EPS Magazine October 2014

1014EPSpC1_Layout 1 10/13/14 9:19 AM Page C1

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:38 AM Page C2

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 1 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:38 AM Page 1

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 4 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp02_Layout 1 10/13/14 9:24 AM Page 2

CONTENTS

PUBLISHER

Danny J. Salchert OFFICE MANAGER

Anita Salchert ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Bart Beason bart@epsmag.net CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Derek Gaylard

6

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Pam Fulmer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Linda Morrow • John Garbarino Dan Payerle

FEATURES 6

Solid Partnership Leads to Cost Containment

16

Properly Understanding NFPA 99 Imperative for Health Care Safety

By Linda Morrow

By John Garbarino

22

PRESIDENT

Danny J. Salchert

Selecting VDV Test Capabilities for Commercial and Residential Networks

By Dan Payerle

16

COMPANY PROFILE 14 HIOKI Respect for Humanity & Contribution to Society

DEPARTMENTS 32 Product Focus 40 Ad Index

ON THE COVER Photo provided by Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc

2

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

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

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

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

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:38 AM Page 3

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 5 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:38 AM Page 4

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 6 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:38 AM Page 5

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 7 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp06,08,12_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 9:55 AM Page 6

FEATURE • Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc

Linda Morrow

John Hatem

Solid Partnership Leads to Cost Containment

By Linda Morrow, Marketing Communications Supervisor, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc, UPS Division

B

uilding and operating a data center in-house is a risky venture for any enterprise. Being able to accurately assess current and future IT needs and build an appropriate data center under the same roof is a challenging task for the most competent IT executive. The significant capital expense and the man-hours required to build and operate such a center are just two reasons why so many companies have turned to colocation data centers, or co-los, to house their data.

CyrusOne is one such provider and builds flexible and scalable expert data

6

center solutions. They have experienced explosive growth, having expanded from a single data center to over 20 facilities covering three continents in just over ten years. One of the keys to their impressive success is their ability to contain costs. In today’s data centers, cost concerns encompass much more than the initial capital investment in real estate, construction, and equipment. Utility costs are every bit as important because they are recurring, on-going expenses over the long term.

Efficiency plays a large role in minimizing utility costs. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems are one of the core

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

components of mission critical infrastructure in a data center and are frequently regarded as one of the biggest offenders with regards to energy loss in power distribution. It is no surprise, then, that CyrusOne closely considered their options when selecting a UPS vendor several years ago when they had several large facilities to be constructed. A key executive who had joined the CyrusOne team had first-hand experience with the Mitsubishi brand in previous work experience and highly recommended the product for the jobs presently on the table. Others within the CyrusOne Continued on page 8

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:38 AM Page 7

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 8 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp06,08,12_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 8:02 AM Page 8

FEATURE • Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc

Continued from page 6

organization had become aware of the switch, switchboard, UPS, and generator. availability of 99.999%. Availability is reputation of the Mitsubishi name in the This is referred to as a “five nines” setup, typically expressed as a percentage of upa reference to the fact that if offers an time in a year’s time. Continued on page 12 mission critical market and concurred.

CyrusOne takes great pride in building first class data centers with the highest power redundancy (2N) and highest power density required by their customers, which includes 135 Fortune 1000 companies. Reliability is non-negotiable, and CyrusOne incorporates true on-line double conversion topology exclusively.

The term double conversion refers to the conversion of the incoming AC voltage to DC voltage and then back to a pure AC sine wave. This has the net effect of eliminating any power fluctuations and enables the UPS to deliver a clean and steady signal to the load, thus providing the highest quality of continuous conditioned power. This voltage conversion process serves to isolate equipment from raw utility power source and provides protection for equipment that may be adversely affected by power sags or surges.

CyrusOne utilizes a dual cord, highly redundant design in their facilities, as illustrated in Figure 1. It features a primary and secondary PDU (power distribution unit) feeding the IT cabinet, which, in turn, are supported by primary and secondary backup systems, each of Figure 1: Dual Cord, Fully Redundant Circuit which includes an automatic transfer 8

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:39 AM Page 9

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 9 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:39 AM Page 10

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 10 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:39 AM Page 11

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 11 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp06,08,12_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 8:02 AM Page 12

FEATURE • Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc Availability 90% 95% 97% 98% 99% 99.5% 99.8% 99.9% 99.95% 99.99% 99.995% 99.999% 99.9999%

Notes “one nine”

“two nines”

“three nines” “four nines” “five nines” “six nines”

Downtime per Year 36.5 days 18.25 days 10.96 days 7.30 days 3.65 days 1.83 days 17.52 hours 8.76 hours 4.38 hours 52.56 minutes 26.28 minutes 5.26 minutes 31.5 seconds

Avg. Downtime per Month 72 hours 36 hours 21.6 hours 14.4 hours 7.20 hours 3.60 hours 86.23 minutes 43.80 minutes 21.56 minutes 4.32 minutes 2.16 minutes 25.9 seconds 2.59 seconds

Figure 2: Availability in Terms of Downtime

The table shown in Figure 2 shows the various availability levels and how they equate to downtime in terms of actual time. It is significant to note that utility power has a typical availability of “three nines”, experiencing over 8 hours of downtime on a yearly basis. As this rate would be considered intolerable by many mission critical applications, it is easy to understand the value of utilizing the dual cord, fully redundant design adopted by CyrusOne. The first Mitsubishi UPS to be installed in one of CyrusOne’s data centers was a 750 kVA 9900B. “The unit did exactly what it was supposed to do, right out of the box,” stated John Hatem, Senior Vice President, Data Center Design and Construction at CyrusOne. Reliability is paramount to any piece equipment selected for a CyrusOne facility. Another characteristic of the 9900B that that led to CyrusOne’s standardization of the 9900B for its data centers is its unity power factor, meaning that 100% of the power is available to support the critical load. Power factors less than 1.0 require that the UPS be oversized and introduce inefficiency in the power delivery. Efficiency is defined as the output power divided by the input power, and the 9900B UPS from Mitsubishi boasts a relatively flat efficiency curve. This is highly desirable, indicating the UPS is highly efficient, regardless of the load. The higher the efficiency, the more power that is delivered out of the box and available for use. The efficiency curve for the 9900B is shown in Figure 3. Efficiency ratings of 96.2% are possible with loads as low as 25%. High efficiencies across all loads are important to CyrusOne since the loads in their various data centers can range 12

Continued from page 8

liver a data hall solution in just 12 to 16 weeks. Commissioning of the Mitsubishi UPSs to date has gone smoothly, also contributing favorably to installation costs.

Mr. Hatem also remarked that the reliability of the Mitsubishi UPSs has had a positive impact on maintenance costs, pointing out that they have seen an approximate reduction in maintenance costs by possibly as much as 30%. “The best thing about the Mitsubishi units,” he said, “is that you don’t have to worry about them.”

Savings in a multitude of areas, including installation, commissioning, efficiency, delivery, and maintenance, translates into a lower total cost of ownership, which CyrusOne can then pass on to its customers. It’s a win-win for everyone involved. The partnership between CyrusOne and Mitsubishi has allowed the two companies to explore new concepts and work together on future designs. Their association has been a mutually beneficial one and looks solid for future builds. ❏

About CyrusOne: With over two dozen

Figure 3: 9900B Efficiency Curve

from 40% to nearly 100%.

The 9900B delivers as much as 97% system efficiency at unity power, substantially reducing operating and cooling costs annually. Mr. Hatem estimates that their utility costs have been reduced by 10% after switching to the Mitsubishi UPSs. This translates into significant dollars, considering that CyrusOne has incorporated approximately 100 of the units into several of their data centers located in the US, including Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Phoenix, Chicago, Cincinnati, Florence, KY, and Sterling, VA. The 9900B is also ENERGY STAR certified.

Mr. Hatem also noted a cost savings during the construction phase, as Mitsubishi and CyrusOne have worked together to establish a steady supply chain: CyrusOne has been diligent in supplying accurate forecasting information to enable Mitsubishi to keep sufficient inventory on hand so that there is no lag in delivery time. ”The fact that Mitsubishi can provide exactly what we need and when we need it is a huge plus”, commented Hatem. Readily available equipment eliminates costly delays in construction time and shortens the build time. In fact, CyrusOne can typically de-

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

data centers across the globe, CyrusOne helps many of the world’s largest global businesses – including nine of the global Fortune 20 companies and over 135 of the Fortune 1000 – and companies of all sizes take advantage of the latest data center technology and realize top operational efficiencies. www.cyrusone.com About Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc.: Since 1964, Mitsubishi Electric

has manufactured precision-engineered, high quality uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) to protect mission-critical equipment during times of power instability.

Mitsubishi Electric is an industry leader in designing and manufacturing reliable, environmentally conscious UPS systems to extend uptime, prevent data loss and protect against power surges. Mitsubishi Electric Power Products’ UPS division offers systems in both single- and multi-module configurations and a broad range of kVA capacities.

Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. is a U.S. affiliate company of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. It serves the North American power systems, rail transportation and water treatment industries with electrical and electronic products, systems and services. www.meppi.com.

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:39 AM Page 13

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 12 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp14_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 8:02 AM Page 14

COMPANY PROFILE • Hioki

HIOKI

3. Electronic Measuring Instruments for low resistance measurements, battery testers, inductance, capacitance, impedance meters, signal sources, waveform generators, bench type DMM’s, leakage current and withstanding voltage test equipment.

4. Environmental Measuring Instruments for temperature measurement, speed rotation meters, light meters, magnetic field meters, non-contact temperature measurement, data loggers for temperature, humidity, DC voltage, AC voltage, AC current, leak current, illumination & 2D thermo testing.

5. Clamp Sensors for wide-band frequency, high precision, waveform observations, power lines and power meters.

6. Clamp On Testers for basic AC current in average & TRMS styles and multifunctional AC/DC average and TRMS current clamp styles.

7. Field Measuring Instruments such as analog multimeters, LAN cable testers, optical power meters, line voltage & current noise loggers, DMM’s both bench & handheld type, phase rotation meters, voltage detectors, insulation testers and earth testers. of-the-art instruments to meet the needs 8. X-Y In-circuit tester for ultra high speed of tomorrow.

PC board inspections.

Hioki believes that the voice of the customer is of the utmost importance and thus Hioki products serve the needs of many must be heard throughout the entire orga- market areas such as transportation, avianization. As Hioki serves a global cus- tion, utility, manufacturing, hospitals, autotomer base of 38 plus countries generating motive and facility management. Our as many as 50,000 product/application re- customers include electrical contractors in quests annually, we implemented the both commercial and residential fields, Hioki Information Network System which maintenance personnel, linesmen, mechanallows our customer requests and needs to ics and engineers alike. Applications vary be shared promptly among the develop- from power quality testing, power demand ment, production and sales & service de- testing, voltage & current testing, battery partments, so that we can propose the best testing, event recording, LCR testing, insupossible solutions to our customers. lation testing and more. Whatever the apThe product offering from Hioki contin- plication may be, check out Hioki for your ues to grow each year. The products are solution. separated into one of eight categories: Following the slogan “Seek to Be 1. Power Measuring Instruments both Unique,” the 600+ employees of Hioki portable and bench top for high level per- strive to achieve new and significant adformance applications, for PQA analy- vances, instead of being satisfied with the sis, Power Demand Metering and for status quo. Hioki considers its mission to managing power lines. deliver the utmost value to the customer in 2. Recorders and Memory Recorders which a timely fashion. serve a primary purpose for servicing and Hioki product and assistance is availmaintenance recording, simultaneous able through your local distributor and/or recording of multiple signals, waveform a sales representative office in your area. capture of high-speed signals, and for Or you may visit www.hiokiusa.com for power line fault monitoring. further information. ❏

Respect for Humanity & Contribution to Society

E

stablished in 1935, Hioki has grown to be a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced test and measurement instrumentation for use both in the field and leading edge facilities around the world. Corporate campus headquarters is located on a 23-acre site in the suburbs of Ueda City, Nagano, Japan. In addition to the headquarters and numerous local sales offices, Hioki has affiliates and joint venture worldwide including Hioki USA Corporation in Cranbury, New Jersey, Hioki China in Shanghai, China, Hioki Forest Plaza Corporation in Nagano, Japan, Hioki Engineering Service Corporation in Nagano, Japan, TKK Hioki Co., LTD. in Taiwan and Hiking Technology Co., LTD. in China.

Hioki’s pledge to its “quality first” policy is second to none having earned the international standards ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 14001 (Environment) certifications. The use of HiQS Quality Control System and HiPS Production System techniques ensure a timely and swift release of high quality products. By employing over 160 engineers in the R&D department Hioki continues to develop an ever growing offering of state-

14

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:39 AM Page 15

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 13 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp16,18,20_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 8:03 AM Page 16

FEATURE • Leviton

Properly Understanding NFPA 99 Imperative for Health Care Safety

By John Garbarino

H

ospital safety has come a long way over the last decade. The advancements in medicine and medical procedures have saved the lives of millions. But hospital safety advancements aren’t limited just to doctors, nurses and EMTs. In fact, improvements to national fire and safety codes have done wonders to minimize hazards and risks to patient, staff and visitors in health care facilities.

Most notably, with new electrical technologies on the market aimed at making health care facilities safer, the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA) has followed suit with its code specifications. The

16

most recent iteration of the NFPA 99: Health Care Facilities Code specifically addresses the safety requirements for the performance, maintenance and safe practices in health care facilities.

While most health care facility managers have a general understanding of previous iterations of NFPA 99, the latest edition, drafted in 2012, was completely rewritten, meaning that even those who had deep knowledge of prior versions would need to learn how this new document was restructured and what it actually means to all those affected. Prior to 2012, NFPA 99 was simply called a Standard, which essentially means it was a “best practices” manual,

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

whereas the new edition is actually called a Code – meaning it can now be adopted into law and legally enforced. The second major point of differentiation is the shift from occupancy based to risk-based approach. Facility managers are finding that this completely changes the way a facility is evaluated, and how all systems are designed and built into that facility.

In speaking with many in the field, the same themes keep Continued on page 18

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:39 AM Page 17

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 14 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp16,18,20_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 8:03 AM Page 18

FEATURE • Leviton

Continued from page 16

coming to the surface: Help us better understand exactly what this code means and inform us of the proper solutions that will not only bring our facility up to code, but maximize the safety for everyone inside.

So as health care facility managers look to bring their facilities up to code, it is imperative that a higher level of understanding and education is established to ensure proper usage of new technologies. This is where electrical device manufacturers need to step up and do our part.

With a suite of products at their disposal to improve safety and efficiency, health care facility managers must understand where and in what applications these solutions are most applicable. From hospital grade arcfault circuit interrupter (AFCI) receptacles that prevent fires from electrical wiring to ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacles that protect from electrocution in wet or damp areas to surge protective deprofessionals – everyone from health care vices for protecting sensitive electronic and for compliance and effectiveness.

At Leviton, for example, we joined facility managers to engineers to architects emergency equipment, safety solutions vary Continued on page 20 greatly and require the necessary education forces with the NFPA to educate industry – on the specifics of

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 42 ON READER SERVICE CARD

18

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:39 AM Page 19

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 15 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp16,18,20_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 8:36 AM Page 20

FEATURE • Leviton

Continued from page 18

of fire protection, risk assessment and process of code development and enactment.

While medical personnel are busy saving lives, ensuring the safety of everyone who enters a health care facility from potential fire and electrical shock risk should be of the utmost importance of everyone involved in the management of the facility.

This is a joint effort that requires cooperation from all interested parties. With countless options available, it’s the education that sets apart the most successful health care facility managers and spec engineers from their peers.

Take the time to learn all you can about the code requirements and the solutions that not only meet but exceed the requirements to safeguard your facility from safety issues now and into the future. ❏

the code and help identify available solutions to reduce risk. We conducted a series of interactive seminars around the country, presented by certified NFPA instructors,

aimed at eliminating the confusion as approaches to this code switch from occu- John Garbarino is the Senior Marketing pancy to risk-based. We also cover Manager for Commercial/Industrial electrical systems and equipment, features Products at Leviton.

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 54 ON READER SERVICE CARD

20

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 55 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:39 AM Page 21

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 16 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp22,24,26,28_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 8:04 AM Page 22

FEATURE • IDEAL Networks

Selecting VDV Test Capabilities for Commercial and Residential Networks

By Dan Payerle, IDEAL Networks

M

arket research indicates that over 50 percent of all new homes built in the last decade were pre-wired with structured wiring solutions. The demand for home wiring grew by a factor of 10 during the “boom years” to support both new residential construction and retrofits. The growth in residential wiring was also driven by the booming demand for wireless networking.

On the commercial side, there is a movement today away from the conven-

22

tional deployment of separate voice and data networks to a convergence of voice, data and video. This convergence reflects the need to simplify network maintenance and lower costs as well as new businessoriented applications such as integrated VoIP, security and bio-metric applications.

Further complicating matters is the variety of cabling types installed to deliver the specified services. For example, a single residential installation may include coaxial cable, structured cable, phone wiring, and possibly power-line carrier

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

functions. Similarly, although commercial installations will continue to predominately use structured wiring for data traffic, a significant percentage of installations also use coax for closed circuit security as well as various legacy phone wiring modes for delivering POTS, PBX or ISDN. For installers, network maintenance staff and end-users in both residential and commercial environments, the above trends mean a greater demand for handheld instrumentation Continued on page 24

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:39 AM Page 23

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 17 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp22,24,26,28_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 8:04 AM Page 24

FEATURE • IDEAL Networks that can handle the whole spectrum of voice, data and video testing and troubleshooting requirements. These handheld testers can come with a variety of different features and capabilities that allow them to be tailored to specific requirements and situations. They can range from simple low-cost, all-purpose testers to more sophisticated certification devices, both for use in passive networks, to handheld diagnostic testers for use in active networks.

Simple All-purpose Handhelds for Passive Networks The first level of testers is designed for simple operation but with the ability to test a variety of voice, data and video cabling in a passive network mode before any active components such as routers are installed. These testers provide easy-touse push-button operation and simple-toread displays that can be used and understood by relatively unsophisticated users, such as homeowners, yet also pro-

Continued from page 22

can be very effective for identifying the 80 percent of wiring problems that typically can be traced back to poor terminations. Length testing is another key feature that helps in spotting common problems.

For instance, length tests that show a significantly different result for only one out of the four pairs on a cabling run can quickly point to problems such as a broken pair.

To allow for flexible testing across a variety of media types without juggling different add-on components, these testers should have built-in interfaces for multiple cables, including RJ45 (data), RJ11/12 (voice) and coaxial (video/data). In addition, to allow for easy one-person operavide the core set of features and the ro- tion, the testers should include remote bust operation needed by more demand- units that support all of the same cabling ing users, such as residential cabling interfaces. installers.

Key measurements that should be in- Sophisticated Handheld Cable cluded even in the most basic testers are Certifiers for Passive Networks wiremap, length testing and the ability to This next level upward includes a varidetect opens, shorts and splits. Wiremap ety of handheld testers Continued on page 26

To allow for flexible testing across a variety of media types without juggling different add-on components, these testers should have builtin interfaces for multiple cables, including RJ45 (data), RJ11/12 (voice) and coaxial (video/data).

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 43 ON READER SERVICE CARD

24

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:40 AM Page 25

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 18 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp22,24,26,28_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 9:21 AM Page 26

FEATURE • IDEAL Networks

Continued from page 24

that offer the capabilities to test and certify passive networks to meet relevant industry standards and/or to diagnose and troubleshoot problems within passive networks. These devices are typically intended for use by professional installers and/or network maintenance personnel.

Testers in this category are designed to test and certify network cabling in conformance with applicable international standards, such as TIA, EIA or ISO. Therefore they must provide a specified set of test functions that meet stringent accuracy levels. Certification to stringent standards is an important requirement for structured networks in order to ensure the performance margins needed to run a variety of network protocols.

This requires much more than just hooking up a couple of PC laptops run-

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 53 ON READER SERVICE CARD

ning 10/100 Ethernet. The ability to transfer a few data packets is not a sufficient test to guarantee future performance under full load conditions or the possible deployment of other protocols, such as Token Ring, gigabit Ethernet, or streaming video.

Such certification testing is critical for structured cabling because of the care that must be taken during installation and the susceptibility of such networks to failure or degraded performance if not correctly installed. For example, overstretching or excessive bending in the cable runs can negatively impact performance without necessarily exhibiting a hard failure. Sophisticated tests such as Time Domain Reflectrometry (TDR) enable the user to quickly measure the distance to such a fault condition and therefore can aid greatly in troubleshooting activities to find and fix problems before the network is certified and activated. In addition to supporting copper-based interfaces, many of these higher end testers Continued on page 28

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:40 AM Page 27

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 19 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp22,24,26,28_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 8:04 AM Page 28

FEATURE • IDEAL Networks

Continued from page 26

also offer options for checking and certi- sized business customers, which means fying fiber optic links. these contractors also need the ability to come back in for changes/troubleshooting Handheld Testing within active network environments. for Diagnostics and Within active networks, the testers automatically connect to available network Troubleshooting in devices, identify available services, negoActive Networks tiate DHCP node assignments, and offer The final categories of testers are those the ability to selectively ping remote dedesigned for use in “active” networks, vices. Upon power-up, the tester should where data, voice and/or video services immediately check for voltage on the line are already up and running. In these situa- and connect to an active port on any hub, tions it is important that the test instru- switch or NIC if available. The device mentation be able to automatically sense should also be able to identify the specific the presence of such services and to navi- types of service on the link, such as Ethgate within active network topologies. In- ernet, Token Ring, ISDN or POTS, as house IT administrators or facilities staff well as reporting current and voltage cawho are responsible for network mainte- pabilities for analog telephone lines. nance and updates (moves, adds and If no connection is available upon changes), need to inactively map network power-up, the tester should have an autolinks within existing active networks and matic tone generator function to put a tone to quickly verify newly installed links. In on the line. This makes it possible to addition, many installation contractors are quickly find the link with a tone tracer on increasingly called on to as surrogate fa- the other end. The ability to different cilities staff, especially for small to mid- types of tones also can be a big help in

28

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

line tracing within complex networks.

The Bottom Line The newest generations of handheld testers are designed to accommodate the convergence of voice, data and video services by providing easy-to-use automated capabilities. In many cases, these devices are able to guide relatively unsophisticated users through the test processes. In other cases they provide the professional user with sophisticated in-depth test, diagnostic and certification functions. For contract installers serving multiple market segments, this choice between types of devices also makes it convenient to tailor their field-testing capabilities for different teams (e.g. installers, certifiers, troubleshooters, etc.).

The bottom line, as in most instances where the right tools need to be matched with specific challenges, it is always a benefit to have a wide range of choices and to be armed with a level of understanding that allows you to make the right selections. ❏

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:40 AM Page 29

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 20 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:40 AM Page 30

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 21 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:40 AM Page 31

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 22 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp32,34,36,40_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:58 AM Page 32

Product FOCUS

Simple and Affordable Power Monitoring. ACScout.

The ACScout is a watchful eye on your AC power, as well as a watchful eye on your equipment when you cannot be on-site. The ACScout does this at a fraction of the cost of other power monitors. In a simple to use Plug+Play package.

The V3 is the first of the ACScout products. It monitors Voltage, Frequency, and Temperature. The V3 will record any changes in those readings outside of tolerances you can set. Data can be downloaded to a PC via USB cable, but the Scout requires no PC to operate, only for configuration and data recovery.

The ACScout Net and Net-BB (Battery Back-up) models will do everything the V3 will do, but also have Ethernet capability. These units can be configured to send email alerts, and text messages as a device on your Local Area Network. Receive notifications of outages, spikes, and sags as well as frequency and temperature variations while you are off-site. The Net and Net-BB also have an external relay feature for activating peripheral alarms. Visit acscout.com to order or for more information.

Available at a very affordable price, the ACScout is a versatile tool for many AC power and temperature monitoring applications, for the homeowner and the technician in the field.

For more information, visit www.acscout.com

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 44 ON READER SERVICE CARD

32

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:40 AM Page 33

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 23 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp32,34,36,40_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:58 AM Page 34

Product FOCUS Kohler Expands Standby Generator Lineup with Smaller-Sized Units 8, 10 and 12 kW generators make standby power more accessible to consumers with smaller budgets and lower power demands Kohler® Generators is rolling out a complete new line of standby generators designed for homeowners with fewer power requirements, and who are looking for the performance and reliability of a KOHLER unit at an entry-level price point. The expanded line focuses on lower kW-output models – 8 kW, 10 kW and 12 kW – making standby power available to more consumers with smaller budgets.

“All homeowners should have access to safe, reliable backup power – no matter their budgets,” said Thomas Landrum, director of marketing, residential/light commercial for Kohler Generators. “These new units deliver Kohler quality and performance and address the needs of more homeowners.”

The 8 kW, 10 kW and 12 kW standby units (8 RESV/8 RESVL, 10 RESV/10 RESVL, 12 RESV/12 RESVL) may be price positioned at the lower end of the KOHLER home standby offering, but they provide the same performance, reliability and craftsmanship consumers have come to expect from Kohler. Each unit delivers highquality power by offering advanced voltage and frequency regulation along with ultra-low levels of harmonic distortion. This results in excellent power quality to protect delicate electronics and expensive appliances. In addition, Kohler’s exclusive Powerboost® technology provides advanced startup power to handle heavy loads like a central air conditioning unit and can power up in as little as 10 seconds.

For more information, visit www.kohlergenerators.com

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 45 ON READER SERVICE CARD

34

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 46 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:40 AM Page 35

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 24 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp32,34,36,40_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:59 AM Page 36

Product FOCUS Milwaukee® Introduces M12™ and M18™ LED Lantern/Flood Lights with TRUEVIEW™ Milwaukee Tool continues its tradition of providing solutions that maximize productivity with the introduction of the M12™ and M18™ LED Lantern/Flood Lights. Delivering the best combination of brightness and light quality, the new high definition lighting solutions feature a 180º-360º adjustable beam design that allows users to select between area lighting and task lighting for maximum versatility.

“These products are incredibly versatile,” says Tom Simeone, Director of Marketing for Milwaukee Tool. “Between the adjustable pattern and high intensity light output, the LED Lantern Flood can replace several lights in a given environment.”

Equipped with TRUEVIEW™ High Definition features, these LED lights utilize the most advanced lighting technology to deliver a consistent beam and a true representation of colors and detail, leading to a more productive work area. The 2362 and 2363 also deliver best in class light output with over 400 and 700 Lumens, respectively. On a single charge, the new lights can illuminate an area for up to 75 hours on low and up to 9 hours on high.

A rugged design and impact resistant lens allow the new lights to withstand abusive jobsite conditions, and both models offer a lifetime warranty on the LEDs. As an added value to the user, each light also includes a high power 2.1A USB port to charge tablets, smart phones, mp3 players and other electronic devices.

For more information, visit www.milwaukeetool.com

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 47 ON READER SERVICE CARD

36

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 48 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:40 AM Page 37

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 25 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp32,34,36,40_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:59 AM Page 38

Product FOCUS Flexibility of Carlon® Adjust-A-Box® Floor Box Facilitates Installation The Carlon® Adjust-A-Box® Floor Box from Thomas & Betts (T&B) features an adjustment screw that flush-mounts the box at depths from zero to 1 ¾ inches, making installation quicker and easier.

“The Carlon® Adjust-A-Box® Floor Box is ideal for residential and home-office applications,” said Chad Smith, vice president, product management and engineering, at Thomas & Betts. “It can be used in new work and retrofits, and is available in single-gang and double-gang configurations. We have provided contractors with an option for floor outlets that is clean and aesthetically pleasing.”

Covers are available in white or ivory non-metallic material, brass and stainless steel; metallic covers include a light lacquer finish for extra protection. Each cover has two non-removable hinged doors that not only protect the unused devices from dust and scrub water, but also prevents the doors from being lost or misplaced when the devices are in use.

Double-gang Carlon® Adjust-A-Box® Floor Boxes are dual service with the use of a dual-service divider, and offer a 34-cubicinch capacity. Single-Gang Carlon® Adjust-A-Box® Floor Boxes include a duplex receptacle and offer a 20-cubic-inch capacity. Both configurations feature integral cable clamps.

The Carlon® Adjust-A-Box® Floor Box complies with Section 314.27(B) of the National Electric Code® (NEC®) and is Underwriters Laboratories® (UL®) listed and scrub water tested.

For more information, visit www.tnb.com

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 49 ON READER SERVICE CARD

38

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 50 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:41 AM Page 39

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 26 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSp32,34,36,40_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 9:27 AM Page 40

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

Company

PG#

RS#

Company

PG#

RS#

ACSCOUT LLC AEMC INSTRUMENTS ALFRA USA LLC AMERICAN CONNECTORS, INC. BROTHER MOBILE SOLUTIONS CABLE GLYDZ CALIFORNIA TURBO CONDUIT REPAIR SYSTEMS CONTINENTAL CONTROL SYSTEMS DABMAR LIGHTING E-Z METER eHEAT elecDirect.com FACILITY RESULTS GENERATOR INTERLOCK TECHNOLOGIES GENSCO HB BRACKETS HIOKI USA ITOOLCO

40 IFC 31 25 3 18 34 4 20 34 30 26 20 38 7 32 11 5, 15 19

51 1 22 18 5 42 46 6 55 45 21 53 54 49 8 44 11 7, 13 15

KOLBI PIPE MARKER CO. 38 KRENZ & COMPANY 36 LIGHT EFFICIENT DESIGN 29 MILLER SAFETY CONSULTANTS LTD IBC MINUTEMAN UPS 39 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC POWER PROIDUCTS, INC. 21 NORTHWEST LIGHTING SYSTEMS 37 PHASE-A-MATIC 36 POWER & TEL 23 POWER-ONE 17, BC SEPCO 27 SIMPLY AUTOMATED INC. 1 STEELMAN INDUSTRIES 40 STRIP-TEC 24 TCP 33 THE HOME DEPOT 13 THIRD COAST UNDERWRITERS 9 UNDERGROUND DEVICES 35 UTILITY METALS 10

50 47 20 2 26 16 25 48 17 14, 3 19 4 52 43 23 12 9 24 10

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 51 ON READER SERVICE CARD

40

Electrical Products & Solutions • October 2014

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 52 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:41 AM Page C3

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 2 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1014EPSpFullPages_Company Spotlight 10/13/14 7:41 AM Page C4

FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 3 ON READER SERVICE CARD