Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

According to the National Fire Protection Association’s most recent numbers, up to 8 percent of all fire calls are the result of a false alarm. In 2018, that statistic translated into 2.8 million false alarm responses. Such events are both dangerous and expensive, and they are often caused by equipment failure rather than deliberate vandalism. Today’s addressable sensors and other initiating devices include self-monitoring capabilities that can help reduce false alarms and the aggravation and expense that go along with them.

The COVID-19 pandemic is upending work life for just about all of us. For many, this has meant shifting from an employer’s open-plan office space to a kitchen or dining room table at home for the last few months. But now, as states and cities are beginning to allow office buildings to reopen, it’s up to employers to make some changes. Power delivery is just one of the many necessities that will need to be rethought in these office redesigns.

When Mary and I converted our flat roof carport into our home office spaces, we upgraded our electrical system. Originally a cartridge and screw-in fuse box, we installed a 200-amp outdoor panel (main breaker and 12 spaces) and a 32 space interior sub-panel.

While the old panel had only 12 spaces to begin with, the new offices took up at least that many breakers. We had power to spare, and have plenty of room on the main panel for expansion.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit most businesses very hard. Many industries have seen total shutdowns that lasted for as long as several months. Others, like many restaurants and retailers, have had to patch together short-term solutions, like curbside pickup, to minimize physical interactions. One market that’s set to boom, however, as businesses begin reopening, is commercial video conferencing, which allows important face-to-face meetings to continue happening, even as far as a continent or more away.

In a recent survey conducted by Electrical Contractor magazine, respondents cited skilled labor shortages, product availability, and compressed timelines among their broad-based concerns. Contractors are looking for lighting control solutions that help alleviate these issues by reducing installation time, minimizing risk, and adding value to their jobs. Wireless lighting control solutions and quick estimating software can help.

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.