Field metering and protection
APM meters collect electrical and energy readings. MPR relays provide protection, breaker status and event data.
Power distribution automation system
From field metering, protection and communications to single-line displays, alarms and energy reports.
System components and capabilities
Communications gateway
A gateway collects configured points from field devices and forwards them over Ethernet.
Distribution monitoring platform
The platform displays circuit status on single-line views and provides configured alarms, trends, event records and energy reports.
From single-line drawing to automation
Define cubicles and points
List incomers, feeders, bus ties, capacitor panels and critical loads. Separate metering, protection and control by circuit. Record the model, measurement inputs and interface on drawings, and define status and alarm points.
Connect meters and relays
Verify CT/PT ratings, ratios and breaker auxiliary contacts against the device inputs. Check cutouts, auxiliary supply, terminal locations and I/O circuits during panel engineering.
Aggregate communications
Plan RS485 segments and device addresses. Poll Modbus RTU through a gateway, verify registers, scaling and units, and forward the data over Ethernet. Confirm other relay protocols against project interfaces.
Configure and commission monitoring
Map points to circuits and configure the single-line display, alarms, event records, trends and energy reports. Verify status, readings, communication loss and event time, and distribute data to authorized systems.
Which products fit my switchgear?
Separate metering, protection and control, then use the table to shortlist devices. Check the corresponding MPR models for bus ties, transformer differential and dedicated motor protection.
| Cubicle or circuit | Candidate product | Selection criteria |
|---|---|---|
| LV incomers and key metering circuits | APM-480 | Choose APM-480 for time-of-use metering or an LCD. Compare APM-480E when harmonic analysis is required. |
| Standard LV feeders | APM-440 | Match the variant to full electrical measurements, current only, or current plus energy metering. |
| Feeder protection panels | MPR-2013 | Combine feeder protection, breaker status, control and recording, then match the communications interface to the network. |
| Feeder, transformer or motor circuits requiring overcurrent protection | MPR-2014 | Verify phase and earth-fault overcurrent, non-electrical protection and reclosing requirements against the protection design. |
| LV capacitor compensation panels | APM-4700 | Match the compensation mode, incoming current sampling and number of stages, up to 12 groups. |
Use the same data for operations, troubleshooting and energy management
Understand energy and load
Collect energy and load trends by key circuit to support submetering and load analysis.
Trace faults faster
Use breaker status, relay operations, event sequence and disturbance records to locate a circuit and reconstruct an incident.
Modernize in stages
Inventory compatible installed devices, start with key measurements and alarms, then add reporting and remote operations as interfaces permit.
Energy management: from meter reading to analysis
Connect circuit-level energy readings to workshops, floors or equipment to see where energy goes, when demand peaks and how results change after an upgrade.
Meter energy by use
Map meters to incomers, workshops, production lines or floors. Collect readings automatically and aggregate energy use by shift, day or month.
Find anomalies in load and energy data
Review load peaks and valleys alongside production shifts or opening hours. Investigate loads that persist outside operating hours and differences between circuits.
Measure results on a consistent basis
Record energy use, output or operating hours before a change. Compare the same metering points and reporting periods afterward, accounting for changes in output or operating hours.
Two application examples
Shopping center
Meter HVAC, common areas and tenants separately. Compare overnight demand with opening hours and monitor incomer and transformer loading.
Automotive parts plant
Track shift energy use by workshop or production line and compare it with output. If a breaker trips, use alarms and event sequences to identify the affected circuit.
Discuss a distribution automation project
Share the single-line diagram, cubicle schedule, CT/PT inputs, auxiliary supply and communications requirements for configuration review.