2006
Nuremberg, Germany-based Gossen Metrawatt acquires WPT and all subsidiaries. WPT is renamed Global Power Technology (GPT).
2013
PQView 4 development begins in collaboration with funder organizations and utilities.
2015
First PQView 4 is released to funder organizations & utilities.
2016
PQView.com is the information and support portal for PQView users.
2018
PQView DE is introduced, replacing Encore Series Software (ESS). PQView DE is the Dranetz-only edition of PQView Express for use with Dranetz-fixed monitoring systems.
PQView SDK’s Introduced
Electrotek introduces a suite of PQView SDK’s (Software Development Kit) for end user development & integration.
2020
Electrotek introduces a 64-bit version of PQView 4 for data collection to support the ever-increasing number of devices at customer facilities.
New Electrotek.Com Launched
Electrotek launches a new, modern modern, responsive web site.
2021
Continued enhancements to PQView 4 include the release of an IEC 61850 interface and the development of multiple new data sources for direct support of meters and databases from major meter manufacturers.
1984
Electrotek Concepts, Inc. is founded in Mountain View, California by William “Bud” Miles, Thomas Reddoch, and Larry Markel. Their focus is to create an engineering services company focused on demand side management. Bud is based in California, while Tom and Larry are in Knoxville. Many of their research contracts are with Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).
1988
Electrotek’s Power Systems Engineering (PSE) group is established in Knoxville, Tennessee by Mark McGranaghan, Charlie Smith, and Erich Gunther. They focus on harmonics, EMTP transient simulation analysis, and power quality.
1989
Electrotek is awarded a $5M project from the EPRI with Basic Measuring Instruments (BMI) for the EPRI Distribution Power Quality (DPQ) Project. Electrotek begins development of BMI’s PQNode Application and System Software (PASS).
1991
Monitoring begins at 223 monitoring sites across the country for the EPRI DPQ Project using BMI PQNode 8010’s and PASS software. Electrotek manages the collection and “sterilization” of data from 27 electric utility companies throughout the United States for the DPQ Project.
1994
PQView 1.0 is released to manage and visualize the large volumes of data produced by the EPRI DPQ project
Electrotek & BMI Merge
Electrotek merges with Basic Measurement Instruments (BMI), forming World Power Technologies (WPT) as the parent holding company.
1995
Electrotek is the principal investigator for a project from the US Department of Energy to research ways to utilize the Internet in the electric power utility industry. This project develops the basic principles ultimately used in web-based electric power measurement information systems, such as the Dranetz Signature System, Encore Series Software, and PQWeb.
1996
Electrotek is contracted by EPRI to develop the Power Quality Data Interchange Format (PQDIF). PQDIF is ultimately specified in IEEE Std 1159.3, and is used to exchange voltage, current, power, and energy measurements between software applications.
1998
Electrotek’s parent company, World Power Technologies (WPT) acquires Dranetz Technologies and Daytronic Corporation. BMI and Dranetz merge to become Dranetz-BMI.
Electrotek & Dranetz-BMI Start Signature System Development
Electrotek & Dranetz-BMI start a joint development project for Signature System – the first web browser-based Power Quality Monitoring System (PQMS). Electrotek designs the InfoNode software and AnswerModules. Dranetz-BMI designs the 5571 and 5530/20 DataNode networked PQ instruments.
1999
Electrotek & Dranetz-BMI Introduce Signature System web browser-based Power Quality Monitoring System.
2001
Electrotek releases PQView 3
2002
Electrotek releases PQWeb, a web browser-enabled interface to PQView 3.
2006
Electrotek releases Encore Series Software (ESS) for the Dranetz-BMI Encore Series System.
Published by The Electrotek Team
Utilities know that merging data from devices within several substations, or even across a whole system, can get complicated—especially when you have devices from a variety of vendors. That’s why they know that IEC 61850 is such a powerful method of integrating those communications. We at Electrotek have been hard at work to bring you the very best of what you need, and now, we are excited to announce the next big chapter in PQView 4 capabilities: IEC 61850 communications!
Here’s how it works:
IEC 61850 is an international standard for TCP/IP networked communications with Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED’s) in substations. IEC 61850 uses object-oriented methods that allow for data to be shared between IEDs and software systems using standard communication methods. By using IEC 61850, PQView can acquire real-time and recorded data from IEDs. Data is stored in the PQView database alongside all other data acquired by PQView’s PQDMS. Unlike traditional polled devices, IEDs send measured values to PQView via IEC 61850 Reports.
For more information on PQView
Published by The Electrotek Team
PQView 4 brings you a smooth interface for viewing PQDIF and COMTRADE files, along with a wealth of other power quality monitoring and analytical capabilities. But what if you’re in a pinch and only need the file viewer?
PQDiffractor is a PQDIF and COMTRADE viewer written by Electrotek Concepts, Inc. for viewing, browsing, diagnosing, and converting PQDIF files and COMTRADE files, and is a free software download from our website.
That’s right. It’s free.
Read binary PQDIF Files using specifications from IEEE Std 1159.3-2003
Read ASCII or binary COMTRADE Files using specifications from IEEE Std C37.111-1991 or C37.111-1999
View lists of data source records in each PQDIF file
View lists of analog and digital channels from COMTRADE configuration files
Create interactive charts from PQDIF observations with channels of any quantity type
View samples from analog COMTRADE waveforms and digital status channels
Export displayed observations to Microsoft Excel as CSV files
To read more about PQDIF and COMTRADE, and to view a full list of PQDiffractor’s capabilities, visit our website, at electrotek.com/pqdiffractor/
Published by The Electrotek Team
PQView is much more than a power quality data browser. It is also a powerful data concentrator for any sized monitoring system. PQView’s PQ Data Manager System (PQDMS) offers seamless integration to meters from many popular manufacturers.
Support for generic file formats such as PQDIF and COMTRADE is also available, but these files are usually only available daily from meters, with the primary benefit being for historical purposes. Conversely, the smooth meter integration of PQView enables system operators to proactively monitor and raise the alarm on operational issues detected by their metering in the dynamically changing network. Traditional SCADA systems are good at gathering lots of generic data, but they have very limited PQ data capabilities. This reactive approach is usually limited only to COMTRADE and PQDIF files. Why settle for less?
Click here to contact our team and inquire about PQView 4.
If you’re already a user, click here to download PQView 4.17 today!