Electrical Disturbance Log

The electrical disturbance log is the most important element that a customer can provide to the utility when you suspect a problem. Without a log, the power quality engineer may not be able to systematically and quickly uncover important information that could expedite finding the source of the problem.

The following items are the essential parts of a basic electrical disturbance log:

• Date of Occurrence - What was the date of each electrical disturbance? Ex: “12/15/2021”
• Time of Occurrence - What was the time of each electrical disturbance? Ex: “3:40 PM”
• Equipment Affected - What equipment was adversely affected, and what were the consequences? Note any equipment failures or data losses. Ex: “Building AC chiller tripped off-line”
• Length of Outage - Document the length of the outage in one of three ways: shorter than two seconds, two to 120 seconds, or longer than two minutes. This will help identify what type of electrical disturbance occurred. Ex: “2-120 seconds”
• Weather Conditions - Note the temperature and any special weather conditions such as wind, lightning, or rain. Ex: “78 deg, 10-15mph wind, light rain”
• Reported By – The person who reported the disturbance. Ex: “Bill”

Please keep in mind that this log is the most important element to help identify the cause of the equipment malfunctions. Record information as soon as possible after a disturbance as accurate information will provide valuable clues toward a solution.