This guide walks you through the full installation of the Energy Trac sensor on an electrical panel, including safety requirements, panel preparation, wiring, and powering up the device. It is intended for qualified electricians and maintenance professionals performing the physical installation.
Before You Start
Required Qualifications and Compliance
Only qualified professionals may perform this installation. You must comply with the applicable electrical safety standards for your region:
Region | Key Standards |
Brazil | NR-10, ABNT NBR 5410, NBR 10622/IEC 60903 (insulating gloves), IEC 61482-2 (arc flash clothing) |
United States | OSHA 29 CFR 1910, NFPA 70/70E, ASTM D120 (insulating gloves), ASTM F1506 (arc-rated clothing) |
Mexico | NOM-029-STPS (electrical safety), NOM-017-STPS (PPE), IEC 60903 (insulating gloves), IEC 61482-2 (arc flash clothing) |
Required PPE
Wear all of the following personal protective equipment before handling any part of this installation:
PPE Item | When to Use |
Insulating gloves | Any task in an energized environment, including debugging or installing with the panel energized. Protects against electric shock. |
Basic protective gloves | Manual work when the panel is fully de-energized. Protects against cuts and abrasions. |
Safety glasses | Always, when working near the electrical panel. Protects eyes from debris, sparks, and arc flash fragments. |
Class B helmet | Always, in energized environments. Provides dielectric and mechanical impact protection. |
FR cotton coverall | All activities involving electrical installations or work near energized equipment. Minimizes burn risk from arc flash. |
Safety shoes | Always, in or around the electrical panel. Protects against electrical hazards, impacts, and slips. |
Required Tools and Materials
Gather the following tools before starting:
Tool | Purpose |
Multimeter | Continuity tests and voltage verification (phase-to-phase, phase-to-neutral) to confirm the panel is de-energized. |
Identification tags | Labels applied before installation to identify cables and assign phases. Prevents wiring inversions. |
Crimping tool | Crimps electrical terminals for reliable mechanical and electrical connections. |
Wire stripper | Removes conductor insulation without damaging inner strands. Adjust to the correct wire gauge. |
Insulated screwdrivers | Used on terminal blocks, breakers, and connectors. Required for safe tightening/loosening in panels. |
Drill | Used for panel opening, cable organization holes, and tasks requiring speed. Clean swarf after drilling. |
Panel Requirements
Before starting the installation, confirm the following conditions on the target panel:
The panel has a dedicated breaker rated at 2A nominal capacity already installed.
The dedicated breaker's voltage rating matches the plant design and the equipment's operating voltage.
The panel has a neutral connection available.
There is a free slot on the existing DIN rail for mounting the Energy Trac.
There is easy access to the cable tray for all three phases and the neutral/ground.
Warning: A poorly grounded panel may cause the Energy Trac's power supply to burn out due to ground fluctuations. Verify grounding before proceeding.
Important: If these prerequisites are not met, or if the environment does not comply with NR-10 (or equivalent local standards), the installer may refuse to perform the installation and reschedule it after the customer completes the necessary corrections.
Working Principle
The Energy Trac measures the power factor of the monitored asset. From this measurement, it derives other values such as power, consumption, and demand.
For accurate readings, the phase electrical connections must be correct for both the voltage clamps and the current clamps. This means:
Each voltage terminal (A, B, C) must correspond to the correct current clamp (A, B, C) on the same phase.
The current clamps must be positioned following the marked current flow direction (arrow on the clamp).
Important: The most critical step in the entire installation is matching voltage terminals to their corresponding current clamps and ensuring the clamps follow the correct current flow direction.
💡 Tip: This guide assumes the breaker is in a vertical position. Always check the actual orientation of your breaker and follow the correct phase sequence accordingly.
Part 1: Pre-Installation Setup
These steps are mandatory prerequisites for installation acceptance. They must be completed by the customer before the installer arrives.
Step 1 — De-energize the Panel
Turn off the power at the main breaker.
Use a voltage detector or digital multimeter to confirm the panel is de-energized.
Measure phase-to-phase and phase-to-neutral at the main breaker output.
Confirm all readings show zero voltage before proceeding.
Step 2 — Plan the Installation Point
Choose a location for the dedicated breaker on the DIN rail.
Choose a location for the lever (jumper) connector for the neutral or ground connection.
Install both components securely.
Confirm that the cable tray provides easy access for routing all three phases and the neutral/ground.
Step 3 — Prepare the Neutral/Ground Lead
Connect the blue auxiliary cable to the neutral bar.
Route the cable through the tray toward the jumper connector.
Make a firm connection at the jumper connector.
Step 4 — Define the Voltage Pickup Point and Phase Sequence
When installing the voltage terminals, pay attention to two things:
Where the voltage is taken — the exact circuit point.
The correct phase sequence — A, B, C (in order).
To monitor the complete circuit, use the panel's main breaker as the reference point. This ensures all current passing through it will be measured by the device.
💡 Tip: You may use connections downstream of the main breaker, such as SPDs and fuses, to simplify installation. The key requirement is that you are electrically tapping the same node: the voltage at the main breaker output.
Step 5 — Prevent Phase/Cable Inversions
Use three cables with distinct colors to keep identification clear throughout the routing. Follow this color assignment:
Auxiliary Cable Color | Panel Phase |
Red | A |
Yellow | B |
White | C |
Step 6 — Connect at the Main Breaker
Connect the auxiliary cables to the main breaker output terminals.
Strictly respect the phase sequence (A → Red, B → Yellow, C → White).
Verify each connection is firm and matches the correct terminal.
Step 7 — Connect at the Dedicated Breaker
Organize the cables inside the tray.
Connect them to the dedicated breaker input terminals.
Follow the same phase order used at the main breaker: A → Red, B → Yellow, C → White.
Part 2: Installation Steps
Important: Before starting these steps, the panel must be de-energized and the dedicated breaker must be switched off.
Step 1 — De-energize the Panel
Turn off the power and confirm de-energization.
Use a voltage detector or multimeter to check voltage at the main breaker output (phase-to-phase and phase-to-neutral).
Confirm all readings are zero before proceeding.
Step 2 — Position the Energy Trac
Select a suitable spot to mount the Energy Trac on the DIN rail or panel surface.
When choosing the position, consider:
Organize voltage and current cables in the best way inside the panel.
Keep good alignment with the antenna cable route.
Ensure easy access and visibility for future maintenance.
Step 3 — Validate the Dedicated Circuit Breaker
This step verifies and identifies which voltage terminals at the dedicated breaker correspond to each phase. You will use a multimeter in continuity mode.
Warning: The panel must be de-energized and the dedicated breaker switched off for this entire step.
a. Isolate the circuit
In the panel, disconnect the main breaker's output from its connection point.
Keep the system de-energized and disconnected.
b. Check Bus A
Set your multimeter to continuity mode.
Place one probe on Bus A of the main breaker.
Test against each terminal of the dedicated breaker, one at a time.
When the multimeter indicates continuity (beep), you have found the Bus A terminal on the dedicated breaker.
c. Tag Bus A
Apply a red tag to both ends of the conductor that showed continuity with Bus A.
d. Check Bus B
Repeat the continuity test: place one probe on Bus B of the main breaker.
Test against the remaining terminals of the dedicated breaker.
e. Tag Bus B
Apply a yellow tag to both ends of the conductor that showed continuity with Bus B.
f. Check Bus C
Repeat the continuity test for Bus C.
g. Tag Bus C
Apply a white tag to both ends of the conductor that showed continuity with Bus C.
h. Reconnect
Reconnect all terminals to their original points.
Respect the pre-established phase sequence and the tags you just applied.
Auxiliary Cable Color | Panel Phase |
Red | A |
Yellow | B |
White | C |
Important: If the cable identification at the dedicated breaker appears reversed compared to the main breaker, this indicates a phase-sequence mismatch. With the panel de-energized, disconnect and reconnect the conductors to match the main breaker's sequence.
Step 4 — Install the Voltage Probes
Locate the Energy Trac Voltage Connector. It has terminals marked A, B, and C.
Connect the voltage probes at the output of the dedicated breaker, following the color/phase mapping:
Auxiliary Cable Color | Energy Trac Terminal | Panel Phase |
Red | A | A |
Yellow | B | B |
White | C | C |
Route the Energy Trac voltage cable toward its installation point, but do not connect it to the Energy Trac device yet.
Step 5 — Install the Current Probes
Install the current clamps after the main breaker, following the same phase sequence.
a. Match clamps to phases
Current probes are marked A, B, and C.
Connect each clamp to the conductor with the matching tag:
Current Probe | Tag Color | Panel Phase |
A | Red | A |
B | Yellow | B |
C | White | C |
b. Follow the current flow direction
Each current probe has an arrow indicating current flow direction.
Install each clamp so the arrow points from Circuit Breaker → Load (following the actual current direction).
Warning — Current probe rules (violating these will cause incorrect readings):
Do not clamp wires from different phases together.
Do not clamp around the Energy Trac's own voltage probe cables.
Do not place one Rogowski coil over another.
Keep all probes strictly separated, they measure current by detecting the magnetic field around the wire.
Step 6 — Install the Antenna
Install the antenna on the outside of the panel.
Choose one of two mounting methods:
a. Stick it directly to the panel surface using the adhesive backing.
b. Mount it using the magnetic holder.
💡 Tip: Position the antenna on a rigid surface, preferably not metal, for the best signal quality. If you must mount on a metal panel, use the magnetic holder and position the antenna as high as possible.
Warning: When routing the antenna cable out of the panel, avoid any sharp bends or pressure points. If needed, carefully cut a section of the seal rubber to allow proper cable passage.
Step 7 — Power On the Energy Trac
Connect the voltage connector to the Energy Trac device terminals.
Connect the current connector to the Energy Trac device terminals.
Verify all connections are secure.
Step 8 — Power Up the Panel
Power up the main panel.
Switch on the dedicated breaker.
Step 9 — Register the Device
Complete the Energy Trac configuration steps on the Tractian platform.
Wait for the LED on the Energy Trac to turn green. This confirms the device is visible on the platform and communicating correctly.
Important: If you are unsure about the correct operation or configuration, refer to the Instruction Manual Energy Trac (EN).
Registration Photos (Required)
After completing the installation, you must take photos and upload them to the Tractian platform. These photos are used for remote validation of the installation by the technical team.
Take 5 photos, one of each item below:
# | Photo | What to Capture | Example |
1 | Panel overview | Full view of the open panel, showing all installed components (Energy Trac, breakers, clamps, wiring). | 
|
2 | Sensor | Close-up of the Energy Trac mounted, with voltage and current connectors plugged in and cables organized. | 
 |
3 | Current clamp | Close-up of the current clamps installed on each phase, with identification tags and flow arrows visible. | 
 |
4 | Protection breaker | Close-up of the dedicated breaker (2A) with auxiliary cables connected and phase identification visible. | 
 |
5 | Antenna | Antenna mounted on the outside of the panel, showing the mounting method and cable route. | 
|
Important: Photos must be clear and well-lit. Make sure phase identification tags, connections, and component positioning are clearly visible in each photo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the panel does not have a neutral connection?
If the neutral is unavailable, you may substitute it with the ground connection. However, this may trip protection devices. Contact Tractian support before proceeding with this alternative.
What is the maximum supported voltage?
The Energy Trac supports up to 480V phase-to-phase or 277V phase-to-neutral.
What if my current clamp readings seem incorrect after installation?
Check three things: (1) each clamp is on the correct phase matching its voltage terminal, (2) the arrow on each clamp follows the current flow direction (breaker → load), and (3) no clamp is overlapping another or clamped around the voltage probe cables.
Can I use connections downstream of the main breaker for voltage?
Yes, you can tap voltage from peripherals like SPDs or fuses downstream of the main breaker, as long as they are electrically connected to the same node (main breaker output voltage).
The LED did not turn green after powering on. What should I do?
Verify all connections are secure, confirm the dedicated breaker is switched on, and check that the antenna is properly positioned outside the panel. If the problem persists, refer to the instruction manual (IMAN0004) or contact Tractian support.