Master Power Technologies (MPT) has upgraded its realtime monitoring operations centre for all secure power critical equipment.
The new Life Centre is situated at MPT’s Randburg offices where operators monitor clients’ critical systems in real time, 24 x 7 x 365.
Specialists in electrical power supply, including failover generators, UPS systems and solar power, MPT initially designed the Life Centre to monitor clients’ power operations through its locally developed Universal Controller. The technology actively monitors electrical equipment in order to ensure they are operating at optimal capacity, and to pre-empt any problems.
“When the Universal Controller detects an issue, which can be anything from a mains failure to a battery failure in a UPS installation, it raises an alarm and the operators at the Life Centre follow standard operating procedures, agreed with the client beforehand, to deal with the issue,” explains Master Power’s GM: service, Karlien Maree. “Moreover, since the Universal Controller monitors the situation in real time, a constant log is kept of the performance of all electronic equipment under observation, providing the customer with a clear understanding of the performance of their systems.”
A team of technicians is also onsite, ready to be dispatched to a client’s premises as soon as a problem is detected. However, the Universal Controller not only allows for accurate real-time remote monitoring, but also allows for mobile monitoring via a tablet computer or via its Android app. This means clients can receive an alert whenever one of their systems fails, or is in danger of failing, as well as inspecting site or device status, wherever they are, and make sure the appropriate action is taken. The mobile app is available to Life Centre customers at no charge.
“All electronic systems, no matter who they are sourced from, will degrade over time if not cared for properly,” explains Ruan du Toit, head of the R&D department at MPT. “MPT’s Universal Controller is a combination of hardware and software, a PLC and SCADA device in one, designed to continually keep tabs on electronic infrastructures.”
The software updates for the Universal Controller is also done remotely at no cost to the client by a MPT technician. This intern essentially means that the Universal Controllers’ software is always up to date when new devices are added to the site or a software upgrade is needed.
With the Universal Controller installed, companies will have their electronic systems monitored securely via the Internet, whether it is an ADSL line, fibre or even 3G systems. The data transferred is minimal and does not consume a significant amount of bandwidth. The benefits in terms of time and money saved by preventing system outages, however, are significant.
Maree says that while the Universal Controller was initially designed to look after MPT’s power management solutions, it is designed in such a way that any electronic components can be monitored, making it a viable, and working remote monitoring solution for the Internet of Things (IoT).
“The Universal Controller is therefore just as capable of monitoring fire panels, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems, water levels (in case of flooding), CCTV and open doors as it is of managing UPSes, generators and batteries,” she says. “The output is delivered in a clear graphical format to allow operators or management to easily see the status of multiple systems at a glance.”
The Universal Controller can’t avoid wear and tear, nor can it abolish the need for maintenance on electronic equipment, however, it will constantly monitor systems to ensure they remain in optimal condition, calling for assistance before something breaks down and companies grind to a halt.