Eb 2015 feb

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from the editor

Celebrating the International Year of Light

E “... we share a common heritage around the science and application of light—and electrical professionals even more so...”

BMag makes an effort to share information with you on the latest and greatest in the market right now, and what may be happening in the market tomorrow. But, every now and then, it seems right to look back and appreciate what happened back then, and how back then got us to where we are today.

That’s partially the mission behind the International Year of Light (IYL) and Light-Based Technologies, which runs this whole year. (the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All occurred in 2012.)

“The [IYL] is a global initiative that will highlight to the citizens of the world the importance of light and optical technologies in their lives, for their futures, and for the development of society,” says the IYL Consortium, adding that, “The Proclamation of an International Year of Light by the United Nations will ensure the importance of light and its potential applications are appreciated by all.”

Specifically, the IYL 2015 is a cross-disciplinary educational and outreach project with more than 100 partners from over 85 countries—including scientific societies, museums, universities and others— accompanied by the UNESCO International Basic Sciences Programme (IBSP). The UN adopted this global initiative (light2015.org) to raise awareness of how optical technologies “promote sustainable development and provide solutions to worldwide challenges in areas such as energy, education, communications, health and sustainability”.

Contents 14 San Diego finds new streetlighting standard

As the city looks to the future with LED streetlighting, San Diego also will add lighting controls to 600 existing induction and LED streetlights beyond the wireless lighting controls affixed to the district’s new post-top fixtures.

The initiative will consist of coordinated activities on national, regional and international levels, and will explore light in all of its contexts and applications: from today’s fiber optic networks that make highspeed communications possible and solar photovoltaic panels to advances in artificial lighting, such as the LED juggernaut.

While we have our differences the world over, we share a common heritage around the science and application of light—and electrical professionals even more so than the average citizen. So why not use the IYL 2015 as a springboard for exploring the latest in lighting advances with your distributor or at the next tradeshow... then discuss what you learned with your clients.

departments 4

Industry News

8 Electrical Safety 360 Annex A: the crown jewel

of CSA Z462

15 Calendar 17 Personalities

On the Cover and Page 10 Do the math... LED lighting in higher education Few organizations are pulled harder toward a greater level of financial and environmental sustainability than higher-education institutions, and while greater energy efficiencies can be achieved in many areas, upgrading existing lighting represents a solid way forward. (Stock photo)

16 10 lighting and LED trends to watch in 2015

After a rough year for the top lighting manufacturers in 2014, the market outlook could be looking up this year. Last year’s restructuring could lead to improved margins for leading companies, along with the potential for lower product prices for consumers.

20 Products & Solutions 22 Code File

What’s new with 2-024 “Use of approved equipment”?

22 Code Conundrum

18 Cost-effective solution for cable reliability issues

Empire District Electric Co. started experiencing increasing reliability issues, including power outages in residential and commercial areas, due to the age of their cabling infrastructure. Quotes for replacement were high, so the utility turned to a hybrid injection cable rejuvenation solution.

page 20

www.EBMag.com • February 2015 • 3

industry news NAILD says it has re-energized its brand by improving value proposition The National Association of Independent Lighting Distributors (NAILD) says it has “re-energized its brand by improving its value proposition to members and the industry”.

A redesigned website, new logo, expanded social media presence and an emphasis on membership recruitment and events are just some components of NAILD’s improved value proposition.

Founded in 1977, NAILD is a non-profit trade association made up of specialty lighting distributors and vendor/manufacturers of lighting goods and supplies used in the operation of specialized lighting distributors.

February 2015 • Volume 51 • Issue 2 electrical BUSineSS is the magazine of the canadian electrical community. it reports on the news and publishes articles in a manner that is informative and constructive.

Editor Anthony Capkun - acapkun@annexweb.com Group Publisher John MacPherson - jmacpherson@annexweb.com Account Manager Scott Hoy - shoy@annexweb.com Assistant Editor Renée Francoeur - rfrancoeur@annexweb.com Art Director Svetlana Avrutin - savrutin@annexweb.com Production Manager Kathryn Nyenhuis - knyenhuis@annexweb.com Subscriber Customer Service Representative Karen Thomson - mweiler@annexweb.com President Mike Fredericks - mfredericks@annexweb.com

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2014-02-27 11:02 AM

industry news Schneider Electric lands Platts Global Energy Award

BC Safety Authority “Building Connections” with 2015 business plan BC Safety Authority (BCSA) has released its 2015-2017 Business Plan with the theme of “Building Connections”, outlining the organization’s plans for the three-year period in four key strategic areas: safety, clients, people and sustainability.

“The 2015-2017 business plan is our roadmap towards achieving our vision of Safe Technical Systems. Everywhere,” said Catherine Roome, BCSA president & CEO. “By strengthening the connections between BCSA, our clients and our stakeholders, we are getting the right information where it’s needed most. The result is an increasingly selfsustainable technical safety system.”

BCSA is mandated to oversee the safe installation and operation of technical systems and equipment. In addition to issuing permits, licences and certificates, BCSA says it works with industry to reduce safety risks through assessment, education and outreach, enforcement, and research.

In recognition of its efforts to conserve and manage energy consumption at more than 300 of its facilities around the world, Schneider Electric was honoured with a Stewardship Award at the 2014 Platts Global Energy Awards.

“Energy efficiency is in our DNA, so we are especially proud to be recognized for the extensive efficiency programs we’ve implemented in our own facilities,” said Chris Hummel, chief marketing officer with the global energy management player, adding the award is recognition of the company’s “commitment to adopt best practices internally”.

Schneider received the Stewardship Award for Efficiency Initiative in the Commercial End-User category for results achieved through the company’s Energy Action Program. Launched in 2011, the program involves the company employing its own best practices and developing new energy-saving techniques at its own facilities around the world.

By the end of Q3 2014, Schneider had exceeded the program’s targets by reducing core energy consumption by almost 13%. At the same time, the company has increased revenue from Green Premium products to more than 70% of its total business (another goal of the program).

These guys get to play with 24,000-vdc power test system Florida State University’s Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS) has unveiled a new 24,000-volt direct current power test system, claiming it is the most powerful of its kind available at a university research centre in the world.

“This is the first time anyone has strung together four individual converters of this magnitude and operated them in a safe and controlled manner,” said Michael Steurer, senior research faculty and leader of the Power Systems Research Group at CAPS. With a capacity of 5MW, the new system will give CAPS the ability to test electrical

equipment in real-world conditions, says FSU, and companies looking to build next-generation power equipment will be able to test those in the Tallahassee-based facility.

To create the system, CAPS put together four individual 6kV, 1.25MW converters that can be arranged in any combination—in series or parallel—to form a flexible test bed for medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) system investigations.

“It’s a very long and expensive process for companies to do this at the electrical grid,” said Photo Bill Lax/Florida State University.

Ferenc Bogdan, senior engineer and associate FSU Center for Advanced Power Systems in research at CAPS. “We can now do all of researchers Ferenc Bogdan, John Hauer and that cheaper and faster here.”

— With files from Kathleen Haughney Michael ‘Mischa’ Steurer.

“Sensusgate” smart meter removal saga lands in Ontario Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority (www. esasafe.com) has directed the province’s local distribution companies to replace and discontinue use of about 5400 Sensus iConA Generation 3.2 remote disconnect meters (sensus.com), usually referred to as the Sensus 3.2 with remote disconnect.

“Although there were no serious incidents reported in Ontario involving these meters, when we learned of the events in Saskatchewan, we undertook a due diligence safety review to determine if there were any implications for Ontario,” said David Collie, ESA’s president and CEO. (Back in July 2014, SaskPower continued to suspend its own smart meter installations and stepped up investigation efforts after a seventh meter failure in Saskatoon. More on that saga at EBMag.com.)

ESA has concluded this Sensus model is susceptible to a specific type of failure: arcing within the components when water/moisture

and other contaminants get into the meter.

The agency’s bulletin does not apply to the Sensus 3.2 meter without the remote disconnect feature, which has a different component design and, therefore, is not susceptible to the same type of failure.

While there have been no serious safety events reported in Ontario with the Sensus 3.2 with remote disconnect meters, ESA is directing LDCs to remove these meters from service no later than March 31, 2015, as a preventive step.

ABB in Canada receives TUV certification for safety system design ABB recently announced its operations in Canada have been certified by TUV SUD as having in place and applying a Functional Safety Management System (FSMS) for the design and engineering of safety instrumented system (SIS) projects in accordance with industry good practice safety standards.

These standards include IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 for the integration and

implementation of safety instrumented systems.

The TUV FSMS certification recognizes that ABB’s functional safety management system complies with international safety standards and good practices for its SIL 3-capable products, engineering and project teams, and delivery processes. It meets all relevant sections of the IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 safety standards for integration and implementation of SIS, including system configuration, application programming, testing, verification, validation and management for process industries safety applications.

“This certification underscores ABB’s dedication to excellence in providing our customers with safety solutions, products and services that they need to implement to protect their most critical assets: their people, the environment, the surrounding community and the process,” said Marcus Toffolo, vicepresident Chemical, Oil & Gas from ABB’s Safety Execution Centre in Canada.

www.EBMag.com • February 2015 • 5

industry news “Now one brand”: Osso Electric Supplies merged with Sesco

Effective January 1, Osso Electric Supplies officially merged with Sesco—both Ontario electrical distributors within the Sonepar Canada family (www.soneparcanada.com).

This merger was announced back in 2014 by Todd Walford, president of Sonepar Ontario.

“The Osso Electric Supplies name will remain but the company will become a brand of Sesco,” explained Walford. “This merger will see Osso Electric Supplies become known as Sesco East and Sesco becoming known as Sesco GTA. This change will allow us to maintain our competitive pricing and continue providing seamless service.”

The alliance of these two companies will strengthen the back office synergies with purchasing and inventory management, explained Walford, while enhancing the operational support for the entire company.

Sesco, which was established in 1922, has been chosen as the flagship brand in Ontario “to maximize on its history and strong market presence”.

Customers will not be affected by this change, added Walford, noting the main difference is they will have access to more branches from Hamilton to Kingston.

Electrofed loses another Council: Consumer Electronics Marketers Electro-Federation Canada (EFC) announced the closure of its Consumer Electronics Marketers of Canada (CEMC) Council, effective December 31, citing “economic conditions and changing business models in the consumer electronics industry, resulting in reduced numbers of CEMC members”.

Just over two years ago, EFC parted with its Canadian Appliance Manufacturers Association (CAMA) Council—the direct result of the Washington, D.C.-based Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) opening a Canadian branch office.

CEMC Council, meantime, has been part of EFC since 1995, says the association. This closure also signals the departure of Susan Winter.

“Susan has worked diligently for years to try and make the Council viable and sustainable,” said Jim Taggart, EFC president & CEO. “EFC has also strived to support the Council and make it viable. It hasn’t happened.”

EFC says it has offered to continue to provide statistical services to departing CEMC members, and supports the possibility of the US Consumer Electronics Association (CEA US) providing future services to the Canadian consumer electronics industry.

6 • February 2015 • www.EBMag.com

Hydro One fined $325K after worker crushed by moving machinery Hydro One Networks Inc. pleaded guilty and has been fined $325,000 after a worker was killed while moving power equipment at the electricity transmission and distribution company’s Hinchinbrooke Distribution Station.

In March 2013, a crew of five workers at the company’s distribution station at 287 White Lake Road in Central Frontenac Township was engaged in replacing a voltage regulator. Because the regulator’s location has overhead steel beams, regulators cannot be moved and replaced using a crane alone; they have to be moved laterally.

The crew utilized a method called ‘jackand-roll’ which involved moving the regulator on wooden rollers. The existing regulator was removed without incident and the replacement regulator, weighing 15 tons, was then placed on a concrete pad to be moved into its final position. As it was being moved across wooden planking between two concrete pads, movement stopped because rollers were not fitting properly beneath the regulator.

One of the workers placed wooden blocking and mounted a jack with the intent of raising the edge of the regulator high enough to reposition the rollers and continue movement of the regulator. As the regulator was being raised, the jack slipped out of its position. The regulator tipped forward, trapping and crushing the worker. The other four workers were able to move the edge of the regulator enough to move the injured worker away. The worker succumbed to the injuries.

An Ontario Ministry of Labour investigation found that no written procedure existed for the jack-and-roll process. On other jack-and-roll procedures, workers had utilized equipment that stabilized movement and prevented uncontrolled forward movements; these were not used in this case. The location of the jack was hazardous for the worker in the event of uncontrolled forward movement of the regulator.

Hydro One Networks Inc. pleaded guilty to failing, as an employer, to ensure that materials or equipment at a project be stored and moved in a manner that does not endanger a worker, as required by Ontario Regulation 213/91 (the Construction Projects Regulation) and the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25% victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act, which is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

Canadian Solar contributes $400K to U of T’s TalentEdge program Canadian Solar Inc. says it has contributed $400,000 to the University of Toronto’s TalentEdge program to support scientific development, research and hands-on learning, adding that this donation underscores the company’s dedication to social responsibility, renewable energy and advanced research.

“Not only are we pleased that we had the opportunity to give back to my alma matter, we are also certain that this donation will help advance solar research,” said Shawn Qu, chair

and CEO, who graduated from the university in 1995.

This year’s donation will help fund a twodimensional simulation tool project that specializes in the design and research of novel solar cells. Canadian Solar is a manufacturer of solar photovoltaic modules and provider of solar energy solutions.

Bruce Power to participate in international IAEA peer review Bruce Power, the Tiverton, Ont.-based nuclear generating facility, says it will participate in an operational safety performance review—focusing on Bruce B—led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“By any measure, we work in one of the safest industries in the world, and this level of performance is only achieved through sharing our experiences and successes as an industry, while always being open and transparent about how we can do better,” said Duncan Hawthorne, president & CEO, Bruce Power.

Bruce will host a group of international nuclear experts led by IAEA through an Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) Mission in 2015. Check out the video at tinyurl.com/q34g9mm.

Lack of “stable funding model” dooms ESFi-Canada In a letter sent in December, ESFI-Canada’s interim chair, Gavan Howe, announced that its “members have voted unanimously to dissolve the organization as of December 31, 2014”.

Introduced in 2011 with the purpose of becoming a national electrical safety advocacy organization focused on reducing electricalrelated deaths, injuries and property loss, Howe explains Electrical Safety Foundation Int’l-Canada has “not been able to secure a stable funding model to sustain our national electrical safety organization”.

Cree files patent infringement lawsuits against Feit Electric Cree Inc. says it has filed complaints with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin against Feit Electric Company Inc. and its Asian supplier, Unity Opto Technology Co. Ltd., to “curb infringement on Cree’s patented technologies and to address Feit’s false and misleading advertising claims that certain of its products meet Energy Star specifications”.

Cree says that, through a series of tests, it determined that certain Feit bulbs carrying the Energy Star label fail performance requirements such as omni-directional light distribution. When we asked a Cree spokesperson for more information on the testing performed, they replied, “Unfortunately, I cannot comment on that topic.”

As part of the complaint, Cree is requesting that the ITC issue an order to exclude infringing and falsely advertised articles from entry into the United States, and a cease and desist order that requires the respondents to cease selling infringing and falsely advertised LED bulbs in the U.S.

H ACTH

industry news

HCF

ed Strand HCF

“North American energy independence and security are within reach” says Canada’s Greg Rickford “North American energy independence and security are within reach, and we are proud to be a part of the strategic trilateral agenda in support of this attainable goal,” said Greg Rickford, Canada’s minister of Natural Resources, at the meeting of North American Energy Ministers.

The ministers—which included Rickford along with his American and Mexican counterparts, Dr. Ernest Moniz and Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, respectively—agreed to strengthen government-to-government relationships and support business-to-business engagement in the energy sector. They formalized trilateral cooperation in several strategic areas, including: “Modern, resilient energy infrastructure for North America in all aspects: physical infrastructure as well as institutional infrastructure, such as policies, regulations, workforce, innovation, practices to promote energy-efficient goods and services, and sustainable technologies.”

Rickford and Moniz recently enhanced bilateral cooperation in 11 areas by signing a Memorandum of Understanding on Canada–U.S. energy cooperation back in September.

“North America is a secure, responsible and reliable producer and

HN MC TH Solid

Photo © MicroSoFt

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Answering the “Call of Duty” to uncover gaming console energy use

d rande t S C M ized Overs al r Neaut

In an act of utter selflessness and in pursuit of the common good, engineers at Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) recently decided to satisfy their curiosity about how much electricity the latest gaming consoles consume... which required product testing, of course.

Their evaluation of the newest and hottest gaming consoles shows that three of the most popular units use more electricity during gaming sessions than previous models—but

supplier of energy. We have deeply integrated economies, abundant reserves, shared critical energy infrastructure and common values that underpin our strong collaboration,” said Rickford.

still cost less than $5.00/year to operate—and offer more memory, more hard-drive storage and more colourful and vivid graphics for consumer enjoyment.

The “research” team compared the energy consumption of Microsoft’s Xbox One, Sony’s PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Nintendo’s Wii U while running the game “Call of Duty: Ghosts”. In a head-to-head, hour-long test, the Wii U consumed 30 watt-hours (Wh) of electricity, compared to Xbox One at 105 Wh and PS4 at 124 Wh. “Household devices such as gaming consoles, computers and other appliances make up a good percentage of a home’s electricity use,” said Jeffrey Dols, the engineer who led the humanitarian project at EPRI’s Knoxville, Tenn., laboratory. “While five bucks a year is a great value for entertainment, consumers still have an opportunity to save money and conserve energy by turning off or unplugging these household devices while not in use.”

Power & Tel and N.A. Lighting Products join IMARK Canada

North American Lighting Products Inc. and Power & Telephone Supply have joined IMARK Canada.

North American Lighting Products (Mississauga, Ont.) is a Canadian wholesale distributor supplying lighting and electrical products, serving customers within the retail, commercial and industrial/OEM markets.

Power & Telephone Supply (Burlington, Ont.) are a wholesale distributor to the communications marketplace.

IMARK Canada is a member-owned/governed marketing group for independent electrical and lighting distributors.

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2014-11-21 11:28•AM www.EBMag.com • February 2015 7

electrical safety 360

Mike Doherty

Annex A: the crown jewel of CSA Z462

T

he 3rd edition of CSA Z462 (2015) is now available for purchase. The fundamental essence and foundational core of Z462 is captured in Annex A: “Aligning implementation of the Standard with occupational health and safety management Standards”.

Without question, this has been— and continues to be—the crown jewel in this electrical safety standard.

On of the document’s improvements is putting a greater emphasis on the establishment of an electrical safety program. This critical factor has been embedded in Annex A since CSA Z462’s inception in 2006.

The preamble of Annex A states:

an ordered fashion using comprehensive and proven management techniques as embedded in well-recognized standards like OHSAS 18001, CSA Z1000 and ANSI Z10.

Current quality and environmental standards use similar Plan, Do, Check, Act templates to ensure comprehensive usage of available financial resources and time.

Annex A goes on to explain that the effective application of an OH&S management system includes the following elements:

• safety policy • a process for setting improvement goals and for measuring progress toward these goals By itself, however, the • a process for identifying Standard does not constitute hazards and for evaluating and a comprehensive and effective managing associated risks on electrical safety program. The an ongoing basis most effective application of the • a process for managing risks requirements of this Standard can holistically, rather than having be achieved within the framework multiple, competing efforts of a recognized occupational • a process for ensuring health and safety management personnel are trained and system standard. competent to perform their jobs • a process for reporting and Annex A insists that electrical investigating hazards, incidents safety must be managed inFabricated Duct Spacer and injuries corrective 1action Underground Devices Ad - EB for - Revised.pdf 1/9/15

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It is just a very good example of the original principles embedded in Annex A coming to the front of the standard with both great clarity and accountability to proven managed system techniques and practices. to prevent recurrence; and • a process for conducting periodic reviews or audits of the occupational health and safety management system

of injury or damage to health, estimates the likelihood of occurrence, and determines whether protective measures are required.

If you don’t manage electrical safety it will manage you... it’s all about the “managed system process”.

Four new definitions were added to the CSA Z462-15 as follows:

All four of these new definitions in CSA Z462-15 are harmonized with CSA Z1000 “Occupational health and safety management” and CSA Z1002 “Occupational health and safety: Hazard identification and elimination and risk assessment and control”.

• Hazard: a source of possible While it may seem that the injury or damage to health. new focus on risk assessment • Hazardous: involving exposure to and risk mitigation in the 2015 version of Z462 is a totally at least one hazard. new concept, it is just a very • Risk: a combination of the good example of the original likelihood of occurrence of injury or damage to health from principles embedded in Annex A coming to the front of the the hazard and its severity. standard with both great clarity • Risk Assessment: an overall and accountability to proven process that identifies hazards, managed system techniques a estimates the potential severity 11:01 AM nd practices.

When you want to justify using CSA Z462 to make for a truly safer workplace for those who interact with electrical energy, the supervisors in charge of the work, the managers who need to manage in an ordered fashion, and all those accountable within the executive teams, then a complete understanding of Annex A is the doorway.

I strongly encourage those who truly want to understand the value of CSA Z462 to start with its crown jewel, Annex A.

MY

A subject-matter expert on electrical safety, Mike Doherty is a health & safety manager/consultant with PowerTel Utilities Contractors Ltd. He is a licensed electrician and an IEEE senior member, and has served as the Technical Committee chair for CSA Z462 since its inception.

His specialties include electrical safety and health & safety management, consulting, training, auditing and electrical incident investigations. Mike can be reached at mdoherty@powertel.ca.

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1 8 •Underground_EB_Jan.indd February 2015 • www.EBMag.com

2015-01-12 2:47 PM

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s the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DoE) Better Buildings Alliance puts it: “Colleges, universities, and other postsecondary institutions across the U.S. hold unique places in their communities”. As “civic, academic, cultural stewards and opinion shapers”, the general public expects highereducation institutions to exhibit wise leadership and financial stewardship.

Often, activities that support these cultural ideals involve the local student body, faculty and the community. These are everyone’s issues, and few organizations are pulled harder toward a greater level of financial and environmental sustainability than highereducation institutions. With more than 20 million post-secondary students and over 5 billion sf of floor space, the higher-education sector in the United States spends an estimated $14 billion annually on energy costs.

10 • February 2015 • www.EBMag.com

Given recent estimates, 31% of energy used by these facilities is directed toward lighting systems, which is the singlelargest electrical expenditure (space heating and water heating following at 28% and 25%, respectively). While greater energy efficiencies can be achieved in many aspects of electrical use, including space and water heating, upgrading existing lighting systems represents a unique, and accessible path to reducing both energy use and maintenance costs.

According to an April 2013 report issued by DoE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, it is forecast that LED lighting will represent over 75% all lighting sales by 2030, resulting in an annual primary energy savings of 3.4 quads, or 996,482,200,000 KWh. Using the current national average commercial energy rate of $0.0998/kWh, this equates to nearly $100 billion in savings potential. Given the precipitous increase in energy costs, long-term savings potential is even higher.

For higher-education institutions, LED technology offers a multifaceted, cumulative and compelling value proposition for which many financial and environmental benefits can be realized.

Efficient: low energy use Typical lighting conversions to LED from legacy sources can yield 30-60% energy savings, with up to 80% savings made possible through the additional use of controls. In addition to LEDs being more-efficient converters of electrical energy into visible energy (light), they are also infinitely flexible in terms of their ability to achieve a variety of lumen packages, colour temperatures and contemporary qualitative values, such as Colour Rendering Index (CRI), Colour Quality Scale (CQS) and Gamut Area Index (GAI).

Additionally, the small size of LED components allows for a higher degree of optical coupling efficiency, which enables LED optical systems (such as reflectors and TIR optics) to provide greater levels of ‘task efficiency’ than traditional sources. This capability is especially important for outdoor applications, where the objective is to focus and project light onto horizontal surfaces—such as parking lots, pathways and roadways—from great distances.

This fundamental advantage

allows outdoor and, in many is consistent with most interior cases, industrial LED luminaires volumetric lighting applications— the directionality of LED sources using less power and producing continues to provide higher levels of fewer lumens to achieve or ‘light on target’ compared to legacy exceed the measured illuminance fluorescent sources. values previously achieved with We are also starting to see conventional HID technology.

Even when the light emitted from glimpses of new form factors LEDs is diffused with minor adjustand shapes that are directly ments to the native photometric dis- attributable to the 2320-02 FLIR TG165 EB Jan15_6.375x9.75 01-13-15 1:30 PM inherent Page 1 tribution (typically lambertian)—as physical reduction in source size.

These new shapes work in concert with LED sources to not only provide energy efficiency, but architectural relevancy.

Since most commercial LED luminaires come standard, or optionally available, with a 0-10V dimming driver, they are natural candidates for autonomous control (in-fixture sensor) or wired and/or wireless lighting

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Stock Photo

control systems. In many cases, the use of controls can extend the life of LED and power supply components by reducing the effective working load and electrical assembly temperatures. A potential by-product of reducing lighting system energy use in conditioned spaces is the reduction of HVAC cooling loads by a factor of 3.412 Btu/h per watt saved. This additional savings can be extremely valuable in warm climates or where peak demand charges are often incurred.

LED lighting: a tailored fit A common theme with general service fluorescent lamps is the use of ballast factors to safely reduce or increase the light emitted from the source. In an effort to meet lighting power density requirements, some customers may elect to utilize a lower ballast factor to reduce the input wattage and resulting light output of linear fluorescents. This option is particularly appealing in circumstances where fixture spacing is fixed, anticipated light levels are greater than those required and/or the calculated lighting power density exceeds the area allowance.

Alternatively, the ballast factor can be increased to resolve areas that may fall below the required light levels without adjustments to fixture spacing or density. Or, perhaps a lamp-reduction strategy is being considered in an effort to reduce the acquisition cost of replacement lamps. While it is possible to achieve some level of flexibility, the granularity provided by most fluorescent ballast manufacturers may not yield ideal results.

Those that offer a greater level of ballast factor flexibility are typically found to have much higher costs, and may not be readily available when replacement parts are needed.

An emerging trend with LED luminaires is the use of ‘programmable’ or ‘configurable’ drivers. This new breed of LED driver enables the nearly effortless late-stage configuration of luminaires by OEMs and, potentially, customers to yield a seemingly endless variety of fixture input wattages and delivered lumen packages. Through the use of these enhanced LED drivers, higher-education facilities are enabled to reasonably achieve a greater level of energy savings in a manner that provides the greatest amount of flexibility with minimal implications to system costs.

12 • February 2015 • www.EBMag.com

Long life, low maintenance The light emitted from LED sources slowly depreciates over time. How much depreciation and how long this takes is determined by a number of variables, but more commonly by the operating temperature and current density of the LEDs. In some cases, it may be realistic to expect 10 or more years of operation before the point is reached at which light levels fall below recommended levels and begin to noticeably impact visibility, productivity and comfort. This long-life source translates into greater lighting system reliability and fewer lamp replacements, which lowers overall maintenance and lamp recycling costs when compared with conventional technology.

Full spectrum: enhanced colour and vision Recent studies have documented a connection between human visual system performance and spectrum. In 2013, the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) introduced TM-2413, which addresses how the Spectral Power Distribution (SPD) and Scotopic/Photopic (S/P) ratio of light sources can be incorporated in the IES Illuminance Determination System—specifically for common visual tasks that are categorized as “P through Y”.

Through TM-24-13, the concept of Equivalent Visual Efficiency (EVE) is introduced as a means to achieve a balance between light level and spectrum that results in maintaining equal visual acuity. It is worth mentioning that light sources with an S/P ratio greater than 1.4 are generally observed to appear ‘cooler’, while those with an S/P ratio below 1.4 are generally observed to appear ‘warmer’.

Since many of these interior visual tasks are accomplished in higher-education environments (e.g. reading, writing), it is reasonable to identify potential reductions in light levels and the resulting electrical power when a ‘blue rich’ light source is used, such as LED. According to TM-24-13, sources of light that have a higher S/P, or a proportionately greater ratio of short-to-long wavelength light, may yield the same level of visual performance as a lower S/P ratio source but at lower luminance level and lower input wattage.

This phenomenon is possible through the interaction between short-wavelength light

and the recently rediscovered Intrinsically Photoreceptive Retinal Ganglion Cells (ipRGCs) that, among other things, are involved in determining pupil size, retinal image quality and our resulting visual acuity.

Given the generally present and uniquely dominant emission of short-wavelength light within the spectral power distribution of LED sources, the consideration of LED source spectra in higher-education lighting systems may yield additional savings beyond those demonstrated through typical analysis.

This paradigm of spectrum has also been found to influence our visual system when adapted to outdoor environments.

Consequently, the IES released an additional technical memorandum in 2012, TM-12, examining the spectral effects of lighting on visual performance at mesopic light levels. As the human visual system adjusts to lower luminances (typical of night-time conditions), we become more dependent on rod photoreceptors, which are more sensitive to light, emitted at shorter wavelengths.

TM-12-12 identifies a path similar to TM-24-13 whereby adjustments to the values recommended by the IES Illuminance Determination System may be achieved by incorporating the S/P ratio of light sources.

Accordingly, as seen with TM-24-13, the unique spectral characteristics of LEDs may allow for further reductions in energy use in outdoor lighting applications.

While LEDs are generally observed with a pronounced level of short-wavelength spectral emission (typically around 455nm), quality LED sources exhibit a broadband, smooth and continuous distribution of light within the visible spectrum. When compared to the saw-toothed spectral power distribution of fluorescent light, LED sources provide a greater amount of spectral coverage, which generally yields a greater presence of colour vibrancy and contrast. Thus, among the many parametric visual system benefits described above, perhaps the most appreciated will be the observation of richer colours and a ‘full spectrum’ illuminated environment.

By carefully evaluating and responsibly incorporating energy-efficient solutions, colleges and universities can demonstrate leadership beyond the realm of academics.

The energy- and maintenance-saving potential made possible through innovative LED lighting and control solutions not only provides an opportunity for highereducation institutions to reduce current building operating costs, mitigate future cost volatility and, perhaps, enhance the illuminated environment, but provides an opportunity to demonstrate a culture of innovation, spirit of community and the drive to create change.

Chris Bailey is director of the Lighting Solutions Center at Hubbell Lighting’s Greenville, S.C., headquarters. He is a LEED-Accredited professional and a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). This article appeared originally in Private University Products & News.

Used with permission.

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“The future of lighting is intelligence” San Diego finds new streetlighting standard

“T

he future of lighting is intelligence,” noted Jamie Irick at an exclusive GE Editor Roundtable during Lightfair 2014 (Irick has since advanced to vice-president of GE Lighting North America Professional Solutions), adding that GE Lighting is transforming itself into a full solutions business.

As an example, he shared the story of how GE Lighting got involved with the City of San Diego, which sought to improve streetlighting in its Downtown District. City officials chose LED streetlighting fixtures after conducting surveys of more than 100 residents and five key stakeholder groups that oversee the city’s

maintenance assessments.

“We chose to go with LED streetlighting after the study indicated that broad-spectrum lighting was preferred by residents and business owners,” said Lorie Cosio-Azar, project officer for the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department, who was also on-hand at the Roundtable.

“Induction and LED streetlighting were considered equal in the residents’ perception, so we chose LED—hands down—because of its tunable light and the fact that LED is the way of the future.”

“GE worked with us to develop the perfect, functional fixture for our city with the ideal light output,” Cosio-Azar said, adding that aesthetics played a big role

in the final design of the fixture.

“GE added a band to reduce the uplight and incorporated a frosted lens per our residents’ request.

Adding in the adaptive controls took the solution a step further. It is the most beautiful light.”

The OEM’s Evolve Avery StreetDreams post-top lighting fixtures—equipped with the LightGrid outdoor wireless control system—will replace about 3000 high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps in a move expected to save the city of San Diego upwards of $254,000 annually (likely more when incorporating available dimming schedule features).

The first in the United States to utilize GE’s LightGrid technology, the city promises

residents, business owners and visitors improved and energyefficient lighting that will significantly trim the city’s spending and maintenance needs.

“Intelligent lighting,” explained Irick, “communicates its status”, which is better for maintenance and crew deployment.

In addition to enhancing its LED streetlights, the City of San Diego is striving for added cost savings by moving toward a metered rate, rather than a flat-rate tariff, for its streetlight usage with its local utility company.

GE’s LightGrid technology provides energy metering per light pole, so its specific usage information allows municipalities to pay for what it uses.

As the city looks to the future with LED streetlighting, San Diego also will add lighting controls to 600 existing induction and LED streetlights beyond the LightGrid wireless lighting controls affixed to the district’s new post-top fixtures.

“Selling a light fixture is like selling a smartphone,” said Irick. “[The fixture] does this now, but new apps will make [the fixture] do more down the road.”

Which is an exciting prospect for Cosio-Azar, who talked about several possibilities involving intelligent lighting, such as including cameras along running routes, radiation detection technology by the ports, parking sensors, etc. “We’re looking at what we can do to monetize light poles,” she said.

— Anthony Capkun, with files from GE Want to learn more about San Diego’s transformation?

Watch the VIDEO “Making San Diego More Illuminated With LED Lighting” at tinyurl.com/q58rfvm.

Safety_EB_Feb.indd 1 14Electrical • February 2015 • www.EBMag.com

2015-02-02 3:46 PM

calendar Visit EBMag.com’s Upcoming Events on the homepage to see an extensive list of industry events.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

IEEE Industrial & Commercial Power Systems Technical Conference May 5-8, Calgary, Alta.

Visit sites.ieee.org/icps2015

ECAA Training Day & AGM Electrical Contractors Assoc. of Alberta May 21-24, Invermere, B.C. Visit www.ecaa.ab.ca

Skills Canada National Competition May 27-30, Saskatoon, Sask.

Visit www.skillscanada.com

Manitoba Electrical Expo Electrical Assoc. of Manitoba (form. MEL) May 20-21, Winnipeg, Man. Visit www.meleague.ca

EFC Electrical Council Annual Conference Electro-Federation Canada May 25-29, Banff, Alta.

Visit www.electrofed.com

Electric Utility Fleet Managers Conference (EUFMC) May 31-June 03, Williamsburg, Va. Visit www.eufmc.com

WILL BE

THERE!

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PHOTOS • The Canadian Solar

Industries Association’s (CanSIA’s) annual conference, Solar Canada, wrapped up its 2014 installment in December, where practitioners and the curious came to learn of advancements in solar energy technology and policy, and network with colleagues and stakeholders from around the country and the world. Visit tinyurl.com/njw8k5r University of Innovative (Industrial) Distribution March 8-11, Indianapolis, Ind. Visit www.univid.org AEL Learning Expo Alberta Electrical League March 25, Calgary, Alta.

Visit albertaelectricalleague.com

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Affiliated Distributors Spring Network Meeting March 30-April 1, Tampa Bay, Fla. Visit www.adhq.com EFC Annual General Meeting Electro-Federation Canada April 15, 2015, Brampton, Ont. Visit www.electrofed.com MCEE (Mécanex/Climatex/ Expolectriq/Éclairage) April 22-23, Montreal, Que. Visit www.mcee.ca

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PEARL 18th Conference & Exhibition Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League April 24-27, Cleveland, Ohio Visit www.electricalsafetyandreliability.com BICSI Canadian Conference & Exhibition April 26-29, Ottawa, Ont. Visit www.bicsi.org OEL Electrical Industry Conference Ontario Electrical League April 29-May 2, Huntsville, Ont. Visit www.oel.org

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Lightfair May 3-7, New York, N.Y. Visit www.lightfair.com

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Standard_EB_Feb.indd 1

2015-01-21 AM www.EBMag.com • February 201511:50 • 15

10

lighting and LED trends to watch in 2015

A

1

China will continue to grow The coming year could be pivotal for the global LED industry, given the growing market share of Chinese LED companies throughout the value chain. “In order to compete with international companies and maintain their growth, Chinese vendors must overcome negative perceptions of product quality that continue to plague them, even while they maintain their low pricing,” said Rhodes.

2

The sky is the limit for cloud-based smart lighting The market for cloud-based smart lighting is unlikely to gain market share this year because public knowledge of companies offering solutions remains limited; however, increased marketing of cloud-based smart lighting could gain mindshare in 2015, positioning the market for future growth.

3

Changing fortunes for lighting companies expected in 2015 The reorganization of the top three lighting manufacturers could turn them into pure-play lighting companies focused on dynamic markets, which would offer greater growth potential. The restructuring will also allow LED makers to raise capital for further investment, and will also let them reduce the hierarchal burden associated with being part of a large conglomerate. “Changes in the corporate structure could lead to improved margins for the companies and, possibly, lower-priced products for consumers,” Rhodes said.

Li-Fi: a brighter way to communicate Visual light communication (Li-Fi) is an emerging technology, but implementations of pilot projects—along with greater media interest—is forecast for 2015. “It will be interesting to see how many commercial projects are announced this year, and on what scale,” Rhodes commented.

4

Is lighting poised for a quantum leap?

As quantum-dot LEDs (QD-LEDs) still have some challenges to overcome, the market will not likely to see vast quantities of commercially available products by 2015 or 2016; however, in the medium to longer term, QD-LEDs could kill off the OLED display market and cause deep disruption to the lighting industry as a whole. “QD-LEDs still have some challenges to overcome, but we might see a very small amount of commercially available products by the end of 2015,” Rhodes noted.

5

16 • February 2015 • www.EBMag.com

Stock Photo

fter a rough year for the top lighting manufacturers in 2014, the market outlook could be looking up this year. The restructuring by major global lighting companies will allow LED makers to raise capital for investments in 2015.

According to “Top Lighting and LEDs Trends for 2015”—a new white paper issued by IHS (www.ihs.com)—last year’s restructuring could lead to improved margins for leading companies, along with the potential for lower product prices for consumers.

“For the big three lighting suppliers, the road was bumpy: all of them recorded falling revenue in the first three quarters of 2014,” said William Rhodes, research manager of lighting and LEDs at IHS Technology.

“Industry watchers are now looking to see if these giants of the lighting industry can turn the tide in 2015.”

Following are 10 predictions for the lighting and LED industry for 2015 from the IHS technology research team:

6

OLED luminaires, and where to purchase them Mass-market adoption of OLED (organic LED) lighting is not projected to occur in 2015, but retailers will likely start offering a premium range of OLED luminaires that, undoubtedly, will help create more interest in the overall OLED market in the coming year.

7

LED filament bulbs: incandescents with a twist LED filament lamps—which combine the benefits of LED lamps with the familiar design of incandescent bulbs beloved by traditionalists—are now starting to match other LED offerings in terms of efficiency, price and colour-rendering capabilities.

“Ultimately, it will be up to consumers to decide if filament bulbs will have their time in the limelight in 2015,” Rhodes said.

Packaged LED industry is moving downstream and getting smarter Smart lighting is another way for companies to attempt to add value and improve profit margins. As the LED lighting market moves downstream with modules and light engines, incorporating smart lighting sensors and controls will be a key trend in 2015.

8

Is your streetlight all that it seems?

In the coming year, a couple of smart streetlighting pilot projects (e.g. incorporating electric vehicle charging or mobile phone masts into the luminaires) are expected to start moving to larger city-wide installations. “With developments in new technology, as well as the ever-expanding phenomenon of the Internet of Things (IoT), the role that streetlights play in our world is set change completely,” said Rhodes.

9

10

Automotive applications driving optoelectronic components market With LED headlamp penetration increasing, gesture control getting increasing interest, and hybrid and electric vehicles sales continuing to grow, 2015 will be a lucrative year for the optoelectronic components suppliers who focus on the automotive industry.

— This article is based on an IHS Technology News Flash (www.ihs.com), a provider of global market, industry and technical expertise.

personalities Feds launch Canada Apprentice Loan to help them finish their training

Liteline Corp. has named Jarrod Stewart its new regional sales manager for Western Canada, less than a year after naming him regional sales manager for Ontario.

He maintains his title as regional sales manager for Ontario, and will now oversee both regions.

Working with Mark Silverstein,

vice-president of sales & marketing, Jarrod says he welcomes the challenge to cultivate new relationships and improve Liteline’s brand visibility within Western Canada.

The family-owned company manufactures commercial- and residential-grade lighting, including recessed, LED, undercabinet and track.

Jarrod Stewart

Shelly Glover with apprentice Peter Morran.

While touring Red River College, Canada’s minister of Canadian heritage and official languages, Shelly Glover, announced the launch of the new Canada Apprentice Loan which provides apprentices in Red Seal trades access to interest-free loans of up to $4000 per period of technical training.

“Now, thanks to the Canada Apprentice Loan, more Canadians are able to complete their training and become skilled journeypeople and fill in-demand jobs,” said Glover.

According to Statistics Canada, almost 360,000 people are enrolled in over 400 apprenticeship and skilled trades programs, but only half of apprentices are completing their programs.

“Jobs in the skilled trades are in high demand, and one of our strategic priorities is to fuel Manitoba’s economy,” said David Rew, interim president and CEO of Red River College, adding “We applaud the Government of Canada on today’s announcement to help our apprentices achieve success...”

Check out the video at tinyurl.com/mnpngpx.

Beghelli Canada—a provider of emergency lighting products and luminaires— announced its newest employee, Scott Laing, has accepted Scott Laing the position of national sales manager, Canada. “Scott has 15 years of proven results in leading a team to exceed their budgets and objectives,” says the company.

Reporting to the general manager, Scott is responsible for the sales and inside sales departments in Canada (www.beghellicanada.com).

Banvil EB feb15.indd 1

2015-02-03 PM www.EBMag.com • February 20154:02 • 17

>

SPR injection equipment.

technician conducting TDR testing on > Injection an underground cable segment

Cost-effective solution for cable reliability issues DY CASE STU

on cable rejuvenation in rocky terrain

Steve Hightower

T

he Empire District Electric Co. is a Missouri-based, investor-owned utility that services about 215,000 customers in portions of Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. The majority of Empire’s underground cable is 1/0 bare concentric neutral that was installed before 1980. Empire started experiencing increasing reliability issues, including power outages in residential and commercial areas, due to the age of the cable.

Empire initially had more than 17,000 feet of cable that needed attention. Much of the terrain within these areas is very rocky, and the quotes Empire received for replacing the failing cable were as much as $100/ft due to the need for replacing cable bored through rock. Cable injection quickly became an attractive solution.

The utility chose a hybrid injection process that uses a combination of Sustained Pressure Rejuvenation (SPR) and improved Unsustained Pressure Rejuvenation (iUPR). Here are the four main reasons the utility chose the hybrid injection process:

18 • February 2015 • www.EBMag.com

1.

2.

3.

4.

The cost is less than half of replacing the failing cable.

Cable injection is much quicker than replacement. Most SPR-injected segments are completed in less than two hours.

The cable’s full dielectric strength is restored in seven days when the SPR process is utilized.

Reported injected cable segment failure rate is 0.4% with some suppliers.

In addition to the system’s reliability improvements and the savings in cost and time, the hybrid injection process also minimizes disruption to customers.

Getting started The initial injection project consisted of a two-man crew performing the injection while Empire’s own two-man crew completed all craftwork. Wes Robertson, line manager for Empire, said, “We particularly liked the hybrid approach to injection—treat each segment with the injection method that makes the most sense for that segment—since this approach

allows for the maximum number of cables to be treated, and has the greatest impact on our system reliability”.

(For this project, Empire chose to use a patented product called Ultrinium fluid, which uses both the iUPR and SPR injection processes. The Ultrinium fluid allowed Empire to take advantage of a 25-year warranty on segments injected using the iUPR process, and a 40-year warranty on segments injected using the SPR process.)

Circuit owners often choose to employ the hybrid injection approach, also known as Tailored Injection, to maximize the number of segments injected. The hybrid approach utilizes both the low-pressure iUPR and the moderatepressure SPR injection methods to maximize the number of segments injected, avoid digging difficult splices, and seal cable ends so fluid does not fill the elbows and splice bodies. The hybrid process delivers the best cable reliability, the maximum number of injected segments, and allows us to match the rejuvenation approach to the circuit owner’s budget and project needs.

The process The iUPR injection process is safer and more reliable than the legacy Unsustained Pressure Rejuvenation injection process, as it employs proprietary equipment and injection process improvements. One of these is reticular flash prevention (RFP) technology, which reduces the risk of injection port flashover. Another improvement is more robust and redundant seal designs that reduce fluid leaks and the possibility of transformer fires.

Cable being injected using the SPR method.

>

>

Injection technician connecting injection equipment to cable.

3 Employees injecting at a riser pole.

>

This process also eliminates the need for post-manufacture air-pressure testing to identify flashing from moulding defects, and reduces the oozing of treatment fluid from the elbow by 30% during and after injection. Fluid secretion can compromise elbow reliability under hot conditions, and lowers the postinjection reliability of the cable in all cases.

The iUPR process involves using low pressure (10-20 psi) to inject fluid through the cable strands. This low pressure allows the fluid to flow through the existing splices without damaging them. Since low pressure is used, the injection process typically takes overnight for the rejuvenation fluid to reach the other end of the segment. After the injection equipment has been removed, the fluid permeates slowly into the insulation, achieving full dielectric strength in about 18 months.

The SPR rejuvenation process uses moderate pressure to greatly accelerate the distribution of the rejuvenation fluid into the insulation. The pressure used is well below the psi specified by cable manufacturers.

Typical cable lengths only require about two hours to inject and the full dielectric strength of the cable segment is restored within seven days.

The SPR injection process is used on clear runs and runs with blocked splices. When there is a blocked splice, the splice is excavated and the injection is performed in both directions from the splice toward the terminations before the splice is replaced and the pit is restored. The speed of the SPR method makes large injection projects fast, effective and manageable for utilities like Empire.

Empire’s linemen were eager to assist in making the project successful. The rejuvenation went smoothly and very high productivity rates were realized. What makes Empire a particularly interesting project, though, is that outstanding results were achieved in such challenging terrain. In one area near Branson, Mo. (where bedrock is a problem), nearly 100% of the cable segments were successfully injected, saving Empire the expensive replacement costs previously quoted for cable replacement.

“We’ve been impressed with the results.

Cable injection has saved us countless and countless failures,” said Robertson. “A side benefit was finding other issues we didn’t know about, such as leaking transformers.”

These injection statistics have resulted in an increase in reliability for the utility, making Empire a believer in cable rejuvenation. “We have seen a significant increase in our system reliability since we began cable injecting.

Right now we are seeing nine faults per year on uninjected cable versus 40 per year before we began injecting,” added Robertson.

Moving forward By employing the hybrid injection approach, Empire was able to address reliability issues in challenging terrain for a fraction of the cost of cable replacement. After a complete costanalysis, Empire found it had saved more than 70% compared to the traditional method of addressing older cable—outright replacement.

Customarily, most utilities realize a 50% or better cost savings when using cable rejuvenation versus replacement. The cost savings realized by Empire were higher because of the rocky terrain where the work was performed, not to mention the immeasurable benefit to the community by not having to disrupt transportation and daily life with dug up streets and sidewalks.

Proof of Empire’s commitment in cable rejuvenation continued well beyond the initial work performed in 2011. In 2012, Empire continued to implement its cable rejuvenation process by treating over 39,000 feet of 1/0 and 4/0 bare cable. More than 25,000 feet of underground cable was being rejuvenated in 2014, and Empire plans to rejuvenate all of its aging underground cable over the next several years.

A regional sales manager for Novinium (www.novinium.com), Steve Hightower is a 15-year veteran of the utility industry, 10 of which have been spent in the cable rejuvenation business. Underground cable rejuvenation goes by several names, including chemical restoration, dielectric enhancement, cable treatment and silicone injection.

www.EBMag.com • February 2015 • 19

lighting products Eaton’s Cooper Lighting Portfolio surface-mount LED luminaire

Eaton’s Cooper Lighting division says its new Portfolio surfacemount LED luminaire incorporates patented WaveStream technology, promising uniform, glare-free illumination for standard and high-ceiling applications in retail, commercial and architectural spaces. Delivering up to 100 lumens/W, the luminaire is available in five lumen packages ranging from 4500 to 9000 lumens, four correlated colour temperatures, including 2700K, 3000K, 3500K and 4000K and in 80 or 90 CRI. The product is also available with a native Fifth Light DALI (digital addressable lighting interface) driver option for complete digital energy management in some configurations.

EATON COOPER LIGHTING www.cooperindustries.com

Appleton N2LED emergency egress LED fixture

Appleton has expanded its LED lighting line to include the

N2LED emergency egress LED fixture, saying it is 50% smaller and lighter than traditional models while offering up to 130 lumens of illumination per lamp and consuming 75% less power.

Enclosed and gasketed for industrial and marine use, the N2LED is capable of providing up to 180 minutes of emergency operation with no degradation of light quality. During emergency operation, the battery is protected from deep discharge damage by a low-voltage disconnect (LVD) circuit that automatically disconnects and reconnects the load, based on battery condition.

APPLETON www.emersonindustrial.com

Soraa extends PAR and AR111 line of LED halogen replacements Soraa has extended its line of PAR and AR111 lamps to offer a range of LED halogen replacements from 50W to 120W (equivalent). The new 12.5W PAR30 lamps are the perfect lighting solution for 75W to 120W (equivalent) lighting applications, says the company, in retail, hospitality and museum environments, while the 12.5W

AR111 lamps offer an “efficient choice” for retail applications.

Soraa’s PAR30 and AR111 lamps are available in 50W to 100W (Soraa 95CRI Vivid) and 60W to 120W (Soraa 80CRI Brilliant) halogen-equivalent light output; 8, 9, 25, 36, 50 and 60 degree; as well as 2700K, 3000K, 4000K and 5000K temperatures. Both are compatible with a range of enclosed, non-ventilated indoor and outdoor fixtures. Additionally, Soraa’s 8° lamps work with its magnetic accessory SNAP System.

SORAA www.soraa.com

WARNING: Counterfeit UL mark on LED LLC lamps (14PN-25)

UL says 7W LED lamps Model XPL13-41K bear a counterfeit UL mark, meaning they have not been evaluated by UL to the appropriate standards for safety, so it is unknown whether they comply with any safety requirements.

Even though their name is on the product and packaging, these products were not produced with authorization by Lighting Enhancement Distributors LLC (LED LLC).

It is unknown how many units, if

any, made their way into Canada.

The product is marked MADE IN KOREA. The lamps were distributed by Friendly Service Sales in Downey, Calif., but are known to have been sold at eBay (and may have been sold at other locations).

UL ul.com

WARNING: Unauthorized ENEC-15 Mark on i-Save Energy LED tubes

UL reports certain I-Save Energy GmbH LED tubes bear an unauthorized ENEC-15 Mark, meaning they have not been evaluated

by UL to any standards for safety, so it is unknown whether they comply with any safety requirements. (ENEC is a Mark for electrical products demonstrating compliance with European standards, mainly related to safety.)

The warning involves T8 LED tubes: • T8G0104X12040W-06 • T8G0254X12040W-15 • T8G0254X12040W-12 • T8G0304X12040W-15 • T8G0304X12040W-12 • T8G0354X12040W-15 The tubes have been sold at installerdirect.com and may have been sold at other locations. It is unknown how many, if any, units made it into Canada.

UL ul.com

products Greenlee DataScout 10G tablet replaces up to 8 hand-held devices

Greenlee Communications says its new DataScout 10G touchscreen tablet was developed for service provider, utility, smart grid, mobility and enterprise network testing technicians looking for “increased productivity and efficiency” in a network analyzer. The DataScout 10G combines multiple test interfaces into a single, simple analyzer that is capable of simultaneously testing everything from 10G ethernet and DS3/

DS1/DS0/datacom to TIMS and network timing. This tool replaces up to eight hand-held devices, says Greenlee, and a separate laptop that a technician would have to use in the field.

The tablet design allows for both portrait and landscape GREENLEE www.greenlee.com

FLIR C2: the “first full-featured, pocket-sized thermal camera” FLIR Systems junveiled its C2, referring to it as the “first full-featured, pocket-sized thermal camera” designed to help professionals find patterns that expose hidden problems, such as sources of energy waste.

The compact FLIR C2 fits in your pocket and features FLIR’s patented MSX real-time image enhancement, as well as a simple touchscreen with auto

20 • February 2015 • www.EBMag.com

General Cable launches high-speed lead-free EPR industrial cables

orientation. The C2’s 4800-pixel detector captures and displays subtle thermal patterns and small temperature differences, says FLIR, while a 41° field-of-view frames in more of the scene.

The tool can store radiometric JPEGs with the push of a button; images can be downloaded later using free FLIR software that you to adjust thermal image levels, isolate and add temperature measurements, change colour palettes and create reports.

FLIR SYSTEMS www.flir.ca

General Cable’s High-Speed XLF (extra-low friction) line of low-/medium-voltage industrial power cables feature leadfree EPR (ethylene propylene rubber) insulation technology.

General says its high-speed XLF technology provides a significant reduction in installation pulling force, making it easier to install into conduit, duct or cable tray.

The incorporation of leadfree EPR insulation allows the company’s 600V and 5-35kV industrial low-/medium-voltage cables to add RoHS compliance to their list of industry approvals.

General’s high-speed XLF and lead-free EPR insulation cables are available in several constructions.

GENERAL CABLE www.generalcable.com

products Burndy offers BSD20100 reel for static discharge applications

features, but is rated up to 150 C. IDEAL INDUSTRIES www.idealindustries.ca

Walter Surface unveils Zipcutter 6-in. cordless cutter

Burndy is offering a new 100-ft open spool reel for static discharge applications.

The reels are commonly used in the petroleum industry, but apply in any area where static discharge creates potential hazards. The BSD20100 has a steel construction and comes with 100 feet of 7x7 stranded stainless steel cable with yellow polyester elastomer cover. All the reels are supplied with a 100A universal jaw-type grounding clamp and spring rewind and centrifugal brake. (The product offering also includes three different models of 50-ft reels.) The BSD20100 reel has a permanent ratchet lock; the other enclosed reels have a positive ratchet lock with a ratchet On/Off switch.

BURNDY www.burndy.com

Ideal Wire-Nut 73B awarded air handling space rating

Ideal Industries says its WireNut 73B wire connector line has received the UL 2043 Air Handling Safety Rating, enabling electricians to use 73B Black or Orange wire connectors on Class 2 or low-voltage connections inside plenums, ducts and other spaces used for environmental air handling without enclosing the connection within an electrical box. The standard 73B (Orange) has a square-wire spring to eliminate the pre-twisting of wire for installation, and is rated for up to 600V and 105 C. It is suitable for low-voltage wiring in air handling spaces where a box is not required, such as speakers, video cables, or security/alarm systems.

The 73B (Black) boasts the same

Plus integrates communications between tool, battery and charger to protect them from overloading, overheating and over-discharging.

MILWAUKEE TOOL www.milwaukeetool.com

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV supplies power to domestic appliances Walter Surface Technologies says its new Zipcutter is the “most powerful cordless cutter that can drive a 6-in. cutting wheel”.

The tool sports an 18V/5.2Ah battery and features a ventilated charging system that helps extend battery life by keeping it cool during charging. Zipcutter includes Dynamax electronics for RPM control and consistent speed under load, bevelled gears to reduce noise, and a front retaining plate and rear bushing to prevent misalignment and reduce vibration. The cutter is designed to be used with Walter’s ZIP family of cutting wheels, and is available in 4 1/2-in., 5-in. and 6-in. diameters.

WALTER SURFACE www.walter.com

Milwaukee delivers SDS+ rotary hammer solution on one battery system

Milwaukee Tool says it has redefined the cordless SDS Plus rotary hammer market with the addition of two new M18 Fuel models that round out the line and “deliver the market’s first and only full SDS Plus solution powered by one battery system”.

The full solution includes an M18 5/8-in., M18 7/8-in. and M18 Fuel 1-in. for the medium segment, and an M18 Fuel 1-1/8-in. for more demanding applications. The Powerstate motor converts energy into power more efficiently, says the company, with no wearable parts.

RedLithium XC4.0 batteries promise a full day of work on one charge, while RedLink

Calling it a world first for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. announced its Outlander PHEV is now also able to supply electrical power to the home using a V2H (vehicle-to-home) system in addition to being able to be charged from a domestic outlet. To date, the use of a V2H system had only been approved for all-electric vehicles, says the automaker; the Outlander PHEV, however, will be treated as an all-electric vehicle because its engine does not run while connected to a V2H system. The V2H system makes it possible to use the Outlander PHEV as an emergency power source, supplying electricity stored in the vehicle’s drive battery to run domestic appliances in a power outage. Available as a factory option, a 1500W AC100V power feeder enables the Outlander PHEV to directly power electrical appliances either in emergency situations or when engaged in outdoor activities.

MITSUBISHI www.mitsubishi-motors.com

Sprinter goes off-roading in model year 2015

The 2.1L, 4-cyl standard diesel produces 161 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. The optional V6 diesel offers 188 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque (the exclusive engine of the optional 4x4, new for 2015). A key focus in developing the Sprinter for the model year 2014 product revision was on a range of new assistance systems, says Mercedes, including Collision Prevention Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Highbeam Assist and Lane-Keeping Assist. New for model year 2015 is Crosswind Assist (standard on 2500 models), which helps compensate for the effects of gusts of wind on the vehicle at highway speeds.

SPRINTER www.thesprinter.ca

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The 2015 Sprinter van enters its second model “with a freshened look that is also more economical, safer and environmentally friendly”.

The standard engine is a 4-cyl diesel with 7-speed automatic transmission (with available V6 diesel powertrain). Since 2010, all Sprinters in the U.S. have been powered by BlueTEC diesel engines, which promise to be as clean as a gasoline engine.

A diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) injection system reduces nitrogen oxides to nitrogen and water in a downstream catalytic converter.

Arlington Industries......................13 Banvil ..........................................17 Bridgeport Fittings .........................9 Canadian Standards Association ..22 Electrical Safety Authority ............14 FLIR Canada ................................11 IPEX Electrical................................2 Mersen ........................................23 Nexans ..........................................1 Northern Cables .............................7 Standard Products .......................15 Thomas & Betts ..........................1,5 Underground Devices.....................8 United Wire ....................................4

www.EBMag.com • February 2015 • 21

code file

David Pilon

What’s new with 2-024 “Use of approved equipment”?

A

t first glance, the big change in the new 2015 CE Code to 2-024 is to exclude Class 2 circuits operating at not more than 42.4V peak or DC when located on the load side of overcurrent protection, transformers or current-limiting devices.

This does not include lighting products, electromedical equipment, equipment for hazardous locations, or thermostats incorporating heat anticipators. It also does not exclude equipment that may have other requirements under other sections of the code (i.e. 32-104, as Section 32 is an amended section), nor does it exclude the power supplies that come with a higher supply voltage.

The rule does not identify what else is approved. For these answers, we need to look further into some of the changes within C22.1-15, “Canadian electrical code, part I (23rd ed.), safety standard for electrical installations”.

Rule 12-510 appears to accept cable ties for support; essentially, the Rule accepts another approved product for use in an approved manner. Appendix B includes a table describing the types and use of cable ties and the different rating identifiers. Type 2S or 21S are specifically approved to provide primary support; however, add the designation AH-2 and the primary support approval vanishes.

In accordance with CE Code Part II, C22.2: “General Requirements”, each cable tie shall bear the manufacturer’s or vendor’s name, trademark and identifying symbol. In addition, the packaging or instructions must provide the maximum and minimum operating temps, minimum installation temp, minimum and maximum bundle diameter, loop tensile strength and type designation. As for UV rating, the cable tie may be shown as “For Use Outdoors” or “For Use Outdoors or Indoors”.

So this explains how the approved product should look, but where is it allowed to be used?

The caution here is that the approval is limited to use on flexible conduit and tubing, or cable in accordance with the CE Code. Rules 12-510(1) (4), 12-706(1), 12-1010(3) and 12-1308(1) refer to the use of cable ties of a type specifically approved for the purpose.

Another new item on the list is the protection of cables when run through a wooden stud, joist or similar member, but are too close to the edge.

Rule 12-516 now permits the use of a cylindrical bushing that is approved for this specific purpose, sized for the hole through the member, and extending a minimum of 13 mm (1/2 in.) on either side of the member, and no, conduit will not meet the intent, as the Rule requires product

Questions and answers compiled by the Electrical Safety Authority

VISIT WWW.ESASAFE.COM

Question 1

Answers: EBMag January 2015

Tackle The Code Conundrum... if you dare!

Answers to this month’s questions in March’s Electrical Business.

How did you do with the last quiz?

Are you a...

Master Electrician ? (3 of 3) Journeyman ? (2 of 3) Apprentice ? (1 of 3) Plumber ?! (0 of 3)

Where a fan is used to ventilate commercial cooking equipment, the control for the fan motor shall be: a) readily accessible b) Within reach of the cooking equipment c) external to the ventilation hood d) all of the above

Question 2

each receptacle that supplies shore power to boats is required to be supplied by an individual branch circuit that supplies no other equipment. a) true b) False

Question 3

the largest size of a stranded conductor that is permitted to be terminated under a wire-binding terminal of a wiring device is:

Q-1: Class H fuses are permitted to be used for overcurrent protection where circuit overload protection is provided by other means.

approved for this specific purpose.

While piecing together the 2015 code, a discussion arose regarding the use of discarded electrical box sides as protectors. These are not approved as they are often thinner than approved protectors (at 1.1 mm versus 1.3 mm) and, because they are often not flat, drywallers remove them to avoid a bulge.

Appendix G takes you to the National Building Code, which defines how and where studs, floor joists, roof trusses, etc., may be drilled or notched. These rules address the locations of holes and how they affect the strength of the structure. Rule 12-516 addresses the location of holes in relation to the protection of the cables, which is 32 mm (1-1/2 in.) from the edge of the member.

By employing Rules 2-024 and 2-030, new products can enter the workplace, help us keep up with technology and ensure our trade continues to grow and thrive. These solutions, however, require manufacturer documentation for the AHJ (authority having jurisdiction), who still has discretion to accept or reject equipment. Codes still need to be addressed and rewritten as these changes occur, but we have the tools and ability to change.

David Pilon has been an electrical inspector with SaskPower since 2000, and is currently the vice-chair of the Canadian Certified Electrical Inspector (CCEI) committee of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI), Canadian Section. David can be reached at dpilon@saskpower.com.

b) False. Rule 14-212.

Q-2: does the Ce Code permit a 8aWG system grounding conductor, that is free from exposure to mechanical injury, to run exposed along the surface of a building construction without protection? b) No. Rule 10-806.

Q-3: Wthe maximum voltage for a Class 2 circuit is:

Always

consult the electrical inspection authority in your province/territory for more specific interpretations.

d) 150V. Rule 16-200.

a) no. 14 aWG c) no. 10 aWG b) no. 12 aWG d) no. 8 aWG

IT’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

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22 • February 2015 • www.EBMag.com

2014-12-19 9:42 AM

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