Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

I may be old school, but I take pride in my work. And if you're a true professional, I'm sure you do, too. Work needs to be done right … and to code. Even though a lot of what we do won't be seen, we know what's behind the wall. And sloppy just won't cut it.

After a hard day's work, often having been cooped up in a stuffy old office, there's not much that can beat relaxing in the great outdoors. Just breathing in the fresh air with your feet propped up lifts your spirits and soothes your soul (or your aching soles)!

And cooking outside?

Heaven on earth.

When installing and maintaining electrical systems for industrial and commercial settings, you need to keep in mind the environment they're located in. Of course, outside the building you'll need to install and maintain weatherproof components. But even indoors, some of the locations will need to have weatherproof, and sometimes waterproof, covers and boxes.

If you’re an electrical contractor, you’ve likely developed a series of workarounds to help you handle business. Maybe you’ve got financial software to help you manage your checking account and invoicing. And maybe you’ve got apps to help track mileage and keep track of upcoming jobs and materials orders.

Atkore has developed self-extinguishing flexible stainless-steel conduit and fittings for use in harsh environment applications. The flame retardant conduit and fittings are halogen-free and feature low smoke toxicity properties. With a rating up to IP69, the Low Smoke Zero Halogen conduit and EXD Flameproof Barrier Gland are liquid tight and prevent contamination from oils, dirt, dust, and liquid.

During a big remodeling project this spring, I became more familiar with the options available for electrical receptacles these days. These include new features, like adding USB charging ports that do away with the need to track down the right adapter for every phone, smart watch and earbud charger. And now there are smart outlets you can control remotely (so, if you’re afraid you left the iron on, you can double check from your phone).