Understanding Power Quality & Energy Loggers

Understanding Power Quality and Energy Loggers: A Look at Chauvin Arnoux Solutions

Monday 22nd September 2025

Power quality is often overlooked until problems arise. Yet, in today’s energy-conscious world, it plays a vital role in maintaining efficiency, reliability, and cost control. Poor power quality can lead to equipment malfunctions, downtime, and inflated energy costs—issues no industrial, commercial, or utility operator wants to face.

This is where power quality analysers and energy loggers come into play. These instruments measure and record parameters such as voltage, current, power, harmonics, and transients. By doing so, they help engineers and facility managers diagnose problems, optimise energy usage, and ensure compliance with international standards.

Chauvin Arnoux, a well-established manufacturer of electrical measurement instruments, offers a range of analysers designed for different levels of need. In this article, we’ll focus on three models:

CA 8345 Qualistar+ Class A Power Quality Analyser
PEL51 Single Phase Power and Energy Logger
PEL 113 Power and Energy Logger

Each serves a unique purpose, from high-end diagnostics to practical, everyday monitoring. Let’s break down their features, benefits, and best use cases.

CA 8345 Qualistar+ – Precision Class A Power Quality Analyser

The CA 8345 sits at the top end of Chauvin Arnoux’s portfolio. It is a Class A Qualistar+ analyser, compliant with IEC 61000-4-30 Ed. 3 standards, meaning it delivers the highest level of accuracy and consistency for power quality studies.

Key Strengths

High measurement accuracy – essential for detailed power quality investigations.
Full compliance with Class A standards – ensures reliable data for regulatory or contractual obligations.
Comprehensive measurements – records harmonics, interharmonics up to the 127th order, flicker, transients, and more.
User-friendly HMI – large LCD colour screen with multilingual online help and a virtual keyboard.
Secure operation – password lock and sensor auto-recognition improve safety and efficiency.

Applications

In-depth energy efficiency audits.
Utility and grid compliance testing.
Industrial troubleshooting where poor power quality affects sensitive equipment.
Long-term monitoring of critical infrastructure.

Considerations

The CA 8345 is highly capable, but it’s also more complex and comes at a higher cost than entry-level models. It is best suited for specialists who require detailed, standard-compliant reporting rather than general electricians performing day-to-day checks.

PEL51 – Compact Single Phase Logger for Practical Monitoring

For more straightforward energy monitoring tasks, Chauvin Arnoux offers the PEL51 Single Phase Power and Energy Logger. This compact, cost-effective unit is designed to provide electricians and facility managers with a practical tool for everyday use.

Key Strengths

Single-phase simplicity – ideal for small commercial installations or single-phase systems.
Easy communication – supports Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and SD/SDHC storage (up to 32GB).
Portability – small form factor with magnetic casing makes installation quick.
Useful measurements – captures TRMS voltage and current, W, PF, VA, Var, and further calculations such as PF, DPF, and CF.
Accessible software – PEL Transfer allows real-time monitoring and reporting

Applications

Energy audits in smaller installations.
Tracking consumption trends in offices, retail units, or light industry.
Portable diagnostic tool for contractors and electrical maintenance teams.

Considerations

The PEL51 is limited to single-phase only, which excludes larger industrial or three-phase systems. Its measurement range (up to 3,000A with flexible clamps) is impressive, but it lacks the deep power quality analysis of the CA 8345. Think of it as a versatile logger rather than a diagnostic analyser.

PEL 113 – Versatile Three-Phase Energy Logger

Sitting between the CA 8345 and PEL51 is the PEL 113, a three-phase power and energy logger. This unit bridges the gap by offering broader functionality than the PEL51 while remaining more accessible than the CA 8345.

Key Strengths

Covers all installations – single-phase, split-phase, and three-phase systems.
Comprehensive measurements – AC and DC voltages up to 1,000V, currents up to 10kA AC or 5kA DC (depending on sensors).
RMS and DC measurements – plus active, reactive, apparent, and unbalanced values.
Motor analysis – via Android application.
Flexible recording – capable of logging data for several months, making it ideal for long-term studies.
Robust communication options – USB, Ethernet RJ45, and Wi-Fi.

Applications

Industrial maintenance – diagnosing inefficiencies in three-phase systems.
Energy audits – across factories, infrastructure, or transport facilities.
Breakdown of energy losses – identifying areas of improvement for cost savings.
Renewable and backup energy monitoring – compatible with generators, solar, and hybrid systems.

Considerations

While more advanced than the PEL51, the PEL 113 still doesn’t carry the Class A compliance of the CA 8345. It is therefore less suitable for strict regulatory reporting but excellent for practical energy management.

Choosing the Right Model

When selecting between these instruments, the right choice depends on application, budget, and depth of analysis required:

CA 8345 Qualistar+ – best for consultants, utilities, and engineers who need Class A compliance and detailed diagnostics for power quality and grid compliance.
PEL51 – best for electricians or maintenance staff working mainly with single-phase systems who need a portable, cost-effective logger for consumption monitoring.
PEL 113 – best for energy managers or maintenance engineers who want a versatile three-phase logger capable of covering complex installations without the cost or complexity of a Class A analyser.

Power quality analysers and energy loggers are invaluable tools for anyone involved in managing electrical systems. They help diagnose inefficiencies, prevent costly downtime, and improve sustainability by reducing waste.

Chauvin Arnoux’s portfolio reflects the diversity of applications in today’s electrical world: from the highly accurate CA 8345 Qualistar+, through the practical PEL 113, down to the portable PEL51 for everyday use.

By choosing the right tool for the job, businesses can ensure they are not only maintaining system reliability but also optimising energy use—a crucial step in today’s cost- and carbon-conscious environment.

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