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De-risking school sustainability initiatives

Published on 16 June 26

How Chauvin Arnoux UK's PEL113 power loggers protected a primary school's capital investments by validating current headroom and uncovering hidden network overvoltage risks.

The project framework

When a primary school secured government funding to transition from oil heating to a fully electric system, alongside a proposed rooftop solar PV installation, it faced a critical challenge. Before committing capital, the school required empirical proof that its existing electrical infrastructure could handle the new heating load without risking systemic failure.

Furthermore, they needed to ensure that adding solar generation wouldn't destabilise a local network already burdened by existing electric vehicle (EV) chargers. Chauvin Arnoux UK’s professional monitoring instrumentation was selected to eliminate the guesswork and supply the required clarity.

Core evaluation criteria

Current margin status

Confirm current headroom across single-phase & three-phase distribution boards.

Voltage boundaries

Ensure network supply remains strictly inside the statutory 216V to 253V operating window.

The diagnostics strategy

To build a complete, highly accurate energy profile, two PEL113 Power and Energy Loggers were deployed directly onto the school's main distribution hubs. One unit monitored the three-phase main incomer while the second was assigned to a single-phase board. By logging maximum demand, phase balance, and voltage fluctuations during a typical school period, the loggers captured an authentic load profile across heating, cleaning, and classroom usage.

01 Single-phase distribution board assessment (60A Protection)

Peak demand measured 37.55A, confirming that ample capacity existed to absorb the new heating infrastructure. However, voltage tracking told a different story, showing a maximum peak of 255.5V which breached the upper statutory limit.

02 Three-phase incomer board assessment (100A per Phase)

While significant spare capacity was validated to accommodate the electric heating, chronic overvoltage was recorded across all phases (L1: 256.1V, L2: 256.9V, L3: 254.2V), presenting an immediate barrier under ESQCR regulations.

The tool behind the data: PEL113 Power and Energy Logger

PEL113 installed on distribution board

The PEL113 in action

How Chauvin Arnoux's products guided the customer

Informed capital allocations

The PEL113 loggers provided absolute clarity regarding current capacity. By accurately proving that the single-phase and three-phase systems possessed ample headroom to support the new electric heaters, Chauvin Arnoux products saved the customer from spending thousands on unnecessary supply and fuse upgrades.

Preventing equipment failure

Because micro-generation inverters and EV chargers are hardcoded to shut down automatically when grid voltage exceeds 253V, the PEL113 units prevented an expensive failure. Had the school moved forward blindly, the newly installed solar PV system would have suffered continuous, disruptive trip-outs, rendering the technology ineffective and wasting vital capital.

Actionable regulatory evidence

By logging precise, time-stamped breaches, the PEL113 units provided the customer with definitive, unassailable data. This detailed dataset serves as the essential evidence required to engage the local Distribution Network Operator (DNO) to mandate network reinforcement or supply adjustments before any solar hardware is purchased.

The practical summary

By deploying Chauvin Arnoux UK's PEL113 power loggers, the school successfully de-risked its sustainability roadmap. The data proved that the shift from oil to electric heating can proceed immediately without infrastructure upgrades. Conversely, it highlighted that the solar PV project must be paused until the DNO resolves the local network overvoltage issues. Ultimately, our products ensured the school invested its funding safely, proving that the limiting factor in renewable integration is often grid compliance rather than the solar resource itself.

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