EPS Magazine, February 2011

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CONTENTS

PUBLISHER

Danny J. Salchert OFFICE MANAGER

Anita Salchert NATIONAL SALES MANAGER

Jerry DiChiara jerryd@epsmag.net CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Derek Gaylard

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Paul Hernday, Jeff Jowett, Joe Bono CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Pam Fulmer

FEATURES 6 Is Your Solar Array Trying to Tell You Something?

Measuring PV Array Performance Helps Ensure Optimum Production

By Paul Hernday

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PRESIDENT

Danny J. Salchert

Guard Terminal

By Jeff Jowett

CASE STUDY 24 A Match Made in Solar Family Owned Electrical Contracting Business Sees Significant Growth with the Addition of Solar

By Joe Bono

DEPARTMENTS 32 Product Focus 40 Ad Index

ON THE COVER Cover photography provided by Solar Universe

Executive and Advertising Offices 3591 Cahaba Beach Road Birmingham, AL 35242 toll free: 800.981.4541 phone: 205.981.4541 fax: 205.981.4544 www.epsmag.net • danny@epsmag.net Electrical Products & Solutions™ is published twelve times a year on a monthly basis by ABD Communications, Inc., 3591 Cahaba Beach Road, Birmingham, Alabama, 35242, USA. Electrical Products & Solutions™ is distributed free to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified subscription rates are $57.00 per year in the U.S. and Canada and $84.00 per year for foreign subscribers (surface mail). U.S. Postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama and additional mailing offices.

Electrical Products & Solutions™ is distributed to qualified readers in the electrical contracting industry.

Publisher is not liable for all content (including editorial and illustrations provided by advertisers) of advertisements published and does not accept responsibility for any claims made against the publisher. It is the advertiser’s or agency’s responsibility to obtain appropriate releases on any item or individuals pictured in an advertisement. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ABD Communications, Inc., P.O. Box 382885 Birmingham, Alabama 35238-2885 PRINTED IN THE USA

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FEATURE • Solmetric DC clamp-meters can’t detect. They also analyze the data, draw the user’s attention to problem strings and provide troubleshooting clues.

Introduction to I-V Curve Measurement

Is Your Solar Array Trying to Tell You Something?

Measuring PV Array Performance Helps Ensure Optimum Production

By Paul Hernday, Applications Engineer, Solmetric Corporation

ray represents a major investment of capital and energy. As an installer, if your array has performance problems, you want to know about them during system construction, when fixing them is least costly. You also want test equipment that measures performance comprehensively and quickly, reduces the amount of manual record keeping, and makes troubleshooting more efficient.

Data from these tests should allow prompt close-out of the contract and provide a solid performance baseline for ongoing maintenance.

Powerful new I-V curve measurement tools meet this need. They measure each PV string in seconds and reveal performance issues that digital multi-meters and 6

Electrical Products & Solutions • February 2011

The I-V curve captures all key performance parameters and gives clues to the causes of performance problems. The P-V curve is calculated from the I-V curve; each point is the product of (I x V).

FIGURE 1

A

commercial-scale PV ar-

The I-V (current-voltage) curve of a healthy PV string is a scale-up of a single PV cell. The string can be operated (‘loaded’) at any point on this curve at the existing irradiance (light level) and temperature.

In an operating PV system, the inverter continually adjusts the load, seeking the particular (I,V) point at which the array as a whole yields the greatest DC power.

The distinctive shape of the I-V curve (see the dark blue curve in Figure 1) has three separate regions. At the lower voltages, the flow of solar-generated electrical charge to the external load is relatively independent of output voltage. Near the knee of the curve, this behavior starts to change. As the voltage increases further, an increasing percentage of the charges recombine within the solar cells rather than flowing out through the load. At the open circuit voltage (Voc), all of the charges recombine internally. The maximum power point (MPP), located at the knee of the curve, is the (I,V) point at which the product of current and voltage reaches its Continued on page 8 maximum value.

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FEATURE • Solmetric

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FIGURE 2

In the field, I-V curves are measured under natural light using an external load that may be electronic, resistive, or capacitive.

In the capacitive load method, the PV source rapidly charges a load capacitor from zero volts to Voc, and the (I,V) points are measured along the way. High-efficiency PV cells take longer to shift their operating point, so to avoid distorting their I-V curves, the I-V measurement sweep rate must be kept below a maximum rate determined by the PV cell technology. The Solmetric PVA-600 PV Analyzer automatically selects among three banks of capacitors to assure sweep rates that accurately measure high-efficiency modules.

Commissioning New PV Arrays I-V measurement screen of the Solmetric PV Analyzer. The pattern of 5 dots represents the predicted I-V curve shape.

collection of real-time irradiance and temperature.

For PV modules that are not yet included in the on-board database, a third model – the Simple Performance Model – predicts Pmax using parameters entered from the PV module datasheet. All three of these models provide instant feedback on the health of a PV module or string.

For convenience in different testing scenarios, the measurement results are presented in two additional formats. The Verify tab tells the user at a glance how the string is performing by displaying the Per-

formance Factor, defined as the measured maximum power value as a percentage of the predicted value. The Table tab displays the measured and predicted values of key parameters such as Pmax, Isc and Voc, as well as the sensor data. Additional columns allow for taking measurement data ‘snapshots’ to aid in troubleshooting.

I-V Curve Test Process In commercial-scale PV systems, I-V curve measurements are typically performed at a PV string combiner box, as shown in Figure 3.

Continued on page 12

Modeling Instantaneous PV Performance Verifying PV system performance means comparing the results of measurements with a model or specification, taking into account the existing irradiance and temperature. The Solmetric PV Analyzer provides two detailed PV models – the Sandia PV Array Model and the 5-Parameter Model. The predicted I-V curve shape is indicated by a pattern of 5 dots as shown in Figure 2. An optional wireless sensor kit automates the Test setup for measuring I-V curves at a PV string combiner box.

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Electrical Products & Solutions • February 2011

FIGURE 3

Testing PV arrays during system commissioning is a PV industry best practice that is usually required for larger systems.

Traditionally, performance verification meant measuring Voc of each string, then turning the system on and measuring the current of each string at the system’s max power condition.

There are several limitations to this traditional approach. First, some failure modes of PV modules do not show up in Voc or Isc tests. Second, the maximum power point found by the inverter represents the population of strings connected to it – any individual string could differ significantly.

Finally, measuring string current while the PV system is operating is less safe, convenient and accurate than we would like.

The ideal performance verification technique is to 1) measure the I-V curves of individual strings, capturing all of the available performance information, 2) do it in less time than traditional methods, and 3) immediately compare the measurement results with the predictions of an on-board PV model. This cluster of objectives guided the development of the Solmetric PV Analyzer.

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FEATURE • Solmetric

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FIGURE 4

The process is simple. First, isolate the combiner box from the rest of the PV system by opening its DC disconnect switch.

Next, de-energize the combiner box buss bars by lifting all of the touch-safe string fuses. With a multi-meter, verify that the buss bars are de-energized. Then clip the Solmetric PV Analyzer’s test leads to the buss bars. To measure a string, insert its fuse and trigger the measurement. Note whether it passes or fails, and save the data for future reference. This entire cycle takes approximately 10-15 seconds per string and involves no manual data recording.

The Solmetric PV Analyzer saves I-V data to ‘array trees’ – file folder structures that reflect the hierarchy of the actual PV system. The top-level folder, representing the entire system, contains a separate folder for each inverter. Each inverter folder contains another set of folders representing the individual PV combiner boxes. String I-V measurement is saved in the appropriate folder, using the string numbers as file names. The saved data includes the points of the I-V curve as well as the measured and predicted key parameter values.

Analyzing I-V Measurement Results

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Distribution of max power values for a population of PV strings, automatically calculated from measured I-V data.

of comparison can also draw attention to equipment – greater economy, speed, confailed bypass diodes, cracked cells, and ex- venience, ruggedness and affordability – cess series and shunt losses. make I-V testing a natural choice in today’s competitive PV marketplace. ❏

Summary

I-V curve testing has long been a PV industry best practice because it provides a detailed picture of PV string performance along with clues to the cause of any performance issues. I-V measurements are the best way to demonstrate array performance during PV system commissioning, and the data collected at that time provides the ideal performance baseline for ongoing maintenance. Recent advances in the I-V testing

Paul Hernday is an Applications Engineer with Solmetric, where he focuses primarily on PV array design and performance characterization.

Solmetric’s products include the SunEye Shade Analysis Tool, PV Designer software for PV system design, and the new PVA-600 PV Analyzer for I-V curvebased testing of PV arrays. Contact Paul at paul@solmetric.com.

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Electrical Products & Solutions • February 2011

FIGURE 5

When it’s time to analyze commissioning or re-commissioning data, an optional Solmetric I-V Data Analysis Tool automatically imports each array tree and makes array performance visible. It shows how key string parameters are distributed (Figure 4) and overlays I-V curves for easy comparison (Figure 5). The tool automatically flags any strings whose key parameters do not fall within user-defined limits.

There are two general approaches to analyzing the I-V data from PV system commissioning or periodic system checkups.

The first approach is to compare the measured I-V data with predictions of the PV models. This highlights performance issues and gives great troubleshooting clues, and because the models represent the PV modules when they were new, this comparison also indicates how much PV module performance has degraded with age.

The second approach to analyzing measurement data is to examine the consistency of I-V curves and key parameters across a population of PV strings. For example, the single outlying I-V curve in Figure 5 was a clue that rooftop equipment was shading a Family of I-V curves from strings at a single combiner box. One string is partly shaded few cells of one PV module. These types by nearby HVAC equipment.

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FEATURE • Megger

MIT 1020/2

Guard Terminal

By Jeff Jowett

I

nsulation testers, or megohmmeters, are the instruments of choice for checking and measuring electrical insulation. Beyond the stated function of providing a resistance reading of the insulation around wires, motor and transformer windings, and any other kind of electrical equipment, the total value of an insulation test is much greater. It is a quick and simple way to get an idea of the overall condition of electrical equipment, the degree of wear, and where it is on its life cycle. It is a convenient way to make much broader assessments of an electrical maintenance program.

Insulation resistance readings act something like the odometer readings on a car, but in reverse. They start high…off the scale of all but the best insulation testers…at time of manufacture, and then drift gradually lower through the accumulation of wear, moisture, dirt, contamination, burn tracks and stress.

All megohmmeters employ a dc test current, and therefore positive and negative terminals to connect the test leads across the specimen.

Accordingly, these are generally marked + and -, or possibly L and E for 14

10-kV, MIT1020/2 in use

“Line” and “Earth”, or some similar notation. Many testers, especially handhelds and 1kV and below models, have only these two terminals. But wait!

What’s that third terminal on many units, especially benchtop (landscape style) and higher voltage (above 1kV) models? First of all, it is NOT a “Ground”. Typically marked with a “G”, the “Guard” terminal is sometimes mistaken for a safety

Electrical Products & Solutions • February 2011

MIT 510/2

ground. Using it as if it were a ground and connecting it in parallel with the low side of the test will do no real harm, but it will short circuit all of the test current and invalidate the readings.

The function of the Guard is to act as a shunt circuit for parallel leakage paths in the test item. With it, one or more parallel current paths can be removed from the measurement, thereby permitting a precise reading of the remaining path. Again, the guard terminal can be compared to an automobile function, where many drivers never use the added gears on an automatic transmission and don’t consider the difference. Similarly, a three-terminal insulation tester can be used in the two-terminal configuration for its life and no real harm is done. It just isn’t being employed to full advantage.

Without the guard, the test item is being measured as a complete unit. With the guard, the test item can be sectionalized and multiple readings can be taken and compared.

Let’s start with some common examples. The most prevalent use is for the elimination of surface leakage. An Continued on page 16 insulation tester

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FEATURE • Megger

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Figure 1

measures the small (generally nano-amp) current that flows through insulation to ground or other conductors and increases as the insulating material deteriorates over time. This is termed “leakage” current.

But in addition to leakage through the insulating material, there can also be current drawn across the surface of the material. A frequent occurrence is that of surface leakage across cable terminations.

With the negative terminal connected to the conductor and the positive to a sheath or braid, the test voltage gradient exists between these two points and will pull current across the cable surface as well as through the insulating material. This is of interest for two reasons: how dirty is the cable and what is its insulation condition?

These two factors are closely inter-related but, with the use of the guard, can be measured and evaluated separately.

Surface leakage is promoted by dirt, moisture and contamination on the cable’s exterior jacket and exposed surfaces. Re-

member to separate the consideration of this current from that of conductor current. It is extremely small but enough to cause considerable damage over time. The ions in water, dirt, and contaminating chemicals, and the semi-conductor effect of carbon burn tracks are sufficient to accommodate surface flow. Over time, this will contribute to the deterioration of the cable, but surface leakage is more easily dealt with than leakage through the body of the insulation. First, it must be identified and evaluated. In order to separate out the surface leakage, a bare copper conductor can be wrapped around the cable termination between the alligator clips of the two test leads. A third lead then connects this to the

MIT 520/2

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Electrical Products & Solutions • February 2011

guard terminal (Fig. 1). Current traveling across the surface from one clip to the other will be intercepted and shunted back through the guard circuit. This circuit returns to the tester’s transformer, bypassing the measurement function. It is effectively shunted out of the measurement. Accordingly, the tester measures only the leakage getting through the insulating material, from conductor to sheath.

The reading will be higher than without the guard, because a portion of the leakage current has been diverted, and the magnitude of the difference indicates the degree to which each element contributed to the overall resistance. It could be that the insulation is actually in good shape, and a cleaning of the termination and remeasurement will verify this. It will also eliminate a possible future breakdown, at least until dirt and contamination have had time Figure 2

to build up again. Without the guard terminal, this critical determination, which can be made quickly by little more than switching leads, would be left to guesswork.

Another frequent use of the guard terminal is in the testing of transformer bushings. As these are often outdoors, the buildup of dirt, moisture and contaminants is paramount. In early morning there may be a coating of dew. If a maintenance test is performed on the insulating ceramic, current can track through this surface coating and substantially bring down the reading. But the real concern is cracks or pinholes in the ceramic that can be made by lightning strokes or fault spikes. If merely tested with a two-terminal configuration, the low reading caused by surface tracking cannot be separated from the possibility of structural damage to the ceramic. The bushing may Continued on page 18

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FEATURE • Megger

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be removed and returned to the shop only to yield a satisfactorily high reading once the dew has evaporated. Again, if the surface leakage is intercepted and “guarded out”, a single test will reveal the actual condition of the ceramic. The guarding can be implemented with a simple bare copper wire, but specialized devices, like bushing guard springs, are also available (Fig. 2).

By extension, it can be seen that the guard terminal can perform numerous other functions to sectionalize and refine measurements wherever suspected parallel leakage paths may occur. A cable can be further sectionalized by guarding out various conductors while exploring the condition between the remainder. The insulation between stator and rotor can be measured while guarding out the case of a motor, or the individual windings tested to ground while guarding out the other windings. In the same manner, a transformer’s primary and secondary can be tested for leakage between them while

Figure 3

guarding ground (Fig. 3), or individual winding to ground with the other windings guarded out. Any test item with parallel leakage paths can be considered a three-terminal network of guard, line and

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earth, and by switching the leads between these elements, any one path can be singled out for measurement. This capability is narrowing down or isolating the trouble to a particular Continued on page 20

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FEATURE • Megger

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conductor, winding, or ground. For maintenance, it helps show where the greatest needs are for cleaning, drying or replacement.

Finally, however, it is wise to be aware that all guards are not the same.

Like other measurement functions, they have associated specifications. This could come as a surprise to people who

have worked with them for years, as it is not a prominent spec and the ability to evaluate the guard’s capabilities is not commonly advertised or known. The central issue is available test current. Insulation testers, although outputting high voltage, are capable of only very limited test current. This is what primarily separates them from “high-pots”. They are

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Electrical Products & Solutions • February 2011

not intended to break a test item down and take it out of service; they are intended to make a measurement. The operator then makes the decision as to what is to be done with the test item. Accordingly, test current is limited to only a few milli-amps, the maximum amount of current that insulation might accommodate while still being considered at least nominally “good” insulation. Once the tester’s current limit is being reached, something has to give. A little arithmetic and Ohm’s Law will show that this translates into something around 1 to 5 MΩ, below which insulation is not generally considered “good”.

An insulation tester worth its salt will NOT drop test voltage below the selected value, provided that the load being tested is nominally “good” insulation. But at “breakdown” levels of resistance, the tester should not be contributing to further deterioration by applying high voltage. Accordingly, voltage will collapse.

The critical implication for the guard circuit is that it should not be competing successfully for the limited available current.

When designing a tester to reach the market on price rather than capability, one of the easiest things to cut is guard performance. No one is likely to look for it, and the tester can be specified on the basis of its two-terminal performance, without the effect of the guard. A poorly designed guard circuit can load down the tester.

Surface leakage will often be ten or more times that of the insulation. Voltage will collapse around the guard circuit and the readings will no longer be truly indicative.

Guard terminal error can be as much as 80%!

Thankfully, there’s a simple safeguard.

Don’t be satisfied with vague general statements but look for a precise and rigorous definition of the guard error. The percent accuracy should be stated while guarding a specific surface leakage (in kΩ) against a specifically stated test load (in MΩ). These values should all represent reasonable and realistic parameters to the experienced technician. If no specification is available, beware! If the guard terminal error is limited to an acceptable accuracy…say on the order of 2%...the operator can use the tester with confidence and the added capability will provide an extra tool for the detailed assessment of electrical condition and troubleshooting. ❏

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CASE STUDY • Solar Universe

A Match Made in Solar Family Owned Electrical Contracting Business Sees Significant Growth with the Addition of Solar

By Joe Bono

V

alley Unique Electric is a For over three decades, Valley Unique knew solar installations would be critical to

thriving electrical contracting company in Fresno, California. Founded in 1979 by Hogi Selling III and Walt Worthington, the company is still owned and operated by the two founders and their sons, Hogi Selling IV and Mark Worthington.

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Electric has provided electrical contracting services, expanding its offerings to evolve with the times. With climate change awareness, soaring fuel prices, rising electric costs, and government incentives, Valley Unique Electric spotted the solar trend and

Electrical Products & Solutions • February 2011

the ongoing growth of their already successful electrical contracting business.

They saw a need to enter the solar market, and a partnership was formed with James Vumback and Solar Universe.

While Valley Unique Electric had dabbled in solar projects in the past partnering with local solar installer sub contractors, their 2009 partnership with James Vumback, one of the Solar Universe franchise owners, instantly put them on the solar map.

After meeting on a golf course, James Vumback got to know Mark Worthington and his team at Valley Unique Electric.

Vumback had left his twenty-year sales and marketing career at AT&T in search of something new. He was intrigued by solar innovation and projects and saw real potential when he discovered the Solar Universe franchise model. Solar Universe, based in Livermore, California, had a Central Valley franchise opportunity available. Vumback had the entrepreContinued on page 26 neurial passion and

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CASE STUDY • Solar Universe the sales and marketing background, but he needed a partner who understood the hands-on aspects of a solar installation business and was impressed by Valley Unique Electrics electrical background and established client base in California’s Central Valley. In January 2009, James Vumback, Valley Unique Electric and Solar Universe joined forces to tackle the so-

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lar installation needs of Central Valley, California.

The combination of the trusted, local, family-owned electrical contracting business and the established solar brand makes Valley Unique Electric (DBA Solar Universe) a powerful force to be reckoned with in the Central Valley. Today, Valley Unique Electric (DBA Solar Uni-

verse) has over 220 solar project installations in the Central Valley.

“We went from zero to 220 installations in a very short time, making us the number 3 installer of solar projects in the Central Valley,” said Vumback. “The Solar Universe franchise model allowed us to seamlessly enter the solar market and see results immediately.”

An Electrical Contractor’s Key to Solar Success The skill set of an electrical contractor is the perfect foundation for a solar installer.

The Solar Universe franchise model builds on this strong foundation and sets the electrical contractor up for success in the solar market, equipping them with the training, materials and brand recognition they need to succeed in the rapidly growing solar installation market.

“As contractors our sales and marketing skills can only go so far,” said Mark Worthington, owner of Valley Unique Electric.

“That’s where James and Solar Universe were able to step in and help us reach our goals of expanding our services to include solar.”

Valley Unique Electric was able to make the successful transition into the solar market while avoiding the common pitfalls that other electrical contractors have encountered when attempting to break into the solar market.

Marketing: It can take years for an electrical contractor to build brand recognition and awareness in the solar market. Many small companies are unfamiliar with marketing and sales strategies and they are ultimately limiting their own growth. The strength of the Solar Universe franchise model eliminated this challenge.

Knowledge: It is crucial to the success of any solar installation business that all solar installers have the proper knowledge, training and equipment. Valley Unique Electric had a deep understanding of electrical contracting, so the learning curve for them in transitioning to solar was a breeze with training provided by the Solar Universe franchise model.

Purchasing Power: Small companies naturally start out with a smaller number of jobs, which leads to purchasing materials in small quantities at higher prices. 60% of the cost of a solar installation is equipment – volume pricing is key. Valley Unique Continued on page 28 Electric was able to FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 32 ON READER SERVICE CARD

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CASE STUDY • Solar Universe drum up a lot of solar business very quickly, and the Solar Universe franchise model provided competitive buying power for capital efficiency.

Bright Future for Electrical Contractors in Solar At a time when many small business owners saw jobs declining and the need to cut back on staff and spending, Valley Unique Electric, with the addition of Solar Universe, has seen tremendous growth. They’ve hired a number of new sales representatives as well as additional installers to meet the growing demand for their services.

As we head into 2011 the future of solar continues to look bright. One factor that will definitely contribute to the continued growth was the extension of the 1603 Treasury Grants in December 2010. This extension allows investors to recoup 30% of their investment upon completion of their projects through a Treasury grant.

Another factor that will come into play

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is the continuing decline in the cost of solar materials and installation. According to a study from the New Energy Finance, the research firm predicted that by the end of 2009 the capital markets would “loosen up” and combined with the continuing decrease in solar equipment costs, it would lead to a 50 percent drop in overall solar costs compared to the end of 2008.Preliminary results showed that costs dropped significantly in 2010 as well and that trend is likely to continue into 2011.

Renewable portfolio standards (RPSs) are another factor that could help reduce the cost of solar significantly. On January 13, 2011, The California Public Utilities Commission voted to authorize the use of tradable renewable energy credits (TRECS) for RPS compliance.

There are a number of state and local programs that provide rebates and credits for solar investments. The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, or DESIRE, www.dsireusa.org, has state-by-state listings of all applica-

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Electrical Products & Solutions • February 2011

ble Federal incentives.

“Could we have done it without Solar Universe? Maybe. But it would have taken far longer to see growth and profits. Solar Universe was able to cut the learning curve drastically,” Said Vumback.

Solar Universe is increasing its service coverage, enhancing its customer offerings and accelerating the adoption of distributed renewable energy.

Please visit www.solaruniverse.com or www.valleyunique.com for additional information. To learn about opening a Solar Universe franchise, visit www.solaruniverse.com/franchise_tour_1 .

Joe Bono is the Founder, Solar Universe, a solar installation and finance company headquartered in Northern California. www.solaruniverse.com

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Product FOCUS Bridgeport Introduces Patented Mighty-Move™ Expansion Couplings for Use in Wet or Dry Locations Unique, low profile designs are ideal for limited space requirements Bridgeport Fittings announces Mighty-Move™ expansion couplings for wet or dry applications, with unique, patented, low-profile designs that are ideal for limited space requirements.

The Mighty-Move™ steel dry location expansion couplings are low-cost and easy-to-use and assemble like a regular EMT set screw coupling. They can be used to compensate plus or minus 2” of lateral movement of conduit in dry locations. The UL Listed dry location couplings are available for use with ¾” through 4” EMT and 2 ½” through 4” rigid conduit.

The Mighty-Move™ aluminum raintight expansion couplings can be used to compensate plus or minus 2” of lateral movement in either an indoor or outdoor raceway system. The UL Listed raintight couplings are available for use with 1” EMT or rigid conduit. Additional sizes will be available soon.

The Mighty-Move ™ expansion couplings are part of Bridgeport’s Mighty-B™ family of innovative, high-performance products focused on getting a contractor’s job “done fast, done right.” Mighty-B™ solutions are labor saving or problem solving devices – some unique in their design – that cover a full range of connectors, couplings and other innovative product categories.

The Mighty-B™ product line is represented by Mighty-B™, the “might man” superhero, who stands for the products’ innovation, speed and maneuverability. Mighty-B™ can be followed on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/CallMightyB) or visited on the Bridgeport website (http://www.bptfittings.com/MightyB).

For more information, visit www.bptfittings.com

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Product FOCUS Condux International Offers Full Line of CableGliderÂŽ Cable Pullers Condux International offers a complete line of versatile cable pullers for a variety of electric cable pulling applications. Condux CableGlider cable pullers offer portability and ease of set-up. Units are completely self-contained and adapt to a variety of pulling situations.

The Condux CableGlider STD cable puller provides 6,500 lbs. of pulling force and two speed operation. The CableGlider Plus offers the same pulling force and twospeed operation as the STD model, but comes equipped with a heavy duty frame and extra pivot arms for challenging pulling situations. The CableGlider HD provides maximum pulling power for longer runs, offer 12,000 lbs. of pulling force.

A lightweight CableGlider LW accommodates both vertical and horizontal pulling applications. A pivoting arm also allows the CableGlider LW to work with a range of jobsite conditions. The one-speed motor and gearbox provide up to 3,000 lbs. of pulling force and a maximum pulling speed of 30 ft./min.

For more information, visit www.condux.com

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Product FOCUS Continental Control Systems, LLC Announces Three New Options on the WattNode® MODBUS Energy and Power Meter Continental Control Systems, LLC is pleased to announce an update to our WattNode® MODBUS meter.

This update includes switching to 100% RoHs (lead free) production for all WattNode MODBUS models. We have also added new feature options and firmware enhancements.

With the release of Firmware Version 16, CCS has added three options utilizing the X (auxiliary) terminal on the MODBUS connector: • OPTION X5 - Provides 5 VDC at up to 60 mA between C (common) and X (5V) terminals for powering external devices, such as low-powered data loggers or wireless transceivers.

• OPTION IO – Provides a digital input (level sensing and pulse counting) or output (for load shedding and other applications) on the X terminal • OPTION SSR – Provides a solid-state relay (contact closure) output between the X and C terminals for load shedding and applications.

• See WattNode MODBUS – OPTIONS for a complete list of all available options.

For more information, visit www.ccontrolsys.com

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Product FOCUS Cooper Lighting Introduces Shaper Architectural High-Performance High-Bay Luminaires Decorative line offers versatility with numerous specification options Cooper Lighting, a division of Cooper Industries plc (NYSE: CBE), has announced the introduction of the Shaper 1300 High Performance (HP) Series, a new line of decorative high-bay luminaires featuring an aesthetically pleasing architectural design with numerous specification options. Available in two sizes (14” & 18” diameter), five optical choices and multiple lamping options, the Shaper 1300 HP Series can be ceiling, wall or pendant mounted in a variety of configurations. In addition to the standard finish options, the fixtures are offered with unique Custom Decorative Metals featuring 13 jewel-toned colors, as well as hand-painted faux wood options to add a distinctive look to commercial, education, retail, hospitality, heath care and high-end, modern residential spaces.

The Shaper 1300 HP Series offers pendant configuration choices of single or multiple fixture options of two-, three- and four-pendant luminaires. For surface and single pendant mounting, the fixtures can be specified with a single rigid stem, with four aircraft cables or directly surface-mounted to a standard junction box with no visible hardware. Multi-fixture luminaires are suspended with four rigid stems. The single wall-mounted fixtures are available in four arm configurations including a unique curved arm with a stainless steel cable attachment.

Designed for direct, indirect or direct/indirect illumination, the Shaper 1300 HP Series features a choice of five high-performance optical lens options including a Solid Aluminum Optic Shroud, Glass Refractor, Glass Refractor with Optic Shroud, Glass Refractor with Indirect Optic Shroud or Reflector with Optic Shroud (for use with designated lamps). Lenses are available in both clear and frosted glass.

For more information, visit www.cooperindustries.com

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Advertiser INDEX This advertisers index is compiled as a courtesy to our readers. While every effort is made to provide a complete and accurate listing of companies, page numbers and reader service numbers, the publisher is not responsible for errors.

Company

PG#

RS#

Company

15 IFC 25 36 32 1 20 26 19 17 34 5 35 22 3, 9 36 4 7 40

13 1 19 37 34 4 31 32 15 14 36 7 25 17 5, 9 38 6 8 41

HIOKI USA ICC JAC-RACK KRENZ & COMPANY MEGGER ONTILITY LLC PG LIFELINK PHASE-A-MATIC SCHNEIDER RENEWABLES SMARTGUARD PRODUCTS SOKKIA SOLAR UNIVERSE SOLMETRIC CORPORATION STEELMAN INDUSTRIES STRIP-TEC UNDERGROUND DEVICES UNITED COPPER INDUSTRIES UTILIITY METALS VERVE LIVING SYSTEMS

AEE SOLAR AEMC INSTRUMENTS ALBER CORPORATION ARPI OF USA BATTCON 2011 BRADY WORLDWIDE BURNDY PRODUCTS BYTE BROTHERS CALIFORNIA TURBO CONDUIT REPAIR SYSTEMS CONTINENTAL CONTROL SYSTEMS, LLC COOPER B-LINE COPPER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION EXELTECH EXTECH INSTRUMENTS / FLIR SYSTEMS E-Z METER GARVIN INDUSTRIES GENERATOR INTERLOCK TECHNOLOGIES GENSCO

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11 23 28 38 21 37 IBC 38 33 13 27 29 10 34 18 31 30 39 BC

11 18 33 39 16 26 2 40 24 12 20 21 10 35 30 23 22 27 3

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