Transient and undetected power quality problems can cause unexpected and irreversible damage to sensitive equipment, unplanned downtime, and higher energy costs. A power quality audit from NPS measures exactly what is happening on your electrical network, pinpoints the cause of any disturbances, and gives you a clear plan to fix them.
What a Power Quality Audit Measures
An on-site power quality audit by our qualified technicians assesses every part of your electrical installation and logs how your power behaves over time, including:
- Supply voltage, and any sags, swells and transients
- Harmonic distortion on both voltage and current
- Load profile and demand across the logging period
- Line and phase balance
- Power factor and reactive power
- Earthing, polarity and neutral integrity
- Wiring, terminations and circuit loading
How the Audit Works
NPS connects calibrated power quality analysers at your switchboard or distribution boards and logs voltage, current, harmonics and power factor over a representative period, typically around a week. Our technicians then analyse the data against the relevant Australian standards and equipment limits to isolate the cause of any problem.
Your Power Quality Audit Report
Findings, analysis and recommendations are delivered in a detailed written report. It explains the power quality issues found, the likely cause, the risk to your equipment, and the practical steps to resolve them. NPS then works with you to carry out any remediation, from harmonic filtering and power factor correction through to lightning and surge protection and UPS systems.
Signs You Need a Power Quality Audit
- Nuisance tripping of breakers or RCDs
- Equipment failing earlier than expected
- Transformers, cables or motors running hot
- Flickering lights or display flicker
- A UPS that frequently switches to battery
- Unexplained downtime or data loss
- High energy bills or power factor penalties
- Before and after installing major new equipment
Why Choose NPS for Power Quality Audits
For over 30 years NPS has provided power protection to commercial and industrial sites across Australia and New Zealand. Our audits are vendor-independent, and because NPS also delivers UPS systems, surge protection and turnkey power solutions, we can carry the work right through from diagnosis to remediation. National coverage across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Power Quality Audits
What is a power quality audit?
A power quality audit is an on-site assessment and measurement of your electrical supply. Calibrated analysers log voltage, current, harmonics and power factor over time, so any disturbances that damage equipment or cause downtime can be found, explained and fixed.
What does a power quality audit measure?
It measures supply voltage and any sags, swells and transients, harmonic distortion on voltage and current, load profile and demand, line and phase balance, power factor and reactive power, and the integrity of earthing, polarity and wiring.
How long does a power quality audit take?
The on-site logging usually runs over a representative period of around a week, so normal and peak conditions are captured. A short site inspection can be done in a day, and the detailed report follows once the logged data has been analysed.
What is harmonic distortion and why does it matter?
Harmonic distortion is unwanted frequencies on your power caused by equipment such as variable speed drives, UPS systems and LED lighting. High harmonics overheat cables, transformers and motors, waste energy and can trip protection, which is why an audit measures them against accepted limits.
What is the difference between a power quality audit and an energy audit?
A power quality audit looks at the quality and stability of your supply, such as voltage, harmonics and power factor, to protect equipment and uptime. An energy audit looks at how much energy you use and where it is wasted. The two are related, and a power quality audit often reveals energy savings through improved power factor.
How do I know if I need a power quality audit?
Common signs are nuisance tripping, equipment failing early, hot transformers or cables, flickering lights, a UPS that often switches to battery, unexplained downtime, and high energy bills or power factor penalties. An audit is also worth doing before and after installing major new equipment.
What happens after the audit?
NPS delivers a detailed written report with the findings, the likely cause and clear recommendations. We then work with you to carry out any remediation, from harmonic filtering and power factor correction through to surge protection and UPS systems.
