EPS Magazine August 2012 Issue

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CONTENTS

PUBLISHER

Danny J. Salchert OFFICE MANAGER

Anita Salchert ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Jerry DiChiara jerryd@epsmag.net CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Derek Gaylard

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CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Ron Vogel • Eduardo Laínez CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Pam Fulmer

CASE STUDY 6 Digital Lighting Management Switches Lighting to Game Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium

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What SSTDR Technology Means for the Electrical Contracting Industry

By Ron Vogel

FEATURE 20 Solar PV Mounting Materials – Aluminum or Steel?

PRESIDENT

Danny J. Salchert 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

By Eduardo Laínez

COMPANY PROFILE 28 American Pipe and Plastics— Quality and Service at Competitive Prices

DEPARTMENTS 30 Industry News 32 Product Focus 44 Ad Index ON THE COVER WattStopper’s Digital Lighting Management (DLM) product line in operation at the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium.

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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CASE STUDY • WattStopper

Bryant-Denny Stadium at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

WattStopper Lighting Controls Used: LMRC-101 and LMRC-102 Digital Room Controllers, LMBC-300 Network Bridge Modules, LMSW-100 Series Digital Wall Switches, LMSM-603 Digital Network Segment Manager, Lighting Integrator lighting control panels

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Digital Lighting Management Switches Lighting to Game Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium A recent south end zone expansion at the University of Alabama’s BryantDenny Stadium added state-of-the-art skyboxes, a stadium club and a donor hall of fame to better serve Crimson Tide supporters and increase capacity. Bryant-Denny, home of the 2011 season BCS National Championship team, is now the fifth largest college football stadium in the United States, with seating for 101,821 fans.

The stadium personnel and engineers planning the construction wanted lighting controls that were easier to install, operate and service than con-

Electrical Products & Solutions • August 2012

trols in older parts of the facility, and turned to WattStopper for assistance. After learning about the company’s new Digital Lighting Management (DLM) product line, Electrical Engineer Tim Cooke of Jackson, Renfro & Associates decided to use distributed DLM room controllers for discrete spaces, including skyboxes, offices and boardrooms, and Lighting Integrator panels for common areas.

To facilitate centralized scheduling and management, he would network all of the controls to a DLM segment manager.

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CASE STUDY • WattStopper

Common areas, including this lobby are scheduled for on and off via the DLM Segment Manager.

A DLM “Game Day Switch” puts the entire expansion in “Game Day Mode,” which temporarily disables time delays, ensuring that lighting is always on for the safety and convenience of fans.

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The carefully layered combination of manual and automatic control works perfectly for everyday administrative functions and for game day operations. Facility Manager David Hamner says, “I’m very pleased with the WattStopper system. The company worked with us well and listened to our requests. All the equipment is operating as specified, and I can check the status of the lighting from my laptop, even when I’m out of town.”

Hamner is charged with overseeing Bryant-Denny’s energy performance.

User Interfaces Cooke specified two-button DLM switches connected to dual-relay room controllers for bi-level, manual-on lighting control in the offices and board rooms.

Skyboxes are equipped with single-relay room controllers and one-button switches. The room controllers are scheduled to turn off after hours, and the switches provide code-compliant override.

Lighting in lobbies, hallways and the club levels is scheduled for on and off, but common areas are also equipped with DLM switches that serve as masters and provide override control. The switches control fixtures connected to both lighting control panels and room controllers.

Finally, a DLM “Game Day Switch” puts the entire expansion in “Game Day Mode,” which temporarily disables time delays, ensuring that lighting is always on for

the safety and convenience of football fans.

Installation and Programming The DLM switches and room controllers feature RJ45 jacks for plug together connection using Cat 5 cabling, which facilitated the installation. Because every switch uses the same connection, it is easy to substitute a switch with more or less control buttons, should specifications change during construction. Switch buttons can be quickly configured to control selected loads and provide the desired sequences of operation for a specific installation.

Hamner’s assistant, Paige McLelland, developed lighting control schedules for meetings, events and game days using a browser-based interface served up by the segment manager, which communicates with all the panels and room controllers.

“The system was easy to learn and WattStopper has been very responsive to my questions. I bookmarked the URL for the segment manager so I can access it quickly, and everything is working great.” says McLelland.

Future Plans Following the success of the BryantDenny installation, Tim Cooke is specifying WattStopper DLM lighting controls for future University of Alabama projects including an engineering and science building. Additionally, David Hamner is researching the feasibility of integrating WattStopper controls throughout BryantDenny Stadium to bring control of the whole facility to the functional level of the new expansion. ❏

Networking the room controllers and panels allowed centralized monitoring and control, for convenience and energy savings. www.wattstopper.com 800.879.8585 8

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CASE STUDY • T3 innovation

What SSTDR Technology Means for the Electrical Contracting Industry

By Ron Vogel

Electrical power systems have and continue to become increasingly more complex every day as new features, technologies, and capabilities are added, such as smarter ways of using and generating electricity for plants and commercial enterprises, smart metering, alternative energy sources, etc. All of these new “inputs” raise the complexity level and create a need for more information as to what is happening in real time.

To meet these new needs there are new technologies that have been incubating and are now ready to be introduced.

A New Technology Bought to Market If something goes wrong in these sophisticated new systems, the contractor wants to know about it immediately and figure out what to do about it to meet the goal of reliable electric power for the customer. But what happens when intermittent conditions pop up and trip circuit breakers or sensors? Contractors respond, shut down power and check the circuits and equipment at the area of trouble.

However, many times they find nothing because the conditions that caused the intermittent condition do not exist at the time they are on site.

What if you could look into the electrical conditions of these cables…any

size and at any voltage…WHILE they are energized and carrying current, to see intermittent shorts or Arc Faults occurring and be able to instantly locate the exact position of these events? What if you could detect, locate, and time stamp the event and characterize the problem, all while the electricity continues to flow and production continues?

Keeping production lines working while diagnosing these types of problems is highly critical today for efficiency and productivity. A new technology is making its way to market and the impact on how faults are discovered and corrected will change the electrical contractor market tremendously.

This new technology is an advanced form of Spread Spectrum Time Domain Reflectometry (SSTDR) and is being developed for commercialization by two American companies now for worldwide applications in the electrical contracting and maintenance markets.

Historically, traditional Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technology has long been used by electrical contractors to help find locations of cable failures, cable length information, and problems on cables that are not visually apparent. However, these forms of TDR technology, some more than 40 years old, are limited to unpowered, or “dark”, cables since the

Handheld digital multimeters with the included SSTDR feature will give contractors a new tool to not only understand the voltage and current environment, but to also get an accurate length measurement of wire runs, see opens and shorts, and even find arc faults all without taking the cable run off the system.

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voltage/current conditions interfere with the type of reference pulses these older testers use. So, before discovery could be done correctly, the branch circuit or entire net had to be taken off line in order to use the very equipment that is supposed to find where the fault may be. Customers are inconvenienced and costs climb.

SSTDR technology will Continued on page 14

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CASE STUDY • T3 innovation

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SSTDR can also do “dynamic” testing which can monitor an energized cable system while it is under load or stress and wait for a fault to occur. change this in the most fundamental way.

Spread Spectrum technology has been around for a long time. It was first used during World War II for use in secure communications from submarines. Qualcomm, in the 1990s, developed a version of this concept to help cell phones connect with each other over noisy and uncertain wireless environments full of loose frequency signals that would degrade and block cell signals. The reason someone in Hong Kong can dial a number here in the U.S., and vise a versa, and reach the right person and not any of the other seven billion people on Earth is mostly due to Spread Spectrum implementation. What has successfully happened in the wireless world is about to happen in the wired one.

Revolutionary TDR Capabilities Developed at the Utah State University and University of Utah Physics labs, the technology got its major impetus after the crash of TWA flight 800 that blew up over the south shore of Long Island killing all 230 people aboard in July of 1996. The cause of that crash was later attributed to an abraded control cable that went through the belly tank of the 747-131 plane. Arcing against a strut intermittently, for what could have been months, the conditions were right on that day in July and the fuel in the center tank exploded with a terrible result. This event triggered development grants from the DOT, FAA, and U.S. military for ways to avoid or locate these types of faults in aircraft wiring. 15 years and 16 patents later,

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the Advanced form of SSTDR technology is now being commercialized into handheld and portable test equipment as well as finding applications where it can be embedded to act as a watchdog for “events” on cabling systems inside data system switches, monitoring equipment for security/alarm systems, or fire alert systems. By being able to report “live” and immediately, SSTDR technology gives a clear real time view of any electrical event that happens, no matter how briefly and at what intervals.

SSTDR technology promises to revolutionize the way contractors will use TDR’s to find and fix cable faults, both underground as well as overhead in production facilities, refineries, and data sites.

It will make it easier Continued on page 16

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CASE STUDY • T3 innovation to see exactly what is happening and exactly where it is happening on live energized circuits on all types of equipment and over all conditions, and at any voltage or current level, transmission or distribution.

A traditional TDR cable fault finder uses a generated pulse that is shot down a cable to seek out any variances such as opens and shorts that exist on the cable.

The reflected pulse is compared with the delay at the speed of light which is translated into a distance measurement to the “event”. Old style TDR’s can only work correctly when the cable they are “shooting” is unpowered. This is because the noise of voltage on the line interferes with the pulse and the reflection gets lost in this noise. Advanced SSTDR fixes this limitation by generating pulses at a broad selection of frequencies that spread out over the spectrum and skip through noise and signal impediments on the cable while it is energized to find exactly where the fault occurs, when it occurred, and what its

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characteristics are. So, cable faults can be found, pinpointed, and characterized without having to take the circuit down and out of the system. In addition, unlike older TDR technology, SSTDR can also do “dynamic” testing which can monitor an energized cable system while it is under load or stress and wait for a fault to occur. This is extremely useful in instances of intermittent arc fault conditions caused by wind, water intrusion, or rogue voltage surges.

Finding concealed cable faults will be easier and without having to damage existing cable to discover the exact location of the fault as is now done with some “thumping” techniques. By generating selective pulses at specific frequencies, locating pinholes in underground or conduit clad cable will become easier, cost less, and be less intrusive to the overall system.

Finally, the sensitivity and flexibility of the technology offers another interesting possibility. By using new patented Capacitive Coupling techniques, utility tech-

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nicians will be able to clamp on to the insulation of conductors without touching bare conductor or disconnecting anything, and monitor the lines continuously to detect, locate, and report intermittent problems wirelessly.

Who is using the technology now?

Advanced SSTDR technology is now embedded in new flight line test equipment for the U.S. Navy for use on board aircraft carriers. Advanced SSTDR is a natural addition for aerospace applications to find arc faults in aircraft wiring that cannot now be detected in installed wiring systems. It is being used by Halliburton to develop safer monitoring systems for offshore drilling rigs. Volvo is using it to develop 24/7 monitoring of the entire electrical control systems on their new generation of heavy duty trucks.

Schneider Electric has tested the technology on energized lines up to 33 KV and it has performed Continued on page 18

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CASE STUDY • T3 innovation

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clearly what is happening, where, and the time of the “event” occurred. Handheld digital multimeters with the included SSTDR feature will give contractors a new tool to not only understand the voltage and current environment, but to also What it means for Electrical get an accurate length measurement of Contractors wire runs, see opens and shorts, and even For the first time contractors can see find arc faults all without taking the cable

flawlessly. So, all types of electrical applications are being investigated by this worldwide company and others who design and produce equipment for power systems around the world.

run off the system. In addition, a new feature of the SSTDR technology allows the contractor to not only see and monitor the live line itself but to identify the position and length of junctions and spliced runs off the main circuit line. This will create a better understanding of how the system is wired and where each cable is going, to what equipment, and other vital important information.

The detection, location, and characterization of intermittent electrical faults on live energized conductors can now be done easily, which will create safer electrical networks everywhere in all industries and let service organizations keep networks running smoothly. Smarter street lighting systems that self report outages of both strings of lights or even individual lamp failures can be designed into existing equipment with embedded modules which are called M.O.L.E.S (Monitoring Over Live Electrical Systems).

Smart Grids can become smarter and more informative for the owners.

Conclusion A new emerging technology such as SSTDR will make a lasting and important contribution to the electrical contracting and maintenance industry both in the form of handheld and portable test equipment as well as being embedded in electrical control systems that will have it built in as an important safety feature for each and every cable run.

Advances such as this will help the complexity of newer and existing systems work better and be more reliable. As they say, knowledge is power, and SSTDR technology will give more knowledge to electrical contractors and maintenance technicians on all levels, making for safer and better understood systems. ❏

About the Author Ron Vogel is CEO of T3 innovation (www.t3innovation.com). He can be reached at rvogel@t3innovation.com.

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FEATURE • HatiCon Solar

Solar PV Mounting Materials – Aluminum or Steel?

By Eduardo Laínez, HatiCon Solar

I

n the first three months of 2012, more than 18,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) systems were installed in the United States representing power generation of 506MW and thousands of jobs, according to market research by SEIA and GreenTech Media1. Solar PV continues to be installed throughout the nation and its growth continues unabated. In fact, in many states, like New Jersey, solar incentive programs have been renewed for 2013. Continued on page 22

HatiCon Solar Ground Mount system, installed by Fourth Coast.

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FEATURE • HatiCon Solar Solar PV installations fall under three general categories. Residential solar PV installations are usually pitched roof systems. These systems run parallel to the roof and can be installed on all type of roofs from asphalt shingles to standing seam metal roofs to ceramic tile. Flat, or low-slope roof systems are usually installed on commercial roofs with a slope

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from 5 to 12 degrees. Ground mount systems are installed in the ground and range from small residential and off-grid installations to large utility-scale installations that generate hundreds of megawatts. Ground mount systems are either single or two post systems with a fixed tilt or tracking capability. Fixed tilt systems’ angle towards the sun is set at

HatiCon Solar mounting systems, installed by homeowner.

time of installation. Tracking systems, either one-axis or two-axis, follow the sun based on a set schedule or using sensors.

Solar PV mounting or racking systems are made out of either aluminum or steel. There are many systems ranging from cobbled together Do-It-Yourself kits to systems that are well engineered, have proven performance, and megawatts of installed capacity. Each mounting system has its own specific features, advantages, and benefits. Better mounting systems are engineered for quick assembly, low part counts, minimal to no on-site fabrication, and to reduced labor.

Steel mounting systems are generally perceived as the lower priced option. Often, they are chosen when only the mounting system cost is taken into account. Steel systems are heavy, which can make them unsuitable for roof mount applications and potentially more costly to install for ground mount applications. Steel must have some type of protective anticorrosive coating applied.

The most common anticorrosive coating process is hot-dip galvanizing. In highhumidity, high-salt locations, steel is unsuitable because it can corrode quicker than the projected lifespan of the solar PV panels. Steel can even be unsuitable in dry desert locations where high winds can cause particulates to wear away the protective anticorrosive coating of the steel over time. This will increase maintenance and replacement costs over the lifetime of the project.

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FEATURE • HatiCon Solar

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HatiCon Solar Pitched Roof system, installed by Palomar Solar.

long lasting and cost efficient. The density of aluminum is about a third that of steel and it has a great strength to weight ratio. According to Di Huynh P.E., project engineer for solar mounting manufacturer HatiCon Solar, other properties that make aluminum a great material for solar mounting systems are that it is nontoxic, lightweight and has natural corrosion resistance. Additionally, the tooling for aluminum is low cost and provides almost unlimited design flexibility.

The multiple benefits of aluminum directly decrease the overall cost of a project. Less weight decreases the cost of shipping and the need for heavier duty lifting capabilities on the project site.

These savings on a mid to large size projects can easily add up from tens to hun- and install. If the need arises, aluminum materials’ anticorrosive qualities even in dreds of thousands of dollars. Lighter rails and components can be cut or extreme environments. On the other material also requires less labor to move drilled in the field without affecting the hand, galvanized steel Continued on page 26

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FEATURE • HatiCon Solar can be scratched through its protective layer and any modifications made to galvanized material need to be recoated in the field to prevent corrosion. The natural corrosion resistance of aluminum decreases the overall maintenance costs during the operational lifetime of an installation. The virtually unlimited design flexibility permitted by aluminum allows

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engineers to craft systems optimized for strength, durability, and ease of installation.

Market demand demonstrates how the benefits of aluminum are valued. For southern California solar distributor CED Greentech San Diego, the majority of their customers demand aluminum mounting systems. According to Baxter

Booth, Solar Solutionist at CED Greentech San Diego, installers, distributors, inspectors, and architects prefer aluminum mounting systems because they are lighter, engineered specifically for solar, and designed to speed up preparation and installation times.

The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of a solar PV installation is affected by the material choice for mounting systems. TCO includes purchasing, shipping, staging, building, operating, maintaining, dismantling, and disposing of a solar PV installation. In a mounting structure analysis commissioned by the Aluminum Extruders Council2 and performed by well regarded IBIS Associates, a Technology Strategy and Business Development consulting firm often referenced for their detailed independent analysis, the TCO of aluminum mounting systems were substantially lower than for steel systems. The study compared the costs to fabricate, assemble, ship and install the systems of aluminum versus galvanized steel mounting systems. Component, labor, and shipping costs were included in the analysis.

IBIS’ analysis established that aluminum systems were more cost effective than their steel counterparts for pitched roof, flat roof, medium ground mount utilityscale, and large ground mount utilityscale installations. Furthermore, at the end of life of a project, the scrap value of an aluminum system was 76% higher than for a comparable steel PV system.

The choice of racking material can have long term impacts on the Total Cost Ownership of an installation.

Mounting system cost should not be viewed in isolation. Instead, it should be viewed as part of the overall project costs and take into account its effects on shipping, labor, maintenance, and decommissioning. For the large majority of solar PV installations, aluminum solar PV mounting systems will be a better choice. ❏ US Solar market Insight Report Q1 2012, http://www.slideshare.net/SEIA/us-solarmarket-insight-report-q1-2012 1

Aluminum Extrusions are Better for PV Mounting Structures. http://www.aec.org/ pdfs/AEC_IBIS_PV_CostAnalysisFlyer_ 03_05_2012.pdf 2

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COMPANY PROFILE • American Pipe and Plastics, Inc.

American Pipe and Plastics— Quality and Service at Competitive Prices Who We Are American Pipe and Plastics, Inc. manufactures PVC (polyvinyl chloride) for the Power Utility, Telecommunications, Cable TV, and Fiber Optic underground infrastructure markets. Their products are sold to power utility companies, telephone companies, CATV companies, distributors and contractors. Products are manufactured to meet NEMA TC2, NEMA TC3, NEMA TC6/8 EB/DB, NEMA TC9, NEMA TC10, ASTM F512, and UL 651 specifications. As required, products are tested and approved by numerous utilities, agencies, and the government. For 35 years, they have been supplying products at competitive prices while exceeding industry service levels. All products manufactured by American Pipe and Plastics are manufactured in the USA using domestically produced raw materials.

Known for Efficiency, Flexibility, and Tenacity Although original target markets were plumbing and municipal markets, throughout the years American Pipe and Plastics has diversified its product lines. Since it’s inception American Pipe and Plastics has serviced the RBOCs (Bell Operating Companies) supplying millions of feet of conduit and fittings for underground infrastructure to support the land lines and later to take cable to cell towers. During the “Dot.Com” boom American Pipe provided thousands of miles of conduit and fiber optic conduit systems to companies across the United States to build the underground infrastructure for fiber optic networks.

In 1996 the company changed its focus, discontinuing the manufacture of pipes for the municipal markets and refocusing towards a product offering more synergistic with their Telecommunications products, targeting the utility markets by adding Power Utility and CATV conduit and fabricated accessories to its telephone conduit line. After the change in focus and product offering American Pipe and Plastics quickly became a valued supplier to many of the power utilities throughout the East Coast region of the US. In 2011 UL listed electrical conduit and accessories were added to complete the PVC conduit products used in the Power Utility, Electrical, and Telecommunications markets.

Power utility companies, telephone companies, and CATV companies use American Pipe and Plastics’ products. Products go to market through distribution, direct contracts with utilities and direct sales to contractors. Products are manufactured to meet NEMA TC2, NEMA TC3, NEMA TC6/8 EB/DB, NEMA TC9, NEMA TC10, ASTM F512, and UL 651 specifications. As required, products are tested and approved by numerous utilities, agencies, and 28

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the government. For over a decade a 98.6% On Time/In Full delivery rating has been maintained across all product lines. Sufficient inventory levels are maintained to meet customer requirements.

American Pipe and Plastic is a small company compared to others in the industry, but that is one of its greatest assets. As a small company, we have a greater ability to react quickly to changing customer demands and changes within the market. Close communication between the manufacturing division and sales division allows us to “do what we need to do to service our customer.” For 35 years, the company has continued to respond to the volatility of raw material pricing and rapidly changing economic conditions.

A Tradition of Manufacturing Excellence The company’s management is experienced, dedicated, steady and competent.

Senior management has a combined experience of over 100 years in manufacturing.

A culture of openness and mutual respect promotes the exchange of ideas between management and labor.

Corporate offices are located on the mezzanine floor overlooking the production floor. It is a short walk up or down a staircase to communicate changes in customer requirements or to discuss production issues. Communications flow smoothly between the different departments. Middle management averages 18+ years and the line workers average 14+ years at American Pipe & Plastics.

Employees at all levels feel a responsibility for day-to-day operations, the welfare of fellow employees, and the company’s continuing success.

Where to Find Us American Pipe and Plastics, incorporated in New York State in 1977, is an American-owned WBE (Women’s Business Enterprise). It is a privately owned, closely held corporation. Located in Kirkwood, NY, south of Binghamton, at the junction of I88, I81, and I86 (formerly NYS Rte. 17), the manufacturing facility offers easy access to highways for shipping east, west, north and south.

The New York State “Southern Tier” is a natural fit for a PVC manufacturing plant because the area has a long history of supporting manufacturing companies with a local workforce who offer loyalty and a solid work ethic. A philosophy of teamwork and flexibility is apparent when talking to American Pipe and Plastics employees. A deep pride in the company and its history pervade the organization. American Pipe and Plastics—Quality and Service at Competitive Pricing. ❏

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Industry NEWS

efergy: Energy Savings through Awareness efergy to announce at Solar Power International 2012 the release of the new “engage” free on-line energy platform aimed at revolutionizing the Energy Market. efergy is also in the final development stages of the “ennova” wireless energy management system. efergy, a global manufacturer of energy awareness and energy saving products, will exhibit at Solar Power International 2012 in Orlando, Florida on September 10-13, in booth 661. efergy will be introducing the new “engage” free on-line energy platform to allow for remote monitoring of electricity usage in real time or energy consumption history in cost, Kilowatt-hours or amount of equivalent CO2 from anywhere on a personal computer or a smart phone. This free service will not have any subscription charges and will only need an efergy “hub” which will also interface with the rest of the efergy line of wireless electricity monitors, such as the “elite”, the “e2”and the upcoming “ennova”. These products will monitor single or 3 phase and 50 or 60 hertz electrical systems and carry the ETL, FCC, EU and Industry Canada seals, allowing them to be used in the USA and Canada.

The “engage” will provide the following: • An on line conservation community - to share ideas on saving energy and compare how your conservation efforts are doing compared to everyone else for easy benchmarking.

• Reporting provisions - The ability to generate reports on a PC or Mac and attach them to e-mails.

• Ability to program “energy since” to follow the utility billing cycle or the energy sales cycle.

• Budget Provisions so a customer can see throughout the month if he is staying on budget with no surprise bill at the end of the month.

• Detailed Graphing to follow solar generation performance with drop menus showing production to any given minute.

• View historical energy consumption data from anywhere on line, including graphs with total and average consumption from anywhere for up to one year.

• Available with dedicated wireless display that allows customer to go anywhere in and around his home or facility viewing real time energy usage with updates every 10 seconds.

The efergy “ennova” wireless energy management system will be released at a later stage to allow residential and commercial remote monitoring of solar photovoltaic or other renewable energy systems, showing the amount of electricity generated and the actual consumption in the same device. It will also allow for the remote control of appliances and the download of energy data. According to Juan Gonzalez, P.E., President of efergy USA, Inc., in charge of the USA market, “These new features will allow for remote wireless monitoring of photovoltaic and other generating systems and will greatly increase the efficacy of their maintenance over time. For example, a solar energy company could monitor the production of a customer’s photovoltaic system over time and dispatch maintenance personnel if there was a problem with the solar panels or the inverters to minimize lost savings if the customer would have to wait until the next billing cycle to know there was an issue”. efergy designs, develops and manufactures wireless energy monitors, displays and related products for the residential, commercial and smart metering market. With offices in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Hong Kong and China, and over 30 distributors around the world, efergy so far has sold close to a million electricity monitoring units over 50 countries in 5 continents. efergy designs tailored products to suit the strategies of their customers, offering attractive, inexpensive and innovative energy awareness and saving products. Its commitment to future technologies ensures being constantly at the cutting edge of developments in the industry. ❏ FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 48 ON READER SERVICE CARD

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Product FOCUS Schneider Electric Revs Up EV Charging with Enhanced Indoor Charging Station Evolutionary upgrades expand Schneider Electric’s industry-leading range of features available in its comprehensive line of EV charging stations Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, today announced at Plug-In 2012 U.S. availability of its latest EVlink™ indoor electric vehicle (EV) charging station. The new capabilities provide customers with an unparalleled level of convenience, usability and compatibility, while delivering a personalized effect to home charging. Available for residential and now indoor light commercial applications, the charging station adds to Schneider Electric’s comprehensive EVlink portfolio, which offers a widerange of EV charging solutions and services.

Research forecasts* estimate that the market for plug-in electric vehicles globally will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 48.4 percent between now and 2017. Additional industry projections** predict that there will be 1.5 million locations to charge vehicles in the U.S., and 7.7 million locations around the world by 2017. Schneider Electric offers a comprehensive line of charging stations and services to meet the growing demand for EV infrastructure.

“Schneider Electric is committed to expanding and improving our EVlink line to help drive continued growth in EV adoption,” said Mike Calise, director, Electric Vehicles, Power Business, Schneider Electric. “We have a history of delivering charging stations of the highest quality and upmost ease-of-use that continually surpass our customers’ expectations. With the next generation EVlink indoor charging station, we are delivering a personalized charger that is more convenient and compatible for our customers’ various charging needs.”

For more information, visit www.scheider-electric.com/us

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Product FOCUS Cooper Lighting Releases New and Updated Product Selection Guide Sixth edition printed guide also available electronically on the App Store and in the Android Market.

Cooper Lighting, an industry leader committed to delivering innovative products and driving transformational technology in the lighting industry, has announced that the sixth edition of its Product Selection Guide (PSG) is now available.

The 1680-page printed catalog is Cooper Lighting’s most complete, up-to-date product reference resource and includes 23 easy-to-use sections of the company’s lighting and controls products, including individual product descriptions and features, photos, dimensions and complete ordering information. The guide is also available electronically from mobile devices, tablets and computers.

The new and updated printed PSG highlights Cooper Lighting’s extensive lighting luminaires and controls products, providing solutions to the commercial, industrial, retail, institutional, residential and utility markets. The guide includes an easy-to-use Table of Contents organized by brand; comprehensive pictorial product index at the beginning of every brand; complete ordering information; detailed line art and specifications; beautiful application photography; and an easy-touse numerical Index in the back.

Cooper Lighting has made a significant investment in people, resources and technology to ensure the company provides first-class solutions to its customers’ lighting challenges.

For more information, visit www.cooperlighting.com

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Product FOCUS Versatility that Works for You Hilti PS 38 Multidetector Costly damage caused by drilling into pipes or cables can become a thing of the past with the new Hilti PS 38 Multidetector. Find virtually everything that hides beneath the surface of walls, floors or ceilings. The PS 38 helps you quickly and easily locate concealed metal, wood, plastic, and electric conduit with high accuracy so you can drill through-holes and set anchors with confidence.

The PS 38 is capable of locating objects in a variety of base materials up to a depth of 4-¾”. It also features several standard modes for various base material/composite structures and even includes a unique mode selection for special base materials such as floor heating, hollow brick and drywall.

This hand held, easy-to-use multidetector indicates approximate embedment depth for clear drilling area, self-calibrates and marks the detected objects. And, the durable rubber casing is designed to withstand tough jobsite condition.

Backing the Hilti PS 38 Multidetector is Hilti’s Calibration Service to help ensure reliability and accuracy. Even with Hilti’s built-in protection features, precision instruments can be affected by everyday use and more. Through the Calibration Service, the multidetector will be calibrated and adjusted as needed, with the calibration confirmed in writing. The PS 38 Multidetector is also covered by Hilti’s Lifetime Service, a unique service agreement that includes two years of no-cost coverage.

For more information, visit www.us.hilti.com

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Product FOCUS Klein Tools® Introduces a Coax Radial Stripper that Strips Both Utility and Standard Cable Sizes Exclusive sliding depth gauge pre-measures cable for precise one-step, two-level strips Klein Tools, for professionals since 1857, introduces a unique Coax Combination Radial Stripper extending its successful Voice/Data/Video (VDV) line of tools, connectors and testers. This single tool strips both utility and standard cable sizes. It also strips two levels (outer jacket and dielectric) in one step. An exclusive sliding depth gauge pre-measures cable for quick, accurate and repeatable strips. The radial stripper is perfect for audio/visual coax applications. Klein Tools’ new VDV Coax Combination Radial Stripper (Cat. No. VDV110-095) works on both standard and utility size cables including RG6, RG6-QS, RG59, RG11, and RG7.

The one-step, two-level (5/16” X 1/4”) stripping along with the exclusive sliding depth gauge, take the guesswork out of repeatable cable end preparation. This stripper also eliminates the need for the installer to use his fingers as a backstop for sharp wire tips, reducing irritation. Durable high-carbon steel cutting blades automatically adjust to different cable diameters, and a convenient finger loop facilitates easy, controlled rotation. The simple design makes cleaning out debris effortless. “Cable installers who run backbone cable from a utility source and then run standard cable to equipment, usually don’t have one tool that can prep both these cable series,” states senior product manager, Dave Mueller. “This coax combination radial stripper does both utility and standard cable types providing quick, precise and repeatable one step, two-level stripping -- saving time and effort during an installation.”

For more information visit www.kleintools.com

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Product FOCUS

Platinum Tools® T62 Recon Test Set Now Shipping The 21st Century Butt Set Offers a Complete Menu for Measuring Data, Actively Monitoring and Detection of High Line Voltages Platinum Tools®, the leader in solutions for the preparation, installation and hand termination of wire and cable, is proud to announce that the new T62 Recon Test Set is now shipping. With an MSRP of $269.95, the Recon Test Set delivers more line condition and status information than any other telephone line tester in the world.

“The T62 Recon Test Set includes the most sophisticated data in-line discovery and protection available today,” explained Lee Sachs, Platinum Tools, Inc. president and general manager. “The T62 offers a complete menu for measuring data, actively monitoring and detection of high line voltages. It also includes a Digi-Secure feature that protects digital lines from disruption by outside test equipment.”

The new Platinum Tools T62 Recon Test Set comes with a slate of features not found on any other ‘butt’ set in the world. The large backlit display shows information clearly, and with a glow in the dark keypad the unit can be used in low light environments. And, it is 100 percent weather and rainproof for outside use anytime.

“The T62 Recon Test Set is tough as well as talented,” added Sachs. “It is the first 21st Century telephone test set, and sets a new standard for telephone line analysis.”

For more information, visit www.platinumtools.com

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Product FOCUS T3 Innovation New Tel-Scope™ Telecomm Test Set Now Shipping Using Independent Technologies’ Patented ‘Data Defender’ System, the Tough, Talented, and Affordable TLA300 Tel-Scope Offers a Complete Menu for Measuring Data, Actively Monitoring and Detection of High Line Voltages T3 Innovation, a leading provider of advanced handheld test equipment for the cable/telecommunications, datacom/networking, electrical design and maintenance, and residential/CEDIA custom install markets, has announced the new TLA300 Tel-Scope™ Telecomm Test Set is now shipping. With an MSRP of $269.95, the Tel-Scope delivers more line condition and status information than any other telephone line tester in the world.

“The Tel-Scope includes the most sophisticated data in-line discovery and protection available today,” explained Ron Vogel, T3 Innovation CEO. “Using Independent Technologies’ patented ‘Data Defender’ system, the Tel-Scope offers a complete menu for measuring data, actively monitoring and detection of high line voltages. The Data Defender feature also includes Digi-Secure features that protect digital lines from disruption by outside test equipment.”

The new TLA300 Tel-Scope Telecommunications test set comes with a slate of features not found on any other ‘butt’ set in the world. The large backlit display shows information clearly, and with a glow in the dark keypad the unit can be used in low light environments. And, it is 100 percent weather and rainproof for outside use anytime.

For more information, visit www.t3innovation.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 AEE SOLAR AEMC INSTRUMENTS ALCAN CABLE AMERICAN CONNECTORS INC. AMERICAN PIPE & PLASTICS AMERICAN TECHNICAL PUBLISHERS ARPI OF USA BACKWOODS SOLAR BRADY WORLDWIDE BURNDY BYTE BROTHERS C.K TOOLS CALIFORNIA TURBO, INC. CONDUIT REPAIR SYSTEMS COPPER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION COPPER WIRE STRIPPER DH SOLAR EFERGY U.S.A., INC. EXTECH INSTRUMENTS/FLIR SYSTEMS E-Z METER GENERATOR INTERLOCK TECHNOLOGIES GENSCO HERCULES INDUSTRIES HIOKI USA

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11 IFC BC 39 29 18 36 32 33 20 22 43 34 4 31 24 37 42 5, 9 36 7 44 34 19

11 1 3 25 20 42 53 50 22 43 44 27 52 6 21 45 24 58 7, 9 54 8 60 51 15

ICC KRENZ & COMPANY MEGGER MH RHODES/CRAMER COMPANY MINUTEMAN UPS NATIONAL WIRE & CABLE NORTHWEST LIGHTING SYSTEMS PG LIFELINK PHASE-A-MATIC PHILIPS CAPRI PLC MULTIPOINT PRUF LED QUICK MOUNT PV SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC SNAPNRACK SOKKIA SOUTHWIRE STEELMAN INDUSTRIES STRIP-TEC THE HOME DEPOT UNDERGROUND DEVICES UTILITY METALS WATTSTOPPER

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21 38 IBC 24 27 30 41 15 38 23 16 42 1 25 17 5 35 32 14 13 40 10 26

16 55 2 46 19 48 26 13 56 17 41 59 4 18 14 7 23 49 40 12 57 10 47

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