EPS Magazine August 2015

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CONTENTS

PUBLISHER

Danny J. Salchert OFFICE MANAGER

Anita Salchert ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Bart Beason bart@epsmag.net CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Derek Gaylard CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Pam Fulmer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

John Olobri • Frank Basciano

PRESIDENT

Danny J. Salchert

6 FEATURES 6 Insulation Resistance Testing Demystified

By John Olobri

PART 1 OF A 2 PART ARTICLE

18

Low-Level Transient Voltages, Should We Care?

By Frank Basciano

DEPARTMENTS 30 Industry News 34 Product Focus 40 Ad Index

ON THE COVER Photo provided by AEMC® Instruments

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Electrical Products & Solutions • August 2015

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.

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FEATURE • AEMC® Instruments PART 1 OF A 2 PART ARTICLE

Insulation Resistance Testing Demystified

By John Olobri, Director of Sales and Marketing, AEMC® Instruments

T

his two part article will attempt to explain the reasons for insulation testing, the types of testing

available and the proper methods of testing. In part one, we will cover the basics.

In part two, we will look at some of the advanced testing options and methods.

In a perfect world, electrical insulation would allow no current to flow through it. Unfortunately, a number of factors can, and will, over time result in the deterioration and ultimate failure of electrical insulation. Excessive heat or cold, moisture, dirt, corrosive vapors, oil, vibration, aging, and damaged wiring can all compromise an insulation system.

Faulty insulation can result in equipment underperformance and downtime, and pose a serious danger to personnel.

To assess and monitor insulation integrity, several tests have been developed.

These typically involve applying a test voltage which causes a current to flow and then measuring resistance. This “stress tests” the insulation, in a similar way that applying high water pressure to plumbing to test for leaks.

A regular program of resistance testing can detect insulation deterioration so it can be addressed before it becomes a major problem. Insulation resistance testing helps ensure personnel safety and optimal operation of equipment. It also helps evaluate the quality and level of repairs that may be required before equipment is put back into operation.

This article will present three commonly used methods for testing insulation resistance: the Spot Reading test, the Time Resistance test, and the Step Voltage test.

These three tests are used primarily to test insulation in motors, generators, cables, transformer and other electrical apparatus.

To perform these tests, you will need a megohmmeter with a timed test function

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and the ability to select from a range of test voltages.

It will also be helpful to have a thermometer or similar temperature measurement device. And if the equipment temperature is below the dew point, a humidity measuring instrument will be necessary, especially when performing a spot test.

Electrical Products & Solutions • August 2015

Safety Before performing any insulation resistance test, be sure to observe the following safety measures, as well as any additional guidelines specified in the documentation that comes with your test instrument. Insulation resistance testing involves the application of high DC voltages. Properly preparing Continued on page 8

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FEATURE • AEMC® Instruments the system under test and the instrument used to conduct the test, is crucial to your safety and helps prevent damage to your wiring and machinery.

1. Take the equipment under test out of service. Shut down the apparatus, open all switches, and de-energize the unit.

Disconnect from all other equipment and circuits, including neutral and protective ground connections. Be sure to follow any applicable lock-out/tag-out procedures during this step.

2. Perform a thorough inspection of the system. In general, the more equipment included in a test, the lower the resistance reading. Therefore it is critical to inspect the system and understand exactly what you’re including in the test. Make note of any equipment that might be damaged by high test voltages, and either adjust the test voltage accordingly or exclude these components from the test.

3. Discharge capacitive build up before conducting an insulation resistance

Continued from page 6

test. Note that modern megohmmeters automatically discharge this build-up when not running a test if the leads are connected to the device.

4. Check current leakage at switches and other connections.

When performing the test, restrict personnel access to the test site. Also, be sure to use personal protective gear such as gloves where appropriate.

And after the test is complete, make sure the system under test is fully discharged. A minimum discharge time of four to five times the duration of the applied test voltage is recommended. As previously stated, some insulation resistance test instruments feature a built-in feature to ensure a safe discharge after the test.

There are three electrical current components involved in an insulation test that needs to be understood when conducting a test.

To properly interpret test results, it’s

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Electrical Products & Solutions • August 2015

important to understand that the total current flowing through the insulation consists of these three components: capacitance charging current, absorption current, and conduction or leakage current.

Capacitance Charging Current When two conductors are in close proximity separated by an insulator – for example, a length of Continued on page 12

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FEATURE • AEMC® Instruments

Continued from page 8

resistance. And if the equipment’s surface temperature is at or below the dew point of the ambient air, a film of moisture forms. This can significantly lower the equipment’s resistance value.

Temperature is also a critical consideration. Insulation resistance can vary with temperature, with different materials exhibiting different rates of change. Ideally, all resistance testing should be done at the same temperature. If this is not possible, temperature should be carefully recorded so correction factors can be applied to the resistance measurements. common two-wire electrical cord — they can act as a capacitor.

When test voltage is first applied, this capacitive charging effect results in current flowing through the conductors until the voltage across the insulation reaches the test voltage. Consequently the initial resistance measurement will be relatively low and then quickly rise as the device becomes fully charged.

This effect is usually brief; often lasting less than a second (although on very long cables or large motors this can last much longer, up to 30 minutes or more).

Capacitive charging current is not an indicator of insulation quality; but it needs to be accounted for to ensure your measurements are meaningful and relevant.

Absorption Current

age current, is the steady current present both through and over the insulation.

This is a critical measurement, since an increase in conduction current over time is likely an indication of deteriorating or damaged insulation.

To summarize: for a typical test, the initial measurement primarily reflects capacitance charging current. After a period of time, absorption current is dominant. And beyond a period of time, often one to ten minutes, the measurement is mainly determined by conduction current which is the primary value used to calculate the quality of insulation resistance.

Combining these three components produces a total insulation current profile similar to the illustration shown below: Understanding how these individual

Absorption current, also called polarization absorption current, is caused by the insulating material becoming polarized by the electricity flowing through the conductor. As the polarization level increases, the absorption current decreases.

This gradual change reflects the storage of potential energy in and along the insulation. As a result, resistance is initially lower and then rises. This produces a measurement profile similar to capacitive charging current, but at a much slower rate; the effect can last from several seconds up to a minute or more.

The length of time it takes for absorption current to fall can be affected by moisture or other contaminants in the insulation material. Therefore absorption current is an important indicator of insulation integrity.

Spot Reading Test This is a basic, relatively straightforward test method: simply connect the megohmmeter leads to the device to be tested, apply test voltage for a fixed period of time (typically not more than a few minutes), then take a resistance reading. Spot testing is suitable for a system with small or negligible capacitive effect, for example a short wiring run.

A single Spot Reading test is of limited value; but the results become meaningful when a series of tests, all featuring the same test voltage and duration, are performed periodically (typically yearly) and the results compared.

This comparison can help predict a potential insulation failure in time to take corrective action.

currents contribute to the total insulator For example, suppose you perform a current can help you correctly interpret spot test every six months. By plotting the results you receive when performing the results on a graph, you observe a slow and gradual downward trend, as a test. would be expected by the normal aging Environmental Factors of the insulation. However, your latest It’s also important to be mindful of measurement reveals a sudden drop in how environmental factors can affect re- resistance. This is likely indication that Conduction Current sistance. For example, oil or soot on the the insulation has begun to deteriorate Conduction current, also called leak- equipment’s surface can lower insulation at an accelerated rate. Continued on page 14

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FEATURE • AEMC® Instruments To address this, you can schedule downtime for the system and take appropriate measures such as cleaning, upgrading, or replacing the insulation.

To ensure your results are valid, spot testing should ideally only be performed on systems with temperatures exceeding the dew point. If tests are performed at different temperatures, carefully record the temperature of each test and apply the appropriate correction to determine what the resistance would be if the test were performed at 20o C (68º F).

Time Resistance Test Another insulation resistance measurement method is the Time Resistance test. Typically this test method is referred to as the dielectric absorption (DAR) or Polarization Index (PI) test depending on the length of test time. It involves noting and recording at least two readings during the test. For a DAR test it is typically the resistance measurement taken 30 seconds into the test

Continued from page 12

and the measurement taken one minute into the test. For a PI test it is typically the resistance measurement taken one minute into the test and the measurement taken ten minutes into the test. The ratio is then calculated by dividing the second reading by the first reading to determine a ratio. The higher the ratio the better the insulation. In newer instruments these readings are automatically noted and the ratio automatically calculated and displayed. Although DAR is no longer commonly used with newer insulation systems; it still may have applicability when testing older insulation materials.

Plotting timed test results if readings are recorded all during the test is also very beneficial. You should see a curve that rises relatively rapidly at first, and then continues to gradually rise throughout the testing period. If instead the curve is relatively flat or begins to turn down as the test progresses, moisture, dirt, or other factors may be compro-

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Electrical Products & Solutions • August 2015

mising your insulation.

Time Resistance tests on large rotating electrical machinery, especially systems with high operating voltage, require high insulation resistance ranges and a very constant test voltage. Since this test provides meaningful results within the time duration, it is relatively independent of temperature. It is also independent of the size of the system under test.

Continued on page 16

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FEATURE • AEMC® Instruments Step Voltage Test A third method is the Step Voltage test. This involves testing at multiple test voltages and comparing the results. The test begins at an initial test voltage. At a specified interval, typically one minute, a measurement is recorded, after which the test voltage is increased. This increase is usually five times the initial

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voltage. This process may be repeated through several steps, with measurements taken after one minute and the test voltage increased at a five to one ratio over the previous voltage. A common practice is to test at five voltage steps.

The Step Voltage test is designed to create electrical stresses on internal insulation cracks, identifying potential

problems that may not be revealed by testing at lower voltages. Insulation that is thoroughly dry, clean, and in good physical condition should provide roughly the same resistance measurements across the voltage range. If instead you observe a significant decrease in resistance at higher voltage, your insulation may be contaminated or deteriorating.

Step Voltage testing is also often used as a way to dry wet cables or equipment.

Gradual voltage steps, applied for increasingly longer durations, can facilitate drying through heating.

In part two of this article we will discuss additional test techniques associated with higher voltages typically between 5,000 to 15,000 volts. We will discuss what to look for in selecting the right megohmmeter for the application. ❏

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Electrical Products & Solutions • August 2015

About the Author: John Olobri holds degrees in both Electrical and Industrial Engineering and has worked in the design and marketing of instrumentation for over 37 years.

He began his career designing Oscillographic chart recorders in the mid 1970s. Since then he has held positions of Service Manager, Product Marketing Manager and Sales Manager for several instrument manufacturers. For the past eighteen years, John has been the Director of Sales and Marketing for AEMC® Instruments where he has been actively involved in the areas of Insulation Resistance, Ground Resistance, Power Quality Testing and Data Logging. He also conducts accredited seminars on ground resistance testing in various cities around the country.

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FEATURE • Surge Suppression

Low-Level Transient Voltages, Should We Care?

By Frank Basciano

W

Figure 1: Hypothetical Bathtub Curve

hen people think of transients that are “eating away” your appliances and or surges in the electrical sys- electrical/electronic equipment.

tem, they often refer to events that are noticeable by the human senses; sight (lights flicker & computers lockup or reset), sound (circuit breakers popping, equipment damaged by arcing or alarms going off) and smell (failed electrical components/systems or worse yet, fire). These are noteworthy events and properly selected and installed surge protective devices (SPD) [also known as Transient Voltage Surge Suppressors (TVSS)] can go a long way in preventing those failures that one’s sense of smell could detect. However, there is a daily and often a continuous bombardment of low-level transient voltages

Modern electronics have brought about many desired conveniences and benefits to mankind. These same electronics are both susceptible to and creative of low-level transient voltages. We accept failed electronic equipment as a state of the product’s age or the fact that a storm came by with too much lightning activity – sometimes combining the two. There is some element of truth in both scenarios, lightning activity could be the catalyst to cause an already weakened product or even new product to fail, or a product’s age causes it to fail. When it comes to electronics (non-moving parts), the product’s age often is never the issue.

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Electrical Products & Solutions • August 2015

In the reliability engineering world there is a concept known as “infant mortality” or early/premature failure – this is often associated with what is known as the “bathtub curve” which plots the failure rate of a product vs. time (Fig.1).

Reliability engineering is a statistical science which is more involved than this article can adequately address. Nevertheless, one of the factors to consider in this science is the operating voltage of an electrical product or component. Voltage should be considered as the voltage levels (amplitude) that the equipment was designed to normally operate; however, not only the amplitude but the “shape” which is the waveform and its Continued on page 22

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FEATURE • Surge Suppression

Figure 2: Ideal Sine Wave, 1.5 cycles

symmetry. The typical power delivered to our homes and businesses has a normal “shape” (waveform & symmetry) known as a sine wave (Fig. 2); we may remember that term from trigonometry, tech school or college.

Any aberration from this voltage level or shape presents a voltage that is beyond or outside of the intended normal operating level or shape the equipment was designed to operate. This abnormal voltage level or shape represents phenomena known as elec-

Continued from page 18

Figure 3: Abnormal sine wave with “notching”

Figure 4: Noisy Sine Wave

trical stress that can shorten the useful life of equipment and cause equipment “upset”.

A common form of abnormal voltage can be seen in what is called “notching” which is especially prevalent from the use of modern electronics like variable frequency drives and switch mode power supplies. This type of voltage abnormality, noise or “dirty power” can be seen in an oscillograph like the one in Fig. 3.

Figure 3 shows a little more than one cycle of AC power, there are 60 of these cycles every second in a typical USA power system. There are roughly 6 low-level transient events occurring every cycle; there-

fore, simple calculations show that in one hour of this transient activity, the electrical system experiences some 1,296,000 transient voltage events per hour! It is amazing that some electrical equipment will function when the AC power sine wave looks like Figure 3 or 4. Some equipment, like audio or radio equipment might experience audible noise at their outputs when exposed to such transient activity. Regardless of the nuisance, the equipment was not designed to operate with such poor power quality and is at risk for premature failure or upset. The longer the equipment operates with this type of “dirty power” the Continued on page 24

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FEATURE • Surge Suppression greater the failure risk which becomes a financial risk too.

The Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE) has several technical standards, guides and recommended practices that concern power quality and the application of surge protective devices (SPD) and filters to mitigate these lowlevel transients as well as the stronger transient voltages originating, as an example, from lightning. The standard IEEE 1100™ – IEEE Recommended Practice for Powering and Grounding Electronic Equipment mentions throughout the use of filtering networks to help equipment continue to run and have a long useful life. Section 4.7.2.6 of the IEEE 1100™, mentions that an SPD with the addition of a filtering network could be advantageous to mitigating power line noise. Further, section 8.6.1 of the same IEEE practice mentions that an SPD may also be specified with a high-frequency filter to help mitigate problems caused by low-level transient voltages (dirty power).

Continued from page 22

Further work is being done by the IEEE Power & Energy Society Section 3.6 in PC62.72 to create an application guide for SPDs. Also, recent and pending changes to the National Electric Code (NFPA 70) have added and are adding surge protective devices as requirements to certain installations like emergency operations electrical panels.

So, the world is quickly realizing the need to mitigate problems caused by transient voltages –including low-level transient voltages. Cost effective ANSI/UL 1449 Listed SPD technology exists today that mitigate both high-amplitude transient voltages and the ever present low-level transient voltages. This technology can be installed in the circuit electrical panels that feed numerous pieces of equipment and luminaries (Fig. 6). Proper selection and installation are the keys to any successful SPD implementation. A poor installation could render the SPD useless, so it is very important to follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions and the National

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Electrical Products & Solutions • August 2015

Figure 5: Cleaned up Sine Wave after an SPD install

Electric Code Article 285.

What is the potential benefit with a properly selected and installed SPD? Figure 5 shows the oscillograph after installing an SPD with Frequency Responsive Circuitry (FRC) filtering (aka, sine-wave tracking). The result restores the AC power to the proper “shape” and amplitude. Figure 6 is a photograph showing a good installation of several SPDs (Black boxes with green lights).

The question remains, should you care about Low-Level Transient Voltages? The answer depends on you. Continued on page 26

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FEATURE • Surge Suppression

Continued from page 24

notice how much shorter an equipment’s life span (Red Line) is when SPDs with filtering are not installed. Therefore, it is a recommended practice to install SPDs with FRC filtering included. ❏

Figure 6: Green LEDs showing installed SPDs

Do you value the equipment and the functions they perform? If you were to not have the use of the motor, control cabinet, traffic controller, lift station, alarm system or other equipment based function, would you and your company suffer lost business, lost revenue, loss of life, loss of customers, lower profits, etc… The decision is clear, by not caring about and mitigating these pesky ever-present low-level transient voltages, your investments and/or business is at a much higher risk. Referring back to Fig. 1,

References: NFPA 70-2014; National Electric Code IEEE 1100™ - 2005 - IEEE Recommended Practice for Powering and Grounding Electronic Equipment (The

About the author: Frank R. Basciano, CM – Director, Product Management; Surge Suppression Incorporated (SSI). With more than 25 years of direct industry experience, Frank is a Certified Manager (CM) from the Institute of Certified Professional Managers at James Madison University in Virginia. Frank received his engineering education from DeVry University and earned a BS in Management from National-Louis University and a master’s degree (MS) in Management in Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness from the University of South Florida, Tampa. Frank is currently an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) member actively participating in several working groups within the Power and Energy Society (PES) (Section 3.6) dedicated to creating industry standards regarding surge protective devices for both power and information communication technologies (ICT).

You can view Frank’s profile at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frb19

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Emerald Book) IEEE PC62.72 – Draft Guide for the Application of Surge-Protective Devices for Use on the Load Side of the Service Equipment in Low-Voltage (1000 V or Less, 50 or 60 Hz) AC Power Circuits ANSI/UL 1449-2014 – Safety Standard for Surge Protective Devices Practical Grounding, Bonding, Shielding and Surge Protection; Vijayaraghavan, G.; Brown, M.; Barnes, Malcolm; 2004

Electrical Products & Solutions • August 2015

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Industry NEWS

iTOOLco Appoints Industry Veteran as Regional Sales Manager Covering the Midwest iTOOLco, a leading develproduct line. The company’s oper of products that increase distributors in the Midwest safety, save time, lower worker will be better served with Lee effort, and improve results for in this new position. hard-working tradespeople and “As we’ve experienced rethe contractors who employ markable growth opportunities them, is pleased to announce in the Midwest region, we knew we needed to bring on the appointment of Joel Lee as additional resources,” said its new Regional Sales ManJoel Lee Michael Jordan, Vice President ager supporting customers in the Midwest region. As part of the dynamic at iTOOLco. “We could not have scripted a iTOOLco sales team, Lee joins the company better work-life background for our new with more than 17 years of experience in sales manager. Joel’s experience and talents were the perfect match and his track record electrical contracting and sales.

In his new role, Lee will focus on for success is outstanding. I know he will growing iTOOLco’s expanding relation- be a tremendous asset to our customers on ships with distributors and contractors many levels.”

Lee began his career nearly two decades across the Midwest. He will also partner with distributors to provide proper train- ago as an apprentice electrician with IBEW ing and use of iTOOLco’s innovative Local Union 479 in Beaumont, TX, and

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Electrical Products & Solutions • August 2015

quickly became foreman leading a large team and managing multiple complex projects. Most recently, Lee was Branch Manager/Outside Sales at an electrical supply company in Dallas, TX, where he led sales efforts in addition to managing day-to-day operations. Rounding out his sales and leadership experience, he also spent time working in various industry roles such as Group Manager, Branch Manager, Counter Supervisor, Gear Specialist and and Field Representative.

Lee and his family are based out of Dallas, TX. He will work with manufacturer representatives, distributors, and contractors from the Gulf of Mexico to the 49th parallel. His territory will include Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. ❏

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Product FOCUS New TiS Performance Series Also Adds Image Blending to Better Identify Problems Before They Become Expensive Failures Fluke Corp. introduces eight new Fluke® TiS Performance Series Infrared Cameras, with improved resolution to help industrial, HVAC, and maintenance professionals analyze equipment health more quickly and accurately. The new TiS models deliver up to 2.5 times more pixels and a 70 percent improvement in distance-to-spot than the Fluke Ti1xx series cameras for better image quality to enhance identification of potential equipment problems in industrial and electrical maintenance, process industries, and in building applications. The new models feature large 3.5 inch screens to help pinpoint issues while still in the field and offer one touch image access, which eliminates the need to scroll through a menu to view images. Eight models are available, five fixed focus and three manual focus, with resolution up to 260 x 195 pixels. The rugged infrared cameras upload images to the Fluke Connect Cloud via a wireless connection to securely store and manage images and potentially reduce administrative time back in the office. Reports can be created and emailed from the jobsite via Fluke Connect, eliminating the need to return to the office to process reports. Fluke Connect The TiS Performance Series are designed to work with Fluke Connect® system — the industry’s largest system of software and wireless test tools — which allows technicians to wirelessly transmit measurement data from their test tools to their smartphones for secure storage on the Fluke Connect® Cloud and team access from the field.* The Fluke Connect® Assets subscription service offers ShareLive™ video calls that enable teams to easily share and access infrared inspections on the go and look at trends per piece of equipment over time. The Fluke Connect® app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

For more information, visit www.fluke.com/tis

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Gear Arc Safety Announces Their Newest Insulated Tool Kits The New 51036 tool kit includes some of the finest tools manufactured in the United States. The New England style Linesmen pliers incorporate a terminal crimp, 12 AWG wire looper and a fishtape puller.

Also are included are the 10 inch Channellocks, 10 inch cable cutter, 8 inch wire stripper and 8” needle nose and the last joint tool is 7” cutting pliers. Included in the kit is our 7 pieces lightweight 6” Nut Driver Kit. Our 11 piece box end wrench set will keep everything tight. Our 13 piece socket set will reach places our box end will not for tightening all lose nuts. Included are eight of the most popular screwdrivers we offer. Rounding out the set is 14 piece long handle hex key set. And what really makes this kit unique is the 13 ball head T handle set. Ball head T handles allow you to enter a socket head screw up to a 35° angle and turn it 360°. The 51040 is the same kit but includes our 45603 Torque wrench. As with all of their insulated tools this kit conforms to the ASTM 1505-10 and NFPA 70E standard.

For more information, visit www.geararcsafety.com

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Product FOCUS Milwaukee® M18 & M12 Rapid Charger Charges Packs 40% Faster Milwaukee Tool continues to deliver productivity-enhancing solutions to the professional tradesman with the introduction of the new M18™ & M12™ Rapid Charger (48-59-1808). Similar to the M18™ & M12™ Rapid Charge Station (48-59-1807) that launched in February 2015, the new unit will charge an M18™ or M12™ battery up to 40% faster than standard chargers.

“With the rapid expansion of the M18™ and M12™ systems, there is a growing demand to not only charge both platforms, but do so faster and more productively,” said Christian Coulis, VP of Product Marketing for Milwaukee Tool. “While the M18™ & M12™ Rapid Charge Station is widely successful, some users do not require the ability to charge three packs at a time and prefer a smaller charger they can throw into their cases or contractor bag. This charger will give users the ability to accelerate the pace of a single battery charge to minimize downtime and get back to work quickly.”

Featuring REDLINK™ Intelligence hardware and software, the station is equipped with the most advanced electronic system on the market. REDLINK™ monitors the health of the battery packs, protecting against over charge and over discharge. Each pack has a unique charging profile, fully optimizing its’ speed and life. As an added level of communication, the charger indicates an 80% state of charge by a slow, green flashing light. Rather than waiting until the pack is fully charged, this allows the user to pull a battery off of the charger sooner and have the confidence that they can still complete a significant amount of work.

Available in September 2015, the new Rapid Charger will be included with select M18 FUEL™ products, and also sold as an optional accessory. When compared to existing units that charge (1) M18™ REDLITHIUM™ XC5.0 Battery in 110 minutes, the new charger has the power to charge the same battery in under an hour.

For more information, visit www.milwaukeetool.com

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Product FOCUS Solar Trackers Help Maine Beer Company Go Solar The beer at one of Maine’ s top breweries just got a little sweeter thanks to two innovative solar trackers now powering the brewery and tasting room for The Maine Beer Company, in Freeport, Maine.

The 55.12kW solar project will help offset the electrical bills of Maine Beer Company, which brews 13 beer varieties from its headquarters on Rt. 1 in Freeport and ships to distributors in 10 states. Maine Beer Company lives by their official slogan to “do what’s right.” This solar array will offset approximately 50 percent of the brewery’s total electric energy usage. The project incorporated Americanmade AllEarth Solar Trackers, which track the sun throughout the day to maximize energy production, along with a rooftop array. The ground-mounted pre-engineered solar trackers are designed for residential and commercial-scale installations and are manufactured in Williston, Vt. by AllEarth Renewables.

AllEarth Solar Trackers produce over 30 percent more energy than fix ground-mounted systems and up to 45 percent more energy than rooftop systems per kilowatt installed. The project was installed by Assured Solar Energy, a solar design and installation company since 2006, located in North Yarmouth, Maine. “We were excited to supply innovative, American-made solar trackers for this project, a solar solution that will produce more energy from the sun and give our customer greater long-term energy savings,” said Rob Taisey, president of Assured Solar Energy. “In addition to producing more energy to meet their electric demand, the Beer Company liked that the solar trackers would be a visible statement of their renewable energy commitment.” “We are thrilled about Maine Beer Company’s commitment to going solar and that they wanted to make the statement to their customers, and get the solar energy boost, from two of our locally made solar trackers,” said David Blittersdorf, president and CEO of AllEarth Renewables.

For more information, visit www.allearthrenewables.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

2015 NECA SHOW ADVANCED TEST EQUIPMENT AEMC INSTRUMENTS AMERICAN CONNECTORS CALIFORNIA TURBO CONDUIT REPAIR SYSYEMS CONNOMAC CORPORATION CONSTRUCTION INNOVATIONS CONTINENTAL INDUSTRIES COPPER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION DABMAR LIGHTING E-Z METER ELECDIRECT.COM LLC FACILITY RESULTS GEAR ARC SAFETY GENERATOR INTERLOCK TECHNOLOGIES GENSCO HARTMAN PRODUCTS HB BRACKETS HIOKI USA ITOOLCO K-SUN CORPORATION KOLBI PIPE MARKER CO. KRENZ & COMPANY

28 26 IBC 39 34 4 18 34 32 15 22 22 30 8 19 7 24 35 11 C4, 9 20, 21 IFC 38 8

21 49 31 28 52 6 45 53 24 13 46 47 50 41 15 8 48 54 11 3, 9 16 1 57 42

“MARKTIME” MEGGER MILLER SAFETY CONSULTANTS, LTD MINUTEMAN UPS MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTS MR. LED INC. NORTHWEST LIGHTING SYSTEMS ORBIT INDUSTRIES, INC. PARTEX MARKING SYSTEMS PHASE-A-MATIC PLATINUM TOOLS POWER & TEL POWER-ONE REDFISH INSTRUMENTS INC. SEPCO SP PRODUCTS STOUT TOOL SURGE SUPPRESSION INC. TCP THE HOME DEPOT TRIPLETT / BYTE BROTHERS UNDERGROUND DEVICES UTILITY METALS VALEN LIGHT & EMBER LED

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PG#

RS#

38 5 C6 29 3 14 25 16 36 30 33 27 1 40 31 37 40 17 23 13 C5 C3 10 BC

56 7 30 22 5 43 19 44 55 51 25 20 4 58 23 27 59 14 18 12 29 2 10 32

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