Verify the Energy Savings Created by PV Systems
Measure the amount of electricity generated by PV systems to verify the effectiveness and cost savings on the spot

♦ How is Energy Savings Measured? The process of measuring energy savings is known as “Measurement & Verification” or “M&V” whereby measurement technologies are used to reliably identify the actual savings created as a result of energy saving measures. Although energy savings cannot be directly measured because that represents the absence of energy consumption, you can determine the effects of energy saving measures by comparing the energy cost before and after the installation of new equipment such as a solar or photovoltaic (PV) panels.

M&V activities include, among others:
• Installing meters
• Gathering data
• Developing computation methods to analyze data and plotting it against energy rates
• Reporting and quality assurance efforts
Often it is necessary to report to a customer or third party of the effects of the energy saving measures; in any case, it is always wise to verify that any new installed equipment is successful in cutting energy costs.

♦ Measuring and Computing Cost Savings
When verifying the effectiveness of PV equipment in reducing energy costs, the simplest way is to compute savings in monetary units based on the same energy usage before and after the installation. This method is sufficient for a typical household. However, large industrial facilities that invest heavily in energy savings equipment operate on a scale such that close monitoring of power consumption and energy conversion can lead to huge savings. In addition, some power utilities provide incentive programs to buy back any excess energy a PV system generates. This further increases the savings, but complicates the computations even more.

♦ What Type of Power Meter Should be Used to Measure Energy Savings?
M&V processes should be as accurate as required, but the costs should be small relative to the actual costs savings of the project. It is not practical to spend a tremendous amount of time and money on data analysis and computations only to find that those expenses were larger than the actual savings. To that end, a power meter that can provide the following functions can make the M&V process more expedient and efficient:
1. Present demand and energy fluctuation graphs showing hourly energy production and consumption
2. Measure and present equipment output in terms of voltage and frequency changes
3. Measure the amount of electricity purchased from and sold to the utility company

♦ A Solution in the HIOKI PW3360 Clamp On Power Logger
The PW3360 Clamp On Power Logger is a compact, 3-phase 4-wire energy logger utilizing clamp sensor input to accurately and safely measure power on single-phase to three-phase lines. The illustration below shows how 2 power loggers can provide the information necessary to aid in the M&V process:
1. Measure between the distribution panel and utility meter the amount of electricity sold to the utility
company and purchased by the customer simultaneously. The data will also enable you to confirm that the PV system is in good operating condition.
2. Compute electricity charges by specifying the unit cost (per kWh) so that the PW3360 can multiply the electricity charge unit cost by the active energy (power consumption) WP+ value.
3. Measure the output of the system’s power conditioner to display voltage and frequency changes in order to verify correct operation of relays.
4. Use the demand and energy fluctuation graphs to verify operation of the PV system in real time and make equipment adjustments where necessary to continuously optimize the system.

♦ Advanced Energy Analysis For more advanced surveys of power quality, we recommend the HIOKI PQ3198 or the PQ3100.

 

♦ Products Used
• Clamp On Power Logger PW3360-21 (English model, main unit only, with harmonics analysis function)
• Clamp On Sensor 9661 (AC 500A)
• SD Memory Card Z4001 (2GB)
• Carrying Case C1005
• Power Logger Viewer (PC application software) SF1001
• Power Quality Analyzer PQ3198 (main unit only, PC application software included)
• Power Quality Analyzer PQ3100 (main unit only, PC application software included)

♦ Download Product Catalogs Here

Hioki Launches the Battery Cell Voltage Generator SS7081-50

Easily and Accurately Evaluate Battery Management 
Systems Used with Lithium-Ion Battery Packs. 

Instrument Simulates Batteries so Users can Efficiently 
Build Testing Environments

Hioki is happy to announce the launch of the Battery Cell Voltage Generator SS7081-50 in March 2020.

The SS7081-50 is a 12-channel generator and measuring instrument that can easily and accurately evaluate the performance of battery management systems (BMSs) used in lithium-ion battery packs¹ found in electric vehicles (xEVs) and storage batteries (energy storage systems [ESSs] and uninterruptible power systems [UPSs]).

As a simulated battery and voltage generator, the device facilitates performance and safety evaluation by making it possible to efficiently build an environment for testing parameters that would be difficult to reproduce with actual batteries, power supplies, or electronic loads.

In addition, the instrument provides high-precision voltage and current measurement capability so that researchers and developers can evaluate increasingly sophisticated BMS functionality.

Illustration of an LIB with a BMS board

■ DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND

The transition to electric powertrains for vehicles is accelerating worldwide against the backdrop of resource constraints and environmental problems. Demand for LIB packs is growing along with the EV market, and R&D programs targeting associated technologies are accelerating.

LIB packs incorporate a system board known as a BMS that monitors and optimally controls the battery. Failure of a BMS to properly monitor its battery will lower the product’s efficiency and prevent it from making full use of the battery’s capacity, for example by allowing excessive discharging to degrade the battery or by preventing adequate charging. Control by BMS boards is particularly important because excessive discharge of LIBs poses serious hazards such as fire and electric shock.

Against this backdrop, development of sophisticated BMS boards that can efficiently and safely control batteries is set to increase in the future, and this trend will likely drive up demand for the ability to easily and accurately evaluate those boards.

■ KEY FEATURES

1. Ability to efficiently build a testing environment by simulating batteries

The ST7081-50 can be used in place of an actual battery, power supply, or electronic load as a simulated battery/voltage generator and simulator.

BMS boards are connected to battery cells, whose capacity and other parameters they monitor. Battery cells exhibit individual differences in capacity due to differences in the operating environment and to manufacturing variations. Differences in capacity prevent adequate charging, making it impossible to take full advantage of the battery. BMS boards address this issue by eliminating variability when individual cells exhibit imbalances in terms of capacity.

Difficulty arises when evaluating the performance of those systems because it is difficult to create the desired state of imbalance with actual batteries.  Because it lets the user set or simulate cell conditions as desired using a computer application, the SS7081-50 makes it possible to build a BMS test environment efficiently and easily.

In addition, each SS7081-50 unit offers 12 channels. Multiple units, each capable of simulating 12 cells, can be connected together to create a multi-cell environment. This capability eliminates the cost of preparing numerous power supplies and electronic loads as well as the time that would be required to wire them together and fabricate large systems capable of controlling them.

2. High-precision voltage and current measurement capability and support for measurement of minuscule currents

The SS7081-50 delivers high-precision voltage (±0.1% rdg. ±100 μV) and current (±0.07% rdg. ±100 μA) measurement capabilities to make possible more accurate evaluation of increasingly sophisticated BMS boards.

It also provides a 100 μA (0.1 mA) minuscule current range that is ideal for measuring dark current² and standby current³. BMS boards draw their power from connected battery cells. It is important to ascertain BMS dark current and standby current in order to limit battery power consumption. The SS7081-50’s minuscule current range can make these measurements with a high degree of precision.

3. Easy and safe simulation of wire breaks

The SS7081-50 can simulate wire breaks in the cable that connects the BMS to its battery. Use of actual batteries to evaluate BMS boards poses difficulties such as the need to fabricate specially designed test rigs and safety issues.

With the SS7081-50, you can easily and safely simulate wire breaks that would be difficult to replicate with an actual battery, making it possible to evaluate the target BMS board’s anomaly detection functionality. The SS7081-50 offers extensive functionality for simulating other defects so that users can evaluate safety from a variety of standpoints.

■ PRINCIPAL APPLICATIONS

BMS research and development

Evaluation of BMS performance during shipping inspections

¹ Lithium-ion battery packs are assembled batteries in which multiple cells are connected together.

² Dark current refers to the current consumed while the BMS is powered off.

³ Standby current refers to the current consumed when the BMS is powered on but not operating.

Download Preview Catalogue here: Battery Cell Voltage Generator SS7081-50

Asia’s leading automation publication, Industrial Automation Asia has recently conducted an interview with Mr. Seiichi Miyazawa, Managing Director of Hioki Singapore Pte. Ltd.

In this annual market outlook, the magazine finds out from executives on what they have in store for 2020 and their thoughts about the trends and opportunities in the manufacturing automation industry in the region and around the globe. Below is an adaptation of the article:

What is the next big thing coming down the line for the industry whether it’s a technology or market trend?

I trust so many things going to be automated and to moving towards the internet of Things – ie: all the utilities around our everyday lives, development, production, measurement, inspection, etc. I believe, at the same time, investments and developments for high-efficiency utilisation of energies can be so much accelerated because they are basis of our social infrastructures. Most of industry sectors should follow to this big stream, and then it is obvious that companies offering unique/high-level innovation based on their higher creativity can be the next worldwide leaders in such stream.

Where do you see opportunities for growth in 2020?

With the aforementioned stream, high-efficiency of social infrastructures and its stable supplies can bring us much more demands about various measurements and signal-sensing (like current, voltage, or so). Also, new measurement technologies for both rising of battery demands and progresses of components required for faster IoT spreading will be our growth opportunities.

What should companies be mindful of to stay ahead in the industry?

We are required to monitor markets with broader field of view – from on-site activities to development teams.  On the other hand, it is important for the whole HIOKI Group to make very best efforts to be an excellent solution provider who can provide customers ideal services which are able to offer them improvements.

Do you see a need to shift your strategies in order to facilitate growth, and/or be relevant in the industry?

We are required to strengthen our organisational strengths. It means that we should have capabilities to contact to possible customers rapidly/surely as well as to provide higher-level measurement solutions fitted to those customers.

To realise those, it is required for us to improve both our own capabilities and our internal education/training systems. As the results, HIOKI can obtain market demands which can be linked with our next-generation measurement technology developments.

What do you hope to see in 2020?

We should create markets which can be brought by new values of ours. That is why I would like to accelerate rapidly to broaden HIOKI brand in ASEAN/Oceania markets. Through these activities, I believe our measurement solutions can contribute to technology innovation in our society as well as in realising sustainable development goals.

This article first appeared in https://www.iaasiaonline.com/industry-outlook-2020/

What Is Insulation Resistance? 

Wires and cables are electrically conductive materials.  The external layer surrounding the wires, however, is made of insulating material that prevents accidental touching of other conductive material and protects them from environment threats ^[1]. This non-conductive insulating material has a high resistance value which enables only very low-value current to flow. Figure 1.0 shows a typical cable assembly with the conductive and insulation parts.

Figure 1.0 Parts in a typical cable assembly

330-Channel Portable Logger Delivers 1 Ms Sampling, Even Over Wireless Connections, Available with Your Choice of Plug-In and Wireless Units

December 10, 2019 – Nagano, Japan

Hioki is pleased to announce the launch of the Memory HiLogger LR8450 and LR8450-01.

The LR8450, LR8450-01 and wired units are scheduled for international release on February 28, 2020, while the Wireless Units  are scheduled for international release on May 27, 2020.

■ DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND　
Customers in the automotive and environment/alternative energy sectors, both of which Hioki has identified as priority markets, have embraced the legacy Memory HiLogger LR8400 series (max. 10 ms sampling), which can measure a large number of channels despite its compact size, and the popular Wireless Logging Station LR8410 (max. 100 ms sampling), which separates data measurement (by units) and collection (by the instrument).

Common themes appearing in feedback from LR8400 and LR8410 users included a desire to measure large numbers of channels more quickly in development of products such as electric vehicles (EVs), to measure strain on vehicle chassis and batteries along with temperature, and to reduce wiring man-hours and measurement issues by capturing strain data wirelessly.

■ KEY FEATURES
1. Sample a Large Number of Wired and Wireless Channels at Up to 1 ms
Customers need measurement solutions that are capable of accommodating abrupt changes in load in the development of electric vehicles such as EVs, hybrids (HVs), and plug-in hybrids (PHVs).  By using the High Speed Voltage Unit U8553, a 5-channel plug-in unit that can measure voltage at a sampling rate of 1 ms, customers can capture such rapid changes.

The LR8450 series is ideal for capturing output data from sensors that measure low-frequency (from 10 to several dozens of hertz) data such as resin pressure or vibration, which are difficult to measure at conventional sampling speeds. The Wireless High Speed Voltage Unit LR8533, a 5-channel wireless unit, can measure voltage at a sampling rate of 1 ms. This sampling rate is 100 times faster than the LR8410 Wireless Logging Station.

2. A Single Solution for Dynamic Strain Measurement
The Strain Unit U8554 (a plug-in unit) and the Wireless Strain Unit LR8534 (a wireless unit) are also capable of sampling data at up to 1 ms, making them useful in testing strain on vehicle chassis and brakes.

3. Add Wired or Wireless Channels as You Need Them

The LR8450-01 can also connect to seven wireless units. Combined with its four slots for plug-in units, that means you can pair up to 11 units, allowing one LR8450-01 to measure as many as 330 channels.   You can choose whether to use wireless connectivity for measurements as conditions dictate.

■ PRINCIPAL APPLICATIONS
• Testing of automobiles, farm and construction machinery, and electric devices
• Embedding in preventive maintenance systems for production equipment and evaluation equipment at manufacturing plants

■ SERIES LINEUP
Memory HiLogger  LR8450 (standard model)
Memory HiLogger  LR8450-01 (wireless LAN model)
Voltage/Temp Unit U8550 (15 channels, plug-in)
Wireless Voltage/Temp Unit LR8530 (15 channels, wireless)
*Example units shown (a total of five plug-in and five wireless units are available).
*Hioki plans to launch all wireless units in 2020.

^*1 Strain: The ratio of the change in the form of elongation and contraction that occurs in an object when a force is applied. The minuscule change in electrical resistance caused by strain is detected and measured using a strain gauge.
^*2 If four Voltage/Temp Unit U8552 (30 channels, plug-in) units and seven Wireless Voltage/Temp Unit LR8532 (30 channels, wireless) units are connected, the LR8450-01 can measure 330 channels of voltage and temperature data at a maximum sampling rate of 20 ms.
^*3 Strain gauge: A sensor for measuring strain.

Download Catalog: Memory HiLogger LR8450/LR8450-01

Hioki Launches AC Clamp Meter CM3281 and CM3291

Hioki Launches Non-Contact CAN Sensor SP7001/SP7002

Sensor Detects Automotive CAN/CAN FD Signals Electrically without Metal Contact

Hioki is pleased to announce the launch of the Non-Contact CAN Sensor SP7001/SP7002, a first for the company. The international release date for the innovative product is set on the 18^th December 2019.

The SP7001/SP7002 is a revolutionary no-metal-contact sensor that can detect automotive CAN/CAN FD signals from outside wiring insulation.  Since signals can be detected simply by clipping sensors to wires, there is no need to prepare wires under test or worry about the measurement process affecting the electrical characteristics of the CAN system.

Illustration of the Non-Contact CAN Sensor in use

■ DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND
Automobiles incorporate numerous components known as electronic control units (EUCs). These computers electronically control an array of vehicle systems, including the engine, motors, transmission, and airbags. The number of ECUs in vehicles continues to rise as those systems require increasingly sophisticated control.  For the ECUs to communicate with one another, a Controller Area Network (CAN) is used.  CAN signals carry important information such as sensor and control data, and it is becoming more and more common for engineers to utilize that data in vehicle development and evaluation.

In the past, capturing CAN signals involved either stripping back the wires’ insulation so that probes could be placed in contact with the exposed conductors, or adding a sub-harness to create a branch off the signal wires for testing use. However, stripping off insulation leaves wires in an unprotected state while they are probed, and using a sub-harness adds man-hours to the preparation process.

Hioki developed the Non-Contact CAN Sensor SP7001/SP7002 to resolve these issues by allowing CAN signals to be detected simply by affixing sensors to insulated wires. The SP7001 also supports CAN FD, a next-generation standard that boosts the speed of CAN signaling.

Comparison of detection methods: Past products and the SP7001/SP7002

■ KEY FEATURES
1. Detect CAN/CAN FD signals from outside insulation

The Non-Contact CAN Sensor SP7001/SP7002 can detect CAN signals from outside signal wires’ insulation, eliminating the need to prepare for testing by stripping wires or fabricating a sub-harness and reducing the number of man-hours needed to carry out development and evaluation work.

Because it detects signals in a contactless manner, the SP7001/SP7002 does not affect the electrical characteristics of the wires under test. Consequently, users no longer need to concern themselves with the possibility of ECU malfunctions being triggered by changes those characteristics, which is an issue with conventional methods.

2. Acquire CAN signals without modifying the network under test

Since the Non-Contact CAN Sensor can detect CAN signals simply by being affixed to the outside of insulated signal wires, there is no need to modify the vehicle under test. As a result, the product can be used at all stages of development, from standalone evaluation of ECUs to testing [BR1] of finished vehicles.

As development of self-driving technologies progresses, it is likely that testing of vehicles on public roads will become increasingly common. Since they do not require modification of the vehicle under test or affect the CAN network’s electrical characteristics, the SP7001/SP7002 can be used with peace of mind on public roads.

3. Connect to other manufacturers’ CAN interfaces (CAN analysis tools)

The Non-Contact CAN Sensor uses a standard 9-pin D-sub output connector that can be used to connect the product to analyzers, loggers, instruments, and other devices that provide a CAN interface.

 

■ PRINCIPAL APPLICATIONS

Development, design, and evaluation of automobiles and automotive parts

Watch the video:

Download catalog: SP7001 Catalog

Hioki is pleased to announce that its AC/DC Current Sensor CT6877, AC/DC Clamp Meter CM4375 and CM4376, and AC Clamp Meter CM4141 and CM4142 have been recognized with 2019 Good Design Awards by with the Japan Institute of Design Promotion.

CURRENT SENSOR
AC/DC Current Sensor CT6877
This pass-through current sensor measures large currents of up to 2000 A AC/DC with a high degree of accuracy. In addition to those measurement capabilities, the product’s broad frequency band and high noise resistance make it ideal for use in evaluation of inverters (devices that convert direct current to alternating current) used in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs), which are being designed to handle increasingly large currents and high switching frequencies, as well as of the batteries used in those vehicles.

CLAMP METERS
AC/DC Clamp Meter CM4375 and CM4376
These clamp meters feature new, thinner jaws (clamping sensors) that are easier to clamp around wires in confined spaces. Conventional clamp meters have jaws that are too thick to fit around some cables, hindering measurement work. Hioki improved the shape of the jaws in response to feedback from technicians in the field to enable measurement in locations where it had been impossible in the past.

*The AC/DC Clamp Meter CM4376 received an Honorable Mention Award in the Japan Electrical Construction Association’s 58th product contest, which was held at the JECA Fair 2019.

AC Clamp Meter CM4141 and CM4142
Despite their large diameter (55 mm), these instruments’ jaws (clamping sensors) pass easily through gaps between wires thanks to an extremely thin profile. They’re also warrantied for 30,000 cycles, up from 10,000 cycles for previous models, thanks to a more robust design. Hioki made both products easier to clamp around wires and more rugged in response to feedback from technicians in the field so that customers will be able to use them even longer.

GOOD DESIGN AWARDS
The Good Design Awards were founded more than 50 years ago to evaluate overall design and encourage excellence in its pursuit. Hioki has received a total of 75 of the awards since 1985, including two Long Life Design Awards.

Hioki’s goal is to enrich lifestyles and society by designing measuring instruments that are pleasing to hold and satisfying to use. The Good Design Awards earned by the AC/DC Current Sensor CT6877, AC/DC Clamp Meter CM4375 and CM4376, and AC Clamp Meter CM4141 and CM4142 attest to the product’ measurement functionality as well as their fulfillment of customers’ needs.

Judges offered the following comments:

AC/DC Current Sensor CT6877
The CT6877 offers technical features such as the ability to simultaneously measure four high-current electrical cables thanks to a large-diameter aperture and a broader frequency band than previous models. Complementing those benefits are design features like a compact form factor with a small enough footprint that it can be installed in a wide range of customer equipment and an attractively shaped resin enclosure that allows uninsulated wires to be measured safely. The result is an exceptional product.

AC/DC Clamp Meter CM4375 and CM4376
AC Clamp Meter CM4141 and CM4142
Reflecting a focus on the diameter and spacing of the electrical cables that are likely to be measured using clamp sensors and their distance from the walls behind them, Hioki has offered compact sensors with sufficiently high current ratings and tips that have a narrow cross-sectional profile so that they can fit easily into confined spaces. The resulting design eliminates problems that technicians have had using clamp sensors to measure indoor wiring, which is being installed more densely with smaller gaps between wires.