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Automatic Capacitor Controllers MicroCap MiniCap eCap
Automatic
Capacitor
Controllers
MicroCap
MiniCap
eCap LOCAL AUTOMATIC CONTROL
MicroCap Capacitor Switching Controller
MiniCap Capacitor Switching Controller
The MicroCap controller provides local and automatic control
in a simple package. All programming, setting review, and
data retrieval is accomplished through QEI Inc.s SmartWare
programming software.
The MiniCap controller provides local and automatic control in
a package complete with LCD display and front panel mounted
switches for program and settings changes.
QEI Inc.s MicroCap and MiniCap are affordable
automatic capacitor controllers engineered to provide
complete control of single step, switched capacitor
banks in electric power distribution systems. These
microprocessor-based, smart controls offer the ultimate
in versatility and are ideal for any pole-mounted or
substation switched application. In addition, these units
can detect reverse power conditions.
The MicroCap and MiniCap are single phase sensing
controllers that can switch the capacitor bank on any
desired combination of:
Voltage


Temperature
Corrected Voltage (VCor)
Date
Current


Time
Power factor


Day of week
Reactive power (KVAr)
Real power
Th e MiniCap and the MicroCap are designed to
monitor voltage and current, and automatically switch
a capacitor bank in to or out of the circuit depending
on the conditions observed. All controllers are capable
of monitoring all of the electrical parameters of the AC
line. Th e controllers also contain a time of day clock/
calendar (DST standard) and an optional temperature
sensor.
Th e MiniCap controller is the same as the MicroCap,
except it adds a two line LCD Display and an additional
set of switches that can be used to set or edit most
con guration parameters in the eld, without the use of
a laptop computer.
Up to 196 days of operations can be accumulated at
15 minute intervals. Measurements can be optionally
stored as 1, 2, or 5 minute averages. Enough information
is saved so that a complete operating history is available.
You Can Choose
Your rst choice... the Smart choice The
eCAP
-
9040
provides
2-way Communications
Remote operation of all Capacitor Banks
Remote access to data
Neutral Current Sensing
DNP3 compliant
Communicate via Radio, Cellular or Fiber





(RADIO NOT INCLUDED)
Th e eCAP-9040 is part of QEIs family of Capacitor
Bank Controllers. It performs the same functions as
the QEI MiniCap and MicroCap but adds a SCADA
communications port, and can support a variety of
communications hardware (data radios, modems, etc.).
Communications equipment may be mounted inside the
eCAP enclosure, which saves on installation costs. All
analog, status, and control points are remotely accessible
via DNP3 communications protocol. (Th e eCap-9040
can be furnished without communication capability but
added in the future with an upgrade kit).
Like the MCAP family, the eCAP is designed to
monitor any combination of voltage, current, watts,
vars, power factor, time, date, day-of-week, holiday, or
temperature. Th e eCAP will automatically switch a
capacitor bank into or out of the circuit depending on
the conditions observed.
A switch labeled Remote/Local is used to place the
eCAP under control of a laptop PC (Local) or under
SCADA control via DNP3 through communications
hardware (Remote). Two red LEDs indicate data
transmit/receive (Tx/Rx) when the switch is in the
Remote state.
As with the Mini/MicroCap, eCAP makes switching
decisions by measuring or calculating values. Monitored
(or calculated) values are then compared against a list of
user con gured switching conditions (algorithms) that
are set in the controller. A list of up to 10 switching
conditions for each Cap Bank switch position (OPEN
or CLOSED) can be created.
All controllers keep set point information in non-
volatile ash memory. Th ey maintain an operations log
and history of the monitored circuits measurements.
All controllers can be set up and operated via a serial
link to a typical laptop computer (or other PC), running
QEIs SmartWare@ program. Th is program is also
used to retrieve and examine the historical data stored
by the controls. Th e program allows the data from
multiple controls to be saved and viewed.
All controllers have an Auto/Manual switch and
an Open/Close switch. Th ree LED indicators are
included. A yellow LED indicates Auto Mode (yellow
LED is on), Manual Mode (yellow LED is o ), or Reset
Unit (yellow LED is blinking). A red LED indicates
that the Cap Bank is CLOSED (red LED is on), or a
CLOSE operation is pending (red LED is blinking). A
green LED indicates that the Cap Bank is OPEN (green
LED is on), or an OPEN operation is pending (green
LED is blinking).
One controller does it all. Th ere is no need to buy
or inventory separate units based on monitoring
requirements.
(Note: current, watts, vars, phase angle, and power
factor monitoring require a customer-supplied Line
Post Current Sensor or Current Transformer. Th e
sensor is not required for voltage, time/date/day-of-
week/holiday, or temperature monitoring.)
or Communicate
YOUR CAPACITOR CONTROL NEEDS QEI smart controllers

can save you time and money by allowing you to
specify one capacitor controller for all of your systems capacitor switching applications
with the following benefits:
Eliminate wasted capacity by optimizing switching parameters and algorithms.

Provide customer energy savings.

Reduce power losses, increase effectiveness of installed capacitor systems.

More efficient planning and operation through data logging capability.
eCAP-9040 Interior View
Providing the utmost in versatility,

the eCAP-9040 can be supplied
without communication capability at reduced cost and enabled later with the ECU
Communication Upgrade Kit. Th is allows exibility in budgetary and system expansion
planning. (Th e ECU comes with complete instructions and can be eld installed in minutes.) A
B
D
D
D
C
E
G
F
E
H
I
Main Junction Box
Components:
A Line Post Current Sensor
B LPCS Junction Box (if req'd)
C Service Transformer
D Switches
E Main Junction Box
F Neutral Support/Connector
G Capacitors
H QEI Controller
I Ground Rod
J
CT (For Neut. Current).
K CT Junction Box.
Notes:
1. All Components should be
star grounded at the
Neutral Support Point.
2. Earth ground should be a
rod set at least 8 feet deep.
3. The LPCS junction box may be
necessary for LPCS which do not
use a connector. Other LPCS's or
CT's may not need this box.
4. CSH = Line current signal high.
CSL = Line current signal low.
NSH = Neutral current signal high.
NSL = Neutral current signal low.
eCAP Connections:
C Close
O Open
N Neutral, CSL, NSL
I
1 CSH (Line Current Signal High)
L
Line (120/240 VAC)
I
2 NSH (Neutral Current Signal High)
SW3
SW1
SW2
C
L
N
O
2
To Controller
(Neut.
Xfmr
Earth
Ground
B
LPCS
G W
Lo
Hi
Curr.)
CT
L N
1
I
I
J
K
Typical eCap Pole Installation (4-wire)
QEB Meter Socket
Shorting Device
Mounting Bracket SmartWare
i
s QEI Inc.s intuitive graphical programming software for all
controllers, MicroSoft Windows

(all versions) compatible.

You can:
SMARTWARE
Set up switch-on and switch-off control
algorithms through
Algorithm Builder
Test algorithms and system operations
with a virtual con
troller,
SmartSim
Note unit-specific information in
SmartMemo
Retrieve and display historical data from
the capacitor controller with
SmartTrend

and
SmartGraph
Monitor control conditions quantities
through
SmartView
Set-up seasonal applications with multiple
switching parameters per season

Automatically compensate for
Daylight Savings Time (DST)
Define holidays
Use V-Cor to inhibit switch openings/
closings based on user defined upper/
lower limits
Open View Template window to get
an overview of the total configuration
currently in the
Smartware

program
Extended time delay for improved safety
during switch closure in manual mode
SmartWare
comes with sample algorithms
and data, as well as online help, enabling quick
familiarity and an easy learning curve.
Algorithm Builder
A Control Algorithm is used to make decisions about
operating the relays which drive the capacitor switches.
It is comprised of open/close commands based upon
selected values. The Open Steps are used to form an
internal flow chart when the switches are open, while
the Closed Steps are used when the switches are
closed. Up to 10 steps may be programmed for each
condition although as few as 1 is adequate.
SmartWare
contains QEI Inc.s exclusive Algorithm
Builder control programming system. Algorithm
Builder allows for over 65,000 switching combinations
using any or all of the available parameters.
Algorithms can be generated for:
Override conditions for any parameter
Time based voltage bias
Temperature based voltage bias
Day of week voltage override with