What is "synchroscope"

n. 1 An instrument that indicates the degree to which two alternating current systems are synchronised with each other; used especially in electricity generation 2 An instrument used to synchronise the propellers of a twin-engine aircraft

n. an instrument that indicates whether two periodic motions are synchronous (especially an instrument that enables a pilot to synchronize the propellers of a plane that has two or more engines) [syn: synchronoscope, synchronizer, synchroniser]

In AC electrical power systems, a synchroscope is a device that indicates the degree to which two systems ( generators or power networks) are synchronized with each other.

For two electrical systems to be synchronized, both systems must operate at the same frequency, and the phase angle between the systems must be zero (and two polyphase systems must have the same phase sequence). Synchroscopes measure and display the frequency difference and phase angle between two power systems. Only when these two quantities are zero is it safe to connect the two systems together. Connecting two unsynchronized AC power systems together is likely to cause high currents to flow, which will severely damage any equipment not protected by fuses or circuit breakers.