Electrical Apparatus
The Magazine of Electrical &
Electronic Application & Maintenance

February 2005 Columns and Departments

Back issues
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• Electropix  Photographs of people, places, equipment and more ...   In this issue, grade schools in Coffeyville, Kansas see the light - Bill's Electric, Joplin Mo, did the work pictured in three Electropix photos. 

Electropix is a favorite reader feature which appears frequently in Electrical Apparatus.

• Safety and health in the workplace   By Richard B. Elsberry, EA Contributing Editor
  From our February issue - Carbon-based fibers improving personal protection technology
  Increasingly the use of carbon fiber PEE will become a common thread preventing flash fire injuries.
  
  Every issue of Electrical Apparatus features a safety and health article of importance to our industry.  To order back issues or to subscribe, visit our online webstore.

• New Books Recently published books, reviewed by our editors.  In this issue, Variable Speed Drive Fundamentals
  By C. A. Phipps, The Fairmont Press, Inc. . ... Renewable Energy Systems: Design and Analysis with Induction Generators. By M. G. Simoes & F. A. Farret, CRC Press LLC ... and Electrical Energy Conversion and Transport: An Interactive Computer-Based Approach.  By G. G. Karady and K. E. Holbert, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ... and Power Quality Measurement and Troubleshooting, By Glen A. Mazur. American Technical Publishers, Inc. See also our Book Review webpage and 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.

• Editor's Comment Perspective on current and upcoming issues... by Horace B. Barks, Executive Editor 
  In this issue:  Wine and sunshine - Richard Nailen's article, "Electricity from the Sun, where do we stand?" was distributed last month at the 2005 Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento California by symposium speaker Ken Arthur, of Arthur Engineering ...  EMBR staff changes ... Our monthly PMM ... National Manufacturing Week ... Tsunami victims

• 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.  Edited by the EA staff 
  In this issue:  Insulation life not so easily defined ... What's meant by 'DOL starting'? ... Why bypass contactor on solid-state starter? .. Short-circuit rating for motor terminal box? .. What does the phrase 'pump runout' imply . Inverter and motor horsepowers the same? .. Should bearing grease drains be open? ... Painting explosion-proof motors a problem? .. How should bypass contractors be rated?

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  Comments and questions from readers of Electrical Apparatus
  In this issue:  A question about thermal disc protection, from Maurice Bracken, Instructor, Tantasqua Technical High School, Fiskdale, Massachusetts ... World voltage, from I. Fischman, Israel Electric Corp., Haifa, Israel ... Kind words, from M. D. Oswalt, Modis, Vacaville, California

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

• Business and financial briefs  News of expansions, relocations, annual reports, and more, about companies serving the electrical mechanical industries  ...Edited by Kevin Jones
  In this issue: L&S Electric acquires Advance Motor Services of Minneapolis  Jerry's Electric of Colman, S.D. opens reclamation facility ... Lincoln Electric Holdings to buy alloy manufacturer J. W. Harris Co., Inc ...  Moeller GmbH sells the assets of its North American sales operation to John Hamm . MGE UPS Systems, Inc. enters partnership with enclosure maker Wright Line LLC ... Balmic, Inc. moves to larger facilities in Ohio .. Bosch Rexroth AG of Lohr, Germany  buys Oil Control Group SpA of Milan, Italy ...  Schneider Electric North American Operating Division donates $20,000 to American Red Cross .. Financial brief - Rockwell Automation, Inc., increases earnings forecast .. Certification brief -  Darby Electric  completes Underwriters Laboratories audit to confirm compliance with ISO 9001-2000 ....

• Trade associations,  professional societies and government activities  News of non-profit  government, and other organizations serving the electrical mechanical industries.   Edited by the EA staff

  In this issue - National Association of Electrical Distributors finds health care costs are 'out of control' ... American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM International) seeks new standards are sought for nanotechnology ... EASA backs off plan to drop chapters ... National Electrical Manufacturers Association calls for a global association .. Electricity Consumers Resource Council represents firms that are big electrical users ... Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute has formed a new product section for ductless air conditioners and heat pumps ... Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and MidAmerican Energy Co have become sponsors of Motor Decisions Matter, the national non profit group founded in 2001 by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency ... The Refrigeration Service Engineers Society honors Dennis L. Bush of A.O. Smith Electrical Products Co ..

  Note:  the 2005 EMBR lists contact information for more than 140 associations ... Update or add your listing to the 2006 EMBR.

• Calendar Briefs - Upcoming trade shows, symposia, and events... Edited by Sarah E. Wittliff 
  In this issue - conferences, meetings, conventions and more, from February 2005 through October 2005 ...

• EA reader at ease  ... Stories featuring unusual or interesting avocational interests of our readers.
  In this issue - Exploring the quantum world    Bruce Rawlings, regional sales manager with Meltric Corp, has a passion for quantum physics.  "I look a things and wonder why they work and how they work," says Rawlings, who likes games and activities that take thought, and likes to observe fundamental truths of the universe.
  By Joseph S. Hoff, EA Special Features Editor

  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 .

• Standards briefs  updates of standards and related information... In this issue - Kazakhstan becomes associate member of the International Electrotechnical Commision ... The American National Standards Institute adopts documents . Geneva-based International Organization for Standardization publishes safeguards for motor balancing ... Underwriters Laboratories updates control standard ...  Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 

• EMBR update  - changes to the Electromechanical Bench Reference 2005, the annual buyers' guide that readers received with their December 2004 Electrical Apparatus.  Following publication of the directory, corrections and additions appear in subsequent issues of the magazine. 

• Training Briefs Announcements of workshops, seminars and instructional materials, and our Training Index, listing program topics featured in Training Briefs in the past year  ... Edited by Sarah E. Wittliff 
  In this issue:  Motor/generator rewinding, from EPRI Power Generation and Teco-Westinghouse Motor Co - joliver003@aol.com   Motor application and maintenance, from the Electrical Apparatus Service Association, www.easa.com ... High-voltage maintenance, from Ox Creek Energy - www.corona-technology-course.com ... Facilities professional certification, from The Association for Facilities Engineering - www.afe.org .. Drives, controls and hydraulics, from Bosch Rexroth Technical Training Department - www.boschrexroth-us.com ... aerial work platform safety training from Aerial Work Platform Training - www.awpt.org ... Testing for corrosion, from ASTM International - www.astm.org  Edited by Sarah E. Wittliff

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

• Trilingual summary For our international readers, each month one featured topic is presented in French, Spanish and German. In this issue - Motor starting from 'isolated power sources (read an online English summary)

• Accounting for management  Business financial planning, tips, information and best accounting practices ...By William H. Wiersema, CPA, EA Contributing Editor and author of the recently published book, Steps to a Successful Service Shop.
  In this issue - What makes an accounting system 'good'? - Why managers can't afford to leave accounting entirely to the professionals ...

• Names and Faces ... News and photos of industry people on the move and in the news...Edited by Sarah E. Wittliff
  In this issue - John M. Stropki of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. ... Ralph J. Pontillo of NACE International (not pictured) ...  Emerson Network Power's Bharat S. Shah ... Robert E. Smith of the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society ... Tom Costanza of Volland Electric (not pictured) ...   The American Society of Safety
  Engineers' Randall Wingfield ...

... Detlef Braun of Messe Frankfurt GmbH (not pictured) ... Baldor Electric's John A. McFarland, Ronald Tucker, and R. Wayne Thurman  ... Blake Lloyd and Paul Magder of Iris Power Engineering ...  Daniel T. Bertovich of Brooks Meter Devices .. Romanoff Industries' Mark Misejka ... Cooper Wiring Devices' Heather Robinson, Jeff Koontz (not pictured) and Arthur Porrello (not pictured)  ... and (all remaining not pictured) Kevin Evans, Ted Marston, Nancy Mason, Mike Howard,
Wade Malcolm, Terry Surles, Clark Gellings and Bill Clark of the Electric Power Research Institute and its affiliate EPRI Solutions ...

• Say It Right ... The popular column about language in the workplace  ...  by Richard L. Nailen, P.E., EA Engineering Editor   In this issue - calling for 'high quality' may not get it ... everyone knows it when they see it, but just what is it?

• Electronics (Automation briefs)  - the latest in products for electronics and systems applications  Edited by David P. Tryling  In this issue - brushless servomotors from Baldor Electric .. computers and accessories from B&B Eletronics and CyberResearch ... Control components from Elibrecht Electronics, Astec Power, Automation Systems , Micro Plastics, Inc., and BK Precision ...Sensing devices from Macro Sensors of New Jersey and LMI technologies . Simulation software from Electronics Workbench  ..

• Literature Announcements of guides, catalogs, brochures, product specifications and other literature.  ...  Edited by the EA staff    In this issue, offerings from Bridgeport Fittings, Kingsbury, Inc., Tyco Electrnoics, Brady Corp., Magid Glove & Safety Mfg. Co., B&K Precision Corp., Stahlin Non-Metallic Enclosures and Clare Instruments ...

  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.

• Electrical Manager ...A potpourri of news and features, selected and edited for maintenance and service managers.   In this issue, an interview with Lisa Lineal, owner of Lineal recruiting services, Trumbull, Connecticut, which has specialized in placing people in the electrical industry for 24 years ...

  "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 Photos and announcements of new products ...Edited by the EA Staff.  In this issue, switching devices, tools, circuit interrupters, controls, enclosures, interconnections, measuring equipment, motors and gearmotors, power quality and safety products...

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.

• Direct and Current Breaking news of interest to the industry, from The Editors of Electrical Apparatus.
  In this issue: Will records stored on DVD and CD be retrievable in 10-20 years? .. Criteria for the annual Baldridge Business Awards ... record group sales in Germany ... cheaper, more power-efficient flat panel displays .. fewer small business loans possible . a new standard for electrical performance, from the National Electrical Contractor Association ..

• Cy's Super Service, Motorhead and Generatorhead Comic strips featuring characters from our favorite cartoonists. 
  In this issue - Cy's computer problems  ... Motorhead checks out a new nightclub ....

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

• Deaths  - Obituaries of industry people.  

• Certification briefs  Updates on certification Edited by Kevin Jones

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

• Utility Briefs  News of the utility industry .. Edited by Kevin Jones

• 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 

• Question of the month

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