Smart Load Shedding

Smart Load Shedding

Respond to unplanned events to protect your electrical power system from blackouts and other unintended consequences. 

What is Load Shedding?

Load shedding is a method to remove load from an electrical power system where the system is at risk of outage due to demand strains, unplanned events, or equipment damage. 

A number of events can require the use of load shedding, including infrastructure outages, limited on-site diesel generator capacity, increasing levels of demand,  unstable environmental conditions, and others.  

Configure SynLink devices to reduce power demand (shed loads) under the following detectable conditions.

  • Maximum Current Limits for inlet plugs
  • Minimum Voltage Thresholds
  • Max and min temperature limits
  • Max and min relative humidity limits
  • Power failures with ATS (Auto Transfer Switch) Primary Sources

Application: Automatically shut off equipment to ensure longer operational life, and prevent unplanned outages.

SynLink Switched Pro+ PDUs are equipped with Panasonic Power Relays on individual outlets. This gives users the ability to reliably shut outlets off programmatically. With these capabilities and a number of sensors, SynLink PDUs can react intelligently. 

 

Prerequisites

  • SynLink Smart PDU
  • Network Configured/Connected Setup (Quick Start Guide)
  • Web Browser with access to SynLink PDU IP Address 

Creating Load Shedding Action 

Access to Automation Configurations can be found through PDU Hosted Web Interface via it's IP address. The following page is found at http://IP_ADDRESS/events

Start by creating an Action that turns off equipment on load shedding events.

Set Up Load Shedding for Upstream Circuit Breaker Power Capacity Limits

Surpassing circuit breaker limits results in CB trips, which render circuits inoperable until manual intervention. The following example sets a trigger for "Inlet Max Current Threshold" at 18 amps for a 20 amp circuit breaker.

Set Up Load Shedding for Primary Power Source Failure on ATS PDUs

ATS (Auto Transfer Switch) capable PDUs have two inlets and ensure continuous distribution of electrical power from one of two power sources to it's outlets. Secondary power sources may be from alternate sources such as on-site diesel generators with limited power capacity.

ATS PDUs configured with primary power sources on inlet A, and secondary/alternate power sources on inlet B can notify and automate load shedding on primary power source loss. 

Configure load shedding of configured equipment with event type: ATS Switched To Secondary. 

 

 

Set Up Load Shedding To Manage Temporary Voltage Drops

Lower voltage conditions can be problematic for select power supplies. Short duration reduction in RMS voltage can be caused by a short circuit, overload, or starting of electric motors. Voltage dips occur when RMS voltage decreases between 10 and 90 percent of nominal voltage for on half cycle up to a minute. Set up triggers to prevent issues due to voltage drops, and to shut down power hungry equipment.

 

 

 

Set Up Load Shedding for temperature humidity thresholds

Protect equipment from environmental conditions which might increase risk of equipment damage. Use optional temperature/humidity sensors to detect set limits.

Configure appropriately to take action and load shed when set temperature/humidity limits are reached.

 

 

 

 

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