ELECTRICAL SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS AND MOBILE APPLICATIONS

Having the necessary information (tables, charts, data) and tools (calculators and formulas) you need to hand, as and when you need it, can save a lot of time and frustration. The offerings from Pro Certs Software have evolved to provide just that, whether that be on a mobile device, such as a phone or tablet, or on a desktop PC (Mac, Windows, Chromebook). With over 10 years of developing electrical applications, Pro Certs Software has a solution to cater for all.

The online cloud based electrical software is accessible via a web browser from your desktop PC, Mac or laptop. Enjoy the benefits of the larger screen sizes offered by desktop PC’s and laptops to carry out your electrical calculations, such as cable sizing or maximum demand and diversity (amongst others) or for looking up electrical tables with ease using the search index to search for what you are looking for.

Features include easy to use navigation with a searchable index; online – log in from anywhere; tools and electrical calculators; electrical tables; and charts.

A new addition to this cloud web-based electrical software solution is the Maximum Demand Calculator (new for 2023), UI improvements, and a new single phase and three phase maximum demand calculator to calculate your total connected load then apply diversity.

Pro Certs Software has a full suite of electrical apps which are available for Apple and Android devices to serve the needs of an on-site electrician, be that for assisting with EICR’s, looking up a maximum Zs value or just checking the copper equivalent size of an SWA cable armouring. There are free apps available, with the more complex apps being paid-for versions.

Applications include Cable Calc, Adiabatic Equation Calculator, Maximum Demand and Diversity Calculator), Max Zs Values and 7909 Certification software (based on BS 7909) amongst others.

The electrical certification package ‘Pro Certs’ is based on BS 7671 and has been designed for flexibility, ease of use and simplicity suitable for one-man-band electricians and large electrical contractors with multiple users, with a dedicated Management Web Portal and cloud syncing between devices. The Pro Certs electrical certification software is available on iPad, Android Tablets and Windows PC’s – this, coupled with the cloud syncing function, creates a simple yet powerful electrical certification package.

The ‘7909 Certification’ app is based on BS 7909, for use with BS 7909, code of practice for temporary electrical systems for entertainment and related purposes. Go paperless with this 7909 Certification app for producing your custom temporary electrical system sign-off certificates, including G1 Completion Certificate, G2 Schedule of Test Results and G3 Confirmation of Electrical Completion based on BS 7909 model forms. This app includes many time saving auto completion features, vastly reducing the time taken to produce sign-off certificates.

Pro Certs Software started designing and developing electrical applications for the Windows, Apple and Android mobile platforms back in 2011, progressing to cloud electrical software solutions and electrical certification software packages, giving the company over 10 years in the field.

Pro Certs Software, procertssoftware.com

HellermannTyton has remodelled its Cable Scout+ cable installation system to bring customers improved functionality and time-saving benefits.

The new and improved design enables electricians and electrical installers to install, inspect, illuminate, and retrieve cables quickly and easily via suspended ceilings, behind walls or floors, through small access holes, in cavities and many other applications.

The cable routing tool consists of easy-fit cable rods for the safe installation of cables; even in the most challenging installations and difficult-to-access areas. A redesigned grip enables the flexible cable rods (made of high-quality glass-reinforced plastic) to be simply screwed together and fitted with any one of the clever attachments supplied with the tool.

The rods can be bent, pushed, or pulled and bear cable weights up to 200kg, whilst the three different diameters available (4mm, 5mm and 6mm), offer different bending radiuses to guarantee high flexibility at work. Available in five sizes with the ability to attach to a wide range of cable diameters, the cable grips – available as an accessory – provide a reliable and time-saving method for securing cables and pipes to rods. HellermannTyton, hellermanntyton.co.uk

Ovia continues to invest in its growing lighting solutions and has added new Burgess Brackets to its panel lighting accessories range.

Designed for fitting backlit panels into Burgess ceilings, the new brackets are compatible with all OVIA Backlit LED Panels –they simply fit to the rear of the panels, allowing the panels to be secured into burgess ceilings.

Made from powder coated steel, with an IP20 rating, the Burgess Brackets measure 560mm (L) x 16mm (W) x 25.5 (H) and they have six fixing points. They are supplied in packs of two and come with a five-year warranty.

Ovia’s full range of lighting solutions, including the new Burgess Bracket can be seen in the latest Ovia catalogue – issue 4 – which can be downloaded from the Ovia website as well as from the Scolmore Group app. Ovia, oviauk.com

Rolec EV and EV OneStop are introducing the QUBEV Smart, new to the EV market this spring. The younger sibling to the popular QUBEV charging solution, the QUBEV Smart hosts an electrifying array of new features.

Rolec remains committed to a programme of continuous development, investment, and innovation – and this can be seen in the QUBEV Smart, hosting up to 22kW of charging output with dynamic load balancing and Mode 3 charge protocol. It is packed with the latest safety features, including security logs and alerts, all encapsulated in an IP54 weatherproof rated enclosure, compactly designed to provide users with a modern and sleek EV charging solution.

One of Rolec EV’s most cost-effective, smart solutions, the QUBEV Smart is also paired with a new smart Wi-Fi app which allows you to schedule charging for when rates are lowest, saving the user money as well as reducing the strain on the grid. It also has an in-built LED charging status indicator and universal untethered charging socket (tethered model also available).

Rolec, rolecserv.com

Flexible conduit manufacturer, Flexicon has launched a new, high-specification IP68-rated Contractor Pack.

The new FPEN Contractor Packs are designed to help installers reduce the amount of different conduit types and fixings they need to stock, helping to reduce the cost and time associated with sourcing multiple product types for different applications.

The premium-rated cable protection solution is supplied in a convenient package and can be used by contractors as an end-to-end solution for any external or internal applications that require high levels of ingress protection and UV resistant properties.

Available in two pack sizes, with 21mm and 28mm conduits, the packs cover all applications in one handy part number. This includes 10m of conduit, 10 fittings, 10 locknuts, and hinged fixing clips. This ensures installers have all the components required to protect, terminate, and secure the cable protection installation, so that ordering and managing stocks are made simple.

The 21mm option offers additional space when compared to traditional metric-sized conduit systems of 20mm and 25mm.

Flexicon, flexicon.uk.com

Thorn Lighting has presented its new Duoproof 2 luminaire – an ideal choice for use in demanding environments where hygiene and reliability are crucial.

This includes laboratories, cleanrooms, commercial kitchens, and industrial and pharmaceutical production facilities, all of which demand high-quality illumination delivered by a robust and durable luminaire.

Duoproof 2 ticks these boxes – with an LED panel that features a high level of resistance to chemicals and heat and IP65 protection against dust, dirt, steam and water.

A smooth surface, rounded corners and the impermeable join between Duoproof 2’s polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) cover and steel housing also result in an optimised hygienic design that allows for quick and easy cleaning maintenance cycles.

More highlights of Duoproof 2:

• High temperature tolerance: Duoproof 2 is suitable for use in high temperature environments up to 50°C

• Highly efficient: the luminaire can deliver up to 150lm/W

• Excellent optical light distribution and recyclability provided by the PMMA diffuser

• Certification: Duoproof 2 is certified by Fraunhofer for cleanroom environments (ISO EN 14644-1) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). It also has the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety certificate. Duoproof 2’s Product Manager, Felix Breuss, says, “Our new indoor luminaire is especially attractive because of the breadth of its application usage. In spaces with stringent requirements – such as pharmaceutical, medical or food manufacturing – this luminaire can be trusted to perform and endure.”

Thorn Lighting, thornlighting.co.uk

SPONSORED STORIES FROM THE INDUSTRY

There are over 690,000 electric cars on the road in the UK, with 265,000 registered last year alone. In the UK it is predicted that there will be eight million electric or hybrid cars on the roads by 2030. Each car needs a cable, and cables can develop faults, get lost or stolen.

Introducing the Lindy EV Cable! This cable is available in 5m and 7m variants, and is robust and versatile. Quickly recharge your E-vehicle or plug in hybrid with the Lindy Type 2 cables.

With this charging cable you can recharge any vehicle, fitted with a Type 2 port, at a public charging station or wall box. As Type 2 is standard in the EU/UK, you can use this cable at most charging stations in the European area. Three-phase charging with up to 22kW (32A 480VAC) is possible, as well as one-phase charging.

The cable is well protected against dust and water (IP55), it is UV-resistant and the connectors are flame retardant (UL 94 V-0). The plugs are designed for more than 10,000 mating cycles, which means a lifespan of more than 10 years with daily use. When not in use, the cable can easily be stored in the carrying bag which is supplied with the product.

The cables delivered with the car may be lost, malfunction or even get stolen, so having a good supply of spare cables is or will be essential – it also makes good commercial sense. The cost of theft of EV cables is a growing problem and is likely to dwarf the £10 million spent on replacing stolen catalytic converters. Given the ease in which they can be taken, and the scrap value attached to the copper inside, this is a growing issue.

The EV cable from Lindy has been certified by TÜV Rheinland and comes with a two-year warranty. Lindy, lindy.co.uk

Makita UK has added a new 2-Piece Combo Kit to its extensive range of LXT products, to offer professionals a useful set of tools at exceptional value.

A must-have for any tradesperson, the new DLX2460TJ Combo Kit features two of Makita’s most popular professional cordless power tools – the DTD153Z 18V LXT Brushless Impact Driver and the DHP487Z 18V LXT Brushless Combi Drill.

Housed in a Type 3 Makpac Connector Case for easy storage and transportation, the kit also includes two 5.0Ah 18V LXT BL1850B batteries and the DC18RC Fast Charger which can be used across Makita’s vast LXT range.

The DTD153Z is an extremely powerful impact driver with 170Nm max torque, delivering a no-load speed of 3,400rpm and providing up to 3,600 impacts per minute.

Makita’s compact DHP487Z 18V LXT Brushless Combi Drill features variable speed control to deliver up to 1,700rpm, 25,500bpm and 40Nm maximum fastening torque for a wide range of drilling, fastening and hammer drilling applications. Makita, makitauk.com

Meridian Lighting is targeting the domestic and light commercial markets with a new portfolio of Decorative Outdoor Lighting.

Starting with polycarbonate Wall-Mounted Step Lights, there are square, round and rectangular/horizontal options. Built with ABS housing and PVC diffusers, this IP65 range with 1.5W to 7W SMD LEDs is finished in light grey and boasts colour change technology offering warm, cool or daylight output.

A second range of aluminium Step Lights includes wall-mounted and built–in fittings, with rectangular/vertical or square versions of each. In anthracite grey and, again, with SMD LEDs (1.5W to 4W) this IP44 range delivers a 3000k warm white output.

Stainless Steel Bollards complete the new ranges. Designed for GU10 LED lamps, there are IP54 rated 650mm bollards – one slatted and one in black – and a mini twin IP65 option plus a 1.1m black bollard taking A60 lamps or up to 12W LEDs. With die-cast tubular bodies and clear glass diffusers, bollards include base anchoring plates.

With CE and UK/CA approvals, warrantees are three years for step lights and one for bollards. CED, cedelectrical.co.uk

Unicrimp, part of the Scolmore Group of companies, offers an extensive range of cable accessories under its well-known and trusted Q-Crimp brand.

The company continues to develop and expand the offer to provide electricians with everything they need when working on the tools. Today, the Q-Crimp range incorporates more than 19 different product categories, including Cable Clips, Cable Cleats, Cable Glands and Cable Ties, Fixings, Earthing Rods, Tape and Sleeving, as well as Trade Tubs of fixings and clips in handy, durable and re-sealable plastic tubs.

Recent additions to the range include Nylon Meter Tail Glands and Catenary Kits. The 32mm and 40mm White Nylon Meter Tail Glands with Plug are designed to house incoming cables on a metal consumer unit. A blanking insert plug is also supplied as standard for optional use should no earth wire be present.

The Catenary Kits comprise one 30m length of the 3mm steel wire rope, one zinc plated strainer, four 3mm steel wire rope grips, two 3mm steel wire eyelets, one hook wall plate and one wire ring plate.

Unicrimp, unicrimp.com

All FuseBox double and triple bank boards are supplied with T2 SPDs as standard. T1 SPDs are also available upon request.

Dual Tariff units can be supplied without surge protection or as an empty enclosure – for maximum flexibility.

FuseBox double bank board offers a maximum of 30 usable ways, while the triple bank board offers a maximum of 45 usable ways – ideal for housing all din modular accessories such as a bell transformer and installation contactors.

There is a choice of knockouts on all faces, as well as the rear of the box. Earth and neutral terminal bars on each bank, as well as a generous sized enclosure with removable din rail making first fix, cabling, and testing easier and quicker.

Manufactured from strong galvanised 1mm steel, finished in RAL 9001 (Cream White) and complete with tail clamp, accessory pack and captive screws on the front cover, FuseBox double and triple bank boards retain the same quality, robust design of their single bank counter parts.

Double and triple bank boards are available at your local FuseBox stockist! Fusebox, fusebox.co.uk

Embracing feedback from the contractors is what drives product development across the Scolmore Group of companies. In response to the latest feedback, Scolmore has taken its popular Definity screwless wiring accessories range and simplified the ordering process.

Up until now, Click Scolmore’s popular Definity screwless wiring accessories range has been supplied as two separate elements – insert and cover plate – with each requiring its own separate product code. In a move to simplify the ordering process for customers – particularly with online ordering in mind – Definity inserts and cover plates will now be supplied and packaged together as one unit with one product code.

Definity has evolved from Scolmore’s well-established Define flat plate accessory range and features all of the same attributes, including modular switching but without the visible fixing screws. Definity goes one stage further by incorporating screwless, push-fit face plates in a range of finishes.

The inserts are available in black, white and grey and there are now eight cover plate finishes to choose from.

Scolmore, scolmore.com

National Ventilation is helping architects, developers, and contractors with developments of less than 100 plots to comply with amended Building Regulations.

National Ventilation offers a free whole-house ventilation design service for design and build projects to ensure the ventilation systems will both work within the buildings and meet the Building Regulations. The company also offers a very wide range of products to ensure developers have the ventilation solutions they need, including a range of recycled plastic products to offer more sustainable choices for its customers.

Published on 15 December 2021, the new Part F and Part L of the Building Regulations are set to help the UK deliver net zero, including a reduction of almost a third less carbon for new homes. But as buildings become more airtight, to improve efficiency and help achieve this goal, it is crucial to consider indoor air quality (IAQ) too. The new Part F is therefore seen as a vital development as it sets out important changes, which will accelerate the move towards low carbon ventilation as an industry standard while improving IAQ.

National Ventilation, nationalventilation.co.uk

With as many as 40,000 stitches, and up to 64 pieces of fabric in a single pair of Snickers Workwear trousers, it’s little wonder they’re built to last and the preferred choice of discerning tradesmen and women.

Ergonomically designed for maximum comfort, freedom of movement and functionality, there’s over 80 different styles and 71 different sizes in the Snickers Workwear

Trouser system. So you will always find a pair to suit you. The men’s and women’s trousers range includes full stretch slim fit styles plus street-smart regular and looser fits throughout the full LiteWork, FlexiWork, RUFFwork and AllroundWork trouser families.

With at least 16 pocket compartments integral to every pair complimented by a choice of eight different kneepads, Snickers Workwear knows that your work trousers have to do a lot of things. Keep you comfortable, carry your essentials, and protect your knees and legs from debris and hazards in the workplace.

So, whatever your trade, wherever you’re working and whatever your sustainability preferences are, you can be sure there is a pair of Snickers Workwear Trousers to suit you. Snickers Workwear, snickersworkwear.com

Electric vehicle charge point management expert, Fuuse, has announced the launch of a full suite of energy products to enable organisations to confidently install and manage EV charging infrastructure, whilst balancing the impact on their site’s energy supply and overall grid demand.

FuuseEnergy is a new suite, complementing the core Fuuse charge point management platform, allowing businesses to effectively monitor and manage their EV charging infrastructure, pre and post installation.

The launch comes 10 months after the charging software innovator acquired energy management consultancy Envisij, from which many of the latest tools have been developed.

Amongst the latest tools being launched, Fuuse EnergyMap offers organisations a comprehensive audit of energy usage, to inform infrastructure decisions. Using half-hourly metered consumption data, businesses can now understand site baseline demand and the forecasted effect EV charging will place on that demand.

Fuuse Energy Monitoring is a cloud-based enterprise monitoring solution with options to observe real-time energy usage across a site. Fuuse, fuuse.io

A first for UK and European markets, Starrett and HellermannTyton have partnered to introduce their first-ever range of drill bits.

Manufactured with Starrett-level quality and available to purchase from HellermannTyton, the new product line offers a range of products for SDS Plus, SDS Plus Chisel, Flat Wood and High-Speed Steel drills. The range can be used across the trades, from electrical to construction sectors and more.

Firstly, the SDS three and five-point drill bits are ideal for drilling in brick, tile, concrete, plaster, slate, and aerated concrete blocks.

Exclusively for wooden surfaces, the Flat Wood Drill Bit Hex Shank is manufactured using specialised heat treatment for increased tool life, whilst a precision ground tip and twin spurs reduce the breakout and deliver clean holes.

Designed for masonry, brick, and concrete applications, the SDS Plus Chisel delivers efficient results with its precision ground chisel edge with special hardening and strong, durable properties.

HSS is the final product in the range. Ideal for wood and plastics, the HSS is designed from a high-speed steel structure with heat treatment and features excellence in cutting geometry and fatigue resistance. HellermannTyton, hellermanntyton.co.uk

ESP’s MAGDUO Two-Wire fire alarm system is aimed at small to medium contractors, offering them a highly flexible and adaptable system that will save them time and money on the installation process.

Two-Wire fire alarm systems are based on standard conventional system technology. Unlike standard conventional four-wired systems where the detectors, call points and alarm devices for each zone are wired on separate circuits, MAGDUO utilises intelligent Two-Wire technology, which allows all devices to be wired on the same set of two-core zone cables back to the control panel – enabling it to use a single circuit per zone both for detection and to power the sounders. This advanced technology can reduce both installation and material costs.

In total, ESP’s MAGDUO range comprises 25 individual products including 2, 4 and 8-zone fire panels (available in a grey or black finish), as well as repeater panels – also in grey and black – with the 4 and 8 zone panels able to support up to eight repeater panels. ESP, espuk.com