Power Quality at 400 Hz: Aviation Use Cases for the HDPQ Xplorer 400

400 Hz systems are common in aircraft and ground-based aviation equipment. They demand instruments that truly measure at 400 Hz. Here’s how the Dranetz HDPQ Xplorer 400 helps teams troubleshoot, verify performance, and cut downtime across flight lines, gates, and airport support systems.

50/60 Hz analyzers can misreport at 400 Hz

Most instruments measure at 50 or 60 Hz. In 400 Hz systems, using those tools will most likely result in inaccurate measurements, inconsistent instrument behavior, and loss of time and money as a result of surveys that do not collect useful data. Accurate 400 Hz work requires hardware and firmware that locks to 400 Hz and calculates PQ metrics correctly.

The HDPQ Xplorer 400 is built for exactly this. It measures 400 Hz, 50/60 Hz, and DC with the same deep feature set, including high-speed transient capture. It is designed for aviation, naval, and military applications where 400 Hz is standard practice.

Typical 400 Hz aviation applications for the HDPQ Xplorer 400

Jetway and aircraft power troubleshooting

Power at the gate spans three elements: the aircraft, jetway, and ground power. Any weak link can delay turns and raise costs. Recorded data from a major airport, for example shows a voltage interruption on a 400 Hz aircraft supply from a jetway (Figure 1).

Finding and fixing issues like this depends on accurate 400 Hz capture and analysis.

Practical tips:

• Record both 400 Hz and any 50/60 Hz or DC feeders tied into the gate.
• Pair events with load activity and ground power status.
• Use automated PQ event classification to sort sags, transients, and switching events fast.

Measure and bill actual gate energy consumption

In many cases, airport gates are rented or leased to airlines. The cost of the energy consumed by an airplane while parked at the gate is intended to be included in the fees charged to the airlines. However, in many cases, owners estimate energy usage and do not measure actual aircraft consumption for the purposes of adjusting fees accordingly. A Boeing 777, for instance, consumes more electricity than a regional jet, and owners need to make sure contracts and pricing are based upon actual usage and not estimates. 

Airport authorities, ground maintenance teams, and airlines can use the HDPQ Xplorer 400 for short spot checks or longer surveys, then adjust contracts based on actual energy consumption.

How to run the survey:

• Log kW, kWh, power factor, and demand during typical turns.
• Segment by aircraft type and time on gate.
• Share a one-page report with finance and airline partners.

Verify efficiency gains in support systems

One airline upgraded baggage conveyors with efficient 60 Hz drives. Benchmarking with the HDPQ 400 before and after the upgrade confirmed the savings matched the supplier’s claims. The same instrument remains their go-to for 400 Hz aircraft power and facility PQ work.

How to replicate:

• Baseline for a full duty cycle before retrofit.
• Repeat after commissioning, same load window.
• Present a simple before vs. after trend and payback estimate.

What teams like about the HDPQ Xplorer 400

• One instrument for 400 Hz, 50/60 Hz, and DC. 
• High-speed transient capture to catch fast events that cause hard-to-trace symptoms.
• Remote access from almost any device. Review data and change settings from smartphones, tablets, and traditional PC or Mac systems.
• Easy to use in the field. Automatic setups guide you fast, and dashboards scale from quick checks to comprehensive analysis.

Have a 400 Hz application you need to validate or troubleshoot? 

Talk with our applications team about the HDPQ Xplorer 400 configuration that fits your use case. We can scope the setup, review a sample dataset with you, and outline an efficient test plan. 

You are also welcome to download the Application Note for a deeper dive into aviation applications for the HDPQ 400.

FAQs

What makes 400 Hz monitoring different from 50/60 Hz?
The fundamental frequency changes how you synchronize and compute PQ metrics. Instruments built only for 50/60 Hz can measure inaccurately at 400 Hz, which leads to wrong conclusions and delays.

Does the HDPQ Xplorer 400 also work on 50/60 Hz and DC?
Yes. It measures 400 Hz, 50/60 Hz, and DC with the same analysis features and transient capture. That means one tool covers the full electrical environment around the aircraft, or ground-based aviation equipment.

Our ramp team isn’t full of power quality experts. How does the HDPQ Xplorer 400 help them collect valid 400 Hz data?
The analyzer does the heavy lifting. Automatic setups detect 400 Hz and the wiring scheme, apply correct scaling, and warn about common hookup mistakes before you start logging. The dashboards present live values, trends, and event lists in plain terms, so techs can spot sags or inrush without hunting through menus. If questions come up, an engineer can review data and adjust settings remotely from a phone, tablet, PC, or Mac. You get reliable captures at 400 Hz and, when needed, the same workflow for 50/60 Hz support systems around the gate.