The need to manage power is never more critical than now, with South African consumers facing skyrocketing power prices and suspect power quality. Electrical technicians today need to be more aware of power consumption and be on the lookout for consumption that is higher than anticipated. Once that occurs, technicians must become detectives and try to trace the power consumption back to its source. Predictive maintenance can be used to prevent and therefore avoid power problems in electrical distribution systems. In South Africa, we are all too aware of the consequences of a poorly-managed power grid.
However, according to Jos Meinama, the Fluke export sales manager for Industrial Tools, Western Europe faces very similar challenges to South Africa when it comes to power quality. Meinama was in South Africa recently to promote Fluke's range of tools for testing power quality as well as its relatively new thermographic imaging range, which can be used to inspect electrical connections and carry out predictive maintenance.
"Fluke's extensive range of industrial and electrical test tools are distributed in southern Africa by our sales partner, Comtest," says Meinama. "I wanted to meet our customers firsthand and make sure that we are continuing to provide good solutions for the South African market."
Meinama was last in South Africa 10 years ago and says he has seen much change in the market. He adds, "Technicians are much more aware of the value of predictive maintenance and are realising the value of the Fluke range in making this possible. The fact that Fluke has been in South Africa for more than 10 years shows its long-term commitment to the local market."
Fluke is actively promoting its range of tools for testing power quality as well as its range of thermography products, with new technology being introduced on a regular basis. Says Meinama, "There is very much a sense that the South African power quality market is similar to that in Western Europe. There we face many challenges that are similar to those faced here and we have seen the difference that predictive maintenance can make to power quality and supply. In Western Europe, electrical technicians are increasingly becoming able to predict and analyse power quality problems, ensuring that the national grid is properly maintained."
South Africa faces enormous - yet not insurmountable - power quality challenges and Meinama says that these can be dealt with in much the same way that Western Europe is maintaining its network. He says, "Fluke has added LEM Instruments power quality tools to its line of power quality testing equipment, designed to address a wide range of power quality testing applications."
"But we do not just assist our customers to monitor their power quality, we are also in a position to help them predict potential problems using thermography, which allows for predictive maintenance, also known as condition monitoring. To this end, Fluke has introduced a range of tools specifically for thermographic testing. The most recent of these being the Ti20, a tool that represents a breakthrough in both performance and price, allowing more customers access to these tools for predictive maintenance."
Meinama visited all of the major centres, including Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg, promoting the benefits of power quality testing and predictive maintenance in maintaining the national grid to Comtest customers, Fluke resellers and power utilities.
For more information contact Comtest, +27 (0)11 254 2200, [email protected]
| Tel: | +27 10 595 1821 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.comtest.co.za |
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