Electrical Apparatus
The Magazine of Electrical &
Electronic Application & Maintenance

February 2004 Columns and Departments

Items in columns and departments from the February 2004 issue, Vol. 57, no. 2, © 2004 Barks Publications, Inc. See also  February 2004 Table of Contents and Previous issues 

• Editor's Comment Perspective on current and upcoming issues.  In this issue: What has been done since the Northeast blackout?  ... How the economy is doing ... Visit us at the Plant Show - Electrical Apparatus Booth 129 at the National Plant Engineering & Facilities Management Show and Conference, National Manufacturing Week, McCormick Place, Chicago, February 23-26, 2004 ..  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: What limits utility voltage unbalance? ... What's the meaning of Design H ... To maintain power factor, watch those capacitors ... D-C drives can also have power factor problems .. Add more belts to increase belt life ... Why doesn't ampacity go up as fast as wire size?  ... Are renewable-link fuses a good idea? ... Dealing with unbalance plus high or low voltage ...   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  - Disagreeing with our answer to converting induction generators in the January EA Let's Solve Your Problem, from Brian DelBarba, P.E., Project Manager - Supplier Implementation, FreeMarkets,Inc., Pittsburgh, PA ... Objection to the words "premium efficient", in the January EA article, "Is a repaired motor less reliable," from Doug Bauer, The Moir Co., Inc., Denmark, Maine ... Finding a rotor bar fracture, from Charles J. Sorce, Quality Assurance Technician, Amtrak Wilmington Shops, Wilmington, Delaware ... Finding redesign advice in Guatemala, from Aaron H. Stoner, Owner/Technician, Taller Buenos Aires, Questzaltenago, Guatemala...

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

• Say It Right ... The popular column about language in the workplace. In this issue:  Avoid flare-ups over the word  flammable - confusion over the meaning of the word inflammable has created the need for the word non-flammable ...    by Richard L. Nailen, P.E., EA Engineering Editor 

• Calendar Briefs - Upcoming trade shows, symposia, and events, from February 2004 through October 2004... Edited by Joseph Hoff

• 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:  Spring 2004 seminars from the Electrical Apparatus Service Association - www.easa.com  ... Motor generator rewinding seminars from Jarsco Engineering Corp ... Votage Diagnosis instruction from Ox Creek Energy Associates, Inc. - www.cororna-technology-course.com ... Three day Relay testing sonference from Megger - relayconference@megger.com  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.

• Business Briefs Business news and announcements, including facility briefs, financial briefs, certification achievements, and distribution news. In this issue:  Innovative Paper Technologies buys Quin-T Corp. assets ... Fastener maker EFC International creates Mexico sales team ... Industrial Vibration Consultants buy The Modal Shop ... Ground fault specialist IPC Resistors, Inc., forms new business associations with IMAC Electric Inc., Procomm Electric and Power Services Canada ... Klein Tools extends Andretti team sponsorship ... Mess Frankfut had more than 100 fairs in '03... Mixing equipment maker Philadelphia Mixers changes name to Philadelphia Mixing Solutions ... G. E. Supply opens branch in Palm Desert, California .. Megger and Wall Colmonoy are certified to ISO 9001:2000 standards.    ...Edited by Kevin Jones, EA Senior Editor

• Deaths  - Obituaries of industry people. In this issue, Richard C. Wareham, who founded and directed Special Electric Co., West Allis, Wisconsin, pioneered water-based varnishes for electric motors, and was involved in the formation of several companies.  Retiring in 1988, he devoted himself to philanthropic work, designing water distillation units for underdeveloped countries.  He invented the SunStove, a solar energy unit used in many African underdeveloped countries. 

• Associations,  societies and government activities  News of trade associations, professional societies, non-profit  government, and other organizations serving the electrical mechanical industries.  This issue: The Baldridge "Quest for Excellence" awards ... the Electrical Manufacturing & Coil Winding Association seeks papers .. The National Association of Electrical Distributors receives a donation from Elliott Electric Supply in memory of Nelda "Micky" Elliot ... The Refrigeration Service Engineers Society meets for its 67th annual conference ...    Edited by Joseph Hoff 

  Note:  the 2004 EMBR lists contact information for more than 140 associations ... Update or add your listing to the 2005 EMBR.

• Trilingual summary For our international readers, each month one featured topic is presented in French, Spanish and German. This month: "When isn't vibration bad?  When it's the performance goal, as in vibrators, shakers and separators""

• Accounting for management  This issue: Getting profitable by careful cost management   Management performance evaluations and incentive compensation are key 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 - Toxic mold, a growing problem It could become the next asbestos By Richard B. Elsberry, EA Contributing Editor

• 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.

• EMBR update  - changes to the Electromechanical Bench Reference 2004, the annual buyers' guide that readers received with their January 2003 Electrical Apparatus.  Following publication of the directory, corrections and additions appear in subsequent issues of the magazine. 

• Standards briefs  ...In this issue: World Summit on the Information Society's meeting, December 2003 ... National Electrical Manufacturers Association retains control of switchgear standard ... UPS standard allows performance verification ... UL Explorsion-proof motor standard reissued ... New and revised standards adopted by American National Standards Institute ... Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 

• Automation briefs  - the latest in products for electronics and systems applications ...In this issue:  micro-pneumatic crimping tools from Tyco Electronics, www.tycoelectronics.com  ... wire feeder for automated applications from Lincoln Electric, www.lincolnelectric.com .. brushless d-c servo from animatics Corp. of Santa Clara, www.animatics.com ... stepping motor from Lin Engeineering, www.linengineering.com ... Modular encoder from Renco Encoders, www.renco.com ... add-on PLC boad from Omron Electronics, www.info.omron.com ... real time extension for general automation applications and installation guide from Profibus Trade Organization, www.us.profibus.com ... What's ahead -- new products in the motion, motion control and drives categories, lowering the costs of machine motion, and increasing awareness of safety ...    Edited by David P. Tryling 

• Literature Announcements of guides, catalogs, brochures, product specifications and other literature. In this issue:  Hands-free lighting products brochure from Eye Max Div of Waters Industries ... synthetic elastomeric molded parts guide and catalog from IER Industries, Inc. .. handtools and power tool accessories catalog from Bahco North America, Inc. ... 2004 welding and cutting equipment catalog from Lincoln Electric ..   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.

• Product briefs Photos and announcements of new products ... In this issue, small capacitor-start motors for jet, centrifugal, booster and lawn sprinkler pumps from Emerson Motor Technologies .. Measuring equipment from Magtrol, B&K Precision Corp, and AEMC Instruments ... Safety lightning protection system from Erico, Inc. ... battery database management software rom ProActiv ... Switching devices from Electroswitch, Tyco Electronics, NKK Switches, and EAO Switch Corp ... Test instruments from E.C. Kitzel and Sons, Megger, and Fluke Corp ... Tools from Gardner Bender, American Saw and Mfg. Co., Penn-Union Corp, Xuron Corp., Ideal Industries, and Burlington Safety Laboratory ... Controls from Cooper Power Systems (www.cooperpower.com/regulatorcontrol )  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.

• 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   In this issue:  Readers who correctly submitted the correct answer to the "Weighing in" puzzle that appeared on page 42 of the December EA. J. Tim Barnhart, S&W Electric, LaPorte, Ind. Russell Brooks, IPSCO Steel, Inc., Muscatine, Iowa Mark Chase, Electric Motor Servicenter, Dover, N.H. Cope Clark, Pierce Utilities, Pierce, Neb. Tony Daigle, GE Service Center, Charlotte, N.C. Ken Fleming, Sealed Air Corp., Hodgkins, 111. Timothy Hensley Sr., Mills Electric Co., Hammond, Ind. Hermann Huegli, Kilred Winding Industries Ltd., Thunder Bay, Ontario Jerry Imus, Loop Power Dist, Cedar Rapids, Neb. Daniel Johnson, Custer Public Power Dis­trict, Broken Bow, Neb. Ross Lenington, Ross Industrial Services, York Haven, Pa. Alan Lewis, Lewis Electric Motor, Inc., Eureka, Mo. Burt Long Jr., Long's Electric Motor Ser­vice, Inc., El Dorado, Kan. Bruce Meyer, The Quality Castings Co., Orrville, Ohio Sarah Murphy, Cheyenne Electric Motors, Las Vegas, Nev. Jack Nachtman, Energetics Industrial Dis­tributors, Inc., Dubuque, Iowa Jay Nelson, HMI Electric, Memphis, Term. John Ostrander, Schenectady International, Inc., Schenectady, N.Y. Don Salk, Safe-Way Electric Motor Co., Inc., Providence, R.I. Homer Snow, Snow Electric Co., Inc., Winston-Salem, N.C. Jim Spears, Melton Electric, Peoria, 111. John Warden, Warden Electric Co., Paducah, Ky. Joel Wineberg, Industrial Market Place, Skokie, 111. Larry Witmer, Witmer Automation, York, Pa. Bill Woolford, Houston Armature Works, Baton Rouge, La.

• Direct and Current Breaking news of interest to the industry, from The Editors of Electrical Apparatus. In this issue: The AARP and Social Security ... IRS looking at corprate tax deductions for executive pay ... Charitable and political contributions ... Commerce Department report re: U.S. manufacturing ...Hydrogen fuel cel vehicles ... by the Editors

• Utility Briefs    .. Edited by Kevin Jones

• EA reader at ease  ... Stories featuring unusual or interesting avocational interests of our readers.

  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 .

• Electrical Manager ...A potpourri of news and features, selected and edited for maintenance and service managers.

  "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. 

• Web briefs ...  Selected websites for the electromechanical specialist, annotated with details of especially valuable content  ...Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 

• Question of the month

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

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

• Electripix  Photographs of people, places, equipment and more ...

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