Embracing Change
Nov 1, 2007, By Michael Eby, Editor-in-Chief
Many years ago, when I worked for an electric utility, I found myself in the position of tracking changes to the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC)...
The Case of the 120V Electrocution Mystery
Oct 1, 2007, By Michael S. Morse, Ph.D., University of San Diego
Although often dismissed by industry veterans and novices alike as trivial, working in proximity to live 120V circuits leads to the untimely and unexpected...
Short Circuits
Oct 1, 2007,
Homemade Flame Thrower Our forklift was having fuel problems due to sawdust in the gas tank. One day, my brother, who is also our lead electrician, along...
Contractors Cast Wider Net for Estimating Help
Oct 1, 2007, By Tom Zind, Freelance Writer
In the construction world of logistics nightmares, impossible deadlines, and complex projects, the word has a benign ring to it. But as every good electrical...
Winning the Sales War
Oct 1, 2007, By Brad Dawson, LTV Dynamics
Be honest. How many bids are sitting on your desk at this very moment? Are you confident you'll win at least 80% of them? Besides a competitive price,...
The Case of the Knockoff Motor
Sep 1, 2007, By Curtis E. Falany, P.E., FORCON International Corp.
Have you ever heard the expression, green is ground the world around? I have, many times. But do you ever personally check the green conductor to see...
Calculating Arc Flash Energy Levels
Sep 1, 2007, By Benjamin O. Medich, P.E., Ballinger
While not a major topic of consideration when designing and maintaining facilities in past years, code-enforcement bodies have become increasingly aware...
Magnetic Motor Starter Basics
Sep 1, 2007, By Steve Vidal, P.E., Joseph J. Vidal & Sons, Inc.
The NEC defines a controller in a few different ways. In Art. 100, a controller is described as a device or group of devices that serves to govern, in...
Battery Sizing Basics
Sep 1, 2007, By Shanmuga S. Pandian, SOFCON
Because stationary batteries and 48VDC power systems serve as lifelines for telecommunication networks, the reliability of these systems is of the utmost...
Short Circuits
Sep 1, 2007,
Tarzan the Electrician I was fresh out of college, recently returning from Army active duty, and was hired on as an electrician at a small electrical...
Short Circuits
Aug 1, 2007,
The Power of Darkness As an electrical designer at a NASA center, I once got a phone call from a user who had contracted for a turnkey installation of...
ASA Sets Code of Ethics for Construction Subcontractors
Aug 1, 2007,
In response to the corporate scandals of the 1990s, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 began requiring public companies to disclose whether they have adopted...
From the Front Lines
Aug 1, 2007, By Beck Ireland, Staff Writer
There's a common saying electrical contractors have about electrical inspectors: Arguing with an inspector about the Code is like wrestling with a pig...
Putting the Web to Work
Aug 1, 2007, By Tom Zind, Freelance Writer
With a half-century under its belt, Malko Electric Co., Morton Grove, Ill., takes rightful pride in its long list of accomplishments. But it's not just...
The Power of the R5 Business Model
Aug 1, 2007, By Bradley Dawson, LTV Dynamics
In today's business climate, strategic planning has become an annual administrative exercise for upper management. Every year, business owners brush off...
