01-02.2009.pdf

Inside this issue:■ Modular distribution meets motor control■ Factory safety – the holistic approach■ Power transformers – are you covered?■ A question of UPS architecture

SECOND AUCTION SCHEDULED FOREU EMISSIONS TRADING SYSTEM

TRAIN REPAIR FIRM FINED OVER ELECTRIC SHOCK

The UK Government intends to hold

its second auction in Phase II of the

European Union's Emissions Trading

System on 24 March 2009.

The auction will comprise a

competitive bidding facility only. The

bidding window will open from 8am

and close at 10am on 24 March 2009.

The EU ETS sets a cap on the total

emissions from the main industrial

sectors across Europe, covering more

than 10,000 installations in the energy

and industrial sectors. Each

installation has to purchase

allowances for every tonne of carbon

they emit.

Government claims auctioning

these allowances marks a step

forward in developing a system

where market forces create financial

incentives for major carbon emitters

to reduce their emissions. This, it says,

will help stimulate the development

of green technology.

The number of allowances to be

auctioned will be announced at least

one month before the date of the

auction. In 2009 the UK plans to

auction a total of 25 million

allowances.

Participants in the auction can

place bids through intermediaries,

called primary participants The

application window for organisations

to become primary participants has

also re-opened and is expected to

remain open for the remainder of

Phase II.

Application forms to become a

primary participant and any

supporting documentation should be

received by The Department of

Energy and Climate Change at least

one calendar month before any

auction date for an institution to be

permitted to participate directly in that

auction. This is said to allow sufficient

time for the Department to process

and assess the application and leave

a period of time for the primary

participant to establish relationships

with indirect bidders. The UK

Government will charge VAT on EU

allowances auctioned in the UK.

Ups systems Page 14 Enclosures Page 20 Factory safety Page 24 Test & measurement Page 28

January/February 2009 Volume 242 No1

Finning Power Systems has been

awarded a contract by Haden

Young, to supply all of the

emergency power provision for

Birmingham’s new £553m PFI

‘super hospital’.

The turnkey project involves

providing 12MVA of standby

power, the high voltage

switchgear, the power

management system and the

design and erection of the

energy centre, which will house

the generator sets. The company

is supplying and installing ten

Caterpillar diesel generator sets.

There will be six high voltage

sets in the main generator

powerhouse, with four further

low voltage sets installed in

different locations. Finning is

also completing all of the

building sound attenuation for

the powerhouse and other plant

areas.

For the latest news, products and event information visit the NEW www.electricalreview.co.uk

ELECTRICALREVIEW

National Express subsidiary, Main-

train, has been fined £75,000 after a

maintenance worker suffered a se-

vere electric shock while working on

a train that had not been isolated.

Christopher Harris was removing a

cover protecting train axles at the

Soho Light Maintenance Depot in

Birmingham. He suffered burns to

the hands, chest muscle damage and

injuries to his legs.

An investigation, led by the Office

of Rail Regulation’s inspectorate,

found Maintrain’s risk assessment in-

adequate and showed the company

had failed to implement safe systems

of work. Workers were not ade-

quately trained in the procedures for

working on electrical systems, and

were not properly supervised.

“It should be noted, had all axle

covers been removed from the train,

the full voltage of 25,000 volts would

have passed through the worker,” the

principal railway inspector Darren

Anderson told Birmingham Crown

Court. Maintrain admitted failing to

ensure, so far as is reasonable practi-

cable, the safety of employees and

others, contrary to Section 2(1) and

3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work

Act and was fined on 12 January

2009.

SUPERPOWER

www.electricalreview.co.uk 03

One cable supplier is set to reveal all in a new

initiative designed to make the cable buying

experience quicker and easier.

The initiative, launched on 16 January, sees

the introduction of 3D models to the Eland

Cables website (www.eland.co.uk). With

computer-generated models covering the

company's cable portfolio, visitors to the site

will now be able to zoom in on, rotate, and

strip back the sheath or outer surface of a

selected cable, to help them choose the right

cable for the job.

The move comes after teams at Eland's

London headquarters discussed ways of

improving the customer experience. While the

new 3D models will not replace the need for

traditional cable samples, Eland Cables hopes

that by clearly displaying the construction and

detail of the cable, customers will be able to

make a more informed decision about their

cable purchases. Any reduction in the number

of samples requested, however, will further

support the company's

environmental credentials

- Eland became one of

the first cable companies

to be awarded IS0 14001

accreditation last year.

"When you buy a car you always look under

the bonnet," said Sonja Madjzoub, the

marketing executive who has spent the last

four months masterminding the project, "so we

want to show customers more than a simple

diagram or photograph. With our 3D models

we are hoping to make the cable buying

process more interactive and informative - not

to mention enjoyable. We can't wait to hear

what our customers think."

Philip Brown, managing director at Eland

Cables added: "Service is everything at Eland

Cables. We are always looking to improve our

offering and I am confident this new venture

will help cable buyers across the world. If we

can use interactive diagrams to make cable

buying easier and more practical that's great. If

the experience can be both engaging and

memorable at the same time, that's even

better. These 3D models will be a welcome

addition moving forward."

ABB Drives Alliance memberQuantum Controls (QC), formerly SlaterDrive Systems, has received an awardfor the way its drive solutionscontribute to energy efficiency andlow carbon emissions. Managingdirector of QC, Kevin Brown, waspresented with the first EEF/One NorthEast Low Carbon Innovation Award atthe Delivering the Low CarbonEconomy conference, organised by theEngineering Employers’ Federation(EEF). Presenting the award, EEF CEOGilbert Toppin, said: “The awardrecognises QC’s ability to grasp anopportunity, take risks and strive topave the way for their sector, and theindustry as a whole, by creatingprofitable solutions to the globalchallenge of climate change.”

MODEL BEHAVIOUR ONLINE

PAVING THE WAYFOR THE SECTOR

CONTENTS

03 || NEWS

9 || TECHNOLOGY TO MARKET

12 || GOSSAGE

14 || UPS SYSTEMS

20 || ENCLOSURES

24 || FACTORY SAFETY

26 || TRANSFORMERS

28 || TEST & MEASUREMENT

32 || PRODUCT WATCH

41 || CLASSIFIED

43 || OPEN CIRCUIT

With clean emissions,low maintenancerequirements,unlimited runtimesand improvedreliability, fuel cellsare set torevolutionise thepower industry

Electrical distributionand motor control has amajor role to play intoday’s industry. Thesystems that control itare usually referred toas motor controlcentres (MCCs),distribution orswitchboards. We lookat the options available

Progressivemanufacturers arefocusing on safetyautomation solutions tokeep their people safe,their machines workingand their bottom linesrobust

Scottish business support organisation Go Group

has launched a new programme of support to help

utility businesses survive the credit crunch.

The Business Doctor programme aims to aid

ailing utility businesses with a range of training

and advisory services, focusing on nurturing

business start-up, supporting business growth and

encouraging innovation during the next financial

year.

Liz Metin, deputy director of learning and

development at Go Group, said: “It’s a fact that

some 90% of applications for equity funding in

Scotland fail to achieve their objective every year,

proving that it’s tough, and getting tougher, to

secure the cash to drive business growth. It is

therefore vital, now more than ever, for companies

to become forward thinking and prepare

thoroughly for what lies ahead.”

For more information on the training available

from Go Group please call 0845 602 1249 or visit

www.thegogroup.co.uk .

APPOINTMENT WITH THE DOCTOR

04 Electrical Review January/February 2008

NEWS

■ On 11 February 2009 at the Building

Research Establishment at Garston, near

Watford, Electrical Safety (UK) and Dupont

Personal Protection will host a Unique

Learning event on arc flash.The event will

feature a workshop held by Jim Phillips, an

independent expert on arc flash and will

discuss arc flash research, standards and

calculation methods before moving on to

similar events on main land Europe. This will

be complemented by Mike Frain FIET MCMI of

Electrical Safety (UK) who will draw on his

experience in authoring electrical safety

procedures to demonstrate how the standards

can be used to assist in compliance with

European/UK legislation; and Neil Gove MEng

CEng MIEE, HM Specialist Inspector (Electrical

and Control Systems) who is going to speak

about the relevant electrical safety legislation

in the UK, specifically defining live work and

fundamental requirements of regulation 14

from the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

For details email [email protected] and

mark your enquiry BRE arc flash

■ Internet start up business XS Supplies has

announced the launch of its e-commerce and

auction site www.xs-supplies.com, a no-frills,

on line, trade only auction site, dedicated to

helping UK based electrical wholesalers,

electrical distributors and cable distributors,

sell their unwanted or excess stock within the

UK and abroad.

IN BRIEF

A two-year powerlines project has been delivered

on time and to budget with the removal of the

final overhead electricity pylon from the Olympic

Park site, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA)

has confirmed.

ODA Chief Executive David Higgins said:

“Removing the final overhead pylon from the

Olympic Park site is a hugely symbolic moment as

we begin to transform the skyline of east London

for good.

“This £250m project, delivered on time and to

budget, has created new jobs for local people and

business opportunities for a range of companies

and unlocks the Olympic Park landscape for the

delivery of new homes, world-class sports venues

and essential infrastructure.'

The powerlines project was started by the

London Development Agency (LDA) in 2005, ahead

of London's successful bid to host the 2012 Games.

It was then handed over to be managed by the

ODA, working with the LDA as well as EDF Energy

and National Grid, the companies that own and

operate the overhead lines. The project has

involved three separate phases:

The tunneling phase

▲ Two 6km tunnels were built beneath the

Olympic Park enabling the power needed for

the Games and legacy developments to be

carried.

▲ Four huge 40 tonne tunnelling machines were

used.

▲ Tunnelling work was completed in 424 days

▲ The Olympic Park tunnelling accounted for 85 %

of the UK’s tunnelling for that year.

▲ 200,000 cubic metres of spoil was created

during tunnelling - enough to fill Wembley

Stadium - the majority of which is being reused

on the Olympic Park.

▲ The complex nature of the tunnelling process

meant a series of obstacles were encountered

during the project, including issues with soil

contamination and encountering small ground

movements and water ingresses beneath the

surface of the Olympic Park.

▲ The tunnelling phase was delivered on time, on

budget and with a good health and safety

record.

The cabling phase

• Work began in June last year to install 200km of

cabling in the tunnels – enough to stretch from

London to Nottingham.

• More than 9,000 brackets were also installed to

carry cabling along the tunnel walls, together

with monitoring and ventilation equipment.

• The cabling phase of the project was completed

on schedule in May, allowing testing and

commissioning of the new underground

equipment to begin.

• Power was then switched on underground last

summer allowing work to remove the overhead

pylons and powerlines to begin.

The pylon removal phase

• 52 overhead pylons were removed, producing

1,300 tonnes of steel which will all be recycled.

• 130km of overhead wires were removed.

A website has been created providing further

information on business opportunities in the run

up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic

Games. Visit http://www.london2012.com/get-

involved/business-network.

FINAL PYLON REMOVED FROM OLYMPIC PARK


The official launch of Carrington Power

took place on 23 January, at a recep-

tion in Flixton House, hosted by John

McSweeney of ESB International, the

project owner and developer.

Carrington Power received planning

permission in July 2008 for the con-

struction of the 860MW combined cycle

gas turbine (CCGT) power station on

the former Carrington power station

site. The station, which already has con-

nection to the National Grid, will sit

alongside the Manchester Ship Canal

and River Mersey.

Preliminary site activities have re-

cently commenced. Site enabling

works are programmed to start during

2009 with construction scheduled to

commence in early 2010.

During construction over 600 jobs

will be created with a further 50 peo-

ple employed full-time when the plant

is operational in 2013.

Carrington Power will also have the

potential to provide steam to neigh-

bouring businesses that require a sup-

ply, further increasing its efficiency. In

addition, enough land is available to

incorporate a facility for future require-

ments to capture and store carbon.

During operation of the plant natu-

ral gas will be delivered via an under-

ground pipe and electricity will be

transported via existing overhead lines.

Disruption to traffic will, therefore, be

kept to a minimum during operation.

Cllr Susan Williams, leader of Traf-

ford Council said “We are delighted

that this project is now going ahead

and this derelict, brownfield site will

once again be used for power genera-

tion. Trafford Council will continue to

work closely with the developer. Car-

rington is an area in need of regenera-

tion and this project will bring many

direct benefits to the Council and local

communities”.

ESBI, the international arm of the

Irish Republic's Electricity Supply Board

(ESB), acquired a controlling interest in

the project company, Bridestones, from

Carlton Power in October 2008. ESBI is

also a 50% shareholder in Corby Power

of Northamptonshire, the first inde-

pendent power station in Britain. Ad-

ditionally, ESBI is co-developing

Marchwood Power, an 842MW gas-

fired power station near Southampton

which is scheduled to enter service

later this year.

CARRINGTON POWERS AHEAD

■ An engineer working for design and engineering specialist Morgan

Professional Services (MPS) has become the first person in the UK to

qualify as a 2008 Breeam (Building Research Establishment

Environmental Assessment Method) education assessor. Russell

Yeamans is the first person nationally to gain the new 2008 Breeam

education assessor qualification which forms part of the drive to make

educational buildings more sustainable. The new Breeam education

qualification incorporates the existing scheme for assessing schools

and introduces a new assessment process for buildings in the further

education sector. Breeam is the internationally recognised standard

for measuring a building’s environmental credentials.

■ Cibse's annual National Conference returns to London on the 28

and 29 April 2009, at The Hotel Russell, where expert speakers will

take delegates through two days of talks focusing on sustainability:

both sustainability in building services and, crucially, how to create a

more sustainable business. For more information please visit

http://www.cibse.org/nationalconference or ring 020 8675 5211

IN BRIEF


EDITOR

Elinore Mackay 020 8319 1807

[email protected]

ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER

Neil Coshan 020 7933 8979

[email protected]

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Tania King 01689 822484

[email protected]

CLASSIFIED SALES EXECUTIVE

Matthew Dawe 020 7933 8980

[email protected]

PAID SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES

Tel: +44 (0) 1635 879361

[email protected]

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Electrical Review is published by

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PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

Chris Cooke

PUBLISHER

John Owen

PRINTING BY

William Gibbons

Any article in this journal represents the

opinions of the author. This does not

necessarily reflect the views of Electrical Review

or its publisher– St John Patrick Publishers

ISSN 0013-4384

All editorial contents © Saint John Patrick

Publishers Ltd 2008. Jan-Dec 2007 8,798

NEWS

Dear editor

Many of your readers are facing what is now known as the ‘the care crunch’. This is a situation where

they are sandwiched between supporting children and often grandchildren, as well as looking after

their elderly parents.

The care crunch comes about when both ends of the age scale need extensive looking after when

such things as the cost of university fees and care homes stretch the household budget to breaking

point.

The impact of being one of the sandwich generation will always have a greater affect on those with

low incomes and savings but increasingly, people with responsible middle management positions are

also facing a real squeeze.

EEIBA is here to signpost help and to access government grants and benefits for those in need. I

hope your readers will think about how their industry’s charity can help them in these difficult times. It

is easy to get in touch – just go to our website eeiba.org or telephone 020 8673 0131.

Yours sincerely,

Timothy Lambert

Chief Executive, EEIBA.

■ NICEIC Group, the voluntary regulatory body for

the electrical contracting industry, has announced the

appointment of Emma McCarthy as its chief

operating officer. Previously NICEIC Group’s change

director and director of charitable affairs at The

Electrical Safety Council, Emma’s primary role as chief

operating officer will be to oversee the day-to-day

running of the business. “I am delighted to announce

Emma McCarthy’s appointment as chief operating

officer,” states Jim Speirs, executive chairman of

NICEIC Group. “Emma’s appointment strengthens

our internal structure and ensures continuity and

stability for our employees and customers.” Emma

takes over from Angus Moir.

.■ Softstart UK, has been announced as the

national winner of the Most Promising New

Business Award at the British Chambers of

Commerce and BT Business Awards 2008. Robin

Mackenzie, marketing director, BT Business

commented: “Softstart is a superb example of what

a business needs to do to make sure the

foundations are in place for a healthy start and for

growth. They did their homework, and, together

with some great marketing, their ability to cut costs

and to deliver in much shorter timescales, meant

that they were off to a winning start. We look

forward to watching them go from strength to

strength.”

IN BRIEF

LETTERS

Amtech Unlimited is a new approach to software

usage that enables users to access Amtech 2009

software for a small monthly fee – from £59 per

month - rather than buying it outright.

The scheme is initially available for FastTest Pro

Test and Inspection software and the Amtech

Office packages, which include FastTest desktop

and mobile versions, ProDesign electrical design

software, Protect LV co-ordination software and

SingleCable for fast single cable calculations.

All Amtech Unlimited products include

unlimited use of the software, technical support,

service packs and new releases and are being

offered at special introductory prices until the end

of March. Furthermore, as a user’s business grows

they can upgrade their software to the next level

at any time. For further information on the

scheme, please visit www.amtech-power.co.uk.

SOFTWARE ACCESS FOR MONTHLY FEE

08 Electrical Review Jan/Feb 2009

OPINION

AS THE ECONOMIC climate bites and companies

look for ways to save monies on manufacturing

costs, the use of top grade materials comes ever

more under the microscope as a possible way for

OEM’s to cut costs. However, before companies

embark on cost-cutting actions, we should

remember the legacy left to us by our Victorian

forebears, who initially transformed our nation

from a country in confusion into the modern

nation it has become today.

"It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to

pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a

little money and that is all. When you pay too little

you sometimes lose everything because the thing

you bought was incapable of doing the actual

thing that it was bought to do.

The common law of business balance

prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't

be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder it is

well to add something for the risk you run, and if

you do that you will have enough to pay for

something better." John Ruskin (1819-1900)

As we all know, the use of polycarbonate and

polyester enclosures has now become so well

established in the original equipment

manufacturing industry, that there has sprung up

a vast array of companies manufacturing all

manner of plastic enclosures. However, there are

some concerns arising from this development as

the temptation is growing in some quarters to

downgrade the enclosure in a bid to reduce a

portion of ever rising manufacturing costs.

To many though, that route spells disaster and

as most of the more astute OEM companies will

concur, modern manufacturers demand and

receive much more than mere enclosures from

their enclosure suppliers.

Over the last few years, many enclosure

manufacturers have adopted a far wider

approach to safeguard their relationships with

their customers, and that is why many

organisations are taking a more intelligent and

rational approach to trimming their costs – and

taking care too, not to alienate their own top

performers.

Successful enclosure manufacturers also

understand every day their customers are

challenged to build better products, identify,

evaluate and select appropriate components,

meet mission-critical deadlines, and beat the

competition to market; therefore, the right choice

of enclosure product and reliable component

selection is critical if those companies are to meet

those challenges. All customers need a supply

source that they can trust for comprehensive and

current electrical and electronic component

information along with technical innovation.

Mindful of this, most forward thinking enclosures

manufacturers have over the past few years,

streamlined their production by investing heavily

in new and more technically advanced plant and

production lines, and are therefore, entering this

difficult period with leaner workforces.

Many of today’s more perceptive companies

have learned lessons from the past and have

experienced the times when across-the-board

redundancies and mass layoffs created significant

long-term problems. Today, many manufacturing

industries, JCB for instance, are replacing mass

workforce reductions by more targeted, strategic

workforce reductions, collectively agreed

temporary wage cuts, intelligent product

rationalisation and cuts in other discretionary

spending.

However, throughout this downturn,

companies must recognise the importance of

maintaining their brand imaging and should

avoid doing anything that could jeopardise their

hard won, hard ‘paid for’ position in their

respective markets, or take actions that could

have and detrimental effect on their particular

product offering or service. Organisations must

also acknowledge the importance of recognising

and rewarding their ‘in-house’ talent and come to

recognise maintaining people with the right

balance of commercial, technical and

management skills is an essential key to the

future success of their organisation.

It is also important for companies to try to

retain their marketing commitments despite the

economic conditions they are facing. In fact, as is

now inevitable, as some manufacturers will feel

compelled to cut their marketing spend and risk

losing presence in their marketplace, many others

will take a more proactive approach, and will

actually increase their spend in order to gain a

higher profile and boost their sales in even more

competitive markets.

So as we look back over the steady growth of

last twenty years or so; whilst reeling at the recent

economic mistakes that have brought us the

banking crisis, the ‘credit crunch’ and worldwide

recession, perhaps we should try to emulate the

courage and foresight of our Victorian forefathers

and force industrial and economic expansion by

embracing technical innovation.

“There is scarcely anything in the world that

some man cannot make a little worse, and sell a

little more cheaply. The person who buys on price

alone is this man's lawful prey.” Attributed to the

Victorian English Critic, Essayist & Reformer, John

Ruskin (1819-1900)

STEVE GALLON, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FIBOX IN THE UK, EXAMINES SOME OF THE KEY

ISSUES SURROUNDING THE OEM’S DIFFICULT SELECTION PROCESS DURING THE RECESSION

Unwise to pay too much but WORSE to pay too little

Maintaining people with

the right balance of

commercial, technical and

management skills is key

to the future success of an

organisation


TECHNOLOGY TO MARKET

The decommissioning of the offshore

structures involves removal of the main

superstructure (topsides and jackets), leaving

the concrete gravity bases that still need to be

marked as a hazard for shipping. Since local

generation is no longer available the marker

light has to provide its own autonomous

power. The removal of the helipad also means

that the light has to be installed without

landing on the structure.

Sabik has developed the self-contained

light for Total E&P Norge AS in cooperation

with the oil industry engineering specialist

Liaaen Teknologi AS. The design is based on

key criteria defined by Kystverket (the

Norwegian Coastal Administration) and

Scotland’s Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB)

including: four years of maintenance-free

operation; 10 NM (nautical mile) navigation

light and Racon (Radar Beacon); PV

(Photovoltaic) power supply; satellite based

remote monitoring; redundancy of vital

systems; installation by helicopter.

The 12 V battery system is required to store

sufficient energy from the light’s PV modules

in the spring and autumn months to ensure

reliable winter operation. Saft has engineered

a battery solution for this application based

on Ni-MH batteries - the only suitable

technology in this case – since they are sealed

for life, requiring no topping up with distilled

water or other maintenance. They easily meet

Sabik’s requirement that the entire system

should provide four years of maintenance free

operation and, with an anticipated service life

of up to 15 years, they will provide reliable

power for several tours of duty.

The batteries are based on Saft NHE battery

modules. They provide good energy density

and maintenance-free operation with a high

cycle life and are fully recyclable at the end of

their life. A typical installation will comprise a

500 Ah battery to power one or two LED

navigation lanterns, a 300 Ah battery for the

Racon and a 100 Ah battery for the satellite

based remote monitoring system that provides

detailed information about the operation of

the onboard systems.

Total RELIABILITY for navigation lightsSaft maintenance-free, lightweight nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery modules are providing

vital power for the innovative, self-contained, photovoltaic-powered navigation lights developed

by Sabik Informationssysteme, the navigation aid specialist, for marking abandoned offshore

structures in the Frigg North Sea oilfield.

One of the most popular elements of Health and Safety

09 – South is its free seminar programme which for the

first time will this year be organised by the new official

educational partner, the British Safety Council. Elements

which the organisation has said it will concentrate on in

regards to the seminar programme include focusing

upon ‘health’ as well as safety. As Nina Wrightson,

Chairman of the BSC says “With the epidemiology of

health being a less straight forward issue than safety, as

exposure is not as easy to predict as it takes place over

the long-term, it is often ignored and we intend to

tackle this problem.”

The educational programme takes place on both days

of the event and seminar highlights on the first day, 24

February 2009, include Corporate

Manslaughter/Homicide – The Impact, by Kevin Bridges

of the law firm Pinsent Masons LLP. This seminar will

introduce the Act and the new statutory offence of

corporate manslaughter/homicide for those that are

unfamiliar with its content and its anticipated impact on

corporate and personal liability. Bridges will also look at

how the Sentencing Advisory Panel has suggested that

those convicted under the act (which came into force on

6 April 2008) should face a substantive fine - between

2.5 and 10% of their annual turnover.

Also taking place on the first day is Asbestos - The

Hidden Killer presented by Stephanie Beach of the

Health and Safety Executive. Beach’s presentation will

provide an update on current asbestos issues and recent

initiatives including a summary of the HSE's recent,

national, media campaign designed to raise awareness

amongst tradesmen of the risk of exposure to the

substantial amounts of asbestos still contained in many

buildings.

Seminars on the second day of the event, 25 February

2009, include Working at Height by David Thomas of

William Hare, the structural engineering company.

David will cover all aspects of safety when working at

heights, setting out the simple hierarchy for managing

and selecting equipment for work at height and

outlining some of the fundamental measures required

for a safe system of work as required by The Work at

Height Regulations 2005 that apply to all work at height

where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal

injury.

As well as the busy educational schedule, more than

100 exhibitors are represented in the continually

expanding exhibition area. Personal Protective

Equipment (PPE) is an area which is well supported

with the show’s main sponsor being DuPont, with

Ansell Healthcare Europe and Aearo

Technologies as event partners. Other PPE

suppliers such as BM Polyco and Marigold

Industrial also have stands and the breadth

of PPE covered includes everything from

specialist protective clothing and gloves, to eye wear,

ear plugs, high-visibility garments and more.

For those interested in working at height solutions,

helping maintain safety and compliance in this area

requires specialist equipment and advice which at

Health and Safety 09 - South is available from the likes

of A-Plant, Scafftag and Pammenter & Petrie.

Another element of the event which is provided free

by event partner Principal People is the fire safety

demonstration. Here, fire safety professionals give

regular demonstrations throughout the two days about

how visitors should deal with certain types of fire from

the classic chip pan blaze to more complex fires. The

team will be demonstrating the use of extinguishers

and inviting visitors to bring a blaze under control with

hand held extinguishers.

Health and Safety 09 – South also provides visitors

with a the opportunity to talk to key industry bodies,

professional and trade associations such as the Health &

Safety Executive, the Asbestos Control and Abatement

Division (ACAD) and the Chartered Institute of

Environmental Health (CIEH) and IOSH all of who are

exhibiting. For a full list of exhibitors visit:

www.healthandsafetyevents.co.uk .

Registering for the event or a seminar is free.

However, visitors are advised to do so in advance to

guarantee a place. Registration is via:

www.healthandsafetyevents.co.uk or for those without

internet access registration can be completed by calling

the exhibition helpline on 0870 4866816.

10` Electrical Review Jan/Feb 2009

EXHIBITION PREVIEW

NOW IN ITS THIRDSUCCESSFUL YEAR, THELATEST IN A SERIES OFREGIONAL EXHIBITIONSAND CONFERENCES,SPONSORED BY DUPONT,WILL TAKE PLACE ATSANDOWN PARK, ESHER,SURREY ON THE 24 AND25 FEBRUARY 2009. THEEVENT COMBINES ASEMINAR PROGRAMME,ORGANISED BY THEBRITISH SAFETY COUNCIL,WITH AN EXHIBITIONSUPPORTED BY THEINDUSTRY’S MAJORMANUFACTURERS ANDSERVICE PROVIDERS. .

HEALTH AND SAFETY 09 - registernow to guarantee your place

OPINION

G

ossip!

G

os s ag

e!


PIPPED TO THE POSTSuch is the decline in the value of the poundthat, in its rush to be the first Europeangovernment to auction allowances under theEU carbon emissions trading scheme, ministershave ‘lost’ the taxpayer around £10m.

This is because the entire trading system –which covers all types of electricity generation -only recognises the euro as a currency. Inconsequence, all such auctions have to be ineuros. But whereas, when the sale took place inmid-November, the pound was worth 84eurocents, right now it is around parity – inother words, worth one whole euro.

With the right to emit each tonne of carbondioxide selling at 16.15 euros, this converted toan income for the government of some £54m inNovember. However, had the governmentwaited until the New Year, the exchange ratewould have upped the value to around £64m. Ireally don’t think the loss of revenue was worththe dubious honour of pipping all those otherEuropean governments to the post to startauctioning.

NEW LABOUR IN A NUTSHELLGiven the government’s determination to bethe first to raise money by selling the rightto pollute (see story to right), you mightthink that our Lords and Masters would bedetermined to auction the maximumnumber of EU emissions trading allowancesthat European rules permit. Not so.

After all, there has been a considerablescandal attached to the way in which all theelectricity generators have managed so farto get all their emission allowances for free.But then have promptly put up all theirprices on the pretence they had bought thepermits on the open trading market.Consequently they are now receivingwindfall profits worth around £ 70bn. That isright. £70bn. All paid for by we consumers.

It is, therefore, entirely reasonable for thegenerating companies to be forced to payout of their own pockets for the maximumnumber of permits permitted. Which up until2013 is just 10% of the allowances set asidefor the electricity industry.

Fair enough, you might think. Thegovernment could take the money in fromat least that 10%. And maybe follow theexample of the Dutch or the Austrians, andring-fence the money to help poorer peoplecope with these inflated power bills?

So is that what is planned? Not on yourlife. The UK government has decided itwon’t take up the right to sell all 10% of theallowances to the generators. Instead, it hasdecided to take pity on these poorpenurious multinationals. And just auction7%. Rather than the permitted 10%.

Why have the Whitehall mandarinsdecided to hand out the extra 3% free andgratis, and so forgo around £600m. Moneythat could have gone to help eliminate fuelpoverty. Apparently, the official explanationis that they were worried that if they didauction more than just 7%, they mightovershoot that 10% maximum. Suchcaution might have justified limiting theamount to be auctioned to (say) 9.75. Butonly 7%? Phooey.

Oh ,and apparently it is “notgovernment policy” ever to ring fencerevenues for any specific piece ofexpenditure. Instead at the start of thisfinancial year, the government celebratedby cutting the main fuel povertyprogramme, Warm Front, by 20%. It is NewLabour’s philosophy in a nutshell: Takeaway from the poor. Give to the rich.

CAN’T BEAT THEM? JOIN THEMBack in 2006, the government set up acompetition. It offered to pay themajority of the costs to build the first400 megawatt Carbon Capture &Storage (CCS) demonstration plant.

Most of the Big Six electricitygenerators decided to compete. LastJuly the government announced whichschemes were on the short list. TheGerman power company RWE, whichtrades here as npower, was mightilymiffed when its entry was eliminated.

It huffed and puffed. It announced itwas considering legal proceedingagainst the government. For six months

m’learned friends were rubbing theircollective hands with glee, at theprospect of a lengthy full-scale battle inthe Courts.

But then suddenly the threat of Courtproceedings disappeared. Why?Because RWE has gone and bought75% of a company called Peel EnergyCarbon Capture. Which, unlike RWE,happens to have made not just thegovernment short-list. It also justhappens to be the bookies’ favourite tobe the winning CCS proposal. As theysay, if you can’t beat them, then youjust have to join them.

The late Professor Roland Levinsky was apioneering immunologist, and vice-chancellor ofthe University of Plymouth. He died because, inatrocious weather conditions, he walked into alive 11,000 volt power cable left dangling acrossa footpath near Wembury, Devon.

It was not as if the cable owners, WesternPower Distribution (WPD), did not know abouttheir insecure high-voltage cable. The companyhad been contacted several times by concernedpeople who had seen the cable hanging loose.

But instead of logging the problem as“dangerous”, the company call centre insteadlisted it as just “miscellaneous”. So the powerwas never turned off. And an engineerdespatched to fix the fault was divertedelsewhere.

And the cost to WPD for its incompetence,which took the life of a distinguished academic?The paltry total of £270,000. Including legalcosts. In a world where electricity companies arewalking off with billions worth of unearned,windfall profits, such judicial generosity makesme despair.

COST OF IMCOMPETENCE


UPS SYSTEMS

The MarketCompared to the massive global market

share which static UPS systems enjoy,

rotary UPS systems occupy only a small

niche. According to IMS Research, only

4.3% of projected worldwide UPS

revenues in 2008 will be rotary UPS systems, while the

remaining 95.7% consists of static UPS.

They are also a niche within the data centre market

where static UPS predominate at power levels of 500 kW

and below, with the segment between 20 kW to 200 kW

almost exclusively static.

Rotary and flywheel UPS systems begin to appear in

use in the 200 kW to 500 kW range, for niche applications

such as military and industrial. For mega data centres (<

100,000 square feet) where 500 kW to multiple megawatt

UPSs are required, both architectures are present.

The TechnologiesA UPS system is defined as static because, throughout its

power path, it has no moving parts. The rectifier inside of

the static UPS system converts the incoming utility AC

current to DC, and the inverter converts DC back to clean

sine-wave AC to supply the load. Regardless of the details

of the internal topology, at some point there is a place

where DC current interfaces with the ‘energy storage’

medium – most commonly batteries, in which case it

charges the batteries and receives power from the

batteries when the utility power supply is distorted or fails.

In data centre applications, a 3-phase static UPS

typically has a battery runtime of 5 to 30 minutes. Runtime

is dictated by the size and criticality of the load together

with available battery capacity. Static UPS battery systems

are generally sized to allow enough time, during an

outage or disturbance, to support the load while the

power source shifts from utility to a standby generator.

Should the generator power fail to come online, the UPS is

configured with enough battery runtime and technological

intelligence to allow for an orderly shutdown of the load.

The rotary UPS system is so-called because rotating

components (such as a motor-generator) within the it are

used to transfer power to the load. The true definition of a

rotary UPS system is one whose output sine wave is the

result of rotating generation.

Why the choice?Rotary technology has been utilised for many years and

came into prominence at a time when loads would

commonly exhibit a low power factor and high harmonics.

At first synchronous condensers which over time began to

WHEN DECIDING WHETHER TO DEPLOY STATIC OR ROTARY UNINTERRUPTIBLEPOWER SUPPLIES (UPS), THERE IS NO EASY WAY OF WEIGHING UP COMPARATIVEADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES. UPS SYSTEMS VARY GREATLY IN PHYSICALSIZE, WEIGHT, FORM FACTOR, CAPACITY, SUPPORTED INPUT POWER SOURCE,TECHNOLOGICAL DESIGN, AND COST. APC BY SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC MAKES ACOMPARISON OF 3-PHASE STATIC AND ROTARY UPSS TO SUPPORT A DATA CENTRE

Compared to the

massive global

market share

static systems

enjoy, rotary UPS

systems occupy

only a small niche

A QUESTION ofUPS architecture:static or rotary?

UPS SYSTEMS

incorporate motor generators, inverters and rectifiers.

Batteries or flywheels were then added for energy storage

and the modern rotary UPS system was born. Ironically,

the original reasons rotary UPS systems came into being,

do not exist for data centre managers exist since most IT

equipment is power factor corrected.

Characteristics of rotary and static UPS sytems• InvestmentRotary UPS systems are a fixed investment, usually oversized

to accommodate future, unknown load requirements. In

addition to being neither modular nor scalable (as with some

modern static UPS), the upfront costs may be as much as

40% more than a comparative static system.

Auxiliary equipment costs for rotary UPS systems may also

be higher since they require an external bypass switch

together with special ventilation equipment to purge fumes

from working areas. In the case of diesel rotary UPS, the

construction of an additional building may be required to

house the unit.

• MaintenanceFor a given level of availability, mechanical equipment

such a rotary UPS system requires a maintenance regime

incorporating weekly, monthly, annual and five-yearly

checks. By comparison and depending on environment,

most static UPS systems usually require only one annual

maintenance visit.

While in general electronic equipment such as static UPS

has a more extended useful working life than mechanical

rotary UPS, they do require an investment in maintenance

of, for example., batteries, in addition to occasional

replacement of cards and circuit boards.

• Environmental ImpactStatic UPS systems tend to be installed in a building or

data centre whereas rotary UPS tend to be outside in a

specially built enclosure. Because they often

rely on flywheels as their source of energy

storage (providing only up to 10 seconds of

back up), they may also be noisier as diesel

generators are activated during any power

‘situation’. Batteries and flywheels both support

the load until back up mains flows, however, by

virtue of their greater runtime, battery

supported systems may not require generator

power unless the outage is extensive (most

tend to be of very short duration).

• ReliabilityBoth systems are quite reliable and an analysis

of the MTBF of major components does not

reveal any great advantage either way.

However, the weak link is diesel generation

which, according to the IEEE (standard 493)

experience quite high failure rates (one start in

74). This may present an unacceptable risk to

data centre operators.

• EfficiencyStatic UPS topologies run more efficiently than their rotary

counterparts over the entire normal operating range with a

very significant advantage below 50% load. Rotary UPS

systems also appear to sustain higher fixed losses such as

.that utilized to preheat the engine coolant and lubrication

systems, to power the controls, flywheels, and pony motors

associated with the rotary UPS at zero load, and the

frictional and windage losses. These standby losses

represent the amount of energy required to keep a motor

running or to keep a flywheel spinning.

• ArchitectureRotary UPS systems lend themselves to centralised

architecture, whereas static UPS have the flexibility to also

deploy as distributed UPS solutions. The advantage with

rotary is that the all aspects of power backup can

integrated into a single solution. While this may be

attractive from a management perspective, it does present

the potential of a single point of failure scenario.

ConclusionThere is a broad range of applications for static UPS systems

and certainly they are the solution of choice for data centres

where there is a trend towards to modular, pre-engineered

solutions for all aspects of physical infrastructure including

power protection, distribution and cooling – coupled with a

need for high availability and high efficiency solutions. Rotary

UPS systems are perhaps more suited to environments

characterised by multiple short inrushes of power, for

example satellite and broadcast stations. Some rotary UPS

systems are used in high security installations to prevent

electrical eavesdropping, as a cost effective alternative to

tempest filters.

For more details, please visit www.apc.com/gb and

download a copy of APC white paper #92 “A Comparison

of Static and Rotary UPS”.


Rotary UPS

systems are

perhaps more

suited to

environment

characterised by

multiple short

inrushes of power

Fuel cells will

become

commonplace

in everything

we do

WITH CLEAN EMISSIONS, LOW MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS, UNLIMITED

RUNTIMES AND IMPROVED RELIABILITY, FUEL CELLS ARE SET TO REVOLUTIONISE

THE POWER INDUSTRY. THEIR VERSATILITY MEANS THEY ARE SUITABLE FOR A

NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS GENERATING BOTH PRIME AND BACKUP POWER

OFFERING A CLEAN AIR ALTERNATIVE TO DIESEL GENERATORS. TOM SPERREY,

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF UPS SYSTEMS LOOKS AT SOME OF THE AREAS FUEL

CELLS ARE ALREADY EMPLOYED IN

UPS SYSTEMS

FUEL CELLS generate power. Where traditional generators

use internal combustion to generate electricity, fuel cells

produce electrons directly with few moving parts making

them efficient and reliable whilst reducing oil dependency.

Hydrogen fuel cells generate a current by passing

hydrogen and oxygen over either side of a special

membrane. This allows an exchange of protons and causes

electrons to flow around the circuit. The hydrogen and

oxygen combine to produce water, which along with heat is

the only by-product of the fuel cell process. Fuel cells have

few moving parts and are comparatively efficient – typically

converting 50% of the energy content of the hydrogen into

electrical power.

PEM fuel cell operationHydrogen is passed over an anode and oxygen over a

cathode. A platinum catalyst at the anode splits the

hydrogen into positively charged ions (protons) and

negatively charged ions (electrons). The PEM allows the

protons to pass directly through to the cathode, but not the

electrons, which must travel around the external circuit to

reach the cathode. This creates the current. The hydrogen

electrons and protons re-combine at the cathode to form

water.

Fuel cells – the flexible power generatorFuel cells are versatile enabling them to be used for number

of applications. The vast portfolio of solutions from product

manufacturers means fuel cells will increasingly become

commonplace in everything we do.

Fuel cell power for signalling, road signage, CCTV ortelemetryFuel cells provide a constant and reliable power supply for

equipment which needs to remain portable. In remote

locations there is a need for access to prime power for

operating road signs, temporary signals or for telemetry

purposes, but access to mains power may be limited due to

densely wooded areas, or extensive farmland. Fuel cells

provide continuous power, removing the need to connect to

the National Grid which can be a difficult and costly process.

Typically fuel cells for these applications are small, low

power units driven by methanol or hydrogen with long

runtimes and few maintenance requirements.

npower renewables npower renewables use fuel cell technology for telemetry.

With fourteen current onshore wind farms across the UK, it

continues to expand its commitment to sustainable energy

by testing new sites to determine suitable locations for

building further wind farms. A portable anemometry mast -

powered by solar panels and two methanol fuel cells - tests

wind speeds at heights of up to two hundred metres.

VariTextVariText uses small, low power fuel cells for portable

signage. The units are self contained and easily

transportable to illuminate information signs. The 300W

hydrogen fuel cells are currently in operation on the

Transporter Bridge and at the Wilton International Site.

Hydrogen fuel cells for small IT and telecomsrequirementsOrganisations must protect themselves against complete

power failure or momentary fluctuations. Whilst many

traditional backup solutions allow people to shut down the

equipment safely, fuel cells allow you to continue working.

As long as the fuel cell has a continuous supply of hydrogen,

the unit continues to operate.

Huntly Nordic Ski CentreSituated in Elgin, Scotland, the Huntly Nordic Ski Centre had

several issues in maintaining a reliable power supply. To

secure its telecommunications infrastructure it installed a

5kW hydrogen fuel cell to support its coverage between

Rhynie and Elgin. The unit is cost effective and ideally suited

its needs without disturbing the ski environment. The fuel

cell provides emergency backup and has enough hydrogen

onsite to provide 144 hours of power in case of a primary

power failure.

Securing our future POWER


The npower renewables windfarmat Mynnydd Gorddu


UPS SYSTEMS

Fuel cells are

changing the

face of energy

to secure the

future of our

power

Rack mounted fuel cells for IT infrastructure supportFuel cells are an attractive option where traditional

generators are not welcome. For example, in city centre

locations, organisations may have limited outside space or

planning permission may be required which could be hard

to obtain in clean air zones. Furthermore, many companies

enforce environmental policies prohibiting the installation

of a generator.

Fuel cells offer a valuable alternative to traditional

generators. Their lack of vibrations and noise, as well as

clean emissions allow them to be located indoors.

Furthermore, their compact size and ability to be rack-

mounted mean that they can be easily situated inside the

computer room or office.

Winton Capital ManagementWinton Capital Management needed a secure IT

infrastructure, protected against any power failure. Its West

London location meant office space was limited and its

residential neighbours meant a traditional generator was

unacceptable. It installed three 10kW hydrogen fuel cells

mounted in the same rack to provide 30kW of power linked

to a three-phase UPS that provides it with unlimited

runtime. The whole unit is located in its computer room. Not

only does the fuel cell provide the perfect solution, but

Winton says it’s simply “cool technology”.

Hydrogen fuel cells for renewable energy projectsFuel cells are the clean power accompaniment to

renewable energy projects, helping to reduce the overall

carbon footprint whilst producing sustainable energy.

Using renewable energy sources such as solar and

wind, means hydrogen can easily be produced onsite and

used to power the fuel cell, making the system self

sufficient and eco-friendly.

Environmental Energy Technology Centre (EETC)Pure Energy commissioned the EETC to prove that

hydrogen is a viable source of energy, which is more

reliable, cost effective and environmentally friendly than

fossil fuels. The Centre is designed to be an iconic carbon-

neutral building and features a hydrogen mini-grid system

(HMGS) to supply power to the building. The HMGS uses a

wind turbine to produce over 500MWh of electricity each

year. Three 12kW fuel cells use a store of hydrogen so that

during periods of low wind speed the fuel cell powers the

building. Any excess power is fed back into the National

Grid.

Fuel cells delivering prime power and CHP to largeoffices or data centresLarge fuel cell systems include a unit to convert natural

gas into hydrogen, which supplies enough power (400kW)

for data centres, complete buildings and office campuses.

When the fuel cells produce electricity, the emitted heat

can be used warm the building making it more energy

efficient by ensuring nothing is wasted.

Pool in the Park Leisure ComplexThe Pool in the Park leisure complex was the first

combined heat and power fuel cell project in the UK. The

objective was to provide valuable green energy to improve

the efficiency of maintaining good environmental

conditions at the pool. The complex uses a 200kW natural

gas fuel cell to generate electricity, making the building

self sufficient for energy – any excess power is fed into the

local Council’s sheltered housing schemes. The leisure

complex is able to generate 50% more electricity without

burning any fossil fuels; as the carbon emissions are

reduced and other harmful emissions eliminated, it means

the complex meets the Government’s sustainability criteria

for exemption from the Climate Change Levy. It uses the

heat emitted to power the complex’s air conditioning,

cooling and dehumidification requirements via heat-fired

absorption cooling.

Large data centresSome reports suggest the London Olympics is set to put

immense pressure on the National Grid and will increase

the risk of power cuts, especially in London. Fuel cell

installations offer a prime power alternative to the

National Grid for data centre operators who wish to

develop their own reliable sources of power. UPS Systems

is currently in consultation with three companies to install

fuel cells into their IT infrastructure and hence safeguard

their power supplies.

Acting nowFuel cells are no longer a dream for the future; they are a

reality and in use now. Several organisations have already

embraced fuel cells into their operations and early

adopters of this technology have shown that it is a viable

option with a multitude of benefits to offer companies

who are willing to invest.

Fuel cells will soon become commonplace in everything

we do, from the cars we drive, to the places we work, from

the electricity in our homes to the power in our mobile

phones. Fuel cells are here and they are changing the face

of energy to secure the future of our power.

Rajesh Sinha

Front view of a 10kVA APC UPS and10kW fuel cell system, installed at UPS

Systems offices

Rear view of a 10kW fuel cell systemshowing hydrogen lines and connectors

to the controller module


ENCLOSURES

THE CONSTRUCTION of the

enclosure is divided into a

number of many different sizes

of compartments arranged in

rows and columns with each

compartment door opening

separately. These compartments

contain electrical devices, which

are then connected to copper

busbars that power motors or

distribute electricity as a

distribution or switchboard.

Every compartment within

the MCC, distribution or

switchboard will normally house

a circuit breaker and/or a motor starter normally side

by side with sufficient space left over for control,

power transformer and a relay. As modifications are

inevitable, the compartments need to modular and

available in various sizes that can accommodate

different sized parts.

When compartments contain circuit breakers, the

compartment door should have a handle through it to

act as a means of disconnecting the power from the

equipment; without opening the door. This will also

allow each compartment to be shut down separately

without interfering with the other processes.

With modular MCCs, distribution or switchboards it

is essential a level of separation is achieved and these

forms of separation extend from ‘Form 1’, which is

based on a traditional open ‘cabinet’ type MCC

construction to the extremity of ‘Form 4b Type 7’

where all starters or feeders are separated from each

other – even the control terminals. In such solutions it

is advisable that incoming cables can be brought into

large cable chambers, with aperture sizes of up to

400mm wide, providing greater manoeuvrability for

the onsite contractors and, therefore, quicker and

easier installation.

Type testing in low voltage switchgear is

increasingly becoming an issue of prime importance

worldwide. Type tested panels in accordance with IEC

60439 Part 1 assure a high level of personal protection

as well as system protection. However, one important

thing to remember is to ensure all plastic materials

used for the busbar supports are self-extinguishing in

accordance with UL 94-VO. With such type tests, more

safety is assured through heat dissipation and

comprehensive short circuit resistance testing. When

type tested along with various manufacturers’

protective devices, MCCs offer even more flexibility of

system permutations.

With MCCs or distribution boards, it is paramount

that systems are totally flexible in their makeup and

that busbar mounting can take place either in the roof

area, the rear or mounted into the base/floor area.

Such options allow for all eventualities, and offer a

wider scope to cater for any electrical application,

which may be required.

The design of any MCC, distribution or switchboard

can be time consuming, not only does the front

‘general arrangement’ require organising to make use

of the valuable space, but the internal components

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION AND MOTOR CONTROL HAS A MAJOR ROLE TO PLAY INTODAY’S INDUSTRY. THE SYSTEMS THAT CONTROL IT ARE USUALLY REFERRED TOAS MOTOR CONTROL CENTRES (MCCS), DISTRIBUTION OR SWITCHBOARDS. DARRYLWELLS-POPE FROM RITTAL EXPLAINS

Type testing in

low voltage

switchgear is

increasingly

becoming an

issue of prime

importance

Modular electrical distributionmeets MOTOR CONTROL

ENCLOSURES

require careful planning in order to make sure fine

details such as mounting plates and busbars are

included. By utilising a specialised engineering

software package, designers specifying and designing

MCCs can now produce drawings and parts lists within

minutes. If the right software is chosen it should also

allow modifications and additions, which may be

required at a later date, to be easily incorporated, be

able to specify the individual component parts, which

allows for a quick and effortless placement of the MCC

order, and allow completed drawings and parts lists to

be exported into various software packages.

As so many projects are now expected to take

place with a fast turnaround, when considering the

self-build option it is essential the instructions are

clear so the mechanical assembly can take place

quickly and easily. What happens if any of the side

panels are damaged during transit? Are they easy to

replace? Can they be replaced? These are questions

that could cause a problem if the system is not of a

modular design. With modular MCCs these issues don’t

tend to exist as all external panels can quickly and

easily replaced, with the added bonus that any

earthing cables conventionally required to be replaced

can be eradicated due to ‘self-earthing’ panels.

With any purchase of a motor control or distribution

board it is important to consider the future use of the

equipment. Although it may be suitable for today’s

business requirements, will it be able to cope with

tomorrow’s demands? Whether the MCC can be easily

extended is therefore something that needs to be

considered. If it is to be extended it would be

advisable to choose an MCC where the individual

enclosure units can be easily bayed in the future.

Consideration also needs to be given to the busbar

extensions; can they be achieved easily with standard

products? Are the products available quickly so the

build is not delayed? And what about the

compartment sizes? Can these be accommodated

easily into an existing structure? Are special parts

required? Do doors have to be especially

manufactured or are they available off the shelf? All

of the above elements are paramount when selecting

an MCC.

Any motor control centre, distribution board or

electrical switchboard needn’t be a complex structure

if all the elements are considered, are easily and

readily available and can be expanded as and when

required.


FACTORY SAFETY

The increased

popularity of

proactive risk analysis

is also helping to

propel the growth of

this holistic approach

“A HOLISTIC APPROACH to Safety Automation”

highlights the differences between the manufacturing

industry’s historical approach of separating safety

solutions from the automation system, and today’s

integrated functional approach to safety. It also

outlines the inherent benefits this direction offers,

namely minimised risk and increased productivity.

“By integrating safety functions into their overall

automation strategy platform, manufacturers can

create a safer working environment for employees and

reduce the risk of an incident that could have a

negative environmental impact. It also improves

manufacturing processes that optimise productivity

and key performance indicators, such as overall

equipment effectiveness, ultimately leading to

increased profits,” said Craig Resnick, research director,

ARC Advisory Group. “When manufacturers adopt this

holistic approach to safety, they are leveraging state-

of-the-art technology to help protect their people, as

well as improving their company’s global

competitiveness.”

A fundamental shift in two essential and related

areas has helped make this new functional approach

to safety possible. The first is major developments in

safeguarding and control technologies – most notably

the advent of new microprocessor-based technologies

in lieu of electromechanical or hard-wired control. The

second is the evolution of global safety standards to

allow these new electronic technologies to be

incorporated into industrial safety systems.

The increased popularity of proactive risk analysis is

also helping to propel the growth of this holistic

approach, according to the paper. The objective of the

safety system is to help protect people by making

processes and machines safer without decreasing

productivity. Manufacturers that conduct risk

assessments are several steps closer to achieving all of

the above – and in so doing, they help reduce risk and

the costs associated with it.

“The holistic approach to safety is a best practice

that ARC hopes even more manufacturers adopt,”

Resnick said. “Manufacturers should challenge their

TWO NEW WHITE PAPERSFROM ROCKWELLAUTOMATION REVEAL HOWPROGRESSIVEMANUFACTURERS AREFOCUSING ON SAFETYAUTOMATION SOLUTIONS TOKEEP THEIR PEOPLE SAFE,THEIR MACHINES WORKINGAND THEIR BOTTOM LINESROBUST. THE PAPERS CREDITTHIS FOCUS TO THE ADOPTIONOF A ‘HOLISTIC APPROACH TOSAFETY’ AND ‘PROVIDING THEVALUE OF SAFETY’, WHICHEMPHASISE GLOBALSTANDARDS, INNOVATIVETECHNOLOGIES, TRAINEDPERSONNEL AND ONGOINGRISK ASSESSMENT, ALLWORKING TOGETHER


Safety in manufacturing –a HOLISTIC approach

The Allen-Bradley SensaGuardfamily of RFID-coded,

non-contact safety switches


Functional safety

addresses the

safeguarding portion

of the risk reduction

process

automation suppliers to provide innovative safety

solutions and services to support their quests to

operate safer, while simultaneously increasing

productivity and profitability. Rockwell Automation

appears to have met this challenge with their

integrated safety solution offerings.”

‘Providing the value of safety’ outlines the long-

term financial benefits manufacturers can reap by

integrating comprehensive machine safety

programmes into their workplaces as a form of

insurance against potential risks.

Functional safety protects workers by reducing

incidents but also reduces the associated costs. These

include insurance premiums, claims administration

fees, workers’ compensation claims, risk management

department costs (salary, travel, fringe benefits, and so

on), legal fees, and other related costs such as

government fees, assessments and consultants.

It benefits users by cutting costs without reducing

safety. It provides a high safety/failure ratio so that

users can maximise both production and safety.

Functional safety is the part of the overall safety

implementation that depends on the correct

functioning of the process or equipment in response

to operational safety inputs. It relates to the physical

operation of a machine or process. In other words,

functional safety equals the confidence in the ability

of the safety-related control system to perform its

function over a specified time period.

The name ‘functional safety’ is often associated only

with programmable safety systems, but this is a

misconception. It covers a range of devices, such as

interlocks, light curtains, safety relays, safety PLCs,

safety contactors and safety drives that are

interconnected to form a safety system.

Using functional safety and its applicable standards

requires the availability of data such as the probability

of dangerous failure per hour (PFHd) or mean time to

dangerous failure (MTTFd). In this way, the user can

calculate the reliability of the safety system. This

should not be regarded as an absolute and certain

value but more as an indicative and relative

quantification that can prevent the use of unsuitable

equipment.

Functional safety falls under the umbrella of the

risk reduction process which involves the following

steps:

▲ Eliminate problems by design using inherently safe

design concepts.

▲ Safeguarding and protective measures with hard

guarding and safety devices.

▲ Complimentary safety measures including personal

protective equipment (PPE).

▲ Safe working practice achieved with procedures,

training and supervision.

Functional safety addresses the safeguarding

portion of the risk reduction process. When users

implement integrated safety by designing systems so

that safety and environmental considerations are

fundamental elements, they include functional safety

measures as part of the safety system.

When designing equipment and associated control

systems, a hazard analysis will help determine

whether functional safety is necessary to ensure

adequate protection against each significant hazard. If

so, then users can integrate functional safety into the

machine design requirements, implementation and

validation.

A hazard analysis identifies what has to be done to

avoid hazardous events associated with the operation

and maintenance of the machinery. In addition, a risk

assessment gives the safety integrity required of the

safety system for the risk to be acceptable.

As safety becomes more and more important in

today’s world, it makes sense for systems to be fully

integrated into the factory environment. The fact that

it provides other significant benefits along the way is

a real bonus.

The white papers “A Holistic Approach to Safety” and

“Providing the Value of Safety” are both available at:

http://www.rockwellautomation.com/solutions/safety/

FACTORY SAFETY

The RockwellAutomation safetyproduct range

TRANSFORMERS

Oil-cooled

transformers are not,

it has to be said, a

favourite with

insurance companies

A TRANSFORMER is a device that transfers electrical energy

from one circuit to another through a shared magnetic field.

A key application is to ‘tap off’ 11,000 volts (11 kv) of

electrical power from the national grid and step it down to

415 volts, which is the normal 3-phase electrical power

system used in the UK for commercial, institutional or

industrial applications. A transformer therefore makes raw

electricity ‘usable’, as well as allowing it to travel through

cables. In fact, most of the world’s electrical power has

passed through transformers by the time it reaches the

consumer.

Large, high-power transformers, in particular, need to have

a built-in cooling facility to transport heat from the interior.

Thus, one of the numerous ways of classifying transformers is

according to cooling type. For example, for power

transformers rated up to a nominal kVA, natural convective

air-cooling, often fan-assisted, is adequate. Traditionally, oil

transformers relied on highly refined mineral oil as a cooling

medium, while the latest generation cast-resin transformers,

the transformer core is insulated by a thin coating of

inorganic material.

FIRE SAFETYOver the last decade, remarkable advances in materials

technology and manufacturing methods have fostered the

popularity of cast resin transformers, particularly in fire-

sensitive locations such as high-rise structures, hospitals, and

public buildings where the transformer is located indoors and

a fire outbreak would be particularly hazardous because of

the high density of people.

Safety is high on the list of benefits provided by cast resin

transformers. The advanced epoxy mixture used in EdM

transformers is a non-hazardous material, which is both fire-

resistant and self-extinguishing. Even when the material is

exposed to arcing, no toxic gases are produced, and the

transformer can be safely situated close to the load, saving on

cabling, civil works and transmission loss.

Another key benefit is the fact that cast resin transformers

require no maintenance during their lifetime.

NON-POLLUTINGCompare all these benefits with the disadvantages of

traditional oil transformers with their relatively low fire point,

pollution potential, higher installation costs (due in part to the

fire-protection and containment measures often needing to

be installed along with the installation), and a high

maintenance requirement.

Oil-cooled transformers are not, it has to be said, a

favourite with insurance companies. Oil, of course, is a non-

renewable resource, while EdM transformers are insulated in

a sustainable material, which has been developed and

refined over 15-years to comply fully with European Union

and national directives on the protection of the environment.

Indeed, they do not pollute the environment where they are

installed and are therefore recommended for all ISO

locations, a standard that helps organizations minimise the

negative effects of their operations on the environment.

AGGRESSIVE CONDITIONSAs well as protecting the environment, the high quality epoxy

resin filled with silica and trihydrate alumina, that have

developed to encapsulate transformers, stops moisture

ingress, thus preventing electrical breakdown under load, as

well as inward pollution from the environment. This not only

makes the transformers ideal for damp or dirty conditions,

but extends the life of the transformer’s working parts and

eliminates maintenance. EdM transformers are also coated in

high-vacuum chambers to reduce air and other gases in the

resin that could produce partial earth discharges. In effect,

they thermetically seal the transformer’s core. As a result,

consultants and specifiers looking for standard transformers

JOHN CLARKE, OF ZUCCHINIEDM TRANSFORMERS,DISCUSSES THEENVIRONMENTAL AND COST-SAVING EFFECTS OFCAST-RESIN TRANSFORMERS


TRANSFORMERtransformations

ID plate (The transformers logbook)


Saving the

environment can

also save money!

with power outputs in the range of 100 to 3,500 kVA (and up

to 16,000 kVA for specific projects), get complete peace of

mind.

Another point is cast resin transformers do not have the

noise and vibration problems associated with oil-based

machines.

Cast resin transformers are now available in different

specifications to meet the needs of the climate or hazardous

and unforgiving environments, exceptionally cold ambient

temperatures and environments with high fire risk.

MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLYOne of the most gratifying outcomes of installing

environmentally friendly technology in recent years has been

the realisation by individuals and companies that saving the

environment - can also save money! As well as being

favourably priced, cast resin transformers are exceptionally

energy-efficient, producing a high transformation yield and

thus consuming less input energy.

At Zucchini EdM, we have developed ‘mathematical models’

highlighting the savings that can be made by the user of a

given electrical item on a case-by-case basis. For example, a

1,000 kVA energy-efficient transformer can produce savings of

€30,000 over a 20-year period, the equivalent of 20 MWh per

year. The European Commission has assessed if equipment

such as this were brought into general use, emissions of 11

million tonnes of carbon dioxide - equivalent to the electrical

power used by 5 million homes - would be avoided.

TRANSFORMERSOutgoing HV connections with LV incoming connections

The latest generation 3,000 kVA, 3 phase power transformer


TEST & MEASUREMENT

IN THE SUBSTATION, the power transformers are

probably the most expensive items. And that’s not the

worst of it – the delivery time for a replacement

transformer is typically months – or even years for the

largest types. The direct and indirect costs associated

with a transformer failure can, therefore, be enormous.

But there’s surely no need for concern. All of the

power transformers on your site are the responsibility

of your energy supplier, aren’t they? It may be a very

good idea to check again. In a surprisingly large

percentage of installations, the power transformers

belong to the owner of the premises, and not to the

power utility.

Of course, there’s still no reason to worry, because

transformer failures will certainly be covered by

insurance, won’t they? The answer is possibly not.

Because of the huge costs involved, insurers are

understandably cautious about making payouts relating

to transformer faults and failures. If there is a claim,

they will certainly ask for evidence to show the

transformer has been regularly tested and maintained.

Since many companies are not even aware they are

responsible for the power transformers on their sites,

it’s not too much of a surprise there are a lot of

transformers that most certainly don’t get the regular

attention they need.

This is a special concern with the many transformers

currently in use that have long exceeded their design

lives. Although they may apparently still be working

well, it is inevitable some of the materials used in their

construction – in particular the insulating materials –

will have started to deteriorate.

If an unmaintained transformer fails, whether it is

old or new, it’s perfectly possible that the insurers will

contest the claim or refuse to pay. Let’s take a look at

what needs to be done to avoid this potentially

devastating situation.

The first and most obvious step is for maintenance

departments to check which of the transformers on

their site are their responsibility. The next step is to

implement a regular testing programme for these

transformers.

But what form should the testing take? There are, of

course, many types of conventional tests that can be

applied to power transformers to check, for instance,

the performance of the tap changers or the windings.

This means to build up a reasonably complete

picture of the transformer’s condition, a whole battery

of tests is needed, which will take a considerable time

to perform. During this time, the transformer will be

out of service, which can be very inconvenient.

There are, however, two tests that between them

can provide a wealth of information, not only about the

IT’S EASY TO ASSUME THE SUBSTATION ON YOUR SITE BELONGS TO THE POWERUTILITY, BUT ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY SURE? IF YOU GET IT WRONG, SAYS DAMONMOUNT OF MEGGER, AND YOU’RE UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO SUFFER A TRANSFORMERFAULT, YOU COULD FIND YOURSELF LANDED WITH A BILL FOR TENS OR EVENHUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF POUNDS

The delivery time

for a replacement

transformer is

typically months,

or even years for

the largest types

Power TRANSFORMERS –are you covered?

TEST & MEASUREMENT

presence of faults but also, in many cases, their type

and location. These tests are sweep frequency response

analysis (SFRA) and frequency domain spectroscopy

(FDS).

Electrically, a transformer is made up of multiple

capacitances, inductances and resistances. It is, in

effect, a very complex circuit that produces a unique

‘fingerprint’ when test signals are injected over a range

of frequencies and the results plotted as a curve. In

particular, the capacitances in the transformer are

affected by the distance between conductors.

Movement of the windings, which can be caused by

electrical overloads, mechanical shocks or simply by

ageing will, therefore, alter the capacitances and

change the shape of the frequency response curve.

The SFRA test technique for transformers is based

on comparisons between measured curves, which

allow variations to be detected. An SFRA test involves

multiple sweeps and reveals whether the mechanical

or electrical integrity of the transformer has been

compromised.

SFRA tests are used to capture a ‘fingerprint’

reference curve for each winding when the transformer

is new or when it is known to be in good condition.

These curves are subsequently used as the basis for

comparisons during maintenance or when problems

are suspected.

The best way to use SFRA testing is to take regular

measurements on the same transformer over a period

time, and to compare the results. However, it is also

possible to use type-based comparisons between

transformers with the same design. Finally, a

construction-based comparison can be used in some

circumstances, when comparing measurements

between windings in the same

transformer.

A single SFRA test can detect

winding problems that would

otherwise require multiple tests with

various kinds of test equipment, as

well as problems that cannot be

detected at all by tests of other

kinds.

As a general guide, magnetisation

and other problems relating to the

core alter the shape of the SFRA

curve at the lowest frequencies, up

to around 10 kHz. Medium

frequencies, from 10 kHz to 100 kHz

represent axial or radial movements

in the windings, and high

frequencies above 100 kHz

correspond to problems involving

the cables from the windings to

bushings and tap changers. In

modern SFRA test sets, built-in analytical tools simplify

comparisons between curves.

While SFRA tests provide a lot of information about

the condition of a transformer, they do not give an

accurate indication of the presence of contaminants –

in particular water – in the transformer insulation.

Standard tests, such as the widely used Karl Fischer

test, are, of course, available for accurately assessing

the moisture content of transformer oil, but this is not

the whole story.

In fact, it is usual for a much greater percentage of

the moisture in a transformer to be held in solid

insulation such as paper than is held in the oil. To

further complicate matters, the moisture moves

between the solid insulants and the oil in a way that is

influenced by many factors including, in particular,

temperature.

Measuring the moisture content of the oil may not,

therefore, provide dependable information about the

moisture content of the transformer’s solid insulation.

This is a serious concern, as moisture in the insulation

significantly accelerates the ageing process in

transformers and, in addition, it can cause bubbles

between windings that lead to sudden catastrophic

failures.

To establish the moisture content in the transformer,

the second of the tests mentioned earlier – frequency

domain spectroscopy (FDS) – can be used. Initially, this

may sound a lot like SFRA, as it involves measuring

transformer characteristics at over a range of

frequencies. This time, however, it’s the dielectric

properties of the insulation (capacitance, loss and power

factor) that are measured over a range of frequencies,

typically from one millihertz to one kilohertz.


The best way to

use SFTRA testing

is to take regular

measurements on

the same

transformer over a

period of time,

and comare the

results


TEST & MEASUREMENT

A short circuit

fault on the

transformer

may cause

unseen

damage inside

These are, in essence, the same dielectric tests that

are often carried out at power frequency, but testing

at a single frequency provides far less information

than is revealed by FDS testing. Unlike spot-

frequency testing, FDS can, for example, reliably

distinguish between a transformer that is dry but has

bad oil, and one that is wet but has good oil. In the

first case, the oil needs refurbishing or replacing; in

the second the transformer only needs drying out.

FDS testing also has other benefits – it can be

performed at any temperature, and the test can be

completed quickly. Software can be used to calculate

the water content in percentage terms, and modern

FDS test sets typically provide accurate and detailed

results in less than 20 minutes.

As we have seen, regular testing using the SFRA

and FDS test techniques provides a reliable insight

into the condition of power transformers, but how

can this information best be used by the transformer

owner?

A short-circuit fault on the transformer may cause

unseen damage inside, and a damaged transformer

put back into service could fail catastrophically. An

SFRA test can be done before re-energising and

compared to a reference trace taken while the

transformer was in good working order. If the two

traces match, nothing has changed and the

transformer can be safely returned to service.

Carrying out this test takes less than an hour,

reducing outage time and saving money.

Ageing, mechanical damage and moisture content

can be seen as a change in the frequency response

of the transformer over time and may indicate that

remedial action, such as drying out the transformer, is

needed to guard against future failures. In other

cases, it may show that the transformer is inevitably

coming to the end of its useful life, but even then the

information is invaluable.

In this situation, it may be possible, for example,

to minimise the load on the transformer so it can

continue in service until a replacement is obtained.

And even in the worst case, there is at least a

warning that failure is imminent, which can allow

time for contingency plans to be made and put into

place.

There is also another very valuable aspect of

regular testing, which we touched on earlier.

Insurance companies are more likely to honour a

claim for failure of a power transformer that’s been

regularly tested and properly maintained so as to

remedy any issues identified by the tests. Such a

transformer is, of course, less likely to fail, but if it

does there is at least the consolation that the insurers

will foot the bill!

Even for those who are aware of their

responsibilities in looking after power transformers,

regular testing may appear as something of a burden.

However, tests with modern instruments can be

performed quickly and easily, and they yield

dependable informative results. And, if the test

regime eliminates just one unforeseen transformer

failure that would otherwise have occurred, the effort

involved in testing and the cost of the instruments

used will have been repaid many times over.

PRODUCT WATCH

MULTI-LINGUAL SIGNS ADDED TO CATALOGUEAs a major supplier of safety signs, Worksafe strives to improve and develop its product range throughits new 120 page full colour catalogue.

Containing over 1,000 new signs and related products, this year’s catalogue shows that Worksafehas been able to raise the bar once more.

Acknowledging the high number of non-English reading employees nowworking in Britain, they have introduced a new section of multi-lingualsigns ensuring they take into consideration the language differences thatpeople in the workplace are faced with.

Some other new areas that should be of genuine interest to electriciansare the new range of electrical labels, power-supply plug / socket labelsand the construction posters, relating to electricity on site, scaffolding andthe construction (Design and Management) Regs 2007.

Worksafe01253 699 500

MODULES ADDED TO DIN RAIL SERIESFinder has announced new additions to its 19 Series of 35mm DIN rail modules, adding override and status monitoringmodules to the series.

Building management system (BMS) designers, panel builders and installers will find the new override modulesessential for providing a manual override of a BMS controller or programmable logic controller, in an emergency situationor during maintenance. The ability to manually override automatic systems provides crucial control in an array of

situations, control that is typically missing in such systems. This may include a controller failure,or where maintenance or safety issues must take precedence. This can provide control overpumps, fans solenoid valves or motors, where manual intervention is required. The statusmodules address a significant drawback of commercial or proprietary controllers; a lack ofclear visual signal identification. The new status module allows BSM and panel designers toset the colour of the status LED during installation, to create a more obvious alert indication.This enables quick identification of operational status, minimising downtime during faultconditions or routine maintenance.

Finder01785 818100

EXTENSIVELY UPDATED CATALOGUEHot of the press is the new Ethos 2009/2010 catalogue; anew and extensively updated version of the previous edition,which is an indispensable product guide for electricians,contractors and engineers.

The catalogue provides easy to navigate content, clearlyseparated into eight main sections ranging from 17th editiontest equipment and wiring regulations to general purposetesters and accessories.

For every product range there is an overview with keyinformation such as product features, specifications, warrantyinformation and the benefits they provide to the users ofthese products. This is accompanied by full colourphotographs, some complete with close up shots providingthe extra detail required.

Ethos0191 378 3990

PREVENT FAILURE IN GAS INSULATED SWITCHGEAREA Technology has launched a new monitoring system designed to prevent up to

85% of failures in gas insulated switchgear (GIS) sets, typically used in strategicallyimportant substations. Called the PD Monitor GIS, the system works by continuouslylocating, measuring and classifying internal Partial Discharge (PD) using a network ofUltra High Frequency (UHF) sensors. If PD activity reaches critical levels in any part ofthe switchgear, it automatically transmits warnings to engineers via text messages andemails.

Instruments director Neil Davies explained: “We have developed the PD MonitorGIS for situations where failure of extra high voltage gas insulated switchgear would

cause unacceptable outages, including loss of power to city centres, regional networks and critical customers. Our systemwill locate, measure and classify PD activity 24/7, providing engineers with automatic, immediate and accurate warningswhen critical GIS assets are starting to break down, without anyone having to be present. It also provides continuousassurance when they are working correctly and will reduce the incidence of engineers being called out on false alarms.“

EA Technology0151 347 2308

SPACE SAVING SOLUTION ON OFFERFlexicon has launched a slimline IP66rated fitting called Flexilok that offers aspace saving solution when terminatingconduits into enclosures. The one-piecefitting is available with a wide range ofmetric and PG threads in straight, 90degree and coupler variants.

Its installation is simple and fast, yousimply push it onto the conduit and thentwist to secure. The fitting can be usedwith fine or coarse pitch nylon,polypropylene and PVC conduits eachachieving an IP66 rating.

Flexilok has a high pull off strength ofup to 25kg, an additional sealing ring toimprove the seal with an enclosure andclear identification of the thread data andconduit size on the fitting. It has an IP66rating. The fitting is available in PA66 orpolypropylene versions, in black, grey orwhite. Locknuts are supplied as standardwith the metric versions.

Flexicon01675 466900

SOFTWARE FREE WITHTHERMAL IMAGERSFluke now includes free with all thermalimagers a new, easier-to-use, version of itsSmartView software, featuring the first 3Dimaging capability in the industry and newoptions for optimising and organisingthermal images and creating professionalreports, as well as a valuable, in-depthtraining programme.

The two and a half hour trainingpackage on DVD, valued at £250, includesstep-by-step instructions covering boththe theory and practice of thermal

imaging. It isdesigned to

help newowners getthe mostfrom theirthermal

imagers, aswell as to refresh

experienced users ofthe technology and to serve as avaluable, ongoing training tool. Sectionsinclude Introduction to Thermography,Benefits of Thermal Imaging,Thermography Fundamentals, and anEmissivity Table and FOV Calculator.

Fluke (UK)020 7942 0700

PRODUCT WATCH

YEARLY TIME SWITCH FOR ENERGY SAVINGSHager has launched a yearly time switch that offers a simple way of saving energy through the distributionboard and is easy to install and programme. Each timer can control up to four circuits, which might includelighting, heating and/or ventilation.

The four-channel timer has a large display with programming functions. It has up to 300 programmingsteps that include a basic weekly programme, sub programmes, specific programmes and additionalprogramme steps. The resulting control can be as simple or as sophisticated as the user wants to make it. Inaddition there is an input allowing an external override.

Typically the basic weekly function would run permanently unlessoverridden by a sub program. The sub programme allows you to define adifferent weekly programme and the period when this programme willrun. A specific programme step is the next level of control and defines aspecific time and date. Finally there is a holiday option.

Hager0870 240 2400

LAMPS NOW SHOWING AT REFURBISHED CINEMAThe Lamp Company was chosen to supply all of the lamps for a £1m refurbishment of Broadway Cinema inLetchworth, Herfordshire. The former Palace Cinema, which is owned by Letchworth Garden City HeritageFoundation, has undergone extensive remodeling with the addition of a new 50-seater Screen Four adding to theexisting three screens, re-seating, disabled access, flooring and carpeting to Screen One, re-roofing, exteriordecoration, the installation of a lift and other internal works.

Lamps supplied by The Lamp Company have been used all over thebuilding and include Xenon arc projector lamps, halogen display lamps,energy saving compact fluorescent and metal halide lamps.

Mandy Gillan, manager of Broadway Cinema, commented “I rely onThe Lamp Company for advice when changing lamps at the cinema,particularly with the emergence of the new energy saving varieties, andthey never let me down. I can always be assured that I am using theright lamp for the right job”.

The Lamp Company01462 490066

LAMP COLLECTION AND RECYCLING CONTRACT AWARDEDMercury Recycling has been appointed to collect and recycle all fluorescent tubes and sodium lamps fromFitness First health clubs throughout the UK.

With 170 clubs nationwide, Fitness First disposes of over 15,000 lamps a year using the Lampsafe andBulbsafe services from Mercury Recycling. The arrangement ensures all the clubs are supplied with therelevant containers for collection and recycling by Mercury Recycling operatives.

“We looked at several companies and it was very clear that Mercury had the technology and the expertisethat fulfilled our criteria,” stated Glyn Allen, head of contracts with Fitness First. “Mercury showed me aroundtheir treatment facility in Trafford Park and have provided full legal documentation so we have a completeaudit trail, which is very important. They also provide a far morecost effective service than other companies we considered” headded. Lamps and tubes are replaced as and when necessary bymaintenance staff and stored in Mercury’s specially designed,secure containers. Once each container is full it is collected byMercury and another empty container is left on site.

Mercury Recycling0161 877 0977

FALLING STARS ON THE CHAMPS ELYSEESParis’s famous Champs Elysees was illuminated with a display of festivelights thanks to GE Lighting, which has been a partner of this annual eventsince 2002.

More than 2 kilometres of the tree-lined street linking the Arc deTriomphe to Concorde were illuminated using GE’s Constant Color CMHlamps.

More than 415 trees, including both rows of trees lining the avenue,have been lit. A second line of 120 trees in the inside row are decoratedwith 30,000 dynamic flashing lights to represent the light from falling stars.

GE used its 70W 4200K Constant Color CMH (ceramic metal halides)the latest range of CMH Constant Color from GE. The lamps have a life expectancy of 15,000 hours enabling a hugereduction in electricity consumption and providing more than 70% total energy savings.

GEWWW.GE.COM

ALARMS OPERATE ONVOLTAGE AS LOW AS 9VKlaxon Signals has introduced the VoltageBoosting Base as part of its Sonos range of firealarms which allows the Sonos beacons andcombined sounder-beacons to operate on avoltage supply as low as 9V, much less than thecurrent minimum voltage level of 17V DC.

Increasing the operating voltage range to 9-60V DC means the Sonos range of alarms can beused in a much wider range of applications.Sonos alarms using the Voltage Boosting Baseare now compatible with security systems that

require a 12V supply as the base works toincrease the incoming 12V supply to 24V at thesounder. In addition, Klaxon’s Voltage BoostingBase significantly increases the sound outputfrom a Sonos alarm; a 12V DC supply produces a7dB increase in sound output which more thandoubles the sound coverage.

Klaxon Signals0161 287 5555

LIGHT SENSOR WITHIN A LAMPMegaman’s 15W Sensor Light incorporates aningenious light sensor within a lamp, a mustfor the safety conscious homeowner and idealfor the dark winter nights.

Sensor Light turns itself on automatically indark environments and turns off when theenvironment is bright, thus giving energysavings by providing illumination only whenneeded. The product can be used within anormal lamp holder requiring no change to theexisting fitting, providing further saving on anyextra retrofit costs. The Lamp is programmed to

perform a self-test and lights up for onesecond when switched on to indicate that thelamp is functional. Suitable for a wide range ofapplications including outdoor lighting,hallways and stairways, Sensor Light has beendesigned for use in enclosed, ventilatedfixtures and can provide up to 15,000 hours ofcontinuous illumination.

Megaman0845 408 4625

PRODUCT WATCH

ECO FRIENDLY TICKET SOLUTIONNow available from DED Limited, the Axiohm Sens’ n Print delivers aneco friendly ticket solution with all the advantages of a ticket presenter/ retractor, but with substantial cost savings. Sens’ n Print promises toreduce costs and improve the reliability of kiosks by removing the needfor a paper presenter without compromise on quality or security.

With the opportunity to minimise paper use and be a friend to theenvironment, Sens’ n Print works in a very unique way. Once a print jobis sent to the printer, Sens’ n Print holds it and waits until movement is detected near the receipt outlet beforeprinting. If no movement is detected after a pre-determined amount of time, the print job is cancelled, noreceipt is printed and so paper consumption is reduced.The Sens’ n Print unit is ultra compact and whencombined with no requirement for ticket presenters, retractors or paper bins, offers the advantage ofdramatically reducing the space required inside a kiosk.

DED01797 320636

IDENTIFY LOW VOLTAGE CONDUTORS ACCURATELY AND SAFELYNew from EA Technology Instruments, the Polarity Test Kit enables engineers to identify live Low Voltage (LV)conductors accurately and in complete safety.

The kit comprises two parts – a Polarity Test Pen plus a Test Pen Checker,which automatically confirms that the pen is working correctly bysimulating the electrical field produced by a live conductor.

EA Technology instruments director Neil Davies explained: “The kit isdesigned to give electrical engineers total confidence when looking for liveconductors, particularly in bundles of cables and crowded enclosures. Theself-testing function is a unique and important safety feature.”

Unlike general purpose conductor testers, the Polarity Test Pen isaccurately calibrated so that its light and buzzer will only activate when thetip of the instrument is within 3mm of the live core of a standard 3mmconductor.

EA Technology0151 347 2308

INTEGRATED FIXED INSTALLATION INSPECTIONSeaward has introduced a new concept in 17th edition fixed installation inspection and testing in theshape of the new PowerPlus 1557 Powersolution package.

This integrated solution eliminates the need for a multi-function test instrument and separate paper orPDA recording devices normally associated with 17th edition test procedures.

The new concept works by incorporating an electronic copy of the inspectionand test certificate in a combined multi-function electrical tester and data logger.

The lightweight PowerPlus 1557 multifunction tester has been designed formaximum portability and ease-of-use. Unique onboard electronic certificatesoftware enables test data to be recorded directly by the tester using a replicaof the inspection and test certificate, which is displayed on the instrument.During inspection and testing, the user can easily navigate around the onboardelectronic certificate. When measured circuit values are required, theappropriate measurement function is automatically enabled and results areautomatically placed in the correct certificate fields.

Seaward Electronic0191 586 3511

JOHN LEWIS REDUCES LIGHTING ENERGY COSTS Around 70 MWS-3DD Direct Dim microwave detection and dimmingsensors from CP Electronics are reducing lighting energy costs at the newJohn Lewis Distribution Centre in Milton Keynes.

Situated mostly in mezzanine areas where occupancy levels varythroughout the day, the ceiling-mounted Direct Dim sensors respond to lackof occupancy by dimming the T5 dimmable fluorescent luminaires installedin these spaces. When someone enters the space the lighting is immediatelyramped back up to full output.

Installed by electrical contractor W T Parker, the units were selected fortheir inherent flexibility and ability to provide a cost-effective solution for

the project. Direct Dim sensors use microwave technology to provide superior multi-presence detection, using DSIor DALI protocols to control the light output of luminaires fitted with dimming ballasts. They can also be used inconjunction with light levels for daylight linking.

CP Electronics020 8900 0671

IMPROVED VISUAL ENVIRONMENT

Luminaires from Riegens Lighting haveplayed a vital role improving the visualenvironment for prestigious offices at 33Cavendish Square, London.

The requirement was for a slim-line flushmounted office luminaire with an integratedreturn air path. The ceiling zone on theproject was on average 285mm,accommodating an ultra-slim line 4-pipe fancoil unit installation, designed by servicesengineers Hilson Moran, lighting and ceilingconstruction. A bespoke Cirrus recessedluminaire was developed between ORMS,Hilson Moran, and the technical team atRiegens. Three floors have been refurbishedusing Cirrus 2 x 28W Dali luminaires with airhandling, incorporating micro prism panels,dedicated back reflectors and diffuser filmsto prevent glare. The use of low energylamps and dimmable Dali controllableballasts throughout the range ensures ahigh level of energy efficiency.

Riegens Lighting01376 333400

MEDIA PLATE RANGENOW COMPLETEDMedia plate range completedClick Scolmore has completed itscomprehensive range of media plates withthe addition of the new one gang platewith single module aperture. Designed toprovide a simple stylish mounting plate fortelephone, data, TV, FM and speaker outletmodules.

Forming part of the Click New Mediarange, the one gang single aperture plate isavailable in a range of decorative finishesincluding polished chrome, brushedstainless steel, pearl nickel and black nickel

which are part of the Deco and Defineranges as well as white moulded in thePolar and Mode ranges. This enablesseamless incorporation of the plates intothe surrounding décor.

Scolmore Click01827 63454

PRODUCT WATCH

ENCLOSURE COOLING UNITSRittal’s TopTherm Plus enclosure cooling units are now supplied with RiNano technology on the condensercoil.

In extreme conditions, such as heavily contaminated industrial environments it is vital to keep the unitsclean in order to maintain efficiency. Over time, the performance of cooling units can deteriorate between 30to 50% if the membranes become dirty, leading to increase in CO2 emissions. RiNano is a thin coating thatrepels oil, dust and powder particles preventing them from attaching to the condensers.

RiNano, comprised of ceramic nanoparticles, adheres firmly to the surface of the condenser with theparticles aligning themselves during application. Connecting particlesmigrate to the top and anti-adhesion components align themselves withair, this leads to an ultra-thin glass like coating which seals the pores.This permanent seal then acts as a barrier against oil, dust and powderparticles, which are then unable to attach to the dirt-repelling layersignificantly reducing the levels of dirt that could accumulate.

Rittal01709 704000

IMPROVED WHITE LIGHT APPEARANCE OF LEDSTridonicAtco has significantly improved the white light appearance of its LED’s by reducing their colour tolerances.Part of the Talexx brand, white LEDs from TridonicAtco are now fully reproducible with no discernible colourlocation discrepancies, and differences in white light perception have been significantly reduced.

In response to customer’s demands, TridonicAtco has introduced a new, unique production process that issupported by adjustments to the colour definition and measurementmethod. TridonicAtco is the only manufacturer in the world to offer whiteLEDs in accordance with the CIE 1964 Colour Space standard, which veryclosely corresponds to the sensitivity of the human eye. Colour locationdefinition based on this standard is consequently more appropriate forapplications in which colour perception over a large area is an importantcriterion, such as large illuminated advertising signs. The new white LEDswill be used for signage, general illumination and spotlighting.

TridonicAtco01256 374300

LISTED CHAPEL BROUGHT TO LIFEDesigners have specified Sill Lighting to illuminate the façade and altar of the grade II listed St Mary’sUniversity College Chapel in Twickenham. After the construction of a modern glass building adjacent tothe chapel, the lighting scheme on the exterior of the building was required to make the traditionalchapel prominent. Sill Lighting was chosen for its history of providing reliable luminaires withexceptional glare control to heritage projects including Salisbury Cathedral and the Royal Albert Hall.

The final exterior lighting scheme used two Sill 484 recessed uplighters with 70w lamps to illuminatethe arched doorway leading into the building, and four Sill 490 luminaires in ground recessed housingswith 150w lamps for controlled illumination of the building exterior. Two Sill491 power projectors with 150w lamps were used to illuminate the stainglass window archway from the building’s exterior. The interior lightingdesign used two Sill 495 power projectors with 400w lamps positioned inthe interior of the building to illuminate the stain glass window from behind,highlighting its exterior appearance. Two 70w and two 150w Sill 491 powerprojectors were used to light the altar and wall mural inside the chapel.

Sill Lighting01844-260006

FLEXIBILITY WITH SHADOW FREE PERFORMANCERiegens Lighting has launched Ambit, a continuous lighting solution for pelmets thatcombines flexibility with shadow free performance. Designed with a simple plug and play

system, Ambit includes overlapping lamps to ensure thereare no visible dark spots on continuous run projects whilstensuring fast installation time.

Utilising energy efficient T5 fluorescent lamps, Ambitprovides a direct light distribution and can be surfacemounted or recessed into a pelmet. The system is providedwith through-wiring (3 x 1.5mm2) and a plug/socketarrangement at each end of the luminaire for ease of

installation. Panel mounted socket arrangements can also allow for extra connection forspecial feature or seasonal lighting systems.

The versatility of Ambit makes it suitable for a wide range of applications includingrestaurants, retail interiors, corporate offices and leisure facilities.

Riegens Lighting01376 333400

EASE OF INSTALLATIONWITH SLIMLINE STYLE

The new Amp-Twist 7AS SL connector fromthe Amp Netconnect business unit of TycoElectronics combines ease ofinstallation with a high-density SlimLine (SL)style, and has been designedto offer premium performance well above theCategory 7A Class FA frequencylimit of 1000 MHz.

The new connector forms the latesttechnical evolution of the successful Amp-Twist connector technology, and providesexcellent shielding and screeningperformance together with optimisedquadrant design to allow a connectorperformance tested up to 1500 MHz on allpairs. The high bandwidth offered by the newconnector closes the gap between theconnector performance and that of the bestPiMF cable performance, resulting in a systemoperating frequency which is twice as high asthe Category 7A frequency limit.

Tyco Electronics UK020 8420 8140

LOW ENERGY LAMPS WITHSENSOR TECHNOLOGYSteinel’s new FRS-20-light combines sensortechnology and low energy lamps in a slim,aesthetically pleasing design to provide witha whole host of advantages for professionalelectricians and consumers alike.

Designed for fast installation, the FRS-20-light has easy-to-adjust detection settings inaddition to time and twilight features thatare adjusted manually. Utilising two 11Wcompact fluorescent lamps, the unit has a360° angle of coverage, an electronic reachsetting of one to five metres and it can bewall or ceiling mounted for total flexibility.The lamps work independently of each other

so if one lamp isfaulty the otherwill continue towork.

As well asoffering highperformance,maximumdetection

properties and outstanding value for money,Steinel’s FRS-20-light is characterised by astylish appearance that would complementany building.

Steinel (UK)01733 366700

PRODUCT WATCH

LAMPS USED IN BID FOR ISO STANDARDVenture Lighting’s metal halide lamps are being used to achieve the qualitystandard ISO 12647 for PCP, a commercial printing company specialising inthe high specification printing of magazines and brochures.

In order to meet the criteria for the ISO standard, the lighting levels haveto be accurate for the printers to clearly identify and match colours. This hasbeen achieved by equipping the light canopies above the press desk with5000k D50 specification lighting, which is a very tight tolerance fullspectrum fitting. The 5000K is used in the print industry to give the best representation of printed images withdifferent ink types under artificial light when compared to that of natural daylight. Of equal importance is thequality of illumination in the printing machinery areas, where any illumination that is not of sufficient qualitywill contaminate the D50 lighting in the viewing area. To resolve this problem Venture’s 365W Natural Whitelamps have been used throughout the printing area within the existing Holophane fittings.

Venture Lighting0845 2302222

NEW MODEL ALLOWS FOR EASE OF UPGRADEA new LED Wolflite model has been launched by Wolf Safety, along with a retrofit unit which will enablecustomers to easily upgrade their existing Wolflite Rechargeable ATEX Handlamps in order to benefit from thelatest LED technology.

The Wolflite H-251ALED incorporating a ‘fitted for life’ light source, not only makes bulb changing unnecessary,reducing downtime and maintenance, but also offers significantimprovements in the quality of light and level of light output. Duration fromthe sealed lead acid rechargeable battery system is increased from seven to24 hours, providing approximately 12,000 hours of light output from justone battery, a notable increase of 8,500 hours.

To upgrade an existing H-251A Worklite Handlamp, the user simplyremoves the centre contact and bulb from the lamp and replaces it with thenew LED module H-79P.

Wolf Safety0114 255 1051

HIGH ACCURACY FROM DIGITAL MULTIMETERSThe new Yokogawa TY700 Series is a range of handheld digital multimeterswhich combine high accuracy, performance and reliability with a range of newfunctions for both electronics and general industrial applications.

Featuring a basic accuracy of 0.020% and a 50,000 count dualdisplay with a 51-segment bargraph, the new instruments offer trueRMS measurement and simultaneous measurement and display of DCand AC as standard, as well as full support for data management via alarge-capacity logging-mode memory and USB communication.

There are two models in the TY700 Series: the Standard Type TY710with 20 kHz bandwidth and the Advanced Type TY720 with 100 kHzbandwidth. Additional features on the TY720 include switchableRMS/mean detection, a low-pass filter, a 50 mV AC range, and low-power resistance measurement.

Yokogawa Europe BV+31 (0) 88 464 1811

UPS SYSTEMS WITH DPA BROUGHTTO LIFE ON FREE CD-ROMThe benefits of UPS systems with Decentralised ParallelArchitecture (DPA) are brought to life in a videopresentation as part of a new, free-of-charge CD-ROMlaunched by Uninterruptible Power Supplies Ltd (UPSL).

The comprehensive CD-ROM is designed to helpspecifiers make an informed choice about UPS systems,ranging from ‘standard’ power protection to highly

available, parallel redundant modular solutions from 1kVA to several MVA.In addition to company and product videos, the CD-ROM provides guidance on system design

and build, installation and commissioning, maintenance and support services. Document downloadsinclude editable generic UPS specifications along with brochures, case studies and whitepapers.Decentralized Parallel Architecture, pioneered by UPSL, is uniquely designed to remove any singlepoint of failure, achieving virtually zero downtime and the elimination of costly disruptions tomission critical operations.

Uninterruptible Power Supplies0118 981 5151

OPERATOR PROTECTIONWieland Electric has launched the SMA Series of

sensors toprovide anefficient andeffectiveway ofprotectingoperators ofmechanicalequipmentand systems,

as outlined in the new Machine Directive SafetyStandards. The new Directive dictates strict safetyprocedures have to be carried out in line withmechanical safety, fire, temperature, explosion,construction and electrical safety.

The SMA Series sensors, used for contactlessmonitoring of protective doors and safe positions,are equipped with integrated manipulationprotection and can withstand a high degree ofvibration. The design of the sensors also offergreater tolerances in door guidance than similarproducts on the market. The SMA Series is availablein a choice of round, square or rectangular packageswith M8 screw or cable connection for quick andeasy termination.

Wieland Electric01483 531213

SOFTWARE FOR FAST GEN-ERATION OF PROJECTSThe design of any motor control centre istime consuming, not only does the front‘general arrangement’ require fine detail butthe configuration of the internal componentsrequires careful planning in order tomaximise internal space. Rittal havedeveloped a new software tool to facilitatedesigners specifying and designing motorcontrol centres, allowing drawings and partslists to be achieved within minutes.

The engineering software can producedrawings ofany Form 4type panel,which notonlyincorporatesthe front viewgeneralarrangementbut also the

internal view including details such asmounting plate detail and busbars. Thesoftware will also specify the individualcomponent parts required and from this listof parts quick and effortless order placementcan be achieved. Projects, which used to betime consuming, can now be generatedwithin minutes with the new Rittal PowerEngineering Software.Rittal01709 704000

PRODUCT WATCH

RELIABLE AND PRECISE LIGHTING CONTROLThe new MWS7 long range aisle sensor from CP Electronics provides precise,reliable, occupancy-based control of lighting in areas such as warehouseaisles, where other sensors are prone to false triggering. It also incorporatesan integral photocell for combined occupancy/lux level control.

Highly configurable, the MWS7 uses microwave technology that can beprecisely adjusted to the length of the target area, with a range of up to25m, allowing the aisle occupancy in the aisle to be detected without pickingup on adjoining access corridors. It is also immune to nearby vibration, whileretaining a high level of sensitivity. Unlike many sensors, detection accuracy

is not dependent on target size or material. The MWS7 is fully compatible with common lighting interfacessuch as DSI/DALI, and offers a number of control options to suit the exact needs of the space. For example,occupancy switching can be overridden by either the internal lux sensor, or an external lux sensor, to ensurelighting is triggered only when required.

CP Electronics020 8900 0671

TESTING THE FUNCTIONALITY OF PRODUCTSCooper Bussmann, manufacturer of North American and European-style fuses is using the Cropico D05000microhmmeter to test the functionality of its products during the manufacturing process.

Cooper Bussmann, a wholly owned division of US-based Cooper Industries,manufactures fuses at several sites around the world for the electrical,electronics and transportation industries.

The company has specified the D05000 for various manufacturing sitesincluding operations in Eastern Europe and Asia where it is being used to testthe electrical resistance values of the fuses during production.

This enables Cooper Bussman to check the fuses are working properly,functioning within pre-defined +/- parameters. Ten units have already beensupplied with further orders expected in 2009. Designed to handle all testing

applications with a single highly flexible meter, it measures from 0.1μΩ to 30,000Ω in eight ranges with manual orautomatic selection and ±0.03% accuracy. Automatic temperature compensation with 20°C referencing or otheruser-defined settings increases true measurement accuracy.

Cropico0191 587 8731

PROFESSIONAL SOCKET SETS ADDED TO RANGEEngex has now introduced to its tools range three brand new professional sockets sets. The 3 sets comprise of:• Engex 43 piece ¼” drive and bit socket set complete with three extension bars.• Engex 45 piece 3/8” drive and bit socket set complete with two extension bars.• Engex 104 piece ¼” and ½” drive and bitsocket set complete with four extension bars.

All socket sets come in a tough case thathas been vigorously tested to make sure thatit meets the Engex drop test requirements.

The ratchets all have ergonomic handles forrepeated use comfort.

All Engex products are designed to meetthe end users requirements and built aroundthe customer needs.

Engex01952 272 381

IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL SAFETY TESTINGImprovements in production line electrical safety testing are provided with thenew PowerSmart automation and leakage test module by Clare Instruments.

The module provides full leakage testing to EN 60990 and displays run testvoltage and current during the functional tests. The power for the functionaltest can be either the internal supply or from the external connected electricalsafety tester.The module has been designed to work with standard electricalsafety testers such as the Elite, with the addition of a safety test enclosure ifrequired. Two versions are available as standard items - one for 16A and onefor 50A applications. Single and three phase options can also be selected. PowerSmart, when combined with both theClare Elite comprehensive tester and a test enclosure system, reduces the risk of electric shock during high voltageautomated production line testing and can be operated easily and safely by operatives using simple-to-use features. Itsimplifies the test process giving immediate productivity benefits and enabling the user to safely perform tests on theproduction line.

Clare Instruments0191 587 8741

STAY COMPETITIVE IN INSTALLATION

As an electrical contractor, staying competitivein the installation of structured cabling systemsis important, but simply taking time out for atraining course is often the last thing on yourmind.

This is why Emitex has developed anaffordable, comprehensive training course; theEmitex Approved Installer Programme is asingle day course taught with the electricalcontractor in mind, at various locationsthroughout the U.K on a weekly basis.

The one day course is designed to givecontractors an introduction to Cat 5E and Cat 6structured cabling systems, installationpractices, network hardware, horizontal andbackbone layouts, cabling standards, hands ontermination, continuity and certificationpractices.

Emitex01952 270 271

KIOSK PRINTINGDesigned with flexibility and versatility inmind, the NP3511-JP and NP3411-JB kioskprinters from DED both feature a largeuniversal paper holder making them theideal solution for almost any kioskapplication from ATM’s to ticketing andgaming to lottery and information kiosks.

Special features on the NP3511-JPinclude a paper retraction presenter and a200mm per second print speed, theNP3411-JB offers the advantage of a bezeland print speeds of 150mm per second.Thanks to the universal paper holder, these

printers offer increased flexibility when itcomes to integration into kiosks. Theuniversal paper holder can be positionedabove or below the printer, or even behindit if necessary – the paper holder is fullyrotational through 360 degrees, so can bepositioned wherever the size or shape ofthe kiosk dictates.

DED01797 320636

PRODUCT WATCH

IMPROVED OPERATIONAL SAFETYCrane control software that brings increased safety, reliability and improvedperformance to industrial, harbour and tower cranes has been developed by ABB

for use with its variable speed drives.Called crane control program, the

software is an optional add-on for the ABBindustrial drives range which extends from0.55 kW to 5600 kW. It incorporates allthe functions commonly required for thehoist, trolley and long travel motions inindustrial, harbour and tower cranes.

At the heart of the design is ABB’smotor control platform, Direct Torque

Control (DTC). DTC technology allows accurate control of speed and torque with orwithout pulse encoder feedback from the motor shaft.

ABB01925 741 111

REDUCED CARBON FOOTPRINTThe Addvent Whole House Ventilation (AVWH) range isdesigned to deliver simultaneous ventilation for up to fourseparate areas such as bathrooms, en-suites, kitchens andtoilets while reducing the power consumed.

The range consists oftwo models; the AVWH1and AVWH2 and can bemounted either on the wall,below the ceiling or abovethe ceiling giving the unitsgreat flexibility.

The AVWH2 Model is theDC version of thewholehouse products thatAddvent supply.

This unit is a low carbon model which not only reducesthe power consumed during use but can also reduce thecarbon footprint of a dwelling which is becomingincreasingly more important in today’s climate.

Addvent0117 938 6400

DEDICATED STEEL SYSTEMSTwo new, dedicated steel systems have been added to theAdaptasteel range of flexible metallic conduits from Adaptaflexfor the protection of vulnerable cables in demandinginstallations.

Designed for corrosive, chemical and heavy industrialenvironments, the systems are both overbraided with stainlesssteel for added protection, without restricting their flexibility.Type SSB has a stainless steel flexible conduit core, while TypeSSBGS utilises atraditionalgalvanised steelflexible conduit core.

Both are designedto offer highflexibility and highfatigue life, areinherently low firehazard and providestandard EMI screening for the cables carried within the systemswhen used with Type SB fittings.

Adaptaflex01675 468222

SAFE SOURCEKettles can present safety risks in theworkplace. Steam and spilt water canscald people or damage surfaces andportable appliances are not alwaysinspected regularly for safetyaccording to current health and safetylegislation.

Heatstore’s HSBW Ultima andUltima Profile range of self-fillingboiling water units are designed to provide a constant source of safe boiling waterfor schools, hospitals, canteens, kitchens and in almost any working environment.

All units have ‘lock-open’ flow control allowing hands-free operation in additionto the standard ‘hold open’ control.

All wall-mount models have fast removal front covers for easy routinemaintenance and high efficiency insulation ensuring minimum heat loss.

Heatstore0117 923 5375

CIRCULAR CONNECTORS FOR 7/8" APPLICATIONSA number of new circular connectors have been added to the Harting range of 7/8"devices: a configuration that is becoming widely used in fieldbus applications.The new products include 5-pin versions which are available in straight or angled

versions, as well as connectors mouldedat one end to allow installers in the fieldto change the length as needed usingHarting'sFor the moulded versions, thecable has a polyurethane sheath and theconductors are colour-coded. Theconductor cross-section is 5 x 1.5 mm”.

Harting01604 827513

FAST AND EASY PAT TESTINGThe lighter the instrument, the quicker the job gets done and this isespecially true in high volume activities such as portable appliancetesting (PAT). Martindale haslaunched the HPAT600, a hand-held PAT measuring just 90 x 210 x54mm, and weighing just 600gincluding rechargeable batteries.

Supplied with mains leads and acar charger, it has featuresincluding dual insulation testvoltage, user selectable pass levels,easy or fast operating mode, IEClead test and test data storage forup to 200 appliances – equivalentto a whole day’s testing.

Martindale Electric01923 650688

PRODUCT WATCH

MODULAR PUMPING STATION FOR CLEAN VACUUMPfeiffer Vacuum developed the reliable HiCube turbopumping stations for applications in the fields of

research and development, accelerators, analysis and surfacephysics, as well as vacuum process technology, electron beamwelding and leak detection systems.

With the modular design principle of this HiCube series,Pfeiffer Vacuum offers versatility that satisfies the widestrange of requirements in the 35 l/s to 685 l/s pumping speedrange.

The pumping stations offer energy-saving, quiet operation.Depending upon the application in question, these pumpingstations also come with water cooling or heating sleeve.

Available as a compact version within the HiCube series is the HiCube Eco with pumping speeds of 35l/s to 67 l/s.

Pfeiffer Vacuum+49 6441 8020

VOYAGER LED POINTS THE WAYThorn’s new Voyager LED range enables designers to specify emergency lighting that is more aestheticallypleasing, consumes less power and requires smaller power supplies.

There are three options – Route, Area and Spot – available in white or silver with a choice of recessed orsurface mounted styles. All use single, high performance 2.7W LEDs and sophisticated optics to give better lightcontrol than traditional fluorescent-based systems. The fittings can thus be spaced more widely with consequentsavings in installation and running costs.

All the models are self-contained and include NiMh batteries and charger, L-shaped for recessed models to fitthrough a 68mm cut-out aperture, andoffer 3 hours emergency lighting atthe required level.

Thorn Lighting020 8732 9800

HIGH-DENSITY 48-PORT UTP PATCH PANELSA new range of high-density UTP patch panels which require only 1U rack space has been introduced bythe Amp Netconnect business unit of Tyco Electronics.

The new 48-port panels, which are available for use with Cat.5E and Cat.6 network cabling systems,can be terminated with the AMP Netconnect SL Tool, which provides fast, consistent, high-quality

installation.The panels meet or exceed all applicable ISO/IEC 11801,

EN 50173 and TIA/EIA-568-B component performancerequirements. Each port may be individually replaced, andmodular jacks are packaged separately for fast terminationwith the Amp Netconnect SL Tool.

Tyco Electronics UK020 8420 8140

FLYING HIGH AT GATWICKThe change from the existing HID lamps toMegaman’s 200W Clusterlites at Gatwick Airport’sNorth Terminal, has helped to significantly reduceenergy consumption and maintenance costs.

With over 18,000 light fittings installed in theNorth Terminal and 72,000 throughout the wholeairport, Megaman suggested using Clusterlite, ahigh wattage lighting solution which provides a realalternative to HID lamps. Said to offer up to 33%savings in energy consumption, the Clusterlite combines all the virtues of compact fluorescent technology withgood lumen maintenance after 15,000 hours of operation, good colour rendering and uniformity plus outstandinglumen output.

Megaman (UK)0845 408 4625

ENCLOSURES ALLOWFASTER INSTALLATION

Rolec has launched the starCASEenclosure, designed for faster and moreconvenient installation and servicing ofthe equipment. The cases are sealed to IP66 and fully insulated to VDE 0100.

Design features include two hingedtrims on either end of the case, whichhide the case fixings screws and wallmounting shafts. As a result, no visiblefixings can be seen once the unit is on thewall or machine. The five industrystandard sizes are moulded in flameretardant ABS rated to UL 94 V-0. Thestandard colour is light grey RAL 7035,and uniquely for this type of enclosure,the cases have a modern fine texturedsurface finish. Stainless steel fixing screwsand lid retaining straps are also included.

Rolec Enclosures01489 583858

NEW BAYING KIT FOR EN-CLOSURESRittal’s AE wall boxes can now be installedas a suite with the introduction of the newAE Baying Kit.

Available for AE enclosure sizes from800mm high to 350mm deep, the new kitcomes complete with screws and nuts forrapid assembly eliminating the need forthread-tapping, while ensuring the correctcompression of the permanent seal. A selfadhesive universal seal is also supplied,along with bayable sealing elements andcorner pieces allowing the adaption ofindividual enclosures.

Some of the AE wall mounted compactenclosures are watertight and are able towithstand spray water from all directions.The IP69K rating guarantees the enclosureremains watertight even under adverseconditions such as a high pressure washdirected at the enclosure.

Rittal01709 704000

PRODUCT WATCHPRODUCT CLEARED FOR HAZARDOUS AREASWieland Electric’s gesis IP+ pluggable electrical installation has beencertified in compliance with Atex standard 94/9 EG, meaning theproduct can be permitted for use in zone II hazardous areas.

As part of the Atex approval, the gesis IP+ connectors are classifiedin Atex device group II, category 3G or 3D and they can be used in anambient temperature range between -20◦C and +40◦C. Thestandard states the connectors used in hazardous areas must not bedisconnected under load which is clearly marked on the products. Anydisconnected connectors must be closed by means of an end cap whichis also included in the range and may be attached to the connector toprevent loss.

Designed for the fast and economical installation of lighting and other building services components, thegesis IP+ system is ideal for use where a high degree of protection is required.

Wieland Electric01483 531213

ELECTRICAL TESTER SPECIFIED FOR DOMESTIC APPLIANCESGas-Elec Safety Systems has specified Seaward’s PrimeTest 210 electricaltester to enable service engineers to undertake the rapid and accurateelectrical safety testing of hundreds of thousands of domestic appliances.

After using the Seaward PAC 1500 XI for several years, engineersworking for Gas-Elec are now starting to upgrade to the PrimeTest 210 totake advantage of improved all round test performance capabilities.

The lightweight tester is highly versatile and enables engineers toquickly verify the safety of appliances and the electrical sockets andcircuits to which they are connected.

Furthermore, because the unit is fully self contained and batterypowered, it is far easier to operate and transport from job to job – a particularly important factor when engineershave to undertake up to six safety tests a day.

Another key advantage is that engineers are able to perform a continuity test and then an automatic insulationtest all at once, saving time – and costs – in the process.

Seaward Electronic0191 586 3511

UNIVERSAL WORKSTATION LAUNCHEDRittal’s new TopConsole offers a universal workstation comprising of three modules: pedestal, desk unitand console from which a tailored interface between man and machine can be created.

New features of the TopConsole include an additional 600mm compact version, 10% of extra spacefor installation within the lid and new mounting plates that can incorporate 400mm variants. Flexibleand adaptable, the new TopConsole range also includes new partial mountingplates available as extras in 200 and 500mm widths that can be bay-fittedtogether to suit any installation requirement.

TopConsole is available in a variety of different dimensions, 800, 1200 and1600mm and the new 600mm compact version. Installation opportunitieshave now been optimised across the range, giving an extra 10% of spacewithin the lid to provide more room for components compared to previousmodels. The lid also now features a new closing mechanism design whichuses only one point of contact, rather than the standard three and is nowintegrated into the handle strip.

Rittal01709 704000

RANGE EXPANDED FOLLOWING FEEDBACKThe Deco range of decorative metal wiring accessories from Click Scolmore has been expandedfollowing customer feedback. In addition to standard black and white options, Deco switched sockets,20A control switches, fused connection units and fan isolation switchescan also be specified with self colour Ingot switches in all platefinishes.

The nine finishes in the Deco product range provide a decorativeoption that will blend in with any surrounding décor and includeantique, polished and satin brass, polished chrome and satinchrome, black and pearl nickel and stainless steel.

All the UK socket and fused connection unit inserts carrythe BSI Kitemark logo and offer a twin earth facility toensure simple and safe installation.

Scolmore International01827 63454

MODULAR FUEL CELL

Rittal has recently unveiled its new ready-to-connect modular fuel cell to supply back uppower supplies for critical processes thatdemand high-availability.

RiCell is available in two different powerclasses with the larger system supplyingcascade power of 5, 10, 15 and 20kW. Inaddition, a smaller version of 300, 600, 900 and1200 watt output fuel cells will soon beginserial production. The emergency power supplysystem is fully integrated into a Rittal Toptec CRclimate controlled enclosure and may besupplied with hydrogen directly at the place ofinstallation. The oxygen required by the systemis obtained from filtered ambient air. Thebroader operational temperature range of thefuel cell stack, which varies between -33°C to+50°C, is far less sensitive compared toconventional battery-buffered back-up systems,thus offering a major advantage since batteriesrequire a constant internal temperature.

Rittal01709 704000

HIGH SPEC VIEWING AND RECORDINGAudio Visual Security’s surveillance brand,Facina, is pleased to introduce the VKCube toits range.

The VKCube fully embraces latest digitaltechnology by combining a compact seveninch LCD monitor with in built four channelDVR package to provide high spec viewingand recording in one single unit.

It is ideal for installations where there islimited room for control equipment or wherethe equipment needs to be hidden and spaceis at a premium.

As well as continuous recording it has theaddedadvantage ofvideo motiondetectionwhere onlyrecordings ofevents aretaken savinghard drive

space. The in built USB port enables videofootage to be downloaded directly to amemory stick.

The VKCube is easy to program by goingthrough simple on screen menus using themouse supplied.

Facina01253 830 904

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To Senior Authorised/Authorised Person level

Also EAW Regs, Generator Operation, Safety awareness, Maintenance, etc

MICHAEL TWITCHETTIEng. FIET. MSOE. MIPlantE

Tel or Fax: 01737 352755e-mail: [email protected]

UPS


BUSINESS FINANCE

Increase revenues by encouraging staff toshow company loyalty and spend theirmoney on your own products. Obviously thisworks best if your company makes consumerproducts, but then again, a 400kVtransformer makes a striking and unusualtalking point in anyone’s living room!

Any business analyst will tell you that ifnecessary you should sell non-core assets in arecession. Ask yourself: do your staff reallyneed toilets? Like small children, shouldn’tthey have ‘gone’ before they left the house?

The job market for new graduates is provingparticularly tough, allowing companies torecruit them at extremely low wages. Ratherthan invest in an expensive anglepoise lampfor your desk, simply get a graduate to standnearby holding a torch at a convenient angle.What’s more, if their degree is in homeopathy

and modern dance, you’ve probably offeredthem the best career opportunity of their life.

A recession is an opportunity to acquire otherbusinesses at attractive prices. Save timeduring your weekly family shopping trip bysimply buying your kids a Woolworths each.(Legal disclaimer: Open Circuit bears noresponsibility for them needing false teeth atthe age of eight.)

One business website advises that therecession is an opportunity to ‘reshape theworkforce’, ie. ‘get cheaper people’. If youhave no qualms about using weird businesseuphemisms, you might also want to:

Reshape inebriety outlay (clamp down onboozy lunches on expenses)Reshape parental fiscal contributions (stopyour kids’ pocket money)Reshape complimentary seasonal expenditure(don’t buy any Christmas presents this year)

Look for ‘captive markets’. If your company islocated on an out-of-town business park 15miles from civilisation, whack up the price of aslice of pizza in the canteen to £10.

PERSONAL FINANCE

The government recently advised everyone tofind out if they’re entitled to tax credits. Thisis actually a very straightforward process.Simply go online; stifle a yawn at the verythought of tax credits; get distracted by an

online Tetris game for an hour; finally type‘tax credits’ into Google; discover you don’tqualify; go back to Tetris.

If you are concerned about being maderedundant, it may be advisable to look intomortgage payment protection insurance orshort-term income protection. (NB. The waythings are going, it will probably pay to notput this off till next week.)

A financial adviser at one of the UK’s leadingfinancial advice websites recommendsworking longer hours to prove howinvaluable you are to your boss and ‘showthat you can do the jobs of two people forthe price of one.’ Learn from this advice byresigning from your current, insecure job andgetting a more lucrative one dispensingpatronising and unrealistic financial advice onthe web instead.

One lifestyle magazine suggests saving moneyon alcohol by making your own beer or wine.This is well worth pursuing, because themorning after drinking a few pints of yourown revolting yeast-water ‘beer’ or a couple ofglasses of rancid ‘wine’, you’ll feel so unwellthat you’ll swear never to touch alcohol again.

Be strict about non-vital spending. Askyourself: do I really need that new car or TV?Or if times are particularly tough: do I reallyneed that pack of Tesco Value sausages whenthe same level of deliciousness could beachieved by stuffing balloons with offal?

OPEN CIRCUIT

With tough times ahead,businesses and individuals alikeneed a sound financial strategy -and preferably one that is a bitmore ambitious than ‘selling theBig Issue’. As ever Open Circuitobliges with some top tips tohelp you stay afloat in 2009, inbusiness and your personal life…

FINANCIAL TIPS FOR THE RECESSION

Documents

01-02.2009.pdf