Digital Multimeters of the Current Era

Actually we want to take the readings of KWH for our newly installed plant so the account team could calculate the cost of manufacturing. A meeting had been called and ultimately this task had been handed over to me being an electrical engineer. I started pondering about different brands of digital multimeters whose names are not important here to mention. I did google it according to our requirement. At last I selected the Lovato DMG610. Gone are the days for analog meters now it is the era of digital meters like DMG610. It will show not only KWH but also numerous parameters such as Amperes, Kilowatt and PF etc. It looks so fascinating when you connect with the supply, Browder white shiny screen appears with four options and fifth line at the bottom with KWH. It has four soft push buttons at the bottom for commissioning. It is indeed really easy to operate and parameterize. When I saw first time I fell in love I haven’t seen yet any sort of panel mounted digital meter like this. If you look at Lovato DMG610 working at first sight, definitely you will keep watching it because it takes your attention unwillingly. It looks outstanding mounted on the panel.

We ought to read booklets carefully before installing and commissioning of any electrical item. I turn the main circuit breaker off and then I got the panel cut to install the digital meter right on the exact place where It should be. I got the CTs install in each phases, let me take a few minutes to explain the types of CTs as per installation. There are two types of CTs one is Split core CT and another one is Closed CT. Split core CTs are easy to install, you don’t need to disconnect the cables from circuit breaker, it saves your time, it takes less efforts but its indeed too much expensive to bear with respect to closed CTs. I was working on Sunday so time and efforts were not an issue for me. I have already taken closed CTs so got it install and keep in mind the direction of CTs too in either case. CTs have primary and secondary coils so get it install accordingly, incoming cables should go through primary side of CTs and vice versa.

Rest of wiring works carried out as per mentioned in booklet. Various types of electrical connections are there such as single phase, 2 phases and 3 phases with neutral or without neutral etc. It’s up to you what do you want? I chose 3 phases connection with neutral so I follow rest of formalities accordingly. There is a recommendation of fuses to install for the incoming supply to digital meter so I got fuses install too. It will protect your digital meter in the worst case scenario.

Having done the erection job, now time has come for the commissioning so I turn the power on. Sooner you turn on the supply, there would be four options on the digital meter’s screen such as SET (setup menu), PAS(password), CMD (command menu) and last but not least 1-0(expansion status) to utilize these options, there are four buttons below the screen, menu button, navigation keys for left or right sides and enter key. If you press menu button, there will be four options. We can select either option with the help of navigation and enter keys. The selected option started to blink. If you hit enter, you will go inside sub menu options. As you know I have already gone through the booklet so I had awareness about wiring test option. First of all, to protect the device I launched the wiring test, for this test you have to go in command option and hit C16. If test does not succeed, the display will let you know the reasons, but luckily I got ok message. Now you just need to enter basic information to make digital meter operational. I hit menu button and entered into setup menu P01, then I started to enter basic information such as P01.01 ask for primary amps of CT that is in my case 2000A, P01.02 for secondary amps of CT 5A, P01.03 for rated volts 400V, I was not using VT so P01.04 should be OFF. If P01.04 turns off, rest of two parameters P01.05 & P01.06 will not work at any cost. At last you have to select wiring option in P01.07 so I selected 3 phases with neutral L1-L2-L3-N. When I hit the menu button what works as back command too, everything started to work appropriately. I started to check different options then an issue appeared in front of me, line no 1 reading was blinking time to time so I took help from Jubilee Corporation. JC is the sole distributor for Lovato brand here in Pakistan. Did I miss anything else in parameter? They guided me it might be problem in line no 1 CT or its cable issue so I thoroughly got it check each and everything. There was a loose connection in line no 1. I got it rectified then and there.

You could set your home screen too I mean to say default page from the parameter P02.06. What you want to see on default page such as KW, AMPS, VOLTS etc.? There is one more parameter which is P02.06 for returning to default page time. Usually standard time is 60 second it means if you go to any page and you leave that page, it will take 60 seconds to return back to default page. That’s all from this article what I experienced during the installation and commissioning. I really found it a user friendly digital meter. Any electrical guy could install and commission it without any kind of hindrance. I guess you guys should try to use it. If you take it, you will realize it what I am saying. Thanks you all for reading this article about LOVATO DMG610 digital meter.