AN ANNEX PUBLISHING & PRINTING INC. PUBLICATION • VOLUME 51 • ISSUE 8
The solutions you need, the quality you trust.
Find it all on page 5.
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AUGUST 2015
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... GPS-enabled software has answers
Also in this issue...
PM # 40065710
• 21st-Century home thermostats • Careers in electrical distribution • Who do you trust with your safety?
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from the editor
The War of Currents continues
“We are plugging new-age devices into legacy infrastructure”
HVDC transmission has greater delivery capacity than AC on a similar right-of-way, noted Reed, and involves a lot less infrastructure with lower losses. But what truly piqued my curiosity was not the HVDC T&D, but the eventual adoption of direct current at the end user level: in our homes and businesses. Regarding the Dr. Gregory Reed. home, Reed pointed out that many of our residential loads are already direct current (e.g. laptops, HDTVs, LED lighting, etc.). Just imagine the home of the future that completely eliminates those bulky adapters/converters we attach to all our electronics. We are still far from this reality, as no standards exist for DC on the residential/end user level, but think about how your wiring practices and devices will change... especially when wireless electricity transmission becomes the norm!
Photo A. Capkun
Christian Ryan Photography
B
y now we’ve all heard of HVDC (high-voltage direct current) installations, but what intrigued me about Dr. Gregory Reed, director, University of Pittsburgh Center for Energy, was his thoughts on the turns the War of Currents continues to take. Specifically, the growing role of direct current systems, and where they may ultimately lead us. During his presentation at Electro-Federation Canada’s annual conference, Reed noted that, back at the turn of the 20th Century, alternating current transmission was the right solution for its time. In Edison’s age, DC required power plants to be located every few miles, while the AC solution championed by Tesla and Westinghouse allowed centralized generation with long-distance transmission capability. But in this 21st Century, distributed generation resources and DC loads are changing the consumer’s interaction with the electric power grid, and challenging our legacy AC supply. “We are plugging new-age devices into legacy infrastructure,” Reed observed. “Distributed energy resources and microgrids will continue to grow exponentially.” And what we have now that we didn’t have then are power electronics technologies, said Reed, which provide the means to make DC transmission & distribution a reality.
Contents
departments 4
14 Home thermostats welcomed into
7 Electrical Safety 360
stock photo
the 21st Century
Who and what do you trust with your safety?
The latest in our ongoing series “House of Unlimited Budget” looks inside home energy management solutions, specifically those everevolving programmable thermostats.
On the Cover and Page 10 “How late is too late?” ... GPS-enabled software has answers Customers don’t like waiting around for service— especially when it comes to home repairs—which is why an investment in GPS-enabled software may provide you with moreeffective scheduling, routing and dispatching.
Industry News
8 Personalities 18 Letters
20 Promising careers await in electrical distribution
23 Calendar
Someone you know may love the electrical industry, but maybe you can’t see them translating that passion into a successful career as an electrician or electrical contractor. A career in electrical distribution may be the ticket.
25 Products & Solutions 26 Code File
Hazards in hazardous locations
26 Code Conundrum
22 Gavel-passing and other Committee Week highlights
EBMag recently returned from CSA Group’s annual Committee Week, where the professionals who write our Canadian Electrical Code meet to decide what goes in and what stays out.
24 Old textile mill in Montreal becomes energy efficiency showcase
The building at 7262 Rue Marconi in Montreal is a showcase for stateof-the-art building automation, and one of the keys to the project is the use of wireless technologies.
page 25
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www.EBMag.com • August 2015 • 3
industry news qualified individuals with a way to easily reflect their qualifications while creating prestige for their credentials—in this case, the Red Seal endorsement. Now, in most Canadian jurisdictions, the RSE acronym can be used by journeypersons who have obtained a Red Seal endorsement on their provincial or territorial Certificates of Qualification and Apprenticeship by successfully completing a Red Seal examination. Anyone holding a Red Seal endorsement can begin using RSE on their business cards and promotional materials. CCDA says the implementation of the acronym meets its long-term vision for the Red Seal Program by raising the image of the skilled trades, to recognize the professionalism of the skilled trades and to recognize the standard of excellence offered by the program. To use the acronym, just place RSE after your name e.g. John Doe, RSE.
image Courtesy CCDa
Red Seal Endorsement acronym forces new business cards
The administrator of Canada’s Red Seal Program—the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA)—announced the official recognition of the RSE acronym (Red Seal Endorsement) for qualified skilled journeypersons (www.red-seal.ca). CCDA says an officially recognized acronym for professionals in the trade industry provides Cooper Lighting officially now just Eaton “In the nearly three years since Cooper became part of Eaton [...] we have been gradually transitioning from the Cooper Lighting [www.cooperindustries.com] name to the Eaton brand,” said Mark Eubanks, president of Eaton’s Lighting Division. He said the time has come for the next step to take place and, going forward, “we will refer to ourselves as Eaton.” Lighting and controls product line names—such as Halo, Metalux, Lumark, Corelite, Neo-Ray, Fifth Light, Greengate, etc.—will remain unchanged, Eubanks said. “The scope and scale of our global business makes it most effective to speak to the market from a unified and consistent platform: the Eaton brand,” he concluded.
Photo Courtesy aD CanaDa.
Stryker and Giesbrecht “Reel it in” with AD Rewards and Osram
(Left to right): Wes Stryker, Fliet Electric; Christine Stryker, Fliet Electric; Leff Laurin, Osram; Frank Reimer, E.G. Penner Building Centres; Stacey Giesbrecht, Mid-Lite Electric; Jim Milne, AD Canada. The grand prize winners of the AD Rewards (adrewards.ca) and Osram all-inclusive “Reel it in to Win” promotion—Wes Stryker from Fliet Electric and Stacey Giesbrecht from Mid-Lite Electric—have returned from Gangler’s North Seal River Lodge in Northern Manitoba, with everyone catching 40 to 50 fish a day. Congratulations! The promotion ran from October 1 to November 30, 2014. To win, Stryker and Giesbrecht had to purchase Osram products and play an online fishing game. The two caught the greatest total weight in fish during the promotion period, and were named the grand prize winners.
4 • August 2015 • www.EBMag.com
Schneider Electric joins HeForShe Impact 10x10x10 UN Women (www.unwomen.org) has selected Schneider Electric (www.schneider-electric.com) to join the HeForShe Impact 10x10x10 pilot group, which aims to involve 10 governments, 10 companies and 10 universities throughout the world in a solidarity movement in favour of gender equality. HeForShe’s mission is to encourage men to support change in favour of diversity and women’s rights, explains Schneider, with the overall objective of mobilizing a billion men by September 2015 to help communities around the world to design sustainable change programs in favour of gender equality. As a member of the HeForShe Impact 10x10x10, Schneider Electric’s commitments by the end of 2017 include: • Increase the representation of women across the pipeline: 40% at entry of new managers and technicians (vs. 29% currently) and 35% increase in representation in key positions. • Implement a salary equity process worldwide, covering 85% of the group’s workforce. • Involve group leaders worldwide and create a governance body dedicated to this program. Bluewater fined $120K in worker fatality Bluewater Power Distribution Corp., the utility (www.bluewaterpwer.com) providing electricity distribution and related services in Ontario’s Sarnia-Lambton region, has been fined $120,000 in the 2012 electrocution of a worker who was performing repair work following the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The worker was one of two who had been assigned post-storm repair work on Passingham Drive in Sarnia, where trees had downed power lines, according to the Ontario Ministry of Labour (www.labour.gov.on.ca). An investigation revealed that no job plan or tailboard was in place prior to the commencement of work. Job planning and documentation of a tailboard is a requirement under the Electrical Utility Safety (EUSR) Book, Rule 107. Bluewater pleaded guilty to failing as an employer to ensure that workers performed a documented job plan.
August 2015 • Volume 51 • Issue 8 eleCtriCal business is the magazine of the Canadian electrical community. it reports on the news and publishes articles in a manner that is informative and constructive. Editor Anthony Capkun - acapkun@annexweb.com Group Publisher John MacPherson - jmacpherson@annexweb.com Account Manager Scott Hoy - shoy@annexweb.com Assistant Editor Renée Francoeur - rfrancoeur@annexweb.com Art Director Svetlana Avrutin - savrutin@annexweb.com Production Manager Kathryn Nyenhuis - knyenhuis@annexweb.com Subscriber Customer Service Representative Karen Thomson - kthomson@annexweb.com Director of Soul/COO Sue Fredericks Published by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. 222 Edward Street, Aurora, Ontario L4G 1W6 Tel. 905-727-0077 • Fax 905-727-0017
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SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: Single issue $7.00 12 issues: $35.00 (includes tax) USA: $59.00 (US) International: $75.00 (US) per year Occasionally, Electrical Business will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above. The contents of Electrical Business are copyright ©2015 by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. and may not be reproduced in whole or part without written consent. Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication.
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industry news UL 943 GFCI standard changed to address auto-monitoring The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA in the U.S.) along with Underwriters Laboratories announced changes to UL 943 Standard for Safety for GroundFault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)—a tri-national, harmonized UL 943/CSA C22.2 No. 144.1/ANCE NMX-J-520 (tinyurl.com/pqssfhj). To maintain certification, all manufacturers must meet these revisions with GFCIs produced after June 28, 2015. The GFCIs bearing the UL Certification Mark prior to June 28, 2015, can no longer be produced but can be sold by manufacturers, retailers and distributors, and can be used by installers until their inventories are depleted. The revisions to the tri-national standard were developed by a NEMA-led group in response to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requesting auto-monitoring requirements on GFCIs. The devices are supposed to be tested periodically, but end users weren’t doing that. Furthermore, even when the tests were performed, NEMA explains it was possible for an undetected failure or malfunction to occur between tests without a system of auto-monitoring. BC Hydro and Building Trades agree on labour for Site C BC Building Trades (www. bcbuildingtrades.org) and BC Hydro (www.bchydro.com) say they have secured an agreement on labour on the Site C Clean Energy Project, recognizing that “stability is best achieved with a mix of labour representation that includes building trades unions”. The framework allows the project to operate as a managed open site that includes participation from union and non-union workers, as well as independent and First Nations contractors, BC Hydro stated. BC Hydro said it has agreed to place greater weight on bids with a mix of labour representation that includes building trades unions. The BC Building Trades unions have waived the practice of signing Project Labour Agreements, which restrict other non-affiliated organizations from working on site, and the two parties say they have agreed to no strike, no lockout, and no raiding provisions, and no organizing on the Main Civil Works component of the project.
Nexans EHV cable to connect Grand Bend Wind Farm “This is a pivotal accomplishment for Nexans,” said Nexans’ Dirk Steinbrink of a multi-million dollar deal to provide the extra-high-voltage cable connection for the Grand Bend Wind Farm, in conjunction with project partners Black & McDonald, the electrical services contractor, and AMEC Foster Wheeler, an EPC (engineering procurement construction) firm. Northland Power is constructing the wind farm (a
joint project with the Aamjiwannang First Nation of Sarnia and the Bkejwanong First Nation at Walpole), which comprises 2428 hectares along the eastern shore of Lake Huron. The facility will provide 100MW of total generation capacity, and is expected to be operational next year. Nexans’ facility in South Carolina will design, develop and manufacture 105 kilometres of extra-highvoltage (EHV) power cable to connect the new wind farm to the grid.
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Novinium acquires UtilX Novinium (novinium.com) has acquired UtilX from Willbros Group (www.willbros.com) and, together, they provide about 30% of the North American cable rehabilitation and 10% globally, according to the company. The acquisition provides the utility industry with better operating efficiency, economies of scale for purchasing and manufacturing, and other benefits, Novinium said. Willbros chair and CEO John T. McNabb added the team at UtilX has performed well, and WillBros expects they will “continue to prosper” with Novinium. Novinium CEO Glen Bertini, left, says the acquisition will improve industry competition.
IEEE revises Guide for Animal Deterrents IEEE (www.ieee.org) says it has updated standard IEEE 1264 “Guide for Animal Deterrents for Electric Power Supply Substations”. Although animal problems differ in nature geographically, most electric utilities have experienced the problem of animal intrusion into electric supply substations, resulting in equipment damage, interruption or loss of service to customers, and safety problems for operating personnel, says IEEE. The costs associated with these outages continue to escalate, IEEE added. This revised standard identifies various animals, the problems their behaviours cause, and mitigation methods. In addition, the standard provides criteria for applying mitigation methods, documents to support the various methods’ effectiveness, and recommendations for evaluating effectiveness after the method is applied. The IEEE 1264 standard is now available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store (tinyurl.com/odoprpk).
AltaLink files GTA amendment to save Albertans money AltaLink (www.altalink.ca) says it has submitted a proposal to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC), to save Albertans “more than $550 million between 2015 and 2017”. This submission amends AltaLink’s previously filed 2015-2016 General Tariff Application (GTA), which outlines its proposed costs over the two-year period. “Since we filed our GTA in November 2014, Alberta’s economy has clearly weakened,” said Scott Thon, president and CEO of AltaLink. “We recognize every Albertan is either directly or indirectly feeling the impact of low oil prices. At the same time, we are sensitive to the impact of price increases our customers experience associated with the much-needed expansion of Alberta’s electricity grid.” AltaLink said its submission will reduce AltaLink’s revenue requirement by more than 20% in 2015 and 25% in 2016. The total savings to Albertans will be: $178 million in 2015, $266 million in 2016, and $111 million in 2017, according to AltaLink.
Acklands-Grainger celebrates grand opening in Caledon It was hot tunes and balloons at Acklands-Grainger’s (www. acklandsgrainger.com) brand new distribution centre at 21 Merchant in Caledon, Ont. The company, a distributor of industrial, safety and fastener products, recently hosted its grand opening celebration, featuring facility tours and a BBQ. The 535,000-sf facility has the capacity to stock 170,000 products and serves customers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. “Having this distribution centre in Caledon and the Greater Toronto Area allows us to better serve our growing number of customers in Eastern Canada,” said Simon Kelly, director at the centre. “In addition, this is a solid community and it has a strong talent pool. We look forward to serving as a member of this community for generations to come.” Visit tinyurl.com/o54cggh for our photo gallery and tinyurl.com/ok3qzq9 for our video on the new centre.
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6 • August 2015 • www.EBMag.com
Photo R. Francoeur.
Photo courtesy Novinium.
industry news SaskPower selects Swift Current for 2019 plant SaskPower (www.saskpower.com) says the location of its next natural gas power plant has finally been chosen after a process that began in 2012. A 158-acre site near Swift Current will see the construction of a 350MW combined cycle natural gas plant when the project is complete in late 2019, the utility said. The gas plant location was chosen based on a number of factors, including proximity to existing transmission infrastructure and natural gas supply, as well as the growing demand for electricity in southwest Saskatchewan. Consultation was done with the public, local community leaders and affected landowners, SaskPower noted. The next steps in the process are to determine whether the project will be built by SaskPower or by an independent power producer through a competitive procurement process. CEA presents Sustainable Electricity Awards The Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) has recognized three of its member utilities— Ontario Power Generation Inc. (www.opg.com), Brookfield Renewable Energy Group (www. brookfieldrenewable.com), and TransCanada (www.transcanada.com)—for their “leadership in sustainability and innovation” by presenting them with 2015 Sustainable Electricity Awards. The annual awards, evaluated by an independent public advisory panel under CEA’s (www.electricity. ca) Sustainable Electricity program, recognizes companies that implement sustainable solutions to complex operational and strategic challenges. The Environmental Commitment Award went to Ontario Power Generation (OPG) in recognition of the Biomass Conversion Initiative. Brookfield Renewable Energy Group took home the Social Responsibility Award for the Kokish Hydroelectric Facility Partnership with the ‘Namgis First Nations. Lastly, the Certificate of Recognition for Sustainability Leadership was handed to TransCanada in recognition of social and economic initiatives related to the training of Energy Operations employees and the promotion of local procurement and supplier diversity. Accenture survey finds consumers keen on power self-sufficiency With the proliferation of new energy technologies—from distributed generation to wireless charging furniture—research from Accenture (www.accenture.com) finds consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of their energy consumption, with many interested in solutions that help them save electricity. Accenture’s sixth annual survey this year included more than 11,000 energy consumers in 21 countries (including 584 in Canada). The resulting report finds 66% are interested in solutions that help them save electricity while 69% say they would be interested in participating in an energy management program. More than 3/4 of consumers have taken energy efficiency actions in the past year, including installing energy-efficient light bulbs (52%), reducing appliance usage (34%), using appliances in non-peak times (28%) and lowering thermostat settings (28%).
electrical safety 360
Mike Doherty
Who and what do you trust with your safety?
Q
ualified, competent and knowledgeable electrical technicians, technologists, electricians and linemen deal with toxic energy day in and day out while performing their tasks. When it comes to working on or near an energy source that can be so incredibly toxic to humans, you need to ask yourself: Who and what do I trust? Do I trust the safety management systems that are in place where I work? Do I trust the managers and supervision? Do I trust myself to do the right thing regarding my own personal safety—especially when no one is around to see me working? Do I trust the schooling and training I have received before entering the workplace? These are tough questions and, typically, everyone I have ever met has had different answers. For anyone in the electrical trades, the reality is there are different levels of safety management systems, managers, supervisors and tradespeople everywhere you go. The safety culture (or lack thereof) within your organization will determine just how effective/ ineffective any of these things will be. Your personal safety is always the single most-important factor in your job plan. Every worker is an extremely valuable asset to wherever it is they work. Protecting that asset for the sake of the worker, their family and friends—as well as those who pay their wages— is Job One. Deciding to take or bear risks in the electrical trade is just not acceptable for anyone at any level in any business. There are many things that can happen and break down during an electrical task, which can impact personal safety and/or the task itself in the blink of an eye. This toxic energy can be delivered to the worker by means of direct-contact shock and/or arc flash.
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These are tough questions and, typically, everyone I have ever met has had different answers. Outstanding job planning executed by qualified and competent crews will reduce the electrical risks inherent in any task but, while this is always the goal and expectation, it may not be a best practice in your place of business. Electricity is invisible and needs to be identified as a potential toxic hazard to workers at every opportunity within the job planning and workflow process. One of the most critical and mandatory workplace electrical safety techniques is quite simply: Test Before Touch TBT is simple, true, but its general concepts reveal more than meets the eye. Have you been trained to understand why TBT is mandatory in the electrical trades? Has this training been documented and captured in a Learning Management System (LMS)? Does your safety management system ensure that TBT is an embedded culture and risk-reduction tool used all the time, every time (e.g. regularly documented field audits by those accountable) by all qualified employees and contractors? Critically, do you consider all electrical parts to be energized until comprehensively tested? Do you believe you need to test every single conductor that could possibly be contacted, even inadvertently, for toxic electrical energy? Do you understand the PPE (personal protective equipment) that must be used for the equipment being tested, and use it without question all the time, every time? (Knowledge of that equipment is mandatory.) When the
workflow is broken, whatever the reason, you need to start the TBT process anew. Ideally, this process is comprehensively confirmed by another competent, qualified tradesperson. Do you clearly understand how your voltage detection device is to be used safely? Competent electrical tradespeople use the Live-Dead-Live technique all the time, every time. Do you perform comprehensive phase-tophase, phase-to-ground, phase-to-neutral tests, and do you have a complete understanding of the equipment being tested? Reliable ground test points must be assured, and you should know, as just one example, that some fuses have insulated ferrules that may give you a false indication as to the lack of voltage. Before you touch, test every circuit, every conductor, every time. So ask yourself again: Who and what do I trust? If not you, then who? None of these best practices take long to get done, so ensure that not only you are doing them, but your partners, too, and anyone who works for you all the time, every time. If you’re not following even the simplest electrical safety best practice of Test Before Touch, then perhaps the real question you should be asking yourself is: What am I doing in the electrical trades? A subject-matter expert on electrical safety, Mike Doherty is the director of learning & continual improvement at Shermco Industries Canada Inc. He is a licensed electrician and an IEEE senior member, and has served as the Technical Committee chair for CSA Z462 since its inception. His specialties include electrical safety and health & safety management, maintenance, consulting, training, auditing and electrical incident investigations. Mike can be reached at mdoherty@shermco.com.
4/15/11 11:59:45 AM
www.EBMag.com • August 2015 • 7
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Ontario Electrical Construction Co. Ltd. (OEC) was recently honoured by CBRE (www.cbre.ca), achieving “Technical Supplier of the Year” designation at its annual awards presentation. CBRE credited OEC’s (onelec.com) professional management and operational excellence as key components to their successful partnership, says OEC, adding CBRE further cited OEC’s support of its RISE values, “delivering strategic services and value optimization at IBM’s 10 facilities in the Greater Toronto and surrounding areas”.
Earlier this summer, 155 PowerStream (www.powerstream.ca) employees participated in various community cycling events, raising $80,000 in support of two charitable organizations. Five employee teams bicycled in several Heart & Stroke Big Bike events held in Vaughan, Barrie and Markham, Ont., raising $28,000. Also, a dozen employees cycled for two days in the annual Ride to Conquer Cancer. The team contributed $51,818 to in support of Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Scott Thomson is stepping down as president and CEO of Manitoba Hydro (www.hydro.mb.ca), effective September 22, 2015, announced the Manitoba Hydro Electric Board. Thomson, who joined Manitoba Hydro in February 2012, is leaving to take on a senior executive position in the private sector in Vancouver, which is Scott Thomson closer to family.
Rita Harrold
Rita Harrold, director of technology with the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), is retiring after 23 years with the society. Harrold was the first woman elected president of IES (www.ies.org), becoming its 81st president (1985-86) then Fellow. In 1992, she joined the society’s staff as director of educational and technical development.
As it begins a transition in leadership, Southwire Company (U.S., www. southwire.com) named Rich Stinson its company president, who will also go on to assume the role of CEO following a transition period from Stu Thorn, who is retiring after more than 14 years of leading the company. “Today is a bittersweet moment,” said Thorn. “I’m extremely proud as I look back at what we at Southwire have accomplished as a team, with everyone contributing in some way.” Stinson is currently the group president of electrical systems and services for Eaton Corp., and will join Southwire Co. on October 15.
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Justin Guinn
C
ustomers don’t like waiting around for service—especially when it comes to home repairs. In Software Advice’s 2014 Customer Preferences for Residential Services report, the top pain points cited were lengthy arrival time windows and having to wait for late technicians. Similarly, a survey by John Ragsdale— vice-president of technology research for the Technology Services Industry Association—found that the “dreaded eight-hour appointment window” is customers’ biggest pet peeve. GPS-enabled software offers a solution to these pain points by providing more effective scheduling, routing and dispatching. We surveyed consumers and business operators to determine what impact implementing dispatch software with GPS-enabled capabilities can have for home service providers. With results in-hand, I will explain how companies can use these systems to streamline operations and improve technician punctuality. How late is too late? Scheduling, routing and dispatching software with GPS-enabled capabilities can help overcome such pain points. Among other benefits, this functionality—which includes service dispatching, street-level routing and smart scheduling—can help technicians plan routes more efficiently and provide more accurate arrival times. For our report, we surveyed operators of home service businesses currently using GPS-enabled dispatch software to learn what impact these solutions have had. We also surveyed a random sample of U.S. adults to gauge how accurate arrival times can help sustain a loyal customer base. Waiting around for technicians is a top customer pain point, but how late is too late? We asked respondents how long past a scheduled appointment they would be willing to wait before deciding not to do business with that service company again. Two-thirds say they won’t re-hire a company when its technician is up to an hour late, and 36% will only wait half an hour or less. Clearly, it’s critical for service companies to ensure workers are scheduled and routed as efficiently as possible. Joanna Rotter, content marketing manager at MSI Data (a field service management software provider), says these findings reflect market-wide trends. She believes being able to shorten arrival time windows, and to arrive consistently within those windows, are key differentiators for field service companies. “From a consumer’s perspective, I don’t want to be sitting at home all day waiting for a service company to get there,” she says. Rotter believes companies that don’t have GPS-enabled software could lose their customer bases to companies that do because they offer
10 • August 2015 • www.EBMag.com
more punctual technicians. “That’s a scary thought for a lot of our [clients]: that if they’re not achieving scheduling accuracy, they’re going to lose customers,” says Katelyn Burrill, product marketing manager for ClickSoftware, a workforce management solution. Though this finding may be a wake-up call for companies, there is one thing that can lessen the blow of a technician arriving late: improved communication. Communication is key GPS-enabled service dispatching, routing and scheduling software provides more-efficient daily routes, alleviating travel time. Still, unforeseeable incidents will inevitably arise, causing workers to show up late. In these cases, technology can help. Many GPS-enabled dispatch systems feature automated customer-alert capabilities. These systems geolocate technicians’ mobile devices— which might be smartphones, tablets or GPS hardware that is connected to software in the main service office. Based on the worker’s location, the software then sends automated text messages to customers with updated technician arrival times. The alerts also ping the back office to inform dispatchers and managers when a technician is running late. We asked both consumers and business operators how this technology impacts customer attitudes toward tardy mobile workers. 73% of consumers are more likely to re-hire a late service provider when they’re notified with an updated arrival time. Likewise, 76% of business operators say customer attitudes toward late technicians have improved since implementing automated alerts and messaging. In line with the data, Debra Mielke, director
of strategic alliances for FieldAware (a mobile, cloud-based service dispatch software provider) believes that what customers want above all is proper communication. “It’s amazing what communication does,” she says. “My favourite analogy for it is: Say you’re on an airplane sitting out on the tarmac, and you can’t get to the gate. If the pilot doesn’t say anything to you, all you do is go nuts... whereas if he tells you it’s going to be 20 minutes, you’re much more accepting.” Rotter adds that customers are likely to expect automated text-message updates as they become more prevalent across the wide spectrum of field service companies. “That’s where I see GPS capabilities being a necessity in terms of meeting customer demands today,” Rotter explains. Next, we asked business operators what effect implementing GPS-enabled scheduling, routing and dispatching software has had on technician punctuality. An overwhelming majority cite an improvement in this area after adopting a GPS-enabled solution. Further, 90% of business operators say the number of work orders completed on time has increased. Consistently completing work orders in a timely fashion can help service technicians stay on schedule throughout the day. Smart Air Austin is an Austin, Texas-based HVAC service company that recently implemented GPS-enabled software. Before adopting the software, Smart Air had no way to track nearly any aspect of its field operations, says company president Shane Bryant. “Now we can tell if a technician might not make their arrival time window and give the customer a courtesy call,” Bryant explains. “Punctuality has improved considerably.”
too late?”
Taking the long way home? Field service technicians are mobile by nature, requiring the use of a vehicle to travel to jobs. Fuel and maintenance costs can be expensive, especially with the ever-fluctuating price of gas. However, proper driving habits can prolong the distance travelled on every gallon. A report from ClickSoftware found that “aggressive driving [e.g. speeding, rapid acceleration and braking] can lower gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds and by 5% around town”. This statistic can account for serious revenue seepage. Clearly, encouraging proper driving is a good idea for business operators—but encouragement may not be enough. GPS-enabled software elevates this encouragement to accountability, enabling managers to monitor workers’ driving habits and fuel consumption in real-time via the drivers’ mobile devices. We asked business operators whether holding technicians accountable for their driving habits can translate into real returns. A combined 89% of business operators indicate improvement in their average fuel costs after adopting GPS-enabled software. Likewise, a majority of software adopters (92% combined) see improvements in average work order travel times. GPS-enabled systems also provide both technicians and the back office with real-time alerts, Burrill and Rotter explain—allowing managers to enforce proper driving habits on an as-needed basis. For example, Burrill says, “If a technician is excessively speeding, the back office would get a flag.” As Smart Air Austin learned, the transparency that GPS-enabled systems offer also holds drivers accountable for any extracurricular activities for which they might be using their company vehicle. “The first few months we had GPS, we found that one technician we considered very trustworthy was taking the company vehicle several hours outside the city to go camping,” Pickering says.
stock photo
The software’s dispatching capabilities also enable Smart Air’s dispatchers to monitor workers in the field more effectively so they can update jobs based on technician availability. “I don’t have to contact the technician to see if they have time for more [jobs],” says Jeanne Pickering, dispatcher for Smart Air. “It is apparent when a [job] is very long, so adjustments can be made to the schedule accordingly. Having GPS has allowed so much more efficiency and visibility. We don’t know how we survived without it.” Since mobile workers are typically assigned regions or zones in which they operate, GPS-enabled software can map out the most effective daily routes based on the location of jobs within the zone. Some systems can even offer updated routes based on traffic patterns. “As the schedule is being created, it’s taking into account what the typical traffic patterns are in a given area, and prevents technicians from having to sit through a lot of traffic to get to their first job,” Burrill says. “This way, they can maximize the number of jobs they’re doing in a day.”
www.EBMag.com • August 2015 • 11
“We were able to compare gas charges on the company gas card against the GPS to verify that he was also using the card to travel. He was also taking several-hour lunches or time at home and recording this as time [spent] on jobs.” GPS software checks you out... and in GPS-enabled mobile devices can also streamline tedious operational and managerial processes. Jim West, product manager at service dispatch software company HCSS, says some dispatching systems automatically clock employees In/Out via geolocation enabled on mobile devices. Similarly, when a safety meeting is held, the mobile app’s time-stamped geolocation functionality automatically tells the back office which workers are in attendance. Without this technology, both of these processes would involve workers signing in on paper, which someone then has to manually input into the system. Given that GPS-enabled software can help increase technicians’ punctuality, it’s logical to assume this would result on the completion of more work orders per day. According to our sample, nearly 3/4 of companies say work order completion rates are “significantly” (31%) or “moderately improved” (40%) after adopting GPS-enabled software. Technicians are often measured by how many jobs they’re able to complete. As such, an increase in completed work orders equates to better performance. Likewise for business operators, an increase in work order completions is an increase in total revenue. Burrill says the street-level routing in many GPS-enabled dispatch systems enables these increased job completion rates; the reason being that it’s more intuitive than the “as-the-crowflies” routing. She gives this example: Say a technician has two jobs to complete that are only a few hundred yards apart, but sit on opposite sides of a river. The only way to cross the river is to drive across a bridge 10 miles downstream. With “as-thecrow-flies” directions, these jobs will be assigned
One-on-One with Justin Guinn EBMag spoke with the author of this piece, Justin Guinn (market researcher with Software Advice), to tell us a little bit more about the study’s findings and help uncover some of its nuances... EB: Your study indicates a number of ways that GPS software can impact the expenses and revenue of an electrical business... what did you uncover? GUINN: Our study uncovered multiple positive impacts that GPS software has for an electrical business’ bottom line. First and foremost, 95% of service providers with GPS-enabled software see an increase in the average number of work orders completed per day. Obviously, more jobs equals more money, but that’s not all. We also found that 89% of field service businesses see an improvement in average fuel costs per work order after adopting software with GPS capabilities. These are two major avenues for GPS tracking that have very real positive impacts on revenue.
12 • August 2015 • www.EBMag.com
back-to-back. But with street-level routing, the jobs will be assigned based on the location of other jobs scheduled that day. This way, a worker might complete several jobs on the way to and from the bridge—and end with the job across the river from the first one. Rotter also says that visibility into utilization data (e.g. information about the equipment and parts workers have in their vehicles) is paramount for keeping workers busy in the field. As mobile workers log their daily activity, most dispatching systems can track what equipment and parts have been used against what the vehicle contained before leaving for work. By delivering this information in real-time, the software enables dispatchers to assign new jobs based on what equipment remains. “You can track what parts are in the technician’s van, which is great for scheduling and really reduces truck roll [times the technician needs to return to the shop before finishing a job],” Rotter says. If you get to the right jobsite with the right parts, obviously you have a higher chance for success.” Similarly, HCSS’s West says that utilization data can be tracked for larger equipment used on construction sites. This allows managers to view equipment inventory as well as its condition. Having this information helps foremen determine whether they need to rent additional equipment and incur more costs to complete jobs. All about customer service Just as the back office is privy to data on technicians in the field, GPS-enabled dispatch software allows service companies to create customer profiles that workers can access in the field via apps on their mobile devices. This allows them to view important information such as work order history or whether there’s a dog on the premises. “There [are] so many things that go into good customer service,” Mielke says. “[With mobile field service software] I have all the information about the consumer in my hand. This makes me smarter and more efficient once
I’m there; I have a better ability to communicate with my customer.” By facilitating seamless communication and data-sharing between workers, customers and managers, mobile apps thus help streamline business processes. According to Burrill, this is where the real operational benefits come from. “Without mobility, [business operators] would just be giving the technician a schedule for the day that he’d be going out and doing without any kind of connectivity to the back office,” she says. “But if emergency jobs come up throughout the day or priorities change, the schedule needs to be readjusted. If [the technician] doesn’t have a mobile device for receiving updates, then you’re not serving customers in the most effective way.” GPS-enabled routing, dispatching and scheduling software helps field service companies improve efficiency and better serve customers, which positively impacts customers and technicians, as well as management. GPS-equipped software can give service businesses the edge they need to carve out their share of the market in an increasingly tech-driven world. This article is an abridged version of “Improve Service Provider Efficiency with GPS-Enabled Dispatch Software: IndustryView” published in February 2015 by Justin Guinn, a market researcher with Software Advice, a company that compares field service software products for businesses (tinyurl.com/o5lenax). He can be reached at justinguinn@softwareadvice.com.
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EB: Do you have any data on how customer retention is affected by this technology?
optimized routing are still the best cures for keeping technicians punctual.
GUINN: We found that punctuality is paramount for electrical businesses. Our report indicates that after an electrician is an hour late to an appointment, 65% of consumers won’t do business with that company again. Because of this, electricians in the field need to do everything they can to meet their arrival times. If not, customers will go elsewhere.
EB: For businesses that are still running on manual methods or little-to-no software, is adopting something like scheduling or routing technology a big undertaking?
EB: Was there something that came out of your research that surprised you? GUINN: Our most surprising finding could be good news for electricians who tend to run a bit late to their appointments, and don’t want to risk losing two-thirds of their clients. We found that when customers receive notifications saying their technician is running late, and they are provided them with an updated arrival time, 73% are more likely to rehire that business. It seems customers just want a little communication to keep them in the know. Though this may alleviate some of the horrors of tardiness, it’s not a fix-all. Proper scheduling and
GUINN: Adopting software like this may seem like a big undertaking, but the field service business owners we talk to every day when recommending software are drowning in disorganized invoices and paperwork. We try to help them find the right software for their needs that considers their pain points, budget and other key information. There may be initial pushback from employees who are used to the current status quo but, once they see the operational and organizational benefits, they usually come around. For most, software is the only way to get back on top of things... and stay there. Surprisingly, almost 60% of the field service businesses we talk to currently have no software in place to help them manage their businesses. This technology can enable them to expand their services and, perhaps, allow them to quit doing paperwork at nights and spend time with their families instead.
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We continue to explore electrical technologies, products and systems for the discerning homeowner... where cost is not an issue! This month we take a look inside home energy management solutions, specifically those ever-evolving programmable thermostats.
Big brains behind a little wall screen
The ColorTouch thermostat pops in any room by serving as a digital picture frame as well. Photo courtesy Venstar.
Home thermostats welcomed into the 21st Century “Don’t forget to turn the heat down before bed” ... but someone always forgot. “Why is the gas bill so expensive this month?” ... and little could be done to elicit a definitive answer. Renée Francoeur
T
hankfully, those days are behind us, because introducing your clients to home energy management is as simple as pointing them toward a new thermostat... and for those with bottomless pockets, the choices are awesome. Thermostat thinks it’s a picture frame Thermostats have come a long way from a basic On/Off switch, says Jason Schneider, a regional sales manager with Venstar, a North American thermostat and energy management system (EMS) designer, manufacturer and supplier. “Instead of just being able to stare at a plainJane number on the wall, you can now have a beautiful, touchscreen thermostat that is actually also a digital picture frame,” he says. This is just one of the options; some thermostats can also serve to announce bulletins or as a security gateway, to name a few others, not to mention they make energy management a remote, worry-free process. At Venstar, the latest and greatest is the ColorTouch digital thermostat, with a Wi-Fi
14 • August 2015 • www.EBMag.com
chip on board (older versions have a Wi-Fi key). The newest version was released a few months ago, Schneider says. “It’s the only thermostat that thinks it’s a digital picture frame, and that’s a really neat idea homeowners can get behind,” Schneider explains, noting that the thermostat in his dining room scrolls through family photos... a hit while entertaining guests. The ColorTouch, retailing for around $200 US, allows for up to 100 photos to be uploaded, making its appearance on the wall more attractive and personalized, Schneider says. Speaking of aesthetic, the thermostat’s frames come in white, black, brushed aluminum or wood grain. On the more technical side, it controls up to four stages of heat and two stages of cool, whether it’s gas electric or a heat pump system. This can be done remotely from your computer, tablet or phone thanks to Skyport, a cloud network free to homeowners. Skyport apps are also free. “With Skyport, basically anything you could do while standing in front of your thermostat, you can now do on the computer,” Schneider
notes. “The mobile app is a little bit simpler; you can go and put the system into Vacation Mode, for example.” A homeowner’s contractor can also be added to Skyport as a sub-user, meaning they can have read-only access to what’s going on. “The beauty of that is, if you’re travelling and you get an alert—which you can program—that the temp of your house has reached a peak, your contractor is getting that same alert and can send someone over,” Schneider explains. ColorTouch also displays graphs to illustrate energy use over the past day, week or month, and the company is currently working on new Wi-Fi wireless sensors that will work with the thermostat, relaying back an average temperature and humidity reading of the rooms in which they are installed. Internet of Things opens up all doors Similar to Venstar’s Skyport, the game changed for Quebec-based Sinopé Technologies when the company launched its latest thermostat controlled by the Neviweb communication platform.
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images Courtesy sinoPÉ.
Photo Courtesy magnum.
Android-based thermostat Root has been newly launched by Magnum Energy Solutions. The TH1120RF-3000 was released last October as “the first web communication thermostat for electric heating, such as baseboards, convectors and fan-forced convectors,” according to Valérie Gagné-Cyr, communication and marketing advisor with Sinopé. A $215 starter kit contains two of these thermostats and a web interface. The Neviweb access, which allows users to control systems from anywhere so long as there’s internet, is free. “Through your Neviweb account, you can program up to six periods per day with various temperature settings. You can set a Min/ Max temperature and, if there are any unusual temperature modifications, it sends a message to your email,” Gagné-Cyr says. And for those clients worried about exposure to electromagnetic fields, the TH1120RF is “essentially in reception mode once it’s installed, and does not emit any radio frequency signals except when you communicate with them through Neviweb” Gagné-Cyr notes.
The TH1120RF-3000 is a web communication thermostat for electric heating. The platform, Neviweb, promises hassle-free programming, and compiles energy use data into various graphs.
16 • August 2015 • www.EBMag.com
Root of the home Root, Magnum Energy Solutions’ new 7-in. touchscreen thermostat (that can also stream music, live video, audio books, etc.), is connected to a web portal as well. The company’s first product dedicated to the home automation space, Root is an Android-based thermostat with a price tag around $249-299 US. ZigBee, EnOcean and Z-Wave protocols are on board, as well as Bluetooth capability. “It’s not only a smart thermostat but it also allows for more robust integration of other energy management platforms,” explains Cory Vanderpool, business development director. “Like tying into existing building systems: access control, security, package tracking and notification, rent notification, advertising... this thermostat can tell you when maintenance is happening.” Root should be rolled out in small quantities by the end of the year, and large volumes by Q1 2016, she adds. “In the next generation of Root, I think we want to try incorporating open ADR [automated demand response],” Vanderpool notes, thereby enabling consumers to ask questions like “How much energy does my fridge consume when I run it at its coldest temperature?” or “How many cents per kilowatt am I spending during peak hours with all the AC cranked during a heat wave, and what adjustments can I make?”.
Real-time energy use When you’re driving your vehicle, you can gauge how well you’re doing on gas consumption based on the odometer. “We don’t have that built into our homes,” observes Louis Szablya, executive vice-president of sales & marketing with Energate. “So we offer the equivalent of a car’s speedometer to a home... homeowners then have a gas pedal and the brake to control the energy use.” Energate, which provides energy management solutions for utilities trying to manage their peaks, has now branched into the residential sphere, marketing its HolHom (“whole home”) system directly to consumers. HolHom consists of Energate’s smart ‘teaching thermostat’ and Home Energy Gateway with integrated in-home display functionality. It also has a ZigBee to IP bridge (ZipConnect) and Wi-Fi so the system can be paired with the home’s smart meter. With this pairing, homeowners can “see what’s going on in real time, minute-by-minute with their energy use so they don’t have to wait 24 hours for a graph”, Szablya says. “At my house I have the HolHom solution and I have an electric vehicle. I have one of our load switches on the charger so I can control the charging on that, see how much energy it’s using on the cloud [in the gateway] and I can tell you I use $20 a month in electricity for that,” Szablya explains. He is also currently working on skins for the new version of HolHom thermostats, which will feature various woods and a surface that can be painted to match wall colours. Working with the meters, HolHom thermostats are also price-sensitive and can be programmed to adjust based on peak periods during the day. This is a powerful tool for devices like pool pumps, Szablya says, because those can run at night instead of during the day. One of the in-home display features is a Smiley or Sad Face icon that will appear and let you know if you’re doing better or worse on energy savings compared to previous weeks. Another feature displays how many dollars per hour your energy consumption is costing you. The team at Energate is also working on HolHom+, which will target homes that don’t have smart meters. This system will have a sensor that attach to the existing meter (even old mechanical ones) to relay the information back to the gateway and thermostat. Down the road, Energate says it hopes to launch more of its products previously
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Waste not, want not When it comes to pitching these types of thermostats to clients, the experts say the numbers will speak for themselves. “One customer saved $300 this winter just by changing and programming his thermostat,” says Gagné-Cyr of Sinopé. She adds that the data the system collects helps make the home better overall, too; for example, you can see which room is costing more to heat. Perhaps those windows need to be replaced. A test site of Sinopé’s Neviweb is
available at neviweb.com and anyone can play with programming their own hypothetical thermostat by creating a free account. “This is new technology that’s proven and stable and it works, and don’t you want to offer your customers the latest in technology?” Szablya asks. It’s not just about reducing monthly bills and the energy footprint, but also about giving clients complete control and ease of use, Schneider adds. “People want to know what their energy use is today,” he concludes. “They want to know about the advanced technology but they also want to be able to customize and use it on their own.”
Photo Courtesy lutron.
whAt ABOut LiGhtinG & shADinG?
There is an array of options for the Palladiom keypad.
W
hile thermostats have a big role to play in energy management, they’re not the only products sitting at the table. Lighting and shading controls can be especially fun and functional for a house, especially when cost is not an issue. Lutron’s HomeWorks QS is the company’s flagship centralized lighting control platform for large, luxuryoriented residential applications, according to David Weinstein, vice-president of residential sales. HomeWorks permits integrated control of the interior and exterior, including both electric light and daylight. The system also integrates with other manufacturers’ audio-visual, security and HVAC controls. “There is really no limit with HomeWorks; you can have up to 10,000 devices, like shades, dimmers, keypads,” Weinstein says. “It also offers conditional logic [...] So if I press the Away button at 7 am as I exit my home, the system knows to shut off the lights and lower the shades. If I press same button at 9 pm, the system could turn selected lighting On to enhance security and create an ‘at-home’ look.” Keypads such as the new Palladiom QS Wallstation can be glass, metal, non-metallic—whatever aesthetic the customer desires—and buttons can be engraved
for intuitive use in any language. “The Palladiom is really the jewel of keypads; sleek, minimalist design, beautiful backlit buttons...” Weinstein says. “And that’s how we differentiate our value to luxury-oriented customers; with this high-design aesthetic option that reflects their unique style and fashion sense.” HomeWorks also comes with tabletop wireless keypads, which are ideal for setting upon nightside tables so homeowners can use them to turn Off all the lights after jumping into bed. A Lutron HomeWorks journey typically starts at around $25,000 (fully installed and programmed), Weinstein says, and bigger properties could implement systems worth several tens of thousands of dollars if they want everything automated. Weinstein also notes that, for the high-end home that isn’t quite so large, other systems offer many of the same features and benefits. Caséta Wireless systems, for example, include a free downloadable app, and can start as low as $500. “How would you like the opportunity to have the shades automatically rising in the morning to welcome a new day instead of an alarm clock?” Weinstein asks.
educate at the speed oF now! What better way to show off your expertise than by having us orchestrate your very own webinar, or sponsoring a subject matter expert? That’s quality education for a fast-paced world. Contact John MacPherson • (905) 713-4335 • jmacpherson@annexweb.com
18 • August 2015 • www.EBMag.com
People, not online reviews, should tell your story I am a retired general contractor for upper-end custom homes, and have never advertised... all work came What are they word-of-mouth. Regarding your artisaying about you cle “What are they saying about you online? online?” (EBMag June 2015, p.16), I don’t own a computer and only recently INSTAGLIDE found out about a review about me on the net. I wonder how many jobs I never got because a potential customer read an online review about me. What they say about me are absolute lies. They say I pull wires once in a while, and have sales of $117K. You could not live on those sales. I have never done electrical work for anybody, and would not dream of doing so without being properly trained and licensed. My review on the net is an absolute violation of privacy, which I obviously resent, and I wish there were a way to make those who post lies (as in my case) to be brought to justice. With businesses buying ‘positive’ reviews about themselves from click-farms in Asia, the whole aspect of reviews is odious; all smoke and mirrors. But it appears that the gullible public is all in awe about the net, and the success of the service providers who fleece them so efficiently, they don’t even notice. In hiring anybody in this world, it pays to remember that 50% of them graduated in the bottom half of their class. No matter how slick a website, the only way to find a reliable tradesperson is by actually speaking to a past customer in person. an annex Publishing & Printing inc. Publication • volume 51 • issue 6
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June 2015
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— H. K., British Columbia Auto-monitoring GFCIs just another scare tactic
This comment appeared online under the news item “UL 943 GFCI standard being changed to address automonitoring” (tinyurl.com/pw6kt8u). We sent a Mike a nice 29-pc impact driver bit set from our friends at Milwaukee Tool (www.milwaukeetool.com) for his efforts. Seems like another money-making [scam]... “Let’s make the damn thing so complicated that nobody will be able to use it” type of process. The AFCI is a case in point. Will this be the next big change? Another example is the new smoke/ CO detector requirements. Make things more complicated and expensive... [then] the final consumer will work around them, to say nothing of scaring the crap out of consumers! — Mike L., Ontario Your Comments at EBMag.com and Letters to the Editor (email acapkun@annexweb.com) are always welcome... and you might just score a sweet prize for your efforts!
When he reduced costs by 13% with a new RTU, he wasn’t just saving money. He was setting a precedent. Once your clients start seeing the benefits of our incentives for upgrading to high efficiency HVAC systems, they will want to look into making other parts of their building like lighting, pump systems and building automation more efficient too. When they do, they’ll be joining thousands of organizations across Ontario who are already enjoying the savings that our programs deliver. Take a look at their stories and our incentives at
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Promising careers await in
electrical distribution
Photo A. Capkun
Jean Greaves, Gerrie Electric’s director of human resources and Ken Cherrett, director of industrial sales, talk to a student during a McMaster University job fair.
Photo by Kaz Novak, courtesy The Hamilton Spectator.
... but do they know that?
“Once these graduates feel like they are contributing based on what they learned in their educations, there’s a bigger interest, bigger drive to succeed in the career because they feel relevant.”
Photo A. Capkun
— House of Electrical’s Jim Wamsley.
Wayne Donaldson, retired from Rexel, advises distributors to have a mentoring plan for new hires, as well as a human resources training development plan.
20 • August 2015 • www.EBMag.com
Renée Francoeur This article originally appeared in the Spring 2015 edition of Distribution & Supply, which is produced by Electrical Business Magazine specifically for Canada’s electrical distribution channel. So what’s it doing in here? Besides the fact that these are the people with whom you do business, you may know people who love the electrical industry but you can’t see them translating that passion into a successful career as an electrician or electrical contractor. A career in electrical distribution may be the ticket.
H
eather Gerrie had early dreams of seeing her father’s business, Gerrie Electric, morph into Gerrie & Daughters. “There were very few women in the industry, and I thought that would be so cool to have that shingle outside,” she said, reminiscing. She stayed true to her young ambition and today, along with her sister Elaine, runs the distributorship founded by their father, Ken. “Those personal relationships you have with the team, your customers, vendors... it’s what drives you. It’s special,” Heather said, fondly recalling tagging along with her dad when he’d visit customers. But attracting the next generation to the field of electrical distribution isn’t always that easy. “It’s a challenge for the industry in general,” said Heather. “We tend to stay within our circle, and students don’t often think about the distribution business as an option. I don’t think it gets the publicity in the schools that it should.” Infusing businesses with young blood is critical to carry any company through, added Wayne Donaldson, retired from Rexel Canada Electric Inc. and a past chair of ElectroFederation Canada’s Supply & Distribution Council, but it’s “a hell of a challenge nowadays”. Making distribution a relevant career Part of the problem could be preconceived notions. Electrical distribution has never been considered a glamorous business, said Jim Wamsley, western sales manager for House of Electrical, but that lacklustre connotation simply doesn’t speak to the reality of a constantly evolving industry, he added. While Wamsley admits electrical distribution has been slower to adapt to changing communications technology, such as social media, he noted it is still an exciting environment when it comes to new technology. “We are always working with our manufacturers to promote new technology, new products and stay on the leading edge of factory automation. This is a big attraction to the next generation,” he said.
At House of Electrical, appealing to fresh graduates hinges on drawing connections between their education and future job skills. Not everyone who graduates in robotic automation will be designing robots for a living, Wamsley noted. The reality is a few graduates will design, but even more will maintain or sell. This distinction isn’t always clear in the hallowed halls of university, he explained, but it also doesn’t mean the magic is lost. In distribution, students from various fields— engineering, design, industrial automation— are more than equipped to provide solutions to customers; whether it’s from a selling standpoint or information standpoint, Wamsley said, adding that helping those first few customers is an eye-opening for many new employees. “Once these graduates feel like they are contributing based on what they learned in their educations, there’s a bigger interest, bigger drive to succeed in the career because they feel relevant,” Wamsley observed. “That’s the key: relevance. You go to school, work hard to get good marks and you want to use that in your career.” Back to school Being present is also vital for companies looking for new blood, Donaldson said, meaning they need to attend tradeshows, job fairs and seminars at post-secondary institutions, as well as high schools. Heather feels this technique has been a success, pointing to a recent job fair at McMaster University in Hamilton where the company’s automation manager was in tow. “We had some programmable controllers, a little drive and blinking lights that attracted people to the booth and we ended up with a larger lineup than the others,” Heather remarked. “That just proves why we need to be present.” Elaine added the sisters are also always ready to participate in panels or act as guest speakers at school events to get the word out about the breadth of options in distribution. “We also participate in Electro-Federation’s scholarship program and we feel that that’s an important way to get our name out there,”
Elaine said. “We get to know the candidates. They come to Gerrie Electric and meet our staff, and that generates quite a bit of interest.” At House of Electrical, employees have returned to their colleges and universities and joined peer groups or advisory councils, Wamsley said, “to keep current with trends and education,” as well as familiarize students with the company. Range of roles for the uncertain Talking up the diverse opportunities in the distributor’s world would help attract the next generation, too, suggested Elaine. It’s not just about sales; there are logistics, finance, purchasing and marketing careers in distribution, just to name a few, Heather added. “Let’s say you start off in the warehouse or administration; well, there are opportunities to try other roles and progress into once you’re in. And I’d say most distributors are open to encouraging their people to find their passion, and encourage promotions from within. If counter sales isn’t right for you, maybe marketing is,” Elaine opined. “One day I’m working on operations; the next, sales or technology,” Elaine said. “Our company likes to try new things when it comes to innovation and creativity, making for a fun environment. We want our staff to be excited about coming into work. That’s the essence of who we are. It’s not just our order desk that has a new challenge every day.” As an example, Heather detailed how a group of employees came up with the idea for an online store and web strategy. Those same employees are now preparing to launch stage two of that strategy. Donaldson advises distributors to have a mentoring plan for new hires, as well as a human resources training development plan. Share your success stories For Sean Bernard, Franklin Empire’s Greater Toronto Area contractor sales manager, marketing today’s careers in electrical distribution is all about social media and case studies, like himself. Bernard said he uses LinkedIn to attract new employees and get the word out about open positions, but he also encourages those in the industry to share their own stories. His words of wisdom to anyone sitting on the fence when it comes to jumping into the industry? “Just give it a chance; I started in quotations at Canlyte with little to no electrical knowledge, went to
outside sales, distributor outside sales, and now I years ago I gave this industry a shot and, lo and behold, manage a team of 10.” I’m still here and looking to progress even further.” That’s one of the bonuses in the industry, Bernard Bernard noted how there are currently two continued: room for advancement. people on his team who started in the warehouse, “It’s a small industry but a very big industry at the learning product numbers, and were promoted to same time, and I’m a great example of that because project co-ordination, managing fairly large projects I started out with a manufacturer, and I actually on their own. “In a nutshell, the sky’s the limit with a called on Franklin Empire as a customer,” he said. distributor,” said Bernard enthusiastically. “There That relationship evolved, turning into a career is opportunity opportunity. 2320-25a FLIR C2 Electrical EB Jul15_6.375x9.75 06-23-15 10:16 AM Page 1 upon opportunity, so we just have to “I saw it as a new challenge,” Bernard said. “Nine get the word out.”
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2015-06-23 AM www.EBMag.com • August 201511:02 • 21
Gavel-passing and other Committee Week highlights
Photos A. Capkun
Anthony Capkun
Several CE Code-Part I Technical Committee members were recognized for their years of devotion to the team (left to right): Michael Anderson (20 years); Pierre Desilets (25 years); Ark Tsisserev, chair; David McColl (20 years); Tim Pope, CSA Group.
E
BMag recently returned from CSA Group’s annual Committee Week, where the professionals who write our Canadian Electrical Code (a.k.a. CSA C22.1 “Safety standard for electrical installations”) meet to decide what goes in and what stays out. The group is currently working toward the code’s next iteration in 2018. With inspectors and codes/standards experts from all across the country sitting on the CE Code-Part I Technical Committee, you can reasonably expect some spirited debate. Some agenda items pass through unanimously (or near unanimously), while others are sent back to subcommittee for additional tweaking before being voted on again. And it only makes sense that committee members should take great care to get the code’s wording just so: being the ‘bible’ of electrical installations in Canada is a significant burden to bear. Several Technical Committee members were recognized for their years of devotion to the team (left to right): Michael Anderson (20 years), Pierre Desilets (25 years) and David McColl (20 years). Yes, a lot of these folks are in it for the long haul. And it was heartwarming to hear committee chair Ark Tsisserev recognize John Salmon, who passed away suddenly shortly after last year’s annual meeting. Committee Week coincides with CSA Group’s annual conference, where the organization presents its Awards of Merit to individuals who have demonstrated leadership in developing voluntary standards and who, through technical, administrative or special standards activities, have advanced the purpose of CSA Group. Among the recipients were several electrical industry players, including Tim Driscoll of Calgary, who received an Award of Merit in recognition of “long-standing, inspired advocacy and respected expertise in developing and advancing electrical safety standards”. Driscoll is retired from Shell and now owns and operates OBIEC Consulting.
22 • August 2015 • www.EBMag.com
Outgoing CE Code-Part I chair Ark Tsisserev (left) accepts recognition for his years of service from incoming chair Rick Kelly (right). Clarence Cormier is in the background. Dale Friesen of Winnipeg received an Award of Merit in recognition of “technical expertise, influential advocacy and leadership in developing performance standards for energy efficiency of industrial equipment”. Friesen is division manager, Industrial and Commercial Solutions, at Manitoba Hydro. Phil Davis of Deep River, Ont. (not in attendance) received an Award of Merit in recognition of “exceptional technical knowledge, dedicated leadership and valued mentorship for standards for nuclear facilities”.
Award of Merit recipient Tim Driscoll owns and operates OBIEC Consulting
Davis retired in 2008 from Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL), but continues to work on standards development at CSA Group. “The Award of Merit recipients for 2015 are an integral part of standards development at CSA Group,” said Gianluca Arcari, executive director Standards, and VP CSA Group. “Their skills, knowledge and dedication contribute to public safety, innovation and technical advancement in a variety of fields that help make a better, safer, more sustainable world for everyone.” Meantime, CSA Group’s highest honour, the John Jenkins Award, was presented to John Froats in recognition of his “outstanding achievement, extraordinary vision, commitment to excellence and tireless advancement of standards for the nuclear industry”. “John Froats has been the chair of the CSA Nuclear Strategic Steering Committee for the past seven years. Mr. Froats has been instrumental in shaping and refining the nuclear program into one of CSA Group’s most respected, well-organized and efficient programs,” noted Arcari. “In leadership strength, technical knowledge, strategic acumen and personal integrity, John Froats is truly unmatched.” The awards were presented by Dr. Roland Hosein, board chair, CSA Group. At the conclusion of the Part I committee meeting, Ark Tsisserev relinquished the chair’s gavel to Richard (Rick) Kelly, who becomes the new chair. Rick Kelly is chief electrical inspector & manager, Safety Services, with the Government of Nunavut, and an IAEI-certified electrical inspector (International Association of Electrical Inspectors). He is chair of the Canadian Advisory Council for Electrical Safety (CACES) and an Executive Committee and voting member of the CE Code-Part I. Ark Tsisserev is president of EFS Engineering Solutions Ltd., and has been an electrical safety regulator for more than 25 years (having retired from the City of Vancouver as its chief electrical inspector). He has been chairing the CE Code-Part I committee for about 15 years, and is a registered Professional Engineer with a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. The next Committee Week is scheduled for June 2016 in Vancouver.
Dale Friesen is division manager, Industrial and Commercial Solutions, at Manitoba Hydro.
John Froats has been the chair of the CSA Nuclear Strategic Steering Committee for the past seven years.
calendar in CAse YOu MisseD it... VIDEO • EBMag recently
returned from Sesco’s Industry Party & Tradeshow in Vaughan, Ont., where we learned about the relationship between beer consumption and champion-level oystershucking from none other than world champ Patrick McMurray a.k.a. Shucker Paddy. Visit tinyurl.com/o926t9f.
InfraCanada IR training Infrared Training Centre, FLIR Sept. 22-Oct. 27, various locations Visit tinyurl.com/pa26njc
IEEE Energy Conversion Congress & Expo Sept. 20-24, Montreal, Que. Visit ias.ieee.org
CANEW 2015: Canadian Airports National Electrical Workshop Sept. 27-Oct. 2, Penticton, B.C. Visit www.canew.ca
BICSI Fall Conference Sept. 20-24, Las Vegas, Nev. Visit www.bicsi.org
IAEI Canadian Section Meeting International Association of Electrical Inspectors Sept. 24-26, Regina, Sask. Visit www.iaei.org
Affiliated Distributors 2015 North American Meeting Sept. 28-Oct. 1, Grapevine, Texas Visit www.adhq.com
PHOTOS • The team at Siemens Canada’s Burlington, Ont. facility have earned a big pat of the back after almost 1.3 million safe hours worked without a lost-time incident. We stopped by to celebrate and catch a plant tour. See it here: tinyurl.com/phmmhz5.
WILL BE
THERE!
PHOTOS • Wesco Distribution
Canada LP hosted its second annual Selling Show at its Belgrave, Mississauga location, which included “exclusive” one-week offers from a range of Wesco’s suppliers, a barbecue and the chance to win 1 of 4 grand prizes. More at tinyurl.com/ob5oxn7. IEEE SEGE 2015 Aug. 17-19, Oshawa, Ont. Visit www.sege-conference.com EFC Federation Cup Golf Tournament Electro-Federation Canada Aug. 19, Milton, Ont. Visit www.electrofed.com WILL BE
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CIGRÉ Canada Conference International Council on Large Electric Systems Aug. 31-Sept. 1, Winnipeg, Man. Visit www.cigre.ca Franklin Empire Customer Appreciation Day Sept. 9, Toronto, Ont. Visit www.feinc.com Electric Elle Golf Tournament Sept. 15, King, Ont. Visit www.electricelle.ca
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CECA National Industry Conference Canadian Electrical Contractors Assoc. Sept. 16, St. Andrews, N.B. Visit ecao.org WILL BE
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eXpose yourselF online! ebMag.com boasts over well 25,000 page views per month. That’s a whole lot of good online exposure for very reasonable rates!
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The next generation of Electricians (309A) are being trained right now at Centennial College. Our Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship program (3821) is the only one of its kind in the province offering both apprenticeship training and a college diploma. Students complete Levels 1 to 3 of their theoretical training for the 309A trade. Upon completion, students graduate with 8 months of co-op work experience as well as an Electrical Engineering Technician Diploma. Talented graduates are available this summer! To • • •
learn more: Visit centennialcollege.ca/programs/electrician-construction Call 416-289-5000 x2356 Email coda1@centennialcollege.ca See where experience takes you.
Contact Scott Hoy (905) 726-4664 shoy@annexweb.com
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2015-07-10 AM www.EBMag.com • August 2015 9:11 • 23
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Old textile mill in Montreal becomes energy efficiency showcase Louis-Nicolas Hamer
One of the biggest challenges was to design a complete building automation system for controlling and monitoring HVAC, lighting and metering.
T
he building at 7262 Rue Marconi in Montreal is a showcase for state-of-the-art building automation, and home to Schneider Electric’s R&D operations in Canada. The renovation was a project by Groupe Montoni, which aimed to convert the two-storey mill into a three-storey office building. The building automation project started in January 2014 and was completed in August 2014. Wireless technology was key One of the keys to the project is the use of wireless technologies. The space consists of 30 zones, each with an SE8000 wireless room controller to allow users to manage HVAC settings. Equipped with occupancy sensors, these controllers ensure that temperatures are optimally maintained, activating to appropriate setpoints based on whether the zone is occupied. The SE8000 units communicate wirelessly via ZigBee to the Multi-purpose Manager (MPM-VA) controllers that control the variable air volume units for each zone. All the controllers are linked in a wireless, self-repairing mesh network using Schneider’s MPM gateways that, in turn, are integrated with Schneider’s Building Expert software to provide web-based monitoring and control of all energy-related activities and equipment across the third floor, spanning over 30 metres. In addition, EnOcean energy harvesting wireless devices are used to control lighting, and are linked to the MPMs and user-defined schedules so that lighting is adjusted automatically. But the wireless network only scratches the surface of the energy management technologies in use in this old, yet brand new, office facility. Some additional features include: LED lighting Instead of traditional neon panels, the offices feature LED light panels from Lucibel. Using
24 • August 2015 • www.EBMag.com
10x less energy than neon, the LED lights can be dimmed to varying degrees, and all lighting is controlled wirelessly through a single MPM unit. Daylight harvesting The periphery of the building features large windows to maximize daylight, and the offices take advantage of this by employing EnOcean daylight harvesting sensors that read the level of sunlight and adjust the LED lights as needed. On-demand ventilation ASHRAE standards require commercial buildings to provide adequate ventilation to ensure there is no unsafe build-up of CO2 in the air. Traditionally, this requirement has been met by providing a constant flow of air from the outside, but this wastes energy by running fans and air-conditioning continuously. The renovated office space in Montreal uses a more-efficient approach: Veris CO2 sensors were installed to monitor the CO2 levels in the offices and activate the appropriate ventilation systems only when needed. Integrated power metering Four Schneider Electric power meters measure all power loads in the office, including main power, HVAC and lighting. The meters are linked to the rest of the network via one of the MPM-UN units, so the power systems can be monitored in integrated fashion along with the other systems using the StruxureWare Building Expert application. By integrating power metering, there is a greater ability to understand the energy use, recognize problems earlier and to reduce maintenance costs. Testing it here, first One of the important functions of the R&D team in Montreal is to test new product and software releases in a real-world building
The space consists of 30 zones, each with a wireless room controller to allow users to manage HVAC settings. Equipped with occupancy sensors, they ensure temperatures are optimally maintained, activating to appropriate setpoints based on whether the zone is occupied. environment. So, before products are released to the general public, they are installed and tested at 7262 Rue Marconi. This helps the team find and fix potential software bugs before they go out to the customers. The office space also includes two isolation chambers in the hardware lab for special testing. These chambers are thermally isolated from the rest of the office space, with their own HVAC controls and environmental systems, allowing researchers to test products under various temperature and humidity conditions. One of the biggest challenges was to design a complete building automation system for controlling and monitoring HVAC, lighting and metering. By using wireless EnOcean and ZigBee technologies, the installers were able to control the entire space by minimizing wiring and installation time. Educating the installers on these new technologies was an execution challenge: in some cases, the work crews dispatched had never been exposed to LED lighting and wireless technology. While it’s too early to have specific data on energy use and savings, Schneider Electric is confident the renovation will pay dividends for a long time to come. Want to learn more about the transformation at 7262 Rue Marconi? Watch the VIDEO “Small Building System New Offices in Montreal: Building Automation System Overview” at tinyurl.com/m3m883k.
lighting products LUX unveils dimmable, UL-certified LED filament Edison bulbs Lux Technology Group Inc. says it introduced the first line of dimmable filament LED Edison light bulbs, boasting they are the “perfect energy-efficient replacements” for 25W, 40W and 60W incandescents. The filament LEDs promise 90% energy savings and efficacy of over 135 lumens/W. The bulb feels and looks as good as a vintage 25W, 40W or 60W Edison bulb, says Lux, but uses 1/10th the power. In partnership with Lattice Power, Lux says it now boasts a product line of over 200 LED lighting solutions, all with “advanced technology using a fraction of the energy” and up to 15 times the life of non-LEDs. Included in this line are A19, G25, ST19 Edison, T10 and 3 Candelabra dimmable LED filament bulbs, all available in clear
and Vintage Amber coating, and in a range of colour temperatures (1800K to 5000K). LUX www.luxtg.com
PowPak wireless fixture control from Lutron
With PowPak wireless fixture control, Lutron says you can easily add individual fixture control to buildings in just minutes without requiring additional wiring, sophisticated tools or software. The latest addition to the Lutron Energi TriPak family of control systems, PowPak allows you to transform any fixture into an intelligent and energy-saving luminaire by providing it with wireless dimming, occupancy sensing and daylight harvesting capabilities that work right out of the box. Suitable
for open offices and similar environments, PowPak lets you add Pico wireless personal controls and group fixtures using a green laser (no stepladder required). With PowPak, Lutron says electrical contractors can quickly and easily design and estimate jobs by simply counting the number of fixtures, taking the hassle and risk out of the quotation and installation process. The system works with any Lutron EcoSystem fluorescent ballast or LED driver (as well as basic 0-10V versions). LUTRON www.lutron.com
Enlighted launches unified digital sensor and data analytics system Enlighted Inc. announced the commercial availability of what it hails as the first unified digital sensor and data analytics system. “We now have market-proven systems and approaches for collecting digital data, analyzing it on the back end and empowering commercial building owners with
the ability to act on the data. And it all starts with lighting,” said Joe Costello, CEO. Enlighted digital sensors are integrated in every light fixture (1:1) to collect environmental, occupancy and activity data, and the on-board processors in the sensors can make independent decisions without relying on direction from a central machine. “Our long-term goal is to leverage and activate the data gathered by the Enlighted system for communication with a building management system that enables controls. We want to alter the whole building experience with greater visibility and control,” added Costello. ENLIGHTED enlightedinc.com
products GE’s SecoGear metal-clad switchgear
GE’s Industrial Solutions business announced its two-high SecoGear, air-insulated medium-voltage switchgear is expected to be available later this year. The ANSI/ IEEE switchgear is designed with predictive modelling, arcpressure and heat/stress analyses. The SecoVac breaker also is approximately 100-lb lighter in weight compared to other industry circuit breakers, according to GE. GE www.geindustrial.com
ABB expands Symphony Plus range
ABB’s new Symphony Plus SD Series of control and input/output (I/O) products is a portfolio of DIN rail-mounted control and I/O products based on a “scalable architecture, flexible design and field-proven technology,” said ABB. The series can also withstand operating conditions from -20C to 70C without requiring additional environmental protection. ABB www.abb.com
Legrand’s Pass & Seymour AFCI receptacle
Alltec offering Canadian UL-listed SPD models
Picoma Industries launches SpeedCouple
Fluke Link-Solutions for network connectivity testing
The new Pass & Seymour arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) receptacle protects against electrical fires by detecting arc faults and de-energizing the circuit. The P&S AFCI receptacle has a ground terminal back-wire for “fast installation” while an autoground clip assures a positive ground to a metal box. It takes #14AWG to #10 AWG stranded or solid, copper or copper-clad conductors. LEGRAND www.legrand.ca
Picoma Industries has added SpeedCouple—a pre-installed elbow coupling—to its line of elbow, coupling and nipple products. Instead of turning the elbow, contractors can turn SpeedCouple and let the lead-in tapered threads make the connection. SpeedCouple is available on rigid steel elbows in standard and special radii, and in trade sizes 2 in. and 5 in. PICOMA www.picoma.com
Alltec now offers Canadian UL-listed surge protection device (SPD) models in 347/600 Vac, 3-phase Wye and 600Vac Delta configurations. The SPDs are designed with individual thermally protected MOV technology and are listed to ANSI/ UL 1449 3rd edition as Type 2 suppressors. Diagnostics include high luminosity blue status LEDs for each phase, and dry relay contacts for remote annunciation. ALLTEC alltecglobal.com
Fluke Networks recently unveiled LinkSolutions, a combination of network testers and cloud-based reporting. Link-Solutions provides a way “to conduct copper, fiber and ethernet tests and then manage their test results—regardless of which testers they used—via a unified cloud-based dashboard,” said Fluke. FLUKE NETWORKS www.flukenetworks.com
Eaton rolls out ‘anyplace’ switch for homes
A battery-operated wireless switch is the latest introduction by Eaton’s Electrical Business for residential lighting. Eaton says the ‘anyplace’ switch is an extension to its radio frequency (RF) lighting control solutions, and can wirelessly control up to five lighting solutions simultaneously from anywhere in the home. EATON www.cooperindustries.com
Special digital delivery! Looking for that special something to reach new customers? Reach our 100% CASL-compliant subscriber list with one of our custom eBlasts and go directly to your prospective customer’s Inbox. Contact Scott Hoy (905) 726-4664 shoy@annexweb.com
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code file
David Pilon
Hazards in hazardous locations
W
hat are some of the biggest hazards in hazardous locations? Ignorance of the hazards, lack of understanding of the processes, and the misuse and incorrect installation of equipment. We first need to remember that the CE Code is an installation code designed to prevent fire and shock hazards, and it espouses proper maintenance and operation. It is not a design document, though it should be consulted during the design process to ensure a safe installation. A very good resource when attempting to classify an area is C22.1-2015’s new Appendix L, which provides engineering guidelines for determining hazardous area classification. L6 talks about competence and training, which is as important for the engineer doing the design as it is for the electrician installing the equipment. The contractor and consultant must understand how the processes they are building are supposed to function; they must avoid misinterpreting codes and equipment classification, which may lead to incorrect area classifications. L14.1 and L14.2 go a long way in guiding engineers and consultants toward the necessary and current information, standards and recommended practices for designing these hazardous processes. Misuse of equipment is a bona fide area of concern, with one of the more common issues being that of gas detection being mistaken as a method for reclassifying an area. Rule 18-068 states that electrical equipment suitable for non-hazardous
locations shall be permitted to be installed in a Zone 2 location, while equipment suitable for Zone 2 locations shall be permitted to be installed in a Zone 1 location, provided that: a) no specific equipment suitable for the purpose is available; b) the equipment, during its normal operation, does not produce arcs, sparks or hot surfaces capable of igniting an explosive gas atmosphere; and c) the location is continuously monitored by a combustible gas detection system The Rule goes on to lay out the monitoring and shutdown requirements. Nowhere does it state that this area is being declassified or reclassified. The combustible gas detection system is required to permit one piece of equipment only, to be installed in a hazardous location that exceeds the rating of that equipment. All other equipment must meet or exceed the area classification as laid out in the engineered drawings. Another example of equipment misuse is the incorrect use of intrinsically safe devices. These devices are all designed with control drawings and relevant documentation on their safe use and installation, which includes the need for a barrier to be installed in the circuit. C22.1-2015 describes the installation requirements for the conductors, and that they run independently or barriered.
Questions and answers compiled by the Electrical Safety Authority
Tackle The Code Conundrum... if you dare! Answers to this month’s questions in September’s Electrical Business.
How did you do with the last quiz? Are you a... Master Electrician ? (3 of 3) Journeyman ? (2 of 3) Apprentice ? (1 of 3) Plumber ?! (0 of 3)
Question 1 electrical equipment approved for Class I (where the atmosphere contains butadiene), Group d equipment shall be permitted to be used if such equipment is isolated properly in accordance with the code requirements by sealing all conduit 16 trade size or larger. a) true
b) False
Question 2
b) 21 mm
David Pilon has been an electrical inspector with SaskPower since 2000, and is currently the vicechair of the Canadian Certified Electrical Inspector (CCEI) committee of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI), Canadian Section. David can be reached at dpilon@saskpower.com.
c) 25 mm
d) 35 mm
Answers: EBMag July 2015 Q-1: Isolated non-current-carrying metal parts of outline lighting equipment shall be permitted to be bonded together by a ___ conductor of copper (or of equal conductance if of other metal) protected from mechanical injury.
Q-2: Pool reinforcing steel shall be bonded with a minimum of ___ connections equally spaced around the perimeter. c) Four. Rule 68-058(2).
Question 3
Always
consult the electrical inspection authority in your province/territory for more specific interpretations.
VISIT WWW.ESASAFE.COM
a) #14 AWG. Rule 10-818.
rigid main contact conductors for an electrical hoist shall be supported so that there is an air space of not less than ___ mm between conductors. a) 16 mm
Often, we come across this equipment installed without barriers, nor in separate raceways. Incorrect equipment installation, meantime, is sometimes caused by incorrectly classified areas; however, it is usually occurs due to a lack of knowledge of current codes and standards. An example of this are the sealing requirements for cables: in the current code, 18-104(3) and 18-154(3) have changed. The 10m exemption was removed from both Zone 1 and 2 rules, and the negative pressure allowance was removed from the Zone 1 rule. A safe installation is paramount when working in hazardous locations, and one of the best ways of ensuring the installation is safe and up to code is to ensure that you, yourself, are up-to-date with the latest installation methods.
the ampacity of the feeder supplying a total of 60kW of heating equipment in an apartment building from a 208V, 3-phase switchboard is:
Q-3: Conductors in the high-voltage circuits of X-ray equipment shall be of the ___ type.
a) 132 amp b) 168 amp c) 125 amp d) 156 amp
c) Shockproof. Rule 52-004(3).
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CE CODE GUIDING SAFE INSTALLATIONS FOR MORE THAN 80 YEARS The Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, is an integral part of the Canadian Electrical Safety System — a system that works hard by design to keep installers, regulators, consumers Register AND OPTIONS! and their families safe from harm. EXPLORE 2015 CE CODE PRODUCTS By JULY 1 www.csagroup.org/cecode
26 • August 2015 • www.EBMag.com
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