Application Note

From the Fluke Digital Library @ www.fluke.com/library
Application Note
Load studies: six
common mistakes when
conducting a load study
Local regulations often require
facilities to conduct a load study
before adding new loads to
an existing panel. Electrical
engineers perform similar studies
for large scale expansions.
The purpose is the same:
measuring existing load levels
(three phase current draw) over
a complete 30-day usage cycle
allows electricians and engineers
to determine how much addi-
tional capacity is available in an
electrical panel.
Most of these professionals
have learned the hard way what
“not” to do when conducting a
load study. The risk: Mistakes
during setup lead to erroneous
and incomplete data, invalidating
the entire 30 day study.
Here’s a summary of the
six most common mistakes
to avoid when conducting a
load study.
1. Not fully charging the
logger prior to the session
Before performing a load study,
confirm the battery in the
energy logger is fully charged.
As with any product, the
battery will lose charge while
it is stored—whether it is brand
new or simply hasn’t been used
for a while. While the logger
draws its power from a conve-
nience outlet or the measurement
line when recording, it still
requires battery power to review
settings and data before installa-
tion and for backup power in the
event of an outage.