CT Ratios Explained (WattsOn-1100 / -1200)
The original WattsOn-1100 and WattsOn-1200 meters were designed to be used with a variety of CT types including mA output, 5A output and mV output types.
WattsOn meters with inputs configured for 5A and 333mV may be used with any CT that generates the appropriate (5A or 333mV full scale) output.
WattsOn meters calibrated for use with mA output CTs (MCT Series, MSCT Series, MS Series) must be used with the specific CT for which the meter is calibrated to maintain maximum accuracy.
To maintain consistency, the CT Ratio is always calibrated in the same fashion, regardless of the CT type being used. This way, the RTU software can be the same no matter which meter model is being used.
The WattsOn is configured to measure all current inputs as a "5A" full scale. That is; it normalizes all current measurements as 0-5A depending on the actual calibrated full scale. For this reason, every CT type is a "CT Ratio" multiplier of xxx:5, even if the CT type is not a 5A variety.
The application is best demonstrated by example:
WattsOn Model | CT Type Used | Full Scale | "CT Ratio" | Multiplier |
WattsOn-1100-5A | "Industry Standard" 400:5 | 400A | 400:5 | 80 |
WattsOn-1100-5A | "Industry Standard" 1000:5 | 1000A | 1000:5 | 200 |
WattsOn-1100-333mV | mV output 100A (333mV full scale) | 100A | 100:5 | 20 |
WattsOn-1100-MCTA-200A | MCTA | 200A | 200:5 | 40 |
WattsOn-1100-MSCT5-1600A | MSCT5 | 1600A | 1600:5 | 320 |
The CT Ratio (and PT ratio, if PTs are used) must be correctly set for the floating point registers to be properly calculated. Current, Power and Energy registers are dynamically calculated using the CT Ratio set in the meter. Energy is accumulated without the CT ratio, therefore changing the CT ratio will affect the accumulated energy readings.
It is important to remember that the resolution of the WattsOn readings depends on the CT and PT Ratio settings also. The "basic resolution" must be multiplied by the effective CT ratio to determine the actual system resolution.
Parameter | Accuracy (of reading) |
Basic Resolution (multiply by Ratio for actual resolution) |
Multiplier |
Voltage: |
0.5% | 0.1V | PT Ratio |
Current: |
0.2% | 0.001A | CT Ratio |
Power (W): | 0.2% | 0.1W (per phase, 1W per total) | PT Ratio x CT Ratio |
Power (VA): | 0.5% | 0.1VA (per phase, 1VA per total) | PT Ratio x CT Ratio |
Power (VAR): | 0.5% | 0.1VAR (per phase, 1VAR per total) | PT Ratio x CT Ratio |
Power Factor | 0.5% | 0.001 | |
Frequency: | 0.1% | 0.1Hz | |
Energy: | 0.2% | 1Wh | PT Ratio x CT Ratio |