October 1, 2008

Cover Story

On Wireless

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Beck Ireland, Staff Writer

Feb. 17, 2009, may mark the beginning of a radical change to the wireless data systems industry. Under the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety...

Other Features

Partnering for Success

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Amy Florence Fischbach, Contributing Writer

Twenty-seven-year-old Tyler Squire could crunch mathematical problems in the blink of an eye. When it came to applying his skills to the real world, however,...

Putting Profit Dynamics to Work for You

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By David Brown, D. Brown Management

Don't let profits pass you by. Although this may seem like obvious advice, many people establish a specific routine when it comes to selling and managing...

Channel Challenges

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Dr. Perry Daneshgari and Heather Moore, MCA, Inc.

It's 7 a.m. at the job site, the distributor promised your delivery yesterday, and he's still not here. At 10 a.m., the truck shows up, but with only...

Solar for Rent

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Beck Ireland, Staff Writer

As part of its plan to produce 29 million kilowatt-hours per year of sustainable energy, the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), will...

National Electrical Code

Sizing Junction Boxes

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Mike Holt, NEC Consultant

The sizing requirements for pull boxes, junction boxes, handhole enclosures, and conduit bodies exist to prevent conductor insulation damage. Those requirements...

Illustrated Catastrophes

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Joe Tedesco, NEC Columnist

As usual, never consider the following commentary associated with these photos as a formal interpretation of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Without...

What's Wrong Here?

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Joe Tedesco, NEC Columnist

How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn't identify? Here's your chance to moonlight...

Stumped by the Code?

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Mike Holt, NEC Consultant

Q. I have a 1,200A, 480V panel that has a working space of 3½ feet. The engineer says 7 feet is required. Is he correct?...

Industry Viewpoint

A Taxing Time

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Michael Eby, Editor-in-Chief

Man, things don't look and feel all that great right now, do they? The credit crisis has American and foreign businesses shaking in their boots, and the...

Market Watch

UL Unveils New Holographic Label

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

Northbrook, Ill.-based Underwriters Laboratories (UL) recently introduced a new holographic UL mark that will be required in 32 common consumer product...

ACEEE Establishes State Energy-Efficiency Policy Resource

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), based in Washington, D.C., recently introduced a new Web resource for state policymakers...

DOE Secretary Endorses NEMA Initiative

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman has asked industry leaders to become full participants in a national effort to make U.S. buildings more energy efficient,...

Picture This

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

What it's not: The newest addition to the Lite-Brite family of electronic toys What it is: Organic solar concentrators, which collect and focus different...

Product of the Month

Telescoping Pole Tool Takes Electrical Work to New Heights

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Stefanie Kure, Senior Associate Editor

Cutting back on expenses can help bolster the bottom line of any firm. And in today's volatile economic climate, conserving precious dollars could mean...

Forensic Casebook

The Case of the Houseboat Electrocution

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Andrew Paris, P.E., Anderson Engineering

Soon after a young family purchased a vacation condominium on a local lake, they were anxious to entertain guests. One summer weekend, they invited another...

Inside PQ

Power Shift

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Chuck Heller, Chloride North America

Responding to market needs, server technology has rapidly advanced, delivering high-density, highly reliable computing without the massive harmonics issues...

Construction Watch

Industrial Project Activity Picks Up Steam

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

Despite the ongoing downfall of the residential sector, there's some good news on the industrial construction front. The value of industrial projects...

Industry Partners Unite to Create Wired HAN Standard

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

These days, anything that helps consumers better manage energy usage is bound to be a hit. In an effort to promote innovations in energy management and...

DOL Compliance Made Easier with New Online Tool

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

Do you already know which of the posters/federal laws administered by the Department of Labor (DOL) apply to your electrical contracting firm? If so,...

Analyze This

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

-5.4%Percentage decline in year-to-date (YTD) construction spending in the first seven months of 2008 compared with the same period last year. Despite...

Project Spotlight

Virtual Living Laboratory Teaches Green Building Technologies

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Stefanie Kure, Senior Associate Editor

Stanford University was founded in 1891 to promote the public welfare by exercising an influence on behalf of humanity and civilization. More than a century...

Back to Basics

The Basics of Vector Analysis Part 3

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

Last month, we saw how you can use vectors to define complex circuits and determine current. This month, we'll show you how to use vector diagrams and...

Product Spotlight

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

Multimeters DranTech digital meters and data loggers feature automatic blocking safety (ABS) connector jacks as well as IP-52 to IP-65 water-resistant...