the reporting process.

Best practices

  • Stay “ahead of the game,” saving time and money in the long run. Adopt the ST-3/XT3 as a standard tool for quality assurance.

Probewell Connect

  • The advanced, yet simple solution literally at your fingertips. Create reliable reports in CSV or PDF format and share your findings via email.

 

Want to know more about our wireless meter tester? Get in touch!

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