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In this NEW series, we will be taking you through the ins and outs of circuit breaker technology. Part one of the series shares a basic understanding of what circuit breakers are, how they work and how they compare to fuses. In Part two below, we get into the detail of circuit breaker components. Watch this space to catch the full series! What does a circuit breaker comprise of? Although low and medium voltage circuit breakers have unique designs that are speci...

High magnitude abnormal currents could be a result of various faults that may occur at your facility. These lead to the unnecessary replacement of equipment and electrical wiring - a costly affair, especially if it causes production downtime…. Is there protection that will prevent this from happening in your facility? In this NEW series, we will be taking you through the ins and outs of circuit breaker technology. In part one of the series, we give you an understanding of what circuit breakers are, how they work and how they compare to fuses. What is a Circuit Breaker? A circuit breaker is an ...

Transient earth faults can be dangerous to your workforce, and can also be the cause of significant downtime. Is your facility adequately protected against them? In this article, we’re giving you a basic understanding of transient earth faults, how to detect them and how to prevent them. Describing Transient Earth Faults A transient earth fault is an inadvertent fault that occurs when a conductive path is created between the phase and ground conductor. It results in the electrical system being short-circuited and this current then flows through the system. The cause of Transient Earth Faults ...

The first “thing” on the Internet was created in 1982: a soda machine at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that reported on the number and the temperature of the drinks it contained. It was unique back then, but by some point in 2008 or 2009, the number of things connected to the Internet came to exceed the world’s human population for the first time in history. Since then, the “Internet of Things” (IoT) has experienced a rapid expansion. According to predictions, the number of “things” will exceed 30 billion in 2020 and 75 billion in 2025, worth an estimated $1.6 trilli...

If you’re in the market for a UPS, read our quick article to learn UPS basics, the type of protection they offer, and what important considerations you should keep front of mind when selecting a UPS… What is a UPS? An uninterruptible power supply or uninterruptible power source (UPS) is a device that: 1. Provides back-up power when utility power fails, either long enough for critical equipment to shut down gracefully so that no data is lost, or long enough to keep required loads operational until a generator comes online. 2. Conditions incoming power so that all-too-common sags and surges...

READ | The latest edition of SANS 10142-1 has been published! The third edition of SANS10142-1 (The wiring of premises Part 1: LV installations) has recently been published. In this article, we’ll outline why the standard was revised, along with the most important changes made. What is SANS 10142-1? This South African standard is referenced for all forms of low voltage electrical installations. The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) deems it compulsory for electrical installations to comply with all requirements of the standard. Moreover, the OHS Act stipulates that a registere...

Grounding is so much more important than most people think! Grounding errors can cause electrical shock, fires, equipment damage, and power quality problems. In this article, we’ll give you a basic understanding of grounding and outline its importance. What is a ground? The US National Electrical Code (NEC) Article 100 defines a ground as: “a conducting connection, whether intentional or accidental, between an electrical circuit or equipment and the earth, or to some conducting body that serves in place ...

Safety is still a prevalent topic that needs to be kept front of mind - no matter how compliant your facility is, or how informed you assume your employees may be… Facilities that prioritize workplace safety report fewer accidents and a higher productivity rate. The best tip for a safer facility is to make it visual. Hazard communication using labels and signage assists workers to clearly identify risks. In this article, we provide a few reminders on workplace safety – a great read to share with all your colleagues and staff! How safe is your workplace? Standardizing all processes and pr...

Did you know that regular inspections using infrared cameras can help keep your facility’s systems running efficiently? Using thermal imagers is also a safer way to detect system failures, especially in hazardous environments. Whether you’re looking for hot or cold spots, or the apparent surface temperature of a component or target area, using infrared cameras help you find problems quickly and safely. In this article, we’re discussing the use of infrared cameras in industry for preventive maintenance and the promotion of safety. Let’s start by taking a glance at how infrared cameras work, the...

What is Partial Discharge?  A partial discharge (PD) is an electrical discharge or spark that bridges a small portion of the high voltage insulation between two conducting electrodes or a conducting electrode and earth. Partial discharge can occur at any point in the insulation system, where the electric field strength exceeds the breakdown strength of the insulating material. PD activity can have a detrimental effect on your MV and HV assets.  Click here ...

The electrical event that produces the most significant downtime is the transient. A transient is also known as a spike or surge, although, generally these terms refer loosely to the same event. Transients are high energy (with magnitudes in the thousands of volts) and short duration (with rise times in the 1 to 10 microsecond range). Since they are sub-cycle events, they should not be confused with longer duration events such as swells or temporary over-voltages. Click here...

In Part 1 of this informative 2-part read, we began by outlining what power factor is. In Part 2, we discuss power factor correction and how it is performed to achieve a maximum power factor of 1 (unity). The power of unity Power factor correction is performed to restore the power factor as close as possible to unity. This is done with the addition of capacitors to the electrical network. It will compensate for the reacti...

We’re wrapping up our Power Quality series by giving an overview on power factor and the correction of poor power factor. If you missed our previous articles in the series, click below to catch up now!     1. An Introduction to Power Quality     2. Understanding Power Quality issues and what to do about them:         a) Voltage instability...

Over the past few weeks, we’ve discussed facets of Power Quality in our new series. We’re just scratching the surface of Power Quality (PQ) to give you a basic understanding on the aspects that contribute to poor PQ, and what you can do about them: Understanding Power Quality Understanding Power Quality issues and what to do about them: a) Voltage instability...

  In the first article of our new series, we learnt that good power quality saves money and time, ensures a safer workplace, prolonged equipment life and increased efficiency. On the other hand, we also learnt that poor power quality often leads to reduced energy efficiency, and various other downsides. Power Quality has become increasingly prevalent in industry. Power Quality is also such a vast topic that can be discussed at length. We’re just scratching the surface of Power Quality (PQ) to give you a basic unde...

What is power quality, and how important is it? Good power quality saves money and time, ensures a safer workplace, prolonged equipment life and increased efficiency. On the other hand, poor power quality often leads to reduced energy efficiency, and various other downsides. The topic of Power Quality has become increasingly prevalent. Power Quality is also such a vast topic that can be discussed at length. In this series, we’re scratching the surface of Power Quality (PQ) to give you a basic understanding on the aspects that contribute to poor PQ, and what you can do about them: Underst...