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August 2010 Volume 243 No 8

Inside this issue:

ELECTRICAL I Technology improves cable fire safety
I SIMply the best for fault location

REVIEW
News Page 3 Power cables Page 10 UPS
I SuperCap UPS – fast response, long life
I Methodical risk identification

Page 20 Building services Page 24

MINISTER ANNOUNCES £8.4M

PLASTIC ELECTRONICS INVESTMENT
A range of specialist plastic
electronics businesses are to
benefit from a total of £8.4m
investment in research and
development into new technology
that will lead to the creation of a
range of new products such as
conformable and rollable electronic
displays, ultra-efficient lighting and
low-cost, long-life solar cells.
The investment was announced
by the universities and science
minister, David Willetts, during a
speech to the Tomorrow’s Giants
conference in London. Thirteen
projects, involving more than 30
industrial and academic partners, will
benefit from the funding allocated as
a result of two competitions run by
the government-backed Technology
Strategy Board.
TUV ACQUIRES LAIDLER GROUP SHARES
TÜV Product Service, a UK subsidiary
of the TÜV SÜD group, has acquired
the shares of the Laidler group of
companies, the UK machinery safety
compliance organisation. Operating
from offices in Cleveland and
Yorkshire, the Laidler group has
Minister for universities and
science David Willetts said: “It is
early days for this emerging field,
but plastic electronics will give rise
to a range of new exciting
products, such as ultra-efficient
lighting and cheaper, longer-lasting
solar cells. Looking ahead, this
technology offers enormous
potential to help our local
environment, improve our everyday
standard of living and support the
nation’s economy.
“The global market for plastic
electronics is now worth almost
$2bn (£1.337bn) and is forecasted
to grow to as much as $120bn
(£80.19bn) by 2020. The funding
I’ve announced today is important
in supporting UK businesses to be
world leaders in one of the key
consolidated sales of £2.6m and 30
employees.
“The acquisition of Laidler brings a
wealth of experience in machinery
safety to our UK organisation and a
position in the UK that is second to
none”, said Jean-Louis Evans,
industries of the future.
Commercially exploiting the
outputs of the UK’s world-leading
science and research base has a
vital role to play in helping our
economy to grow.”
£7.4m has been offered to eight
projects to help build the supply
chain and to overcome the barriers
to UK exploitation of plastic
electronics technology, including
over £800,000 from the
Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council (EPSRC). A further
£1m has been offered by the
Technology Strategy Board to five
projects to encourage UK
businesses to use plastic electronics
in their product development by
producing demonstrators with
potential for real commercial value.
managing director of TÜV Product
Service. “We feel there are
considerable synergies between our
organisations and bringing the two
organisations together will establish a
much stronger Machinery Safety
business for TÜV SÜD in the UK.
KNX UK Association member
Andromeda Telematics (ATL)
was shortlisted in the KNX
International Awards, presented
at the 2010 Light+Building
Exhibition in Frankfurt, for the
company's O2 project in Dublin.
The project is a showcase of
progressive design and building
services providing an integrated
control solution for the
renovation, delivering KNX/DALI
colour change functionality as
well as an emergency lighting
test system.
The KNX/DALI solution
includes lighting scene control
for public areas, controllable via
local touch screens and a central
headend. There is also local
scene set control and dimming
in the private bar areas, as well
as local control in all back-of-
house areas for override of
lighting condition. The external
lighting controls feature lux
sensors which activate lighting at
dusk. An override function is
available for periods where the
building is unoccupied.

For the latest news, products and event information visit www.electricalreview.co.uk
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TRANS-MEDITERRANEAN GRID
Nexans has signed a draft agreement for the
creation of the trans-Mediterranean super-grid
Transgreen with 12 other industry partners, in
the presence of the French minister of ecology,
energy, sustainable development and sea, Jean-
Louis Borloo, the French Republic president’s
special advisor, Henri Guaino and the French
secretary of state for european affairs Pierre
Lellouche.
Transgreen is an unprecedented industry
initiative aimed at studying the feasibility of a
power transmission grid between the northern
and southern shores of the Mediterranean and
at developing interconnections around the
Mediterranean Basin. It is part of the
Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP), which provides
for the building of renewable – mainly solar –
power generation facilities in the southern and
eastern areas of the Mediterranean, with a total
output of 20 GW by 2020.
The 13 signing companies will collaborate
within a common legal entity, especially in
order to propose the technical and economical
master plan for a trans-Mediterranean super-
grid with 5GW export capacity to Europe by
2020.
“Nexans generates about half of its sales in
the infrastructure market and has recognised
expertise in the design and installation of high
voltage submarine power links, therefore it was
SCHEME TO INCREASE
LAMP RECYCLING
Recolight, the specialist WEEE compliance
scheme for the lighting industry, has
announced a partnership with recycling
scheme, CoBRA (Community Bulb Recycling
Alliance) to increase consumer access to
collection facilities for low-energy light-bulbs.
Founded by Mark David Hatwood in 2007,
CoBRA was initially established to provide
community recycling for waste batteries. The
scheme works by recruiting volunteers to place
collection containers in community locations
and then take responsibility for collecting the
waste and taking it to a central collection
facility. Through this partnership with
Recolight, the CoBRA scheme will be adapted
to provide community collection of low-energy
light-bulbs, using Recolight’s new in-door
light-bulb collection container.
www.electricalreview.co.uk
CONTENTS
03 | NEWS
obvious for us to participate in Transgreen. As 06 | OPINION
access to electricity remains a vital need for
human beings, it is more essential than ever to
get involved in responsible projects which make 08 | GOSSAGE
it possible not only to build and interconnect
new grids but also to develop renewable 12 | POWER CABLES
energy resources,” said Frédéric Vincent.
Power grid performance is central to Nexans’
strategy. In fact, Nexans offers a complete When a power service
engineer is called out to
portfolio of terrestrial and submarine high-
deal with a loss of
voltage AC and DC cables and cabling systems, supply on a customer’s
with products and services which enable HV distribution
integration of alternative energy sources into network, the chances
the grid, real time monitoring of infrastructure are it will be traced to a
for increased reliability and installation of new faulty underground
materials —including superconductors—for cable that has caused a
device – such a circuit
improved performance.
breaker – to operate
Leveraging its expertise in high-voltage and cut off the power
submarine power transmission, Nexans has
many references in this field, such as the link
between Morocco and Spain, the NorNed link
between the Netherlands and Norway and,
more recently, the COMETA link between the
Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands. In 16 | ARC FLASH
recent years, Nexans has also demonstrated its
skills in connecting renewable energy resources 22 | UPS
by participating in numerous offshore windfarm
projects worldwide, including Barrow (England),
Horns Rev (Denmark), Lynn & Inner Dowsing With IT central to the
(England) and Wolfe Island (Canada). successful operations
of most modern
organisations, the
UPS system has a
SIEMENS WINS central position in the
critical physical
WIND CONTRACT infrastructure which
supports servers,
storage and
Siemens is to supply 68 wind turbines communications
for the Griffin onshore wind farm in equipment, and
Scotland. The wind power farm will ensures continuity of
have a capacity of 156 MW upon its services during all
local mains conditions
completion in 2012, and is expected to
generate enough power to supply
over 80,000 homes. The scope of
supply for the Griffin wind farm
includes the delivery, installation, and 25 | PRODUCT WATCH
commissioning of 68 of Siemens 2.3-
MW turbines. Of the 68 turbines, 61
will have a 101m rotor and 7 will have 26 | BUILDING SERVICES
a 93m rotor. This is the first time a
SWT-2.3-101 will be deployed in the 32 | CLASSIFIED
UK. Siemens will also provide services
for turbine operation and
maintenance for an initial period of 35 | BLOWN FUSE
five years.
03
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NEWS EDITOR
Elinore Mackay 020 8319 1807
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Electrical Review is a controlled circulation monthly

David Pollock David Pollock, group chief
executive officer of the
active retirement and I am glad I shall be
continuing to represent the ECA in some
magazine available free to selected personnel at the
publisher’s discretion. If you wish to apply for regular
free copies then please write to:
Electrical Review Subscriptions
P O Box 6009, Thatcham,
Berkshire, RG19 4TT
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 869868
Electrical Contractors
Association ECA, will retire
at the end of September
2010. His successor will be
Steve Bratt, C Dir, MBA, the
ECAs Deputy CEO.
Following his retirement,
Henry Mayes
Pollock will continue as an
adviser to the association; he
will represent ECAs interests
in Europe and in lobbying
and representational work.
Pollock said:
I have spent an senior level appointments that will drive the
exciting and fulfiling 13 years
with ECA. I am very glad
Tomoki Ikeda
that Council has agreed that
my successor should be Steve
Bratt. I wish him, our
President, Diane, the other
Officers and all the Members
and staff the greatest
possible success. I am
looking forward to a very
important areas. Fax: 01635 868594
Balfour Beatty Engineering Services BBES Email: electricalreview@circdata.com
has announced a key business development Electrical Review is published by
appointment. Henry Mayes has joined the
company as business development manager for Laurence Pountney Hill
London and the South East. Mayes will report London EC4R 0BL
020 7933 8999
to business development director Bill Merry,
and will assume responsibility for new business PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
Chris Cooke
development. He joins from M&E design PRINTING BY
consultant Maleon and will be based in the William Gibbons
Redhill office. Any article in this journal represents the opinions
Hochiki Europe has announced a series of of the author. This does not necessarily reflect the
views of Electrical Review or its publisher– St
John Patrick Publishers
company forward and strengthen its market
position. Tomoki Ikeda pictured is now the
managing director of Hochiki Europe, while his
predecessor, Minako Adachi, stays within the
Hochiki organisation as its executive officer of
overseas division based at Hochiki ISSN 0013-4384
Corporations Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. All editorial contents © Saint John Patrick
Publishers Ltd 2010. Jan-Dec 2009 6,484
Meanwhile, Kevin Restell has been promoted as
Hochiki Europes operations director and joins
the board of directors.
ER Aug p4&5.qxd:Layout 1 23/7/10 11:16 Page 3

NEWS
ROADMAP TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BRIEF
Interxion, a European provider of carrier-neutral They will be joined by The Green-IT Amsterdam I FS Cables has joined the KNX
colocation data centre services, and Schneider Consortium, a key player in the drive for emission
UK association as a manufacturer
Electric, a global specialist in energy management, reduction in the Amsterdam Region. Interxion,
member. Joining KNX UK is part
have announced they will host an Energy Efficiency Schneider Electric and the 451 Group will also
of FS Cables continuing support
Roadmap seminar on 23 September 2010 at provide practical insights and advice in data centre
Interxion’s 100% renewable-powered AMS 5 data design and operation, R&D, and component design for the KNX standard and follows
centre in Schiphol, Amsterdam. and selection, and tell participants what the data membership of the international
The event is designed for directors, heads of centre sector as a whole is really doing to tackle the KNX association and subsequent
department and managers from medium-to-large challenges of energy-efficient IT. certification of its KNX twisted
European IT users who are interested in optimising “As a carrier-neutral colocation provider, Interxion pair cable. Multiple elements
the financial and operational efficiency of their IT brings together many of the world’s leading IT across the network such as the
infrastructure – mapping out and testing their providers and users, and we have built up great operation of heating, lighting
medium-term, energy-efficient IT strategies in the expertise in energy-efficient design and operations and blinds among others can be
light of the latest metrics, recommendations and over the years,” said Kevin Dean, Interxion CMO. controlled over single KNX
regulations from government and industry bodies. “With the help of APC by Schneider Electric, we are
twisted pair cable. The FS Cables
The Energy Efficiency Roadmap is the first seminar leveraging this position to create a unique and
KNX cable has been tested and
to bring leading global IT energy-efficiency accessible event for the industry, bringing together
certified as being suitable for use
standards organisations together under one roof. For all the key influencers and regulators of energy
the first time, The Uptime Institute, The Green Grid, efficiency for the first time.” in KNX systems and bears the
and the EC Joint Research Centre will share a To find out more or register interest in attending, KNX logo. Using certified product
platform, painting a comprehensive picture of please visit www.interxion.com/efficiency. If the ensures quality, reliability and
current and upcoming energy-efficiency standards, seminar is oversubscribed, additional events may be guaranteed compatibility
metrics, codes of conduct, incentives, and legislation. hosted elsewhere in Europe. between KNX devices and
equipment.
.
I NG Bailey has made a
FIRE PROTECTION FOR MUSEUM OF LONDON commitment to reduce its carbon
footprint by 20% by the end of
Specialist fire and electrical firm, Wessex Fire and Security,
2012. In addition to reducing the
won the contract to install a fire alarm system in a new
emissions from its national
museum area at the Museum of London, using Prysmian
estate, NG Bailey is also
FP Plus cable.
committed to reducing its impact
The project was a complex one, as the Museum had to
stay open to the public throughout the nine month on sites through the
redevelopment; the existing fire alarm had to remain fully development of a suite of eco
functional until the new system was online. Despite this friendly site cabins – creating an
the new system was installed on time. opportunity to reduce emissions
Installations manager Paul Budden said: “We decided to by up to 40%. The eco friendly
work with a network of four Gent Vigilon control panels cabins will be launched on all
and a BS5839 Part 8 compliant PA/VA system for the new company sites as of August.
public areas. Into this we installed nearly 20,000 metres of FP Plus cable in the fire alarm panels, addressable
loops and voice alarm speaker circuits to and from the voice alarm amplifiers.”
p6,7.qxd:Layout 1 23/7/10 11:37 Page 8
OPINION
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
CAN NOT AND MUST NOT
TAKE THE RECYCLING OF
FLUORESCENT BULBS LIGHTLY
SAYS TERRY ADBY
HOW MANY electrical contractors does it take to
change a light bulb? It doesn’t really matter,
because, with the double focus nowadays on
health and safety and sustainability, the real
question should be: “Do they know what’s
being done with the old one?”
As efficient electrical waste disposal gets
both more complex and more necessary – for
financial, operational and legal reasons - those
involved in electrical engineering and building
services would be unwise not to pay heed to
the answer, a fact that one recent prosecution
has shed some revealing light on.
The sustainability lobby’s continued success
in promoting the balancing of successful
business with effective environmental
protection (not to mention the wellbeing of the
immediate workforce) has ever greater
ramifications for the industries responsible for
creating and managing the built environment.
Sustainability, above all, is an area where
electrical contracting, now worth some £8bn
per year, has a key role to play, with the
opportunity to propose ‘low or no CO2’ options.
But to play its role successfully the industry
Shedding light
RESPONSIBLY
must also pay close attention to the matter of
the waste the ‘alternative’ option creates, and
how it is disposed of. Developments such as
the WEEE regulations (Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment Directive) impose legal
obligations on contractors over the
management of ‘waste streams’ onsite, and in
their subsequent disposal. It aims to “improve
the environmental performance of businesses
that manufacture, supply, use, recycle and
recover electrical and electronic equipment”
and has put the practical management of
sustainability centre stage. For the electrical
contractor its implications are unavoidable.
Energy efficient light bulbs (‘end-of-life gas
discharge lamps’) are covered by the WEEE
regulations and present a particular challenge,
because they contain mercury and are classified
as ‘hazardous waste’. When these lamps are
recycled the potential release of mercury into
the air at the lamp crushing stage is a threat to
both the wider environment and those in the
vicinity if the right protective equipment is not
in place. Each time a fluorescent bulb is
crushed or broken, mercury vapour is released.
If the gas is not effectively captured, that
vapour will find its way into the atmosphere,
the staff and others in the area.
The challenges of lamp recycling made
headlines earlier this year when a Glasgow-
registered company, Electrical Waste Recycling
Group, and one of its directors, were fined a
total of £145,000 plus costs after recycling
processes being used for gas discharge lamps
exposed workers to toxic fumes for a period of
up to ten months.
If an electrical contractor is going to propose
the likes of optimal lighting configurations or
energy efficient lighting units, and if they are
tempted to employ energy efficiency as a sales
tool, they should be confident that the
principles and practice that underpin
sustainability and safety are being applied all
the way through the supply chain, including
what happens to the waste.
Bulb crushing on an industrial scale is a
serious undertaking that comes with huge
levels of environmental responsibility.
Nevertheless, electrical contractors may face the
prospect, perhaps even at the tendering stage,
p6,7.qxd:Layout 1 23/7/10 11:37 Page 9
of client pressure to commit to deliver such a
service. Contractors need to be completely
confident of the ability of the suppliers they
choose to meet their commitments. They also
need to know what is being done in their
name further down the supply chain.
In the case of Electrical Waste Recycling
Group, it was the failure to ensure the safety
of the lamp crushing phase of the recycling
process at its Huddersfield plant that let
down the company, their workforce and the
local environment. EWRG, which runs
easyWEEE, WERCS (Waste Electrical Recycling
Compliance Scheme) and other recycling
schemes, were contracted to handle
commercial waste for several Local
Authorities, which included light bulbs. While
none of these clients were in any way
implicated along with their supplier, the
judgment in the case suggests others in the
chain – such as electrical contractors - could
be more vulnerable. It has already been
indicated in court that putting a service out to
a third party does not absolve an organisation
of key responsibilities and, in respect of
health & safety, the HSE - which brought the
successful prosecution in the EWRG case - has
said that “The client must ensure whoever
carries out the work is able to do so in a way
that controls risks.” As this case suggests,
sustainability and health and safety
responsibilities often go hand in hand.
When things go awry, buck passing between
organisations or individuals is not an option
Some of the details of the EWRG judgment
highlight the type of issues any business,
including electrical contracting businesses,
should take into account to ensure they and
their suppliers comply with statutory
requirements when dealing with waste. The
promises of suppliers, the judge made clear,
are no defence in the eyes of the law. They
must be effectively monitored.
One of the judge’s major criticisms was the
lack of an effective risk assessment process at
the EWRG recycling centre, not least because
issues highlighted – such as excessively high
mercury levels for no apparent reason - could
have been rectified much earlier had risk
assessment been in place. It is, in any case, a
legal requirement for an employer in
discharging their obligations to keep workers
and the public safe as far as "reasonably
practicable".
The HSE recommends five steps for effective
risk assessment: identification of hazards;
establishing who might be harmed and how;
evaluation of risk and deciding on precautions;
recording and implementing findings and
regular review. Suppliers in a business as
hazardous and regulated as lamp recycling
should certainly be implementing all five.
Those employing them to do the work should
be equally concerned that they are.
The judge in the EWRG case also stressed the
need for competent staff to be involved in the
OPINION
process monitoring, who understand the
regulations and have the knowledge and
experience to spot a breach or issue. Most
successful organisations, he said, have
employees who understand why risk
assessment and vigilance is important for the
company, staff and other groups with an
interest, such as the local community.
However, all responsibility cannot be
delegated to one individual or team, he added.
Senior managers need to put themselves in the
position of being able to interpret and
understand the implications of the results of
any monitoring which is undertaken. If they do
not understand the implications of results, they
cannot just ignore them. In the case of a
prosecution it will be the senior managers and
directors who will be held responsible. It is
clear, above all, when things go awry, buck
passing between organisations or individuals is
not an option.
EWRG paid a heavy price because it did not
read nor heed the warning signs. Those looking
for lessons from its prosecution certainly
should however. The safe recycling of energy
efficient lamps may represent a beacon for a
better future but, viewed from both an
environmental or health and safety perspective,
the message for electrical contractors is clear:
the responsibility for a safe and sustainable
approach to lighting may not end with the life
of the low-energy bulb.
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OPINION
CHALLENGE TO YOUNG RIVAL
I have in the past chronicled the woes of the previously highly successful
Renewable Energy Association. Not least when in 2008 a lowly book-keeper
in the finance department absconded with £247,000 of its members’ cash.
Which on a turnover of £604,000, left rather a large hole in its finances.
Membership fees were immediately hiked, some by over 20%. Several
companies opted out. Its founder and CEO Philip Wolfe took early
retirement. And one long-established rival association suddenly woke up to
the opportunities offered.
The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) had been around since 1978.
Despite windpower being far and away the largest renewable power option,
it remained unconcerned about its younger rival the Renewable Energy
Association covering not just all the other non-fossil fuel options. But also
bringing into membership many of the big players, especially in the
burgeoning off shore windpower field.
This year the BWEA has had a complete shake-up. It has re-examined its
objectives. It has brought into membership new companies (some 600 now).
And most significantly it has changed its name. To become RenewableUK. A
direct challenge to the wounded upstart, the REA.
No question where Whitehall’s sympathies lie. Whilst chief executive Maria
McCaffrey MBE remains in post, despite the name change, ministers and top
civil servants queue up to appear on her public platforms, meet with her
privately, all signs of official approval. I was going to say “let battle
commence.” But actually I rather think the battle is already over.
LEARNING TIMES TABLES
The Climate Change Committee is a frightfully important entity. Formed as a
result of the Climate Change Act 2008 to ensure the UK remains on track to be
the world’s most eco-friendly nation, it consists of a set of Commissioners
drawn from the Great and Good. Led by the former head of the CBI, Adair
(now Lord) Turner. Who also heads the Financial Services Authority in his
spare time.
Periodically the Committee issues large reports. Which consistently seem to
conclude that, whilst the UK’s aspirations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
are splendid, “we must do better” regarding progress on the ground. These
reports are littered with serious statistical recommendations for how best
progress should be made. Each of which the government is supposed to act
upon immediately.
However, dig a little deeper. And you do begin to wonder just how reliable
some of the figures are. For instance, when launching the latest progress
report, m’Lord Turner thundered that – to keep the eco-trajectory going - the
number of homes where insulation is placed within the external cavity walls
should be running at 1.2m each year. This means “doubling the number
currently being insulated”.
His Lordship did not misread his script. The accompanying press release
contained precisely the same demands. The number of homes each year
having cavity wall insulation installed must be doubled. No less than 1.2m
should be improved each year. But if you consult the official agency that
issues guarantees after every such installation, they will tell you that this year
the total number of homes benefitting is around 400,000. Getting the rate up
to 1.2m a year wouldn’t be doubling. It would be tripling the size of the
market. If Lord Turner really cannot tell the difference between “times two”
and “times three”, it is probably a relief to know his spare time job chairing
the Financial Services Authority is coming to an end.
08
GOSSIP!
GOSSAGE!
THE NEW ASBESTOS
Cheerleaders for the Great God Atom like to promote its virtues by
emphasising how nuclear can substitute for energy imports. And
particularly energy imports from unreliable countries. Whilst that is
certainly not true for most of the components nor of their suppliers, most
of which are definitely neither UK owned nor domiciled, there is one key
component which everyone accepts simply can never be found on these
shores.
There are only a handful of counties around the world where uranium
is to be found. According to that impeccably neutral source, the World
Nuclear Association, the total amount of recoverable uranium supplies
worldwide is some 5.469,000 tonnes. Concentrated in a very few places.
By far the biggest of these is Australia, with 1,243,000 tonnes. Where
curiously enough no nuclear power is permitted.
Australia has been the most reliable past supplier. But will it be in
future? Not if the powerful Australian Electrical Trades Union has its way.
It is banning its members from working in uranium mines because – and I
quote – “uranium is the new asbestos in the workplace.” Australian
unions, particularly as now under a Labor government, are not to be
trifled with. If they won’t mine the stuff for health reasons, chances are it
won’t get mined.
But whilst it is the biggest potential source of uranium, Australia is not
the only one. There are other countries with substantial reserves. The next
two biggest are Kazakhstan (with 817,000 tonnes). And Russia (546,000
tonnes). Obviously it is perfectly possible to trade with both countries. If
the promised expansion of nuclear ever goes ahead, we may well have to
do so. But do remember. These are precisely the kind of unreliable
suppliers which those in the nuclear lobby who scare us about the
dangers of energy imports endlessly warn us about.
HEBRIDES RAINDANCE
They are praying for rain in the Hebrides. Most especially on the
picturesque island of Eigg. Because the 70 people who live there
would like to go back to having toast for breakfast.
Normally practically all the island’s electricity is provided by
hydro-power. But as there have been three months with almost
no precipitation, the islanders are having to forgo using any of
their optional electrical appliances. Like toasters.
This is not the first time there has been insufficient rain to
power the island. Which is precisely why they have retained
diesel generators for back-up. However there is a distinct
reluctance to bring these back into use.
Why? Because just last January, the community took up a
challenge of a £300,000 prize (amongst 700 people!) to become
one of Europe’s lowest carbon communities. And that could be
forfeited if they succumb to cranking those old diesel generators
back into action.
Electrical Review August 2010
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POWER CABLES
Infit technology improves
BY ARNAUD FIRE-RESISTANT cables play a crucial role in applications
where it is essential to ensure the integrity and continuity
PIECHACZYK, of vital safety circuits during the critical building
evacuation and fire fighting periods required by stringent
R&D GROUP national and international standards. In many cases, the
LEADER, NEXANS need for cables that can deliver the required levels of
performance, reliability and safety has forced designers
INTERNATIONAL and installers of electrical systems to compromise on
RESEARCH other desirable properties regarding ease of handling and
installation.
CENTER Now though, a major advance in the materials science
related to the properties of the cable insulation – called
Infit – is making it possible to produce new families of
electrical power and data cables with outstanding fire
resistance using classical extrusion methods. The result is
a user friendly cable that offers the ‘best of both worlds’.
Eliminating the need to chose between insulation
technologies
Until now, the cable industry has mainly relied on two
major technologies to insure the integrity of flexible cable
insulation during a fire: XLPE/Mica taping and ceramic
forming silicone rubbers.
Each of these technologies presents a number of
advantages. The classical insulation taping based on Mica,
and largely used since the 80s, can easily be implemented
on an industrial scale to provide a tough, effective
electrical insulation when overlaid with a cross-linked
polyethylene (XLPE) coating. It is strong but stiff to handle,
The microstructure of the
Infit insulation after a fire
(magnified 5000 X in an
electron microscope)
On the left, the Infit
insulation after a fire and
on the right, conventional
insulation
10
so can present some installation difficulties.
On the other hand, silicone rubber insulation can be
extruded directly on to the conductors, and offers a good
compromise between fire performance and ease of
installation thanks to its flexibility. It is, however,
vulnerable to cuts and tears.
Increasing customer demands for improved fire
performance, together with strippability, ease of
installation and connection prompted Nexans to search
for a new insulation technology that could offer all these
benefits.
Infit transforms into a tough insulating ceramic
layer
Infit is a unique, proprietary innovative technology that
combines, in a polymeric material, the advantages offered
by both the tough mica tapes layer and the extruded
silicone insulation layer. This now enables the manufacture
of fire-performance cables that are both tough and easy to
handle as well as being easy to strip and install.
Infit technology offers enhanced fire-performance
because when the insulation is exposed to fire, it
transforms from a flexible, plastic covering to a tough
insulating ceramic layer, hardening like clay in a potter’s
oven to form a protective shield. The key to the success of
the new insulation has been in using advanced materials
and polymer science to optimize the nanostructure of the
primary insulation materials. A combination has been
found that reduces the occurrence of cracks or breaks in
the insulation to preserve the operational integrity of the
circuit i.e. preventing short-circuits.
Extensive laboratory tests have shown that cables with
Infit insulation will to continue to deliver power in the
event of a fire, long after the plastic sheath and insulation
have burnt away. This means, for example, exit lighting,
smoke and heat exhaust ventilators, fans or pumps will
still function reliably, even in areas directly affected by fire,
ensuring safe evacuation.
The science part
The new technology is the result of some ten years of
development by the Nexans International Research Centre
based in Lyon, France, working in close partnership with
the Australian Nexans R&D Centre. The successful
outcome of the project has been based on fundamental
studies that especially highlight the synergy between
ceramic science and the latest polymer science.
In classic ceramic science, a well defined curing process
is followed to form a high performance ceramic. Yet, in
Electrical Review August 2010
Power cables Nexans OK.qxd:Layout 1 22/7/10 12:07
electrical
cable FIRE SAFETY
the case of accidental fire, the temperature increase is
sudden and unmanaged. So the first challenge was to
develop a ceramic forming system able to react and form
an electrical insulating shield in a very short time across a
wide range of temperature increases, while also exhibiting a
high level of electrical insulation.
The second parallel challenge was to achieve this
performance using an extrudable formulated polymeric
material, rather than a powder, that was also suitable for the
very demanding standards of the cable industry. As a result,
Infit technology is principally based on filled copolymers of
polyolefins (like polyethylene). This kind of polymeric matrix
is well adapted to the extrusion process, and well known in
the cable industry - but it is also intrinsically highly
combustible. However, Infit uses the synergy between this
combustible matrix and a mixture of inorganic fillers to
create a new insulating material that offers superior fire-
performance.
www.electricalreview.co.uk
Page 3
POWER CABLES
Infit applications
Depending on the specific cable application, the new
insulation material can be offered in either a cross-linked or
thermoplastic version. This will enable cables to offer the
ideal combination of fire, mechanical, electrical or thermal
properties optimized for each application.
Infit is a proprietary Nexans technology, and can be
implemented in compliance with many worldwide cable
standards, and according to the most rigorous product
quality and safety criteria. Nexans cables insulated with Infit
can, for example, resist fires reaching temperatures of
around 1,000°C, at voltages up to 1kV, exhibiting a high
level of char cohesion and electrical insulation.
Infit is gradually being deployed across the Nexans fire
resistant product ranges. This will include power,
communications, control and LAN cables for use in public
building and industrial applications and it is expected to be
of particular interest to the marine sector.
11
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POWER CABLES
WHEN A POWER SERVICE ENGINEER IS CALLED OUT TO DEAL WITH A LOSS OF SUPPLY ON A
CUSTOMER’S HV DISTRIBUTION NETWORK, THE CHANCES ARE IT WILL BE TRACED TO A FAULTY
UNDERGROUND CABLE THAT HAS CAUSED A DEVICE – SUCH AS A CIRCUIT BREAKER – TO
OPERATE AND CUT-OFF THE POWER. DANNY O’TOOLE, ABB POWER SERVICE, EXPLAINS

SIMply the best for locating

UNDERGROUND cable faults
A CABLE in good condition and installed correctly can last
a lifetime – well over 30 years. However, cables can be
easily damaged by incorrect installation or poorly
The surge executed jointing, while subsequent third party damage
generator used as by civils works such as trenching or curb edging is also
part of the SIM another main cause of damage.
fault location Service engineers are usually equipped with a suite of
technique test equipment that enables them to perform an
immediate on site check on the
key network elements of
switchgear, transformers and
cables. If the fault is identified
in a cable, as it often is, and the
network is interconnected, they
are then able to sectionalise the
problem circuit to restore
power to as much of the
network as possible, bringing in
additional generation if
necessary. The next task is to
locate the position of the
underground cable fault as
accurately as possible, since this
makes it easier to find and repair so that the full network
can be restored quickly.
ABB has developed a fault location regime that has
proved very accurate in locating underground cable
faults in both modern XLPE type cables and older
PILCSWA (paper insulated lead covered steel wire
armoured) designs. Fault location is usually carried out
The higher the DC on cable networks up to 11 kV, however the techniques
voltage applied can be applied on cables up to 33 kV.
The main technique employed is the SIM (secondary
the louder the impulse method) that combines the use of classic high
voltage surge generator thumping with low voltage TDR
resulting thump, (time domain reflectometry). To see how this works, it is
and the easier it useful to consider the merits of the individual techniques.
becomes to find Cable thumping
The high voltage surge generator, or thumper, is a
the fault portable device that is used to inject a high voltage DC
pulse (typically up to 30 kV) at the surface termination of
the cable to be tested. If the voltage is high enough to
cause the underground fault to break down it creates an
arc, resulting in a characteristic thumping sound at the
exact location of the fault.
Historically, fault location was carried out by various
measuring techniques and by setting the surge generator
to thump repeatedly, and then walking the cable route
until the thump could be heard. At which point ‘x’ would
mark the spot to start digging. Naturally, the higher the
DC voltage applied the louder the resulting thump and
the easier it becomes to find the fault. If the cable is long
it could take days to locate a fault by this method. During
which time the cable is exposed to potentially damaging
high voltage thumping. So while the existing fault might
be located, other areas of the cable could have been
weakened in the process. Statistically, cables that have
been thumped tend to fail sooner than would otherwise
have been expected.
TDR
TDR (time domain reflectometry) uses a pulse echo range
finding technique, similar to that used by sonar systems,
to measure the distance to changes in the cable structure.
It works by transmitting short duration low voltage (up to
50 V) pulses at a high repetition rate into the cable and
measuring the time taken for them to reflect back from
areas where the cable has low impedance, such as at a
fault. The reflections are traced on a graphical display
with amplitude on the y-axis and elapsed time, which
can be related to the distance to the position of the fault,
on the x-axis.
A cable in perfect condition will not cause any
reflections until the very end, when the pulse encounters
an open circuit (high impedance) that results in a high
amplitude upward deflection on the trace. If the cable
end is grounded ie a short circuit, the trace will show a
high amplitude negative deflection.
Low voltage TDR works very well for the location of
open circuit faults and conductor-to conductor shorts.
However, for shielded power cables, it becomes very
difficult to distinguish faults with a resistance higher than
20 ohms. Unfortunately, the majority of faults in

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POWER CABLES
underground distribution cables are high resistance
faults in the area of thousands of ohms or even
megaohms.
SIM
The SIM (secondary impulse method) technique
combines low voltage TDR and a thumper in an
integrated system that makes the trace easier to
interpret, with a clear indication of the fault location on
a handheld display.
The process starts by running a TDR test on a healthy
core, this is then stored in the SIM system memory. The
thumper is then triggered to send a single HV pulse, and
while the arc is forming at the fault the TDR sends a
further low voltage pulse. The arc acts as a very low
impedance point that
causes the pulse to
reflect in exactly the
same way that it would
from a short circuit. The
handheld display
combines the two traces
and the fault location is
shown as a large
negative dip, with its
distance easily read off
on the x-axis.
SIM enables a fault to
be located to within a
Top: Listening equipment is used to few metres, even over
locate the ‘thump’ that indicates the very long cable runs of several kilometres. Of course,
precise position of the cable fault underground cables do not always take the shortest or
after the SIM technique has guided
most direct route between two points, so it is important
the service engineer to the general
area to have access to the site cable records. In cases where a
map of the cable route is not available a radio-detection
Bottom: Silverstone Circuit where system can be used to find the cable, but this could add
cable fault location helped find and
a considerable amount of time to the exercise. ABB
repair a major outage in the run up
to the British Grand Prix would always advise customers to make a detailed
record of their underground cable circuits a priority in
their maintenance planning.
The graph shows a typical SIM trace. The dip indicates the location of the fault that can be read off
on the x-axis as the distance from the end of the cable
Once the target area above ground has been
identified, the surge generator is turned on to start
thumping the cable. The operator then listens for the
thump to home in on the precise location of the fault –
this approach minimises the amount of time that the
cable is thumped, eliminating the risk of further damage.
The next step is to bring in the repair team to dig up the
cable, make a visual confirmation of the problem and
then effect a repair.
The time taken to locate a fault by SIM varies
according to each case, but will typically take around
half a day.
Fast track fault location for Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit, located on the border between
Northants and Buckinghamshire, has its own high
voltage power network comprising 17 11kV/433V
substations that provide local power supplies at key
points around the three-mile track. ABB has a long-
standing service contract for the network to provide
ongoing maintenance and repair services including a
fast call-out response in the event of a fault.
At 6am on 1 July 2008 the ABB duty stand-by
engineer fielded an emergency call saying that there
was a major outage, with a total loss of power to half
the site. In normal circumstances this would be a cause
for concern. With the British Grand Prix taking place on
the Sunday and hospitality organisers and traders
already setting up on site, the loss of power threatened
to cause significant disruption.
Within an hour, an engineer was on site. After
establishing the fault was on Silverstone’s own network
they opened discussions with Central Networks, the local
DNO (distribution network operator) to organise
reinstatement of supply. A thorough test and inspection
showed the problem was not due to faulty switchgear,
but was cable related. So ABB’s specialised cable fault
location vehicle was called to the site together with
spare cable and joints.
While waiting for the fault location vehicle, the fault
was successfully sectionalised so that it was isolated
from the rest of the network, ensuring it couldn’t cause
any further loss of power. This step enabled Central
Networks to restore full power to the rest of the site at
around 9.00am.
The fault location vehicle arrived at 10am, and in less
than two hours the cable fault was located to an area
beneath the tarmac base under a hospitality marquee
erected for the F1 Paddock Club.
The next stage was to expose the identified section of
cable for a visual verification of the damage. A further
10m of trench was then exposed to enable a new
section of cable to be jointed into place. By 10pm, the
jointing operation was finished, pressure tested,
energised and phasing proved so that power could be
restored to this local section of the network. All that
remained was for the trench to be backfilled and
recovered by tarmac. So what might have caused very
severe disruption in Silverstone’s busiest week of the
year effectively became a minor incident.

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ARC FLASH
AN ARC FLASH OR ARC BLAST INCIDENT IS A KIND OF LIGHTNING IN AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT
THAT RESULTS FROM A FAULT IN A HIGH CURRENT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, REGARDLESS
WHETHER THIS IS A LOW, MEDIUM, OR HIGH VOLTAGE SYSTEM. THE ‘LIGHTNING’ COMES
FROM IONIZED DAS, SO CALLED PLASMA, EXPLAINS CHRIS ROSS OF J&K ROSS

Protection of eyes and face

from ARC FLASH injury –
Do we really understand this?
AN ARC FLASH can be hotter than the surface of the Surfaces of nearby people and objects absorb this
sun. Typically, the arc flash is triggered, for example, energy and are instantly heated to vaporising
when a short circuit occurs in electrical switch gear, temperatures. The effects of this can be seen on
often during maintenance work. An arc flash can adjacent walls and equipment; they are often
only occur if the fault ablated and eroded from the radiant effects.
current is very high – Globally accepted studies with regard to the
several tens of distribution of thermal injuries have shown apart
thousands amps. The from the hands, the head and face are top of the list
massive energy of this concerning ranking.
released in the fault Plastic shields manufactured from polycarbonate,
instantly vaporises the propionate or acetate providing sufficient thickness
metal conductors can protect against:
involved, blasting L Conventional heat (the plasma heat ball)
molten metal and L Fragments (primarily or secondarily released by
expanding plasma the explosion)
outward with extreme L Molten particles (e.g. from electrodes, “arc feet”)
force. In addition to However they are designed to let electromagnetic
the explosive blasts of radiation pass through. With ultra-violet filters (UV
such a fault, much of blocker) a part of this tremendous energy can be
the deconstruction absorbed but scientific findings have proved that this
arises from the intense is by far not enough. The intensity of visible light is
radiant heat produced high enough too irreversibly injure human eyes and
the infra-red (IR) radiation can burn eyes and skin.
For optimal protection we need an ‘intelligent’ face
protection providing:
L Contrast enhancement
L High visible light transmission (up to VLT 70%)
L True colour impression for a broad range of visi-
ble light. Under normal circumstances the highest
possible absorption of radiation from UV to IR.
By using the innovative process of ablation the
by the arc. proprietary ablative materials absorb the arc flash’s
Everybody energy layer by layer through a controlled
knows artificial dissociation process and make the Arc Shield™ give
electrical arcs up its surface. Subsequently, Paulson improved this
from arc welding protection mechanism by using nanotechnology; a
– physically seen further significant milestone following years of
– an arc flash is intensive research and testing.
the same but with magnitudes of higher intensity.
The metal plasma arc produces tremendous amounts For further information visit
Caption
of light energy from far infrared to ultraviolet. www.arcflashprotection.co.uk
Caption

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ARC FLASH
Methodical process for risk
IDENTIFICATION
It is not sufficient to
decide to work live
and then devise
preventative or
protection measures
Note the relationship between
assessment and decisions is
interdependent
18
22/7/10 15:12 Page 2
MIKE FRAIN OF ELECTRICAL SAFETY UK, EXAMINES LIVE
WORKING ON LOW VOLTAGE SYSTEMS IN INDUSTRIAL AND
COMMERCIAL FACILITIES; DETAILING A METHODICAL PROCESS
FOR IDENTIFYING THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH LIVE
WORKING AND THE METHODS FOR CONTROLLING THEM.
FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I believe Regulation 14 from the
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, referring to live
working, is often misunderstood and sometimes
overlooked. The duty holder is asked to apply a rigorous
test of reasonableness in allowing live work to proceed in
the first place, and to prevent injury by taking suitable
precautions. It must be stressed that Regulation 14
requirements are ‘absolute’ which means it must be met
regardless of cost or any other consideration. With this in
mind it makes it very important that any live operation
must be subject to a suitable and sufficient risk
assessment.
Regulation 14 - Work on or near live conductors
A person shall not be engaged in any work activity on or
so near any live conductor (other than one suitably
covered with insulating material so as to prevent danger)
that danger may arise unless
(a) it is unreasonable in all circumstances for it to be dead;
and
(b) it is reasonable in all circumstances for him to be at
work on or near it while it is live; and
(c) suitable precautions (including where necessary the
provision of suitable protective equipment) are taken
to prevent injury.
Before we move on, let me highlight a few of the
important words from Regulation 14.
Near. This word debunks the myth live working only
means those activities that require the manipulation or the
removal/replacement of live conductors and components.
Live work can also mean live testing and testing for dead.
It can also mean the opening of control panel doors to
undertake visual examinations or undertake non electrical
work near energised equipment. I find that most live
working in industrial and commercial facilities is confined
to testing, inspections and running adjustments.
Suitably. This word completely changes the meaning of
the opening sentence. I often hear when conductors are
insulated through finger safe shrouding or cable
insulation then live work can proceed with no further
precautions necessary. I can name several examples of
incidents in switchgear which was finger safe or of Form
4 construction. It is the task or activity near live conductors
which will determine whether the insulation is suitable or
not. An armoured and insulated underground cable may
be suitably covered with insulation where its presence is
known and careful location and hand dig techniques are
adopted but would not be suitable using a jack hammer
without safe dig techniques. Finger safe shrouding,
providing it hasn’t been removed, may be suitable
insulation for routine testing but may not be suitable for
the task of drawing in of cables into switchgear
enclosures or other similar invasive tasks.
And. Parts a) b) and c) are separated by the word ‘and’
which means there is a legal requirement for all parts of
the regulation to be satisfied before live work can be
permitted.
Danger and Injury. Danger and injury are highlighted in
bold and are specifically defined in the guidance
documents referred to in this article. Briefly, danger means
risk of injury, and injury means death or personal injury
from electrical shock, burns or explosion and arcing. For
live working, danger may be present but injury must be
prevented.
As an electrical duty holder who may be vexed by the
Electrical Review August 2010
Arc flash p18,19, 20,21.qxd:Layout 1 22/7/10 15:12 Page 3

questions posed in regulation 14 where do you look for

help? Firstly there is the Memorandum of Guidance (HSR
25) published by the HSE. This is usually purchased
instead of a separate copy of the actual regulations, to
assist with the interpretation of each of the regulations in
turn. In addition there is the guidance booklet HSG85
Electricity at Work – Safe Working Practices, also available
from HSE Books. Further guidance can be obtained from
the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk.
I find HSG85 Electricity at Work – Safe Working
Practices is particularly helpful in the decision making
process for working live or dead. Simple flowcharts are a
feature of this document and one such flowchart is
shown below.
It is not my intention to repeat verbatim the advice
given in the existing guidance notes but to further expand
on this decision making process and to emphasise a
methodical process for identifying the risks and the
methods for controlling them. I have used the following
model many times with duty holders to explain the
relationship between the live/dead working decision, task,
identification and quantification of the hazard and
preventative measures to be taken. As can be seen, this Steps to Identify and Assess the Risks and Methods Fig 1. Diagram reproduced
relationship is an interdependent one. It is not sufficient for Controlling them. from HSG85 Electricity at
to decide firstly to work live and then devise preventative The live working decision flow chart Figure 1 illustrates that Work - Safe Working
or protection measures. a critical part of decision making is the identification of risks Practices under PSI license
To further clarify this relationship, a decision for work to and the methods for controlling them. I find it useful to no C2010000923
proceed cannot be taken in isolation to other factors. The break this down into a four step process as follows.
level of hazard and also the availability and effectiveness STEP 1: Equipment and shock hazard
of preventative or protective measures will also need to STEP 2: Electrical flashover
be considered. This is all directly affected by the work STEP 3: People and safe systems of work
task. STEP 4: Environment

www.electricalreview.co.uk 19
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ARC FLASH
STEP 1 – Equipment and shock hazard
Has the equipment been checked and is it in a safe
condition? Check whether the equipment to be worked
upon has been examined and in a safe condition for
work. Live work should never be permitted where there
are any doubts about the safety of cables and electrical
equipment being worked upon or even adjacent to those
being worked upon. The examination can be visual but
also using other senses such as smell and hearing to
detect burning or electrical discharge.
Signs of vermin or birds inside switchgear or water
ingress is a definite prompt to stop and investigate only
when the switchgear is dead and isolated. Approaches
should never be made to cables damaged by site traffic or
excavation.
Is the equipment finger safe? If the equipment is in a
safe condition the next step is to consider whether the
equipment is finger safe. If the equipment is not finger
safe, can measures such as temporary shrouding be used
to prevent contact with live parts? The term ‘finger safe’ is
defined as no exposed live parts that can be accessed by
solid objects greater than 12.5mm as given by IP rating
IP2X.
Do not rely purely on the original specification of the
equipment. Insulation is often removed and not replaced.
If it is not finger safe, or other measures cannot be
introduced to prevent contact with live parts then carry
out the work dead.
Are tools, instruments and leads checked fit for
purpose? If measures to prevent contact with live parts
can be implemented, are tools, instruments and leads
checked fit for purpose? Tools and instruments must be
of the correct duty rating and their condition must be
checked especially test leads. It is important correct
instruments and leads should be selected and in
particular the correct over voltage installation category in
accordance with EN61010-1. The wrong meter and leads
can increase the chances of electric shock or the initiation
of an electrical flashover due to transient over voltage.
Most instrument manufacturers publish guidance about
overvoltage on their websites.
Are you sure the equipment is designed for live
operation? There seems to be some opinion that because
electrical components ‘plug in’ then this operation can be
carried out live. Examples of such components are plug in
circuit breakers or bus bar trunking tap off units. Always
contact the equipment manufacturer if such a live
operation is contemplated. You may find the equipment
has been designed for flexibility rather than for live
Do not rely purely on operation and the manufacturer may discourage such
activities.
the original
specification of the STEP 2 – Electrical flashover or arc flash
Is there a significant risk of burns from electrical
equipment. Insulation flashover? I have authored several articles on the subject
of electrical flashover in Electrical Review and they can be
is often removed and accessed at www.electricalreview.co.uk. In brief, the
severity of the thermal effects of an electrical arcing event
not replaced
is usually expressed in units of calories per square
centimetre at the working distance from a potential arc
20
source and the head and torso of the worker. This is called
incident energy and a level of 1.2 cal/cm2 is sufficient to
predict a 50% chance of the onset of a second degree
burn.
Incident energy has an approximate linear relationship
firstly; to the amount of current that can flow in the arc
and secondly to the time that it can flow before the
upstream protective device clears the fault. Note that
arcing current does not equal prospective fault current
(PFC) and at 400 volts is likely to be less than 50% of PFC.
It follows the upstream device may take longer to operate
with resulting higher levels of incident energy. Keep in
mind also, protective devices need to be maintained to
ensure they will operate according to their time current
characteristic.
When undertaking arc flash studies for industrial and
commercial facilities, I have found, where the upstream
protective device is a conventional fuse or fast acting
fixed pattern circuit breaker at a rating less than 100
amperes and the voltage is at 400 volts 3 phase and
below, then the incident energy levels will be limited. A
rule of thumb is to use the good old BS88 Industrial
fuse as a model. If the entire time/current characteristic
curve of the upstream device can sit below a BS88 100
ampere characteristic curve, the incident energy at a
working distance of 450mm is unlikely to exceed
1.2cal/cm2. This does not mean flash burn injury can be
totally discounted and severe burns can still be
experienced particularly at the hands which will usually
be closer any arc initiated when testing live circuits. For
comparison, a BS88 400 ampere fuse could present a
predicted *20 cal/cm2 at certain fault levels and an 800
ampere fuse could be in excess of *60cal/cm2.
*Note these figures are for indicative purposes only, not
to be used in a risk assessment.
Suitable risk control measures must be employed and
as a last resort PPE should always be used. In the case
of the 800 ampere fuse, PPE is unlikely to fully protect
the worker because of the possible ballistic and other
effects of a flashover. Regardless of tasks, I recommend
electrical workers should not carry out work in high
power environments in clothing that can ignite or melt.
If the incident energy at the equipment to be worked
on is over 1.2 cal/cm2, then can it be reduced to below
1.2 cal/cm2? As an alternative, can risk controls be put
in place to prevent or mitigate arc flash effects and are
they adequate? Please refer to my recent articles,
available on the Electrical Review web site. If the
answer is no to both questions then proceed no further
until advice is sought or carry out the work dead.
STEP 3 – People and safe systems of work
Are the workers competent for the task? Regulation 16
from the EAW Regulations 1989 states: “A person shall not
be engaged in any work activity where technical
knowledge or experience is necessary to prevent danger
or, where appropriate, injury, unless he possesses such
knowledge or experience, or is under such degree of
supervision as may be appropriate for that purpose
having regard to the nature of the work.”
Electrical Review August 2010
Arc flash p18,19, 20,21.qxd:Layout 1 22/7/10 15:12
In the context of live work, technical knowledge or
experience means the person should be properly trained
and assessed in the techniques being employed but the
person must also understand the hazards from the
electrical system and be able to recognise whether it is
safe for the work to continue at all times including whilst
the work is being carried out.
Is the work to be carried out at height? Working on live
equipment at height is always a special case for
consideration for two reasons:
1. Electric shock or arc flash to a worker at height can
bring about a fall with obvious consequences.
2. An arc flash incident whilst working at height may
mean that the worker cannot move out of the way
because of the limited working space on access
equipment. This may be the work platform of a scaffold
or a mobile elevated work platform.
If the work has to be carried out at height, can risk
control measures to prevent shock, burns and falls be put
in place?
Is Accompaniment Required? Anyone undertaking
work on or near energised electrical conductors will nearly
always require some form of accompaniment by someone
who can give assistance in an emergency. This implies a
degree of competence such that the accompanying
person can assist without danger to themselves or others.
A requirement for a second person is to ensure safe
working procedures e.g. preventing encroachment of non-
authorised personnel into the working area.
STEP 4 – Environment
Is access and space adequate? Establish whether the
access and space in front of the equipment is adequate to
allow the worker to pull back from the conductors without
hazard. HSG85 mentions a minimum 915mm measured
from a live part or 1375mm when there are live parts
exposed on both sides of the worker. The working space
may need to be greater than these minimum distances as
a result of the electrical flashover assessment in Step 2.
The work area should be clearly defined, with no
www.electricalreview.co.uk
Page 5
ARC FLASH
tripping and slipping hazards and with good means of
escape and illumination. Simple barriers and signs can
often be erected for the demarcation of work areas to
keep non-authorised staff away and also to protect
electrical workers from interruptions at times when they
need concentration.
Is lighting adequate? It is also important to check
whether lighting levels are adequate for work as well as
another requirement in Regulation 15. Use of additional
lighting is essential where ambient lighting levels are
poor.
Are hazardous conditions
present? Check to ensure the
Recommended Further Reading
immediate environment is free
HSR25 Memorandum of Guidance on the Electricity
from water or dust. A hostile or
at Work Regulations 1989 (HSE books)
wet environment will
significantly increase the risk and HSG85 Electricity at Work - Safe Working Practices
severity of electric shock and (HSE books)
should therefore be subject of
special consideration to control INDG163REV2 Five Steps to Risk Assessment (HSE
books)
the risks. Ensuring there is no
possibility of an ignition hazard INDG 354 Safety in Electrical Testing at Work (HSE
due to sparks is crucial. If there is books)
a possibility of an ignition
hazard, take precautions to GS38 Electrical Test Equipment for use by Electri-
remove the hazard before cians (HSE books)
proceeding. There may other
Guidance on Safe Isolation Procedures for Low
local environmental hazards that Voltage Installations (Electrical Safety Council)
may need to be taken into
account such as automatic fire HSG230 Keeping Electrical Switchgear Safe (HSE
fighting equipment. Books)
Proceeding with work
After all 4 steps are satisfied, then revisit the flowchart in
Figure 1 and confirm the work is justified relative to the
precautions, implement safe working and ensure
adequate monitoring and supervision. Make sure any
special equipment and PPE is properly used and
maintained and always keep the duration of any live work
to a minimum.
21
UPS OK.qxd:Layout 1 21/7/10 16:27 Page 28
UPS
THE NEED TO PROTECT IT EQUIPMENT FROM THE EFFECTS OF POWER TRANSIENTS, AS WELL AS
TO PROVIDE ASSURED OPERATION DURING POWER OUTAGES IS EVIDENCED BY THE STEADY
GROWTH IN SALES OF UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLIES (UPS) UP TO THE GLOBAL
DOWNTURN OF 2008 – 9 (IMS RESEARCH). AS MARKETS START TO BOUNCE BACK POST
GLOBAL DOWNTURN, THE SALES OF UPS EQUIPMENT HAS STARTED TO RECOVER AND ARE
PREDICTED TO RETURN TO REAL GROWTH DURING THE COMING 2 – 3 YEARS. MICHAEL
ADAMS, GLOBAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR DATA AND IT AT AEG POWER SOLUTIONS, EXPLAINS
SuperCap UPS: fast response,
compact, LONG LIFE
WITH IT central to the successful operations of most modern
organisations, the UPS has a central position in the critical
physical infrastructure which supports servers, storage and
communications equipment, and which ensures continuity of
services during all local mains conditions.
Recently, escalating energy costs and increasing concern
about the carbon footprint of organisational power
requirements, has driven the need to consider alternative
back-up technologies and evaluate their effectiveness to
ensure ‘business as usual’ has become pressing.
Pressure on IT and facility managers to utilise green
technologies, especially in Western Europe, continues to
grow. In addition to the environmental benefits associated
with lower carbon footprint, green technologies bring with
them lower operating expenses by virtue of their more
efficient operation and ability to deliver ‘more with less’, i.e.,
more compute cycles from less energy.
As a discipline, energy storage technology has acquired
new levels of prominence as methods are sought to
overcome intermittency issues associated with solar and
wind power generation. Smart grid concepts are being
Michael Adams tested which are likely to promote an increasing trend
towards distributed power generation combining traditional
Pressure on IT power sources with renewable or green power sources.
The eco-friendly storage industry is currently small, but
and facility solutions are either on the verge of commercialisation, or are
starting to experience mainstream uptake. But another
managers to wrinkle is posed by the fact the choice of energy storage
utilise green solutions is highly application-specific, as it varies as per
application and requirement of the end-user.
technologies, Supercapacitors, or SuperCaps, are not a new concept and
their effects were first noted in the late 1950s. Consequently,
especially in the technology is well established; has experienced significant
Western Europe, advances over the last 10 to 15 years and has also seen
recent reductions in cost. At the moment, supercapacitors
continues to grow have been successfully adopted in three different sectors;
transportation, industrial and consumer electronics.
22
Why should we consider SuperCaps in UPS
applications?
SuperCaps core technology is environmentally friendly and
offers a high power density (4000W/kg). It has low internal
resistance (ESR) and can operate in a wide temperature
range which is very useful for data centres. The systems
also offer a low total cost of ownership (TCO) and are
capable of over one million cycles and offer instant
recharging.
There is no doubt there have been significant
developments with battery technology over the years, but
despite all these advances, they all suffer from the same
basic problem in that they utilise a chemical reaction. This
means they suffer from a limited life, and can only operate
in a limited temperature range.
In addition, traditional batteries that experience constant
high demands for current, have a shortened operational
lifespan. Therefore in order to ensure reliability and long
lasting cover, facility managers are forced to deal with
higher maintenance costs.
It is well known batteries die after a period of time, and
need replacing on average, every two, five or seven years.
Any technology that can offer a longer lifetime, so that
users do not have to spend their precious budget
repeatedly on replacement batteries, will prove to be a big
incentive.
The SuperCap UPS provides a useful alternative solution
in this context as it is ideally suited to provide a short-term
‘bridge’ power until standby power generation equipment
kicks in. As the SuperCap industry continues to experience
a lot of R&D and maturation, SuperCap UPS systems are
now becoming highly competitive with, and in many cases
superior to, older bridge technologies.
TCO Considerations
Offering a wide temperature range, long life, and flexible
voltage range, SuperCaps provide an extremely reliable
Electrical Review August 2010
ER AD PAGE:Layout 1 26/7/10 15:10 Page 2
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UPS
The very high life cycle life of a
SuperCaps UPS means, unlike lead
acid batteries, there will likely be
little or no need for constant
replacement
Pros and Cons of the Supercap UPS
(Maxwell Technologies)
solution for bridge power.
The very high cycle life of a SuperCaps UPS means
unlike lead acid batteries, there will likely be little or no
need for constant replacement. The facility to repeatedly
charge and discharge for up to a million cycles without
disintegrating, means the lifetime cost of the SuperCap is
expected to break even with lead acid batteries.
Longevity is helped by the fact their high power density
results in reduced strain on the battery in times of need.
Another major consideration is the fact the SuperCap also
has the ability to recharge instantaneously, in a few seconds.
This is really useful in data centres, to help cut power costs
associated with keeping batteries charged.
Another important factor is the ability of SuperCaps to
offer versatile functioning in a wide temperature range,
dramatically reducing cooling costs. This is because the
function of a SuperCap does not require a chemical
reaction, and therefore, does not involve an optimal
temperature range for best performance or longevity.
It has been estimated the supercap can be used from -
40°C to +70°C, without degradation in its performance
characteristics. This is in stark contrast to the lead-acid
battery, which when used in industrial applications, almost
always requires a mechanically cooled environment.
Pros and Cons
The SuperCap is green in two ways. Firstly, it reduces waste
because it has a very high cycle life, and therefore decreases
disposal issues. Secondly, the materials and substances used
in the SuperCap UPS are toxin free and biodegradable, e.g.,
nano carbon particles are commonly used. They can operate
in a wide temperature range without any degradation of
performance characteristics, and it also has the ability to
recharge instantaneously in a few seconds.
SuperCaps are ideal energy storage devices for fast and
short-term peak power delivery, which is why they are so
suited for UPS systems. They are also more efficient than
conventional batteries as they do not release any thermal
heat during discharge, and various figures have shown that
they operate at around 80% - 95% efficiency in most
applications.
SuperCaps also take up much less room compared to
lead-acid batteries, and indeed weigh less as well, which
can be an important factor in certain situations or locations.
The table below contrasts the pros and cons of SuperCaps
with traditional UPS technology.
Conclusion
There is no doubt the industrial market needs an energy
storage solution that is both reliable, and can offer a quality
service. SuperCaps offer high power density, cycle life, and
thermal susceptibility, and the increasing adoption of
renewable energy expands the possibilities of using
SuperCap-based technology.
Frost and Sullivan points out the total world
ultracapacitor (SuperCap) market had generated revenues
of $113.1m (£75m) in 2008 and is likely to reach $381.9
(£250m) by 2015. It feels this market has witnessed growth
(despite the economic situation) due to the great interest in
propelling alternative energy storage mechanisms by
governments. Indeed, Europe has given the highest priority
to any environmentally friendly technology and has a
proud tradition of being one of the first global markets to
accept new technology and consider its applicability in
various solutions.
The high price of oil, coupled with high electricity costs,
the need for devices that can reduce the power burden of
a data centre represents a significant opportunity. The
increasing use of supercap technology within the
transportation industry will also serve to spur new
developments and help drive down the initial cost of
ownership.

Pro Con

A SuperCaps UPS is green and does not contain toxic materials Despite their indefinite life cycle, SuperCaps have the ability to provide only very
short-term power
Can operate in a wide temperature range, without a degradation in its High initial cost of ownership. Supercaps are more expensive than flywheel, as it is
performance characteristics still in its nascent stage of commercialisation
Do not release any thermal heat during discharge End users are unable to perceive or experience the true advantages of this
technology due to early stages of take-up and lack of awareness
A SuperCaps UPS is much more efficient than a conventional battery Lack of industry standards to regulate and stimulate full commercialisation of the
technology. Design time is longer, which results in a longer lead time to get a
product ready for the end user
Ideal energy storage device for fast and short-term peak power delivery, for The SuperCaps UPS is unable currently to store as much energy as a battery
indefinite cycles. because there are no chemical reactions taking place that can sustain the slow
discharge of current to power equipment
Up to 20 years lifespan -
Reduced footprint compared to lead-acid batteries, and also weighs less -
Scalable-modular nature that make it well suited for many applications -
A SuperCaps UPS, used strictly as a bridge, has high power density that is well -
suited to supply high power for short periods of say around 30-100 seconds
Flexible voltage range -
A SuperCaps UPS is inherently reliable because of its composition and construction. -
There are no mechanical moving parts, eliminating maintenance
Capable of sitting on a charge voltage for extended periods without any loss of -
capacity, unlike a battery
Development of the technology is being pushed by massive industry heavyweights -
in the transportation sector. Honda for example has developed its own supercaps
for its vehicles

24 Electrical Review August 2010

Prods:Layout 1 26/7/10 16:44 Page 25

PROTECT MISSION CRITICAL APPLICATIONS

PRODUCT WATCH
The PowerGem Pro Series has been upgraded with the latest DSP technology to
provide a new Online Double Conversion range from the British Power Conversion
Company. Available in both tower and rackmount configurations from 1kVA up to
10kVA is an advanced True Sinewave design combined with our unique isolation
technology to give you a UPS with all the flexibility and dependability you need.
These modern, compact UPS have an enviable reputation in providing the
ultimate in no-break power protection making them ideal for sophisticated
computer networks, as well as telecommunications, industrial, defence, medical and process control equipment.
This new range achieves higher reliability and greater immunity from mains power problems to the connected
load by using a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). The front LCD panel display provides real time status and PRE-TERMINATED MULTI-
parameter readings allowing simple operation and a full diagnosis for easy servicing. FIBRE TRUNK CABLE
BPC EMEA ASSEMBLIES
01794 521200 Now available from the Amp Netconnect
business unit of Tyco Electronics is a range of
www.bpc-ups.com multi-fibre trunk cable assemblies in a
variety of configurations.
PROVING UNIT LAUNCH The new cables are factory terminated
It is a recommendation of the HSE given in guidance note GS38 that voltage indicators should be proved and tested in custom length options up to
before use and after use. 500 m initially available with 12 fibres as
The Portable battery powered proving unit PU260 has been introduced by Di-Log to carry out this vital OM3 multi-mode and OS2 single-mode
check function for all makes of two pole voltage testers up to 690 V. versions and a choice of LC-LC or SC-SC
In addition to proving the correct functioning and voltage output a voltage tester the PU260 ha a number connectors. They can be used as pre-
of unique features which have not been previously found on this type of unit. terminated links for quick deployment or cut
• Continuity test for testing: fuses, test leads etc in half to create fibre harness links.
• Additional touch electrode for quick testing of fuse leads Each cable ends in a staggered fan-out
• Optical and acoustic continuity indication assembly with 2 mm buffered tubes with
• Low battery indication protective tube over the connectors. Cable
• LED indication of current output in excess of 3.5 mA jacket features internal and external ULSZH
• Protective rubber holster (Universal Low Smoke Zero Halogen)
• Supplied with batteries construction.
Di Log Test Equipment Tyco Electronics UK
0161 877 0322 020 8420 8130
www.dilog.co.uk www.tycoelectronics.com

SUPPORT FOR SAFETY- RELATED
MACHINE CONTROL
Designed to provide developers and testers of
safety-related machine controls with comprehensive
support in the evaluation of safety in the context of EN
ISO 13849-1, Sistema software is available for
download on www.wielandsafety.net. Sistema stands
for safety integrity software tool for the evaluation of
machine applications’ and enables users to model the
structure of the safety-related control components
based upon the designated architectures. This, in turn,
allows automated calculation of the reliability values
with various levels of detail, including that of the
attained performance level (PL).
Relevant parameters such as the risk parameters for
determining the required performance level (PLr), the
category, measures against common-cause failures
(CCFs) on multi-channel systems, the average
component quality (MTTFd) and the average fault
detection level (DCavg) of components and blocks, are
entered step by step in forms. Once the required data
have been entered into Sistema, the results are
calculated and displayed instantly.
Wieland
01483 531213
www.wieland-electric.com
TINY DRIVES TAKE VERSATILITY TO THE MAX
Additional EMC filtering options, configurable analogue inputs and enhanced fieldbus connectivity are
among the many new features that have been added to the latest M-Max variable speed drives from Eaton’s
electrical sector, which are available with ratings up to 7.5kW.
Featuring compact book-style construction and very competitively priced, M-Max drives can be configured
by the user for either V/f or sensorless vector control. This makes them an ideal and cost-effective choice for
energy-saving fan and pump applications, and also for general
industrial applications where accurate speed control is needed.
A large built-in display and operating unit makes it easy to
configure the drives and to monitor their performance, while an
electronic setpoint potentiometer facilitates accurate speed setting.
Eaton
0161 655 8900
www.eaton.com
POWER SUPPLY AND LINE DIAGNOSTICS ON THE BUS
R. Stahl's new Advanced Fieldbus Power Supply (A-FPS) is said to be the first and only power supply
module for Foundation fieldbus H1 segments to addi-tionally provide a wide range of physical layer
diagnosis functions. At a 10% premium over the standard supply module from the same series, the
integrated devices enable complete and continuous plant monitoring.
In the past, the integration into asset management systems required
separate, cost-intensive diagnosis modules and software tools. Each
Advanced Fieldbus Power Supply (A-FPS) not only detects overload and
short circuits on its seg-ments, but also continuously registers the physical
parameters of the fieldbus, such as voltage and current on the trunk,
communication level, noise level, asymmetries and jitter.
R Stahl
0121 767 6400
www.rstahl.co.uk

Products continued on p28

Building serv OK.qxd:Layout 1 22/7/10 15:16 Page 2
BUILDING SERVICES
New skills for new
OPPORTUNITIES?
Tony Sung
THE SECTOR faces the twin challenges of riding out the
toughest recession in living memory, and delivering new or
refurbished buildings which consume less energy and emit
less carbon. Much of that carbon is emitted by electrical
systems, so the electrical services sector is at the forefront
of the drive to improve our building stock.
With the latest revisions to Part L of the Building
Regulations coming into force in October 2010, and with
the recently introduced Carbon Reduction Commitment in
place, developers and building owners will have to allocate
more resources to adapting their buildings for future
climate changes.
The current cost of adaptation, using some technologies
that are not 100% tested and proven, is not considered to
offer a fast enough payback, and in many cases is seen as
relatively expensive in offsetting the short-term cost of
carbon emissions. Several adaptation technologies such as
photovoltaic, on-shore wind farms, hydro and wave power,
demand large open spaces, or require planning
permissions, or both, which can be hard to obtain. There is
a growing conflict between the desire of government to
cut carbon emissions and invest in renewable, and the
willingness of planners to sanction them.
Whilst some building integrated low or zero carbon
technologies are well established, such as solar thermal
water heating, photovoltaics, or heat pumps, they may
26
IN MARCH 2010, THE TIMES
REPORTED UK CONTRACTORS
GROUP’S OUTLOOK FOR THE
NEXT FEW YEARS IS DEEP PUBLIC
SPENDING CUTS WILL LEAD TO
SOARING UNEMPLOYMENT IN
THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE UK
FACES CHALLENGING CARBON
EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGETS
BETWEEN NOW AND 2050,
WHICH COULD BE JEOPARDISED
BY THE LOSS OF KEY SKILLS
FROM THE SECTOR EXPLAINS
TONY SUNG, CHAIRMAN OF
CIBSE GROUP AND TECHNICAL
DIRECTOR AT HYWEL DAVIES
require substantial upfront capital investments. There are
only a handful of exemplar projects provided by the
Carbon Trust and Energy Saving Trust to demonstrate real
life energy and carbon emissions reduction. The
Technology Strategy Board is funding a number of further
projects in this area to demonstrate how buildings can be
adapted to meet the requirements of our anticipated
future climate, but these will take time to influence and to
stimulate investments by the private sector.
The introduction of the Feed in Tariff provides some
incentives to install renewable technology, with the
prospect of ongoing revenue to encourage initial capital
outlay. The tariff came in in April, and it is too early to see
how much of an impact it is having on demand. There are
therefore a number of measures which can be expected to
stimulate demand for electrical services, but not in the
immediate future. Whether this demand will materialise in
time to support the sector through the current period of
reduced workload remains to be seen.
What we ought to see at this time, with the prospect of
Electrical Review August 2010
Building serv OK.qxd:Layout 1 22/7/10 15:16 Page 3
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
steadily increasing demand for energy efficient
refurbishment and renewable technologies, is increasing
training to meet the emerging demand for these skills. But at
present training in the sector is falling, as firms, many of
them SMEs, cut back on all non essential spending to
conserve cash and protect the business.
One of the measures introduced in response to the
Climate Change Act is the Carbon Reduction Commitment
Energy Efficiency Scheme, or CRC. This started in April 2010,
with the primary objective of helping medium to large size
organizations whose total half hourly electricity consumption
exceeds 6,000MWh, to cut their energy use and carbon
emissions. To enable the For CRC to be a success, Britain
needs to up-skill the current M&E workforce (electricians,
design and installation engineers) competently to apply,
install, test and commission the low zero carbon and smart
metering technologies in tens of thousands of existing
buildings rather than just for new buildings.
Again, looking at the figures for compliance with the
requirement for Energy Performance Certificates, Display
Energy Certificates and Air Conditioning Inspections, we should
be cautious about the prospects of CRC stimulating a whole
new wave of activity in the current economic conditions.
Another area of development is the new amended
BS7671:2010, currently issued in draft for public comments.
www.electricalreview.co.uk
BUILDING SERVICES
This includes vital changes necessary to maintain technical
alignment with Cenelec harmonisation documents. One of
the perceived advantages of the technical alignment is it
should help British companies to win work in the EU.
Cibse, through its Electrical Services Group, provides
electrical services engineers with a network of like minded
professionals who are active in all of these areas. Through
Group events and through the website, http://www.cibse-
electricalservicesgroup.co.uk members can access the
collective knowledge and expertise of the group.
Additionally, Cibse runs a number of events and training
courses for electrical services engineers, and recently
launched a new web based learning initiative, to provide
training in electrical services (and other building services
disciplines) that is flexible and adaptable to user needs. Cibse
and the Electrical Contractors’ Association recently signed a
Memorandum of Understanding, which commits both
bodies to work together more closely to help develop and
deliver electrical skills and services, to better meet the
challenges of climate change.
If we are to meet the carbon emissions reduction targets
for 2030 and 2050, we will need to see greater investment,
both in new technologies and in skills. Cibse will be looking
to work with engineers and employers in the sector to
deliver both.
27
Prods:Layout 1 23/7/10 16:51 Page 34

PRODUCT WATCH SOLID STATE RELAYS DELIVER HIGH-

SPEED SWITCHING
AC DRIVE CONTROLLED Finder has introduced a pair of solid state relays for silent,
SCROLL COMPRESSOR high-speed switching of single and 3-phase loads rated at up
to 5A. The 77 Series relays’ 300A peak current handling
IMPROVES EFFICIENCY capability makes them particularly suitable for use with high
A chiller unit utilising a scroll compressor is set inrush current loads, including electronic starters and igniters
to generate 15% lower energy consumption than for fluorescent and gas discharge lamps.
models with a traditional compressor design. Two 77 Series relay variants are available: ‘zero-
The unit has been produced by air conditioning crossover’, minimising voltage and current stresses to
manufacturer Rhoss, using an ABB standard drive. improve reliability and
Scroll compressors pressurise the refrigerant between two interleaved spirals or scrolls, greatly reduce EMI, and
resulting in a design with fewer moving parts, less noise and reduced vibrations compared ‘instant switching’, ensuring
to other compressor types. Variation of output is traditionally provided by mechanical a consistent time between
means, for instance by splitting the cooling capacity of the chiller into several circuits. relay input and output, of
However, by using the ABB standard drive, Rhoss has achieved better performance while importance where
using a simple design with a single circuit. simultaneous switching is
ABB desirable as in 3-phase
switching.
01925 741 111 The relays have a single AC output and can be specified
www.abb.co.uk/energy with either AC or AC/DC control inputs for added flexibility.
5kV insulation between input and output assures a high level
of application safety and security.
ETHERNET SWITCH WITH FAST TACK Finder
SWITCHING TECHNOLOGY 01785 818100
The Ha-VIS FTS 3100s-A is the first switch in the HARTING
family of industrial Ethernet switches to offer the company’s www.findernet.com
innovative Fast Track Switching technology: a solution that
satisfies the majority of performance and determinism
requirements in Ethernet networks for automation applications.
The switch detects real-time automation frames and uses the PROTECT THE POWER
cut-through method to accelerate their transmission. These Lewden Electrical Industries was the preferred supplier
automation frames are always forwarded before other types - in when a bespoke feeder pillar distribution cabinet was
other words, they always required for a project at the University of Hertfordshire.
have the right of way over The installation, carried out by electrical/mechanical
non-real-time frames. facilities company Neocrest, was to provide electrical power
The FTS 3100s-A to student homes within the University Campus. As the
incorporates ten Fast original cast iron feeder pillars housing the cables had
Ethernet ports, and is an corroded severely over a period of years, this had caused
unmanaged switch that can earth continuity problems within the original installation.
be configured with the FTS By undertaking a prompt site visit, Lewden were able to meet with Neocrest and jointly
Manager via a USB assess and discuss the design requirements for the four new identical pillars. Subsequent
interface. It combines the simple handling of a ‘plug & play’ drawing plans were provided by Lewden for the heavy duty galvanised steel cabinets, which
device with individual setting options tuned to the particularly enabled the project to gain the necessary approval and proceed quickly with manufacture.
automation application. Lewden Electrical Industries
Harting 020 8539 0237
01604 827500 www.lewden.com
www.harting.com

UPPING THE ANTE IN OIL TESTING

Redesigned in their entirety after a detailed analysis of user
COLLEGE CONVERSION requirements, the new range of oil test sets from Megger sets new
BENEFITS FROM CAT 6 standards for performance, ease of use, reliability and value for
money. The new OTS range offers laboratory instruments for testing
TRUNKING up to 100 kV, and portable instruments, including the world’s
Marco has supplied over 1000 metres of Cat 6
lightest oil test sets in the 60 kV and 75 kV to 80 kV ranges.
Trunking, to be used as part of a large-scale
Megger’s new oil test sets offer convenient and precise
refurbishment scheme at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor.
thumbwheel adjustment for electrode spacing. Unlike all other
The college for further education, with sites
currently available instruments, the adjuster incorporates a locking
across North West Wales, is refurbishing and upgrading a two-storey building,
mechanism that completely eliminates the problem of accidental
formerly used as a land-studies department, and transforming it into student
electrode movement during testing. Features include a test chamber
accommodation; comprising 34 rooms with en-suite facilities.
drain for spilt oil, automatic oil temperature measurement, support
The main contractor at the project is ISG and the Mechanical and Electrical
for both output voltage and output current breakdown detection,
contractor is Gwynedd-based, Falconer Electrical, to whom Marco is supplying
and facilities for storing results
uPVC Trunking via a distributor.
internally and on standard USB
Marco is quickly becoming the specialist product supplier of choice to M&E
memory sticks.
contractors working within the education sector and during the past 12 months,
both Trunking and Steel Wire Cable Tray systems have been installed at over 100 Megger
educational projects. 01304 502100
Marco www.megger.com
01248 725777
www.marcocableman.co.uk
Prods:Layout 1 23/7/10 16:51 Page 35

FLEXIBLE MAINS POWER SURGE PROTECTOR SOLUTION

Following the M1 Series of mains power surge protectors, Furse has launched the new D1 Series –
PRODUCT WATCH
offering the lowest levels of let through voltage, combined with the convenience of mounting to a standard
35mm DIN rail. DATA CABLE ASSEMBLIES
The ESP D1 protector provides versatile and innovative mains power surge protection. Tested to the latest IEC Harting can now supply a range of cable
standards with a 5 year warranty, the ESP D1 protector combines industry leading low let-through voltage with assemblies for data transmission in ISO/IEC
mains Type 1+2+3 protection in a single unit. 11801 Categories 5, 6 and 7 for a range of
The 230/400V single and three phase units limit 6000V transient overvoltages to just 600V (Class III test). This environmental conditions.
level of protection is achieved between all conductors (full mode protection) ensuring all transient paths (common Cable assemblies are available in rigid and
and differential modes) to equipment are protected. ESP D1 series are also available for 120/208V and 277/480V flexible form, as well as special-purpose versions
single and three phase systems suitable for use in drag chains. Optional features
To provide easy, hassle-free status checking whilst promoting best practice include oil resistance, high robustness or
in surge protector installation, a choice of LED or advanced LCD displays are halogen-free construction.
available. Different cable lengths and overmoulded
cables or optional customised solutions ensure
Furse that HARTING cabling systems can be deployed
0115 964 3700 in diverse applications in the widest range of
www.furse.com markets. Overmoulded assembled cables are
available in PVC and PUR versions, and
optionally with internal shielding.
All assembled cables are optimised and are
NEW RECORDS SOFTWARE FOR MANUAL PAT TESTERS 100% tested for their electrical and mechanical
Seaward has extended its range of portable appliance testing (PAT) record keeping programs with the properties in order to guarantee consistently
introduction of a new manual data entry product. high quality.
Available with a free 90 day evaluation offer, the new PATGuard Elements program has been specifically Harting
designed for use with manual PAT testers that do not incorporate an internal memory for the storage of test
results.
01604 827500
As a result the new software enables test results taken with manual PAT testers to be incorporated into a www.harting.com
formal PC–based record keeping system.
The program is intended for use by organisations that perform electrical safety testing and maintain their
own records but who require a simplified database system.
This is in keeping with the HSE Memorandum of Guidance on the
Electricity At Work Regulations 1898 which advises records of maintenance
including test results should be kept throughout the life of the equipment.
Seaward Electronic
0191 586 3511
www.seaward.co.uk

PLANOR SR GETS HIGH TECH TREATMENT WITH LEDS

Thorn’s Planor SR upgrade uses LED technology to guarantee lighting quality. The semi-recessed
NEW TECHNICAL UPS MANUAL luminaire uses a dimmable Cree 58W LED module with active colour management and a micro prismatic
lighting technique that regulates the light through pyramidal prisms. This ensures colour temperature
AVAILABLE stability of 3500K through life, a colour rendering index (CRI) of 92 and reduced glare. Elegant and
The latest edition of the uninterruptible power
technically sophisticated it solves one of those eternal problems – how to give even, yet 'soft’ lighting
supply technical manual, Selection Guide, is now
over an entire desk surface.
available from Socomec UPS. The guide includes the
The minimalist design of the silver-grey frame evokes association to flat panel displays, while the use
new products launched earlier this year, Masterys IP+
of LEDs and aluminium ensures a long life (50,000 hours at 70% lumen output) and minimal
and DMX 800-900 kVA, and compliments the recently
environmental impact. This makes the Planor SR
launched 2010 UPS catalogue.
LED the perfect solution for tomorrow’s office
The Selection Guide is a handy partner for any
and school environments.
consultant or electrical system
designer scaling uninterruptible power supply Thorn Lighting
systems into a project to have easy-to-hand on a daily 020 8732 9954
basis. Complete with the usual dimensions,
specifications and installation details this guide also www.thornlighting.com
gives the user an indication to which UPS units they
should investigate
specifically designed by HOUSING ASSOCIATION TRIAL SUCCESS
application, e.g. control Following a three month social housing trial with Great Places Housing Group, VPhase has released
industry or medical, at independently analysed results showing energy savings of between 8.5% and 9.0% and estimated
the front of the guide in yearly CO2 savings of up to 180kg per property. This equates to an average 3.6% of a households’
an easy to read table annual CO2 emissions and importantly, a significant proportion of many housing association’s overall
format. CO2 reduction targets.
The manual features The trial, which took place between February and May 2010, saw the low-cost VPhase unit installed
the newly launched in a number of tenants’ homes to monitor its ease of installation as well as independently measure its
Masterys IP+ and the energy and carbon saving capability. Tenants involved in the trial were able to benefit from the
newly extended Delphys immediate and significant money and energy savings the product
MX range from 250kVA delivers, without having to change their lifestyle or electricity
now up to 900kVA. supplier.
Socomec UPS VPhase
01285 863327 0845 003 8235
www.socomec.com www.vphase.co.uk
Prods:Layout 1 23/7/10 16:51 Page 36

PRODUCT WATCH GREAT FIRE PROTECTION FOR

LIGHTING AT LEISURE CAPITAL’S MUSEUM
A Delmatic lighting management system is providing networked control On the 28 May 2010 five new galleries at the Museum of
throughout the new Spiceball Leisure Centre in Banbury, Oxfordshire. London opened to the public, telling the story of the capital
The Delmatic system provides networked control throughout the centre and from the 1666 Great Fire of London right up to the present day,
includes addressable switching as well as digital DALI dimming of lighting. The at a cost of £20 million. The
system optimises energy efficiency through presence detector switching and extensive redevelopment
daylight-linked dimming of lighting while operational efficiency is assured through benefits from a state of the art
graphical monitoring software which provides real-time feedback of the lighting fire alarm system using
installation including active monitoring of lighting and lamp operation. The Prysmian FP Plus cable.
complete system operation, including sensor time-out periods and daylight-linking Specialist fire and electrical
thresholds, is configurable through the graphical software and may be adjusted to firm, Wessex Fire and Security,
suit the operational requirements of the user. won the contract to install the
The system enables tests of emergency fire alarm system in this new museum area. Installations
lighting to be centrally initiated either at a Manager Paul Budden said, “We have made exclusive use of
scheduled time or manually from the head- Prysmian FP for the past 5-6 years as we know it is by far the
end PC, router or configured keyswitch. best product in the marketplace for the work we carry out and
Delmatic our engineers like it as it is quick and easy to install. We chose
FP for this particular job and there were no problems with the
0208 987 5900 installation of the cable or its supply.”
www.delmatic.com Prysmian Cables & Systems Limited
023 8029 5029
www.fpcables.co.uk
LED BOLLARDS ADDED TO RANGE
With LED technology continuing to lead the way for NEW UPS DATA SLIDE RULE
lighting, Click Scolmore announces the introduction of new The latest edition of the pull-out uninterruptible power supply slide rule is now available
LED bollards to its Fumagalli outdoor lighting collection. from Socomec UPS. The tool includes the new products launched this
The Sauro and Mirella year, Masterys IP+ and DMX 800-900 kVA, as featured in the recent 2010 UPS catalogue.
LED Bollards are The slide rule is now arranged by
produced as a single power rating, and proves to be a very
piece construction and handy partner for any consultant or
provide energy efficient electrical system designer scaling
solutions to a range of uninterruptible power supply systems
lighting applications. into a project to have easy-to-hand on
There are two sizes of a daily basis.
bollard - 800mm and 1100m - plus a wall-mounted version The slide rule gives you the details needed to consider for both the electrical network and
- with each available in a black finish with a clear lens and the space required in the room for the UPS units.
providing 18W (6 x 3 Watt LED) of light. The double sided data slide rule gives you the dimensions and weights for Masterys or
New bulkhead posts have also been added to the Delphys (single or three-phase) model for the desired requirements within seconds, for either
Fumagalli product line up. internal or external transformer or transformerless UPS units.
The Gabri (1000mm) and the MiniGabri (750mm) posts
are both available in either a black or white finish. By
Socomec UPS
adding Fumagalli’s one-piece Remi Bracket, you can angle 01285 863327
the lamp - or even two lamps - at 35° for greater flexibility. www.socomec.com
Scolmore
01827 63454 DE-SKEW CORRECTION
www.scolmore.com ENHANCES ACCURACY
High-frequency power measurements
can now be carried out with greatly
NEW RANGE FOR EXTERIOR HID APPLICATIONS enhanced accuracy using a de-skew
Along with Tridonic’s new branding and image comes a raft of new products, correction signal source, along with voltage
including the new ballasts for exterior HID (High Intensity Discharge) applications. and current probes, in conjunction with the
The PCIS Outdoor FOX B011 and PCIS Outdoor DIM B011 ballasts, when used /G4 power measurement option on the
with energy efficient HID lamps, offers an ideal solution for a wide range of Yokogawa ranges of digital and mixed-
applications such as amenity/street lighting signal oscilloscopes.
where considerable energy savings can be Even though power measurement using an oscilloscope is
achieved. HID lamps such as metal halide can fundamentally less accurate than using a digital power meter, it offers
also provide a brighter, white light that can much higher bandwidth.
significantly improve road safety as well as It is particularly suitable for measuring high-frequency switching losses
making towns and cities more attractive. in switched-mode power supplies. It also provides a power measurement
Via the digital interface, all the PCIS capability using a general-purpose product which has other uses, an option
Outdoor FOX and PCIS Outdoor DIM ballasts that may be more acceptable to users who are not ready to invest in a true
can be integrated in intelligent lighting control systems for exterior applications. power meter or have limited budgets for test equipment.
With dimmable PCIS the luminous flux can be adjusted from 40 - 100% via DALI The de-skew correction signal source is an accessory which is specifically
or DSI signals, depending on which HID lamps are used. designed to maximise the measurement accuracy of oscilloscopes when
they are used for power measurements involving fast switching devices
Tridonic and high-frequency waveforms.
01256 374300 Yokogawa
www.tridonic.com +31 (0) 88 464 1811
www.tmi.yokogawa.com/ea
Prods:Layout 1 23/7/10 16:51 Page 37

WIND TURBINE GEARBOX DRYER

PRODUCT WATCH
PROTECTS LUBRICATION OIL
Brownell has introduced a new self reactivating dry air breather to
prevent contamination of gearbox lubricating oil by water and
condensation. The REGEN8 has a robust all weather construction
with complete automatic process control including a Telemetry option
for remote monitoring and control management.
The Brownell REGEN8 removes the water vapour entering the
gearbox to a safe level. This relative humidity is equal to the residual
moisture of the lubrication oil. The water vapour is adsorbed using an
active adsorbent. A twin channel adsorbent system ensures that the
RENEG8 maintains a constant supply feed of dry air into the gearbox.
When the adsorbent is saturated an automatic reactivation process is
initiated which restores the adsorbent to its maximum efficiency level.
Brownell
020 8965 9281
THINKING INSIDE THE BOX
Interplast has expanded its comprehensive Decoduct
product lines with the launch of Adaptable Enclosures,
designed for multiple applications.
The new enclosures, manufactured in high impact
resistant PVCu, are rated at IP56 complete with corner
screw fixings and ribbon gaskets. Decoduct adaptable
enclosures are available in either white, black or grey
and in a wide choice of sizes in square or rectangular
formats.
Decoduct adaptable enclosures are ideal for exterior
or interior terminations and for applications where
sensitive equipment requires protection.
Interplast has published new literature, which
includes the Decoduct adaptable enclosure range.

www.brownell.co.uk Interplast
01467 629 555
CABLE TRAY FOR HEAD OFFICE REFURB www.interplast.co.uk
A number of products from Marco, the UK’s largest manufacturer
of steel wire cable tray, and uPVC cable management company, have
been specified by Imtech as part of a major refurbishment of the
company’s Nottingham-based headquarters.
Imtech G&H has upgraded and refurbished its prestigious offices,
utilising Marco’s Apollo light oak and white finish trunking profiles
throughout the project.
Shayne Kenny, electrical design manager, of Imtech said: “The Marco ranges have been really
well received by our team involved with the installation. The products are high quality, durable and
are easy to use. They also have an aesthetic finish that sits well with the new design of our
upgraded offices.”
Paul Diggins, sales director of Marco Cable Management said: “As a supplier to the Electrical
installation market sector, it’s great to see our products being specified at the offices of one of the
UK’s leading technical solutions providers to the building services industry.”
Marco
01248 725777
www.marcocableman.co.uk 50 MILLION REASONS TO SAVE MONEY
In these austere times, businesses and government organisations are
examining every possible method of reducing costs.
From redundancies to the renegotiation of the stationary contract,
REVAMPED WEBSITE spending is being curbed and efficiency is no longer a buzzword, it's a way
Mitsubishi Electric has revamped its heating of life.
systems website to make access to information One green technology company, powerPerfector, is helping lead the way,
about the award-winning Ecodan air source heat by saving public and private sector organisations that have adopted its
pump system even easier. Voltage Power Optimisation (VPO) technology £50 million.
MCS-Accredited Ecodan is the only UK- Due to the design of the distribution network, buildings are supplied with
manufactured system to have been awarded the higher voltage than is actually needed. powerPerfector's green technology, developed in Japan,
prestigious Eco-Label because of its works by optimising electrical power quality and by supplying voltage at a more efficient level.
environmental credentials. The system can powerPerfector
reduce fuel bills by at least 30 per cent over a
gas boiler and cut emissions by half. Savings in 0845 601 4723
both over oil, LPG and direct electric heating www.powerperfector.com
systems are
even greater.
The site also
includes a ENERGY SAVING CONTROLS WIN QUEENS AWARD FOR
short animated ENTERPRISE: INNOVATION
film which Danlers has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation. The award was given in
highlights how recognition of the continuing development of its range of energy saving electronic controls for lighting,
easy Ecodan is heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
to install, and Managing director, Tony Kay said, “As a company we strive to be at the cutting edge of control
how it can technology so to win this award for innovation is particularly rewarding for Danlers’ dedicated team.”
work with both Danlers produces a wide range of products from passive infra-red (PIR) occupancy switches and time
radiators and underfloor heating, even in the lag switches to radio remote controls and outdoor security switches. Many
depths of winter. of the technologies are patented and some have become industry
Mitsubishi Electric standards such as the ceiling flush mounted PIR occupancy switch and the
ceiling directional PIR occupancy switch, for automatic lighting control.
020 8647 4467
www.mitsubishielectric.co. Danlers
uk/heating 01249 443377
www.danlers.co.uk
Classified Aug10.e$S:ER Class 27/7/10 14:43 Page 40

CLASSIFIED Control Systems

Training

HIGH VOLTAGE TRAINING

To Senior Authorised / Authorised Person level
Also Competent Person, EAW Regs, Generator Operation, Ship/Marine systems,
Safety awareness, HV safety for Laser/ Microwave and AGL, Maintenance, etc

MICHAEL TWITCHETT
IntET(UK). IEng. FIET. MSOE. MIPlantE
Tel or Fax: 01737 352755
e-mail: MichaelTwitchett@highvoltage.fsnet.co.uk

Lighting

Power Factor Correction

PFC Engineering Ltd

Station Road, Great Chesterford,
Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1NY

Total Power Quality Solutions

Power Factor Correction Design and Manufacture - LV / MV
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Contact us for expert advice on
Tel: +44 (0) 1799 530728, Fax: +44 (0) 1799 530235
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PowerLogicTM Metering Systems
Energy Meters
Load Monitoring
100% dedicated to the electrical industry. Power Quality Monitoring
Our consultants are industry trained from & Solutions
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and sales. Harmonic Filters
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WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE TECHNICALITIES
OF THE ROLES THE INDUSTRY HAS TO OFFER. Call for survey and quotation :-
Tel 01773 - 603110 Fax 01773 - 603112
FOR YOUR NEXT PERMANENT VACANCY,
e-mail solutions@varservices.co.uk
GIVE US A CALL AND SPEAK TO PEOPLE WHO web site - www.varservices.co.uk
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Visit www.electricalrecruit.co.uk 27 Main Road,
Jacksdale, Nottingham,
Alternatively contact NG16 5JU
David Marshall TMIET MIRP.
david@electricalrecruit.co.uk
0845 0947201 • 07894 110336

UPS
Classified Aug10.e$S:ER Class 26/7/10 16:26 Page 41

CLASSIFIED
Test and measurement UPS

innovative test technology and comprehensive customer support

SERVICE & CALIBRATION

Seaward provides a comprehensive
calibration and repair service for a wide
range of electrical and electronic equipment
 UKAS accredited calibration
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Tel: 0191 586 3511

Email: sales@seaward.co.uk
Website: www.seaward.co.uk

A.C. Voltage Stabilisers

Generators Cables Accessories

Classified Aug10.e$S:ER Class 26/7/10 16:27 Page 42

CLASSIFIED
UPS UPS

Design and consultation services in all

aspects of backup power system design.
We supply a full range of fully integrated, Try our FREE site survey to find out
innovative Complete Power Solutions how we can help you select the
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Cables Gas Measurement & Detection

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Concordia Cables is a
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Web: www.concordiacables.com
 Specialists in gas measurement and detection
 Manufacturer of Rapidox gas analysers
 Oxygen sensing from 100% O2 to 10 e-23 PPM
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 O2, CO, CO2, SO2 and dp (moisture) sampling
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 O2, CO, CO2, SO2of gas
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Tel: 0870 242 5004

Fax: 01908 261917
Email: ukmarketing@ra.rockwell.com
Web: www.rockwellautomation.co.uk
blownFuse OK.qxd:Layout 1 21/7/10 16:19
OUR GRUMPY
I REMEMBER WHEN £80M
WAS A LOT OF MONEY
SORRY to be on another quasi-political rant this
month, but we British just don’t seem to get it
right when it comes to competition.
As I write, England have been dumped out of
the World Cup at the hands of a rather
promising young German team, the
abject failure of FIFA to invest
in technology that, let’s face
it, is already mounted in the
goals, and most
significantly, a lack lustre
performance by the men in
control – manager and
players.
Shortly before the South African debacle
however, we scored what in my mind was an
even bigger own goal, the coalition
government’s failure to honour a pledge, made
by Labour, to loan £80m to Sheffield’s
Forgemasters. The money was a loan, not a
grant, to enable the company to install a new
open die press with which to make large
components
www.electricalreview.co.uk
Page 11
OLD MAN’S M
OOD HAS NOT
BY ENGLAND’S BEEN LIGHTEN
RECENT FOOTB
BUT THE WAY A L L IN G FAILURES,
FORGEMASTER
S HAS BEEN
TREATED HAS
REALLY GOT
HIS GOAT
principally for the nuclear power industry.
This sends out three distinct messages to me.
One, our government has no confidence in one
of our best heavy engineering companies;
secondly there is yet another manifestation of
Britain’s reluctance to invest in engineering; and
thirdly (which is where Electrical Review’s
readers come in) the failure to recognise the
need for such components if we are to press
ahead with a nuclear build programme. Readers
of this column will know how sceptical I am of
this government’s commitment to extending our
nuclear capacity.
The prize for Forgemasters if it
gets its new plant is a very
highly competitive edge in the
global nuclear energy sector.
There are very few forges
with the capacity and
technology to make the huge,
yet tightly toleranced,
components required by modern
nuclear plants. You can genuinely
count them on the fingers of one
hand. Our failure to make the loan investment to
Forgemasters means the company must now
rely on private investors (whose
confidence must surely have been
undermined by the Government’s
inaction) or see its golden
opportunity fall to India, China
or even to Japan, where there
already exists one of the
handful of other open die
plants of its kind.
Don’t forget the knock on
effect if the forge loan is not
John Houston can be contacted on 01797 364366
or by e-mail at john@houston-associates.com
BLOWN FUSE
ED
forthcoming – it
will affect
suppliers of all
the ancillary
machinery that
would go around the
plant; expansion of the
workforce not just at the company but among
the many subcontractors also. Extrapolate this
further to the impact the increased wealth would
have on local economies, retailing and
investment.
I know we must have cuts in public
spending, public borrowing and the
public sector. I seriously wonder
however, how an £80m
investment in our futures
compares with some public
sector spending that regularly
consume similar sums. For
example, one could commission
400 consultants to work on
projects for a year. One could buy a
single jet fighter aircraft. I wonder what
local government stationery bills come to?
The Revenue’s OGC Buying Solutions reckoned
it saved £80m in a single year, just by getting
public sector buyers to use its ‘Buying Card’
scheme. This hints at inefficiencies, but screams
them loud and clear when one considers these
savings were on just £500m of transactions –
thereby representing an annual waste of 15%
just on making purchases.
Alternatively, with £80m the government
could buy about half the England football team
(the cheap half) or perhaps more wisely, could
sign Christiano Ronaldo.
35
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