September 2022Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Using traditional tools such as a clamp meter or multimeter to test and troubleshoot solar photovoltaic (PV) installations takes a lot of time, and the accuracy of results may vary. There is a quicker and more accurate way to test solar PV systems, which could streamline maintenance tasks.
This is according to Comtest, the local representative of Seaward, which provides a number of specialist PV test solutions for both 1000 V and 1500 V systems, which are used and trusted by thousands of solar PV professionals across the world.
The Seaward PV200 solar installation tester allows electrical safety and performance verification of photovoltaic installations in a safe and easy-to-use device. Transforming the way PV systems are tested, the PV200 combines ground continuity, DC operating power and operating current test functions in a handheld device. It can also test insulation resistance, open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current at the push of a button. The unit can wirelessly capture and record real-time irradiance, ambient temperature and PV module temperature measurements from the Solar Survey 200R.
The PV200 has enough memory to store up to 999 datasets that can be stored on the instrument and, once downloaded to the SolarCert software, comparison to the standard test conditions can be made. Professional test certificates and reports can also be created when used with Seaward’s SolarCert software.
Also forming part of the product range is the Seaward PV200 Complete Solar PV Test Kit, which features:
• All-in-one commissioning tests and I-V curve tracing.
• Automatic fill factor calculation.
• Ground (earth) continuity measurement with test lead null.
• Memory for up to 999 records with USB download to PC.
• Instant NFC data transfer using the PVMobile app.
Meanwhile, the Seaward Solar Utility Pro can:
• Test multiple strings in parallel, up to 1500 V and 40 A.
• Test at a string level or in the combiner box.
• Record up to 999 full sets of string data.
• Test open circuit voltage (VOC), short circuit current (ISC), irradiance (W/m2), ambient temperature and more.
• Free product and O&M; training with every purchase.
Infrared thermometers for electrical, industrial and HVAC applications Comtest
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
: Comtest, distributor of Fluke test and measurement equipment, explains how handheld infrared thermometers are transforming maintenance in electrical, industrial and HVAC environments, with three measurement strategies and a wide range of practical applications.
Read more...Reverse-engineering legacy industrial gearbox parts
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
WEG Africa’s turbine workshop uses 3D scanning technology to reverse-engineer components for legacy gearboxes, turbines and compressors, enabling equipment to run for decades after OEM support and spare parts have dried up.
Read more...Unlocking ICCP remote monitoring Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Cathodic protection keeps buried and submerged pipelines safe from corrosion, but verifying it traditionally means costly, hazardous manual site visits. Omniflex explains how a retrofit module brings remote monitoring to ageing transformer rectifiers without replacing functional infrastructure.
Read more...Microdieseling – the explosions you never hear
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Microdieseling is a pressure-induced thermal degradation mechanism in which entrained air bubbles are compressed so rapidly that the surrounding oil ignites, producing soot, varnish and sludge. WearCheck explains how it happens, why the damage varies, and how oil analysis detects it.
Read more...Electrostatic spark discharge – when static strikes back Wearcheck
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
WearCheck technical manager, Steven Lumley explains how static electricity accumulates in modern low-conductivity lubricants, why compact system designs and fine filtration make ESD more likely, and how to recognise the degradation it leaves behind.
Read more...High-speed cameras for crash testing Horne Technologies
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Vision Research has expanded its Phantom C-series with two cameras optimised for crash and safety testing, offering 4 and 8 megapixel sensors rated to 170G, up to 1180 frames per second, and Phantom Academy application training planned for South Africa next year.
Read more...SKF extends remanufacturing expertise to bearing clearance modification SKF South Africa
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Using its clearance modification expertise, SKF helped a mining equipment OEM salvage spherical roller bearing inventory that would otherwise have been scrapped, confirming a new capability within its remanufacturing services and avoiding redundant procurement.
Read more...When maintenance-system compliance starts replacing plant reliability Wearcheck
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
WearCheck ARC division manager, Annemie Willer argues that the greatest threat to effective maintenance is no longer a lack of technology, but the gradual replacement of technical judgement by CMMS compliance, leaving no one owning the machine.
Read more...Nitration: the acid you didn’t see coming Wearcheck
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Nitration is as destructive as oxidation in many engines but far less understood. WearCheck technical manager, Steven Lumley explains how nitrogen oxide gases degrade lubricants, why the process is difficult to detect, and what oil analysis can reveal before damage occurs.
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