Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

When dimming technology first came to the mass market in the early 1960s, ambience-setting was a major motivator. With a simple turn of a dial, a brightly lit restaurant or home dining room could take on the appearance of a candlelit retreat. Then in the 1970s and 1980s, energy savings became a big sales driver, as lower light levels helped to drive down rising utility costs.

There’s no question the U.S. solar industry is growing by leaps and bounds. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the nation’s solar capacity was 2 gigawatts (GW) in 2012 – by the end of 2019, capacity topped 71 GW. Utility-scale solar arrays are a major market driver, with a record number of projects now under contract and waiting to be built.

At home, most hazardous or harsh conditions we face would be weather related. Rain and snow and sleet might be the worst, although temperature can be a factor as well.

However, in the industrial environment, hazards go way beyond that.

Recently, I was in a processing plant where they were upgrading the alarm system. This was a major overhaul that included more than just a fire alarm array. In fact, they were installing systems for fire, weather, and chemical emergencies.

Letting employees and other people know about impending danger is vitally important in today's work environment. You need to give them adequate warning to get to a safe place of refuge.

Surge protective devices (SPDs) are critical components of any commercial or industrial electrical system. SPDs guard equipment from the over-voltages that can result from lighting strikes or equipment operation. Without this protection, these short-term events can cause long-term – and expensive – damage. Choosing the right SPD requires knowing where the device will be applied, along with the appropriate size to meet application needs.

The need for surge protection isn’t a new issue for industrial facility managers. Transient high voltages have likely been damaging plant equipment since electricity was first introduced. But today’s digital equipment can be more sensitive to surge events than earlier analog versions. This is why it’s important to consider whether existing protection is adequate when upgrading connected motors and controls.