A new power-quality Web resource

Power quality or “dirty power” events, according to power quality solutions maker SoftSwitch (Middleton, WI), are a common problem for manufacturers around the globe. These disruptions in voltage, current or frequency can slip into any manufacturing facility, cascade through systems and severely impair automated operations. It’s estimated that in the U.S. these events cost businesses nearly $150 billion annually in lost revenue from unscheduled downtime. Amazingly, most manufacturers aren’t even aware of the problem.

Most dirty power events are voltage sags that last less than two seconds, which is ample time to cause downtime or damage. The typical response, according to SoftSwitch, is to frantically check equipment and software, when the real cause lies inside the lines that power them.

The new Web resource will help manufacturers learn more about dirty power and allows anyone to track the latest national Power Grid events. This snap-shot tool shows the various electrical events, from mild to severe, that occurred in the U.S. in the last 24 hours. It’s probably a good way to see where storms are and even how damaging they are. You can check it out at http://www.softswitch.com/sst/.