One hot half hour sets your poultry farm demand charge
Your poultry farm demand charge comes from a single half hour. Ergon bills the highest 30-minute average of the month, in dollars per kVA, and you see it weeks later.
On a hot afternoon the fan stages step on together. Then the cool cell pumps and feed augers kick in, and the month's peak is locked in.
A University of Arkansas audit (overseas) reported fans as most of a broiler farm's demand, with summer demand well above winter.
- Dairies stack milking vacuum, wash and water pumps twice a day.
- Low power factor lifts kVA even when the kWh stay the same.
How we warn you of a poultry farm demand charge peak
- 1
A meter on the main board
One three-phase power meter sits downstream of the utility meter and reads kW, kVA and power factor.
- 2
The node does the sums
Every one to five minutes it projects the current half hour: energy so far plus the present load for the time left.
- 3
The gateway sends it out
The gateway sits near the board and sends by your farm network, 4G or Starlink.
- 4
You get the text
At about 90% of your target the shift lead gets a text, with time to delay a start.
What lands on your phone on a hot afternoon
Projected half-hour kVA, 4 pm to 4:30 pm
Dashboard view
- Projected half hour
- 147 kVA
- Target
- 160 kVA
- Power factor
- 0.94
What we fit at the main board
-
Three-phase power meter
Reads kW, kVA and power factor on the main incoming supply.
Reports every 1 to 5 min
-
Fan bank current clamp
Optional. Shows what the heaviest fan bank is pulling.
Where run feedback is missing
-
kVA node
Works out the projected half hour and sends the alert rules.
Alert at about 90% of target
-
Gateway at the board
Collects the readings in the shed or a weatherproof box with surge protection.
Indoor or enclosure
-
4G or Starlink backhaul
Gets the text out. If it drops, alerts stop until it's back.
Farm LAN, 4G or Starlink
The same hot afternoon, with and without a warning
Without monitoring
- 3:50 pmShed temperature climbs. Fan stages 3 and 4 step on.
- 4:10 pmCool cell pumps and feed augers start in the same half hour.
- 4:30 pmThe half hour closes at a new monthly high.
- Next monthThe bill shows the charge. Nobody knows which half hour.
With monitoring
- 3:50 pmFan stages step on. The meter projects the half hour.
- 4:09 pmText: projected kVA is at 90% of target.
- 4:12 pmYou hold the feed augers and cool cell pumps.
- 4:30 pmThe half hour closes under target.
Today versus with kVA alerts
| Topic | Today | With monitoring |
|---|---|---|
| Finding the peak | The bill, weeks after the half hour | A text while the half hour is still open |
| Which loads did it | A guess from the shed row | Time and loads running are logged |
| 5pm window | Someone remembers, or doesn't | A reminder 15 minutes before 5pm on weekdays |
On a poultry, pig or dairy farm
The alert never switches fans off. Ventilation, cooling and milking protect the animals, so it asks you to delay feed augers, wash-down pumps and cool cell pumps. Your ventilation controller stays in charge.
We write a stagger plan with you: feed augers first, extra fan stages next, cool cell pumps in the following half hour, all clear of 5pm on weekdays. A dairy peaks around milking, so we set targets around those times.
Pair it with a shed breaker trip alert and a poultry shed generator alarm. Watch the board itself with poultry shed switchboard overheating alerts.
What it costs
We set a fixed price after a short scoping call or a site visit. It depends on the number of sensors, the distance to the gateway and the backhaul. Ongoing support is available as a plan after handover.
Get a quote for kVA alertsThe fixed price covers
- Power meter, current transformers and node at your main board
- Gateway and farm LAN, 4G or Starlink backhaul
- Installation and electrical work under QLD Electrical Contractor Licence 1513082
- Alert set-up, your stagger plan and who gets each text
- Commissioning against your interval data, and training for your shift leads
- An ongoing support plan: we keep it running and tune your targets
What this alert won't do
- It warns you. It won't shed load or stop a start by itself. Automatic action is designed separately.
- Readings are indicative and don't replace the utility billing meter.
- It can't catch a single direct-on-line motor start inside one minute.
- It supplements your ventilation controller, high-temperature alarm and generator changeover. It doesn't replace them.