Why You Need AC Current Sensors Built Into Your Electrical Panels
Electrical current; it is powerful, and it is necessary for everything you do in your industrial plant. Yet, it has to be so carefully monitored and controlled, too. That is where an AC current sensor comes in. Most of your electrical panels probably already have current sensors and for plenty of good reasons. If you have never heard nor understood why current sensors are an integral part of your plant's electrical system, pull up a chair. You are about to find out.
Not Everything in Your Plant Is AC
AC stands for "alternating current." It is, predominantly, the current of choice in America. In almost all other countries around the world, DC, or "direct current," is the electrical current model of choice. That has a lot to do with Thomas Edison winning his argument with Nikolai Tesla, and the Americans choosing Edison's electrical delivery model over Tesla's. However, Tesla won out everywhere else, which is why all of Europe and many other countries use DC instead of AC.
The downside to this age-old electrical issue is that not all industrial machines run on AC. It is highly probable that you have at least one machine in your plant that runs on DC because you imported it from a country that builds only DC-powered machines. Because of that, your AC current sensor detects the DC power and shuts off power to the DC machine from your AC power lines. Separate power sources provide the DC current. If the AC sensor was not there to intervene, you would have quite the electrical explosion!
Current Switches Trigger Generator Shut-Downs
AC current switches are responsible for recognizing when there might be a power overload. This happens when the local power is temporarily lost, so your plant's generators kick in. When local power comes back online, the AC switch recognizes the surplus surge in energy and shuts off the generators. Electrical crisis averted, and energy saved.
Avoiding Injury
Current sensors are wired into lights and buttons that will tell you that the current is at a dangerous level inside the electrical panel. When properly alerted, the employees avoid going near the panels, and thus, avoid potential electrical burns and harm. When you can avoid all work-related injuries in your plant with such simple devices, you save millions of dollars in worker's comp claims and personal injury lawsuits. Have your commercial electrician check the switches in your plant today.