Is it possible to configure SEL 2407 to take time from a PC instead from a GPS Antenna?

[SA07]

Hi
We are a power plant exporting to the utility network. We have a fault recorder, SEL387,SEL 311 connected to a time synchronizer SEL2407 and using a GPS antenna. However in our control room we must manually synchronise the time on a master PC with the time at the utility control room. They do not have GPS time. We need to do so to avoid getting penalty to adjust MW exported as requested by utility control room within the delay requested.
There is a request from Operation Dept to synchronise time on the fault recorder, SEL 387, SEL311 with the master PC in our control room. Is it possible to configure the SEL2407 to take the time from the master PC instead of the GPS antenna?

 

[3DDave]

If you have an SEL2407, it is outputting Inter-range instrumentation group timecodes, commonly known as IRIG timecode at 1 Hz. The only time input seems to be the GPS constellation. However, there should be a board that can generate the IRIG-B signal at the PC and send that instead, removing the SEL2407 from the fault recorder time base input and replacing it.

For example (no idea if this is suitable)

https://www.brandywinecomm.com/product/pci-syncclock32/

It seems a shame to replace a synchronized precision time base and use something else. There must be a good reason for the utility to not use GPS time base.

I recommend contacting Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories to discuss cutting the SEL2407 out of the loop.

 

[stevenal]

Suggest using an SEL RTAC. It's extremely flexible in taking time signals from various formats, prioritizing them, and outputting them again in various formats. UTC, local, and DST all available and configurable. It sounds like you may want NTP in and Irig out. You may find the device handy for its other capabilities as well.

Manual synchronization sounds like a problem. Can't you get a signal from the utility that keeps you synchronized?

I would also say that a penalty that occurs because of the utility's less than accurate clock is one that should be challenged.

 

[FacEngrPE]

Off Topic a bit
Official time in the us is provided by the NIST time and Frequency service

https://www.time.gov/

Us this website to see how close to true time your computer is (subject to network lag).

NIST also provides several network time servers NIST Internet Time Service (ITS) Most of us sync our computers clocks to a time server keeping NIST time, instructions are provided.