How can issues like supraharmonics be detected?

With Class A analyzers such as PQI-LV or PQ-Box 300, even high-frequency disturbances above 2 kHz can be accurately recorded.

Power Quality Monitoring in Buildings

Q: What does Power Quality mean in buildings?

Power Quality describes the voltage and frequency stability that affect all electrical components within buildings, influencing reliability and efficiency.

Q: Which standards apply to voltage quality?

The key standards are EN 50160 and IEC 61000-4-30 Class A, complemented by VDE-AR-N 4105/4110 for grid connection requirements.

Q: When is stationary Power Quality monitoring worthwhile?

Whenever high availability and voltage stability are required – for example in data centres, laboratories or buildings with sensitive IT infrastructure.

Q: How does A. Eberle support planners and operators?

Through a complete product portfolio ranging from mobile loggers to stationary monitoring and control systems: PQI-LV, PQI-DA smart, PQ-Box series and LVRSys®.

A Key Factor in Modern Building Design

Power Quality Monitoring in Buildings - A Key Factor in Modern Building Design

Power Quality Monitoring in buildings is gaining increasing importance as renewable energies, electromobility, and modern building technology fundamentally change electrical supply systems.
More and more non-linear loads - such as LED lighting, heat pumps, PV inverters, or charging infrastructure - affect voltage quality (Power Quality) and, therefore, the operational reliability of the Technical Building Equipment (TBE).
For planners and engineers, Power Quality has become a central design criterion for efficiency and grid stability.

Key Takeaways

Power Quality is part of every modern building design.
Supraharmonics (2–150 kHz) increasingly cause quality issues.
EN 50160 and IEC 61000-4-30 Class A define limits and measurement methods.
PQI-LV and PQI-DA smart enable real-time Class A monitoring.
LVRSys® automatically stabilises low-voltage grids.

What Does Power Quality Mean in Buildings?

Power Quality describes the quality of electrical supply - voltage, frequency and waveform distortion - which directly influences all electronic consumers within a building.
Disturbances such as harmonics and flicker arise from non-linear loads and lead to energy losses, malfunctions, or reduced lifetime of TBE components.

PQI-LV Class A Power Quality Analyzer from A. Eberle for continuous voltage monitoring in buildings — Fig. 1: PQI-LV - Class A Power Quality Analyzer

How Do PQ Measurements Ensure Planning Quality?

Early Power Quality monitoring in buildings makes it possible to design electrical infrastructures according to standards and to identify critical network points.
Measuring instruments such as PQI-LV continuously record network values in accordance with IEC 61000-4-30 Class A and automatically evaluate them according to EN 50160.
This allows causes of interference - such as supraharmonics - to be precisely located and grid stability to be sustainably improved.

Which Devices Are Suitable for Buildings?

Application	Recommended Device	Measurement Range	Key Feature
Socket / Office workplace	PQ-Box 50	50 Hz ± 10 %, up to 20 kHz	Mobile instant measurement
Sub-distribution / Floor	PQ-Box 150 / PQ-Box 200	up to 150 kHz	Harmonic & event analysis
Main distribution / Grid connection	PQI-LV	3-phase, IEC 61000-4-30 Class A	Continuous monitoring & standard comparison

Applications and Use Cases

Building Planning and Technical Building Equipment (Tbe)

An early assessment of voltage quality enables stable and efficient grid planning.
Power Quality monitoring helps to detect overloads, voltage dips, or harmonics before malfunctions occur.
For planners this means: better design, longer system lifetime, and lower maintenance costs.

Modern office building with solar integration and Power Quality monitoring infrastructure – A. Eberle GmbH & Co. KG — Fig. 2: Modern building technology with integrated Power Quality monitoring

Industrial facility illustrating Power Quality monitoring in industrial and commercial environments — Fig. 3: Power Quality monitoring in industrial and office buildings

Industry and Commercial Buildings

In industrial environments, non-linear loads - such as frequency converters or robotic systems - also distort network voltage.
Continuous monitoring in accordance with IEC 61000-4-30 Class A provides precise measurement data to ensure compliance with the EN 50160 limits.

Data Centres and Sensitive Consumers

In data-centre environments, network transparency and voltage quality are essential for operational reliability.
Devices such as PQI-LV enable detailed analysis - even in the supraharmonic range (> 2 kHz – 150 kHz).

Data centre visual showing continuous Power Quality and voltage monitoring for reliable operation — Fig. 4: Power Quality monitoring in data centres

Functions and Advantages of Power Quality Monitoring

Continuous network monitoring: Early detection of voltage deviations and harmonics
Standard compliance: Measurement according to IEC 61000-4-30 Ed. 3 and evaluation based on EN 50160
Permanent security: Stationary analysers such as PQI-LV continuously record data in the low-voltage network
Integration into energy-management systems: Open interfaces (e.g. Modbus, REST API) enable easy connection
Supraharmonic analysis: Detection up to 150 kHz for modern disturbances caused by power electronics

Procedure in Practice

Measurement:
Installation of a PQI-LV (stationary system) at central network points.
In the shown example, the measurement is performed with a PQ-Box 300, used as a mobile network analyser directly at the distribution board.
Evaluation:
Analysis with WinPQ mobil (mobile instruments) or WebPQ® (stationary systems) - displaying voltage curves, events, and harmonic spectra.
Result:
Evaluation according to EN 50160 criteria and derivation of targeted actions (e.g. filter technology, control, or rewiring).

Technician measuring voltage quality with PQ-Box 300 in a building’s distribution cabinet — Fig. 5: PQ-Box 300 in building application - mobile measurement of voltage quality directly at the distribution board

Results and KPI Effects

KPI	Effect	Benefit
Voltage deviations	reduced by up to –15 %	longer equipment lifetime
Energy efficiency	+ 3 – 5 %	fewer losses due to harmonics
System availability	+ > 98 %	fewer outages
ROI for monitoring	< 12 months	lower maintenance and downtime costs

FAQ

What is meant by Power Quality in buildings?

Power Quality describes the quality of voltage and frequency within a building. It affects the reliability, efficiency, and lifetime of all electrical components.

Which standards apply to voltage quality?

The main standards are EN 50160 and IEC 61000-4-30 Class A, supplemented by VDE-AR-N 4105/4110 for grid-connection rules.

How can I detect disturbances such as supraharmonics?

With Class A analysers such as PQI-LV and PQ-Box 300, high-frequency disturbances above 2 kHz can be precisely recorded.

When is stationary Power Quality monitoring worthwhile?

Whenever high demands on availability and voltage stability exist - for example in data centres, laboratories, or buildings with sensitive IT infrastructure.

How does A. Eberle support planners and operators?

Through a complete product portfolio ranging from mobile loggers to stationary measurement and control systems (PQI-LV, PQI-DA smart, PQ-Box series, LVRSys®).