Electrical Power – 2002-11-15

Click above to view 2002 Product of the Year finalists in this category.

By Staff November 15, 2002

Enclosure makes space available

DiamondShield nonmetallic enclosures make every cubic inch of interior volume available. The completely protected enclosures are available in 10 sizes, more than 150 configurations, and meet applicable IEC, NEMA, UL, and CSA ratings. Any enclosure of any available size can be mounted and hinged in any direction. Enclosures feature tongue and groove seamless urethane gaskets. Stahlin Enclosures ; stahlin.com TO VOTE, WRITE 1 ON BALLOT For more information, write 1 on card

System locates ground faults

Ground Fault Locator System provides for the rapid location and repair of electrical system ground faults. It quickly identifies the faulted feeder and provides a distance-to-fault estimate in feet. The user can correlate this information with the physical route of that feeder through the plant, narrowing the ground fault search to a small portion of the electrical system. ABB, Inc., Substation Automation and Protection Div. ; abb.com/substationautomation TO VOTE, WRITE 60 ON BALLOT For more information, write 60 on card

Switchgear globally compliant

NXAIR P medium voltage metal-clad switchgear features arc venting according to IEEE C37.20.7 standard, global compliance, and compact size. It uses arc venting flaps designed to increase operator safety. Arcing faults create an enormous amount of heat, resulting in extreme pressure buildup within a switchgear section. Arc venting channels the expanding gases up and away from the operator. Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution ; ptd.siemens.com TO VOTE, WRITE 2 ON BALLOT For more information, write 2 on card

Software calculates arc flash

PTW Arc Flash Evaluation calculates the incident energy and arc flash boundary for electrical power systems to comply with NEC, NFPA, and OSHA safety requirements. It automatically determines trip times directly from protective device settings and calculated arc fault current values. Clothing requirements are automatically selected from a user-defined clothing library for the calculated incident energy and working distance. SKM Systems Analysis, Inc. ; skm.com TO VOTE, WRITE 62 ON BALLOT For more information, write 62 on card

Fuse holder keeps fingers safe

The Optima OPM-NG three-pole fuse holder reduces installation time, incorporates an integral DIN rail spring for easy installation requiring no tools for mounting, and may be used with a comb-style busbar for faster line-side wiring. The holder is an IP-20 finger-safe design that minimizes contact with current-carrying parts. The low profile handle is part of an integral fuse carrier that acts as a built-in fuse puller. Cooper Bussmann ; cooperindustries.com TO VOTE, WRITE 122 ON BALLOT For more information, write 122 on card

Meter sources high voltage

Hi-Z Megmeter is a portable, battery-powered HVDC source and meter. Models are available that can perform insulation testing up to 42 kV dc and measure leakage current as low as 0.001 Ross Engineering Corp. ; rossengineeringcorp.com TO VOTE, WRITE 73 ON BALLOT For more information, write 73 on card

Plug into the power bus

Starline Track Busway series is a family of power busways that reduces the installed cost of electrification for lighting applications and electrical tool lines. Configurations include 40, 50, 60, 100, 160, and 225 A models in voltages of 120/208, 220, 480Y/277, and 480 V in single or 3-phase, 2 or 4-wire. Plug-in outlet boxes, fused receptacles, terminal blocks, fused disconnects, and circuit breaker plugs are available. Universal Electric Corp. ; uecorp.com TO VOTE, WRITE 103 ON BALLOT For more information, write 103 on card

Outlet box mounts on DIN

DIN Rail Utility Box is a DIN rail mountable, prewired electrical outlet box for providing utility power to control cabinets. Configurations include 15 A and 20 A duplex, ac switch, isolated ground, and GFCI. An optional 5 A circuit breaker provides load limiting. Design allows boxes to be mounted vertically or horizontally. Hubbell Wiring Device-Kellems ; hubbellnet.com/newsrelease TO VOTE, WRITE 75 ON BALLOT For more information, write 75 on card

Power quality monitor uses web

I-Grid is an ultra low cost, web-based, power quality monitoring and diagnostic system. It enables plant engineers to receive near real-time notification of power quality events by e-mail or pager, determine if power quality issues are the cause of unplanned downtime, identify cost-effective solutions, and differentiate between internal and external electrical grid generated power quality events. SoftSwitching Technologies ; softswitch.com TO VOTE, WRITE 112 ON BALLOT For more information, write 112 on card

DAQ card monitors power quality

Multi-DAQ TASKCard is power quality monitoring instrumentation that has the ability to simultaneously measure power quality, harmonics, inrush conditions, faults, and serve as a data logger. Designed to work with the Power Platform 4300, the interchangeable monitor enables users to perform power quality surveys, root-cause analysis, and full energy audits. Dranetz-BMI ; dranetz-bmi.com TO VOTE, WRITE 81 ON BALLOT For more information, write 81 on card

Remote interface tracks power quality

WebPONI is a remote interface that allows remote access to electrical meter information using existing Ethernet networks and common web browsers. It presents electrical power quality information as simple web pages and alerts users by e-mail. It provides waveform data allowing users to see a graphical view of voltage sag and other power quality disturbances. Displayed parameters include voltage, current, power, energy, and power factor. Eaton | Cutler-Hammer, Power Quality Div. ; cutler-hammer.eaton.com TO VOTE, WRITE 156 ON BALLOT For more information, write 156 on card

Start generator sets without batteries

GenSTART is a flywheel-based generator set starting system. It allows users to start multiple standby generator set power systems without batteries. Supplying 1725 cold-cranking amps, up to eight engines can be started at once. A parallel battery option allows redundant dc voltage sources. Features include starting power and remote monitoring, redundant power outage detection, and a small footprint. Active Power ; activepower.com TO VOTE, WRITE 63 ON BALLOT For more information, write 63 on card

Inverter works on ac or dc

ALT 304 Inverter is a multiple process welding source. It combats power fluctuations while providing a steady arc and eliminates the need for power linking mechanisms. The inverter operates on 208 V to 575 V primary power without adjustments. It is capable of operating from dc power and supports TIG, all stick electrodes, MIG, and flux-cored welding. The unit can carbon arc gouge with 3/16 in. carbons. Miller Electric Mfg. Co. ; millerwelds.com TO VOTE, WRITE 171 ON BALLOT For more information, write 171 on card

System monitors partial discharge

InsulGard is a system that continually monitors partial discharges and detects early warning signs of insulation deterioration. It consists of three components including standard sensors for medium voltage equipment; a 15-channel continuous monitor that trends humidity, load, temperature, power or reactive power, and partial discharge activity; and software programs that can upload data for further analysis and reporting. Eaton | Cutler-Hammer, Predictive Diagnostics Div. ; cutler-hammer.com TO VOTE, WRITE 154 ON BALLOT For more information, write 154 on card

Surge suppressor prevents data loss

SURELOGIC Multi 9 is a surge suppression device that reduces repair costs and prevents data loss by ensuring reliable equipment operation. The suppressor mounts on DIN rails, is compact, and is available in most international voltages for single and 3-phase power systems. It can be attached to control panels, telecommunications equipment, PLCs, and industrial electronics. Square D/Schneider Electric ; SquareD.com TO VOTE, WRITE 179 ON BALLOT For more information, write 179 on card

Plugs and connectors glow

Power Light plug and connector contains a factory-assembled, prewired power light located in the body of the device. It emits a glow through a transparent lens on either the plug or the connector when the power is on. The plugs and connectors are available in 15, 20, and 30 A, 125 V straight-blade and locking configurations. Leviton Manufacturing Co. ; leviton.com TO VOTE, WRITE 14 ON BALLOT For more information, write 14 on card