N4L Power Analyzers

Quick Comparison of Complete Power Analyzer Range

N4L Power Analyzers utilize the latest signal processing technology. Providing fast, accurate and repeatable measurements in the most demanding of applications. Whether you need to measure the efficiency of a variable speed motor drive or the losses in a transformer, N4L have a power analyzer measurement solution for you. Combining years of experience in high frequency measurement instrumentation with innovative developments in analog and digital design techniques to produce a new generation of class leading precision power analyzer. All Power Analyzers from N4L feature real-time no gap analysis as well as high sampling rates throughout all fundamental frequencies facilitating wide band gapless measurements on any input waveform. All Power Analyzers are provided with a UKAS ISO17025 calibration certificate, issued by our internal UKAS Laboratory (Calibration Laboratory No. 7949).

A Power Analyzer is a precision test instrument that measures the power consumption or generation (in Watts) of a device, circuit or sub system. Modern Power Analyzers are also able to determine the power factor, harmonic distortion, peak, mean and many more parameters of a signal.

A Power Analyzer samples the voltage and current wave forms entering or exiting a device under test(DUT), this sampling process typically occurs every 0.5us to 1us depending upon the analyzer model being used, some lower specification models from other manufacturers may sample as low as 100ks/s. Once sampled, the data is processed by a dedicated high speed digital signal processor (which can also be implemented on modern FPGAs) and the various derived parameters are calculated.

One important difference between oscilloscopes/data acquisition cards and true power analyzers is that a high end power analyzer (such as an N4L PPA) is able to record, store, process and delete samples “on the fly”. This means there is never a gap in the sampling process as the memory buffer is continually emptied after the samples are processed . This is uncommon and yet absolutely necessary for accurate power measurements.

N4L’s High Precision Signal Chain

N4L Power Analyzers are able to transfer raw sample points at full resolution across the isolation barrier. Traditional power analyzers do not transfer this “high speed” data as the isolation stage represents a bottleneck, other analyzers therefore perform computations prior to data transfer to the main CPU card.

The benefit of transferring raw data samples across the isolation barrier means that the FPGA and DSP can perform inter-phase parallel signal processing across phases. The result is exceptional phase accuracy through the implementation of a real time DFT performed upon the raw data samples. The nominal phase accuracy of the PPA5500-TE is 0.003º. A dedicated frequency detection DSP continuously tracks the input frequency and is capable of parallel filtering the input signal. This is beneficial if PWM type wave forms are to be analyzed, in all cases the parallel filtering process does not affect the raw data used to calculate the measured parameters, it only applies a filters to the data used for frequency detection.

Our Proprietary Power Analyzer Technology Provides You Ultimate Precision

What makes N4L power analyzers different to our competitors?

There are many power analyzer options on the market offering varying degrees of accuracy, yet at the top end of metrology you can narrow down your options to only a handful of manufacturers. Each manufacturer will profess that their solution is the best for one reason or another, at N4L we refer to hard facts and traceable data giving our customers clear, concise and useful metrics to make a decision. We have also developed various application modes and sophisticated power measurement algorithms that are key to achieving accurate measurements within dynamically changing environments. It is worth noting that it is a lot easier to achieve accurate measurements within a calibration environment using sinusoidal reference wave forms than it is within a distorted, dynamically changing motor drive or LED power measurement application for example. With this in mind N4L, alongside Oxford University (UK) have developed a 2MHz ISO17025 accredited watts calibrator based upon calorimetric principles utilizing a unique liquid heat transfer medium to enable rapid calibration of a test device. This research has given us a world leading watts reference up to 2MHz in frequency and highlights our philosophy of designing products that perform as well in real applications as they do on a calibration rig. The industry obsession with headline specifications often results in instrument designers neglecting what really matters – accurate measurements within real world environments in the presence of distorted wave forms and wide band power.

Key reasons to choose N4L:

• Best high frequency performance on market – key to achieving accurate power measurements of devices containing high distortion/switching frequencies

• Best Phase accuracy on market – traceable to ISO17025

• Best CMRR (Common mode rejection) on market – Important for floating differential measurements, for example when measurement current upon high common mode potentials

• Only Power analyzer manufacturer to offer power calibration up to 2MHz accredited to ISO17025

• Designed and Manufactured in the UK to ISO9001:2015 quality standards

• Exceptional low power standby measurements compliant to IEC62301

• Compliance to IEC61000-3-2, IEC61000-3-3, IEC61000-3-11 and IEC61000-3-12

• Frequency synchronization range from 10mHz up to 2MHz (PPA5500)

Example Applications

Variable Speed Motor Drive Analysis [PPA3500, PPA4500, PPA5500]

Variable speed motor drives have become the go to technology for motor control in many industries. From industrial automation, utility waste movement, large scale traction drives and now the electrical vehicle market. In particular, variable speed inverter drives pose great challenges to a power analyzer with regards to accurate power measurements and the PPA3500, PPA4500 and PPA5500 have been designed with this in mind.

Key measurements available with N4A PPA’s:

• AC Input to DC Bus power efficiency

• DC Bus to Inverter Output power efficiency

• Electrical to Mechanical efficiency using torque and speed inputs

• Current waveform distortion analysis

• Simultaneous wide-band and Fundamental measurement of electrical parameters

• Connection to high current external sensors such as LEM Zero flux transducers.

• Complete ISO17025 system calibration of signal chain including; PPA, Interface box and External current transducer

• Sophisticated parallel frequency filtering for dedicated frequency tracking DSP, providing rapid frequency tracking during acceleration/deceleration

LED Driver Efficiency Analysis [PPA500, PPA1500, PPA3500, PPA4500, PPA5500]

All N4L PPA series power analyzers are capable of measuring the efficiency and power quality of LED drivers, the PPA range enable the analysis of the following parameters;

• AC Input to DC output power efficiency

• DC Input to DC output power efficiency

• Separate DC content and AC ripple voltage analysis

• Inrush analysis

• PPA3500 – Simultaneous power and integrator/scope analysis

• Very low signal sensitivity

• Fast measurement updates down to 2ms

• High sample rates to ensure wide measurement bandwidth

Why choose N4L Power Analyzers for LED driver analysis?

• All instruments are ISO17025 accredited

• N4L offer fastest update rate in class

• Maximum sampling rate is always maintained, regardless of update rate

• PPA’s are able to separate DC content and AC ripple

• Gapless analysis ensures all data is analyzed

• Extremely stable measurements even at low signal levels

EN50564 + IEC62301 Standby Power Analysis [PPA500, PPA1500, PPA3500, PPA4500, PPA5500]

N4L PPA series power analyzers offer a highly accurate solution to standby power analysis, with custom designed software providing the user with the ability to make quick, simple, compliant measurements with ease. Each N4L Power Analyzer is supplied with UKAS ISO17025 accreditation, providing the user with ultimate confidence that the measurement made is correct and traceable.

Standby Power Measurement Overview;

• ISO17025 traceable measurements

• EN50564 + IEC62301 compliant

• AC Sources also available from N4L

• Start, Stop + Reporting function from custom designed software package – supplied free of charge with every instrument

• Software also analyses AC source for compliance during test

• Cyclic, Non cyclic, varying power and limited duration modes all catered for

• Breakout box available for simple, safe connection

IEC61000 Harmonics and Flicker Analysis [PPA5500, PPA55x1]

The PPA55x1(fully compliant) and PPA5530(pre-compliant) offer IEC61000-3-3, IEC61000-3-2, IEC61000-3-11 and IEC61000-3-12 compliance testing against the latest standards. N4L have developed a comprehensive ISO17025 calibration protocol that is available upon request to cover all aspects of IEC61000 harmonics and flicker. In particular, the d(t) tests performed as part of N4L’s IEC61000 ISO17025(UKAS) calibration protocol are unique to the industry as it is extremely uncommon to find coverage of d(t) tests within an accredited calibration procedure.

Why select N4L PPA55x1 power analyzers for your IEC61000 compliance tests?

• Most comprehensive ISO17025 accredited calibration in industry

• You deal with the manufacturer of the flicker meter/harmonic analyzer directly, rather than a system integrator

• Highly accurate

• AC sources and Impedance networks also available

• AC Source able to be calibrated on site by PPA – no need to ship AC source for calibration

• PPA verifies compliance of AC source during IEC61000 test

• PPA can also be used as a general purpose/development power analyzer in many applications

• PPA accepts up to 50Arms internally, higher currents can be catered for with external current transducers

Transformer loss characterization – IEC60076 [PPA5500-TE]

The N4L PPA5500-TE has been developed specifically for the transformer test and development industry, featuring 0.02% reading + 0.02% range error the PPA5500-TE is a market leader and reference for the transformer test sector. One of the key design features that give the PPA5500-TE’s such a performance advantage is its current shunt design, this proprietary design enables the PPA5500-TE to achieve 0.003deg phase accuracy. No other power analyzer on the market performs as well in this area, which is a key performance parameter for measurement at low power factors – for example during off-load core loss analysis.

PPA5500-TE overview;

• IEC60076-1 compliant

• 0.003deg phase accuracy

• 0.55% watts accuracy at PF = 0.01

• All accuracies accredited to ISO17025

• 3 year warranty

• Highly stable measurement

• Interface to external voltage/current transducers

• Harmonic analysis

• Compatibility with ADI40 temperature/DC sensor interface

Inductance Loss Analysis [PPA4500, PPA5500]

The PPA4500 and PPA5500 feature market leading phase accuracy, as such they are well suited to inductor(choke) loss analysis at both low and high frequencies. Typical power factors during inductor loss analysis are very low, as such great demand is placed upon accurate measurement of the phase shift between voltage and current in order to calculate the correct watts dissipation of the inductor or choke.

• Market leading low power factor performance

• Able to measure extremely low watts values upon a high VA range

• Bandwidth up to 2MHz (PPA5500)

• Excellent dynamic range

• High CMRR(150dB), essential for floating current measurements on top of high frequency noise

• Up to 50Arms internal current measurement range

Solar Inverter Design and Test [PPA500, PPA1500, PPA3500, PPA4500, PPA5500]

Evaluation of solar inverter systems require an instrument to synchronize to both DC waveforms (output of the solar cell) as well as AC waveforms (output of the inverter). This means the analyzer needs at least two independent frequency measurement channels, all PPA’s are capable of such measurements. In addition to this, it is vitally important for the power analyzer to acquire data from each channel synchronously. This ensures that power measurements and subsequent efficiency measurements are made using data that occurs during the same window in time, it is very common for power analyzers to not acquire data synchronously from each channel which leads to incorrect efficiency measurements. All N4L power analyzers can also be used for harmonic analysis of the inverter output waveform in order to verify compliance to relevant standards.

Why choose an N4L analyzer for Solar Inverter Analysis?

• Excellent DC accuracy for solar cell power measurements

• AC+DC coupling, enabling evaluation of both DC and AC content separately

• Harmonic analysis for inverter output distortion compliance

• Synchronous measurement of every input channel, ensuring time aligned power and efficiency measurement

• Fast acquisition options for transient analysis

• Continuous 2Ms/s(PPA5500) high sample rate regardless of window size and update rate

• ISO17025 accredited measurements as standard

Key reasons to choose N4L:

• Best high frequency performance on market – key to achieving accurate power measurements of devices containing high distortion/switching frequencies

• Best Phase accuracy on market – traceable to ISO17025

• Best CMRR (Common mode rejection) on market – Important for floating differential measurements, for example when measurement current upon high common mode potentials

• Only Power analyzer manufacturer to offer power calibration up to 2MHz accredited to ISO17025

• Designed and Manufactured in the UK to ISO9001:2015 quality standards

• Exceptional low power standby measurements compliant to IEC62301

• Compliance to IEC61000-3-2, IEC61000-3-3, IEC61000-3-11 and IEC61000-3-12

• Frequency synchronization range from 10mHz up to 2MHz (PPA5500)

Example Applications

Variable Speed Motor Drive Analysis [PPA3500, PPA4500, PPA5500]

Variable speed motor drives have become the go to technology for motor control in many industries. From industrial automation, utility waste movement, large scale traction drives and now the electrical vehicle market. In particular, variable speed inverter drives pose great challenges to a power analyzer with regards to accurate power measurements and the PPA3500, PPA4500 and PPA5500 have been designed with this in mind.