It’s a constant push and pull for Data Center Managers – how can you maximize power savings and minimize downtime? It’s tough, given the 1.8% of all US energy consumption that data centers use. A power monitoring system, when utilized effectively, will help drive this massive usage down – and turn more data centers into Energy Star locations.

Here are 3 things we think you should know when you first start thinking about a power monitoring system installation:

Pay close attention to CT accuracy when choosing your meter. It’s important that you understand the capacity of your Current Transformer in combination with your power meter. Installing and testing CTs correctly will give you greater confidence in the accuracy of the data your meter provides. Our Application Engineers will guide you through this process.

Think short-term and long-term.Power requirements vary by machine and site. So it’s important to build a power monitoring system that can not only manage your current infrastructure, but everything you plan to build and install over the next 5 to 10 years.

Monitor the temperature of your equipment, as well. To extend the lifetime of your equipment and to minimize unnecessary energy use, think about the amount of power the cooling process alone consumes. Looking at different environmental guidelines in conjunction with power monitoring data, will give you a larger look into your data center and its opportunities for improvement.

EIG is leader in advanced metering for data centers around the globe. Turn to our application guide or contact a dedicated sales rep for additional information and a suggested bill of materials for your power monitoring installation project.