Harmonics - the Artist's Impression or the Real Thing?

[Skogsgurra]

Have a look at this article:

http://ecmweb.com/electrical-testin...m=email&elq2=2ff14bc421ad41fdb47fd47e403038b8

Not that it deserves much attention - it is the usual "This-is-so-difficult-so-you-don't-understand-it-anyroads" gibberish. But when the author doesn't even have access to a decent waveform to illustrate the article and makes one up himself, one starts wondering. What is the purpose? Box peddling? Or education, which I find hard to believe.

Comments?

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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Half full - Half empty? I don't mind. It's what in it that counts.

 

[jghrist]

I don't know that he made it up, but he doesn't say what it is. This could be a measured voltage waveform with 3rd and 5th harmonic components caused by high harmonic currents.

 

[Skogsgurra]

No. That would be a symmetric wave-form. This one is not.

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

--------------------------------------
Half full - Half empty? I don't mind. It's what in it that counts.

 

[ScottyUK]

First time I've heard anyone suggest an IR camera as a tool for identifying the presence of harmonics. He's not totally wrong, but it certainly isn't the first thing I'd reach for. Perhaps the camera was used to obtain the odd-looking waveform?

I'm not sure what the purpose of the article is - filler to occupy an otherwise empty page?

 

[Mbrooke]

Some of these articles are so overly simplified that the original intent becomes obfuscated. As is ECM is not a magazine I particularly like anymore.

 

[HamburgerHelper]

That is the point. If you put out a bunch of articles, you'll have more ad revenue due to have so many articles and searchable buzzwords that will get picked up on any search engine. electrical-engineering-portal.com is another website that is geared even more in this direction. Most of the stuff is superficial or plagarized from another source for the reason of bringing in traffic for ad revenue. It takes a lot of effort to put out thorough non-trivial articles. Why bother if trivial articles bring in as much or more internet traffic and for less effort.

Here is an example of how much EEP plagarizes other people's documentation.

http://electrical-engineering-portal.com/arc-flash-important

http://www.inolect.com/images/ArcFlash FAQ.pdf

The website worth websites estimate the website brings in 80k a year. 80k for plagiarizing.

 

[jraef]

First time I've heard anyone suggest an IR camera as a tool for identifying the presence of harmonics. He's not totally wrong, but it certainly isn't the first thing I'd reach for. Perhaps the camera was used to obtain the odd-looking waveform?

I'm not sure what the purpose of the article is - filler to occupy an otherwise empty page?

All of the IR camera people are using this concept to sell their cameras. It's a real PITA for us right now because any amateur with one of these now thinks they are an expert and complain about "over heating" on all kinds of things that are running perfectly normally. I have to admit though, I use their images in a training program I put on about VFD harmonics and why people should be cognizant of it. I do it for the dramatic effect, not to sell the cameras, but to sell people on at least thinking about harmonics.

As to the page filler idea, I think that's dead on. I call it "click bait". Given that the article is targeted toward people who would otherwise NOT already know about this, the accuracy of the waveform depiction is likely irrelevant. But I agree with you Gunnar, if they were sloppy with that, it begs scrutiny on everything they said. I get a little pedantic about that sort of thing when I'm doing my training, even though for me too, it's targeted for non-combatants so to speak. I still think it's worth being accurate though because it represents you and your veracity.

Oh, and $80k/year? Really? Maybe I should spark up my old website again! Fill it with a bunch of click bait for electricians and electrical noobs. You guys would troll me though, I just know it... I'd have to stay off the grid.


"You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals" -- Booker T. Washington