Power problems are not all the same
When a machine trips unexpectedly, a UPS alarms, a transformer overheats, or a production line stops without a clear reason, the cause may be hidden in the electrical supply. It might be a voltage dip, an interruption, inrush current, harmonic distortion, a transient, or simply an overloaded circuit.
That is why choosing the right test instrument matters. A power quality analyzer, a power logger, and a high-accuracy power analyzer may all measure voltage and current, but they are designed for different jobs.
- Power quality analyzers such as the Hioki PQ3198 and Hioki PQ3100 are used to investigate power anomalies and diagnose the cause of power supply problems.
- Power loggers such as the Hioki PW3365 and Hioki PW3360 are used for energy surveys, demand studies, power consumption recording, and long-term site monitoring.
- High-accuracy power analyzers such as the Hioki PW8001 are used for engineering and R&D work such as power conversion efficiency, inverters, motors, EV systems, and high-frequency power loss analysis.
For most facilities, utilities, electrical contractors, and maintenance teams, the first decision is usually this: Do you need to troubleshoot a power quality problem, or do you need to record energy usage over time?
Use a power quality analyzer when the problem is an event
A power quality analyzer is the right tool when the customer says:
- The equipment shuts down randomly.
- We suspect voltage dips or interruptions.
- The breaker trips but we do not know why.
- There may be harmonics or inverter-related noise.
- We need a report for power quality compliance or investigation.
- We need to capture what happens before and after a fault.
Hioki's PQ3198 and PQ3100 are designed for this type of work. These analyzers can record fluctuations in voltage, current, power, harmonics, and flicker, while also capturing power supply anomalies such as interruptions, voltage drops, and frequency fluctuations.
The PQ3198 is the high-end model. It is appropriate when the job requires deeper event analysis, high-speed transient measurement, supraharmonics, or more advanced power quality reporting. The PQ3100 is the mid-range model and is a strong fit for practical field troubleshooting, event capture, trend recording, and reporting.
Good applications for PQ3198 or PQ3100
- Utility and facility power quality investigations
- Equipment malfunction analysis
- Voltage dip, swell, interruption, and inrush-current capture
- Harmonics and flicker investigation
- Solar or renewable-energy interconnection checks
- EV charging station troubleshooting
- Data center or UPS power issue investigation
- Industrial plant electrical reliability work
Use a power logger when the problem is energy, demand, or long-term load
A power logger is usually the better tool when the customer says:
- We need to understand power consumption.
- We want to reduce energy costs.
- We need demand data.
- We are checking capacity before adding new loads.
- We need to monitor a panel or feeder for days, weeks, or months.
- We want to verify an electricity bill or energy-saving project.
The PW3360 and PW3365 are designed for practical field logging rather than deep event forensics. The Hioki PW3360 is a clamp-on power logger with guided setup, wiring checks, demand graphs, trend graphs, SD card recording, and harmonic measurement on the PW3360-21 model.
The Hioki PW3365 is especially useful where safety and access are the main concern. When used with the PW9020 voltage sensor, it supports no-metal-contact voltage measurement from the outside of insulated conductors.
Good applications for PW3360 or PW3365
- Energy audits
- Demand studies
- Load studies before adding equipment
- Long-term power consumption monitoring
- Building and facility energy management
- Basic harmonic checks during energy surveys
- Safer field logging in crowded or difficult panels
- Comparing loads across multiple panels or buildings
Use a high-accuracy power analyzer for R&D and efficiency testing
A power analyzer is not the same thing as a power quality analyzer. The Hioki PW8001 Power Analyzer is aimed at engineers working on power conversion efficiency and high-speed switching systems, including inverters, motors, EV systems, and power electronics.
Quick selection table
| Customer need | Best instrument type | Hioki examples | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find voltage dips, swells, interruptions, transients, harmonics, or flicker | Power quality analyzer | PQ3198, PQ3100 | Captures events and power quality anomalies |
| Diagnose unexplained equipment trips or shutdowns | Power quality analyzer | PQ3198, PQ3100 | Records trends and events around the problem |
| Perform an energy audit or demand study | Power logger | PW3360, PW3365 | Records power, demand, and energy over time |
| Monitor loads before adding equipment | Power logger | PW3360, PW3365 | Long-term recording helps confirm capacity |
| Measure power safely without metal voltage contact | Power logger | PW3365 with PW9020 | Designed for no-metal-contact voltage measurement |
| Evaluate inverter, motor, EV, or converter efficiency | Power analyzer | PW8001 | High-accuracy, wideband, multi-channel analysis |
| Investigate supraharmonics or fast transients | Advanced power quality analyzer | PQ3198 | High-end PQ event capture and analysis |
Practical buying guidance
Choose the PQ3198 if you need the most advanced power quality analysis, including high-speed transient capture, high-order harmonics, deeper event analysis, and robust reporting for demanding investigations.
Choose the PQ3100 if you need a field-friendly power quality analyzer for practical troubleshooting, event recording, trend recording, and reporting.
Choose the PW3365 if you are doing energy logging or load surveys and want safer voltage measurement in locations where direct metal contact is difficult or risky.
Choose the PW3360 if you need a practical clamp-on power logger for demand measurement, energy studies, trend recording, and basic harmonic logging.
Choose the PW8001 if you need laboratory-grade power analysis for efficiency, motors, inverters, EV systems, or power electronics.
What information should you collect before asking for a quote?
- Application: troubleshooting, energy audit, load study, compliance report, or R&D.
- Electrical system: single-phase, three-phase three-wire, or three-phase four-wire.
- Voltage level and measurement category.
- Current range and whether flexible current sensors are needed.
- Recording duration: minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months.
- Power quality events of interest: dips, swells, interruptions, transients, harmonics, flicker, inrush current.
- Reporting need: maintenance report, customer report, compliance-style report, or engineering data.
- Safety/access limits: crowded panels, insulated conductors, live-work restrictions, or outdoor use.
Final recommendation
If your goal is to attract internet traffic and generate better sales leads, do not only advertise the model number. Start with the customer's problem: Why does my equipment trip? How do I find voltage dips? How do I measure harmonics? How do I perform an energy audit? Do I need a power quality analyzer or a power logger?
For power quality troubleshooting, start with the Hioki PQ3198 or PQ3100. For energy surveys and demand logging, start with the Hioki PW3365 or PW3360. For R&D and power conversion efficiency, start with the Hioki PW8001.
We can help customers choose the right Hioki configuration for power quality troubleshooting, energy logging, harmonics measurement, and power analysis applications.