Solving Electrical Problems with Thermal Imaging
from Maintenance Technology
Today's thermal imagers, which produce live images of the heat emitted from equipment, are rugged, easy to use and much more affordable than just a few years ago. This makes them highly practical and cost-effective solutions for everyday electrical maintenance. To use one, a qualified technician or electrician points the imager at the equipment in question, scans the immediate area for unexpected hot spots, then squeezes the trigger to capture a specific image. When the inspection is complete, the saved images can be uploaded to a computer for closer analysis, reporting and future trending. More

Ground Rods Marking and Compliance Requirements
from IAEI Magazine
In today’s electrical environment, many installed ground rod electrodes do not meet the requirements of the National Electrical Code. Ground rods less than 0.625 in diameter, rods that were cut in half either because of driving difficulty or to reduce expenses, or rods with less than the required coating thickness (e.g., copper, zinc) are all examples of ground rods that are presently being installed in violation of the NEC and/or local electrical codes. More

Garrett County, Md., Nears Adoption of Electric Code
from Cumberland Times-News
Garrett County, Md., is nearing the adoption of a new electric code, the first of its kind in the county. “The ordinance seeks to adopt the 2005 version of the National Electrical Code and subsequent versions,” said Jim Torrington, chief of the county’s permits and inspection division. The proposed code has been in the works for several years at the request of the Garrett County Electrical Mechanical Association. More

The Inevitable Climate Change Makes Protection Essential
from Arabian Business
Faulty electrical wiring, low-quality appliances and poorly maintained earthing pits are the main causes of electrical fires. Fires in older neighborhoods and warehouses in the city may be linked to poor adherence to basic protocol for electrical fault prevention including proper earthing, such as those applicable in the EU which stringently enforces maintenance protocols. More

When Does Poor Power Quality Cause Electronics Failures?
from EC&M
To many of us, the utility power grid is a vast system of unknowns. Its performance can make unprotected electronic equipment useless. Why? Because grid voltage values, higher or lower than guaranteed nominal values, have an effect on electronic intelligence processing equipment. Incoming grid power "sees" the equipment's DC power supply, which bears the brunt of any AC grid voltage variation. More

Edison's Rooftop Solar Project Powers Up
from the Los Angeles Times
Southern California Edison recently unveiled its newest power plant: 33,700 solar panels atop a warehouse in Fontana that will feed green energy directly into the grid. It's the first piece of what the utility says could become the largest rooftop solar installation in the world, a swath of photovoltaic panels spanning two square miles. More

Electrical Product Safety: Are Testing Labs Needed or is a Supplier's Declaration Enough?
from Control Engineering
European Commission asked OSHA to consider Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) as an alternative to third-party certification of electrical products; National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and others prefer that nationally recognized testing laboratories (NRTLs) provide approvals, saying anything less could decrease worker safety. More