Case Study: Midwest Utility reduces neighborhood light flicker with Dranetz power monitoring

Midwest Utility solves neighborhood light flicker with Dranetz and a 10 Hz voltage diagnosis

A midwest utility was receiving widespread complaints from a neighborhood about annoying light flicker. To investigate the issue, the utility employed a Dranetz power monitor to quantify the power quality problem on their 240-volt distribution bus.

Dranetz's power monitoring equipment captured and expanded the voltage waveform, revealing the disturbance was a 10 Hertz oscillation caused by a malfunctioning continuous welder operating on a three-cycles-on, three-cycles-off duty cycle. After the vendor's analysis identified this root cause, the welder's duty cycle was corrected. This solution ensured the voltage variations no longer occurred at the frequency most annoying to the human eye, resolving the flicker complaints for the entire neighborhood.

Midwest Utility