Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

I’m old enough to remember days when cash registers weren’t computerized – they used electricity but were otherwise pretty analog devices. But a lot has changed since the first computerized cash register – or, as retailers say, point-of-sale (POS) devices – was introduced in 1973.

The rapid advancement of technology and the growing need for energy efficiency have transformed the way businesses handle energy management. Smart metering and monitoring has proven to be a game-changer in the commercial and industrial sectors.

In the food processing plant where I cut my electrical teeth, there were ceiling drops for sticker guns to label bagged product. Some of the workers complained about getting shocked off the stainless still bins that held the product. Adding inline GFCIs helped (although some still complained, even when no voltage was present).

It’s not unusual that solar photovoltaic (PV) systems would require fuses – after all, these installations can carry substantial electrical loads, so overcurrent protection is critical to their safe operation. What is remarkable, though, are the conditions under which PV panels, their conductors, and their wiring can operate.