Looking for Partial Discharge Monitoring Solution for Switchgear?
If you are evaluating:
- LV / MV switchgear partial discharge monitoring
- Online PD monitoring for switchgear
- UHF / TEV / ultrasonic PD detection
- Switchgear insulation condition monitoring
- Wireless partial discharge monitoring
- PD monitoring for 6kV / 10kV / 20kV / 35kV switchgear
- Centralized switchgear condition monitoring
- Partial discharge monitoring system with Modbus communication
Acrel provides a complete monitoring architecture from PD sensors to data collection, local display and monitoring software.
Solution Architecture
APD300 PD Sensor → ATC600-PD Wireless Receiver → Display / Monitoring System
The configuration can be adapted to individual switchgear panels or multiple switchgear cabinets.
Centralized Local Display
APD300-L → Display Device
Multiple APD300-L sensors can be connected for centralized data collection and display.
1 × ATP007 / ATP010 → up to 20 × APD300-L
Wireless Centralized Monitoring
APD300-W / APD300-WP → ATC600-PD → RS485 → Monitoring System
One ATC600-PD can receive up to 40 wireless APD300-W or APD300-WP sensors.
Web / Server-Based Monitoring
APD300 → ATC600-PD / RS485 → Gateway / Server → Monitoring Platform
The system architecture can integrate PD monitoring data into a centralized monitoring platform for data viewing, analysis and alarm management.
Why Monitor Partial Discharge in MV Switchgear?
Insulation defects such as voids, impurities and sharp points can create uneven electric-field distribution inside electrical insulation. Under suitable electrical stress, these defects may produce partial discharge.
Partial discharge may not immediately cause insulation breakdown, but persistent discharge can contribute to local insulation deterioration.
Therefore, partial discharge monitoring can be used as a means of assessing insulation condition and identifying potential insulation problems at an earlier stage.
With APD300 3-in-1 Partial Discharge Sensor, you can monitor:
AE — Acoustic Emission detection
- Resonant frequency: 40 kHz ± 1 kHz
- Measuring range: 0–60 dBμV
TEV — Transient Earth Voltage detection
- Signal bandwidth: 3–100 MHz
- Measuring range: 0–60 dBmV
UHF — Ultra High Frequency detection
- Average equivalent height: ≥10 mm
- Measuring range: -70–10 dBm
- Frequency range: 300–1500 MHz
Partial Discharge Data
- AE discharge count
- AE discharge amplitude
- TEV discharge count
- TEV discharge amplitude
- UHF discharge count
- UHF discharge amplitude
Additional Environmental Data
- Noise
- Temperature
- Humidity
The monitoring system can read device data through the communication interface for centralized monitoring and further processing.
Product Matching
| Model | Configuration | Power | Communication | Sampling Cycle | Typical Installation |
|---|
| APD300-L | Wired | DC 12–36V | RS485 / Modbus-RTU | 4 s | Magnetic mounting inside cable compartment |
| APD300-W | Wireless | Battery | FSK / LoRa | 2 h | Magnetic mounting on external door panel |
| APD300-WP | Wireless | DC 12–36V | FSK / LoRa | 15 s | Magnetic mounting inside cable compartment |
01. APD300-L Wired Configuration
Choose APD300-L when a wired RS485 connection is preferred.
- DC 12–36V power supply
- RS485 / Modbus-RTU communication
- Magnetic mounting
- Three-in-one AE + TEV + UHF monitoring
- Suitable for connection to a monitoring system
Typical configuration:
PD300-L → RS485 → Monitoring System
For centralized local display:
APD300-L → ATP007 / ATP010
Magnetic installation on the cabinet wall inside the cable compartment.
02. APD300-W — Wireless & Battery-Powered
Choose APD300-W when wireless installation is preferred and external power wiring is inconvenient.
- Battery powered
- Replaceable battery
- LoRa wireless communication
- 2-hour sampling cycle
- Magnetic mounting
- No external communication interface on the sensor
- Requires ATC600-PD wireless receiver
Typical configuration:
APD300-W → LoRa → ATC600-PD → RS485 → Monitoring System
Magnetic installation on the external door panel of the circuit breaker or cable compartment.
03. APDAPD300-WP — Wireless & External Power
Choose APD300-WP when wireless data transmission is preferred but a DC power supply is available.
- DC 12–36V power supply
- LoRa wireless communication
- 15-second sampling cycle
- Magnetic mounting
- Requires ATC600-PD wireless receiver
Typical configuration:
APD300-WP → LoRa → ATC600-PD → RS485 → Display / Monitoring System
Magnetic installation on the cabinet wall inside the cable compartment.
04. ATC600-PD — Wireless Receiver
Centralized Wireless PD Data Collection
- LoRa wireless reception
- Supports up to 40 APD300-W / APD300-WP
- RS485 uplink
- Connects wireless PD sensors to host computer or monitoring system
- Suitable for centralized monitoring of multiple switchgear panels
Typical configuration:
Up to 40 × APD300-W / WP → LoRa → ATC600-PD → RS485 → Monitoring System
Typical Applications
The Acrel APD300 solution is designed for partial discharge monitoring of low-voltage & medium-voltage switchgear.
Typical applications include:
- 6–35 kV indoor switchgear
- Metal-enclosed switchgear
- Ring main units
- Industrial substations
- Factory distribution systems
- Commercial and infrastructure substations
- Hospitals and critical facilities
- Power distribution rooms
Project Case Study
Saudi Arabian Oil Company – Online Condition Monitoring for Critical Switchgear
Project Location: [Saudi Arabia]
Industry: [Oil & Gas]
Equipment: [7 MV Substation = 42 Switchgear]
Monitoring Points: [1104 Temperature + 184 PD + 7 HMI]
Monitoring Parameters: Temperature / Partial Discharge
Acrel Solution: ATE400 + APD300 + ATU
Customer Challenge
The customer required continuous visibility into critical switchgear conditions and wanted to reduce dependence on periodic manual inspection.
Acrel Solution
Acrel deployed multi-dimensional condition monitoring covering critical connection temperature, partial discharge, and cabinet environmental conditions.
Result
The system provides centralized monitoring and alarm information, helping the maintenance team identify abnormal conditions earlier and make maintenance decisions based on actual equipment condition.
Quick Selection Guide
YES → APD300-L
RS485 / Modbus-RTU
DC 12–36V
4 s sampling cycle
YES → APD300-W
LoRa
Battery powered
Replaceable battery
2 h sampling cycle
YES → APD300-WP
LoRa
DC 12–36V
15 s sampling cycle
YES → Add ATC600-PD
Up to 40 × APD300-W / APD300-WP per ATC600-PD
YES → Consider ATP007 / ATP010
Suitable for centralized local data display.
YES → RS485 / Modbus-RTU architecture
APD300 data can be transmitted to the monitoring system through the corresponding wired or wireless communication architecture.
Frequently Asked Questions
ATC600-PD is a wireless receiver for APD300-W and APD300-WP partial discharge sensors. It receives PD data via LoRa wireless communication and transmits the collected data to a host computer or server through RS485.
One ATC600-PD can receive data from up to 40 APD300-W or APD300-WP sensors. This makes it suitable for centralized PD data collection across multiple switchgear panels.
ATC600-PD is designed to work with APD300-W and APD300-WP wireless partial discharge sensors. Both sensors transmit PD data via LoRa and require ATC600-PD for wireless communication.
APD300-W and APD300-WP transmit partial discharge data to ATC600-PD through LoRa wireless communication. ATC600-PD then uses RS485 to transmit the collected data to the host computer or server.
Yes. ATC600-PD provides an RS485 interface for transmitting the collected wireless PD data to a host computer or server. It can therefore be used as the communication link between wireless APD300 sensors and a monitoring system.
Yes. Multiple APD300-W or APD300-WP sensors can transmit their PD data wirelessly to one ATC600-PD. One receiver supports up to 40 wireless sensors, enabling centralized data collection for multiple switchgear panels.
Need Help Selecting the Right Configuration?
Every switchgear project is different.
Send us your basic project information or SLD:
1. Switchgear voltage:
6.6 kV / 10 kV / 11 kV / 13.8 kV / 20 kV / 33 kV / 35 kV / Other
2. Number of switchgear panels:
____ panels
3. Preferred installation:
Wired / Wireless / Not sure
4. Monitoring requirement:
Single cabinet / Local display / Centralized system
5. Existing communication:
RS485 / Ethernet / Other / Not sure
We can recommend the suitable APD300 model + ATC600-PD + display/system configuration based on your switchgear layout.
Get a Project-Specific Configuration
Send Your Switchgear Details
Request APD300 Selection
Talk to an Acrel Engineer
No complicated technical specification is required for the first inquiry.
Just send us your switchgear voltage + number of panels + preferred wired/wireless configuration, and we can help you identify the suitable solution.
