User's Guide: Publication 1083-649 Rev. B

User’s Guide
Publication 1083-649 Rev. B
AMETEK Power Instruments

255 North Union Street
Rochester, New York 14605
U.S.A.
Meridian Quatro is manufactured by AMETEK Inc.
This User’s Guide copywrite 2002 AMETEK Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this User’s Guide may be
reproduced or distributed in any form without the written permission of AMETEK, Inc.
Trademarks are acknowledged by following the capitalization and punctuation style of the holder of the
trademark.
Digitally signed by
John Sperr
John Sperr DN: cn=John Sperr,

o=Ametek PI,
ou=Rochester, c=US
Date: 2004.03.24
15:11:59 -05'00'
This
Signature
Not Verified
Location: Rochester,
NY
Power Instruments document is
APPROVED released
ii Meridian Quatro User’s Guide

Meridian Quatro operating precautions
Do not operate in an explosive atmosphere. Do not operate the unit in the presence
of flammable gases or fumes. Operation of any electrical instrument in such an
environment is unsafe.
No user-serviceable parts inside. Do not install substitute parts or perform any

modifications to the unit. Component replacement and internal adjustments must
be made by qualified maintenance personnel. Removing unit cover voids the war-
ranty. Under certain conditions, dangerous voltages may exist inside the unit even
when it is switched off.
Do not operate a damaged unit. If you suspect that the safety features built into this
unit have been impaired, either through physical damage, excessive moisture, or
for any other reason, disconnect power immediately. Unit malfunction may be indi-
cated by smoke, strange sounds, or a software crash. Do not use the unit until safe
operation is assured by service-trained personnel. If necessary, return the unit to
AMETEK for service.
Avoid liquid and heavy objects. Do not place any heavy or hot objects on the unit,
power cord, or wiring cables. Do not submerge the unit. Do not allow liquid to get
into the unit’s wiring connections.
Move the unit carefully. Before moving the unit, make sure that it has been discon-
nected from its power cord and all circuits. During transport, avoid shocks that
could damage the unit.
Do not overload voltage and current inputs. The maximum voltage supported by the
voltage input terminals is 480 VAC (480 V units) or 600 VAC (600 V units). The maxi-
mum impulse supported by the voltage input terminals is 1,200 Vpeak. It is recom-
mended that current input terminals be connected to current clamps supplied by
AMETEK.
iii
On-line help
All the information contained in this User’s Guide–and much more–is available in the on-line help
system that comes with Meridian ULTRA and Meridian PQ Software software. Meridian PQ Soft-
ware on-help includes:
• Clickable cross-reference links and links between related topics.
• A full-text search feature that can find any word or phrase, anywhere in the help system.
• Direct Web and email access to AMETEK (requires Internet and/or email access).
• The Meridian Quatro Setup Troubleshooter. This troubleshooter guides you through each step
of setting up Meridian Quatro, from installing the instrument to downloading power quality
data.
To access Meridian PQ Software on-line help on a PC, start Meridian PQ Software and press the
F1 key. To access on-line on Meridian ULTRA, press the F1 key at any time.
To start the Meridian Quatro Setup Troubleshooter, click the button at the top of the help window.
iv Meridian Quatro User’s Guide

Table of Contents
Meridian Quatro operating precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
On-line help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Chapter 1. Introduction to Meridian Quatro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Meridian Quatro overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2 Meridian Quatro operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.3 Meridian Quatro getting started checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter 2. Introduction to Meridian PQ Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.1 Installing PQ Software on a PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.1.1 Software Installation Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2 Installing Meridian PQ software on a PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2.1 Installation under Windows 95/98/2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.2.2 Installation under Windows NT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.3 Meridian PQ software Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.4 Working with survey data files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chapter 3. Installation and circuit connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.1 Installing Meridian Quatro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.2 Circuit connection overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3.3 Single phase circuit connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.4 Split phase circuit connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.5 Three-Phase wye circuit connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.6 Three-Phase delta circuit connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.7 Calibration and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Chapter 4. Communicating with Meridian Quatro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
4.1 Communication Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
4.1.1 Communication overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
4.1.2 Connection Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
4.2 Hardware manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4.2.1 Making a direct RS232 connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
4.2.2 External infrared (IR) module option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.2.3 Making an IR connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
4.2.4 Downloading Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4.3 Sending setup information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.3.1 Overview of sending setup information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.3.2 Using the Quick Start Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.3.3 Setting the date and time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4.3.4 Upgrading Meridian Quatro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4.4 Viewing data in real time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
4.4.1 Overview of viewing data in real time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
4.4.2 Customizing the measurement display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Chapter 5. Survey data analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
1
5.1 Overview of survey data analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
5.1.1 Survey data analysis checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
5.2 Opening a survey for data analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
5.3 Working with data display pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
5.3.1 Overview of working with data display pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
5.3.2 Menu bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
5.3.3 Selecting a page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
5.3.4 Record selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
5.3.5 Graphic pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
5.3.6 Text pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.3.7 Adding and removing measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.3.8 Exporting survey data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.4 Data display pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
5.4.1 Time-plot page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
5.4.2 Summary report page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
5.4.3 Text report page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
5.4.4 Harmonic spectrum page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
5.5 Page management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
5.6 Automatic Survey Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
5.6.1 Report Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
5.6.2 Report Options Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Chapter 6. Process formulas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Chapter 7. Meridian Quatro Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Chapter 8. Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Chapter 9. Contacting AMETEK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Chapter 10. Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
2 Meridian Quatro User’s Guide

Chapter 1. Introduction to Meridian Quatro
Chapter 1. Introduction to Meridian Quatro 1

1.1 Meridian Quatro overview
Meridian Quatro is a fully automated, self-powered three-phase electric power quality meter.
Meridian Quatro records a wide range of phase-to-phase and phase-to-neutral measurements,
including wattmeter and harmonic measurements, flicker, and transients. Meridian Quatro’s rug-
ged and weatherproof construction along with its high-capacity memory make it ideal for auto-
matic electric power quality recording in the field. Meridian PQ Software software, which runs on
any Windows 95/98/NT/2000 PC, makes it simple to set up measurements on Meridian Quatro and
then download and analyze data.
Meridian Quatro has four current and four voltage input channels. Simultaneous 8 KHz sampling
of all channels and fast digital signal processing enable period-by-period power analysis for cir-
cuits with operating frequencies of 45-65 Hz and 360-440 Hz. High-resolution peak sampling
allows for accurate transient recording.
Figure 1.1 Meridian Quatro
Meridian Quatro automatically records a wide variety of phase-to-phase and phase-to-neutral mea-
surements, including: voltage RMS, current RMS, active power, reactive power, high and low
voltage peaks, voltage harmonics*, voltage total harmonic distortion (THD)*, current THD*,
long-term flicker*, short-term flicker*, phase angle*, and frequency* (* indicates that the mea-
surement is not available in 400 Hz mode).
Most power quality measurements require the use of current probes. It is recommended that
Meridian Quatro be used with current probes supplied by AMETEK. Contact your AMETEK rep-
resentative for more information about the range of high-quality current probes available.
Meridian Quatro comes packaged with:
• Five voltage probe cables
• A jumper for the voltage input terminals
• A 9V battery
• A User’s Guide
2 Meridian Quatro Users Guide

• Meridian PQ Software for Windows communication and analysis software
• Power cord with 80-240 VAC adapter
• RS-232 communication cable, 6 ft. (not supplied if Quatro is set up with optional infared com-
munications)
The following options are available separately from AMETEK:
• Current probe clamps (it is recommended that Meridian Quatro be used with current probe
clamps supplied by AMETEK)
• Infrared (IR) module for direct IR communication with a PC or Meridian ULTRA unit
• Carrying case

1.2 Meridian Quatro operation
Meridian Quatro’s operation is fully automatic. It continuously monitors power quality and
records the results at a user-customizable rate. Meridian Quatro’s recording rate can be set to
record measurements anywhere from once per minute to once per hour. Meridian Quatro stores up
to eight months' worth of data in memory, depending on the recording rate and whether harmonics
are recorded (see Table below). Meridian Quatro retains stored data even in the event of a power
failure.
Recording rate (minutes) Recording capacity without Recording capacity with

harmonics harmonics
1 4 days 1 day
5 20 days 5 days
10 41 days 10 days
15 61 days 15 days
30 4 months 30 days
60 8 months 60 days
Table 1.1
Two adjustable belts allow easy installation just about anywhere, inside or outside. Meridian Qua-
tro’s LED indicators enable the operator to check immediately whether a circuit connection has
been made correctly.
Meridian Quatro is self-powered when measuring line voltages greater than 180 VAC (480 V
units) or 230 VAC (600 V units). At or below 180 VAC / 230 VAC an external power supply is
required.
Data can be downloaded from Meridian Quatro to a PC or Meridian ULTRA via an RS-232 port.
Optionally, Meridian Quatro is capable of communicating up to 10 meters away using a direct
infrared (IR) connection.
Using a Meridian ULTRA or a PC running Meridian PQ Software you can:
• Download data from Meridian Quatro’s memory
• Set up Meridian Quatro’s recording characteristics
• Analyse downloaded data and store or print the results
• View text displays of Meridian Quatro measurements in real time
Meridian PQ Software has an intuitive Windows interface and powerful data analysis and report
capabilities. Data can be saved in ASCII-CSV (comma separated variable) format, or automatic
user-configured reports can be generated in MS Word format. All graphical displays can be copied
and pasted directly into other applications.

1.3 Meridian Quatro getting started checklist
Follow the steps below to begin making power quality measurements with Meridian
Quatro right away.
1. Install the Meridian Quatro unit. Meridian Quatro can be used to measure power quality virtu-
ally anywhere, indoors or out (Section 3.1).
2. Set up Meridian PQ Software for Meridian Quatro.
• If you are using a PC equipped with an infrared port to communicate with Meridian Quatro,
you will need to install Meridian PQ Software software and make sure that the Quatro is
equipped with the infrared communication option.
• If you are communicating from a PC with RS232 port, install Meridian PQ Software and con-
nect an RS232 cable to the Quatro.
• If you are using a Meridian ULTRA to communicate with Meridian Quatro, you will need to
either install an infrared module (Section 2.1), or an RS232 cable.
3. Make circuit connections. Meridian Quatro supports four types of common circuit connec-
tions: single phase, split phase, three-phase wye and three-phase delta (Section 3.2).
4. Set up how Meridian Quatro records power quality data. Using a PC or Meridian ULTRA
unit, you can configure Meridian Quatro for your installation using the Quick Start Wizard
(Section 4.3):
• Set the circuit connection (single phase, split phase, three-phase wye or three-phase
delta),
• Choose whether voltage harmonics (to 50th order) will be recorded,
• Set a recording rate, the interval of time at which Meridian Quatro records data (1, 5, 10,
15, 30 or 60 minutes),
• Set the nominal line characteristics (voltage and frequency),
• Set the potential transformer (PT) and current transformer (CT) ratios (default PT and
CT ratio is set to 1).
5. Allow Meridian Quatro to collect survey data. Optionally, you can view Meridian Quatro mea-
surement data in real time using a PC or Meridian ULTRA (Section 4.4).
6. Download survey results. Survey data are easily downloaded from Meridian Quatro to a PC or
Meridian ULTRA (Section 4.1).
7. View and analyze survey results. Meridian PQ Software’s sophisticated data handling capabil-
ities allow you to display, analyze and print Meridian Quatro survey data (Section 5.1).

Chapter 2. Introduction to Meridian PQ Software
Chapter 2. Introduction to Meridian PQ Software 7

2.1 Installing PQ Software on a PC
Meridian PQ software for Windows runs on any Windows 95/98/NT/2000 PC. With Meridian PQ
software on a PC, you can:
• Send survey setups from the PC to Meridian Quatro,
• Download survey data from Meridian Quatro to the PC for storage and later analysis,
• View and analyze stored data on the PC,
• Monitor Meridian Quatro’s data collection in real time on the PC,
• Fully control Meridian Quatro operation remotely from the PC, including starting surveys,
stopping surveys and reconfiguring the instrument.
2.1.1 Software Installation Prerequisites

The following two Windows options may need to be installed on your computer before Meridian
PQ software can be installed.
RAS. You must install Microsoft RAS (Remote Access Service) on your PC prior to installing the
Meridian PQ software. RAS may already be installed on your computer. One way to check this is
to verify if you have the ability to create connections to the Internet using a modem. If RAS is not
found, installation will depend upon your Windows operating system.
Windows95: RAS is found on the Microsoft Plus! disk. This is separate from the program disk.
Windows98: RAS is included in the Dialup Networking feature, and is part of the default installa-
tion.
WindowsNT: Follow the description in the Windows User Guide for RAS installation.
Windows2000: Ensure that Network and Dial-up Connections is installed, which includes RAS.
NetBEUI. NetBEUI is a Microsoft network protocol that must be installed on your PC prior to
installing Meridian PQ software. You will need your Windows installation disks.
For Windows 95/98: Go to Control Panel/Network, and click on Add. Select Protocol, and click on
Add. Find and select Microsoft, then select NetBEUI and click OK.
For Windows NT/2000: Go to Control Panel and open Network and Dial-up Connections. Select
Local Area connections and display the Properties. Click Install. Select Protocol and click on Add.
Select NetBEUI and click OK.
If you do not have NetBEUI installed, you may see the following symptoms:
• Cannot see files and directories in “Instrument Settings/file management”
• Cannot start a user survey (keeps coming back to the default survey)
User Logon. To communicate with the Meridian, your PC must include the User Logon feature
whether you are connected to a network or not. If a logon window does not appear when booting
up your PC, refer to your Windows Help system for creating a User Logon. This procedure will
vary, depending on your Operating System.

2.2 Installing Meridian PQ software on a PC
Meridian PQ software can be installed on any PC running Windows 95/98/NT/2000.
NOTE: Have your Microsoft Windows 95/98/NT/2000 installation CD (or diskettes) handy
when you install Meridian PQ software. It may be needed during the installation of some of
Meridian PQ software’s communication and networking features. You must have network
administrator privileges to install this software on a PC with Windows NT or Windows 2000
operating systems.
You may have already installed Meridian PQ software to communicate with other Meridian power
quality instruments. If so, consider the following points.
• If you have installed Meridian PQ software to work with a Meridian ULTRA and you now
wish to work with Meridian Quatro, or vice versa, you will need to set up the new instrument
as the active connection.
To set Meridian Quatro as the active connection, first start Meridian PQ software. Choose
Communication Settings from the Main Menu, click on the Meridian Quatro tab, then click
the Set as active connection box and click OK.
To set Meridian ULTRA as the active connection, first start Meridian PQ software. Choose
Communication Settings from the Main Menu, click on the Meridian ULTRA tab, then
click the Set as active connection box and click OK.
• If the version number of Meridian PQ software that you have previously installed is earlier
than the version number of Meridian PQ software on your installation CD or diskettes,
upgrade Meridian PQ software by installing the latest version.
The version number of Meridian PQ software already installed on your PC can be obtained by
clicking ? on the menu bar at the top of the Meridian PQ software window, then About
Meridian PQ software. The version number of Meridian PQ software that came with Merid-
ian ULTRA or Meridian Quatro is printed on the installation CD or first installation diskette.
• If you have a Meridian ULTRA, when you upgrade Meridian PQ software on your PC you
must also upgrade the software on the ULTRA unit. To do this, access the Instrument Settings
window on Meridian ULTRA by clicking Instrument Settings on the Main Menu. Then click
Upgrade and follow the instructions that came with the software upgrade. Meridian ULTRA
does not have a CD-ROM drive, so if you wish to upgrade you will need to obtain Meridian
PQ software on diskette (contact your AMETEK representative) or connect Meridian ULTRA
to a network on which a CD-ROM drive is shared.

2.2.1 Installation under Windows 95/98/2000
Meridian PQ software installs automatically on any PC running Windows 95/98/2000. For instal-
lation from a CD, simply insert the CD. For installation from a diskette, insert the first installation
diskette. Click Start on the Windows taskbar, then Run. Type A:\Setup.exe, where A: is the name
of the floppy drive, and click OK.
2.2.2 Installation under Windows NT

After installing Meridian PQ software on a Windows NT PC, the Windows NT modem and dial-up
connections must be configured manually. First, install Meridian PQ software. For installation
from a CD, simply insert the CD. For installation from a diskette, insert the first installation
diskette. Click Start on the Windows taskbar, then Run. Type A:\Setup.exe, where A: is the name
of the floppy drive, and click OK.
Assuming RAS (remote access service) dial-up networking has already been installed (see
previous section), follow these steps.
1. If you will be using a modem for communication and you have not already installed it, do so
now.
2. Install a null modem driver for the serial port that will be used for communication. To do this,
open the control panel, click Modems, then Add.
3. Check Don’t detect my modem; I will select from list and click Next.
4. From the manufacturer’s list, choose AMETEK.
5. From the Models list, choose Meridian Quatro Serial Communication for the serial port
you will be using for serial communication. Click Next, then select the serial port and click
Finish. Click Close.
6. In the Modem Setup Window, click Yes. Add the modem and the null modem already installed
in the Remote Access Setup list. Click Continue, then restart the computer.
7. Finally, you will need to run the program SetDialUp.exe. To do this, click Start, then Run.
Type setdialup, then click OK.

2.3 Meridian PQ software Main Menu
The Main Menu screen appears each time Meridian PQ software is started. This menu gives you
access to Meridian PQ software’s main features. To return to the Main Menu at any time, choose
Main Menu from the menu bar at the top of the Meridian PQ software window.
If Meridian Quatro was chosen as the target instrument during Meridian PQ software installation,
or if Meridian Quatro was set as the active connection, the Main Menu will appear as shown
below. Three buttons are grayed out because these features are not available for Quatro.
Figure 2.1 Main Menu
Seven choices are available on the Main Menu for working with Meridian ULTRA.
• Quick Survey Setup sets up a new survey on Meridian Quatro by selecting from a range of
predefined measurement parameters.
• Real-time Meters displays Meridian Quatro measurements in real time.
• Automatic Survey Report generates a written report of survey results in MS Word format.
• Survey Data Analyzer opens a survey data file or downloads new survey data from Meridian
Quatro, as well as views and analyzes survey results.
• Communication Settings sets up Meridian Quatro to be operated remotely from any PC run-
ning Meridian PQ software. Meridian ULTRA can also communicate with any Meridian Qua-
tro unit.
• Instrument Settings sets general configuration information for Meridian Quatro.
• Close Main Menu returns you to a Meridian PQ software window.

Note: The Main Menu can also be closed by holding down the ALT key and pressing the
F4 key. Doing this again (holding down the ALT key and pressing the F4 key) on a PC will
close the Meridian PQ software application.

2.4 Working with survey data files
Meridian Quatro continuously collects measurement data whenever it is powered on. It records
these measurements in its non-volatile memory at a user-specified rate. To view and analyze this
data, it must first be downloaded to a PC or Meridian ULTRA unit. Each time data is downloaded
it is stored in a new survey data file on the PC or Meridian ULTRA’s hard disk.
Click Survey Data Analyzer on the Main Menu to open a survey data file or download a new sur-
vey data file from Meridian Quatro. The Survey Data Analyzer dialog box allows you to open a
survey saved to disk or download survey data from Meridian Quatro.
Meridian PQ Software’s sophisticated Windows interface allows you to view and analyze data
from several surveys at the same time.
To view and analyze data from a second survey, repeat the above steps. From the Main Menu, click
Survey Data Analyzer to open or download a new survey data file. You can open several win-
dows displaying graphical and text measurement results from several surveys, then move and
resize them as needed.

Chapter 3. Installation and circuit connections
Chapter 3. Installation and circuit connections 15

3.1 Installing Meridian Quatro
Meridian Quatro’s compact and weatherproof case makes it easy to install just about anywhere. If
Meridian Quatro will be exposed to precipitation of any kind, it must be installed in a vertical posi-
tion with the voltage and current input terminals on the bottom of the unit. The picture below
shows a typical exterior site installation. The two adjustable belts should be used to firmly attach
Meridian Quatro to a pole, cable, or other secure object.
Figure 3.1 Typical Meridian Quatro Site Installation
Meridian Quatro’s weatherproof case resists most forms of precipitation, dust, and other environ-
mental hazards when properly secured in a vertical position. The storage and operating environ-
ment for Meridian Quatro can range in temperature from -25oC to 60oC, with humidity up to 95%
non-condensing.
Note: Meridian Quatro is self-powered when the voltage between lines A and B is greater
than 180 VAC (480 V units) or 230 VAC (600 V units). At or below 180 VAC / 230 VAC an
external power supply is required. When an external power supply is not being used, to
ensure satisfactory long-distance communications, the voltage between lines A and B
should be greater than 220 VAC (480 V units) or 275 VAC (600 V units).
To use an external power adapter with Meridian Quatro, connect the power cord to the custom
connector on the side of the unit. Then, plug the power cord into a 80-240 VAC receptacle.
Meridian Quatro’s LED indicators located next to the voltage input terminals enable the operator
to check immediately whether the unit is powered up and whether a circuit connection has been
made correctly.
Warning: Before installing Meridian Quatro, refer to the operating precautions for
safety information at the beginning of this publication.

3.2 Circuit connection overview
Warning: Measuring high voltage is always hazardous. Circuit connections should

only be made by qualified personnel. Before making a circuit connection, refer to
the operating precautions at the beginning ofthis publication for important safety
information.
The maximum voltage input range for the Meridian Quatro is 600 VAC. The maximum impulse
supported by the voltage input terminals is 1,200 Vpeak. An external potential transformer (PT)
must be used for voltages exceeding these values. Refer to the PT manufacturer’s documentation
for information about installing the transformer in your circuit.
All input terminals and LED indicators are located on the bottom of the Meridian Quatro unit, as
shown in the figure below.
Yellow Power LED
Phase LEDs
Green
White
Blue
Red
A B C
Voltage Input RS232

Terminals Port
Current Input
Terminals
Line A Line B Line C Line N
Figure 3.2 Meridian Quatro Bottom View
Meridian Quatro comes with five color-coded voltage probe cables with “banana” connectors on
each end as well as a short white jumper for the voltage input terminals. The color coding of the
voltage input terminals is shown in the Table below.
Color of Voltage Terminal Connect to...

Red Power line phase A
Yellow Power line phase B
Blue Power line phase C
White Neutral power line
Green Ground
Table 3.1

Current input terminals are not color coded but are oriented in the same order as the voltage termi-
nals: line A is on the left, followed by line B, line C, and line N. To connect a current probe cable
to a current input terminal, match the notch in the connector at the end of the cable to the notch in
the current input terminal, push in firmly, and turn the connector 1/4 turn clockwise.
Note: It is recommended that Meridian Quatro be used with current probe clamps sup-
plied by AMETEK.
Meridian Quatro’s four LED indicators are located at the top right-hand side of the bottom of the
unit. The LED on the left is illuminated when the unit has adequate power. The other three LEDs
indicate phasor information for the three lines as well as recording information.
• If the current is more than ±50° out of phase with the voltage on one or more lines, the LEDs
show phasor information. The LED for those lines where the current is out of phase with the
voltage will blink, while the LED for the other lines (where the current and voltage are in
phase or not connected) will be illuminated.
• If the current and voltage are in phase (within ±50°) on all connected lines, the LEDs will
show a “running” pattern, blinking in sequence from left to right. This LED pattern indicates
that Meridian Quatro is correctly recording data.
If you make a circuit connection and the LED indicators show that one or more lines are out of
phase, check the following:
1. Is the current clamp reversed? Check that the current clamp is pointing in the correct direction
relative to the current flow, as indicated on the clamp.
2. Are the current and voltage leads correctly connected? Check that the current and voltage
leads from each line are connected to the proper current and voltage input terminals, as indi-
cated in the figure above.

3.3 Single phase circuit connection
In a single-phase connection, the line and neutral are connected to voltage and current probes as
shown below. If the unit is to be self-powered, a jumper must be used to connect the neutral and
line B voltage input terminals. The neutral current connection is optional.
Source
Load
N
G
Red
Yellow
White
Green
Jumper Power LED
Phase LEDs
A B C N
Figure 3.3 Single-Phase Connection
Check the LED indicators to verify that the unit is recording data properly (Section 3.2).
NOTE: Flicker measurements are only recorded on Channel A voltage.

3.4 Split phase circuit connection
In a split-phase connection, lines A, B, and neutral are connected to voltage and current probes as
shown below. Neutral current connection is optional.
A
Source
Load
B
G
Red
Yellow
White
Green
Power LED
Phase LEDs
A B C N
Figure 3.4 Split-Phase Connection

3.5 Three-Phase wye circuit connection
In a three-phase wye connection, lines A, B, C, and neutral are connected to voltage and current
probes as shown below. Neutral current connection is optional.
B
Source
Load
C
G
Red
Yellow
Blue
White
Green
Power LED
Phase LEDs
A B C N
Figure 3.5 Three-Phase Wye Connection

3.6 Three-Phase delta circuit connection
In a three-phase delta connection, lines A, B, and C are connected to voltage and current probes as
shown below. A jumper must be used to connect the neutral and ground voltage input terminals.
A
Source
Load
B
G
Red
Yellow
Blue
White
Green
Power LED
Jumper Phase LEDs
A B C N
Figure 3.6 Three-Phase Delta Connection

3.7 Calibration and Maintenance
Meridian Quatro should be calibrated annually to ensure measurement accuracy. To have your unit
calibrated, return it in its original packaging to an authorized AMETEK service center. Contact
AMETEK for the location of the service center nearest you.
Meridian Quatro requires no routine maintenance, although periodic inspection of the casing and
input terminals is recommended. Check that there are no cracks in the case and ensure that the
input terminals are free of dust, dirt and moisture.
Warning: Do not operate a damaged unit. If you detect physical damage, excessive
moisture, or other abnormality, disconnect power immediately. Do not use the unit
until safe operation is assured by service-trained personnel. If necessary, return the
unit to AMETEK for service.

Chapter 4. Communicating with Meridian Quatro
Chapter 4. Communicating with Meridian Quatro 25

4.1 Communication Basics
4.1.1 Communication overview

Communication with Meridian Quatro is accomplished via the RS232 serial port, or optionally an
infrared (IR) module located on the face of the unit next to the voltage and current input terminals.
Only one or the other is provided. If your unit has a 9-pin subminiature ‘D’ connector, it uses
RS232. If there is no D connector, your unit uses an IR port that “sees” through the red lens on the
front.
You can communicate with Meridian Quatro in one of the following ways, depending on which
port is included in your unit.
• Direct RS232 connection (standard). Use a Meridian ULTRA or any PC running Meridian PQ
Software. Communication can take place over distances of up to 15 meters (50 feet).
• Direct IR connection (option). Use a Meridian ULTRA equipped with an IR module or any PC
equipped with an IR module running Meridian PQ Software (Section 4.2.3). Communication
can take place over distances of up to 10 meters (33 feet).
Using an Meridian ULTRA or a PC running Meridian PQ Software you can:
• Download a survey data file from Meridian Quatro’s memory
• Set up Meridian Quatro’s recording characteristics
• Change Meridian Quatro’s data and time settings
• Upgrade Meridian Quatro
• View text displays of Meridian Quatro measurements in real time
Once survey data has been downloaded from Meridian Quatro, use Meridian PQ Software to ana-
lyze this data and store or print the results.
4.1.2 Connection Tips
Do not change the IP addresses found in TCP/IP for dial-up communication.

They are hard-coded as 10.192.168.0.15 for the ULTRA, and 10.192.168.30 for the PC. Changing
these IP addresses will prevent Meridian PQ software from establishing serial communications.
Note: this should not be confused with the IP addresses for Ethernet communication, which are
configurable and should be changed to match your network. One symptom of wrong IP addresses
would be when serial communication is established, but PQ software shows the message “Host not
found”.
Make sure that no other program is using the COM port you are trying to use
Other equipment or software will interfere with Meridian communications.

For serial communications, make sure you are using a one-to-one serial cable
The Quatro is supplied with a 6 ft. cable (AMETEK part number 3007-185) that can be used to
connect to a PC or Meridian ULTRA. A null-modem cable does not use direct one-to-one wiring,
and cannot be used for Meridian Quatro communications.
Check your serial baud rate

The Quatro default setting is 9600 baud for the serial communications port. If you are experi-
encing errors or problems connecting, you can change the setting to 1200 baud. This may be bene-
ficial especially if you are using infrared communications.
To change the baud rate, open the Meridian PQ software, click Communication Settings on the
Main Menu, then click the Meridian Quatro tab. Use the pull down menu to select a baud rate, and
click OK.

4.2 Hardware manager
The Hardware Manager provides an efficient way to allocate and keep track of how communica-
tion ports are being used. On a Meridian ULTRA, the hardware manager also displays the high-
frequency peak detector capabilities of the unit.
To access the hardware manager, click Communication Settings on the Main Menu, then click
the Local Hardware Manager tab.
Figure 4.1 Hardware manager tab
Click the Serial tab to see the current state of all the serial ports. Click the Parallel tab to see the
current state of all the parallel ports. The table below describes all states that can be assigned to
parallel and serial ports using the hardware manager.

Port State Description
Available The port is available and not assigned to any other
use (Meridian ULTRA or PC).
Quatro The port is reserved for communication with
Meridian Quatro using RS232 or an external
infrared (IR) module (Meridian ULTRA or PC).
Meridian The port is reserved for communication with
ULTRA Meridian ULTRA using a direct cable connection
(PC only).
Printer The port is reserved for a local printer (Meridian
ULTRA or PC).
8-IO The port is reserved for the digital I/O device
(Meridian ULTRA only).
Listening The port is reserved to receive communication
from a direct cable connection (Meridian ULTRA
only).
Mouse The port is reserved for a serial mouse (PC only).
Other The port is reserved for a use not listed above (PC
only).
Table 4.1
It is important that whenever a port is used for a new purpose, that use is registered in the hardware
manager. To change the use of a port, click on that port then click Change. Next, click on the State
drop-down list and select the appropriate use, then click OK.

4.2.1 Making a direct RS232 connection
You can communicate with Meridian Quatro using Meridian ULTRA’s serial port, or a PC
equipped with a serial COM port and running Meridian PQ Software.
Figure 4.2 Meridian Quatro RS232 Connection with a PC
1. Be sure Meridian Quatro is properly connected to a circuit and has adequate power. The Qua-
tro should be no more than 15 meters (50 feet) from the PC or Meridian ULTRA. If necessary,
longer distances can be attained using special communication cable and external devices; con-
sult AMETEK for more information.
2. Connect the Quatro to a serial port of the PC or Meridian ULTRA unit using the cable sup-
plied, or create your own standard RS232 cable with 9-pin D-subminiature connectors. The
cable pinout is one-to-one as follows.
RS232
Function
Connector
1 n/c
2 Quatro Tx (computer Rx)
3 Quatro Rx (computer Tx)
4 DTR (used for port power only)
5 RS232 ground
6 n/c
7 RTS (used for port power only)
8 n/c
9 n/c
Table 4.2
RS232 port isolation: rated 1500VAC for 1 minute to all other Quatro input/outputs

3. If you have not already done so, turn on Meridian ULTRA or start Meridian PQ Software on
the PC.
4. Use the Hardware Manager to allocate the serial port for communication (Section 4.2). Choose
Communication Settings from the Main Menu, then click the Local Hardware Manager
tab. Click the Serial tab, then click on the name of the port that the cable is attached to and
click Change. In the State box, scroll down to Quatro, then click OK.
5. Next, on the Meridian Quatro tab, check Set as active connection. Click the Serial radio
button and select the serial port being used. Finally, select the appropriate Bps: 9600
6. Use the Test Setting button to test the communication connection. If it is working properly,
Test setting will retrieve the serial number of the Meridian Quatro unit. When you are done,
click OK to exit the Communication Settings window.
You are now ready to use the serial connection. For example, from the PC or Meridian ULTRA
you can start a survey on Meridian Quatro (Section 4.3.2), view Quatro results in real time (Sec-
tion 4.4.1), download Meridian Quatro survey data (Section 4.2.4), or change Meridian Quatro’s
instrument settings (Section 4.3).
4.2.2 External infrared (IR) module option

If your Meridian Quatro is equipped with the infrared communication option (no RS232 connec-
tor), you will need an external IR module, which is available from AMETEK. This module has a
standard COM port connector that plugs into the serial port of any PC or Meridian ULTRA. The
module has a single toggle switch, used to set the baud rate for IR communication. Set the switch
to Long for 1200 bits per second and Short for 9600 bits per second (see Section 4.2.3).
The IR module has two possible power sources. A 9V battery can be installed in the unit. When
the unit is battery powered, the red LED on the top of the unit will illuminate only when the battery
is low and needs to be changed. When the battery is completely exhausted, the LED will not illu-
minate.
Note: When installing the 9V battery, ensure that the positive and negative terminals are
connected correctly, as shown on the bottom of the battery compartment.
Alternatively, an external AC adapter can be used. This adapter works on 110-240 VAC and is
available from AMETEK. When the unit is powered by the adapter, the red LED on the top of the
unit may illuminate occasionally. This does not indicate anything wrong with the operation of the
IR module.

4.2.3 Making an IR connection
If your Meridian Quatro is equipped with the infrared (IR) option, you can communicate to a
Meridian ULTRA using an external (IR) module or a PC using an external IR module running
Meridian PQ Software.
IR
co
n ne
cti
o n
IR module
Figure 4.3 Meridian Quatro IR Connection with a PC
Note: For optimal communication with Meridian Quatro, use the external IR module sup-
plied by AMETEK. This IR module has been specially designed for reliable communication
over short and long distances.
1. Be sure Meridian Quatro is properly connected to a circuit and has adequate power. Be sure
the IR module has adequate power (see Section 4.2.2). Point the IR module towards the bot-
tom of Meridian Quatro. There should be no large obstructions between the two IR ports and
they should be no more than 10 meters (33 feet) apart.
2. The IR module has a single toggle switch, used to set the baud rate for IR communication. If
the IR module is 1 to 10 meters (3 to 33 feet) from Meridian Quatro, set the switch to Long. If
the IR module is less than 1 meter (3 feet) from Meridian Quatro, set the switch to Short.
3. Connect the IR module to a serial port of the PC or Meridian ULTRA unit.
4. If you have not already done so, turn on Meridian ULTRA or start Meridian PQ Software on
the PC.
5. Use the Hardware Manager to allocate the serial port for communication (Section 4.2). Choose
Communication Settings from the Main Menu, then click the Local Hardware Manager
tab. Click the Serial tab, then click on the name of the port that the IR module is attached to
and click Change. In the State box, scroll down to Quatro, then click OK.
6. Next, on the Meridian Quatro tab, check Set as active connection. Click the Serial radio
button and select the serial port being used. Finally, select the appropriate Bps: 9600 if the IR
module is set to short or 1200 if the IR module is set to long.

7. Use the Test Setting button to test the communication connection. If it is working properly,
Test setting will retrieve the serial number of the Meridian Quatro unit. When you are done,
click OK to exit the Communication Settings window.
You are now ready to use the IR connection. For example, from the PC or Meridian ULTRA you
can start a survey on Meridian Quatro (Section 4.3.2), view Quatro results in real time (Section
4.4.1), download Meridian Quatro survey data (Section 4.2.4), or change Meridian Quatro’s instru-
ment settings (Section 4.3).
4.2.4 Downloading Data
Note: Before downloading data you must first establish a communication connection
between Meridian Quatro and a Meridian ULTRA or PC running Meridian PQ Software.
Survey data can be easily downloaded from Meridian Quatro to a PC or Meridian ULTRA. From
the Main Menu, choose Survey Data Analyzer, then choose Download to download data from
Meridian Quatro and click OK.
Next, choose a filename and directory in which to store the survey data. Each time data is down-
loaded it is stored in a new survey data file on the PC or Meridian ULTRA’s hard disk.
Once a survey has been downloaded, the Event Selection dialog box appears. For Meridian Quatro
surveys, the dialog box contains a single event consisting of all the Meridian Quatro measurements
in the survey. Simply click View Event and a default data analysis window opens.
Note: Downloading data temporarily halts all measurement and recording activity on
Meridian Quatro.

4.3 Sending setup information
4.3.1 Overview of sending setup information

Meridian Quatro has been pre-programmed to collect data for common power quality measure-
ments. For most measurements, Meridian Quatro requires very little software setup. Basic setup
information is sent to Meridian Quatro using Meridian PQ Software’s Quick Start Wizard, accessi-
ble from the program’s Main Menu.
More advanced setup information can be sent to Meridian Quatro using the Instrument Settings
window accessible from the Main Menu. This window allows you to change the time or date on
Meridian Quatro’s internal clock and upgrade Meridian Quatro’s firmware.
To send setup information to Meridian Quatro, first establish a communication connection
between Meridian Quatro and an Meridian ULTRA or PC running Meridian PQ Software.
4.3.2 Using the Quick Start Wizard
Note: Before modifying Meridian Quatro's setup you must first establish a communication
connection between Meridian Quatro and a Meridian ULTRA or PC running Meridian PQ
Software (Section 4.2.1 and Section 4.2.3).
Start the Quick Start Wizard by clicking Quick Survey Setup on the Main Menu.
The Quick Start Wizard has three steps.
1. Indicate the circuit connection being used and choose from a list of predefined Meridian Qua-
tro surveys setups. Each survey setup determines how Meridian Quatro will record data in two
ways: the recording rate and whether or not voltage harmonics will be recorded.
2. Indicate the nominal line voltage and nominal line frequency (50 Hz, 60 Hz or 400 Hz) for the
power line. Next, enter the CT and PT scale factors as described in the table below.
Circuit connection CT and PT scale factors

Current clamps are being used with- Click on the CT button and enter the CT Primary and
out an external current transformer. CT Secondary values as indicated by the ratio on the
clamp.
Current clamps are being used with To calculate the CT Primary value to enter, multiply
an external current transformer. the primary value on the external current transformer
by the primary value indicated on the clamp. Simi-
larly, to calculate the CT Secondary value to enter,
multiply the secondary value on the external current
transformer by the secondary value indicated on the
clamp.
Table 4.3

One potential transformer is being Click on the PT button and enter the PT Primary and
used on each line. PT Secondary values as indicated by the ratio on the
transformer.
More than one potential transformer To calculate the PT Primary value to enter, multiply
is being used on each line. together the primary values on each potential trans-
former being used. To calculate the PT Secondary
value to enter, multiply together the secondary values
on each potential transformer being used.
Table 4.3
Note: The same type of current clamp, external current transformer, and/or potential trans-
former must be used on each line (L1, L2, L3 and neutral) being measured.
3. Finally, review the choices you have made. If you wish to change anything, click Back to
return to the previous steps. If everything is correct, click Finish.
When the Quick Start Wizard is finished, Meridian PQ Software sends the information to the
Meridian Quatro unit and the unit immediately begins collecting data.
Warning: Sending a new survey setup automatically clears all data in Meridian Qua-
tro’s memory. If you wish to save this data, download it first before running the
Quick Start Wizard.
4.3.3 Setting the date and time
Note: Before viewing or setting Meridian Quatro's time and date you must first establish a
communication connection between Meridian Quatro and a Meridian ULTRA or PC run-
ning Meridian PQ Software (Section 4.2.1 and Section 4.2.3).
Choose Instrument Settings from the Main Menu, then click on the Date/Time tab. The time and
date of the Meridian Quatro’s on-board clock are displayed.
There are two ways to modify Meridian Quatro’s time and date settings.
• Click Sync to synchronize Meridian Quatro’s clock with the Meridian ULTRA or PC’s time
and date settings.
• To set the date manually, click the "..." box to the right of the date display and choose the cor-
rect date from the calendar. To set the time manually, click the "..." box to the right of the time
display and type in the correct time.

4.3.4 Upgrading Meridian Quatro
Periodically, AMETEK issues firmware upgrades to the Meridian Quatro instrument. These
upgrades are available to registered users on diskette or CD-ROM.
Note: Before upgrading Meridian Quatro you must first establish a communication connec-
tion between Meridian Quatro and a Meridian ULTRA or PC running Meridian PQ Soft-
ware.
To upgrade Meridian Quatro, choose Instrument Settings from the Main Menu, then click on the
Instrument Upgrade tab. The tab shows a list of directories and files. Follow the directions that
came with the upgrade.

4.4 Viewing data in real time
4.4.1 Overview of viewing data in real time

A Meridian ULTRA or PC running Meridian PQ Software can be used to monitor Meridian Quatro
measurement results in real time. The default real-time display shows typical instantaneous mea-
surements, including harmonics, Pst and Plt. Minimum, maximum and average values are not dis-
played in real time.
The real-time data display can be customized to show particular measurement results in a custom
format, and customized displays can be saved for future use.
Note: Before viewing data in real time you must first establish a communication connec-
tion between Meridian Quatro and a Meridian ULTRA or PC running Meridian PQ Software
(Section 4.2.1 and Section 4.2.3).
To view the real-time display, choose Real-Time Meters from the Main Menu. Measurement
results are displayed in the form of a table and are updated every four seconds.
Warning: Monitoring data in real time temporarily halts all recording activity on
Meridian Quatro. Any survey interrupted by real-time monitoring may contain some
inaccurate or incorrect data.
It is recommended that real-time monitoring of data only be used to verify that Meridian Quatro is
operating correctly, as follows.
1. Before beginning real-time monitoring, decide whether you wish to save the data currently
stored in Meridian Quatro memory. If so, download the data from the survey currently run-
ning.
2. View the real-time display by choosing Real-Time Meters from the Main Menu.
3. When you are done, clear Meridian Quatro's memory by starting a new survey. This is done by
running the Quick Start Wizard.
4.4.2 Customizing the measurement display

The text report and real-time display pages are entirely user-customizable. Any combination of
Meridian Quatro measurements can be displayed, and the colors, fonts, and layout of display can
be modified as desired.
This Section describes how to:
• Add a new measurement to a cell
• Remove a measurement from a cell
• Add or modify text in a cell
• Customize the way text is displayed
• Customize the way the background is displayed

Adding a new measurement to a cell . To add a measurement result to a cell, first click on the cell to
which you want to add a measurement and then click Meas. (to add a measurement to an empty
cell, simply double-click on that cell).
The Add measurement dialog box appears, allowing you to select a measurement from a list of
measurements organized into hierarchical folders. Click Display Unit to have the measurement
unit displayed in the cell with the value. Click one of the Legend buttons to have a legend
(description of the measurement) displayed in an adjacent cell above, below, to the left or to the
right of the measurement. Click No Legend if you do not want a legend displayed in an adjacent
cell. When you are done, click OK.
Removing a measurement from a cell. To remove a measurement from a cell, highlight that cell and
click Remove. You may also remove a measurement by highlighting the cell and using the Delete
key.
Adding or modifying text in a cell. To modify text in a cell, highlight that cell and type any charac-
ter on the keyboard. This action brings up a small text editing window. Modify the text as desired.
You may cut and paste text in this window using the standard Windows keys CTRL-C (copy),
CTRL-X (cut), and CTRL-V (paste). When you are done, press ENTER to close the text editing
window and save the changes.
To add text to an empty cell, highlight that cell and begin typing. A small text editing window
appears. You may cut and paste text in this window using the standard Windows keys CTRL-C
(copy), CTRL-X (cut), and CTRL-V (paste). When you are done, press ENTER to close the text
editing window and save the changes.
Customizing the way text is displayed. You can control the font, size, color and alignment of text in
the text report. First highlight the cells you wish to modify by clicking and dragging the mouse
over them. Next, click Option and the option dialog box appears. To modify the display of a single
non-empty cell, double-clicking on that cell brings up the Option dialog box directly.
Click Font... to modify the font, style, size, or color of the text. Click one of the alignment buttons
to set the alignment of text in the cell(s). Note that these changes only affect the highlighted cell(s).
Click the resize button and use the Resize dialog box to resize the height and/or width of the
highlighted cell(s). Note that resizing the width of a cell also resizes the width of every other cell
in that column, and resizing the height of a cell also resizes the height of every other cell in that
row.
Customizing the way the background is displayed. To change the entire background of the display,
click Option to access the Option dialog box. Click on the color swatch in the Grid section to
change the color of the background. Click on the grid button to display a grid of lines mark-
ing the cells.

Customized display pages can be added, removed, saved to disk for future use, or loaded from
disk. Display page management features are available by choosing Pages on the menu bar:
• Add allows you to add a new display page. Type the name of the new page, then click Add.
This page is added to the list of pages available for data display.
• Remove closes the display and removes that page from the list of available display pages.
• Save saves the current display page to disk, prompting you for a filename and location.
• Load opens a display page that has been previously saved to disk.
Note: Any changes made to the display page are permanent. If you customize the display,
the next time Meridian PQ Software is loaded the customized display will be used.
If more than one display page has been defined, you may view other pages by clicking the pages
button and clicking on the icon representing another display page.

Chapter 5. Survey data analysis
Chapter 5. Survey data analysis 41

5.1 Overview of survey data analysis
Meridian Quatro's sophisticated data handling capabilities allow you to display, analyze, print and
export survey data. Predefined default settings enable quick access to the most common data dis-
plays. Extensive customization means that any measurement result can be displayed in just about
any style.
Survey data is viewed using four types of display screens, called pages.
Time-plot pages graphically display selected measurement results over time. Time-plot
pages show trending information about survey results (Section 5.4.1).
Summary report pages display a text summary of the minimum, average, and maximum
values of measurements in the survey. Summary report pages show trending information
about survey results (Section 5.4.2).
Text report pages show a snapshot of measurement results displayed in table form (Section
5.4.3).
Harmonic spectrum pages display phase-to-phase voltage, phase-to-neutral voltage, and

current harmonics graphically and in table form. Any combination of channels and har-
monics can be displayed (Section 5.4.4).
All four types of pages are completely user-configurable, and customized pages can be saved and
used later to view and analyze other surveys (Section 5.5).
Meridian PQ Software includes an Automatic Survey Report Wizard that creates power quality
reports from survey data. These reports can be printed directly or saved in MS Word 97 format.
Meridian PQ Software also allows you to export survey data for use in other applications (Section
5.6).
5.1.1 Survey data analysis checklist

The checklist below shows the steps involved in analyzing Meridian Quatro survey
data.
1. Open a survey data file. In order to use the survey data analyzer, the survey to be analyzed
must be completed and saved to disk.
2. Select the display page. Select a particular display page to view survey results.
3. View and analyze data. Most pages begin by displaying the first recorded measurement. You
can scroll through the records in a variety of ways to see how measurement results change
over time. As well, display pages can be modified by adding, removing, or reordering mea-
surements and by customizing the text and graphical display of information.
4. Print and/or export survey data. Graphical and text data can be printed and/or exported. As
well, Meridian PQ Software automatically generates power quality reports from survey data.

5.2 Opening a survey for data analysis
To open a survey for viewing and analysis, choose Survey Data Analyzer from the Main Menu,
then choose either Download to download new survey data from Meridian Quatro or Open Local
to open a survey already saved to disk.
• Downloading data. See Section 4.2.4 for information about downloading new survey data
from Meridian Quatro.
• Opening a survey saved to disk. Clicking Open Local in the Survey Data Analyzer dialog box
brings up the Select File dialog box. Survey data files are organized into hierarchical folders,
much the way files are organized in Windows Explorer. Double-click on a folder to open it,
then click on the survey data file you wish to open and click OK.
Next, the Event Selection dialog box appears. For Meridian Quatro surveys, the dialog box
contains a single event consisting of all measurements in the survey. Simply click View Event
and the survey data file is opened. A default data analysis window appears.

5.3 Working with data display pages
5.3.1 Overview of working with data display pages

Meridian Quatro's data display pages enable you to display and analyze survey data in a variety of
ways. The Figure below highlights some basic features common to many display pages.
Menu bar (Section 5.4.2) Pages button (Section 5.4.3)
Record
selection
(Section
5.4.4)
Graphic
pane
(Section
5.4.5)
Text
pane
(Section
5.4.6)
Figure 5.1 Sample Display Page
5.3.2 Menu bar

The menu bar provides quick access to many of Meridian PQ Software’s features.
• Click Main Menu! to access Meridian PQ Software’s main menu.
• Click Print! to print the page currently displayed.
• Click Page to access features related to adding, removing, and managing display pages.
• Click Export to save data in ASCII-CSV format for use in any spreadsheet or other data analy-
sis application.
• Click Window to access standard Windows features for arranging and viewing windows.
• Click ? and choose Help Topics to access Meridian PQ Software’s on-line help system. Click
? and choose About Meridian PQ Software to obtain Meridian PQ Software’s release and
serial numbers.

5.3.3 Selecting a page
The Pages button allows you to choose different display pages for viewing survey data.
Click this button to see a list of predefined display pages for the survey. The upper pane shows the
recording rate and the lower pane shows a list of predefined pages. To add a page to the list, choose
Pages from the menu bar, then Add. See Section 5.5 for more information about managing pages.
5.3.4 Record selection

Display pages initially show data from the first record in the survey. There are two ways to view
data for later records in the survey:
• Clicking the right arrow button located next to the Time display shows measurement results
for the next record in the survey data file. Clicking on the left arrow button located next to the
Time display shows measurement results for the previous record in the survey data file.
• Clicking the Time button displays the Browse Records dialog box. Click and drag the scroll
bar to jump immediately to any point in the survey data file. The time of the record is dis-
played at the top of the dialog box.
5.3.5 Graphic pane

Most display pages contain a text pane summarizing the measurement results and a graphic pane in
which the results are plotted. Graphical displays can be pasted directly into other applications.
The graphic pane can be modified in a number of ways. To make the graphic pane’s vertical size
larger or smaller, click and drag the bar that separates the graphic and text panes. Some graphic
panes support zooming: to zoom in on the graphical display, highlight the area you wish to zoom
on by clicking and dragging the mouse down and to the right (ensure that the cursor is not
enabled).
To set other graphical display properties such as the display color of the curves or the location of
the scales, access the Properties window by double-clicking anywhere within the graphic pane.
Each tab of the Properties window controls a different aspect of the graphical display.
• Trend allows you to set the colors for four areas of the graphic pane: Background (background
of the scales), Foreground (font color for the scales), Trend (background of the curve display
area), and Auxiliary Lines (horizontal grid lines in the curve display area).
• X-Scale allows you to set the color of the font for the X-axis scale, as well as set the interval of
time displayed in the graph.
• Data Scales controls the display of the Y-axis scale(s). For each measurement scale displayed
you can set a font color and a range of values. The Capture button allows you to set automat-
ically the full scale to range from minimum to maximum data values. Note that the maximum
range of a data scale is set by the range of data values shown in the graphic pane. You cannot
make the full data scale larger than the range from minimum to maximum data values,
although you can make the data scale smaller in order to view part of the data in more detail.
• Scale Positions sets whether each Y-axis scale is displayed on the left or the right of the graph.

• Curves sets the color and optional symbols for each curve. It also allows you to display addi-
tional horizontal reference lines.
5.3.6 Text pane

Most display pages contain a text pane summarizing the measurement results and a graphic pane in
which the results are plotted. The text pane summarizes measurement results in table form.
Measurements can be moved up or down in the list by selecting the measurement to be moved and
clicking Up or Down.
5.3.7 Adding and removing measurements

In harmonic spectrum display pages, measurements are added to the display or removed from the
display by clicking the appropriate button along the left side of the page.
In other display pages (time-plot, summary report and text report), measurements are added to the
display or removed from the display using Add... and Remove buttons. To add a measurement to
these pages, click Add... and the Choose Measurement dialog box appears. Measurements are
organized into hierarchical folders, much the way files are organized in Windows Explorer. Click
on the measurement you wish to add and click OK. To remove a measurement, click on the mea-
surement in the text pane and click Remove.
5.3.8 Exporting survey data

Survey data may easily be exported for use in any spreadsheet or other data analysis application.
This section covers how to export survey data and the exported data file format.
How to export data. To export survey data, first open a survey data file and select an event for anal-
ysis. The default display page will open.
NOTE: The exported data file contains all data in a Meridian Quatro survey.
Next, click Export on the menu bar at the top of the data display page and the Save As dialog box
appears. Type a name for the saved file. You may save the data file under the default directory sug-
gested or browse to a different directory. You may save the data file on the unit's hard disk, floppy
disk or network neighborhood, if available.
Data file format. Exported data is saved in plain text (ASCII), comma separated variable (CSV)
format. The first row of the exported data file contains the file's full path and name. The second
row contains header information for each column of data. The remaining rows contain measure-
ment data, one record per row. The first column always contains the word "Date" and the remain-
ing columns list each measurement.
The remaining lines in the data file contain measurement data. The first column gives the date and
time of the measurement in the format "year-month-day hour:minute:second:millisecond." The
remaining columns give measured values. The value “NA” is written when there is no result for a
measurement in a particular record.

Figure 5.2 Sample Data File

5.4 Data display pages
5.4.1 Time-plot page

Time-plot pages show measurement results plotted graphically over time. Meridian PQ Software
comes with predefined time-plot graphs displaying common types of survey measurements.
Time-plot pages contain a text pane summarizing the measurement results and a graphic pane in
which the results are plotted. The default time-plot displays RMS voltages for all active channels.
To view other predefined time-plots, click the pages button and choose another time-plot
graph.
Time-plot graphs can be customized to display any combination of measurement results over vir-
tually any time period. Section 5.5 covers how to save, manage, and load customized display
pages.
Using the cursor. Two cursors with cross-hairs are available to determine measurement and time
differences between points in the graphic pane of time-plot pages. Difference measurements are
accomplished in three steps:
1. Click Enabled to display a cursor with cross-hairs indicated by solid white lines. Move the
cursor by clicking anywhere within the white box at the intersection of the cross-hairs and
dragging the pointer. The time location of the cursor position is now shown in the text pane.
The measurement value for each selected line at the cursor position is also displayed.
2. Click Reference to display a reference cursor at the center of the graph, indicated by dashed
white lines. The text pane now displays the differences between the cursor position and the
reference position for each selected line.
3. Click Save Ref. to shift the reference to the present cursor position. Now move the cursor to
any other location to view differences between the cursor position and the chosen reference
position.
NOTE: While the cursor is enabled, data values shown in the text pane correspond to the
position of the cursor in the graphic pane, not the data values plotted in the graphic pane.
5.4.2 Summary report page

Summary report pages contain information about survey data trends in table form. The default
summary report displays minimum, average, and maximum values for selected Meridian Quatro
measurements.
To find out the time at which the minimum and maximum value occurred for a particular measure-
ment, click on that measurement to highlight it, then click Details.
Information that appears in a summary report table is completely customizable. Section 5.5 covers
how to save, manage, and load customized display pages.
To add a measurement, click Add... and a Choose Measurements for Summary Row dialog box
appears.

Measurements are organized into hierarchical folders, much the way files are organized in Win-
dows Explorer. Choose the measurement to be displayed in the “Minimum” column of the sum-
mary report by clicking on a measurement in the measurement list and then clicking Set As Min.
Normally this will be the minimum measurement for the row. In the same way, choose measure-
ments to be displayed in the “Average” and “Maximum” columns. Finally, type in a descriptive
title for the row.
To edit a measurement, click on that measurement, click Edit... and a Choose Measurements for
Summary Row dialog box appears with the current settings for that row. Edit the dialog box as
desired and click OK.
5.4.3 Text report page

Text report pages show a snapshot of data recorded at a particular moment in time in table form.
The default text report page displays all Meridian Quatro measurements.
Note: Text report pages can also be used to display Meridian Quatro measurement data in
real time (Section 4.4).
Click on any measurement in the text report to display a window with a full description of the
measured value.
The text report display is entirely user-customizable. Any combination of Meridian Quatro mea-
surements can be displayed, and the colors, fonts, and layout of display can be modified as desired.
• Adding a new measurement to a cell. To add a measurement result to a cell, first click on the
cell to which you want to add a measurement and then click Meas. (to add a measurement to
an empty cell, simply double-click on that cell).
The Add measures dialog box appears, allowing you to select a measurement from a list of
measurements organized into hierarchical folders. Click Display Unit to have the measure-
ment unit displayed in the cell with the value. Click one of the Legend buttons to have a leg-
end (description of the measurement) displayed in an adjacent cell above, below, to the left or
to the right of the measurement. Click No Legend if you do not want a legend displayed in an
adjacent cell. When you are done, click OK.
• Removing a measurement from a cell. To remove a measurement from a cell, highlight that cell
by clicking on it and click Remove. You may also remove a measurement by highlighting the
cell and pressing the Delete key.
• Adding or modifying text in a cell. To modify text in a cell, highlight that cell and type any
character on the keyboard. This action brings up a small text editing window. Modify the text
as desired. You may cut and paste text in this window using the standard Windows keys
CTRL-C (copy), CTRL-X (cut) and CTRL-V (paste). When you are done, press ENTER to
close the text editing window and save the changes.
To add text to an empty cell, highlight that cell and begin typing. A small text editing window
appears. You may cut and paste text in this window using the standard Windows keys CTRL-
C (copy), CTRL-X (cut) and CTRL-V (paste). When you are done, press ENTER to close the
text editing window and save the changes.

• Customizing the way text is displayed. You can control the font, size, color and alignment of
text in the text report. First highlight the cells you wish to modify by clicking and dragging the
mouse over them. Next, click Option and the option dialog box appears. To modify the dis-
play of a single non-empty cell, double-clicking on that cell brings up the Option dialog box
directly.
Click Font... to modify the font, style, size, or color of the text. Click one of the alignment but-
tons to set the alignment of text in the cell(s). Note that these changes only affect the high-
lighted cell(s).
Click the resize button and use the Resize dialog box to resize the height and/or width of
the highlighted cell(s). Note that resizing the width of a cell also resizes the width of every
other cell in that column, and resizing the height of a cell also resizes the height of every other
cell in that row.
• Customizing the way the background is displayed. To change the entire background of the dis-
play, click Option to access the Option dialog box. Click on the color swatch in the Grid sec-
tion to change the color of the background. Click on the grid button to display a grid of
lines marking the cells.
5.4.4 Harmonic spectrum page

Harmonic spectrum pages display phase-to-phase voltage, phase-to-neutral voltage, and current
harmonics graphically and in table form. Any combination of channels and harmonics can be dis-
played.
To display a particular phase-to-phase or phase-to-neutral harmonic spectrum, simply click on the
appropriate button at the left of the page.
Use the button to zoom in on the graphical display, and the button to zoom out.
To choose the type of harmonics to be displayed, click Type.

5.5 Page management
Whenever you modify a data display page, the modified page is saved to disk when the survey data
file is closed. The customized page is automatically reloaded next time you open the survey.
Meridian PQ Software contains additional page management features that allow you to add a new
display page to a survey data file, remove a page, save page definitions to disk and load pages from
disk. As well, Meridian PQ Software’s advanced default page management feature enables you to
customize the list of default pages available to all surveys.
5.5.1 Adding, Removing, and Saving Pages

Page management features are available by choosing Pages on the menu bar.
• Add allows you to add a new page to the current survey. Choose the type of page to add and a
name for the page, then click Add. This page is added to the list of pages available for the sur-
vey, and the page is automatically opened as the active page.
• Remove closes the active page and removes that page from the list of available pages for the
survey.
• Save saves the active page to disk, prompting you for a filename and location.
• Load adds a page that has been previously saved to disk to the current survey and opens it as
the active page.
5.5.2 Default Page Management

The list of pages available for analysis of a survey data file is made up of two parts. The list
includes default pages that are the same for all surveys. The list also includes any modifications
specific to the current survey: new pages may have been added and default pages may have been
modified or deleted, as described in Adding, Removing, and Saving Pages.
Meridian PQ Software’s default page management feature enables you to customize the list of
default pages available to all surveys. It is available by choosing Advanced... from the Pages
menu on the menu bar. The default page management feature should only be used when you are
sure you want to permanently modify the default pages available for all future survey data analy-
sis.
The default page management window shows a list of all default pages. Click Add to add a survey
previously saved on disk to the default page list. A dialog box appears prompting you for the name
and location of the saved page definition. To remove pages from the default list, highlight those
pages to be removed by clicking on them, then click Remove.

5.6 Automatic Survey Report
Meridian PQ software can generate detailed power quality reports from your survey data. Among
the many possible uses of the report, you can:
• get an overview of the survey without browsing through all the data
• present managers and customers with a well-formatted, high-level view of the data
• analyze data quickly with the report’s automatically generated charts and tables
• easily edit the report to include any user-specific comments
The Automatic Survey Report Wizard requires that Microsoft Word 97 (or newer) English (United
States) version be installed. Meridian ULTRA comes with Word 97 already installed. If you wish
to generate a report on your PC, you must have MS Word installed on the PC.
Power quality reports are generated based on all the information contained in a survey. The report
generator looks at each measurement and finds interesting pieces of data for each measurement
based on highest and/or lowest values found in the event. You can tailor some of the search options
to produce larger or smaller reports, and then focus on different types of information with more or
less detail.
Meridian’s PQ software Automatic Survey Report Wizard guides you through generating a
customized report in a few easy steps. To access the Wizard, choose Automatic Survey Report
from the Main Menu.
Figure 5.3 Selecting the Automatic Survey Report

The Automatic Report Wizard will open and prompt you to select a survey from your archive.
Browse through your program directory and choose the survey (.svy) file that will be used to
generate the report. Click Next to continue.
Figure 5.4 Selecting a Survey to report
The Wizard will provide a screen to enter descriptive information about the survey report. Fill in
any blanks that apply and will assist in documenting the report. Use details that allow you to
differentiate this report from others that you have created. Note that this is optional information
and is not required to generate the report. Click Finish when complete.
Figure 5.5 Optional Text Descriptions for Report

The next screen, called Coarse Selection, is used to restrict the report content to only events of
interest. From the Survey page, you can see that the top half (Trig List) shows all triggers that have
been previously defined and the number of events recorded in the survey. The right column
displays how many events are included in your report; this will re-adjust automatically as you add
or delete events.
• A blue symbol next to the Trigger Name indicates that ALL events associated with the trigger
will be included in the report. When you click the Remove or Add button below the trigger
list, all events for that trigger are deleted from or added to the report respectively.
• A yellow symbol next to the Trigger Name indicates that SOME events associated with the
trigger will be included in the report.
• A red symbol next to the Trigger Name indicates that NO events associated with the trigger
will be included in the report.
In addition to the color sorting, there is a status bar near the bottom of the screen that provides a
text description of the highlighted trigger (or event) status.
Figure 5.6 Coarse Selection of Triggers for Report
Highlight a trigger in the upper half and click the Add button to include all events for this trigger in
the report. Note that the trigger symbol changes to blue.
If you only want some events to be in the report, highlight the event(s) to be removed in the lower
section “Event List”, and then click the Remove button. Note that the trigger symbol changes to
yellow (or red if all events are removed). Alternately, you can add events singly by highlighting an

event in the lower section and clicking the Add button, which will cause the “Events in Report”
counter to increment each time an event is added.
Note that all events remain in the list and are shown in red, even if removed from the report. You
can add them to the report at any time.
5.6.1 Report Limitations

As you add or remove events, the status box at the bottom of the screen will approximate the total
number of pages to be generated in the report. The maximum number of pages per report is 256
letter-size sheets. It is quite possible to exceed the page limit when long events or a large number
of events are included in one report. Some setup options may also significantly affect the report
size, such as focusing on highest and lowest values, or not grouping events in graphs. When you
add an event to the report list, Meridian PQ software will calculate the total number of pages and
advise if the 256 page limit has been exceeded.
Only the Trending event is included by default, although any other events may be added as
described previously. Alternately, the Trending event may be removed to make room for other
events. If a Trending event exceeds the 256 page limit, measurements in Trending will be automat-
ically pruned out starting with statistical high order harmonics and following with other less crit-
ical measurements. Note that only the Trending event is subject to measurement pruning, and
pruning can only occur if Trending is the only event in the report. This means that if you attempt to
add an event (along with Trending) that causes the total to exceed 256 pages, the event cannot be
inserted into the report.

5.6.2 Report Options Selection
From the Coarse Selection, choose the Options tab at the top of the page, and the following screen
will appear. Use this section to define the report features.
The Report section of the screen (upper half) is used to choose the features to be included in the
document. Click the check box next to an item to include it in the report.
The left column of the screen defines how the time-plot graphs will be presented in the report. You
can keep the factory default settings, or you can edit them as necessary. To make changes:
• Highlight a category of information from Maximum, Minimum, Average, Instantaneous, or
Waveform measurements.
• Select whether this category should focus on the highest and/or lowest value in each event.
Meridian PQ software will attempt to center graphs on those points of interest for each meas-
urement in each event. If measurements have been grouped, the graph will center on the high-
est and/or lowest value of the channel for which the trigger fired. If this is the Trending or a
complex trigger involving more than one channel, the report will attempt to center on the sin-
gle highest and/or lowest value among the measurements displayed in that particular graph of
the event.
• Enter the maximum number of records (data points on the graph) that you want to display in
the graph. If a survey does not have as many records as requested, it will plot all the available
ones, up to the amount entered.
The text box to the right of the arrow displays a summary of your settings, and updates as you edit
the settings on the left.

In the middle of the screen, you may choose whether to display One Measurement per Graph, or to
Group Measurements on a single graph. The advantages of grouping measurements are that you
save space in the report, plus you can directly compare some measurements on the same timeline.
Note that the grouping of measurements is automatic and not all mesurements can be grouped
together. The program will determine which ones are to be grouped, and create graphs based on
this decision. For each event, grouping occurs on a per-rate basis. Each measurement type (for
example: Volt Phase-to-phase Harmonic 23rd minimum) in a given rate is scanned and, if more
than one channel is present for that measurement, they will be put in the same graph. If a single
channel was recorded, then the measurement will be a single graph.
The Measurement Summary Tables button is used to insert two tables after each graph: one
summarizes the highest and lowest values in the graph, and one is for the highest and lowest values
in the entire event (in this rate) for the measurements shown in this graph. The values shown in the
latter table may or may not be seen in the graph, since the graph displayed is typically only a
portion of the data in the event/rate.
The Color Printing button should be depressed if you are generating a report that will be printed on
a color printer.
When you click OK, the report will automatically begin to generate. The following progress screen
will appear. The program will include the information checked on the previous Options screen,
which may include cover page, table of contents, events summary, and all graphs and data tables.
Depending upon the size of the survey, number of measurements and computer speed, this could
take anywhere from seconds to up to several hours in extreme circumstances. Every single data
point in the survey must be analyzed and compared as information is extracted to the report. A fast,
efficient computer is recommended to perform automatic reports on complex and large surveys.
To discontinue the report generation process, you may press the Cancel button at any time. The
program will attempt to stop generating tasks, but in some cases, this may take some time.

Figure 5.7 Report Progress Screen
The Automatic Survey Report Wizard requires that Microsoft Word 97 (or newer) English (United
States) version be installed. Meridian ULTRA comes with Word 97 already installed. If you wish
to generate a report from your Personal Computer, you must have MS Word installed on the PC.
When the program finishes generating the report, it will automatically open Word and display the
results. The report is automatically saved as a .DOC file in the same directory as the original
survey data.

180
175
Volts peak
170
165
160
12:00 0:00 12:00 0:00

8/16/99 Time 8/18/99
Voltage Peak Hi L1 Maximum [Volts peak]
Figure 5.8 Sample Report Excerpts

Chapter 6. Process formulas
The table below shows process formulas and measurement units for all Meridian Quatro measure-
ments.
Quantity Formula Unit

127
1- 2
RMS voltage V rms = -------- ∑V (n) Volts (V)
128
n=0
127
1- 2
RMS current I rms = --------
128 ∑I (n) Amps (A)
n=0
127
1
Active power P = ---------
128 ∑ V( n ) × I(n ) Watts (W)
n=0
Apparent power S = V rms × I rms Volt-Amps (VA)

Volt-Amps Reac-
Reactive power Q = S ∠P
2 2
tive (VAR)
P
Power factor PF = ---
S
None
127
1-
Active energy ∑ --------
128 ∑ V( n) × I(n ) KiloWatt Hours
5min n=0 (KWh)
∑ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
sec
KWh = -
6
3.6 ×10
50 Percentage of
Total harmonic 2
distortion
THD = ∑ Hi fundamental
i=2 frequency
Chapter 6. Process formulas 61

Maximum positive value and maximum negative value
Transients are recorded for each quantity during each recording Varies
cycle.
Flicker Refer to IEC 61000-4-15 (868 standard) None

Chapter 7. Meridian Quatro Specifications
General
Voltage inputs Phase A, B, C, neutral and ground
Current inputs Phase A, B, C and neutral
Power types Three-phase delta, Three-phase wye, three-four wire, split phase, sin-
gle phase
Operating Power
AC voltage 180-480 VAC from measuring line (480 V unit)
230-600 VAC from measuring line (600 V unit)
Power adapter 80-240 VAC
Frequency 45-65 and 400 Hz
Measurement Accuracy
Voltage ±0.2% full scale
Current ±0.2% full scale
Impulse 125 µsec, ±0.2% full scale
Resolution 16-bit recorder
Environment
Enclosure Weatherproof
Operating temperature -25o C to 60o C
Operating humidity 0 to 95% non-condensing
Physical
Dimensions 220 mm X 160 mm X 75 mm (8.5'' x 6'' x 3'')
Weight 1 Kg (2.2 lbs)
Enclosure Kydex 510
Chapter 7. Meridian Quatro Specifications 63

Measurement Range and Capability
Channels Four voltage/four current
Input type Single-ended
Impedance 5 Megaohm
Voltage 50-600 VAC, 0.01-20,000 PT ratio
Current 0-3 VAC, 0.01-10,000 CT ratio
Sample rate 8KHz voltage and current
Impulse 1.2 KVPK ±0.2% full scale
User Interface
PC software Meridian PQ Software for Windows
Compatibility Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000
Memory
Internal Mbyte flash memory, stores up to 8 months of data
Real-time clock 10-year battery life, time/date/year, year 2000 compliant
Communications
Serial RS232 Internal, standard. 9-pin D connector, 2 meter cable included.
Port isolation rated 1500 VAC for 1 minute to all other Quatro inputs/
outputs
Infrared (IR) port Internal, optional. Short distance (1 meter at 9600 baud/second) and
long distance (10 meters at 1200 baud/second)
RS485 External, optional.
Measurement Capability
Voltage and current RMS average, minimum and maximum on all measurements (config-
urable by user)
Power quality Waveshape faults, sags and swells, frequency, transients
Power VA, VAR, Watt, PF
Energy Watt hours
Harmonics Individual harmonics up to 50th order (voltage), THD (voltage and
current)
Flicker Pst, Plt (according to IEC 868 & IEC 61000-4-15)
Recorder
Activation 1, 5, 10, 15, 60 minutes (configurable)

Chapter 8. Glossary
CBEMA plot. A CBEMA plot summarizes information about voltage sags and swells that could
affect computers and other electronic instruments.
Circuit connection. A wiring connection between a power quality meter’s voltage and current
input terminals and the lines to be monitored. This connection can be made with any or all of the
following: voltage probe cables; voltage clamps, current probe cables; current probe clamps;
potential transformers; current transformers.
Clamp. See Current probe clamp.
CPF curve. See Flicker.
CPF curve (flicker) page. CPF curve (flicker) pages display cumulative probability flicker mea-
surements graphically, and display average and short-term flicker measurements in table form.
Any combination of phase-to-neutral or phase-to-phase voltage channels can be displayed.
CT. See Current transformer.
CT ratio. The factor by which a current transformer divides the power line current.
Current probe clamp. A clamp that is placed around a power line. The output of a current probe
is proportional to the current flowing in the line and can be read with a power quality meter.
Current transformer. A transformer used to step down (divide by the CT ratio) the current in a
power line to within the measurement range of a power quality meter.
Display page. See Page.
Fast transient*. A unidirectional voltage or current impulsive transient lasting less than a milli-
second.
Flicker*. Impression of unsteadiness of visual sensation caused by a light whose luminance or

spectral distribution varies with time.
Chapter 8. Glossary 65
Graphic pane. Area of a display page in which measurement results are plotted graphically.
Harmonic frequency. A frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental frequency (usually 50 or

60 Hz).
Harmonic measurement. Measurement of total harmonic distortion (THD) in a voltage or cur-

rent waveform resulting from the presence of harmonic frequencies, or measurement of an individ-
ual or set of harmonic frequencies.
Harmonic Spectrum Page. Harmonic spectrum pages display phase-to-phase voltage, phase-to-
neutral voltage, and current harmonics graphically and in table form. Any combination of channels
and harmonics can be displayed.
Impulse. See Fast transient
Independent channel circuit connection. A circuit connection used to measure individual volt-
ages and currents on up to four channels that are not necessarily related.
Infrared module. A communications module which uses an infrared frequency to transmit and
receive data. An infrared module is built into Meridian Quatro, and an external infrared module
with a serial port connection is available for use with Meridian 4000 and PCs.
IR module. See Infrared module.
LED indicators. Red light-emitting diodes visible through the infrared port on the bottom of the
Meridian Quatro unit.
Measurement. A measurement is defined in a survey setup by specifying the power quality char-
acteristic to be recorded in the survey.
Nominal line frequency. A value assigned to a power line which describes its intended supply
frequency.
Nominal line voltage. A value assigned to a power line which describes its intended supply volt-
age.
Page. Meridian PQ Software screen used to display and analyze survey data. Pages can be used to
display and analyze data as they are collected in real time or after they have been saved to disk.
Peak detector page. Peak detector pages display voltage transients of duration greater than 1 ms
and with a frequency content (harmonics) greater than 5 KHz.
Phase-to-neutral measurement. Measurement of a voltage difference between a line (phase) and

the neutral conductor.
Phase-to-phase measurement. Measurement of a voltage difference between two lines (phases)

in a multi-phase circuit.

Phasor diagram page. Phasor diagram pages show voltage and current amplitudes and angles in
table form and in a standard phasor diagram. Phasor information can be displayed for phase-to-
neutral or phase-to-phase voltages, for any harmonic order.
Potential transformer. A transformer used to step down (divide by the PT ratio) the voltage in a
power line to within the measurement range of a power quality meter.
Power factor. The ratio of active power (Watts) to apparent power (volt-amps).
PQ Software. Windows 95/98/NT/2000 software used to view and analyze survey data and com-
municate with Meridian ULTRA and Meridian Quatro.
Power quality survey. See Survey.
PT. See Potential transformer.
PT ratio. The factor by which a potential transformer divides the power line voltage.
Record. A set of measurement results for an interval of time. During a survey, at each interval of
time specified by the recording rate, a record is saved of measurements associated with that
recording rate. A survey can have different recording rates associated with different sets of mea-
surements.
Recording rate. The recording rate is the interval at which a power quality meter records mea-
surements associated with it. A recording rate of 1 minute means that the unit records data every
minute, based on measurement results collected during the previous minute.
Single phase circuit connection. A circuit connection used for measuring a single line and neu-
tral line.
Split phase circuit connection. A circuit connection used for measuring two lines (phases) and a
neutral line.
Summary report page. Summary report pages display a text summary of the minimum, average,
and maximum values of measurements in the survey. Summary report pages show information
about survey results over time.
Survey. A set of power quality measurement results collected continuously over an extended
period of time. Surveys are composed of records. A survey is started by pressing the “Start” button
in a Survey Setup or Survey Control window. A survey stops when the “Stop” button is pressed in
the Survey Control window, or a new survey is started, or the power quality meter is powered
down.
Survey data file. A file saved on disk containing measurement results from a single survey.
Survey setup. The parameters which define a survey. These include triggers, recording rates,
measurements, circuit connection settings and general measurement processing settings.
Text pane. Area of a display page in which measurement results are displayed in table form.
Chapter 8. Glossary 67
Text report page. Text report pages show a snapshot of measurement results displayed in table
form.
Three-phase wye circuit connection. A circuit connection used for measuring three lines
(phases) and a neutral line.
Three-phase delta circuit connection. A circuit connection used for making phase-to-phase
measurements on three lines (phases) without a neutral line.
Time-plot page. Time-plot pages graphically display selected measurement results over time.
Time-plot pages show information about survey results over time.
Total harmonic distortion (THD). The distortion in a voltage or current waveform resulting from
the presence of harmonic frequencies.
Transient*. Voltage or current phenomenon of short duration. An impulsive transient is a unidirec-

tional voltage or current impulse lasting less than a msec.
Trending trigger. A trigger used in all survey setups. Measurements falling under the trending
trigger are always recorded whenever the survey is running.
Trigger. A trigger is defined in a survey setup by specifying a particular power quality characteris-
tic (such as a minimum voltage level). Whenever that power quality characteristic is present, mea-
surements falling under that trigger are recorded.
Waveform page. Waveform pages display a snapshot of the waveform over one cycle, like an
oscilloscope view. Waveform pages can show phase-to-phase voltage, phase-to-neutral voltage,
and current waveforms graphically and in table form. Any combination of channels can be dis-
played.
______________
*
Based on IEEE Std 100-1996, The IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical and Electronics
Terms.

Chapter 9. Contacting AMETEK
• Telephone: 800-374-4835
• Fax: 585-238-4945
• Mailing address: AMETEK Power Instruments, 255 North Union Street, Rochester, New York
14605, U.S.A.
• Email: [email protected]
• Web: www.AMETEK.com
Chapter 9. Contacting AMETEK 69

Index
400 Hz frequency 2 Communication 26

A Downloading data 33
Making a direct IR connection 32
Meridian Quatro 2 Overview 26
Calibration and maintenance 23 Sending setup information 34
Circuit connections 17 Viewing data in real time 37
Clock 35 Computational formulas 61
Communication 26 Contacting AMETEK 69
Getting started 5 Current transformer 34
Installation 16 Customizing the real-time display 37
Memory 4 Customizing the text report page 37
Operating precautions v
Operation 4 D
Overview 2 Data analysis 42
Process formulas 61 Adding and removing measurements 46
Quick Start Wizard 34 Automatic survey report 52
Specifications 63 Checklist 42
Active connection 9 Exporting data 46
Adding and removing measurements 49 Graphic pane 45
Automatic survey report 52 Harmonic spectrum page 50
C Overview 42
Record selection 45
Calibration 23 Selecting a page 45
Checklist for survey data analysis 42 Summary report page 48
Circuit connection 17 Text pane 46
Overview 17 Text report page 49
Single phase 19 Time-plot page 48
Split phase 20 Working with pages 44
Three-phase delta 22 Data export 46
Three-phase wye 21 Date and time 35
Clock 35 Display page management 51
Index 71
Display pages 48 MS Word 58
Adding and removing measurements 46 O
Graphic pane 45
Harmonic spectrum 50 On-line help iv
Menu bar 44 Opening a survey data file 43
Page management 51 Operating precautions iii
Record selection 45 Overview of Meridian Quatro 2
Summary report 48 Overview of circuit connections 17
Text report 49 Overview of data analysis 42
Time-plot 48 Overview of survey setup 34
Working with pages 44 P
Downloading data 33
Page management 51
E Page overview 44
Exporting survey data 46 Pages 44
Adding and removing measurements 46
F Graphic pane 45
Firmware 36 Harmonic spectrum 50
Frequency range 2 Menu bar 44
G Page management 51
Record selection 45
Getting help 69 Summary report 48
Getting started with Meridian Quatro 5 Text report 49
Graphic pane 45 Time-plot 48
H Working with pages 44
Pages button 45
Harmonic spectrum page 50
Meridian PQ Software 8
I Meridian PQ Software Help Quick Start
Infrared connection 32 Installation 8
Installing Meridian Quatro 16 Main Menu 11
Installing Meridian PQ Software 8 Process formulas 61
IR connection 32 Product specifications 63
L Q
LED indicators 17 Quick Start Wizard 34
M R
Main Menu 11 Real-time data display 35

Maintenance 23 Customizing 37
Making a serial connection with Meridian Viewing data 37
Quatro 30 Record selection 45
Making an IR connection with Meridian Qua- AMETEK 69
tro 32 S
Memory 4
Sending setup information 34
Menu bar 44
Set as active connection 8
Microsoft Word 58
Setting the date and time 35
Monitoring surveys 37
Single phase circuit connection 19
72 Meridian Quatro User Guide

Software installation 8
Specifications 63
Split phase circuit connection 20
Summary report page 48
Survey data analysis 42
Adding and removing measurements 46
Automatic survey report 52
Checklist 42
Exporting data 46
Graphic pane 45
Harmonic spectrum page 50
Opening a data file 43
Overview 42
Page management 51
Record selection 45
Selecting a page 45
Summary report page 48
Text pane 46
Text report page 49
Time-plot page 48
Working with pages 44
Survey data file 42
Survey report 52
Survey setup 34
Quick Start Wizard 34
Sending setup information 34
T
Text pane 46
Text report page 49
Three-phase delta circuit connection 22
Three-phase Wye circuit connection 21
Time and date 35
Time-plot page 48
U
Upgrading Meridian Quatro 36
Using Meridian Quatro 4
Using the Quick Start Wizard 34
V
Viewing data in real time 37
Customizing 37
Viewing data 37
W
Word 97 58
Working with survey data files 13
Index 73
74 Meridian Quatro User Guide

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User’s Guide

Publication 1083-649 Rev. B

AMETEK Power Instruments

John Sperr DN: cn=John Sperr,

ii Meridian Quatro User’s Guide

No user-serviceable parts inside. Do not install substitute parts or perform any

iv Meridian Quatro User’s Guide

2 Meridian Quatro User’s Guide

Chapter 1. Introduction to Meridian Quatro 1

Figure 1.1 Meridian Quatro

2 Meridian Quatro Users Guide

Chapter 1. Introduction to Meridian Quatro 3

Recording rate (minutes) Recording capacity without Recording capacity with

4 Meridian Quatro Users Guide

Chapter 1. Introduction to Meridian Quatro 5

Chapter 2. Introduction to Meridian PQ Software 7

2.1.1 Software Installation Prerequisites

8 Meridian Quatro Users Guide

Meridian PQ software can be installed on any PC running Windows 95/98/NT/2000.

Chapter 2. Introduction to Meridian PQ Software 9

2.2.2 Installation under Windows NT

10 Meridian Quatro Users Guide

Figure 2.1 Main Menu

Chapter 2. Introduction to Meridian PQ Software 11

12 Meridian Quatro Users Guide

Chapter 2. Introduction to Meridian PQ Software 13

Chapter 3. Installation and circuit connections 15

Figure 3.1 Typical Meridian Quatro Site Installation

16 Meridian Quatro Users Guide

Warning: Measuring high voltage is always hazardous. Circuit connections should

Voltage Input RS232

Line A Line B Line C Line N

Figure 3.2 Meridian Quatro Bottom View

Color of Voltage Terminal Connect to...

Chapter 3. Installation and circuit connections 17

18 Meridian Quatro Users Guide

Figure 3.3 Single-Phase Connection

NOTE: Flicker measurements are only recorded on Channel A voltage.

Chapter 3. Installation and circuit connections 19

Figure 3.4 Split-Phase Connection

NOTE: Flicker measurements are only recorded on Channel A voltage.

20 Meridian Quatro Users Guide

Figure 3.5 Three-Phase Wye Connection

NOTE: Flicker measurements are only recorded on Channel A voltage.

Chapter 3. Installation and circuit connections 21

Figure 3.6 Three-Phase Delta Connection

NOTE: Flicker measurements are only recorded on Channel A voltage.

22 Meridian Quatro Users Guide

Chapter 3. Installation and circuit connections 23

Chapter 4. Communicating with Meridian Quatro 25

4.1.1 Communication overview

4.1.2 Connection Tips

Do not change the IP addresses found in TCP/IP for dial-up communication.

26 Meridian Quatro Users Guide

Check your serial baud rate

Chapter 4. Communicating with Meridian Quatro 27

Figure 4.1 Hardware manager tab

28 Meridian Quatro Users Guide