Power Quality Case Study
From Unexplained Machine Stoppages to Power Quality Control
Helping a UK automotive manufacturing site identify the electrical conditions behind recurring UPS alarms, machine resets and lost production time.
Project Snapshot
- Sector - UK Automotive Supplier Manufacturing Site
- Challenge - Recurring UPS battery transfers, machine trips and production interruptions with no clear cause.
- ACTENIQ Support - Temporary power quality monitoring, root cause analysis, remediation design, installation and ongoing remote monitoring
- Outcome - Reduced production stoppages, fewer unnecessary UPS transfers, lower harmonic distortion and improved visibility across the site’s electrical network.
Years of interruptions with no clear explanation
The Challenge
The investigation began with recurring UPS alarms and battery transfers.
Although the UPS was already being monitored, the client could see only the symptoms, not what was causing them.
Across the wider site, production machines had also been stopping unpredictably for years. Each event required operator intervention, machine resets and lost production time, but no clear connection had been made between the machine stoppages and the UPS alarms.
The ACTENIQ Approach
ACTENIQ installed temporary power quality metering at the site’s main electrical intake while the facility remained fully operational.
The system continuously monitored voltage, frequency, harmonic distortion and voltage change events. ACTENIQ then compared the findings against UPS behaviour, site conditions and production interruptions to identify the root cause
What The Data Revealed
The UPS was operating correctly. It was transferring to battery because conditions within the site’s electrical network were repeatedly breaching its protection thresholds.
Monitoring identified two main issues:
Incoming voltage dips- Frequent and unpredictable voltage disturbances were severe enough to trigger the UPS and cause production equipment to trip.
Harmonic distortion- Variable speed drives and other automation equipment were introducing high levels of harmonic distortion into the LV network, adding further stress and creating another UPS trigger condition.
The Outcome
ACTENIQ designed and delivered a complete remediation solution for the two problems.
An active harmonic filter was installed to reduce distortion within the LV network and improve power factor.
An active voltage stabiliser was installed to compensate for incoming voltage dips and maintain a more stable supply to the site.
ACTENIQ managed the work from specification and design through to installation, commissioning and ongoing remote monitoring.
- Reduce unplanned machine stoppages and reset time
- Prevent unnecessary UPS battery transfers
- Lower harmonic distortion across the LV network
- Improve power factor and network efficiency
- Reduce electrical stress on critical infrastructure
- Establish ongoing remote visibility of power quality performance
The equipment raising the alarm is not always the cause
This project began as a UPS investigation, but the real issue sat within the wider power environment feeding it.
Without continuous monitoring, the client could see repeated alarms and production interruptions but had no evidence connecting them.
Power quality monitoring revealed the electrical conditions behind both problems and gave ACTENIQ the evidence needed to design and deliver the right corrective solution.
Dealing with unexplained machine trips, UPS alarms or recurring electrical faults?
Speak to ACTENIQ about power quality monitoring, root cause analysis and practical remediation for your site.
