The first step toward reducing your energy spend is to analyze your utility bill.

In my previous blog post, “Why Consider Energy Monitoring” I proposed that acquiring data was essential to any project targeted at reducing an organization's energy spend. I also touched on how the electric utility bill for industrial users can be complex.

If you are considering monitoring your energy and power, a good first step would be to get a hold of and understand that bill. I thought I would analyze and share my thoughts on Opto 22’s bill, as it is probably very similar to the one for your industrial or commercial facility.

What looks like a donut, but you can't eat it, yet it still gives energy?
Clearly, I’m not very good at riddles, so I’ll cut straight to the answer: a current transformer, or CT.

CTs are a critical part of any electrical load monitoring system, so let's take a look at how they work, the different types, how to size them, and lastly, two important aspects of installing them.