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February 2002 Web News

Feb. 1, 2002
Feb. 27, 2002 Chromalox updates SCR training manual Chromalox, Pittsburgh, recently released a revised edition of its SCR Power Theory Training Manual. The free, 40-page illustrated manual on silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) power controllers has been expanded to cover ways to reduce material and labor costs when building power control panels, and it describes construction details that help reduce

Feb. 27, 2002

Chromalox updates SCR training manual

Chromalox, Pittsburgh, recently released a revised edition of its SCR Power Theory Training Manual. The free, 40-page illustrated manual on silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) power controllers has been expanded to cover ways to reduce material and labor costs when building power control panels, and it describes construction details that help reduce operational downtime.

The new edition provides discussions on SCR control theory and the application of SCR power controllers in industrial heating systems. It includes 29 schematic drawings, plus photos, tables, equations, and a glossary.

The manual may be downloaded from the company’s Web site at www.mychromalox.com/maxpac.



Feb. 27, 2002

Mr. Electric to offer Generac generators for home installations

Mr. Electric, Waco, Texas, recently inked a deal with Generac Power Systems to use the Waukesha, Wis.-based generator manufacturer’s standby generators in future residential installations. The electrical service and repair franchise will begin offering the backup power systems immediately.

“Having the network of Mr. Electric franchisees offer the Generac line of home standby generators is a win not only for both of us corporately, but provides a big win to consumer who can speak with a knowledgeable and reputable installer in their local community,” says David Duffield of Generac.



Feb. 25, 2002

Online service alerts contractors to pre-bid projects in Texas

Providing contractor outfits throughout the Lone Star state with an opportunity to learn of construction projects not yet attached to a builder, The Builders’ Exchange of Texas, San Antonio, recently announced it will launch BX Leads, an online reporting service for the construction industry, on April 1, 2002.

The pay service will allow contractors to receive news about pre-bid projects “from the Valley to Dallas, from Houston to El Paso, or anywhere in between” through weekly reports via the Internet. Until the launch date, contractors may test the service during a free trial period.

According to a Builders’ Exchange press release, the online service is currently tracking 600 projects at an estimated $13 billion in four regions: Houston and North, South, and West Texas. Search features allow the user to narrow listings by category, county, and estimated cost of the project.

Texas contractors interested in testing the service can call Lee Huntley at the Builders’ Exchange at (210) 564-6900.



Feb. 25, 2002

Power Measurement, Liebert Hiross join forces to build a better UPS

Power Measurement, Victoria, British Columbia, recently signed an agreement with Liebert Hiross, Milan, Italy, to extend its Ion technology to Liebert’s Hipulse and Series 7200 line of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).

Under the terms of the agreement, Liebert will incorporate the Power Measurement Ion 7500 and Ion 7350 metering and control devices into its new HiView devices, allowing users to monitor and display system-critical information on-site and remotely.

Rudi Carolsfeld, European business development manager for Power Measurement believes the pairing will benefit users who don’t know exactly what to look for in UPSs. “Many people invest in UPS systems without realizing that they also need an instrumentation panel to monitor and verify its operation as a component of their overall power system.



Feb. 22, 2002

Graybar introduces verification program for fiber optic cabling

In conjunction with ITS ETL SEMKO testing laboratories, Graybar has developed a Verified Independently for Performance (VIP) fiber program to test and certify 62.5/125- and 50/125-micron, fiber optic multimode cabling systems. The program meets TIA/EIA and IEEE standards.

Graybar introduced earlier versions of its VIP program, VIP 1000 and VIP 2000 several years ago to test copper channels. ITS ETL SEMKO also performed the testing and monitoring of these original programs.

“Maximizing the performance of a cabling system means supporting the networks of tomorrow, not just those in place today,” says Rob Bezjak, vice president of market development for Graybar. “Fiber still has some mystery to it, but this program removes the guesswork.”

For the location performing the program nearest you, visit www.graybar.com.



Feb. 22, 2002

Lightfair announces conference speakers

The International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) have announced the speakers for Lightfair International 2002. To fill the 10 pre-conference workshops and almost 30 broad-based architectural lighting seminars, the sponsors of the conference, which will be held June 3, 2002 through June 5, 2002 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, recruited industry and academic speakers from around the world.

More than 17,000 architects, engineers, designers, and end-users are expected to attend the conference that will host more than 400 manufacturers in 1,150 booths.

The pre-conference workshops include the following:

  • LED Technology - presented by Kathryn M. Conway, Dr. Makarand Chipalkatti, Joe Jablonski, Scott Jennato, and Andy Lipman

  • Office Lighting Design Studio – presented by Diana Mesh

Seminars will cover several topics, including:

  • LEDs: Past, Present, and Future – presented by Jeff McDonald and Dr. Nadarajah Narendran

  • Sports Lighting – presented by Craig Robinson and John Waite

  • Lamp and Ballast Update – presented by Roy Sierleja and Howard Wolfman

  • It’s a Material Thing: Optical Control – presented by Peter Murphy and Scott Santoro

  • A Specifier’s View of DALI (Digital Automated Lighting Interface) - presented by Richard Miller

  • Lighting for Schools – presented by Barbara Erwine and Lisa Herschong

  • Managing Outdoor Lighting – presented by John Van Derlofske

  • Retail Maintenance – presented by Deborah Lisheid, Sean O’Connor, Gary Popovics, and Cynthia Turner

For registering information, visit www.lightfair.com.



Feb. 20, 2002

Pass & Seymour’s GFCI celebrates 30th birthday

Pass & Seymour/Legrand recently threw a birthday celebration at its Solvay, N.Y.-headquarters, and the guest of honor was...a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the company’s invention, Michael J. Gambino, Pass & Seymour president, presented bronzed GFCIs to the members of the original engineering, design, and marketing teams who returned for the celebration.

“The GFCI has saved numerous lives over the past 30 yr and we are tremendously proud of our contribution to the safety of families and workers,” said Jack Wells, the company’s vice president of corporate development and the original product manager for the GFCI.

According to the National Electrical Safety Foundation, an estimated 400 million GFCIs are installed in homes and most private residences, apartments, hotels, motels, and public facilities.



Feb. 19, 2002

Hurst offers personalized motor design on the Web

Hurst Manufacturing, St. Louis, has launched a new Web site that allows visitors to design custom motors in a virtual environment, order samples for 48-hr delivery, and ask questions of the company’s online experts.

Visitors to the site can register for a free, personalized account in the MyHurst.com section of the site. Easing the design process, the site includes a six-step brushless DC motor configurator that leads a customer through a selection process from pre-engineered modules to create a customer-specific motor and control.

A second design tool uses key performance requirements to search a database of the company’s existing products. Once a motor is configured using a design tool, the customer instantly has access to a part number, dimensional diagrams, and technical specifications.

For more information, visit www.hurstmfg.com.



Feb. 18, 2002

IMARK’s 2002 Showcase blows into the Windy City

Jeff Blackman, head of creative communications firm Blackman & Associates, Chicago, will be the keynote speaker April 5 at IMARK Group’s 2002 Showcase. The electrical distributor trade show, which will be held April 5-7 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago, is expected to host more than 150 supplier and service booths.

In addition to exhibiting new products and offering business seminars, 2002 Showcase will feature the presentation of IMARK’s 2001 Recognition Awards to members and suppliers of the group for outstanding marketing achievement and for commitment to the organization’s programs and services.

For more information, call IMARK Group at 800 955-8433.



Feb. 15, 2002

Siemens introduces power monitoring training on the Web

Siemens Energy & Automation, Atlanta, has introduced the eighth course in its quickStep, Internet-based training program. Basics of Power Monitoring is designed for those interested in learning about power monitoring and management concepts and gaining an overview of the company’s Access power monitoring system.

The course, which is the eighth quickStep program to be offered by the company, covers such topics as AC concepts, power meters, protection, and advanced applications. Others address AC motors, control components, sensors, load centers, PLCs, and safety switches.

All Siemens online courses are free to the company’s distributors and customers and can be found on the Web at www.sea.siemens.com/step.



Feb. 15, 2002

BICSI offers residential cabling training

In the hopes of helping homeowners and builders properly install structured cabling systems, BICSI has released the Residential Network Cabling Training and Registration Program. Based on the group’s commercial program, the new residential training program includes instruction, written and hands-on exams, and structured on-the-job training.

The program is broken down into two courses, RES100 Residential Network Cabling: Theory, and RES150 Residential Network Cabling: Theory and Hands-On Training. The former is designed for those who do not need hands-on experience and includes modules on voice, data, and video distribution based on ANSI/TIA/EIA-570-A and the NEC. The second course is for individuals with no prior installation training and includes a review of installation practices and hands-on instruction in new construction and retrofit rough-in skills for locating and mounting distribution devices and outlets. The written exams for both courses are based on Residential Network Cabling, a 576-page how-to manual.

Course fees are $450 for RES100 and $900 for RES150. Exam fees are not included in course prices.

For information on enrolling in the program or ordering the manual, visit www.bicsi.org.



Feb. 13, 2002

Enerpac offers safety training for hydraulic tool users

As part of its nationwide campaign to promote safety in the use of high-pressure, high-force hydraulic tools, Enerpac, Milwaukee, will offer safety seminars focusing on workplace health and safety, correct usage practices, and proper care and maintenance of hydraulic tools.

Organized and presented by local distributors for the company, the campaign is aimed at the end-users of these tools across a wide variety of industries, including construction, manufacturing, and power generation. The seminars will include an on-site tool crib inspection and safety audit in which faulty, damaged, or unsafe equipment will be tagged, and a report will be made on the overall condition of all high-force tools.

For information on scheduling a safety seminar, contact Enerpac by email at [email protected] or via the Web at www.enerpac.com.



Feb. 13, 2002

Aggreko provides temporary power to Winter Olympic Games

As athletes from around the world are competing for Olympic gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, Aggreko, New Iberia, La., has been on hand to supply temporary power generation for the games. The company is providing 100MW of power for television broadcast, security, and timing/results needs.

Introducing its new portable electrical distribution fleet at the games, the company has had more than 100 employees on hand at the Olympic village for the past 18 months, setting up more than 3,000 electrical distribution panels, 250 transformers, and 350 gen-sets to prepare for the events.

Grant Thomas, senior vice president for venues and transportation at the Salt Lake City Organizing Committee explains why Aggreko was chosen. “Because most of the 20 Olympic venues will be powered by temporary generation systems, we knew we needed a strong partner in the design, organization, and implementation of the event,” he says.

Among the systems the company is providing support for is the International Broadcast Center (IBC). The company has set up temporary prime power to the multiple media compounds, as well as TV cameras, production trucks, and satellite uplinks. In addition, the team in Salt Lake has set up secondary power generation for all venues’ timing/results operations, including timers, scoreboards, and leader boards.

Following the Olympic Games, the company will break down its equipment for shipment to Japan for use at the 2002 World Cup Games.



Feb. 11, 2002

EGSA searches for a few good teachers

To meet the increasing need for education on on-onsite power generation and lessen the load on its existing teaching pool, the Electrical Generating Systems Association (EGSA) is searching for new instructors for its on-site power generation schools. The deadline for contacting EGSA is Feb. 15.

Interested parties must have demonstrated expertise and knowledge of the topics they hope to teach and a minimum of 5 yr of experience working in that area. Previous experience teaching or instructing is preferred. Instructors will also be expected to attend and observe the session they plan to teach.

Now in their 20th year, the schools cover such topics as voltage regulators, engine/generator instrumentation and control, generator set application and installation, and automatic transfer switches.

For more information or to sign up, contact George Rowley, EGSA’s director of education by phone at (561) 750-5575 x212, or by email at [email protected].



Feb. 11, 2002

Lighting Controls Association launches new Web site

The Lighting Controls Association (LCA) recently launched www.aboutlightingcontrols.org to educate building owners and managers, energy managers, specifiers, contractors, distributors, and allied trades involved in building management, design, and construction.

The site covers a broad range of application issues, including controls options, placement, technology, projects, compatibility, lamp life, and other issues involved in controls specification. It also includes a standard interface product matrix for finding product specifications, educational resources, and application support from several controls manufacturers.

“The LCA’s new Web site was formed to educate professionals and simplify controls selection, specification, and application to accelerate the adoption of their energy-saving, work environment, and pollution reduction benefits,” said Kyle Pitsor, executive director for LCA.



Feb. 8, 2002

Hunt Power acquires E-Mon Corp.

Hunt Power, L.P., a private, Dallas-based company specializing in IPP generation and distributed generation, recently acquired E-Mon Corp., Langhorne, Pa. E-Mon’s more than 3,000 distributors and 29 independent sales representative agencies will be folded into Hunt’s operations.

Terms of the asset purchase agreement were not released. E-Mon’s Langhorne, Pa., office will continue as the company’s executive, sales and marketing, manufacturing and engineering operations, while its San Diego facility will continue to provide additional manufacturing support.

"We view E-Mon as a complementary fit with Hunt Power and its subsidiaries," said Daniel Price, Hunt Power vice president. "The synergies will allow us to offer the full slate of demand-side and billing solutions to both utilities and end users."



Feb. 8, 2002

Information Gatekeepers release POF source book

Responding to what it calls a lack of information on companies and organizations in the plastic optical fiber (POF) industry, Information Gatekeepers is offering the “POF Sourcebook” through its Web site. In a recent press release, the group claims the book is the first complete compilation of companies, research and development centers, universities, and other organizations involved in the research, development, production, and marketing of POF components.

The directory lists contact information and a description of POF activities for more than 150 companies and organizations in the United States, Europe, and Japan. In addition, the source book outlines major trends in the industry.

Copies of the book are available for $995 at www.igigroup.com. PDF versions are also available for $1,495.



Feb. 6, 2002

Pass & Seymour offers telecom training

Pass & Seymour/Legrand recently unveiled its Fiber Training for contractors. With the use of the company’s products, participants will have an opportunity to learn the basics of TIA/EIA telecommunications standards for fiber and industry-accepted termination and installation techniques.

“We will provide contractors an opportunity to further build on their network wiring knowledge by participating in the company’s Fiber Training program,” says Gary Mikula, marketing manager of fiber and contractor training at Pass & Seymour/Legrand.

The program will be presented by members of the company’s staff and hosted by local area distributors.

For additional information about training programs in your area, visit the company’s Web site at www.passandseymour.com.



Feb. 6, 2002

NAED scholarship deadline closes in

The deadline for NAED Scholarship Trust applications is March 15, 2002.

Each year the NAED Education Foundation (NEF) and its sponsors award several scholarships to NAED members’ employees and their dependent children. The scholarships are made possible by contributions from distributors and manufacturers in the electrical industry. Two new memorial scholarships were also added this year.

To qualify for a scholarship, an applicant must be:

  • An employee of an NAED member distribution company,

  • Or the dependent child of an employee (or of such an employee who passed away within one year of the date of application),

  • And attending or planning to attend (minimum 12 semester hours) an accredited college or university in the fall as an undergraduate student.

A printable scholarship application is available under the “Education” section of www.naed.org.



Feb. 4, 2002

VDV associations discuss MasterFormat changes

Representatives from major voice, data, video (VDV) associations attending BICSI’s Winter Conference in Orlando, Fla., had a chance to discuss the proposed revisions to CSI’s MasterFormat at a panel discussion entitled “The World Non-Competing Telecommunications Associations.” CSI is presently attempting to break out electrical, life safety, data telecommunications, and several other divisions to allow for the eventual growth and expansion across the industry.

“We as electrical contractors embrace the basic philosophy of what CSI is attempting to do with the introduction of the 45 new divisions,” says Jim Thurman of Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC). Because IEC recognizes that over 40% of its members are currently doing communications work, we understand the need for better clarity in CSI’s MasterFormat of divisions.”

Approval of the revised MasterFormat could spell changes in the way contractors do their job. Should data telecommunications contractors be recognized as belonging to a separate division according to CSI, the likelihood for more specific training will increase, according to those in attendance at the panel discussion.

“Communications work is a different trade than electrical work and it should be treated as such,” said Mark Tibs, CEO of Tibs Group. “Electricians who are properly trained in communications work need to be doing communications work.”



Feb. 4, 2002

Graybar opens distribution facility in Ohio

Expanding its electrical and communications products distributor network even farther, Graybar, St. Louis, recently opened its thirteenth regional distribution center in Cincinnati. The new center will serve customers in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

The 152,000 sq ft regional zone warehouse maintains a multimillion dollar inventory of electrical, communications, and data supplies and equipment, and it will serve as a replenishment and shipping facility for the company’s branches in the area. The facility will employ 42 people.



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