VECTO 3+

The VECTO 3 is equipped with 4 x high-impedance broadband AC & DC voltage inputs.
The first three inputs share a common reference whil the 4th channel is fully differential.

The following topologies are supported:

• Single Phase
• 3-Phase Star
• 3-Phase Delta

The VECTO 3 features 4 x broadband galvanically isolated AC & DC current inputs.
The input burden of each channel is very low (±5 mΩ).
Current inputs are designed to be used with external 1 A / 5 A CTs.
VECTO devices support configuration of CT ratios and can derive the “missing” current from 3-or 4-wire networks.

The VECTO 3 includes four broadband current sensor (low voltage output current sensor) inputs, for interfacing with sensors such as split-core CTs, Hall-effect transducers , Rogowski coil sensors, and precision shunt modules. 

Core Functionality

• Channels: 4 fully differential input pairs
• Signal Type: Instantaneous broadband AC & DC voltage signals representing current
• Typical Sensor Types:
  • Low Voltage output Split-core or clamp-on current sensors
  • Hall-effect current sensors (for DC or mixed AC/DC applications)
  • Rogowski coils with signal conditioning
  • External shunts or custom analog outputs

• Power Supply to Sensors: A common GND referred 5 V power source supplies power to each sensor channel (1 W max), simplifying installation of active sensors

Application Scenarios

• Renewables & Storage: Accurate current monitoring of inverter outputs, battery strings, and DC buses using Hall-effect sensors 
• Retrofits & Isolation: Split core CTs enables measurement without interrupting high-current circuits, ideal for sites lacking safe CT access
• Wide Dynamic Range: Captures low-current signal integrity in monitoring & control systems and high-current surges in protection circuits

Complement to CT Inputs

• These inputs complement the galvanically isolated current inputs by offering precision low-voltage interfacing where direct current wiring is not feasible or desirable.

The user may configure 3 x current inputs AND 1 x current sensor input to make a full 4-channel current measurement.

Please Note: Towards end of 2026, VECTO Devices will be able to support multiple current feeders. On its own it will concurrently support both current and current sensor inputs (2 x sets of 4-channel current inputs). When complemented by a 4-Feeder & IO Expansion Unit, VECTO 3 devices will support direct measurement of up to 6 x 4-channel current feeders (20 x current channels).  

The VECTO 3.4 provides 4 x differential bi-polar DC analog/logic inputs.
The VECTO 3 can record a trend of the analog signals applied, and it can record an event when any one of the analog values exceeds a logical threshold.

Their typical uses include:

• Trend analog input signals.
• Triggering recordings or diagnostics based on logic level changes (e.g., detecting breaker trips).
• Synchronising external control or protection system events with waveform and PQ data.
• Capturing time-aligned status changes in automation or fault analysis scenarios.

These inputs can be configured through the VECTO HMI interface or remotely via VECTO Grid OS or Osprey Lite (bundeled support software). 

The VECTO 3 includes 4 x galvanically isolated solid-state relay outputs.
Each relay output has an on-board LED status indicator.
The relays can be controlled externally via various SCADA interfaces.
Relays can also be controlled by any internal PQ or other related event.
The first relay is dedicated to indicate device health. This relay will be energised when the device is powered, configured and recording data.

The VECTO 3 is equipped with robust and redundant network interfaces to support high-availability communications in utility, substation, and enterprise environments.

Here’s a breakdown of their functionality:

Ethernet Ports (2x Gigabit)

• Port 1: Typically used for corporate or SCADA network connections.
• Port 2: Often reserved for direct laptop access (e.g., commissioning or diagnostics).
• Functions:
  • Supports POE+ (IEEE 802.3 compliant) for power delivery and network communication through a single cable.
  • Provides PTP (IEEE 1588v2) time synchronization capabilities.

SFP Port (1x Gigabit Fiber)

• A 1000BASE-X SFP cage for fiber-based uplinks.
• Ideal for EMC-sensitive environments or long-distance, electrically isolated data links.

Wi-Fi Interface

• Battery-backed Wi-Fi module with MIMO antenna support.
• Allows local wireless connectivity for setup, monitoring, or bridging data where cabling is impractical.

4G Cellular Modem

• Includes a SIM card slot and external antenna ports.
• Offers redundant mobile data access for remote sites without fixed connectivity.
• Compatible with public and private APNs; supports both static and dynamic IP addressing.

Security & Protocols

• Supports OpenVPN, SSH, HTTPS, and SCADA protocols like Modbus TCP, DNP3, and IEC 61850.
• Data channels secured with encryption and password protection.

Use Cases

• Continuous data streaming to VECTO Grid OS .
• Real-time SCADA/EMS interfacing.
• Remote firmware updates and diagnostics.
• Redundant failover paths for critical infrastructure.

The networking capabilities of the VECTO 3 make it a powerful edge device for modern, digital substations and smart grid applications. 

IEC 61000-4-30 Class-A is the highest accuracy classification for power quality measurement instruments. Class-A devices meet strict requirements for measurement uncertainty, time synchronization, and aggregation methods.

VECTO 3 is IEC 61000-4-30 Class-A compliant, making it suitable for contractual applications, compliance verification, and dispute resolution where the highest measurement accuracy is required.

Waveform synchronization uses precicion time sources like GPS or PTP to timestamp each sampled value with sub-microsecond accuracy. This enable direct comparisson/calculation of data measured on different devices at different locations to obtain new wide area parameters.

Sub-synchronous oscillation (SSO) phasors represent the magnitude and phase angle of electrical voltage or current components oscillating at frequencies below the normal grid operating frequency (such as 50 Hz or 60 Hz). Measured by advanced monitoring devices like Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs), these sub-synchronous phasor components help detect hidden resonance, mechanical shaft stress, and inverter control instability in modern power grids.

VECTO 3 devices can accurately measure the amplitude, phase angle and frequency of up to 3 x dominant sub-synchronous oscillation phasors on 3 x different frequency bands.

A Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) is a device that measures electrical phasor quantities (voltage magnitude, current magnitude, and phase angle) with GPS synchronization for real-time grid monitoring. PMUs provide sub-second measurements at 30-120 samples per second, enabling grid operators to detect and respond to power system disturbances in real-time. VECTO 3 includes PMU+ capabilities compliant with IEEE C37.118 standards Class P&M simultaneously.

VECTO 3 firmware is Linux based and the device offers spare processing & storage capacity that can be exploited for future features & functionality.
At the edge of network – on the device itself, measured data is at its highest definition. Our aim is to process as much data on the device itself as possible – enabling users a rich set of compressed information via SCADA interfaces with a very high update speed. Our aim is also to enrich retrieved data to reduce the amount of data to be transferred. But at the same time, we will give the user full access to broadband waveform information when required.

PMU streaming broadcast synchrophasor data typically once per cycle to a remote network endpoint. Synchrophasor data are typically used for real-time control of the network. However synchrophasor data is also frequently used to investigate network stability, damping etc.

SCADA data is typically requested from a device via protocols like Modbus, DNP3 & IEC61850. SCADA data can be concise and fast or comprehensive and slower and has a wide variaty of applications.

Modern protocols Like IEC61850 can contain different classes like Sampled values, MMS oor Goose.

VECTO 3 supports Modbus IP, FTP and a few other industry standard protocols by default.
The device can be configured & data downloaded in PQDIF and other formats without a single piece of proprietry code.
IEC 61850, DNP3 & IEEE C37.118 streaming protocols requires additional licencing.

The VECTO 3 is specifically designed for monitoring renewable energy integration challenges. The device monitors power quality impacts from inverter-based resources (IBR), detects sub-synchronous control interactions from solar and wind farms, verifies grid code compliance, and tracks frequency response from renewable generators. The combination of PMU+, Power Quality+, and Grid Stability+ capabilities provides comprehensive monitoring for renewable-heavy grids.

VECTO 3 devices are harmonic analysis devices par excellence. Their 2 MHz oversampling, 18-bit resolution combined with user programmable gain optimise the effective use of ADC range and reduces white noise completely – maximising low end harmonic resolution and accuracy.

The following Harmonic/Interharmonic functionalities are supported:

• Hourly & Daily 95%, 99% 3-sec CPF harmonic values
• Harmonic & Interharmonics (DC-64th) – Including all individual harmonic power and phase angle parameters – enabling accurate emission measurement.
• Harmonic THD (up to 50th)
• Prevailing Harmonic Phasors
• Higher Harmonics (up to 25 kHz)

Harmonics are certified according to IEC 61000-4-7 Class I.