Energy Audits Instrumentation I: Electrical, lighting, temperature and humidity

measurement
Energy University Course Transcript
Slide 1
Welcome to Energy Audits Instrumentation I: Electrical, lighting, temperature and humidity measurement.

Slide 2
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Slide 3
At the completion of this course, you will be able to:
Identify the appropriate instruments for measuring the various systems included in an energy audit
Describe specific requirements for using energy audit instruments, and you will be able to
Employ the proper technique to obtain correct measurements, for example: the proper positioning of probes

Slide 4
Energy audits are comprehensive evaluations of the actual performance of a plant’s energy using systems
and equipment compared against the designed performance level or the industry best practice. The
difference between observed performance and “best practice” is the potential for energy and cost savings.
The purpose of this course is to review the electrical, lighting, temperature and humidity measurement
instruments typically used in energy audits in order to select and employ an appropriate instrument for your
auditing needs.

Slide 5
An energy audit will comprise taking measurements with a variety of instruments. These include measuring
devices for electrical, lighting, temperature and humidity. Click on each icon to learn more.

Slide 6
Click on each icon to learn more.

Slide 7
One of the main things to measure in the audit is electricity. Electrical parameter measurements may be
captured with:
 Ammeter (A)
 Voltmeter (V)
 Power Factor Meter (PF)
 Power Meter (Watts, Vars, VA, PF)

Let’s review the specific requirements for using and obtaining correct measurements for each of these
instruments.

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Slide 8
A portable hand-held clamp-on ammeter is a common measuring instrument used to measure the electric
current in a circuit. This tool is generally used for maintenance of industrial and commercial electrical
equipment, and is temporarily clipped over a wire to measure current. To measure current, the ammeter
needs to be placed in series with the element (resistor, bulb, battery) that we are measuring.

Slide 9
A voltmeter is an instrument used for measuring the electrical potential difference between two points in an
electric circuit.
When working with a voltmeter:
 Attach the alligator clips to the probes before you turn on the meter
 These are useful for hands-free operation and keep fingers out of dangerous areas.
 A battery is good if the reading is within 20 percent of the rating on the battery or appliance
In other words, a reading of 7.2 or higher means a 9-volt battery is acceptable.
Don't use a meter with a cracked housing or probes with bare wires showing
Never use the ohm setting on a multi-meter on live voltage. You will damage the meter
Use a voltage probe or test light if you just want to check if a circuit is active

Slide 10
During your audit you will need to determine the power factor of the power system. To determine the power
factor, you will use an instrument called a “power factor meter” to tell you what the power factor is—typically
a number between 0 and 1, and the apparent power—which can be figured by taking a voltmeter reading in
volts and multiplying by an ammeter reading in amps.

©2009 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved. All trademarks provided are the property of their respective owners.
Slide 11
Harmonics, voltage fluctuations, transient over-voltage conditions and other power anomalies can wreak
havoc on equipment and processes. It is essential to fully understand the quality of the power that is being
delivered throughout the facility. Today's advanced electronic metering products can provide you with
accurate, real-time system values, capture waveforms and system events—including transients, flicker,
other voltage disturbances and harmonic distortion. A Power Meter (Watts, Vars, VA, PF) will allow you to:
 Identify harmonic distortion patterns and sources of voltage harmonics
 Identify dominant load types in circuits
 Identify linear and nonlinear loads
 Locate sources of harmonic current
 Track down overloaded or unbalanced circuits
 Reduce system overloads
 Measure output frequency of adjustable speed drive controllers

Slide 12
Please Note: Using electrical parameter measuring instruments can be dangerous and should only be used
by a trained and certified professional.

Slide 13
Areas can have too little light and they can have too much light. For example, the amount of light
appropriate for an office situation is not going to be acceptable in a surgical situation. Conversely, if the
office situation, were to adopt the same usage standard as the surgical situation they would be "over
lamped". With an Illuminance Meter—also known as a “Luxmeter”, it is relatively easy to determine the light
level by area.

However, it is important to be careful where you take the measurements, because the reading should be
based on the light levels at each task site, as opposed to overall or general ambient light levels in the room.

Slide 14
Measurements should be taken to ascertain that lighting conditions are adequate for the space. Use of a
light meter to measure lux (foot-candles) should be conducted at the working surface in a horizontal plane
76.2 centimeters (30 inches) above the floor. Since the objective is to measure the task illuminant, daylight
should be excluded. Thus, in an occupied area with windows, readings should be taken with the full use of
interior shading (blinds or draperies) to reduce direct solar gain.

©2009 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved. All trademarks provided are the property of their respective owners.
When measurements are taken, the reflections from other strong light sources should be minimized. Light
meters are generally sensitive to ambient temperatures, and should be only operated according to the
temperature range recommended by the manufacturer. Calibration is as important for light meters as it is for
temperature and humidity measuring instruments.

To learn more about lighting basics, please participate in the Energy University courses on lighting. These
courses may be found in the Energy University course catalog.

Slide 15
Temperature is an important variable in manufacturing, quality control, and maintenance processes.
Monitoring the temperature insures that processes are operating consistently under optimum conditions.

Ensuring optimal conditions results in improved product quality, increased productivity, and reduced
downtime. Temperature can be measured using a wide variety of sensor types, let’s discuss some of the
commonly used ones now.

Slide 16
The first temperature measurement instrument we’ll discuss is the mechanical thermometer. One of the
most common is the dual bimetal thermometer.

A dual bimetal thermometer provides readings in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. It is the type of thermometer
you are probably most familiar with, in that it is used in a wide variety of settings including:
 Indoor/outdoor wall thermometer—for checking ambient air temperature
 Food service thermometer—for checking the temperatures of refrigerators, walk-in coolers and
ovens
 Surface thermometers—for verifying oven temperatures
 HVAC thermostat—for checking HVAC systems

You may you may have the opportunity to use any one of these types of dual bimetal thermometers
throughout the audit process.

©2009 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved. All trademarks provided are the property of their respective owners.
Slide 17
Another temperature measurement instrument is the electrical thermometer. These encompass:
 Thermocouples and
 Resistive temperature devices (RTD)

Thermocouples are very simple and durable temperature sensors. They are comprised of two different
materials joined at one end and separated at the other. The separated ends are considered the output, and
they generate voltage which is proportional to the heat they are measuring or monitoring.

That is, the hotter the temperature, the higher the voltage. Two common applications of thermocouples are
measuring room temperature and monitoring the presence of a pilot light.

©2009 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved. All trademarks provided are the property of their respective owners.
Slide 18
Thermocouples are easy to use; however, the simplicity of the thermocouple may be deceiving. Many
factors can affect the accuracy of the system. Care needs to be taken when terminating the thermocouple at
the measuring device so that no errors are introduced at that point. The voltage at the thermocouple
terminals is proportional to the temperature of the junction so that when using a thermocouple, it is very
important that the junction of the thermocouple be in very close contact with the object that is being
measured.

Since the thermocouple is an electrically conducting wire, care must be taken so that there is no possibility
of contacting other exposed electrical conductors. Finally, over time the insulation between the two wires of
the thermocouple can breakdown and cause errors in the temperature reading, so be sure to verify the
accuracy periodically.

Slide 19
Moving on, we see the resistive temperature device—also known as an RTD.

RTD sensors measure temperature by measuring the change in electrical resistance across the metal wire.
The resistance value is then measured and interpreted by a RTD thermometer, and displayed for a user to
view. While an RTD wire can be made of any metal, platinum is the metal of choice due to its excellent
repeatability, stability and resistance to corrosion and chemicals.

Slide 20
All objects emit infrared energy, and the hotter an object is, the more active its molecules are, and the more
infrared energy it emits. Which brings us to the third temperature measurement instrument we’ll discuss: the
surface pyrometer.

Commonly used surface pyrometers include the:

 Infrared temperature gun, and
 Infrared camera

In either of these examples, their infrared thermometers sense emitted, reflected, and transmitted energy
from an object and translate this information into a temperature reading.

Slide 21
Energy passes through the infrared thermometer’s optical system and is converted to an electrical signal,
which is then converted and displayed as a temperature reading.

©2009 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved. All trademarks provided are the property of their respective owners.
Infrared thermometers offer some distinct advantages over contact thermometers, since they can measure
temperature without physically touching the object. Infrared temperature measurement is ideal for
measuring objects that:
 Are too far or too difficult to reach
 Require non-contamination from one reading to the next
 Are moving, rotating or vibrating
 Are too time consuming for contact sensors and require quick temperature measurements
 Have high temperatures up to 1,650 degrees Celsius or 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit
 Can be scratched or damaged by physical contact
 Have curved, distorted or varying surface conditions
 Are too thin or soft for contact sensors
 Are too hot to touch or approach, and/or
 Are electrically active and too dangerous to touch

Slide 22
Sometimes you may need to track temperatures over a given period of time. For this type of temperature
measurement you will employ a recording thermometer. Temperature recorders can be paper or digital.

The recording thermometer tracks temperature changes at regular intervals to provide a complete and
accurate record of temperature changes for an entire week.

A good regulated temperature recorder must take accurate readings on a reliable schedule. It should also
be sturdy and usable under a variety of conditions. The data must be stored in a secure environment,
making it impervious to alterations. The recorder should also be easy to install, use and move.

Slide 23
Maintaining proper humidity is important because uncontrolled humidity levels in a building can adversely
impact occupant comfort and health. Besides the effect on comfort and health, high indoor humidity levels
can damage a building’s furnishings and mechanical systems—even its structure—leaving the owner with
considerable maintenance or renovation expense. Additionally, low humidity will cause static electricity
problems—wreaking havoc on sensitive computer systems.

Slide 24
Hygrometers are instruments used for measuring relative humidity. These are the ones you may employ
during the audit:
 Psychrometer
 Hair tension hygrometer
 Electronic hygrometer
 Humidity recorder

General instructions for employing the use of these items include being sure that the meter is located away
from direct sunlight or near a supply air outlet, or other heating/cooling sources. Always refer to the
manufacturer recommendations for the time needed to stabilize the reading, and maintain the frequency of
calibration.

Let’s investigate each of these humidity measuring instruments in more depth.

©2009 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved. All trademarks provided are the property of their respective owners.
Slide 25
A psychrometer is an instrument commonly used in laboratories to measure relative humidity. It is also
referred to as a wet- and dry-bulb thermometer.

This instrument consists of two similar thermometers that are mounted side by side. The dry bulb has its
bulb exposed to the air. The wet bulb is wrapped in an absorbent material such as muslin, which is
immersed in water and serves as a wick.

When the web bulb is taken out of the water, it cools by evaporation of the water. If the bulb is whirled
around to hasten evaporation, it is called a sling psychrometer. There are also digital psychrometers. If the
air is forced past the bulb, it is referred to as an aspirated or ventilated psychrometer. The amount of
evaporation, and consequent cooling of the thermometer, depends on the humidity of the atmosphere—the
drier the atmosphere, the faster the water evaporates. In order to achieve the most accurate results, it is
important to protect the thermometers from radiant heat and ensure a sufficiently high speed of airflow over
the wet bulb.

Slide 26
In a simple mechanical type of hygrometer the sensing element is usually an organic material which
expands and contracts with the changes in the moisture in the surrounding air or gas. The material used
most is human hair.

The hair hygrometer uses hair under tension to measure humidity. When the relative humidity increases, the
hair becomes longer, and when it drops, the hair becomes shorter. This instrument uses strands of human
or horse hair attached to levers that magnify small changes in length.

Here we see a hair tension hygrometer with recording capabilities called a hydrograph. This instrument
consists of an ink pen and a rotating cylinder. It records humidity variations throughout the day.

It must be pointed out that hair hygrometers are not as accurate as their counterparts and register significant
errors at very high and very low relative humidity.

Slide 27
Modern instruments use electronic means of recording the information.

"Cooled mirror dew point hygrometers" are the most precise electronic hygrometer instruments available.
They use a chilled mirror and optoelectronic mechanism to detect condensation on the mirror surface. The
temperature of the mirror is controlled by electronic feedback to maintain a dynamic equilibrium between
evaporation and condensation on the mirror, thus closely measuring the dew point temperature.

Why select a Chilled Mirror Hygrometer?

©2009 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved. All trademarks provided are the property of their respective owners.
The chilled mirror hygrometer (CMH) dew point has several distinct advantages over other water vapor
sensing technologies. A CMH provides one of the few truly direct physical measurements of humidity. It is
recognized as the most precise method of determining the water vapor content of a gas above 5% RH
(Relative Humidity). So use this device when you need maximum precision of measurement.

The CMH's optical sensor is a totally inert device. The sample gas contacts glass and non-reactive metals.
Thus, it can be easily cleaned and can last indefinitely. Use it when the gas sample contains contaminants
and particulates, which would damage other types of humidity sensors.

Unlike polymer relative humidity sensors, lithium chloride dew cells, and other chemically-based sensors, a
CM sensor does not lose its calibration. So it is an ideal device when you need long-term calibration stability.

Slide 28
A humidity recorder tracks the level of humidity in a given location for a defined period of time. There are
several types of recorders including:
 Flatbed
 Vertical
 Circular
 Paperless, and
 Dataloggers

Let’s investigate each of these in more depth.

Slide 29
Flatbed Recorders are designed for easy transportability.
 Use them on the bench top to perform short-term monitoring

Vertical Recorders feature multiple recording channels, wall-mount capabilities, and paper spools.
 They are ideal for long-term monitoring in industrial settings

Circular Recorders allow you to record data on a single sheet of chart paper.
 Recorders typically record for a specific amount of time such as one hour, 24 hours, one day, or
seven days

Paperless Recorders represent the latest in data recording technology.

 View, analyze, and manipulate graphs and other representations of your data as it is being
recorded
 Paper records are replaced by onscreen trending and the data is stored in a memory card

Dataloggers are a paperless alternative to chart recorders with better resolution and accuracy.
 They're ideal for logging data in remote locations for extended periods of time, and you will be able
to
 Download the stored data to a computer for easy analysis

©2009 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved. All trademarks provided are the property of their respective owners.
Slide 30
Let’s wrap up with a brief summary.

Today, we discussed the appropriate instruments for measuring electrical, lighting, temperature and
humidity during an energy audit. We also reviewed the specific requirements for using these instruments in
order to obtain correct measurements. By selecting and employing the appropriate instrument for your
auditing needs you will be able to successfully participate in the energy audit process—and bring a greater
amount of energy efficiency to your organization.

Slide 31
Thank you for participating in this course.

©2009 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved. All trademarks provided are the property of their respective owners.