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Patrick Publishers Ltd 2011. Jan-Dec
2009 6,484
Bal four Beatt y Engi neeri ng Servi ces (BBES)
has announced a key heal th and saf et y
appoi nt ment Al l an Shanks has j oi ned the
company as heal th and s af et y di r ect or He
trans ferred f rom Bal f our Beatt y Workpl ace
where he was SHEQ di rector and bri ngs a
weal th of experi ence fr om previ ous UK and
overs eas rol es at Lai ng O Rourke and
Al fr ed McAl pi ne/ Car i l l i on Shanks reports
to managi ng di rector J ohn Moore and i s
based i n the Gl as gow of ce
Garet h Dean has been appoi nt ed s al es
di rec tor Uni t ed Ki ngdom and I rel and
ef f ec ti ve i mmedi atel y The news c omes as
t he c ompany cont i nues t o enj oy s t rong
s al es and market s har e growth bas ed on
i t s ongoi ng commi t ment t o hel p bus i nes ses
t o us e i nformat i on t o dr i ve down cos t s
whi l e oper ati ng more efci entl y s af el y
and prot abl y We are gl ad t o have
Garet h i n t hi s i mpor tant rol e s ai d
Thomas Donat o di r ector Nor thern Regi on
EMEA He bri ngs val uabl e exper i enc e and
a pr oven t rack record i n s al es and
mar keti ng t o t he j ob The UK and I r el and
ar e an i mport ant mar ket i n EMEA s ai d
Hedwi g Maes pr es i dent of EMEA We r e
condent that Gar eth wi l l l ead i t to
f urt her growth
Spec i a l i s t di s t ri but or of s wi t chi ng
c omponent s S wi t c ht e c has hi r ed J ohn L ee
i n t he pos i t i on of s out her n ar ea s a l e s
mana ger I n t he upper t i e r of t he rol e
Le e wi l l deve l op and gr ow t he bus i ne s s i n
t he s out her n s a l es ar ea i nc l udi ng
s uppor t i ng ex i s t i ng c us t omer s and
devel opi ng new one s
Allan Shanks Gareth Dean John Lee
ER Dec p6_Layout 1 21/11/2011 15:00 Page 4
No one should be surprised by this. The UK solar industry grossly misrepresented the cost of
solar at the very start to persuade the Government that a significant subsidy was justified.
Two years ago I costed a 3.6 kWp solar system, including a BES, at under 6k and that was at
resale prices and at an unfavourable exchange rate. Installation would have added about
1000 to the cost, but I could never get a response from MCS on qualifying a self install for
the feed-in tariff so did not go ahead. That cost compares to 12,000 to 14,000 for a similar
installation, without a BES, from one of the UK's MCS approved solar providers. If you do the
sums based on likely wholesale costs and a typical UK internal rate of return you get a
payback in three to five years based on the current subsidy for those companies leasing roof
space. Nice money for the remaining 20 or so years. At the right price we could have PV and
BES in every home with a south facing roof, but unless PV is costed on a realistic basis it will
never happen. Tell the industry to stop bleating and apply some realism to the costs and
they will pick up in volume more than they have lost in subsidy.
Paul Mursell
HSE
In a recent edition of Electrical Reviews e- newsletter we reported on
the potentially grim future facing solar businesses after the DECC's
announcement subsidies would be slashed for projects registered
after 12 December 2011.
The editorial attracted a number of responses from our readers. A
selection of those responses are printed here. Please do continue to
email me your views on the matter. If you would like to receive our
weekly e-newsletter, please register at www.electricalreview.co.uk.
Elinore Mackay
Editor
elinorem@electricalreview.co.uk
KILLING SOLAR STONE DEAD
43p was probably a bit too much, but 21p is excessively small. Nevertheless to the typical homeowner, if they have savings, investing in solar devices, properly designed and applied of course, the 21p will still represent one of the
better returns on their shrinking value of their capital. It also gives the added advantage to a householder of having at least some source of power when the
inevitable consequences of the indecisiveness over nuclear power come home
to roost. Hopefully this might allow some of the UK industry to survive. The root cause of the problem is that civil servants simply dont understand fledgling industries and how they fund themselves, and the politicians masquerading as our governors, will always garble what theyre told or consider
only the effect on their short term popularity anyway. It never has been more important to invest in UK industry and fuel sources (and agriculture) than it is now.
John Moss
Consultant, Arup Advanced Technology and Research
The reduction of the UK Feed in Tariff was inevitable, but it is the magnitude of
the cut that hurts..
The UK has enjoyed a much higher FiT than other countries in Europe, but
substantial cuts are imminent in France, Germany, Italy and Spain also. Two
things are inevitable: installers are rushing to complete installations before the
12 December deadline; and most are nervous about how the end user market
will react. However, the outlook for solar photovoltaic (PV) energy need not be
gloomy. Any such installation must be viewed as a 20 year investment. Over
time, pretty much irrespective of the FiT, payback from a solar PV energy
investment outstrips other energy measures such as double glazing and
insulation. Within the new tariff, solar PV can still payback at 6-8% p.a. try and
get that from your bank or building society! Energy prices will continue to rocket
and one can assume that the FiT will, with variations, reflect this.
John Houston
ER Dec p7_Layout 1 18/11/2011 15:56 Page 5
08 Electrical Review December 2011
O|lMlOM OOl|JOOAOt
adding TO THE LIST
Three down three to go. A year ago, each of the Big Six were identifying sites, forming partnerships, all designed to demonstrate
enthusiasm to build new nuclear power stations. But ever since then enthusiasm is diminishing, especially as each observes the
nancial problems in France and Finland, the only countries in Western Europe trying to build anew.
Now Scottish & Southern has announced unequivocally it is no longer interested in nukes. Both RWE and Eon have stated that
the decision, by their own government in Germany to rule out nuclear, seriously circumscribes them.
Which leaves Centrica heavily under attack from large shareholders for contemplating such a proven loss-making path. And
Scottish Power, based in the nuclear free zone of Scotland, but receiving at best conicting priority signals from its Madrid-based
parent, Iberdrola - where the Spanish government is at best equivocal.
Last of all is the nuclear agship, Electricite de France. Largely owned by the French government, facing hostile opinion polls,
and a change of Presidency next May with the Socialist challengers determined upon a nuclear moratorium.
I suspect that the three down on willingness to build new nukes, will shortly be added to. Ministers may soon be singing the old
song: Who can I turn to, when nobody needs me?
reducing NOT ELIMINATING
The feed in tariff is a truly bizarre scheme. It is designed to reduce carbon emissions by encouraging all kinds of microgeneration.
Instead it incentivises predominantly the technology which has much the highest cost of carbon abatement, namely PV. Almost all
other low and zero carbon technologies are more cost effective at reducing carbon.
The solar PV feed in tariff is a poison pill left by the last Labour government, entirely based upon poor analysis and signicant
lobbying from the PV industry. Now the inevitable is happening, and government is seeking to reduce not eliminate, reduce the
levels of the bribes, the vested interests are complaining. My response to those who have been caught out by not signing up for
this boondoggle early enough is :"If it looks to good to be true, it probably is". Caveat emptor.
humble APOLOGY
Last month I highlighted the incompetence at the
Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC), causing
the last minute aborted launch of the Renewable Heat
Incentive. The debacle was entirely due to a failure to
apply in time to obtain clearance from the competition
authorities at the European Commission for what is
indubitably a market- distorting scheme. Consequently the
scheme had to be withdrawn less than 24 hours before it
was due to begin.
I commented it was wrong to call for the minister to
resign. The blame for this nonsense lay squarely within the
senior ranks of the civil service. So I duly called for the
Departments director general, Simon Virley, to - in the
time-honoured phrase consider his position.
Friends of Mr Virley have been in touch. It has been
pointed out he is not the only director-general at DECC.
Apparently he has an opposite number, with an identical
rank but apparently undertaking other duties within the
department. The doppelganger is a Welshman, called Philip
Wynn Owen.
I have asked around, and nobody else seems either to
have seen or heard of him before. But according to the
official records not only does Mr Owen exist, he is also the
senior official in charge of the Renewable Heat Incentive.
No question. I must issue my humble apologies to Simon
Virley for questioning his competence so unfairly. And
must issue an immediate challenge to the hitherto obscure
Mr Owen to consider his own position instead.
SALUTING bravery
Each year the Association of Electricity Producers hosts a banquet for three
hundred guests in the City of London. Sadly, this years will be the last such
event. The Associations chairman, Martin Lawrence of Electricite de France,
began the festivities by announcing that, earlier that day, members had
voted by 94% in a condential ballot to dissolve it.
Somewhat threateningly, Lawrence added he knew precisely who the
few dissenters had been a threat that led guest of honour Charles
Hendry, the junior energy minister, to comment the North Korean
government might learn much from the way the industry operates.
Why are the Producers committing harakiri? It seems for the same
reason that, at the end of November, led the Energy Retailers Association
to fold. The publicity arm, Energy UK, headed by former BBC reporter
Christine McGourty, is to be scrapped. And the United Kingdom Business
Council for Sustainable Energy is starting dissolving itself, placing director
David Green OBE on extended sickness leave.
Each of the Big Six has apparently become fed up with having to fund a
whole series of separate organisations. Between them they have decided
to pull the plug on all the various external entities which purport to speak
on behalf of the electricity industry. And instead to recreate the all-purpose
Electricity Council, dissolved at the time of privatisation in the early 1990s.
Except one. Whilst all the other front organisations have acceded
meekly, there is one that is being distinctly bolshie. Despite all the arm-
twisting, the Electricity Networks Authority has voted to continue in
existence.
How long this Unilateral Distinction of Independence from those who
run the Networks can continue remains to be seen. But I salute these brave
souls for continuing to withstand the pressures from the North Korean
lookalikes now running the electricity industry.
gossage OK.qxp_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:01 Page 2
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JUST LAST YEAR, digital press reported on new flywheel
technology that was emerging onto the British market. One
year on and there has been a sharp rise in the popularity of
flywheels as a commercially viable alternative to batteries
when it comes to UPS (uninterruptible power supply).
Despite its rise in popularity, there is still an element of
mystery surrounding the relatively new flywheel technology
and engineers and installers of UPS systems need to get up
to speed fast as the number of flywheel UPS systems being
installed is ever increasing.
From energy hungry to cost conscious
Two conclusions have become obvious when looking at
UPS systems: investing in 10-15 minutes of battery back-up
time is a traditional approach and there are now alternative
sources of back-up power. When a business experiences a
loss in power its about getting generators online as soon as
possible (typically 30 seconds to 2 minutes) before the
batteries run out because it would take 3-6 hours to pass-
off operation to a back-up site or to power down the site
safely (if that is at all possible).
The next thing is TCO (total cost of ownership).
Contractors can no longer pitch up and win business purely
on a lowest capital cost basis. If you sell us the cheapest
products, you get the deal is no longer the mantra for site
and operations managers who are more focussed now on
seeing evidence of the total lifetime costs of UPS systems
before deciding on the best solution, which may not
necessarily be the cheapest initially. The lifetime cost of UPS
batteries is expensive as they have to be monitored and
replaced typically within 4-8 years. Not only that, but they
are not environmentally-friendly and require specialist,
licensed disposal at the end of their life.
All of these elements combined point firmly in the
direction of flywheel UPS technology as the ideal eco-
friendly UPS solution.
The kinetic conclusion
A flywheel is a mechanical device that rotates at incredible
speed, 20,000 50,000 rpm in many cases, and produces
kinetic energy, which is then stored. It works by accelerating
a rotor (using a source of mains electricity) and maintaining
the energy in the system as rotational energy. The amount
of power stored in a flywheel is proportional to the square
of its rotational speed.
Energy is transferred by applying torque to the flywheel
to increase speed and thus stored energy. The flywheel
releases its stored energy using a similar process;
applying torque to a mechanical load, which results in
decreased rotational speed, which is a principle of
conservation of energy.
Flywheel UPS
Flywheels, with built-in short-duration battery packs, are
being incorporated into UPS applications as replacements
to UPS batteries to provide short-duration power supply in
the event of a mains interruption, just long enough for
onsite generators to start and power up.
What are the benefits?
In terms of UPS, it needs to be compact, powerful, reliable
and resilient, which is why new flywheel UPS technology
is attractive because of its compact size (in comparison to
battery banks), high-energy efficiency, low maintenance,
lifetime cost, silent operation and zero emissions.
Flywheels can also reduce the need for costly cooling
within the UPS vicinity.
Modern flywheels, made of composite materials, are
lighter in weight so they do not require the costly and
disruptive re-enforcement of flooring at installation. Being
lighter means they can also spin faster and thus produce
more energy in a shorter time.
The capital cost of purchasing a flywheel UPS is higher
than a comparatively rated traditional UPS but over its
lifetime it can save money due to the fact that it negates the
requirement for battery replacement and heavy-duty
maintenance. Riello UPSs flywheel UPS partner, Vycon
Energy, estimates the cost saving can be as high as twice
WITH COMPANIES MAKING A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO INVEST IN GREENER ALTERNATIVES,
THE POPULARITY OF FLYWHEEL UPS SYSTEMS HAS RISEN DRAMATICALLY. ROBIN KOFFLER,
GENERAL MANAGER AT RIELLO UPS (UK), EXPLORES HOW FLYWHEEL TECHNOLOGY CAN
DELIVER COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS AND HOW ITS BENEFITS MEAN IT IS LIKELY TO
BECOME A COMMON SIGHT IN BUSINESSES ACROSS THE UK
Contractors can no
longer pitch up and
win business purely
on a lowest capital
cost basis
A Vycon flywheel
10 Electrical Review December 2011
Flywheel technology
a POPULAR CHOICE
|tAIukt u| YIt
UPS OK_Layout 1 18/11/2011 15:35 Page 18
ads_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:21 Page 1
the initial outlay over the products lifetime (more for larger
systems). Over a 20-year lifespan, cost savings from a
flywheel versus a five-minute VRLA lead-acid battery bank,
for example, can range from 65,000 - 130,000 per
flywheel deployed.
Advances in flywheel technology
Early flywheels (flywheel rotors in particular) were
manufactured out of high-grade steel, which was readily
available and therefore less expensive. They had to be
robust enough to quickly come up to speed, but they were
also large and heavy. The way they operated caused
aerodynamic drag loss and higher operating noise levels,
rendering them unsuitable for commercial application.
New, modern designs incorporate much lighter
manufacturing materials such as composite metals based
on Graphite and Titanium, aerospace-grade steel (which is
much lighter in weight and stronger), carbon filaments,
suspended magnetic bearings. It has also enabled the
capital cost of flywheels to be reduced to a more attractive
level for commercial UPS implementations.
They are also stronger, which facilitates much higher
rotational speeds of up to 100,000rpm. Higher rotational
speed equals more power capacity. The design of magnetic
bearings reduces wear and tear and thus extends their life
and reduces repair and maintenance costs.
Long life/lower cost
In partnership with Vycon Energy, which has around 400
flywheels installed worldwide, Riello has developed and
launched a range of flywheel UPS products specifically for
application within critical environments such as data
centres, hospitals and industrial installations.
Master MHF VDC 100-500kVA flywheel UPS is a scalable
system, incorporating a VDC or VDC-XE flywheel and offers
customers the lowest possible PUE ratios and highest
operational resilience. VDC (Vycon Direct Connection)
means it connects directly and efficiently to the dc bus of
the UPS. It requires 50 percent less floor space than a
similarly rated, traditional UPS and batteries.
Flywheels have a much longer design life (20 years) than
traditional UPS batteries (5-7 years) and require little in the
way of maintenance, so Master MHF VDC also has a far
lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and offers an
instantaneous recharge time.
The Master VDC series of UPS flywheels store kinetic
energy in the form of a rotating mass (spinning at 36,000
revolutions per minute) within a securely sealed container.
Riellos technology incorporates aerospace-grade steel, a
high-speed permanent magnet motor generator and
contact-free magnetic bearings that levitate and sustain
the rotor during operation. For ease of use, it also has a
touch-screen control system that provides information on
system performance.
Flywheels - the benefits:
Q Low total cost of ownership - savings of more than
double the initial investment
Q Clean power an eco-friendly and battery free UPS
Q High efficiency 0.99pf input with high operating
efficiency
Q Fault tolerant design IGBT-based with a transformer-
isolated UPS assembly
Q Long operating life 20 year design life
Q Low service costs easy to install and maintain
Q Instantaneous recharge time
Q Provides an extra level of resilience
Q Containerised option ideal for use with a stand-by
generator and in modular data centres or remote
installations.
Why should electrical engineers take an interest in
flywheel technology?
Consultants in the UK and Europe have a real opportunity
to be the pioneers of data centre flywheel UPS. In the USA,
the technology has gained notable ground in the last few
years and now awareness is growing and is gaining
traction in Europe and the UK.
For businesses like data centres, hospitals or industrial
sites, extended runtime is only feasible by the installation of
an onsite generator and the quickest and easiest way of
getting that online is what counts. Operations and site
managers have come to the conclusion 10-15 minutes of
extended traditional battery-based runtime, requiring rows
of battery banks, may not be the most cost-effective
approach. This lends itself to flywheel technology, which
offers all the power capacity required at lightning speed
and for much less lifetime cost than batteries.
Flywheel technology has advanced beyond the large,
industrial, kinetic energy generating solutions of
yesteryear. They are now commercially viable for UPS
application and data centres in particular, in which the
necessity to reduce energy consumption, address green
initiatives and reduce total cost of ownership is equal to
the need to provide resilient and scalable power
protection for critical applications.
Flywheel technology
offers all the power
capacity required at
lightning speed and
for much less
lifetime cost than
batteries
|tAIukt u| YIt
12 Electrical Review December 2011
Flywheel components
UPS OK_Layout 1 18/11/2011 15:35 Page 19
www.electricalreview.co.uk
xceptional on-demand service, superior product reliability and a
long standing relationship spanning over five years has secured
Borri Ltd another order from the worlds premier genuine
gemstone jeweller, Gems TV.
The 24-hour live television broadcaster has recently purchased a high
efficiency, B9000 300kVA UPS from Borri and renewed its five-year
maintenance package, which guarantees 24/7 support for the UPS and
existing generator, as well as guaranteeing on immediate response time.
Based on an industrial estate in Worcestershire, Gems TV has a very
erratic mains power supply and the site is extremely susceptible to
mains failures and surges, which means that it is absolutely imperative
that its back up power supply is consistently reliable. Borris B9000
UPS has been fitted with an additional parallel battery string for
redundancy and autonomy and also a power factor corrector for
optimum power safety.
Offering the highest levels of protection available the B9000 is a
complete three-phase UPS system with true online double conversion
technology. Its sophisticated design ensures that the power supply is
totally independent of any mains interference such as spikes and
voltage variations, and delivers seamless transfer to battery power with
no break in supply.
Adding to its impressive credentials, the B9000 is also one of the
leading high efficiency UPS systems on the market and has a
prominent position on the governments Energy Technology List. Its
unique tricore technology enables the B9000 to offer AC/AC
efficiency of 95 percent, which is typically around up to 15 percent
more than a conventional UPS.
Complementing Borris full service maintenance package is its three-
year warranty, which is offered on all three phase UPS systems. This
manufacturers warranty provides customers, like Gems TV, with added
peace of mind and highlights the superior reliability and manufacturing
of Borris UPS units.
The maintenance contract supplied by Borri provides great value for
money and includes a 24 hour, seven days a week emergency callout
number, travel and labour costs, annual preventative maintenance
works and selected parts.
Gems TVs head of engineering, Peter Freer, commented: We
compared several UPS suppliers when we first looked at installing a
UPS and decided to go with Borri because they had the most
professional approach. We were extremely impressed with their overall
specification. Borri was very accommodating and able to keep Gems
TV on air whilst the installation of the new UPS took place, which was
very impressive as the UPS
is situated right next to the
24 hour live studio.
It is not just the quality
of UPS that has remained
consistent over the years
but also Borris quality of
service, which has been
impeccable. Its team of
engineers respond quickly
to any situation and I
would highly recommend
Borri to anyone looking for
consistently reliable
products and service.
Tel: 0800 136993
Web: www.borri.co.uk
E
AuvtkIlttMI |tAIukt
BORRIS EMERGENCY POWER
KEEPS GEMS TV ON AIR
advertorial borri_Mobile Europe cover template.qxd 18/11/2011 16:44 Page 33
One of the things that often concerns our support engineers
is the number of calls they receive from electrical engineers
who clearly dont have time to keep abreast of the latest
developments and regulations. The trouble is, theres so
much else to do. With deadlines to meet, site issues eating
into schedules and clients constantly changing their minds,
who has time to bone up on new regulations, codes of best
practice etc? But, of course, as far as the authorities are
concerned, ignorance is no excuse.
Our support teams handle over 30,000 calls a year so
there is little they have not come across and they have
a wealth of stories that would keep you entertained in
the pub. At the same time, over the years, they have
become increasingly sympathetic to the pressures on
electrical engineers to keep abreast of changing
regulations and legislation.
In contrast, one of the key roles of our support and
development teams is to do just that - monitor and
understand new developments. In this way, they can
ensure any relevant changes are incorporated into the
software to meet the needs of the electrical engineers
working at the sharp end. It also means they can share
that knowledge with others through training, seminars
and webinars and this is certainly something that a
software supplier should be offering its customers as part
of a wider support package.
Beyond sharing knowledge, though, there are other ways
that software developers can help its users keep up to
speed. One of these is to ensure the software doesnt just
address changes but also helps users comply with those
changes.
The other is by helping users work smarter and more
efficiently, so that routine tasks take less time and users
therefore have more time available to focus on other issues
such as getting up to speed with regulations. For
example, there are many occasions where a great deal of
time is wasted simply re-entering information from one
software package into another. Much of this time can be
saved by sourcing key software packages from one supplier
to create an end-to-end solution. In this way, opportunities
to share information can be maximised, so that re-typing
information is minimised.
Consequently, I would argue assisting compliance with
regulations and facilitating the more efficient sharing of
information are key criteria for software tools. The
benefits of both can be illustrated by considering a few
examples.
Keeping up with the regs
As its so topical, Amendment 1 to the 17th Edition (BS
7671) is a good place to start and there are a number of
new elements that impact on both design and certification.
For example, it is now necessary to take account of new
cable de-rating factors and minimum cable sizes, as well as
new installation methods that have been introduced for
CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING IN CHARGE OF A TEAM OF ENGINEERS AND NOT HAVING HEARD
OF AMENDMENT 1? IT HAPPENS, SAYS AMTECHS TECHNICAL SERVICES MANAGER, IAN ELMER
It is now necessary
to take account of
new cable de-rating
factors and
minimum cable sizes
14 Electrical Review December 2011
SOFTWARE SELECTION:
more than just features
|tAIukt ultulMO tkvlCt
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certain circumstances. There are also a number of changes
to the requirements for protection against electrical shock,
thermal effects and over-currents. These include new types
of protective device with new codes and changes to earth
fault loop impedances.
So clearly its important design software facilitates
compliance with changes such as these, by constantly
checking designs against the latest regulations and flagging
up any potential errors for further consideration. It should
also provide helpful tips, such as showing cable installation
images (including the new installation methods introduced
in Amendment 1) directly from the regulations for each
type of installation. This provides the designer with an at-a-
glance double-check that the design is correct.
Similarly, protection co-ordination software can play a
key role in ensuring the appropriate choices are made to
address the newly introduced devices for protection
against overvoltage. Of course, this whole process is made
much simpler when the design can be instantly uploaded
to the protection software and any changes made in one
package are reflected in the other one of the benefits of
sharing information between software packages.
For those readers involved in inspection and testing
certification there are also relevant changes that they
should be aware of. Not least of these is the introduction of
the Electrical Installation Condition Report, which replaces
the Periodic Inspection Report. This new certificate asks for
considerably more information and is likely to take longer
to complete, especially when getting used to the new
requirements. Again, the certification software can help by
providing direct references to the appropriate section in the
Wiring Regulations. In this way it is quick and
straightforward to check what is required.
Certification software also illustrates another benefit of
sharing information between software packages. On a large
project, producing the required certificates can entail
several days of entering information from the design
software into the certification software. This is a clear
example of duplicated effort that wastes effort and leaves
less time for more strategic activities.
However, if that information can be exported directly
from the design software to the certification software then
once again the ability to share information will free-up a
considerable amount of time.
Its good to share
In fact, the examples of sharing information between
different packages given above are just the beginning of
the journey that information takes from the beginning of a
project through to its completion. At each stage, there is the
potential to save a considerable amount of time.
For instance, once the design is complete it may be
exported to a CAD format and then imported to an
estimating package for take-off to produce bills of
quantities and quotes. Here, integration with an up-to-date
pricing information service will ensure that prices are
accurate without the need to check lots of different sources.
So this is a key area where a lot of time can be saved.
Similarly, it may be necessary to write a specification.
Here, the whole process can be streamlined by using
specification writing software with direct hyperlinks to
key information. This information may be from
organisations such as BSI or CIBSE, or it may be found on
an industry information portal the important thing is
the speed of access.
When the job begins, the information from the estimate
needs to be used in other processes, such as automatically
creating buying lists in procurement software. Faster than
manual processes, this can be done on an individual
project basis, or for all current contracts to maximise
buying power.
Another potentially time-consuming activity is the initial
population of the job costing software with a breakdown of
estimated costs and revenue. This has to be done so that
estimated costs can be compared to actual costs as the job
progresses so its very useful if the job costing software can
be populated directly from the estimate.
Once the project is underway there are almost certain to
be variations, and possibly dayworks, and making sure you
get paid for these at the right rates is clearly important.
Ideally, then, when changes are priced in the variations or
dayworks software the associated material and labour costs
should be automatically identified. The same is true of any
change to the contract sales value and this should all be
posted to job costing software to update the budgets. It
should also be able to identify anticipated costs arising
from variations separately to those in the original budgets.
Without this sharing of information, it takes a great deal
of time to ensure variations are reflected in the costing
software and if theyre not you wont have an accurate
picture of the financial health of the project.
And, of course, there are many other examples where
manual drudgery can be avoided with end-to-end
software. So, returning to the challenge of having sufficient
time to keep up to speed with changes to regulations, its
clear that eliminating wasted effort is going to be a big
help. The fact that it also increases efficiency and
profitability is a bonus.
When all of these factors are taken into account, its clear
software should be considered in a new light. That it will
perform the basic functions that you bought it for should be
a given (though it always pays to double-check). But its
also reasonable to expect more than the basics. Helping
you to comply with the latest regulations, as well as saving
time in the way you manage information throughout the
business, are very reasonable expectations.
Certification software
can help by
providing direct
references to the
appropriate section
in the Wiring
Regulations
building services OK.qxp_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:05 Page 19
AT TIMES it may seem the regulations which direct our
working lives never seem to stand still long enough for us
to draw breath. Which can be seen as an irritant, a
distraction or an opportunity to make things better. I
prefer the latter option.
One example that will be very much in the minds of
Electrical Review readers is Amendment 1 of the 17th
Edition Wiring Regulations. Theres quite a bit of change
to get to grips with but the changes are there to
improve the overall quality and safety of electrical
design and installation.
The same is true of the Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment (WEEE) Directive, which has evolved
considerably since it was first introduced. Again, some of
the changes may seem like a bit of a nuisance, but in
reality they are there to clarify what was initially quite a
confusing situation for many. In addition, new products
have been brought within the remit of the Directive
which means more products are recycled and less waste
goes to landfill and that has to be positive.
The key here is to understand the implications of such
changes and steer a course that provides the best solution
for the end client. For example, it is now well accepted the
specifier needs to take account of maintenance issues in
the design of the system, helping to reduce cost of
ownership. Since the WEEE regulations were introduced
this responsibility to the end client also extends to
facilitating disposal of end-of-life electrical products.
In the case of lighting, this is achieved by specifying
products from manufacturers that are members of the
same compliance scheme, so there is only one point of
contact for disposal when the lighting is replaced.
Therefore, it also makes sense to choose a compliance
scheme that has a wide range of members that offer the
types of luminaires required for the project. In fact, many
end clients are now aware of this issue and are already
advising their specifiers accordingly.
Ringing the changes
As mentioned earlier, there have been a number of key
changes to the WEEE regulations. For example, in 2010 the
Environment Agency added the ballasts, photoelectric cells
and igniters used in lighting products to the regulations,
as well as fire alarm systems.
To understand the implications of these changes its
important to understand how waste and producers of
waste are classified under the Directive. To that end the
WEEE Directive divides waste into two main categories.
There is historic waste, installed before 13 August 2005,
and future waste, installed after that date. Future waste is
marked with a crossed out wheelie bin to indicate that it
cannot be consigned to the general landfill waste stream.
With historic waste, the producer of any replacement
equipment is responsible for facilitating an infrastructure
that will accept historic waste. In the case of future
waste, it is the producer of the discarded waste that
bears this responsibility.
This classification applies to all of the electrical and
electronic products that fall within the remit of the
Directive but lighting products tend to be particularly
challenging. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, a wide
range of components are used in lighting products and
these need to be separated before they enter the waste
stream. Secondly, these components may be
incorporated into finished items or they may be put on
the market in their own right for use in repairs and
maintenance. This was one of the areas of confusion
when the Directive was first published but the situation
has now been illuminated.
So this is how it works. When ballasts, photoelectric cells
and igniters are supplied to a manufacturer for
KEEPING PACE WITH REGULATORY CHANGE CAN BE A MAJOR CHALLENGE TO
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS
OF SUCH CHANGE. ERNEST MAGOG OF LUMICOM SHINES A LIGHT ON THE
CHANGES IN THE WEEE REGULATIONS THAT IMPACT ON LIGHTING PRODUCTS
It is now well
accepted the specifier
needs to take account
of maintenance
issues in the design of
the system
Keeping up TO SPEED
|tAIukt tlOuIlMO
16 Electrical Review December 2011
lighting OK_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:00 Page 18
incorporation into, say, a new street lighting lantern, the
component manufacturer is not classified as a producer
it is the manufacturer of the finished item that bears this
responsibility. However, when those same items are sold
as spare parts it is the manufacturer of the components
that is classified as a producer.
In such cases, the lantern falls within Category 5 of the
WEE regulations, while photoelectric cells, ballasts and
igniters come under Category 9. The lighting column is not
covered by the regulations and rolls of cable are only
covered if they are complete with connectors.
Consequently, any electrical engineers taking a project
management role in refurbishment projects where old
light fittings are being removed need to be aware of the
implications and sort their waste accordingly.
The Environment Agency has also clarified the situation
relating to domestic lighting products that are being used
in commercial premises, such as hotels. The rules are
different for domestic lighting products but when used in
a hotel, for example, they have to be disposed of through
the commercial waste management chain.
The key factor here is in the commercial waste
management chain the cost of disposal falls to the
manufacturer. Consequently it is important for the end
client to ensure there is evidence of non-household use in
place. This will typically be in the form of a contract
between the producer and a business user/reseller.
Street lanterns
Electrical engineers may also find themselves dealing
with end-of-life street lanterns. These are dealt with
through a scheme that has been developed in
conjunction with the Association of Signals, Lighting and
other highway Electrical Contractors (ASLEC) which also
offers training of staff.
Because of the wide range of project types in this
sector, the scheme is designed to be very flexible. If the
numbers of lanterns are relatively low, just a few hundred
a month perhaps, hessian bags are supplied to street
lighting depots and these are then collected on a milk
round basis. For greater quantities, as might be
encountered in a PFI project for example, there are
differing arrangements.
The devils in the detail
In all cases of end-of-life lighting products the
fundamental requirement for effective and compliant
waste management is to have a clear understanding of
who is responsible for what. This understanding
influences all subsequent actions from the moment the
old luminaires are removed and how the various
components are sorted and stored.
Luminaire bodies need to be separated from lamps,
control gear components and any emergency lighting
batteries, as these all need to be dealt with separately.
Lamps themselves may need to be separated further, as
low and high intensity discharge lamps (fluorescent,
sodium, metal halide etc.) are classified as hazardous
waste, whereas incandescent lamps are not classified as
hazardous. Importantly, any discharge lamps stored on
site need to be dealt with in compliance with the Control
of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations.
At one point interchangeable LED light sources were
not classified as lamps, but now they are; and they fall
into two categories. LED light sources that operate by
way of a separate driver, requiring hard-wiring to the
lighting circuit, are classified as LED modules. LED lamps
containing an internal driver, designed to fit and
operate within an existing type of socket are classified
as retrofit LED lamps.
Choosing the right partners
One of the key roles of a compliance scheme is to
facilitate the collection and responsible disposal of these
products by making it easy for end clients and project
managers to comply with the regulations. As well as
offering the ability to source different manufacturers
products from within the same compliance scheme there
are also features to look out for that make day-to-day
management of waste easier.
These include provision of guidance and
downloadable documents that will ease the
administration. For instance, while projects disposing of
large volumes of luminaires will qualify for a skip, smaller
volumes will need to be transported to a local collection
point. Being able to download and print the relevant
delivery note saves a lot of time.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article,
regulations can be viewed in either a positive or negative
light, depending on how full or empty your half-glass is.
However, around 95,000 tonnes of new lighting
equipment enter the UK market every year and at some
time in the future these will need to be disposed of
responsibly. So I would argue having regulations such as
the WEEE Directive, facilitated by professional compliance
schemes that understand the practical issues, is a very
positive thing for the future of the environment.
Regulations can be
viewed in either a
positive ir negative
light, depending on
how full or empty
your half glass is
www.electricalreview.co.uk 17
tlOuIlMO |tAIukt
lighting OK_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:00 Page 19
FIBOX HAS BEEN making injection moulded enclosures
since 1966, but until 1991 the company making the
enclosures was Fiskars, which was better known for
making knives and scissors, and latterly became the
owners of Wilkinson Sword.
Though Fibox has maintained success throughout the
20th and 21st centuries, the road was long and began
in 1991 when the current owner, Tapani Niemi, led a
management buy out. At that time the only sales office
was in Ekenas, Finland with a scattering of distributors
around the world. So his first task was to set about
making the company a global organisation by opening
subsidiary sales companies in other countries.
Under Tapanis guidance, the company went from
strength to strength; so much so in 1995 the company
moved to a purpose built factory and office complex in
Jorvas near Helsinki. There they remained until 2008
when and in line with the companys strategy to be
closer to its existing and future customer base, a new
6,000 square metre distribution and customer service
hub was opened in Porta Westfalica, northern Germany,
to better support the established and expanding
number of Fibox customers in the new member nations
of the European Union.
With substantial stock holding this new operation has
proved to be well placed to provide Fibox with the base
to meet the companys ambitious growth targets.
Since Fibox was formed in 1991, 14 sales companies
have been established across the globe with
manufacturing being carried out in highly automated
factories in Finland, China and Korea, with a state of the
art customising facility, now operational in Poland.
The company has also moved its head office function
to Espoo, just up the road from Jorvas and in conjunction
with the above changes has completed its strategic goal
to become one of the largest, most customer focused
enclosure manufacturing companies in the world.
FIBOX, A FINNISH ENCLOSURE MANUFACTURER, THIS MONTH
CELEBRATES ITS TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY AS A STAND ALONE
MANUFACTURING AND SALES COMPANY
20 years in the
ENCLOSURE BUSINESS!
|tAIukt tMCtOuktJO|lMlOM
enclosures OK_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:02 Page 18
Early in the companys development, Fibox realised
many of its customers considered service support, to be
one of the most crucial concerns when deciding from
whom and where to buy; whether that be a single
enclosure, a complete system, a totally customised
product or a total solution offering intended to create
a complete package that solved a specific problem.
As well as traditional enclosure specifiers, many
OEMs also recognised Fibox production processes;
which are currently being optimised, provided important
advantages in large-scale production and offered the
ability for customers to achieve price premiums on
many of their principle products and systems.
Whether our enclosures are required in aluminium or
thermoplastic; customers from Fibox's client list now
includes companies whose products and applications
are vital to the transport, utilities, renewable energy,
marine and telecom industries; all of which demand a
variety of enclosure products suited to their specific
manufacturing methods and must adhere to their wide-
ranging regulatory obligations.
In serving both traditional and emerging markets,
Fibox recognised todays changing industrial dynamics
and understand their clients needs for flexibility, and in
turn, appreciate the flexibility for them to meet all their
customers demands. Therefore the ability to deliver
quality-engineered products in ever shorter lead times is
critical. Time-to-market for new products is decreasing;
meaning more specialist products are created based on
a made-to-order basis and even occasionally
manufactured as one-offs, while at the same time the
complexity and variety of those products are increasing.
Over the years, more and more OEM customers have
partnered with Fibox in order to benefit from the
companys experience in designing its products from the
ground up. It does this as a way to maximise
performance and minimise costs and many have come
to depend on years of experience to see a better, faster
or more efficient enclosure design, which gives them
that competitive edge.
tMCtOuktJO|lMlOM |tAIukt
The Fibox Aussen hub factory, Germany
The climate of fear
and uncertainty is
causing many
businesses to focus
on the short term
enclosures OK_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:02 Page 19
|tAIukt tMCtOuktJO|lMlOM
One factor which seems common throughout these
diverse industries, is OEMs tend to develop and
manufacture families of instruments and devices;
therefore the ability to customise different sized
enclosures from the same manufacturer to maintain
product identity, is obviously of paramount importance.
Many customers have discovered forming a close
partnership with an enclosure specialist with the
capability to provide a 'one-stop-shop' for all the
specifiers various requirements, not only keeps the
project in as few hands as possible from design to
delivery, it also ensures cost issues are transparent at
every stage. The fewer links in the supply chain, the
better the overall control.
Throughout the companys history, specifiers from
varying industries have benefited from the company's
vast experience gained as a leading manufacturer of
enclosure products. Using this vast industry know-how,
the company's product managers have developed an
ingrained knowledge that covers all the key topics
needed to advise customers on enclosure types that
have been developed and specifically designed for the
housing of a variety of control and automation products
and other devices that demand the very best enclosure
protection solutions. Being up-to-date with such
information can enable designers to increase add-on
sales and provide complete solutions and extra service
to their customers.
There are two key factors to be taken in, when
considering the specifiers value chain and those are in
relation to their production process. Many companies
operate a JIT system; therefore confidence in their
suppliers ability to deliver is crucial. Credible suppliers
must be able to demonstrate their ability to meet
agreed deadlines time after time. Running alongside
this is the issue of quality. Modern injection moulding
techniques virtually guarantee continuity in the quality
of the products being produced. A couple of
manufacturers even use robots to inject molten gasket
material into their enclosures to guarantee consistent
quality. The result of all of this is no disruption to the
clients production due to QA rejections.
It is said imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. As
with many other areas of the electrical and electronics
manufacturing industry the enclosures sector has not
been spared from the insurgence of copycat products
from the Far East. But looks, and more importantly
promises, can be deceptive. The old adage of you get
what you pay for undoubtedly pertains. As detailed
above, there is so much more to specifying a fit for
purpose enclosure than just asking for the box. Only
those manufacturers and suppliers serious about
serving their clients' value chain in total will succeed.
So what does the future hold for Fibox and the UK
thermoplastic enclosure industry? In some respects
those of us who are seen as the main players are the
masters of our own destiny. Only those manufacturers
willing and able to invest heavily in market driven
product development, state of the art production
technology, in-depth stocks and employee development
will be equipped to offer the sort of first class customer
service being demanded by the markets.
It is also important not to ignore the importance
quality distribution plays, and will continue to play, in
the strategy of the leading enclosure manufacturers.
Reliance on local stock and trained sales personnel is
crucial to the future of the industry. Once again, those
producers willing to invest time and resource in
maintaining a proactive distributor network will be able
to serve the diverse enclosure buying market.
With companies in many industries facing an
uncertain future, the climate of fear and uncertainty is
causing many businesses to focus on the short term.
However, with proven expansion behind them and a
planned strategy for continuing long term development
in front of them, Fibox is growing fast worldwide, and
this is particularly so in Europe.
Many customers
consider customer
support one of the
most crucial concerns
when deciding from
whom to buy
enclosures OK_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:02 Page 20
e-lec-tri-cal
*
check out our new website
*www.electricalreview.co.uk
ads_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:18 Page 1
A| tkIutMt Iul tAIvkt
ewly announced by APC by Schneider Electric, a global
leader in integrated critical power and cooling services, the
MGE Galaxy 300 UPS system provides a compact,
simplified and reliable solution for protecting small and medium
businesses, commercial buildings and technical facilities. It offers
reliable power protection and a robust and easy to install system at
the best price to performance ratio.
The new 3-phase UPS is a high availability solution which provides
a wide input voltage range for harsh electrical environments; on-line
double conversion topology for true isolation between input and
output with zero transfer time; parallel capability to increase system
redundancy and dual mains feed input for installation of one or two
independent power sources.
Galaxy 300 is fully RoHS (Restriction of the use of Hazardous
Substances) compliant. The power efficiency rates up to 93%, some
5% higher than other UPS systems with similar features. High
efficiency means lower operational and cooling costs over the
medium and long-term, a key factor in reducing the total cost of
ownership for electrical power protection.
Feedback from our channel partners and core customers shows
that power availability, reliability, manageability and convenience are
the key issues that UPS systems need to address for low and
medium level power users, explains Paul Tyrer, Vice President UK,
Ireland & Nordics, APC by Schneider Electric. The new Galaxy 300
system has been designed with these requirements firmly in mind to
deliver a UPS which is easy to install and operate, at an affordable
price point. It is ideal for end users who are purchasing a 3-phase
UPS for the first time.
The UPS system uses a double conversion online topology which
provides a regulated and reliable power supply. The Galaxy 300
offers up to 30 minutes of integrated battery back-up, internal
mechanical bypass to provide higher levels of power availability.
These features, combined with the compact design and easy
installation meet all the key requirements of customers looking for a
3-phase UPS in the 10-40kVA power range.
Users are able to monitor and manage power requirements locally
and remotely through a simple web/SNMP interface and a user-friendly
display available in 18 languages. The new UPS is also compatible with
APCs InfraStruxure Central and InfraStruxure Operations software
applications.
InfraStruxure Central provides a vendor neutral and efficient method
to monitor company-wide multi-vendor physical infrastructure: power,
cooling, security, and environment. InfraStruxure Operations provides an
instant overview of data centre operations through inventory
management, PUE calculator, real-time device alarms, and location-
based drill-down.
For convenient power distribution, both three to three and three to
single phase power configurations are available. Servicing of the Galaxy
300 is greatly enhanced by allowing front panel access for ease of
maintenance in confined spaces.
Available from the electrical distribution network, the Galaxy 300
provides electricians with an easy-to-install UPS available from the same
distributor as their usual electrical products, with similar delivery times.
Options for the Galaxy 300 include an external battery cabinet for
increased runtimes and a parallel kit for 1+1 parallel redundancy.
Communication is supplied via a standard Network Management Card
for web/ SNMP functions or an optional card with additional features
including Modbus/ Jbus over RS485, Teleservice and environmental
sensors. All these features, combined with the start up and onsite
warranty service, makes the Galaxy 300 the easiest UPS in its class to
install, manage and maintain.
Like every UPS from APC by Schneider-Electric, the MGE Galaxy 300
benefits from the association of a strong brand and the support of a
world-class international services organisation. The new APC MGE
Galaxy 300 model includes a 1 year physical warranty with extended
warranty options.
www.apc.com/gb
or call APC by Schneider Electric on 0800 2799254
N
APC by Schneider Electrics new
MGE Galaxy 300 UPS provides reliable
power for mission critical applications
22 Electrical Review December 2011
advertorial apc_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:06 Page 28
A| tkIutMt I l tAIvkt
www.electricalreview.co.uk 9
advertorial apc_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:06 Page 29
SAVING ELECTRICITY by regulating and controlling
voltage is not a novel idea. The basic principles stem
from the fundamental laws of electricity, and the UK
market has been implementing these ideas into reality
for already a decade. A multitude of companies sell
systems that enable voltage reduction from the relatively
high voltage level on the UK grid, providing around 10%
off electric costs. And, the fact that in the UK the
nominal voltage level is excessive, around 240V
compared with 230V harmonised voltage supply in
Europe, increase further the opportunities for
implementation of these technologies.
The real question that demands an answer is - how
does one implement an efficient energy saving system
that will be able to maximise electricity savings at
different voltage levels and environments, without
compromising on the performance of the electric
equipment installed at the facility?
This is the question we will address to answer in this
article, by explaining the different technologies in use as
well as providing a competitive analysis of energy
efficiency systems available in the market today.
Fixed voltage reduction systems
Fixed voltage reduction systems are based on an
autotransformer with several fixed output taps. An
autotransformer is a type of transformer that has one
winding, a portion of which is common to both the
primary and the secondary circuits. After analysing the
voltage fluctuations at the facility, the installer wires the
output tap for a fixed voltage reduction level. The main
disadvantage of these systems lies in the lack of control
over the voltage output level. For example, if the mains
voltage decreases, then the output voltage will also be
reduced at the same ratio and the system will supply a
voltage that is too low to the facility.
A situation such as the example above may cause
electric equipment performance malfunction. In order to
avoid such a situation, the installer would not be able to
reduce the maximum possible voltage, but rather permit
about 20%-30% of the voltage reduction level as spare.
As a result, this solution does not fully maximise the saving
potential and actually could cause equipment failure.
Tap-changing voltage controllers
The tap-changing voltage controller implements voltage
control with a rather simple concept of back-to-back
thyristors for tap-changing (see Diagram A). This
technique has a reasonable response time (1 cycle) and
is popular for small and medium power applications (>
20kVA). The drawbacks include high control resolution,
which requires a large number of thyristors (60 thyristors
for +/- 3% regulation with +10/-20% input range).
Even though autotransformers provide sinusoidal
output voltage to the load, the thyristors based tap
changing possess several disadvantages:
Q Complicated switching control (break before make).
Q One shortened thyristor will completely block the
control of the entire system.
Q Multi-tap systems are not reliable and cant provide
flexible control of output voltage.
In addition, autotransformer based systems are costly to
implement since their bulky size and heavy weight make
it difficult to find a sufficient space for installation. Due
A. RAPOPORT OF POWERSINES COMPARES DIFFERENT VOLTAGE
OPTIMISATION TECHNOLOGIES, AND ILLUSTRATES THE
ADVANTAGES OF THE COMEC INV (INDUCED NEGATIVE VOLTAGE)
TECHNOLOGY FOR ACHIEVING THE BEST ENERGY SAVING RESULTS
IN COMMERCIAL FACILITIES.
Induced Negative
Voltage (INV)
technology is based
on the idea of
controlling and
transforming only a
part of voltage that
should be reduced
from the input
voltage level
24 Electrical Review December 2011
Maximising savings for
VOLTAGE OPTIMISATION
|tAIukt vOtIAOt O|IllAIlOM
Diagram A - Tap-changing voltage controllers A
complex and unreliable solution
powersines OK_Layout 1 28/11/2011 14:57 Page 18
ads_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:16 Page 1
to the typical copper losses in transformers, which range
from 3%-5%, special care is also required for heat
dissipation handling.
e.g.: 50kVA autotransformer generates about
1,500W2,500W of heat.
As related to the example above, the result is not
suitable for installations in commercial indoor
applications, such as retail or offices.
Electronic voltage controllers phase controllers
Electronic voltage controllers phase controllers are
devices that control RMS voltage by chopping part of
each voltage cycle. They are known as phase controllers
and based on thyristors to control output voltage. These
systems have high electric distortion, especially with
non-linear loads, they require over-sized filters, and
generate very poor input line harmonics, in addition
they cannot handle surge currents such as motor
starting. Taking into consideration power quality and
reliability issues make these systems ineffective for most
of commercial voltage control applications. They are
mainly implemented in very small installations and
sometimes for controlling the voltage on lighting
circuits. However, increasing zero-crossing time intervals
results in more lamp-flickering and negatively affects
lighting systems.
Induced Negative Voltage (INV) Technology
PowerSines Induced Negative Voltage INV -
technology is based on the idea of controlling and
transforming only a part of voltage that should be
reduced from the input voltage level.
The system, based on this technology, is composed of
several transformation cells. Each cell is a combination
of current and voltage transformers that reduce a
certain voltage level from the Mains (See Diagram B).
Unlike systems based on autotransformers, which
have tap-changers that require break-before-make
changing taps processes creating momentary
interruptions in power supply, the INV technology has
a galvanic continuity and smooth commutation
process guaranteeing power is continuously supplied
to the load. Transforming and regulating only
unnecessary voltage from the top of the line voltage
results in high system efficiency and compact
dimensions especially in comparison with any
autotransformer-based systems.
With the INV technology solution, voltage stabilisation
is straightforward enabling the user to simply set the
output voltage level required in the facility. In the case
of input voltage reduction, with the INV technology the
output voltage will automatically be corrected ensuring
the facility will consistently receive the required voltage
level without any risk of voltage levels dropping too low
(See Chart 1).
The INV technology has proven itself as a very reliable
and fully controllable solution for voltage stabilisation
systems in commercial installations. It enables
controlling the voltage supplied with steps of 1%.
Conclusion
PowerSines invented the INV technology over a
decade ago, and today it is implemented in all of
PowerSines energy efficiency systems, successfully
optimising the voltage in over 25,000 installations
worldwide. PowerSines ComEC solution is a voltage
optimisation system designed specifically for
maximising savings in commercial facilities, by
reducing the line voltage and stabilises it at the user
defined set point, ComEC provides up to 18% energy
savings on the total electric bill.
ComEC is an intelligent system that not only saves
energy, but also measures and logs all electric network
data parameters and saving figures. The ComEC
integration with PowerSines Remote Energy
Management System (Remote EMS) enables on-line
access to real-time and historical data, for full
monitoring and control of all ComEC systems for
analysis, configuration, alarm set-up and more.
The INV technology
has a galvanic
continuity and smooth
commutation process
guaranteeing power is
continuously supplied
to the load
|tAIukt vOtIAOt O|IllAIlOM
26 Electrical Review December 2011
Diagram B -- Induced negative voltage - INV provides
smooth commutation and high efficiency
Chart 1 - INV systems correcting voltage irregularities
powersines OK_Layout 1 28/11/2011 14:57 Page 19
TIME TO GET
CONNECTED
Ideal has launched a new
wire connector brochure,
containing one of the most
comprehensive ranges of
wire connectors currently
on the market.
As Ideal continues to
champion innovation in
connectors, the stylish new
brochure offers an
extensive range of products designed to provide safe,
dependable solutions for every conceivable type of
wiring application. For ease of use and navigation, each
product is showcased with a detailed overview, a useful
fast fact section and photographic demonstrations.
Key products include the recently launched Twister
PRO twist-on connector, which can safely and securely
connect wide-ranging combinations of solid and
stranded wires and is also reusable. Another innovation
is the IP55 rated WeatherProof wire connector which
features a silicone-based sealant to protect against
moisture and corrosion, ensuring superior performance
in damp or wet environments.
Ideal Industries
01952 444446
www. idealindustries.co.uk
TRUNKING PROTECTION AT
COVENTRY LIFT
Marco has supplied over 2,000 metres of Elite trunking with
Hygieia protection, an antimicrobial solution, to contractors at
the new Coventry LIFT, Hillfields Health Centre.
Hygeia forms part of Marcos latest generation of trunking
range and has been designed specifically for use in
environments such as hospitals and schools where any spread
of infection must be controlled.
Designed using silver ion technology to create a defense against 99.9%
of harmful bacteria growth, Hygieia offers built in protection from (and
prevents the growth of) bacteria, fungi, mildew and moulds, including
MRSA, E-Coli, Salmonella and Klebsiella Pneumoniae.
The antimicrobial compound is incorporated into the uPVC during
manufacture, becoming an integral part of the trunking. This ensures no
degradation of performance if the surface becomes scratched or damaged
as there is built in protection throughout the system.
Marco
01248 725772
www.marcocableman.co.uk
COMPACT LATCHING RELAYS
SAVE ENERGY
Aimed a broad spectrum of users, Switchtecs SCLR2 latching relay
requires only a short voltage pulse to change its state. While normal
relays require a constant voltage to be applied in the energised state,
the SCLR2 simply holds its present state until pulsed again. As a
consequence, the latching relay saves energy when compared to normal
relays. This is especially true in applications where many relays are
deployed, when the savings - in terms of both cost and environmental
impact - can be considerable. One of distributor Switchtecs own SCL
range of products, the 16A rated SCLR2 relay is available in two-pole
changeover format, noting that not all latching relays have change over contacts, with some models
being limited to just one normally open contact.
Switchtec Ltd
01785 818600
www.switchtec.co.uk
CARE HOMES BENEFIT
FROM VENTILATION
Domus ducting and Silavent Curzon
fans from Polypipe Ventilation,
manufacturer of energy-saving
domestic and light commercial
ventilation systems, have been
specified and installed in private sector care homes across the UK by
LNT Construction.
Domus PV Low Profile 225 is used across LNT care homes. An ultra
low profile system (234 x 29mm), the PV Low Profile 225 design
enables concealment when installed along the top of wall units or
when fitted in ceiling voids, cavity walls and other confined
spaces. Domus duct systems are specifically designed to optimise air
flow energy-efficiency, with minimal air leakage and moisture leakage
from condensate eliminated.
The Domus ducting is being used with Silavent Curzon fans from
Polypipe. A quiet centrifugal fan, complying with Building regulations
(F1), they are nonetheless very powerful and are designed to perform
well when working with longer duct runs, making them ideally suited
to use in larger properties such as care homes.
Polypipe Ventilation
08443 715523
www.polypipe.com/ventilation
FIBER TO ETHERNET UPGRADE
Perle Systems, a global provider of advanced fiber to Ethernet and secure device
networking solutions, revealed that Stockton East Water District (SEWD) selected Perle
Media Converters for their network expansion.
When SEWD needed to add redundancy to the network to improve reliability, the
distances were just to long for traditional CAT5 cable. Perle Media Converters for CAT5 to
multimode fiber provided the Ethernet distance, and network security, needed.
In the first step of the process SEWD decided to use Fiber Media Converters to connect
remote servers, over 2000 feet of fiber-optic cables, to a 1000Base-TX Switch in the main
server room. This solution ensured a seamless long distance fiber to Ethernet connection
without any loss of processing power or operating
speeds. The arrangement also allowed SEWD to
utilise existing campus wiring and provide
catastrophic protection against data loss in-case
of fire or flood.
Perle Systems
01908 847140
www.perle.com
HIGH OUTPUT ANALOGUE ADDRESSABLE
SOUNDER / BEACON
Nittan, a manufacturer of conventional and addressable fire detection products, has
extended its range of audio visual fire products with the new Evolution EV-HIOP-SB(IC)
Sounder / Beacon.
The EV-HIOP-SB(IC) provides a simple and highly cost-effective solution to meeting
the DDA requirements by providing both sound and flashing light to alert occupants to a
fire. The cost effectiveness comes from its exceptional ease of installation and because,
unlike other products on the market, the EV-HIOP-SB(IC) is IP65 rated as standard.
The EV-HIOP-SB(IC) comes with 16 alarm tones to choose from and individually
controlled alarm and alert tones, allowing customers to choose a combination that
works for any installation. It is EEPROM Addressed (Programmer) and features FSK
signalling protocol for robust, reliable communications.
Designed to be wall mounted, the new Sounder /
Beacon features the same contemporary design style as
the Evolution detectors and is fully compatible with all
Evolution protocol panels.
Nittan
01483 769 555
www.nittan.co.uk
CLEAN,
AFFORDABLE
ENERGY
Practically infinite reliability
was the defining
requirement when
researchers wanted to run a
TorqSense torque transducer under the sea as part of extensive
trials of a green energy turbine.
Dependable, affordable energy from tidal streams and ocean
currents could soon be a reality, with scale models of the
innovative Evopod demonstrating the viability of the oceans as
an energy source.
The Evopod employs a fixed pitch turbine driving a permanent
magnet generator through a gearbox. Power control and data
capture are essential for reliable energy generation. For an
effective sensing solution to measure the torque and rotational
speed of the turbine, Oceanflow Energy turned to Sensor
Technology and its TorqSense torque sensor.
Torque is a critical measurement as it indicates the power that
can be derived from the system as well as giving an indication of
the stresses on the turbine. But the marine environment and the
nature of the turbines operation places unique performance
requirements on the sensing equipment.
Sensor Technology
01869 238400
www.sensors.co.uk/er
HIGH VOLTAGE DC ELECTRONIC LOADS
Telonic Instruments has introduced a new range of high quality
multifunctional electronic and evaluation equipment manufactured
by Japan based Kikusui. Designated the PLZ-4WH series they are
designed primarily for use in the automotive industry with electric
vehicles (EV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV)
The range supports input voltages up to 650V and is used to
evaluate EV and HEV in vehicle chargers, DC/DC converters, battery
cells and power supplies for high voltage DC electric supply systems. It is able to operate PFC tests on
European and other three phase 400V system input power supplies as well as evaluating and testing high
voltage parts relating to such equipment.
This innovative range has six operation modes, constant current, resistance, voltage, power, constant
current + constant voltage and constant resistance + constant voltage modes
The range comprises of four models with an operating voltage of 650V and current of 100A with
power of 165/1000W. Up to 9kW/450A can be obtained by connecting with the maximum of four
PIZ2004WHB boosters.
Telonic
0118 978 6911
www.telonic.co.uk
Prods_Layout 1 18/11/2011 15:55 Page 4
EXCLUSIVE UK
DISTRIBUTOR
Dent Instruments, a global leader
in the design and manufacture of
power and energy measurement
instruments, announced the
introduction of the ELITEpro SP
recording power meter.
The ELITEpro SP adds many
new high performance features to
its highly popular portable
metering product line. The
ELITEpro series products have
earned a solid reputation among
energy professionals as a versatile,
dependable, and easy-to-use
energy datalogger for single and
three phase electrical metering projects.
The ELITEpro SP requires no external power and
can work on voltage services ranging from 80-600V.
DENT's patented PhaseChek circuitry includes a 3 LED
indicator display that confirms proper CT to phase
installationgreatly reducing set-up time. The
ELITEpro SP features an 8MB non-volatile memory for
extended recording sessions and user-defined
recording intervals as short as every second. The
ELITEpro SP can be mounted anywhere with its
magnetic back and is small enough to be secured
inside the electrical panel.
IMH Technologies
0845 8800 240
www.imh.co.uk
AFFORDABLE SECURITY SOLUTIONS
The Internet Electrical Store has added the Kanlux suite of motion sensors
and motion sensor lights to its enormous lighting range, an affordable
group of products to enhance the security of all properties, domestic or
commercial.
Save energy by creating lighting scenarios which activate when
necessary, because they are based around movement and detection. This
stunning range of products is a fast and cheap way to create green
lighting.
Standalone motion sensors, standalone motion sensor alarms, and
integrated motion sensor lights are all on sale. Features include adjustable
movement detection ranges, choice of halogen or energy efficient LED,
and a wide variety of wattage capabilities, from 9 watts to 1000 watts.
All motion sensors use PIR (passive infra red) technology and have customisable time delays and
lighting times too. For further details on standalone or integrated security products, please contact the
Internet Electrical Store.
The Internet Electrical Store
0800 043 5532
www.theinternetelectricalstore.com
NEW STANDARD IN DIGITAL CONTROL
Lutron Electronics Co, an expert in light control, is pleased to
announce the launch of its new standard in digital control,
EcoSystem. Comprising of LED drivers, digital dimming ballasts,
sensors, motorised blinds and controls, Lutrons EcoSystem provides
specifiers and installers with an end-to-end solution that can be
scaled to suit any project.
Used in conjunction with Lutrons existing energy saving solutions Quantum or Energi Savr Node QS
the EcoSystem offers specifiers a layer of control which adds superior performance and that all-important
guarantee of compatability on any job, no matter the size. Compatability between fixtures and controls is
an increasing issue on projects, especially those which include LED technologies. With the introduction of
EcoSystem, it is now possible to have an end-to-end Lutron solution which guarantees compatability
between the controls and fixtures, for the ultimate in performance and reliability, said Andrew Bechgaard,
head of marketing for Europe and Africa at Lutron.
Lutron
01442 261199
www.lutron.com/europe
SIMPLIFIED
SWITCHING
SOLUTION FOR
DW SPORTS
Hagers Tebis system has
simplified the cabling for
central and local switching.
This solution has been used for
the lighting in DW Sports
Leisure Centre, Sunderland.
Specified by Hannan
Associates, electrical
contractors Sheridan M&E
installed a single 30Vdc SELV
bus line throughout the leisure
centre. Both outputs, in this case all the lighting circuits and
inputs, the multigang grid switches and some local wall
switches, tap onto the bus line via connectors.
Commissioning the system is straightforward - each input
and output device is assigned an address on the system and
then programmed so that the lighting circuits only respond to
signals from particular programmed switches. Individual circuits
can respond to more than one switch so an infinite number of
variations are possible using the system.
Hager
0870 240 2400
www.hager.co.uk
POWER INTERFACE CONNECTORS
WITH CRIMP TERMINATION
Harting has introduced new crimp termination versions of its
Han(R) Q 2/0 family of high-voltage power interface connectors.
The connectors use Harting's proven Han(R) C power contacts
in the cross-section range from 1.5 mm2 to 10 mm2 or 16 AWG
to 8 AWG. The performance of this range of connectors makes
them suited to a wide range of industrial applications including drives and controls,
automotive engineering and rail technology.
The standard Han(R) Q 2/0 version has a rated voltage of 400 V at a nominal
current of 40 A, while the higher-voltage version offers a rated voltage of 830 V to
satisfy more demanding applications.
The connector pairs are plug-compatible with the existing axial screw termination
models, in spite of the different termination technology. This enables the use of
combinations such as a male insert with crimp contacts on the device side and a
female insert with axial screw contacts on the cable side.
Harting
01604 827500
www.harting.co.uk
DAYLIGHT LINKED DIMMING
Danlers designs and manufactures a range of daylight
linked dimmers which enable lights to be automatically
dimmed or brightened to compensate for fluctuations in
available daylight. The lux level at which the switch will
automatically control the lighting, can be adjusted.
Within the range there are versions to suit either 110
Vdc or DSI dimmable ballasts.
Daylight linked dimming can make significant savings on energy bills and reduce carbon emissions.
All Danlers energy saving products are UK manufactured and come with a 5 year warranty.
Danlers
01249 443377
www.danlers.co.uk
Prods_Layout 1 18/11/2011 15:55 Page 5
TIMERS INCREASE
FLEXIBILITY
Finder has announced the
introduction of a range of eight
modular, 22.5mm wide rail-
mounted timers designed to
provide a complete range of
timing functions, while keeping
part number holdings to the
absolute minimum. The multi-
voltage 83 Series of multi-function and mono-function timers handles
14 different timing functions, with time scales between 0.05 seconds to
10 days and offers either single or double pole variants.
To maximise flexibility the timers support a very wide working
voltage range, from 24V through to 240V AC or DC, making them
suitable for mains or low voltage AC operation as well as DC battery
supplies. With changeover contacts rated for 16A, the 83 Series is
capable of switching AC1 loads of up to 4KVA or single phase motors
up to 0.5kW.
Finder
01785 818100
www.ndernet.com
ADVANCED ADDITION TO OF
SECURITY PANEL RANGE
Challenger has extended the Force 10 range of popular security
panels with the new added option of communicator output.
The range already includes models with 10 fully programmable
wired zones & wireless hybrid options. The new option of
communicator output allows Force 10 to be used in centrally
monitored systems. Complete flexibility is assured with onboard
keypad, blank panel, LED & LCD keypad variants for ease of use.
The unique range has been designed for easy installation and programming, whilst
possessing numerous features normally associated with systems in a higher price bracket;
battery monitor, programmable user name, 250 event memory, & end of line zone wiring.
With the contractor in mind, every panel comes with a complete easy to read printed
engineer & user instruction manual. There is also convenient on-screen help available on the
LCD version of this product.
Challenger
01253 791888
www.challenger.co.uk
NEW FIBRE OPTIC RANGE
In the world of communication, it is essential to build the correct
infrastructure. Because of this Emitex has launched a new range of fibre
optic products, and can now offer a full range of fibre options to its
customers.
The fibre optic products on offer from Emitex include standard
equipment like patch panels, patch leads, media converters and bespoke
multiple core fibre cables. These are available as a cut length or a pre-
terminated length with any connector as required by the customer.
The products available through Emitex include OS1 Singlemode and
OM1, OM2 and OM3 Multimode options. They are available in multiple
core counts from 4 Core to 24 Core, Loose Tube or Tight Buffered in an
internal/external grade with the option of CST and SWA available.
Emitex
0117 923 5375
www.emitex.co.uk
CONSUMER UNIT RANGE INCLUDES
LANDLORDS METERING OPTION
The Homesafe range of domestic consumer units is the first offering in a brand
new range of low voltage switchgear products under the Havells brand.
Homesafe offers all the control and protection configurations that would be
expected of a quality switchgear manufacturer. In addition the range includes
units with integral MID Approved meters for landlords billing applications. This
reflects Havells determination to provide UK-specific solutions through
innovation and design.
Four basic enclosure configurations are offered:-
100A main switch with 6, 8, 12, 16 or 19 outgoing MCB or RCBO ways.
Split load units with 100A main switch and 63A RCD (6, 10 or 14 ways.)
Dual RCD units with 100A main switch and two 63A RCDs (8, 12 or 16 ways)
High Integrity units as above but with 10 or 14
RCD-protected ways and two independent
RCBO ways
Havells UK
020 7011 9700
www.Havells.co.uk
CATALOGUE OF FIRE SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Firesafe is pleased to announce the launch of its full-colour 2011-12 Firesafe product
catalogue. Ideal for both the professional electrical contractor and fire alarm installer, the
catalogue offers comprehensive product information on approved Firesafe, Lightsafe and
Caresafe products.
The improved thirty-seven page catalogue features Firesafes high-quality product range
including the new LPCB fully approved Fire Alarm Panel range, the new enhanced Firesafe
Sounder Range, the new Firesafe Radio Fire Alarm, and the new Firesafe Dual Guard 2-wire
Fire, in addition to key product lines from the Lightsafe Emergency Lighting and Caresafe
Disabled Safety Equipment ranges.
The product catalogue offers a convenient product
selection guide which enables customers to quickly locate
the product that is best suited for the needs of the end user
and the contractor.
Firesafe
01253 699 500
www.resafe.co.uk
HIGH EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC RADIATOR
The Heatstore Dynamic Electric Radiator is
the latest and fastest selling range of
heating products Heatstore has ever
produced. The electronically controlled high
efficiency electric radiators provide a modern
stylish solution for both commercial and
domestic properties.
Incorporating Dynamic Efficiency + with a
class leading accuracy of +/-0.3C and 5-30C range, the unit closely monitors
the room temperature, minimising temperature overshoot and drift, to give
superior user comfort. Coupled with its rapid warm up response, this results in
energy savings when compared to oil filled competitors.
The Dynamic Electric Radiator is cheaper to install, maintain and lasts an
average of 50% longer than a gas system. Its advanced controls, rapid
response to changes in temperature, state-of-the-art design and energy
efficiency, make the true cost of ownership of electric heating highly cost-
effective in many situations.
Heatstore
0117 923 5375
www.heatstore.co.uk
UPS
Prods_Layout 1 18/11/2011 15:55 Page 9
Lighting
PFC Engineer ing Lt d
St at ion Road, Gr eat Chest er for d,
Saffr on W alden, Essex CB10 1N Y
Tot al Power Qualit y Solut ions
Power Fact or Cor r ect ion Design and Manufact ur e - LV / MV
Power Fact or Cor r ect ion Maint enance and Inst allat ion
Har monic Analysis and Penet r at ion St udies
Har monic Filt r at ion Syst ems - LV / MV Design and Manufact ur e
Volt age Dist ur bance and Flicker Cont r ol
Complet e Analyt ical Ser vices
Consult at ion and Advice
Cont act us for exper t advice on
Tel: +44 (0) 1799 530728, Fax: +44 (0) 1799 530235
email: er-enquir ies@ pfc-engineer ing.com
Training
HIGH VOLTAGE TRAINING
To Senior Authorised / Authorised Person level
Also Competent Person, EAW Regs, Generator Operation, Ship/Marine systems,
Safety awareness, HV safety for Laser/ Microwave and AGL, Maintenance, etc
MICHAEL TWITCHETT
IntET(UK). IEng. FIET. MSOE. MIPlantE
Tel or Fax: 01737 352755
e-mail: MichaelTwitchett@highvoltage.fsnet.co.uk
Power factor correction
u||tltk ulktCIOkY
Power Factor Correction
Power Factor Correction PowerLogic
TM
Metering Systems
Energy Meters Load Monitoring Power Quality Monitoring &
Solutions Harmonic Surveys To G5/4 Harmonic Filters
UPS & Surge Protection Thermal Imaging Surveys
Call for survey and quotation Tel: 01773 603110 Fax 01773 603112
Email: solutions@varservices.co.uk Website: www.varservices.co.uk
VAR Services Ltd. 27 Main Road,
Jacksdale, Nottingham, NG16 5JU
Power Factor Control
Relays 1....14 Steps
Thyristor/Contactor Switching
Capacitor racks for
switchboards
Active harmonic filter for
G5/4 compliance
Our word is our bond!
T: +44 (0)1371 876543
F: +44 (0)1371 875460
E: sales@boddingtonspowercontrols.co.uk
www.boddingtonspowercontrols.com
Top Quality for 35 Years
Classified pages_ER Class 18/11/2011 16:24 Page 40
u||tltk ulktCIOkY
Generators
Recruitment
Energy Saving Products
Test & Measurement
100% dedicated to the electrical industry.
Our consultants are industry trained from contracting,
wholesaling, manufacturing and sales.
WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE TECHNICALITIES OF
THE ROLES THE INDUSTRY HAS TO OFFER. FOR YOUR NEXT
PERMANENT VACANCY, GIVE US A CALL AND SPEAK TO
PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND YOUR INDUSTRY.
Visit www.electricalrecruit.co.uk
Alternatively contact David Marshall TMIET MIRP.
david@electricalrecruit.co.uk
0845 0947201 07894 110336
Relays, timers, lighting
control and energy
saving products
FINDER plc
Stone, Staffs. ST15 0SS
Tel: 01785 818100
Fax: 01785 815500
Email: finder.uk@findernet.com
www.findernet.com
Finder offers all the expertise and
capability youll need to make the best
choice.
A leader in its field, Finder is a privately
owned company with a history of
continual reinvestment in its products
and manufacturing technology:
I Specialists in relay design and
manufacture for over 55 years
I Europes largest manufacturer of
relays and relay sockets
I Worldwide sales and distribution;
with local support
I Factories exclusively in Western
Europe
Tel: 01189786911 Fax: 01189792338
www.telonic.co.uk info@telonic.co.uk
PROGRAMMABLE DC POWER SUPPLIES 2 900kW
Control Systems
Classified pages_ER Class 18/11/2011 16:24 Page 41
Automation
Cables
UPS
Circuit Breakers
Power Systems Software
Rockwell Automation provides an
extensive portfolio of products,
including Low Voltage Control
Equipment, Variable Speed Drives, Medium Voltage Drives, Programmable
Controllers, SCADA and MES. With a focus on sustainability and life-time costs, we
also provide a range of added-value services such as Asset Management, Condition
Monitoring and On-Site Support.
Coupled with this, Rockwell Automation has a system engineering capability
combined with extensive domain experience of the manufacturing sector. In
particular Rockwell Automation has dedicated resources assigned to Rail, Water
and Energy industries within the UK market.
Tel: 0870 242 5004
Fax: 01908 261917
Email: ukmarketing@ra.rockwell.com
Web: www.rockwellautomation.co.uk
Tel: 01282 833950
Fax: 01282 833955
Email: marketing@concordiacables.com
Web: www.concordiacables.com
Our portfolio includes
T industrial cables,
T special cables,
T electronic cables and cable accessories
Our service includes
T distribution to both UK and International customers.
T optimum quality and service
T on time delivery, realistic batch quantities
T exactness of manufacturing tolerances expected as standard.
Established since 1902
Concordia Cables is a
leading supplier of
electrical cables with a
highly regarded
reputation for
understanding and
meeting customers
cabling needs
u||tltk ulktCIOkY
Hazardous Area
COMPLETE CONTROL IN HAZARDOUS AREAS
www.jcegroup.com
ATEX compliant solution providers
NEW TO THE UK MARKET
Circuit Breakers from Hyundai Electric UK
We are an independent approved importer of low & medium
voltage circuit breakers and contactors for Hyundai Heavy
Industries.
Hyundai products are built to exceptional standards at
surprisingly competitive prices.
Contact us today for:
VCB ACB MCCB MCB
Panel boards/Distribution
boards
Tel: +44(0)844 824 3443
Fax: +44(0)844 824 3439
Web: www.hyundai-electric.co.uk
Email: info@hyundai-electric.co.uk
Classified pages_ER Class 18/11/2011 16:24 Page 42
RECENT RESEARCH suggests many small businesses or
sole traders are unaware of what their insurance covers
and are taking on jobs well above the level that they are
actually insured for. This not only puts the future of the
business at risk, but could lead to criminal prosecutions
and prison sentences if lives are put in danger.
Mike Langton is the affinity consultant for NICEICs
parent company Ascertiva. He looks over the insurance
arm provided by NICEIC and says over the past five years
he has come across several cases involving claims in
excess of 1m.
Fortunately, on each occasion the company involved
has had the necessary cover in place, but if they didnt
they would have almost certainly gone out of business,
said Langton.
However, I often come across renewals for companies
who have not had the correct policy in place for them and
I dread to think what could have happened. Electricians
are involved in a high risk industry and they need to
ensure they spend the necessary time required to get the
right level of cover in place.
Too often they can fail to read the small print and think
they are automatically covered for any eventuality when in
fact they would be liable for everything.
Langton estimates over 70% of businesses use an
insurance broker to get the best terms and cover. But
whether you go for a broker or arrange cover yourself, he
suggests you do two things: seek out insurance that has
been designed with electrical contractors in mind, and
spend time talking to an expert so you get the right cover
for your business.
NICEIC electrical contractors insurance, for instance,
comes from as little as 68.90 a year for registered
contractors. It includes public and product liability cover
up to 2m, incidental PAT and PIR testing cover up to
75,000, incidental efficacy cover up to 100,000, tax
investigation up to 50,000 and jury service protection,
said Langton.
Crucially, NICEIC knows how contractors typical work is
changing, and so is able to continually adapt the policy to
ensure it gives electricians the cover they need, he adds.
Martin Butler has run his own company, Butler Electrical,
in Leigh, Lancashire, since 2002. He joined NICEIC in 2009
and decided to take up the insurance offering because he
trusted the name.
One of the major benefits for me was NICEIC could
offer me indemnity for periodic testing and PAT testing
under the one policy, he said. The policy was quick and
easy to explain. I also found the price to be very
competitive which was a bonus, as when it comes to
insurance you dont necessarily want the rock bottom price
as it usually doesnt have all the cover every electrician
should have in place.
WORKING IN THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY IS INTRINSICALLY
DANGEROUS. THE POTENTIAL FOR SOMETHING TO GO WRONG IS
ALL TOO APPARENT WHETHER ITS AN ACCIDENT TO THE
EMPLOYEE THEMSELVES OR A PROBLEM WITH THE WORK THEY
ARE CARRYING OUT SO HAVING THE APPROPRIATE INSURANCE
COVER IN PLACE IS VITAL TO PROTECT ANY PRACTISING BUSINESS
Find time to get the right
INSURANCE COVER
Many businesses are
unaware of what
their insurance covers
and are taking on
jobs above the level
they are insured for
www.electricalreview.co.uk 43
tttCIklCAt A|tIY |tAIukt
The potential for
something to go wrong is
all too apparent whether
its an accident to the
employee themselves or a
problem with the work
they are carrying out
electrical safety OK.qxp_Layout 1 18/11/2011 16:02 Page 19
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