Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

When I first strapped on my electrician's tool belt, control power was relatively simple. Many times, the control power came directly from line voltage. For example, take one leg of the 480 VAC incoming power on a starter and voila … a 277-volt control circuit.

As long as the coil on the starter was rated for 480, no problem.

Once upon a time, the only reason building codes addressed electrical metering was to enable local utility billing efforts. Today, though, metering is seen as a critical tool in efforts to boost our buildings’ energy efficiency. With the understanding that we can’t manage what we don’t measure, the latest energy standards are calling for greater use of submetering of individual building systems – and that means even greater use of current transformers (CTs).

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks …

But, I'm an old dog and I just learned of a brand new "trick" that literally made me sit up and beg for more. I thought I'd seen everything, but I was wrong … so very wrong.

My mind's been officially … blown.

I get that all the time when calling the bank or the credit union or any business these days. Once connected, a voice on the other end warns me:

"Please listen carefully. Our menu options have changed."

Most of the time they haven't, at least not for some time. But the reminder is still there, enjoining me to practice careful listening.

In another article, we talked a bit about some of the new products that have changed how we design and work with control panels. We discussed many of the electronic components that took the place of old analog and magnetic mechanisms that were common in days gone by.

Of course, many old school components are still used when the need for electronics isn't pressing.
But one thing will always remain necessary in one form or fashion: conductors.

Getting wire from point A to point B can require some ingenuity. Fishing tape is one popular manual option, but it can be time-consuming and can put some strain on installers’ joints. Depending on site conditions, contractors also can turn to machine-powered options to make the job a little easier. Power fishing can be a labor-saving alternative for all or part of a wiring installation job.