Electrical Apparatus
The Magazine of Electrical &
Electronic Application & Maintenance

July 2003 Columns and Departments

Items in columns and departments from the July 2003 issue, Vol. 56, no. 7, © 2003 Barks Publications, Inc. See also  July 2003 Table of Contents and Previous issues 

• Editor's Comment Perspective on current and upcoming issues.  In this issue ..Why haven't standards been standardized? ... Next month in EA: the EASA Show in print ... Samuel Heller, P.E ...  by Horace B. Barks, Editor and Publisher

• Let's Solve Your Problem The longest-running and one of our most popular features, Let's Solve Your Problem answers real questions posed by people in plants and service shops around the U.S. and abroad. Selected Q&A's from this column are available in our popular Let's Solve Your Problem books. This month's problems include: Why should space heaters become open-circuited? ... Hard versus soft magnetic materials ... How quiet is a low-noise grease? ... Is bearing life dependent on temperature of the motor?  ... Pipe stress complicates pump/motor alignment ... Clarify the relationship of motor torque and slip ...  Reader offers advice on submersible motor converter Edited by the EA staff 

You are invited to send questions to this department. Your identity will be kept confidential, but we ask that you include your name, affiliation, postal (not e-mail) address, and telephone number. If you'd like a pre-publication reply, enclose a stamped envelope and we'll try to respond promptly. We cannot provide personal consultation or supply winding data.

• Letters  In this issue ... Calculating wire diameters from Frank Di Guglielmo, P.E., Supervising Engineer, Public Service Gas & Electric, Newark, New Jersey ... MotorMaster+, from Johnny Douglass, Senior Engineer, Industrial WSU Energy Program, Olympia, Washington

Electrical Apparatus invites letters, 250 words maximum. All letters, including e-mail, must include name, company, title or position, phone number, city, state or province, and country. We may edit your letter for clarity and space.— Editor

• Trade associations,  professional societies and government activities  News of non-profit  government, and other organizations serving the electrical mechanical industries.  This issue:  Three leading electronic systems industry trade associations partnering to launch Europe, Asia shows - information @ www.infocommasia.com and www.infocommchina.com  ... EPRI elects chairman and five new board members ... Deutsche Messe and Mess Düsseldorf expand  ... CEDIA Expo breaks into top 100 largest U.S. shows ... Enhanced web site @ www.aaccm.org offers ceramic component info ... Hydraulic Institute introduces Web-based education program @ www.pumplearning.org  ... Edited by Joseph Hoff 

  Note:  the 2003 EMBR lists contact information for more than 140 associations ... To update or add a listing to the 2004 EMBR, email eamagazine@barks.com 

• Web briefs ...  Selected websites for the electromechanical specialist, annotated with details of especially valuable content  .. In this issue: Kilowatt Classroom, LLC— www.kilowattclassroom.com   ... Orion Corp.— www.orion-corp.com  ...American Power Service— www.bab-bittrepair.com  ... Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Institute— www.ari.org  ... L.M. Photonics Ltd.— www.imphoton-ics.com  ... Electricians Toolbox Etc.— www.elec-toolbox.com  ... Megger— www.megger.com  ...National Lightning Safety Institute— www.lightningsafety.com ... Aline Mfg., Inc.— www.alinemfg.com  ... Omega Engineering, Inc.—  www.omega.com    ... Flex-Core— www.flex-core.com  ... Amercable— www.amercable.com  ... Myron Zucker, Inc.— www.myronzuckerinc.com  ... Belden— www.belden.com

  Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 

• Product briefs Photos and announcements of new products ...This issue features the Shop Equipment Showcase, a special section devoted to photograph and detailed descriptions of equipment and materials used in apparatus service ...  Edited by the EA Staff.

Mail announcements of new products and literature to Editorial Department, Electrical Apparatus (page 2). No faxes, e-mail, electronic submissions (CD-ROM's, etc.) or follow-up calls, please. There is no charge for publication, which does not constitute endorsement, nor can we verify product claims.

• Business Briefs Business news and announcements, including facility briefs, financial briefs, certification achievements, and distribution news. In this issue: Altana Chemie, parent company of St. Louis-based insulation manufacturer P.D. George Co., has signed an agreement to acquire the global wire enamel and impregnating resin businesses of Schenectady International, Inc., of Schenectady, N.Y. ...On-Line Monitoring, Inc., of Exton, Pa., a manufacturer and supplier of substation on-line monitoring equipment, recently acquired the assets and technology of AVO M3, Inc., a division of Megger, which was formerly AVO International....Liquid Control Corp. of North Canton, Ohio, has bought Liquid Control Ltd. of Wellingborough, Northants, England....Johnstone Supply, Inc., Portland, Ore., wholesale distributor of HVAC/R parts and products, recently added three new owners and ten new store locations to the company cooperative:  Hoffman Supply of Springfield, Mo.,, Valley Controls & Supply of Grand Junction and Durango, Colo., and U.S. Refrigeration of Springfield, 111....GE Supply, Shelton, Conn., the international electrical products distribution business of the General Electric Co., has opened a 54,000-square-foot branch and distribution hub in Philadelphia. Ametek Specialty Metal Products, Eighty-Four, Pa., producer of metal powder, strip, wire, and bonded products, has opened a European sales office in Meersbusch, Germany. ...Ametek Precision Instruments Europe GmbH, headquartered in Meersbusch, provides direct sales and marketing for Ametek's Electronic Instrumentation Group. ...Guarantee Electric Co., St. Louis-based electrical contractor, has been named Electrical Company of the Year in the Thomas & Betts 2002 Signature Award, sponsored by Thomas & Betts, a Memphis-based electrical connector and components maker. The awards ceremony was held May 17 at Atlanta's Marriott Marquis ...IPC Power Resistors, manufacturer of resistor banks for application in ground fault protection, motor control, and electrical load banks, has moved from Florence to Erlanger, Ky. ...Holophane, the Newark, Ohio, manufacturer of lighting systems and accessories, was recently named the U.K.'s Lighting Design Awards 2003 winner in the "Contributing to Sustainability" category for its Prismatron electronic ballast...Distributor briefs - Ballard Power Systems of Burnaby, B.C., has named MGE UPS Systems, Inc., of Costa Mesa, Calif., worldwide distributor and service provider for its AirGen fuel cell generator systems. Certification briefs - EnerSys, Inc., Reading, Pa., provider of stored d-c power products, systems, and services for industrial applications, has had all of its North American operations certified to ISO 9001:2000, the international quality standard that confirms consistency of procedures in design and manufacturing. • Edited by Kevin Jones, EA Senior Editor

• Training Briefs Announcements of workshops, seminars and instructional materials, and our Training Index, listing program topics featured in Training Briefs in the past year.    In this issue: Hayo Consultants of Albuquerque  - courses on maintenance management:   www.hayoconsultants.com ... Solidstate Controls, Inc., Columbus, Ohio - a series of technical training seminars on increasing the capabilities of clients to troubleshoot and maintain critical UPS systems: www.solidstatecontrolsinc.com/sem-inar.html  ... Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15282- training seminars on CE Marking ... Behavioral Science Technology, Inc. - safety seminar for creating an injury-free environment.: www.bstsolutions.com/leading-withsafety.htm . The Motion Institute, Birmingham, Ala. - multi-day courses on fluid power, electrical equipment troubleshooting, PLC's, and bearings ...  Solidstate Controls, Inc - three-day course on Battery management training and UPS power protection systems ...AVO International Training Institute - Fifty multi-day courses in electrical maintenance, safety, and telecommunications ...Snell Infrared  - Thermal Solutions, a professional conference for all infrared thermographers ... Edited by Joseph Hoff 

  Producers of workshops, seminars, and instructional materials are encouraged to mail announcements to Training Briefs Editor, Electrical Apparatus. There is no charge.

• Electripix  Photographs of people, places, equipment and more .. In this issue:  Unique product promotions -

  Giving customers a ride CHESHIRE, CONN.—A winner of a Harley-Davldson sweepstakes sponsored by Edwards Signaling, manufacturer of electrical and electronic signals, Aaron Boyles of Midwest City, Okla., is congratulated by company president Mike Lockard III (left) and vice-president and general manager Paul Suzio. More than 700 electrical distributors participated. —Edwards Signaling photo
  On the ground and in the air  CHICAGO—Klein Tools is a sponsor along with Jim Beam of the Andretti Green Racing Team, as well as participating in the Indy Racing League's official air show. Shown with the company's entries are (l-r): Dan Wheldon, racing driver; Michael Andretti, team owner; Richard T. Klein Jr., Klein Tools chairman and CEO; and Michael Mancuso, acrobatic pilot.—Klein Tools photo
  Drive lesson COLLEGE STATION, TEX.—Students at Texas A&M visit the university's Riverside Test Facility to be briefed by Associate Professor Stuart Scott on a new 350 hp variable-frequency drive manufactured by ABB, Inc., Automation Technologies. The drive is housed inside the building, adjacent to the multiphase pumps.—ABB photo

• Standards briefs  ... In this issue:  The National Electrical Manufacturers Association says it will continue legal action against California's 2002 Title 20 updates setting new state requirements for various electrical products, including motors ... The National Fire Protection Association has set April 24, 2004, as the deadline for comments on proposed changes to NFPA 110, Emergency and Standby Power Systems, and to NFPA 111, Stored Electrical Energy Emergency and Standby Power Systems ... The International Electrotechnical Commission recently announced the issuance of two standards ... Underwriters Laboratories recently announced the revision of UL 1, Standard for Flexible Metal Conduit ... The Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers has released IEEE 1553, Trial-Use Standard for Voltage Endurance Testing of Form-Wound Coils and Bars for Hydrogenerators ... The American National Standards Institute is requesting comments by July 22 on the reaffirmation of National Electrical Contractors Association Standard 400, Recommended Practice for Installing and Maintaining Switchboards ... Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 

• Calendar Briefs - Upcoming trade shows, symposia, and events, from August  2003 through September 2004 ... Edited by Joseph Hoff

• Accounting for management  This issue: Estate planning is important at any age - Planning ahead can reduce heartache for your heirs  By William H. Wiersema, CPA, EA Contributing Editor and author of the recently published book, Steps to a Successful Service Shop.

• Safety and health in the workplace This month - Complying with OSHA's 'Safe Emergency Egress Standard ...   By Richard B. Elsberry, EA Contributing Editor

• Names and Faces ... In this issue: Peter Schreiber of Holophane, Newark, Ohio ... Carl Richter of Cleveland Motion Controls, Cleveland .. Aubrey Blume of Darby Electric Co., Anderson, SC .... Edited by Joseph Hoff

• Deaths  - Obituaries of industry people.  In this issue:  Samuel Heller, RE.

  Samuel Heller, 91, died Dec. 7, 2002, in Somers, N.Y., it has been learned. Widely known throughout the electromechanical industry, Mr. Heller was a lecturer, instructor, consultant, and author. For many years he was chief engineer of American Rectifier Corp., College Point, N.Y.

  In the 1970's, he conducted workshops in Chicago for Electrical Apparatus readers on a variety of topics, including direct-current problems, transformers, and motors. When his workshops were sold out, as they frequently were, it was not unusual for readers to request standing room. Mr. Heller, a graduate of Cooper Union, New York City, was also an EA Contributing Editor, writing on a  wide variety of topics. In 1997 _ he became the first recipient of the Electrical Apparatus Service Association's Exceptional Achievement and Service Award.

  Mr. Heller also operated Datarule Publishing Co., Inc., New Canaan, Conn., which published his books on a-c and d-c electrical machinery repair, design, and redesign, including the three-volume set, Direct Current Motors and Generators, Repairing Rewinding and Redesigning, and the two-volume set Electric Motor Repair Shop Problems and Solutions, The company is now operated by his surviving daughter, Teri Lyn Heller. Two sons also survive.

• Say It Right ... The popular column about language in the workplace.   In this issue:  Can they follow your directions?  When discussing horizontal, vertical and axial planes, a picture is worth a thousand words.  by Richard L. Nailen, P.E., EA Engineering Editor 

• Electrical Manager ...A potpourri of news and features, selected and edited for maintenance and service managers.  In this issue:  Some questions you can - and can't - ask employees ... The suit comes back as business attire for men ... Surfing at work?  The Boss may be watching ...

  "Electrical Manager" is a copyrighted feature of Electrical Apparatus.  Any kind of reproduction, including electronic transmission, without permission of Barks Publications is illegal and is prohibited. 

• Product briefs   ... Edited by David P. Tryling 

• Literature Announcements of guides, catalogs, brochures, product specifications and other literature. In this issue ... Capabilities for repair and reconditioning of bearings, bushings, and other power plant components are outlined in a 16-page brochure from Vertical Seal, Pleasantville, Pa. ...A short-form (16 pages) guide to a-c/d-c and d-c/d-c power conversion products is offeredby Artesyn Technologies, Eden Prairie, Minn. ... The 50th edition electrical/electronics product catalog, 100 pages, is available from Pomona Electronics,  Everett, Wash ... A product packet outlining Nova Kyle switching equipment technology is available from Cooper Power Systems, Waukesha, Wis. ... A 40-page booklet describes wash-down-duty products available from Baldor Electric Co.,  Fort Smith, Ark. ... Wire termination products and application equipment are described in a 190-page catalog from ETCO, Inc., Warwick, R.I. ... Edited by the EA staff

  Mail announcements of new products and literature to Editorial Department, Electrical Apparatus (page 2). No faxes, e-mail, electronic submissions (CD-ROM's, etc.) or follow-up calls, please. There is no charge for publication, which does not constitute endorsement, nor can we verify product claims.

• EA reader at ease  ... Stories featuring unusual or interesting avocational interests of our readers.  In this issue: Gregory Barker, who serves as president of Niagara, N.Y.-based Electro-Mech Systems Group, Inc., races his hydroplane.

  Do you know someone working in the electrical aftermarket with a hobby or interest that could be featured in "EA reader at ease"? Tell us who they are, what they do, and how we can contact them to find out more about their special passions. Send your suggestions to Electrical Apparatus, 400 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 900, Chicago, III. 60611; (312) 321-9440; Fax (312) 321-1288; e-mail eamagazine@barks.com .

• Direct and Current Breaking news of interest to the industry, from The Editors of Electrical Apparatus. In this issue: Good economic news for the first quarter of 2003 ... NEMA is pushing the Energy Policy Act of 2003 ... Microturbines have a bright future ... OSHA says 70% of establishments in the US lack a quality safety program ... OSHA belatedly announces a "neww" standard, "Exit routes, emergency action plans and fire prevention plans" ... Letter mail declines ... Air conditioner shipments drop  .... by the Editors

• Automation briefs  - the latest in products for electronics and systems applications ... Edited by David P. Tryling 

• Braintrainers  Puzzles you and your colleagues can solve for fun and, if your answers are correct, for recognition in Electrical Apparatus.  by Lillian Nielsen, Special Correspondent 

• Trilingual summary For our international readers, each month one featured topic is presented in French, Spanish and German. This month: "Can rotor bars be 'too long'"

• EMBR update  - changes to the Electromechanical Bench Reference 2002, the annual buyers' guide that readers received with their December 2001 Electrical Apparatus.  Following publication of the directory, corrections and additions appear in subsequent issues of the magazine. 

• New Books Recently published books, reviewed by our editors.  See also Books for the Plant and Shop from Barks Books, including titles from the editors of Electrical Apparatus, including our latest new book, Let's Solve Your Problem - Volume III.

• Utility Briefs  .. .. Edited by Kevin Jones

• Classified Advertising Equipment, jobs, businesses, business opportunities and services.

• Cy's Super Service, Motorhead and Generatorhead Comic strips featuring characters from our favorite cartoonists. 

• Advertising Index  An easy to use reference to the advertisements in Electrical Apparatus magazine.