PICO EL040 User manual

Current Monitoring Kit
DO090-6
QUICK START GUIDE

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Pico Technology EL040 Current Monitoring Kit Quick Start Guide
DO090-6 i
CONTENTS
1Introduction............................................................... 1
2Kit contents................................................................ 3
3Installation................................................................. 3
3.1 Connecting the system together....................................3
3.2 Installing the software and instruction manual.................3
4Technical specifications.............................................. 4
4.1 EL005 – stand-alone data logger ...................................4
4.2 EL040 – current monitor converter ................................4
4.3 TA011 – 300 A current clamp .......................................4
5General safety warnings............................................. 1
6Technical support....................................................... 5

EL040 Current Monitoring Kit Quick Start Guide Pico Technology
ii DO090-6
Issues:
1) 2.10.02 WP A4 format
2) 2.10.02 Added safety warning
3) 17.3.06 Word A5 format. S1: Removed relay modules. S2: Added MI010.
S4.1: added EL041, RS-232.
4) 25.1.07 New logo & title font.
5) 1.9.08 New address.
6) 13.03.12 New cover, A5 format
© Copyright 2007-2012 Pico Technology. All rights reserved.

Pico Technology EL040 Current Monitoring Kit Quick Start Guide
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1General safety warnings
We strongly recommend that you read the general safety information
below before using your product for the first time. If the equipment is
not used as specified, then the protection provided may be impaired.
This could result in damage to your computer and injury to yourself
or others.
The product manual is installed on your computer when you install the supplied
software.
Maximum input range
The maximum input range and, where applicable, overload protection for the
EL040 is ±30 V. Always operate the product within this specified input range.
Operation outside the range of the overload protection is likely to cause
permanent damage to the unit.
Current clamps
Current clamps are intended to simply clip round an insulated conductor. You
must not make an electrical connection to the conductor, as doing so may be
dangerous and could cause damage to the equipment and your computer and may
cause injuries to yourself and others.
If you wish to work on uninsulated high-voltage cables, you should check the
suitability of the current clamp for this usage.
Hazardous voltages
Pico products are not designed for direct connection to hazardous voltages, such
as mains.
Safety grounding
The ground of every product is connected directly to the ground of your computer
by the interconnecting cable provided in order to minimise interference. Always
use the cable provided to attach the product to your computer.
You should assume that the product does not have a protective safety earth.
Incorrect configuration or use on voltages outside the maximum input range can
be hazardous.
Condition of equipment
Before using any of the probes, sensors or test equipment, make sure they are in
a satisfactory condition and not damaged in any way.
Repairs
The unit contains no user serviceable parts. Repair or calibration of the unit
requires specialised test equipment and must be performed by Pico Technology or
its authorised distributors.

EL040 Current Monitoring Kit Quick Start Guide Pico Technology
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2Introduction
The current monitoring kit from Pico Technology
contains everything needed to start logging
current consumption data from up to three
separate circuits. It is ideal for measuring and
balancing three-phase supplies as well as machine
monitoring and energy efficiency studies.
Current monitoring enables the amount of current consumed to be analysed,
highlighting areas of excessive consumption. Once any problems have been
identified, plans can be made to reduce the excess. This will reduce bills, increase
profits and in turn help the environment. Benefits will be seen from this analysis
in industrial applications as well as in the home.
As machinery gets older its current consumption often increases as parts become
worn and the machine's efficiency drops. Data collected from separate machines
over long periods of time can highlight problems before they become critical.
Servicing or replacement can then be scheduled before the machine fails, saving
on lost production time.
Alarms can be set to warn of higher or lower than normal current consumption of
machinery. This can be used to highlight problems, which if sustained may incur
expensive servicing costs.
The current monitoring kit has the facility to
store up to 250,000 readings from the current
clamps and requires no electrical contact with
the cable being measured. The data can be
easily downloaded on to a laptop or desktop PC
using the supplied EnviroMon software.
Additionally the EnviroMon software enables
data to be viewed either in a table or graph
format for analysis, and saved to other text or
image formats for inclusion into reports,
distribution by e-mail or live display on the
web. An example can be seen at:
http://www.picotech.com/dynamic
If you wish to monitor data from a remote site, it is possible to access the logger
via a modem. The computer will then retrieve data from the logger each time the
EnviroMon software is started.
The EnviroMon system can be easily expanded with additional sensors to enable
collection of data from current, voltage, temperature and humidity sensors. Each
EL005 data logger can support up to 10 converters which can be placed anywhere
along a 400 m stretch of network cable.
For further information on the additional sensors and accessories please visit our
web site:
http://www.picotech.com/enviromon.html

Pico Technology EL040 Current Monitoring Kit Quick Start Guide
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3Kit contents
EL040 current monitor
EL005 stand-alone data logger
Three 300 A AC current clamps (TA011)
Power supply
EL003 network cable (5 m)
1.8 m serial cable (MI010)
PC software, cables and manuals
4Installation
In order to set up the system, the EL005 data logger must be connected to a
computer by a serial cable. This is required even if you intend to use the EL005
as a stand-alone logger.
4.1 Connecting the system together
1) Attach the current clamp around only the LIVE wire of the device whose
current consumption you wish to log. The system can use 1, 2 or 3 current
clamps.
2) Connect the current clamps to the EL040 current monitor using the 4 mm
banana plugs.
3) Connect the EL040 current monitor to the EL005 data logger using the EL003
network cable provided. See sections 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 of the EnviroMon User
Manual if the EL005 is more than 5 metres from the EL040. The maximum
length of conventional cable between the two units is 400 m.
4) Connect the mains adaptor to the EL005 data logger and turn on the power.
The red light will flash once, remain on for 4 seconds and then flash at 2 Hz.
5) Connect the EL005 data logger to the computer using the serial cable
supplied.
Now that the hardware has been assembled, you are ready to install the software
on the computer.
4.2 Installing the software and instruction manual
Installing under Windows XP (SP2), Vista and Windows 7
1) Insert the Pico CD into your CD-ROM drive.
If autorun is enabled the CD will start up automatically.
If so, go to Step 5
2) Press the Start button and select Run
3) Type d:\pico (where 'd:' is your CD-ROM drive)
4) Press the Enter key
5) When the Pico CD main menu appears, click the Install Software button
6) The program will guide you through the installation

EL040 Current Monitoring Kit Quick Start Guide Pico Technology
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To run the software:
Press the Start button
Select Programs
Select Pico Technology
Select EnviroMon for Windows
After this you will have the option to take a guided tour for further software
assistance.
For further information on setting up the EnviroMon please consult the Getting
Started section of the EnviroMon Help file (which is installed with the software).
5Technical specifications
5.1 EL005 – stand-alone data logger
Sampling rate 1 to 240 minutes per sample
Max readings 250,000
Max. no. of sensors 30 (40 with EL037 and EL041)
PC connection RS-232 serial port
Power 12 V DC (mains adaptor supplied)
Backup battery Internal rechargeable cells
5.2 EL040 – current monitor converter
Number of channels 3
Sensor type Current clamp or current transformer
Max. input voltage 1 V RMS AC
Input impedance > 1 MΩ
Frequency range 20 Hz to 1 kHz
Accuracy ±1% (0 to 200 mV)
±2.5% (200 mV to 1 V)
Operating temperature -20 °C to +70 °C
Input connector 4 mm banana plug
5.3 TA011 – 300 A current clamp
Current range 0.1 A to 300 A AC RMS
Accuracy <50 A: ±3.0%
≥50 A: ±2.0%
Output voltage 1 mV AC per 1 A AC
Operating temperature 0°C to 50°C
Maximum conductor size 29 mm
Frequency response 50 Hz to 60 Hz
Safety note
The current clamp is designed to be used on insulated wires. Using
the clamp on uninsulated wires may damage the equipment and
cause injury to yourself or others.

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6Technical support
Answers to the most common questions and problems can be found in the
technical support section of the product manual, which is installed with the
software and accessible from the help menu.
The Pico Technology web site also contains regularly updated technical support
information at:
http://www.picotech.com
Contact information for our technical support team can be found on our website
and at the back of this manual.

EL040 Current Monitoring Kit Quick Start Guide Pico Technology
6 DO090-6
Manufactured in UK
Pico Technology
James House
Colmworth Business Park
St. Neots
Cambridgeshire
PE19 8YP
United Kingdom
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

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Current Monitoring Kit
DO090-6
QUICK START GUIDE