Electrical Apparatus
The Magazine of Electrical &
Electronic Application & Maintenance

January 2007 Columns and Departments

Back issues
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• Editor's Comment Perspective on current and upcoming issues
  In this issue - What is in your computer? ... All articles from the last five years ... Selling a business isn't easy ... Thanks .... by Horace B. Barks, Executive Editor

• 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. 
  In this issue - How high are high torques? ... Can a rotor grow enough to rub the stator? ... Does delta connection threaten insulation? ... How to size an enclosure grounding pad ... Non conductive dust? Don't count on it! ... Does motor load affect safe reclosing time? ... How do frequent starts affect transformer size? ... Locked-rotor time versus acceleration time ... Can two wires be crimped into a single connector? ... What determines motor lead ampacity? ... 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  Comments and questions from readers of Electrical Apparatus
  In this issue - Measuring motor shafts to prevent rotor rub, from Brian F. Moore, Georgia Power, Forrest Park, Georgia ... Hybrid vehicles are more efficient than many think, from William P. Fox, Application Engineer, Siemens Energy and Automation, Norwood, Ohio ... Readers respond to gun safety article, from Douglas M. Bauer, the Moir Co., Inc., Denmark, Maine ... Leo Murphree, Jr., ECS Electrical and Construction Specialists, Greenwood, Mississippi ... C. L Cummins, Reed Electric Co., Portland, Oregon ...and Mike Zirnheld, Lehigh Acres, Florida ...

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
  In this issue - Schneider Electric buys American Power Conversion ... New overseas headquarters for Flowserve Corp ... Eaton Corp purchases switchgear maker Schreder-Hazemeyer ... Siemens Energy & Automation closers two plants in western Ohio ... MTE Corp will not move its plants or employees despite acquisition by SL Industries ... Rockwell Automation finalizes deal with DuPont ... New Lincoln Electric facility in Atlanta   ...Edited by Kevin Jones

• Say It Right ... The popular column about language in the workplace
  In this issue - How low is low?  Misunderstanding how much voltage is tolerable could be fatal   ...  by Richard L. Nailen, P.E., EA Engineering Editor

• EA reader at ease  ... Stories featuring unusual or interesting avocational interests of our readers.
  In this issue - George Stratton, President of G. E. Jones Electric in Amarillo, Texas, enjoys the world of computer games

  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 .

• Trade associations,  professional societies and government activities  News of non-profit  government, and other organizations serving the electrical mechanical industries.  
  In this issue - National Association of Electrical Distributors survey reveals drop in third-quarter sales for distributors ... Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League to observe its tenth anniversary at the Electrical Safety and Reliability Conference and Exhibition in February in Dallas ... Electrical Apparatus Service Association offers online training session on arc flash and shock hazards ... American Society of Safety Engineer's annual seminar to be held in January at the Las Vegas Flamingo Hotel ... ASTM International hits the road with a two day training course on corrosion testing ... American Society of Safety Engineers announces a newly revised American National Standards Institute standards, "Safety Requirements for Demolition for Construction and Demolition Operations." Edited by the EA staff

  Note:  the 2007 EMBR lists contact information for more than 140 associations ... Update or add your listing to the 2009 EMBR.

• Standards briefs  updates of standards and related information...
  In this issue - National Electrical Manufacturers Association consolidates insulation sections, International Electrotechnical Commission combines some of its separate divisions .. New standards adoptions by the American National Standards Institute .. New International Electrotechnical Commission publications stress safety ...  Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 

• 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:  Pump maintenance, from Pumping Machinery LLC, www.pumpingmachinery.com ... Power quality, from PowerCET Corp, www.powercet.com ... Motor & drive application, from Baldor Electric, www.baldor.com ... Motor service and repair, from the Electrical Apparatus Service Association, www.easa.com ... Drives and controls, from Bosch Rexroth Corp, www.boschrexroth-us.com ... High-voltage maintenance, from Ox Creek Energy, www.corona-technology-course.com ... Professional certification, from the Asoscation for Facilities Engineering, www.afe.org ... Infrared thermography, from Infrared Training Center, www.infraredtraining.com/courses , and also from the Electrical Apparatus Service Assocaition, www.easa.com ... Edited by the EA Staff

  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 - are electronics hazardous to your health? (Hazardous materials, that is) ...  (read an online English summary)

• Safety and health in the workplace How companies and their employees can guard and enhance their health and safety.  
  In this issue - The wind chill factor can cripple your work force .. and traditionally warm climes aren't necessarily immune ...  By Richard B. Elsberry, EA Contributing Editor

• Accounting for management  Business financial planning, tips, information and best accounting practices.  In this issue - Preparing to sell your business?  Plan carefully  ...By William H. Wiersema, CPA, EA Contributing Editor and author of the recently published book, Steps to a Successful Service Shop.

• Names and Faces ... News and photos of industry people on the move and in the news..
  In this issue - Jerry Ragonese and John Mulligan of K. J. Electric ... Doni Blanchard of The Eraser Co (pictured).. Fred Roth of Horner Industrial Services ... Hariz Cumurovic of Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. (pictured) ... John Morhead of Bison  Gear and Engineering ... Ronald Massa and Richard Zajachowski of A. O. Smith ...Keith Williams of Underwriters Laboratories and the United States-China Business Council...  Edited by the EA Staff

• Deaths  - Obituaries of industry people.  
  In this issue - Richard Lee Adams, owner and operator of Electrical Apparatus Specialty Company

• New Books Recently published books, reviewed by our editors. 

 In this issue - Electric Energy: An Introduction (Hardcover) by Mohamed A. El-Sharkawi  and  Electrical Machines (Hardcover) by Charles A. Gross...

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• For more books, see our Book Review webpage, and 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.

• Electronics (Automation briefs)  - the latest in products for electronics and systems applications  
  In this issue  - Onsite diagnostics, from B&K Precision and CyberResearch ... Test instruments from Saelig .. Labeling from Thomas & Betts ... Motors & Drives, from Oriental Motor ... Wireless communication, from B&B Electronics and Saelig Co ... Position sensors, from Macro Sensors ...  Encoders, from Avtron ... Edited by David P. Tryling 

• Product briefs Photos and announcements of new products
  In this issue - Drives and inverters, from Baldor and ABB ... Interconnections, from Hubbell Wiring Devices-Kellums, Klein Tools, Leviton Mfg. Co., and Hoffman Products ... Lighting from SLI Lighting .. Lubrication from PLI LLC ... Hoists & cranes from Harrington Hoists ...Measuring Equipment from Palmer Wahl, Fluke, Helwig Carbon Products, Trek, Inc., and Extech Instruments ... Motors & Gearmotors from Elektrim Motors .. Sealed lead-calcium industrial battery from EnerSys ... High efficiency power transformers from EGS Electrical Group LLC ... Diesel generator sets from Caterpillar, Inc. ... Industrial strength aqueous cleaner from CRC Industries ... Hands-free headlight from Streamlight, Inc. ... Ground fault wireless telemetering monitor from Accumetrics Associates ... Rack based three phase modular UPS from Eaton Corp ... Safety non-contact voltage detector from Grace Engineered Products ... Test instruments from All-Safe Pro, Ox Creek Energy, Megger, Adcour, Fieldpiece Instruments, AEMC Instruments, and Protek Test & Measurement ... Tools from Channelock ...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.

• Calendar Briefs - Upcoming trade shows, symposia, and events.  In this issue - events from January 2007 through September 2007... Edited by the EA Staff

• Literature Announcements of guides, catalogs, brochures, product specifications and other literature. In this issue - Misunderstandings in uninterruptible power supply application from Staco Energy Products ... Battery application manual from Enersys ... Motion control product catalogs from Baldor Electric Company ... Pump rebuild and maintenance workshop brochure from Henkel Corp  ...  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.

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

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

• Direct and Current Breaking news of interest to the industry, from The Editors of Electrical Apparatus.
  In this issue - Compensation rises for electrical distributor employees ... Reduced regulatory burden in Europe urged ... Recent weak manufacturing data may be misleading ... Electrical workers, contractors partner with OSHA ... Scammers seek to dupe seniors by email ... Mailboxes being pulled out of service ...

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