EPS Magazine, April 2011 by Brian DiChiara

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CONTENTS

26 PUBLISHER

Danny J. Salchert OFFICE MANAGER

Anita Salchert NATIONAL SALES MANAGER

Jerry DiChiara jerryd@epsmag.net

DEPARTMENTS

Company Profiles Sokkia

Extech

Megger

Hioki

Conduit Repair Systems

Northwest Lighting

Ontility

Southwire

SunWize

PG LifeLink

Garvin Industries

AEMC

Copper Development Association

Manufacturers Directory

David Katz CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Pam Fulmer

46 PRESIDENT

Danny J. Salchert Executive and Advertising Offices 3591 Cahaba Beach Road Birmingham, AL 35242 toll free: 800.981.4541 phone: 205.981.4541 fax: 205.981.4544 www.epsmag.net • danny@epsmag.net

A List Of Our Industry’s Leading Manufacturers and Suppliers

FEATURE 52

56 2

Derek Gaylard CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Best of the Best? You Decide!

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations By David Katz

Ad Index

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

Electrical Products & Solutions™ is published twelve times a year on a monthly basis by ABD Communications, Inc., 3591 Cahaba Beach Road, Birmingham, Alabama, 35242, USA. Electrical Products & Solutions™ is distributed free to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified subscription rates are $57.00 per year in the U.S. and Canada and $84.00 per year for foreign subscribers (surface mail). U.S. Postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama and additional mailing offices. Electrical Products & Solutions™ is distributed to qualified readers in the electrical contracting industry. Publisher is not liable for all content (including editorial and illustrations provided by advertisers) of advertisements published and does not accept responsibility for any claims made against the publisher. It is the advertiser’s or agency’s responsibility to obtain appropriate releases on any item or individuals pictured in an advertisement. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ABD Communications, Inc., P.O. Box 382885 Birmingham, Alabama 35238-2885 PRINTED IN THE USA

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COMPANY PROFILE • Sokkia

Get the Facts with Sokkia enhancing measurement range with or without reflectors.

Fact: Reliability for the Long Run.

okkia, founded in 1920, develops and manufactures preci-sion instruments and solutions for the surveying, construction and industrial measurement industries. Sokkia’s product line-up features innovative optical survey instruments, advanced GNSS receivers, powerful field and office software, rugged data collectors, supplies and accessories, and much more.

Facts: Tighter Tracking. Faster Speed. Stronger EDM. Sokkia’s NEW X Series SRX provides exemplary perfor-mance on job sites. Incorporating cutting-edge laser and image processing technologies and advanced tracking algorithms, the X Series SRX tightly tracks a moving prism enhancing the ability to predict future prism positions and greatly improves prism tracking capabilities virtually eliminating interference from traffic, trees, and other tough environments. The X Series SRX also boosts a new drive system improving autopointing accuracy by 20 percent and rotation speed by over 30 per-cent. Its new RED-tech® 800 EDM increases accuracy by 25 percent and extends prismless operation to 3280ft. (1,000m) 4

The Series 50RX Reflectorless Total Station continues to build the Sokkia reputation for dependable performance day after day. It complies with the high-est protection against dust and water in its class, IP66, and is rated for high-pre-cision operation in the widest range of temperatures. The enhanced RED-tech II EDM consistently measures to a wide variety of objects with an ultra-narrow measuring beam for pinpoint accuracy. Increase work effi-ciency with pre-installed survey programs and Bluetooth® wireless technology. The Series 50RX is ideal for monitoring deformations, aligning objects, staking out road lines, positioning railway portals and many other day-to-day surveying needs making this total station the ultimate in reliability.

Fact: The Total Package Combine any of Sokkia’s surveying instruments with Sok-kia’s data collectors and software solutions for optimum per-formance. Sokkia offers four rugged and compact data col-lectors to match any situation: SHC2500, SHC250, SHC25/SHC25A and SHC236. Each of-fers an IP65 or better dust/water protection rating, built-in wire-less connectivity and advanced user interfaces. Spectrum Survey Field and Spec-trum Survey Office software is fast, powerful and user-friendly. The programs are easy-to-navi-gate with intuitive operation that minimizes the learning curve. A large graphical interface allows for fast and easy touch screen navigation Real-Time modes allow for quick work on the job site.

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

Layout Field and Layout Office software is construction soft-ware designed by contractors for contractors. Accurately and quickly lay out construction projects in a straight forward, easy-to-use interface. Easily enter plan features directly on site or at the office then connect to a total station to locate points. Laying out cable runs, building corners or mapping a pipeline, Sokkia Layout is a complete solution. From field-to-finish, control the critical data from data col-lection and raw file analysis to engineering design and to the final print efficiently with SurveyMaster and SurveyMaster Lite, a complete desktop survey solution. Whether it’s a simple mortgage survey with a one page print out of the bound-ary and house, or a complicated multi-surface construction jobsite with roads, utilities, and buildings, SurveyMaster contains everything to complete a project. SurveyMaster Lite contains land survey specific functionality packed with COGO, drafting, survey data editors and adjustments.

Get all of the Facts: Precision and Reliability Surveyors worldwide rely on Sokkia for turn-key solutions. For more than 95 years, Sokkia’s complete line of surveying instruments, GPS products and accessories have provided our customers with quality found nowhere else. Sokkia is committed to providing precise and reliable products and so-lutions. For the newest innovations or for simply the most reliable and trustworthy instruments, visit Sokkia’s Web site at www.sokkia.com. ❏

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COMPANY PROFILE • FLIR & Extech Instruments

FLIR & Extech Instruments I ncorporated in 1970, Extech Instruments is based in Waltham, Massachusetts USA, just west of Boston. Extech Instruments’ high-value, handheld test instruments and FLIR-branded infrared thermal imager are available from a network of catalog houses, distributors, internet retailers, and major retail outlets. The company has become one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of test equipment and the Extech Instruments brand is regarded in many industries as the brand of choice. ISO 9001:2008 certified by TUV, Extech’s enviable reputation is built on innovative products that offer unique and patented designs with features, functions and reliability at an affordable price. Extech became part of the FLIR Systems family of companies in 2007.

Innovative Tools for the Electrical Industry Extech’s innovation-driven approach is evident in a range of award-winning products that offer capabilities and conveniences never offered before. For electrical workers, Extech offers the industry’s first wireless datalogging multimeter (EX540) and the only multimeters equipped with a builtin infrared thermometer for temperaturebased diagnostics without added tools (EX570, EX470). Extech clamp meters demonstrate their versatility with multi-functionality that is unrivaled. From built-in infrared, to differential contact temperature inputs, Extech has led the way in innovative thinking. Most recently, Extech introduced the first METERLiNK™ clamp meter (EX845) which transmits electrical readings directly to a FLIR infrared camera using Bluetooth wireless technology. Extech’s category-leading meters are backed by an incredible range of electrical testers and specialized meters including milliohmeters, insulation testers, megohmmeters, power quality analyzers, harmonics and leakage testers, phase/rotation testers, ground resistance testers, voltage detectors, wire tracers, and more. Installation, inspection and diagnostic jobs often require access to hard-to reach 8

or -see areas. Professionals from a wide range of industries are using Extech’s award-winning wireless video inspection borescope cameras to access tight spots with the added capability to record 2 GB of video or capture JPEG images. The affordable BR200 and BR250 are invaluable for simplifying diagnostics and documenting inspections. Unlike other video borescopes on the market, the BR200/250 expand their versatility with a detachable 3.5” color display. Now, users can position the borescope as needed to access a difficult location while holding the display in their hand. In dangerous sites, monitoring can be performed up to 30’ away. With innovation-driven products, Extech has developed a strong presence in the electrical, HVACR, construction, manufacturing, plant/MRO, process and automation, environmental, electronics/testing, and field service/maintenance sectors worldwide.

FLIR Infrared Thermal Imagers Pioneers in all aspects of infrared technology, FLIR designs, manufactures, and supports thermal imaging systems and subsystems for industrial, scientific, government, commercial, and firefighting applications. With a nearly 50-year history of infrared innovation, over 100,000 systems in use worldwide, and development centers and sales offices in over 60 countries, FLIR is the world leader in thermal imaging technology. FLIR’s decades of industry leadership has been distilled in new product lines that dramatically alter the thermal imaging market by expanding options for every budget and application.

Transforming the Infrared Market The new FLIR i3 is the industry’s first ever, sub-$1,200 point-and-shoot infrared camera, making the big picture of thermal imaging a realistic and affordable upgrade from single-spot infrared thermometers or “temperature guns” with numerical readouts. The fully-automatic FLIR i3 is easy to use out of the box and offers 60 x 60 pixel resolution suitable for everyday, general diagnostic work.

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

Without the limitations of a laser temperature gun which averages temperatures in a wide measurement area and requires manual scanning of panels, motor surfaces, and other large components, the FLIR i3 quickly and accurately diagnoses problems by showing a large image with precise temperature points, dramatically improving efficiency and worker safety. Budget is no longer an excuse: the robust FLIR i3 is affordable enough to be standard-issue in every tool box. FLIR’s bold new E-series is a range of four all-new compact thermal imaging cameras that offer superior infrared diagnostic capabilities coupled with industryfirst innovations like Wi-Fi connectivity to mobile devices such as iPhones® and iPads®. The E-series (E30, E40, E50, E60) transforms infrared diagnostics by introducing a mix of powerful thermal imaging capabilities such as 76,800 pixels (320 × 240) IR resolution, <0.05˚C thermal sensitivity, 4x digital zoom, and 60Hz refresh rate as well as industry-first innovations such as Wi-Fi connectivity to personal devices such as iPads or iPhones, 3MP digital camera, and a wide, 3.5” full-view touchscreen with intuitive interface. For identifying electrical, mechanical, or building envelope issues, affordable FLIR infrared cameras quickly pay for themselves by revealing problems such as a faulty motor or bearing, before a failure or expensive tear-down occurs. FLIR thermal imagers are available at local FLIR-authorized distributors. To learn about Extech Instruments, visit www.extech.com/instruments. To learn about FLIR, visit www.flir.com. ❏

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COMPANY PROFILE • Megger

Megger

by them were given the name Megger. On May 25, 1903, the company registered the word Megger as trademark number 254820 in the UK. It has since been registered in almost every country. The exact date the word Megger was first used is not known, but it is believed Vignoles devised it. Some sources suggest that it is a contraction of the words MEGohm and metER, with the addition of a G, while others suggest that the original words were MEGohm and testER. Either way, the result is one of the best-known and respected trademarks in the electrical industry worldwide.

In 1910, Dr. Rowland, Electrical Department head at Philadelphia’s Drexel Institute told Biddle about a device for measuring insulation resistance that was manufactured in England by Evershed & or over a century, Megger has Vignoles, and that this company was, with been synonymous with quality and the aid of the British Consul in Philadelreliability in portable electrical test phia, looking for US representation. equipment. But where did the famous MegBiddle traveled to England and, with a ger name, a guarded trademark of Megger handshake, concluded a deal with Evershed Group Limited, come from? & Vignoles, which made his company the Back in 1888, electric lighting was sole distributor in the US for all Evershed & growing in popularity. Sidney Evershed Vignoles test equipment, which included was working for Goolden & Trotter, a Megger insulation testers, earth testers and company with a department that specialDucter low-resistance ohmmeters. ized in domestic installaInitially, Biddle ordered tions. To verify the safety of five Megger insulation those installations, a method testers, which he sent out on of testing insulation was consignment to his close enneeded. At that time, insulagineering acquaintances and tion resistance could only be public utility companies. measured in a laboratory, Four out of five recipients deand the measurements were cided to buy the instrument carried out at low voltages, they had been sent. The suctypically around 2 V. cess of the products helped Evershed knew from reBiddle to expand his operasearch that testing at such low tions. In 1936, the business voltages gave unsatisfactory was incorporated as the results, and to ensure the James G. Biddle Company. safety of an installation, it was Biddle retired in 1940, and James G. Biddle Ernest Vignoles essential to test the insulation in 1945 was appointed at its working voltage or Chairman of the Board. Durhigher. He also knew that the laboratory ing World War II, because of the diffitechniques for measuring insulation resisculty of obtaining equipment from tance were unsuitable for use on site. England, Biddle started its own manufacHis response was to develop the first dituring operation for Megger insulation rect-reading ohmmeter, which comprised a testers in the US. small permanent magnet suspended at the After several ownership changes, Evercenter of, and controlled by two coils at shed and Vignoles joined forces with right angles to each other. One coil was AVO Limited, the company that develconnected directly to the voltage source enoped the world’s first multimeter, to form ergizing the ohmmeter; the other was conMegger Instruments. In 1991, Biddle and nected to the same voltage source via the Megger, along with Multi-Amp, came toinsulation under test. This meant that the gether to form the organization then results obtained were independent of the known as AVO Megger Instruments. voltage. Today, the organization is known as Evershed energized his ohmmeter with Megger Group Limited. With developa hand-cranked generator, similar to the ment and manufacturing facilities in the type in use at the time for ringing teleUS, the UK and Sweden it is, and has been Checking DC motor armatures with a Megger phones. The instrument proved so success- Insulation tester—1930’s style! for more than 100 years, a world leader in ful that Evershed patented it, and Goolden the electrical test equipment field. & Trotter started to manufacture and market On Washington’s birthday in 1895, while The Megger name is so well known that it in 1889. Evershed and Vignoles was being set up in it is incorrectly used as a verb that means In 1895, Sidney Evershed and Ernest Vi- England, James G. Biddle started his own “to perform an insulation test.” Megger regnoles, another Goolden & Trotter director, business in Philadelphia. He acted as a man- mains a registered trademark and Megger purchased the company’s instrument de- ufacturers agent, arranging to import and Group rigorously defends and takes all partment and set it up as Evershed & Vig- sell scientific and electrical equipment made necessary steps to address improper usage noles Limited. The insulation testers made by overseas manufacturers. that come to its attention. ❏

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

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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. ing offering of state-of-the-art instruments 8. X-Y In-circuit tester for ultra high speed to meet the needs 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 customer tion, utility, manufacturing, hospitals, autobase of 38 plus countries generating as motive and facility management. Our many as 50,000 product/application re- customers include electrical contractors in quests annually, we implemented the Hioki both commercial and residential fields, Information Network System which allows maintenance personnel, linesmen, mechanour customer requests and needs to be ics and engineers alike. Applications vary shared promptly among the development, from power quality testing, power demand production and sales & service departments, testing, voltage & current testing, battery so that we can propose the best possible so- testing, event recording, LCR testing, insulutions 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

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 grow-

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

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COMPANY PROFILE • Conduit Repair Systems, Inc.

Conduit Repair Systems, Inc.

he old saying, “necessity is the mother of all inventions” holds true for Conduit Repair Systems, Inc. Our split conduit products were originally designed and developed by a cable TV technician and his father in-law that worked as an engineer. The technician found that he needed a repair product that truly restored damaged PVC pipe to its original state. The technician did some research and found that what he needed didn’t exist at the time. The two men then developed our patented snap together split conduit products. Since the early days of the company, many additional applications for the products have since been discovered including enclosing exposed cables, relocating aerial lines to underground, enclosing cables on bridges, protecting cables on telephone poles, enclosing fiber optics, and relocating cables along roads. Conduit Repair Systems, Inc. formally began business operations in 1995 and has seen exponential growth ever since. Our

company is headquartered in St. George, Utah, which is located about 100 miles North East of Las Vegas, Nevada along Interstate 15. The company chose St. George because of its reputation as the “Palm Springs” of Utah. The warm weather, the world-class golf courses, combined with a very qualified work force made the selection to locate in St. George very easy. Over the past fifteen years Conduit Repair Systems, Inc. has become the world-leading manufacturer of split conduit products. Conduit Repair Systems manufactures split conduit, split couplings, split sweeps, and other related split conduit products specifically designed for electrical, cable TV, and communications applications. CRS offers its products in a variety of sizes including 1 inch, 1 ¼ inch, 1 ½ inch, 2 inch, 2 ½ inch, 3 inch, 4 inch, 5 inch, and 6 inch. Conduit Repair Systems, Inc. executive staff consists of highly qualified profes-

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

sionals. The President of the company, David Clove, is a CPA and is also a former Finance Manager for Arizona Public Service. Our National Sales Manager, Paul McMullin, brings twenty years of industry sales experience to the company. All of our manufacturing personnel also have many years of professional experience in the plastics industry. CRS currently services public utilities, rural electric associations and co-ops, cable TV companies, telephone companies, and electrical contractors through a wide range of distributors located throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Europe, and the Middle East. If you would like more information regarding our company you can obtain additional information at our website located on the Internet at www.conduitrepair.com. We believe that no one helps you repair or protect your underground distribution or cable network like Conduit Repair Systems, Inc. ❏

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COMPANY PROFILE • Northwest Lighting Systems Co.

Northwest Lighting Systems Co. N orthwest Lighting Systems Co. was created in 1991 in Golden Valley, MN by James D. Miller. Jim was a Chicago Lighting Rep who invested in a small HID ballast manufacturing company. He was searching for a means to break into the aftermarket for HID Ballast Replacement Kits and was frustrated by the traditional Electrical Distributor Network that was dominated by the major manufacturers. He saw how successful the “Direct to Contractor” model was for some fixture manufacturers. Why not give it a try with components? Thus, Northwest Lighting was born. For seventeen years, Northwest Lighting has provided HID Ballast Replacement Kits directly to contractors, property managers and select national accounts at significant saving over the local electrical supply house. Their large stock of both high volume and low volume models results in 95% of all orders shipping the same day. Contractors have come to realize that waiting for their local distributor to bring in a 480v ballast or a postline ballast from the factory makes no sense when Northwest Lighting has it in stock at a bet-

ter price. In fact, about 35% of their sales are now to distributors who call them instead of the factory because they know that Northwest Lighting has it in stock. In 1999 Jim Miller passed away and the company was bought by two of his long-time employees, John Hannasch and Kevin Eagan. They quickly expanded the company by opening a Sales Office and Warehouse in New Hampshire as well as a warehouse in Texas. Future expansion plans call for stocking locations on the west coast and the

Northwest Lighting now offers ignitors, capacitors, lampholders, mini fuses and other replacement components and stocks them in large quantity.

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

southeast. Their goal is to provide onestop shopping for lighting replacement parts and fixtures and to deliver within two business days. John and Kevin have also expanded the product offering tremendously. They carry several lines of electronic fluorescent ballasts, plastic sign ballasts, F-Can, Post-line and Compact Fluorescent Ballasts as well as HID, Fluorescent and Compact Fluorescent lamps. Many customers now want to buy the specific hid components that they need instead of the entire ballast kit. Northwest Lighting now offers ignitors, capacitors, lampholders, mini fuses and other replacement components and stocks them in large quantity. Northwest Lighting has recently introduced a fluorescent highbay fixture that is extremely contractor-friendly. It features ballast access doors on the top so an electrician does not have to remove the reflector or ballast cover to access the ballast. It is available with F32T8 or F54T5HO lamps and comes in 4 lamp and 6 lamp models. These are in stock for immediate delivery. Assistance in using these products for utility rebates is available by calling our headquarters office. Northwest Lighting also specializes in sourcing hard-to-find lamps and ballasts. Our numerous contacts throughout the lighting industry allow us to find that difficult part in less time than it would take for you to search for it. Call them with your next sourcing challenge and save yourself the headaches. This year Northwest Lighting’s New Hampshire office has opened an Outlet Store to market energy efficient lighting products for home and office use. They offer commercial grade compact fluorescent lamps in a much wider variety of styles and color temperatures that the big retail chains. They also offer energy efficient alternatives to the high wattage fixtures and lamps used at home or in the office. Future plans call for additional Outlet Stores in select markets nationally. Later in the year there will be on-line ordering available for the Outlet Store. Jim Miller’s bright idea for selling a few HID Ballast Kits has grown tremendously since 1991. Lighting is their only business and they are very good at it. Today they get more new customers via referrals than from all of their advertising programs combined. ❏

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COMPANY PROFILE • Ontility

One-stop Approach to Solar

NTILITY brings to the solar energy market a unique blend of training, wholesale distribution and support services. We believe that this comprehensive one-stop approach is making a significant contribution to the growth of a sustainable solar energy industry. ONTILITY is committed to the solar market and solar industry development. We invite you to Learn Solar through our professional training. Buy Solar from our stocking warehouse of superior products at competitive prices and Accelerate Your Solar Business with our full range of partner support services. In 2008, ONTILITY’s founders recognized that there were significant barriers to entry and growth in the solar industry. The supply chain was dominated by a very few national companies who required large commitments from their solar installer customers. Some of these suppliers were tied to one or two manufacturers thus subjecting customers to recurring short supplies and delays. Start-up and expanding installation companies found it impossible to compete with large, well-established companies because they lacked buying power and financing options. The number of trained installers was inadequate and training options were few. In 2009, ONTILITY was formed to provide solutions; excellent training, a reliable source for solar products and financial, management and system engineering support. A well-trained workforce is vital to the growth and success of any industry and to each company within that industry. If sys-

tems are poorly designed and fail to perform as expected, the industry suffers. If installations are performed in an unsafe way resulting in injury or property damage, the industry flounders. Comprehensive training is the key. ONTILTY began as a training company, so training is in our DNA. We know that the quality of training cannot be compromised and that industry standards are important. Therefore, ONTILITY adheres to the content and curriculum standards set by NABCEP and to the course accreditation and instructor certification standards set by the Institute for Sustainable Power Quality (ISPQ). Since 2008, we have trained more than 1,000 contractors, electricians, entrepreneurs and engineers; plumbers, carpenters, home builders and code officials; young people beginning careers, military veterans ending active duty, experienced workers looking for new opportunities – they span a global gannet of ages, backgrounds and interests. The dynamic nature of the global solar industry is a direct result of a number of factors. Among them, two stand out: Technological innovation brings a steady stream of new products and radical market growth presents challenges to manufacturers to keep up with demand. The resulting variation in product availability and occasional supply chain disruption can wreak havoc on a contractor’s business. ONTILITY smoothes the bumps in the supply chain. We maintain more than $20M in monthly inventory representing more than 120 manufacturers. We are one of the three largest stocking solar wholesale dis-

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

tributors in North America and the largest in the southern U.S. To maintain high inventory levels, we buy in volume and buying in volume enables us to negotiate very favorable pricing from major solar manufacturers – favorable pricing we pass along to our customers. When our customers, including those new to the industry and those with smaller annual sales volume, have the advantage of competitive pricing based on our volume purchase agreements, they can compete with any company in the industry. Helping make these companies more competitive helps build a more robust and sustainable industry – one of ONTILITY’s core missions. ONTILTY fosters competitiveness and growth through a suite of support services: • System design and engineering - from consultation by phone or e-mail to solve an installation challenge to full system design services including drawings, specification documents and PE sign-off • Installation and project management support from our team of NABCEP Certified PV and Solar Thermal Installers –more than 45 years of combined solar experience. • Financial services including rebate assistance, non-profit and municipal power purchase agreements (PPAs), same-ascash residential financing and assistance with the Federal Payments for Specified Energy Property in Lieu of Tax Credits for commercial renewable energy systems otherwise known as the US Treasury’s 1603 Program. • Logistics support for any project no matter how challenging the job site, including rooftop and remote location delivery • Marketing services including website design, production and search engine optimization, collateral design and production, graphic design and co-branding opportunities ONTILTY makes getting a new business started easy by offering QuickStart packages containing training, access to wholesale pricing and consulting, all for one low price. We also provide advanced and specialized training for successful companies ready to move to the next level. No matter how new to solar or how experienced you are, ONTILTY has the product, training and support services to accelerate your business. ❏

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COMPANY PROFILE • SunWize

SunWize Technologies Committed To Our Customers

unWize offers our Solar Dealers and Installers the largest selection of solar systems and high-quality solar products and components available. With 22 locations throughout North America and two distribution warehouses – one on each coast, our customer support is the best in the solar industry. At 85,000 square feet, SunWize has the largest inventory of products of any solar distributor in North America. SunWize also has the solar industry’s largest selection of complete, engineered residential grid-tie systems.

The Finest Customer Support in the Solar Industry Our dedicated sales managers and knowledgeable customer service representatives are available to support you in your endeavors in growing your business and becoming more successful. One of the best features of our business is that we offer the largest selection and variety of solar products for you to choose from. We

The Advantages of being an Authorized SunWize Dealer: • Competitive prices • Large inventory in three warehouses • Great selection of products • Same day shipping from both coasts • Unmatched customer service • Dedicated technical support • Dealer Training • Co-op advertising programs • Lead distribution program • Comprehensive product catalog and design guide - in print and online

also offer competitive pricing and an experienced engineering staff to provide technical support when needed. We provide literature for our products and distribute the best solar catalog in the industry, featuring our prepackaged solar systems, balance of system components, switchgear and solar design guide. You’ll also find a wealth of solar information, product data sheets, design guides and other useful tools on our web site.

Solar Training Workshops and Conferences Our commitment to your success in the solar business also extends to the many training conferences we offer in various locations throughout the year. Our workshops are taught by experts and experienced professionals from the solar industry and the renewable energy field. Many of these courses give you the opportunity to become more knowledgeable and earn continuing education credits (CECs) towards becoming a NABCEP certified installer. Our solar energy seminars also feature representatives from our solar product vendors to keep you informed on product revisions and new product releases.

SunWize® Rewards Program SunWize Rewards is modeled after frequent flyer programs: customers are grouped into tiers based on their purchase volume. Each tier has a distinct set of rewards and may include: co-op marketing funds, customized marketing materials, on-line tools for executing direct mail and email campaigns, demo and display equipment and enhanced literature fulfillment. ❏

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

The SunWize headquarters, manufacturing and distribution facility located in Kingston, NY (top); West Coast distribution warehouse located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA (middle); Distributed Power Group Headquarters in San Jose, CA (bottom).

SunWize can be reached at 800-817-6527 or by visiting the company’s web site: www.sunwize.com

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■ MANUFACTURERSDirectory ALTERNATIVE POWER

GROUNDING EQUIPMENT NEXLIGHT

CUMMINS POWER GENERATION 1400 73rd Ave. N.E. Minneapolis, MN 55432 800.888.6626 763.574.5298 (fax) www.cumminspower.com

BURNDY LLC 47 East Industrial Park Drive Manchester, NH 03109 603.647.5091 603.647.5205 (fax) www.burndy.com

PHASE-A-MATIC 39450 3rd St. E., Suite 127 Palmdale, CA 93550 661.947.8485 661.947.8764 (fax) www.phase-a-matic.com STEELMAN INDUSTRIES PO Box 1461 Kilgore, TX 75663 800.337.5827 903.984.1384 (fax) www.steelman.com

ERICO INC. 34600 Solon Road Solon, OH 44139 440.248.0100 800.853.0874 (fax) www.erico.com

LIGHTING & CONTROLS DAY-BRITE LIGHTING 776 S. Green St. Tupelo, MS 38802 662.680.6684 662.841.5501 (fax) www.day-britelighting.com FRONTLINE ENERGIES 104 Elmand Ave. Seldon, NY 11784 631.384.7775

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Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

1355 Mendota Heights rd. Mendota Heights, MN 55120 651.457.800 www.nexlight.com PHILIPS CAPRI P.O.Box 1687 Tupelo, MS 38802 662.620.6720 www.caprilighting.com PHILIPS EMERGENCY LIGHTING 236 Mt. Pleasant Rd. Collierville, TN 38027 901.854.1643 www.philips.com/bodine PHILIPS LIGHTING 200 Franklin Square Drive Somerset, NJ 08875 732.563.3039 732.563.3325 (fax) www.lighting.philips.com

SHAT-R-SHIELD INC. 116 Ryan Patrick Drive Salisbury, NC 28147 704.633.2100 704.633.3420 (fax) www.shat-r-shield.com UNIVERSAL LIGHTING TECHNOLOGIES INC. 26 Century Blvd., Suite 500 Nashville, TN 37214-3683 800-BALLAST 615.316.5146 (fax) www.universalballast.com UTILITY METALS PO Box 9054 Louisville, KY 40209 800.627.8276 502.368.2656 (fax) www.utilitymetals.com WATT STOPPER / LEGRAND 2800 De La Cruz Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95050 800.875.8585 408.988.5373 (fax) www.wattstopper.com

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THOMAS & BETTS CORP. 8155 T&B Boulevard Memphis, TN 38125 800.888.0211 Fax: 901.252.1347 www.tnb.com VERVE LIVING SYSTEMS 140 Business Park Dr. Winston-Salem, NC 27107 877.874.8774 336.293.1767 ( fax )

MISCELLANEOUS ERICSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY 4215 Hamann Parkway Willoughby, OH 44094 800.374.2766 440.951.1867 (fax) www.ericson.com ILSCO 4730 Madison Road Cincinnati, OH 45227 513.533.6200 513.871.4084 (fax) www.ilsco.com

POWER QUALITY CONTINENTAL CONTROL SYSTEMS, LLC 3131 Indian Rd. Suite A Boulder, CO 80301 888.928.8663 303.444.2903 (fax) www.wattnode.com E-MON L.P. One Oxford Valley, Suite 418 Langhorne, PA 19037 800.334.3666 215.752.3094 (fax) www.emon.com GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS PO Box 8 Waukesha, WI 53187 262.544.4811 262.968.6940 (fax) www.generac.com

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GENERATOR INTERLOCK TECHNOLOGIES 3107 Lanvale Ave. Richmond, VA 23230 804.726.2448 804.231.1984 (fax) www.interlockkit.com MILBANK MFG. P.O. Box 419028 Kansas City, MO 64141 816.483.5314 816.483.6357 (fax) www.milbankmfg.com MINUTEMAN UPS 1455 Lemay Drive Carrollton, TX 75007 972.446.7363 972.446.9011 (fax) www.minutemanups.com MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTS 530 Keystone Dr. Warrendale, PA 15086 724.778.3165 www.meppi.com POST GLOVER LIFELINK 167 Gap Way Erlanger, KY 41018 859.283.5900 859.372.6272 (fax) www.postgloverlifelink.com THOMAS & BETTS CORP. 8155 T&B Boulevard Memphis, TN 38125 800.888.0211 901.252.1347 (fax) www.tnb.com TOSHIBA INTERNATIONAL 13131 West Little York Rd. Houston, TX 77041 713.466.0277 www.tic.toshiba.com YOKOGAWA CORP. OF AMERICA 2 Dart Rd. Nemnan, GA 30265 770.254.0400 www.yokogawa.com

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■ MANUFACTURERSDirectory SAFETY & TRAINING AMERICAN TECHNICAL PUBLISHERS INC. 10100 Orland Pkwy. Ste 200 Orland Park, IL 60467 800.323.3471 708.957.1101 (fax) www.americantech.net AVO TRAINING INSTITUTE 4271 Bronze Way Dallas, TX 75237 877.594.3156 214.331.7363 (fax) www.avotraining.com BULWARK 545 Marriott Dr. Nashville, TN 37214 615.565.5088 615.882.2481 (fax) www.bulwark.com CALIFORNIA TURBO, INC. 10721 Business Dr. Fontana, CA 92337 800.448.1446 www.californiaturbo.com

CARHARTT, INC. 5750 Mercury Drive Dearborn, MI 48126 800.786.3916 800.217.2895 (fax) www.carhartt.com

RECTORSEAL 2601 Spenwick Houston, TX 77055 713.263.8001 713.263.7577 (fax) www.rectorseal.com

UNIQUE FIRE STOP PRODUCTS 20850 River Road Robertsdale, AL 36567 251.960.5018 251.960.5068 (fax) www.uniquefirestop.com

GARVIN INDUSTRIES 3700 Sandra St. Franklin Park, IL 60131 847.455.0188 847.455.0334 (fax) www.garvinindustries.com

SMARTGUARD 170 W. Dayton St. Ste. 106BC Edmonds, WA 98020 425.771.8843 www.smartguardcovers.com

W. H. SALISBURY 7520 N. Long Ave. Skokie, IL 60077 847.679.6700 847.679.2401 (fax) www.whsalisbury.com

HERCULES INDUSTRIES INC. PO Box 197 Prospect, OH 43342 800.345.2590 740.494.2274 (fax) www.herculock.com NATIONAL SAFETY APPAREL 3865 W. 150th St. Cleveland, OH 44111 216.941.1111 216.941.1130 (fax) www.nsamfg.com

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Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

STEEL GRIP INC. 700 Garfield St. Danville, IL 61832 800.223.1595 800.270.0517 www.steelgripinc.com THOMAS & BETTS CORP. 8155 T&B Boulevard Memphis, TN 38125 800.888.0211 901.252.1347 (fax) www.tnb.com

SOFTWARE ACCUBID 7725 Jane St. Concord, Ontario L4K 1X4 905.761.8800 905.761.1234 (fax) www.accubid.com

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■ MANUFACTURERSDirectory AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES 395 Page Mill Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 800.452.4844 888.900.8921 (fax) www.agilent.com

VISION INFOSOFT 1915 Aston Ave. Carlsbad, CA 92008 800.258.7752 760.597.0339 (fax) www.visioninfosoft.com

APOLLO SOLAR 23 F.J. Clarke Circle Bethel, CT 06801 203.790.6400 203.792.0300 (fax) www.apollosolar.com

COOPER B-LINE 509 West Monroe St. Highland, IL 62249 618.654.2184 Fax 618.654.9191 www.cooperbline.com

CONEST 50 Nashua Road Londonderry, NH 03053 603.437.9353 603.437.9354 (fax) www.conest.com

SOLAR POWER

CITEL, INC. 11381 Interchange Circle S. Miramar, FL 33025 954.430.6310 www.citel.us

D C POWER SYSTEMS 1500 Valley House Dr. Ste 210 Rohnert Park, CA 94928 800.967.6917 www.dcpowersystems.com

CONERGY, INC. 2480 West 26th Ave. Ste. 2B Denver, CO 80211 888.396.6611 720.279.3664 (fax) www.conergy.us Distributors for: Sanyo, SMA, Fronius, Outback Xantrex, Satcon, Fat Spaniel Rolls, Unirac, Apollo Solar, Midnite Solar, Magnum, Wiley

EVERGREEN SOLAR 138 Bartlett Street Marlboro, MA 01752 508.357.2221 508.229.0747 Fax www.evergreensolar.com

DEXTER + CHANEY 9700 Lake City Way N.E. Seattle, WA 98115 800.875.1400 206.367.9613 (fax) www.dexterchaney.com SINGLETOUCH 14553 W. Indian School Rd. Suite 300 Goodyear , AZ 85395 623.536.7833 623.536.5517 (fax) www.singletouch.com

AEE SOLAR 1155 Redway Dr PO Box 339 Redway, CA 95560 800.777.6609 707.923.3009 (fax) www.aeesolar.com Distributors for: Evergreen Solar, SolarWorld, UniRac, Xantrex, SMA America, OutBack Power Systems, Fronius International, PV Powered, Mitsubishi Electric, Direct Power & Water, Rolls/Surrette Battery, Southwest Windpower, Morningstar, Apollo Solar

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Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

EXELTECH 7317 Jack Newell Blvd. N. Ft. Worth TX 76118 817.595.4969 www.exeltech.com

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JAC-RACK 3937 Campus Dr. Pontiac MI 48341 800.526.3491 www.jac-rack.com NABCEP 56 Clifton County Rd. Ste. 202 Clifton Park, NY 12065 518.289.4859 www.nabcep.org

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UNIRAC, INC. 1411 Broadway Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM 87102-1545 505.242.6411 505.242.6412 (fax) www.unirac.com

TOOLS & TESTING EQUIPMENT AEMC INSTRUMENTS 200 Foxborough Blvd. Foxborough, MA 02035 800.343.1391 508.698.2118 (fax) www.aemc.com

ALBERCORP 3103 N. Andrews Ave. Extension Pompano Beach, FL 33064 954.623.6660 954.623.6671 (fax) www.alber.com

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SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC / RENEWABLE ENERGIES 132 Fairgrounds Rd. West Kingston, RI 02892 www.xantrex.com SESSION SOLAR 60 Old Pueblo Rd. Scotts Valley, CA 95066 831.438.9000 www.thinksolar-us.com SOLAR UNIVERSE 5802 Las Positas Livermore, CA 04551 866.6.solar.9 www.solaruniverse.com SOLARWORLD 4650 Adohr Lane Camarillo, CA 93012 800.94.SOLAR 805.388.6395 (fax) www.solarworld-usa.com SOLMETRIC CORPORATION 825 Olema- Bolinas Rd. Bolinas, CA 94924 877.263.5026 www.solmetric.com SUNWIZE TECHNOLOGIES P.O.Box 679 Woodacre, CA 94873 415.488.1220 845.336.0457 (fax) www.sunwize.com Distributor for: SANYO, Sharp, Mitsubishi, Kaneka, Yingli, SMA America, Fronius, Xantrex, PV Powered, Enphase, Outback, UniRac, Direct Power and Water

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■ MANUFACTURERSDirectory AMPROBE Everett, WA 98203 877-AMPROBE (267-7623) www.amprobe.com DRANETZ-BMI 1000 New Durham Road Edison, NJ 08818 800.372.6832 732.248.1834 (fax) www.dranetz-bmi.com

EXTECH INSTRUMENTS 285 Bear Hill Road Waltham, MA 02451 781.890.7440 781.890.7864 (fax) www.extech.com

HIOKI USA 6 Corporate Dr. Cranbury, NJ 08512 609.409.9109 609.409.9108 (fax) www.hiokiusa.com

IDEAL INDUSTRIES INC. Becker Place Sycamore, IL 60178 815.895.1190 815.899.7712 (fax) www.ideal@idealindustries.com MEGGER 2621 Van Buren Ave. Norristown, PA 19403 610.676.8500 610.676.8610 ( fax ) www.megger.com RELIABLE POWER METERS, A FLUKE COMPANY 400 Blossom Hill Road Los Gatos, CA 95032 800.334.3666 215.752.3094 www.reliablemeters.com SUMMIT TECHNOLOGY, INC. 2717 North Main St. Suite 15 Walnut Creek, CA 94597 925.944.1212 925.944.7126 (fax) THOMAS & BETTS CORP. 8155 T&B Boulevard Memphis, TN 38125 800.888.0211 Fax: 901.252.1347 www.tnb.com TOSHIBA INTERNATIONAL CORP. 13131 W. Little York Road Houston, TX 77041 800.231.1412 713.896.5212 (fax) www.tic.toshiba.com UEI 800 SW Nimbus Avenue Beaverton, OR 97008 800.547.5740 503.643.6322 (fax) www.ueitest.com

WIRE & CABLE AFC CABLE SYSTEMS INC 272 Duchaine Blvd. New Bedford, MA 02745 800.757.6996 508.998.1447 (fax) www.afcweb.com FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 45 ON READER SERVICE CARD

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■ MANUFACTURERSDirectory ALCAN CABLE Three Ravina Drive, Suite 1600 Atlanta, GA 30346 770.394.9886 770.677.2609 (fax) www.cable.alcan.com

BICSI 8610 Hidden River Parkway Tampa, FL 33637 800.242.7405 813.903.4311 (fax) www.bicsi.org

ARPI OF USA 140-2 Business Park Cir. Stoughton, WI 53589 608.873.8659 www.arpiusa.com

BRADY WORLDWIDE, INC. 6555 W. Good Hope Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53223 www.bradyid.com

COLEMAN CABLE 1586 S. Lakeside Drive Waukegan, IL 60085 847.672.2456 www.colemancable.com

BRIDGEPORT FITTINGS INC. 705 Lordship Blvd. Stratford, CT 06615 203.377.5944 203.387.3488 (fax) www.bptfittings.com

CONDUMEX WIRE & CABLE 1184-E Corporate Drive W. Arlington, TX 76006 817.607.1500 817.633.1692 (fax) www.condumex.com

BYTE BROTHERS 7003 132 nd Place S.E. Newcastle , WA 98059 800.999.2983 425.917.8379 (fax) www.bytebrothers.com

CONDUX INTERNATIONAL 145 Kingswood Drive Mankato, MN 56001 800.533.2077 507.387.1442 Fax www.condux.com

ARROW FASTENER COMPANY. INC. 271 Mayhill St. Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 www.arrowfastener.com ATKORE INTERNATIONAL 16100 S. Lathrop Ave. Harvey IL 60426 800.882.5543

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CENTURY WIRE 51 South Lincoln Ave. Washington, NJ 07882 908.689.1212 866.511.2884 (fax)

DAMAC PRODUCTS INC. 14489 Industry Circle La Mirada, CA 90638 714.228.2900 714.739.1883 (fax) www.damac.com DCD DESIGN & MFG. LTD 180-6620 McMillan Way Richmond, BC V6W 1J7, Canada 604.232.4445 604.232.4446 (fax) www.dcddesign.com ENCORE WIRE 1410 Millwood Road McKinney, TX 75069 972.562.9473 800.782.6475 (fax) www.encorewire.com FIBER OPTIC NETWORK SOLUTIONS (FONS) CORP. 30 Forbes Road Northborough, MA 01545 508.393.4268 508.393.3657 (fax) www.fons.com

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■ MANUFACTURERSDirectory FIBER SOLUTIONS INC. 17740 Hoffman Way Homewood, IL 60430 800.743.4237 708.206.1575 (fax) www.fsifiber.com GENESIS CABLE SYSTEMS LLC 7701 95th St. Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158 800.222.0060 262.947.0724 (fax) www.genesiscable.com GENSCO 53 Carlaw Ave. Toronto, Ontario, CN M4M2R6 416.465.7521 www.genscoequipment.com HELUKABEL USA, INC. 1355 Bowes Rd., Unit C Elgin, IL 60123 877.910.2094 847.622.8766 (fax) www.helukabel.com

HITACHI CABLE MANCHESTER INC. 900 Holt Ave. Manchester, NH 03109 603.669.4347 603.669.9621 (fax) www.hcm.hitachi.com KING INNOVATION 42 N.Central Dr. O’Fallon, MO 63366 636.519.5459 www.kinginnovation.com

MAXIS 4838 E. Baseline Rd. Ste.131 Mesa, AZ 85206 888.266.2947 480.633.9114 (fax) www.maxis-tools.com

ICC 14700 Alondra Blvd. La Mirada Ca. 90638 888.ASK.4.ICC 562.356.3100 (fax) www.icc.com

MINERALLAC FASTENING SYSTEMS 100 Gast Rd. Hampshire, IL 60140 877.285.2200 847.792.6181 (fax) www.minerallac.com

ITW BUILDEX 13249 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Itasca, IL 60143 800.323.0720 630.595.3569 (fax) www.sammysuperscrew.com

NIEDAX-KLEINHUIS USA, INC. 7545 Pingue Drive Worthington, OH 43085 614.888.3331 614.888.0462 (fax) www.kleinhuis.com

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LAPP USA 29 Hanover Road Florham, NJ 07932 800.774.3539 www.lappusa.com

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

NORDX/CDT 2345 Sources Blvd. Pointe-Claire, QC H9R 5Z3, Canada 514.822.2345 514.822.7981 (fax) www.nordx.com REGAL MANUFACTURING 900 S. Ajax Ave. Industry, CA 91748 626.964.6531 626.964.3964 (fax) www.regalfittings.com ROLL-A-REEL CO. 303 W. Crest Drive Cincinnati, OH 45215 513.761.8500 513.761.9997 (fax) www.rollareel.com RYCOM INSTRUMENTS 9351 East 59th Raytown, MO 64133 800.851.7374 www.rycominstruments.com

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■ MANUFACTURERSDirectory THE SIEMON COMPANY 27 Siemon Company Drive Watertown, CT 06795 860.945.4200 www.siemon.com

SOKKIA 16900 W. 118th Terrace Olathe, KS 66061 800.4.SOKKIA www.sokkia.com

SLABACH ENTERPRISES 2148 Highway 22 Kalona, IA 52247 319.656.2226 www.slabach.com

SOUTHWIRE CO. 302 Rome St. Carrollton, GA 30117 www.southwire.com

STRIP-TEC 3700 North Commerce FT. Worth, TX 76106 817.386.2288 www.striptec.com

THOMAS & BETTS CORP. 8155 T&B Boulevard Memphis, TN 38125 800.888.0211 Fax: 901.252.1347 www.tnb.com UNDERGROUND DEVICES INC. 3304 Commercial Ave. Northbrook, IL 60062 847.205.9000 847.205.9004 (fax) www.udevices.com WAGO CORPORATION N120 W19129 Freistadt Road Germantown, WI 53022 800.DIN.RAIL 262.255.3232 (fax) www.wago.com WEST PENN WIRE/CDT 2833 W. Chestnut St. Washington, PA 15301 724.222.7060 724.222.6420 (fax) www.westpenn-cdt.com WIREGUARD, INC. P.O. Box 515 Kimberling City, MO 65656 417.447.2940 417.739.9288 (fax) www.wireguardinc.com THE WIREMOLD COMPANY 60 Woodlawn St. West Hartford, CT 06110 800.621.0049 860.232.2062 (fax) www.wiremold.com

ADDITONAL ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTORS EMERGI-LITE (A THOMAS & BETTS CO.) 1811 Hymus Blvd. Dorval, Quebec H9P 1J5 Canada 866.857.5711 514.685.7389 (fax) www.emergi-lite.com THE HOME DEPOT 2455 Paces Ferry Rd. Atlanta, GA 30339 www.homedepot.com

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COMPANY PROFILE • PG LifeLink tenance. In turn, this process saves time, money and reduces potential injury.

Mark V Line Isolation Monitor and LIM-Connect™ Software

Developing Our Greatest Asset – Our Employees – Helps Us Achieve Complete Customer Satisfaction

G LifeLink designs and manufactures Isolated Power Systems and Versa-Duct LabLink connection products for the healthcare, laboratory and research industries. Products of high quality and functionality have been our trademark for over fifty years. While these are still top priorities in the designs, focus has been broadened to include innovations in reduction of installation, maintenance, monitoring time and cost. Every bit of our success over the last decade can be attributed to our employees. Innovation is driven by employee suggestions, with direct input from our customers. These successes have been the reward of group efforts, based on our values, with complete employee involvement. In 2010, we took on a more structured learning process at PG LifeLink. The end goal was to have employees partake in the strategy and budgeting process. The book “Rockefeller Habits” by Verne Harnish became our textbook. It gave us the ability to transcend how we go about our day to day work habits. The daily rhythm meetings were instrumental in opening internal communication. Small issues never became big issues. Team members had more insight into what their co-workers were doing. This process has been in place for nine months and is the backbone of our current success. It is imperative that each company de-

By far, the best Line Isolation Monitor on the market is the PG LifeLink Mark V LIM. The self-calibrating, self-testing LIM continues the long line of innovations from PG LifeLink. The Mark V LIM has all the features needed for monitoring electrical leakage in the operating room or patient care area. The Mark V LIM also offers the option of adding transformer load and temperature monitoring. Many applications require these features. The ability to download and monitor data is available on the Mark V LIM. The added functionality of real-time monitor management and control is an added feature when combined with LIM-Connect™ software.

Pre-Wired Aluminum Raceway Installation Cost Reductions

velop their own set of values. For 2011, LabLink laboratory connection products these are the core values and beliefs as de- are essential to the laboratory and research scribed by our team at PG LifeLink: markets. Products include: aluminum service pedestals, power strips, power poles, PG LifeLink Core Values ceiling connection plates, overhead service • Achieve complete customer satisfaction. carriers, Versa-Duct surface metal raceways • Utilize experience to provide innovative, and LED lab lights. Used for the containquality products and services. ment and connectivity of power, commu• Act with honesty and integrity. nication data and lab gas services these • Be responsible for our actions. pre-wired, pre-assembled raceways provide • Treat everyone with respect. a 70% reduction in installation expendi• Together we achieve. tures. PG LifeLink welcomes custom ap• Celebrate each success. plications and design engineers are ready to assist with project specifications.

Panel Installation Savings

PG LifeLink is the only company that provides Isolated Power Systems that arrive in three easy to install pieces. This concept was the result of customer feedback and improvements in manufacturing. The back box arrives when requested, allowing you to meet the wall completion schedule. The interior arrives when the electrical installation is nearing completion. The single-piece chassis is easily placed on pre-positioned studs in the back box. The wiring terminations are completed following the clear-cut installation procedure manual. The third and final piece is the stainless steel front. All PG LifeLink isolated power panel fronts are hinged. Standardizing the hinged front panel adds to the ease of initial installation and dramatically reduces the time and strain of yearly main-

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

Summary PG LifeLink’s innovations are in response to customer need along with a connection to our employees. The pre-wired laboratory connection products are ready for immediate installation. The hinged doors and three-piece assembled Isolated Power Systems are preferred by electrical contractors and maintenance engineers for their ease of use, safety features and labor savings. The Mark V Line Isolation Monitor is clearly the industry leader in leakage monitoring, data logging and increased operating room up time. Time and money are precious to all of us, and we at PG LifeLink develop our products and services with that in the forefront. Achieving complete customer satisfaction is our number one priority. ❏

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COMPANY PROFILE • Garvin Industries

Garvin Industries G

arvin Industries is a family-owned manufacturer of UL Listed electrical, low voltage and lighting products that was established more than 120 years ago by Samuel Suffrin Garvin. As a young Irish Immigrant, Samuel was among the crew that helped Thomas Edison construct a network of more than 92,000 incandescent lamps that lit of the streets for the World’s Fair: Columbian Exposition held in Chicago, Illinois in 1893. After that, Sam experimented with many of Mr. Edison’s inventions first hand and soon decided to pursue a career in the electrical industry by establishing his own company. Just three years later, Sam Garvin & Company was known by many as Chicago's premier electrical manufacturer and regional expert in wiring homes and businesses for electric power. With the electrical industry just developing at the turn of the century, Sam Garvin & Co.

had to stock only a few hundred electrical components to satisfy his clientele. Today, Garvin Industries manufactures and stocks thousands of items to meet modern electrical requirements worldwide. But, we still retain that "small-family-business" spirit serving both local and national distributors with the care and concern that has allowed us to thrive for

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

well over a century. “Our name is at stake, so that is why we take great pride in the quality of our products and stand behind them with a 100% satisfaction guarantee,” explains today’s President, Bart Garvin. “Since we are the manufacturer, we have complete control over the design and quality of our products. We also manufacture and provide private labels for leading industry brands!” At GarvinIndustries.com, customer service is essential. Our goal is to become the primary supplier of commercial, industrial, and residential electrical supplies in the global marketplace. We base our success on three “key” areas: a quality product, factory direct pricing, and a friendly, knowledgeable sales staff that understands your business needs. We also understand that our customers are the lifeblood of our business and our continued success is dependent on their satisfaction. ❏

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COMPANY PROFILE • AEMC® Instruments

AEMC® Instruments

EMC® Instruments with US operations in Dover, New Hampshire and Foxborough, Massachusetts began operations here in 1976 in downtown Boston. As a legal entity, AEMC is Chauvin Arnoux®, Inc. d.b.a. AEMC® Instruments and is affiliated with Chauvin Arnoux SA founded in 1893 and today is still a test and measurement instrument industry leader in Europe. Our products are backed by over 100 years of experience in test and measurement equipment, and encompass the latest international standards for quality and safety. AEMC manufactures professional electrical test and measurement instruments for the industrial, commercial and utility marketplace. Product reliability, excellent customer support and expert technical assistance are our top priority. AEMC® is the worldwide industry leader in current measurement probes and is an industry leader in ground resistance testers, insulation resistance testers and power quality analyzers and loggers. Our full product line also includes clamp-on meters, ratiometers, power meters, harmonic power meters, data loggers, lightmeters, oscilloscopes, micro-ohmmeters and numerous other electrical test tools. Our Megohmmeter line finds its roots in the early 1900s when Chauvin Arnoux introduced it’s first model made from a galvanometer and a decade resistance box combined with a DC power source Today, AEMC’s megohmmeters are digital and incorporate many intelligent features. Timers, alarms and variable test voltages are standard features. AEMC has introduced a 48

unique line of professional 1000 volt and 5000 volt megohmmeters with added features, such as: data storage; automated tests and results (internal calculations of DAR, PI, DD and other factors); PC Control; and report compliant software. Our Ground Tester line finds its roots in the early 1930s. A null balance galvanometer, a decade resistance box and a DC power source combined to make one of the first ground testers on the market. Over 19 years ago, AEMC revolutionized the ground testing market by offering clamp-on ground resistance testers, eliminating the need to disconnect the system to test it and eliminating the need for auxiliary rods to do the test. Several generations of improvements and additional features has strengthened AEMC’s position as the industry standard and leader in clamp-on ground resistance testers. We again led the way in fall-of-potential ground testing with the introduction of an automatic tester in 2006 that automatically locked onto the optimum frequency to test at and calculated all test results for soil resistivity, ground resistance earth coupling and bond resistance, as well as, stored the test data and generated computer reports including fall-of-potential plots. Our latest introduction, a tower test system, again is an innovative design providing the ability to test tower grounding systems with out de-energizing them or removing the overhead ground conductor, saving considerable time and money and improving operator safety. AEMC’s line of current probes has long been the standard for Power Quality analy-

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

sis with the world leaders in power quality instruments standardizing on these probes for their current measurement source. We also manufacture and sell a wide variety of Power and Power Quality measuring instruments ranging from clamp-on meters to single and three-phase power quality analyzers and digital power meters. AEMC’S DataView® software designed to configure instruments, run tests, download and store results and generate final reports was added to the product offering in late 1990s. Today DataView® is compatible with Megohmmeters, Ground Resistance Testers, Micro-Ohmmeters, Power Quality Analyzers, Data Loggers and multi-meters, thus offering the user a standard for interface and control to all it’s products eliminating the need to learn new software every time. In addition to its product offering AEMC offers one day accredited courses in ground resistance testing, insulation resistance testing and power quality analysis. The Ground Resistance Testing seminar is designed to give the attendee all the information needed to understand proper sizing and testing of grounding systems. Through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on demonstrations, they will learn the various types of ground resistance tests, the proper application for each test and how to correctly operate the equipment used in conducting these tests. In addition, the student will have all the information to conduct ground resistance testing correctly and efficiently, saving you substantial time and money in the future. The Insulation Resistance Testing seminar is designed to provide a thorough knowledge and understanding of all aspects of insulation resistance testing, as well as, the use of equipment required to perform these tests. Sales and marketing are located in Foxborough, while production, product service and NIST calibration are located in Dover, NH. AEMC® products can be purchased through a worldwide network of distributors who can be found on our website at www.aemc.com. We also offer custom products on an OEM basis. Visit our website at www.aemc.com to get information on our products and services and to get detailed information on attending one of our seminars. AEMC prides itself as your one source for test and measurements instruments and training. ❏

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COMPANY PROFILE • Copper Development Association

Wire and Cable Programs at CDA

he Copper Development Association Inc. (CDA) is the market development, engineering and information services arm of the copper industry, chartered to enhance and expand markets for copper and its alloys in North America. It was established in 1962 by the major producers of copper in the U.S and shortly thereafter embraced the brass mill members of the Copper and Brass Research Association, which had been formed in 1921. Through the International Copper Association, CDA is affiliated with 28 similar organizations around the world. CDA membership comprises domestic and international copper producers (mining, smelting and refining) and fabricating companies (brass and wire mills and foundries) with business operations in North America. Associate membership is available to companies with U.S.-based locations that support the copper industry. Membership in CDA provides the opportunity to be part of an industry-wide, market development and technical service program so large and diverse that no one company would be prepared to duplicate it. CDA runs several national programs relating to electrical wire and cable, which rank among the largest and most important applications of copper. David Bren-

der is the national program manager for wire and cable, overseeing programs relating to power quality, energy efficiency, communications wiring and electrical wire for both residential and commercial construction. Richard deFay is manager of electrical applications education. Elements of these programs include the development of new market opportunities, the expansion of existing markets, market research and intelligence, and the dissemination of news and information. Research and development of new applications is essential to sustaining the copper industry overall and further establishing the importance and the benefits of coppers and copper alloys. Current opportunities include die-cast copper motor rotors to enable the next generation of high-efficiency electrical motors as well as studies on the effects of elevated ambient air temperatures on wire temperatures inside roof-top conduits. Industry-wide market development efforts are continually expanding the traditional applications of copper and identifying new ones. Current CDA projects aimed at making long-time copper markets grow include aggressive promotion of copper-wound premium-efficiency motors and transformers; power quality fundamentals related to wire sizing and

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

grounding; and copper structured wiring for communications in residential and commercial applications. CDA continually tracks key copper markets and competitive product information. It systematically updates that information on a members-only Web site. Long-term trends are analyzed through detailed proprietary market studies. An annual Global Market Trends Forum attracts renowned experts who discuss copper-related markets. These and other programs aid member companies with their strategic business planning and help guide CDA’s program of industry-wide market development and technical service work. Articles of newsworthy market and technical developments for copper wiring are placed regularly in trade, professional and consumer publications as well as on CDA’s Web Site. CDA publishes Discover Copper and Home Planning News in addition to other materials that inform editors and make customers more receptive to copper products. It regularly produces case studies relating to power quality and energy efficiency in commercial applications. CDA’s Web site is one of the most expansive repositories of information pertaining to copper and copper alloys sites in existence. Its more than 10,000 pages of information and technical resources reach hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The site creates favorable public opinion for copper and has established CDA as the authoritative information resource for the media, academia, government, industry and end-users. CDA’s national advertising programs reinforce the quality, performance and effectiveness of copper-based products, including wire and cable for telecommunications, power, motors and transformers. Its presence at major trade shows complements the trade-journal advertising and brings the copper-benefits story directly to users. ❏

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FEATURE • AEE Solar

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

By David Katz, CTO, AEE Solar

y the end of 2015 experts say that there will be 500,000 to 1 million battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the United States. Most electric vehicle owners will charge their cars at home, creating a substantial market for home chargers. Municipalities and businesses alike are also installing or planning to install both charging stations for employees or for their own fleets. Google for example, just announced Google testing of multiple low-speed electric vehicles for short-range travel around its campus and for its on-campus employee car-sharing program. BEV manufacturer Nissan requires that buyers of their all-electric Leaf certify that they have a charging station before they will sell them the car. A charging station is a great companion to a grid-connected PV system. The people who own electric vehicles are likely candidates for solar power systems and visa versa. Net metering allows you to make your own electricity with a photovoltaic system in the daytime to charge your electric vehicle at night. With many companies responding to the opportunity with solutions, buyers need to know what the options are and how to choose from among them. This article will provide some basic infor-

mation to help prospective buyers understand the choices and tradeoffs available to them now.

What Are the Options? There are three categories of EV charging stations or “chargers” defined as Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. Each is designed for specific use cases and applications. Each has varying costs and performance attributes. Level 1 chargers are simple 120 VAC 20 amp home outlets that do not require any special hardware or inspections. Options are available for portable units that look like conventional AC outlets on a free-standing post. Level 1 chargers are limited to a maximum of 2,000 watts and take 10 to 20 hours to fully charge an allelectric car. In the case of the 2011 Nissan Leaf, the estimated charge time is around 8 to 12 hours, which is better but still requires planning to ensure the driver will obtain the 100-percent recharge needed for daily use. Portable units are great in an emergency when the driver is running low on charge and needs to plug into a readily available outlet. However, for regular EV use supported by a Level 1 charger, longer-range vehicles like the 2011 Chevy Volt combined with the right planning

Electrical Products & Solutions • April 2011

may be more viable for consumers. Level 2 charging stations like those shown, range from 6,000 to 12,000 watts and can fully charge a plug-in electric vehicle in 3 to 8 hours. They feed 240 VAC power to the charger that is built into the vehicle through power cord with a J1772 plug at the end that looks like the nozzle of a gas pump. These chargers must be installed by a qualified electrician on a dedicate circuit. Contractors installing Level 2 stations will need to request a permit and pass inspection before users can use the station. These stations are powerful enough for both consumer and light commercial applications. Residential Level 2 chargers can be wall-mounted – inside a garage or car port. In some cases auto manufacturers are arranging for the installation directly. Level 2 features include touch screen displays of charge status, statistics, and usContinued on page 54 age history, hardware

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design options for installation flexibility in tight spaces, cable management system, safe use in wet or dry situations , cable durability, various communications options including Wireless IEEE 802.11g, cellular, and LAN/Ethernet capable, webbased bi-directional delivery and data flow, and smartphone applications that provide information about charging station locations on the road, charge status and notification of completion or interruption of charge. Some chargers can be

They are also slowly becoming available in gas stations, rest stops and malls. Level 3 charging times on a 50 to 500 Volt DC current at over 100 Amperes can provide an 80 percent full charge in as little as 15-30 minutes. When more widely deployed these stations will have a major impact on the viability of the EV market overall. Most EVs are fast-charge compatible with some exceptions such as the 2011 Chevy Volt which features a rangeextending gasoline engine to handle longer distance needs. Home versions of set to charge when electricity cost is the Level 3 chargers are not yet available. lowest, usually at night. In the future they Making the Right Choice may be controlled by the ‘Smart Grid”. Level 3 charging stations are high powFor home EV users travelling short disered chargers that deliver 20,000 watts or tances only, Level 1 chargers are readily more of 300+ volts DC power directly to available in any home. For most EV ownthe EV battery. These chargers will re- ers, Level 2 chargers will provide service quire 3-phase power and be served by a levels comparable to what daily translarge commercial service panel. When portation needs require. A 4-6 hour charge available, these chargers will be used in time can be planned into a regular schedcommercial locations for fleet vehicles, ule, especially charging at night when the busses and other commercial vehicles. cost of power is typically lowest.

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Level 2 might still not be sufficient for longer journeys beyond a 100-mile round trip range. However, for local driving and regular commutes it is likely to satisfy many users. For longer journeys, the EV will require both hybrid capabilities and a greater proliferation of Level 3 chargers on the road. Level 3 chargers will require significant electrical upgrades to a typical home today. Improvements in both battery and charging technologies will be required longer term to meet the needs of distance drivers.

Opportunities for Contactors Since thousands of commercial and residential charging stations will need to be installed in the coming years, there should be a lot of new demand for electricians who are familiar with the electric vehicle charger installation process. There's now a way for electricians and electrical contractors to get familiar with that process, thanks to Underwriters Laboratories. Through UL University, a collection of

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online and hands-on programs offered by UL to familiarize technicians and safety inspectors with a wide range of products and technologies—electricians will be able to learn about charging stations and the applicable codes that they must meet. "We believe that the creation of these training programs can speed up the development, installation and inspection of the electric vehicle charging equipment process within the United States," said UL's Gary Savin. The program is in place, made possible thanks to a Department of Energy grant. The 2 1/2 hour, self-paced course presents the process of installing an Electric Vehicle Charging System (EVCS) according to code requirement set forth in the National Electrical Code (NEC) with consideration for additional local jurisdictional requirements. The course covers the installation processes including adapting an existing design to the physical location where the charging system will be installed. A description of charging systems from Level

1 through Level 3 and the special requirements for each, a review of NEC Article 625 and the requirements for installing each of the three levels of charging systems. The course also includes the process for system commissioning and project closeout. To receive the EVCS installer certificate at the end of the course, you must pass a comprehensive online assessment. Get more information at the UL University web site http://www.uluniversity.us/catalog/display .resource.aspx?resourceid=303396. Many EV advocates suggest that the installation process is no more complicated than most jobs that trained electricians deal with on a daily basis, and that no special training is actually necessary, but it never hurts to get more training. ❏ David Katz is the CTO and Founder of AEE Solar, one of America's oldest, largest and most respected wholesale distributors of renewable energy systems and equipment.

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April 2011 • epsmag.net

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ADVERTISERIndex 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

AEE SOLAR AEMC INSTRUMENTS AMERICAN TECHNICAL PUBLISHERS ARPI OF USA BURNDY PRODUCTS BYTE BROTHERS CALIFORNIA TURBO CONDUIT REPAIR SYSTEMS CONTINENTAL CONTROL SYSTEMS, LLC COPPER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION DC POWER SYSTEMS ERICSON MFG. COMPANY EXTECH INSTRUMENTS/FLIR SYSTEMS E-Z METER GARVIN INDUSTRIES GENERATOR INTERLOCK TECHNOLOGIES GENSCO HERCULES INDUSTRIES HIOKI USA ICC JAC-RACK KRENZ & COMPANY MEGGER

15 IBC 33 54 42 36 41 19 56 51 34, 35 28 3, 9 40 47 7 38 40 17 12 32 54 1

14 2 44 51 49 45 25 16 54 30 22 40 5, 9 47 28 8 46 48 15 12 43 50 4

NABCEP NEXLIGHT NORTHWEST LIGHTING SYSTEMS ONTILITY LLC PG LIFELINK PHASE-A-MATIC SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC SCHNEIDER RENEWABLES SESSION SOLAR SMARTGUARD PRODUCTS SOKKIA SOLAR UNIVERSE SOLMETRIC SOUTHWIRE COMPANY STEELMAN INDUSTRIES STRIP-TEC SUNWIZE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. TOSHIBA INTERNATIONAL CORP. UNDERGROUND DEVICES UNIVERSAL LIGHTING TECHNOLOGIES UTILITY METALS VERVE LIVING SYSTEMS

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PG#

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6 39 21 23 IFC 55 11 13 10 37 5 45 31 25 56 30 27 43 49 29 53 BC

7 24 17 18 1 53 11 13 10 23 6 27 21 19 55 42 20 26 29 41 31 3

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