Consulting-Specifying Engineer’s Post

Did you know? 89% of audited sites have either no or only partial electrical single-line diagrams (SLDs)! Single-line diagrams are now a standard requirement as dictated by NFPA® 70B. Learn how EcoConsult Electrical Digital Twin easily operates and maintains your electrical systems and helps you comply with NFPA 70B! Learn More: http://spr.ly/6040uX7dG

What Voltage Indicating Product Do I Need? The answer is it depends on what task you are undertaking. The standard voltage indicator only provides visual indication that voltage is present and that it is unsafe to open the door to the electrical cabinet and that is the only function that it provides. If you want to both know that voltage is present and troubleshoot electrical issues, then you need a voltage test port that is listed to UL61010. This product provides visual indication of the presence of voltage and through the door mounted test port, allows qualified personnel to troubleshoot electrical issues with the door to the electrical cabinet closed. If you want to both know when voltage is present and when voltage is absent and it is safe to open the door to the electrical cabinet, then you need a UL 1436 labeled absence of voltage tester. The absence of voltage tester verifies the absence of voltage and provides indication through 3 green lights as required by NFPA70E and UL1436. If you want the ability to know when voltage is present, test and verify the absence of voltage and troubleshoot electrical issues, then you need a combination unit such as the i-AVT Plus that includes a UL1436 Absence of Voltage Tester, a UL61010 Voltage Indicator and Test Port and a known voltage source to test and verify your meter is operating correctly.

It's not my inclination to criticize anyone, but I've observed numerous electrical panels lacking proper labels or tags, and some blatantly disregarding the standards established to prevent accidents. Here are more resources every panel builder (big or small) should take into account. If you don't yet own this book, highly suggest you purchase it. https://lnkd.in/ePMKJDnA Cont'd: Examples of NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code or NEC) influencing electrical installations in the United States, specifically in the context of panel building, include: Wiring Methods: NFPA 70 stipulates approved wiring methods for electrical panels. This includes specifications for conductors, insulation, and proper routing to minimize the risk of electrical faults. Protection Devices: The NEC outlines requirements for protective devices such as circuit breakers, fuses, and overcurrent protection devices within panels. It specifies their sizing, coordination, and installation to ensure effective protection against electrical faults. Safety Requirements: NFPA 70 places a strong emphasis on safety in panel building. It provides guidelines to ensure electrical panels are installed and maintained in a manner that minimizes the risk of electrical shock, fire, and other hazards. This includes requirements for labeling, clearances, access, and proper grounding of panels. Clearances and Accessibility: The NEC defines specific clearances around electrical panels and mandates accessibility requirements to ensure that panels can be operated and maintained safely. Grounding: NFPA 70 provides detailed guidelines for grounding and bonding within electrical panels, ensuring proper grounding practices to enhance safety and reduce the risk of electrical shock. Labeling: The NEC mandates clear and consistent labeling on electrical panels. This includes labeling for circuit identification, voltage levels, and other critical information to enhance safety and facilitate maintenance. Installation Requirements: The NEC specifies installation requirements for electrical panels, addressing factors such as mounting, spacing, and environmental considerations to ensure panels function safely and reliably. Conductor Sizing and Ampacity: NFPA 70 provides guidelines for determining conductor sizing and ampacity within electrical panels, ensuring that conductors are appropriately sized to handle the load without creating safety hazards. #robotics #controls #plcprogramming #industrialautomation #automation #manufacturing #allenbradley #plcprogramming #roboticsengineering #vision #siemens

How to identify leakage circuits in systems designed with IT grounding scheme? In many industrial segments there are electrical systems that use the IT ( Floating) grounding scheme. They are usually critical applications that require electrical continuity even with faults (earth leakage). Although the IT grounding scheme ensures electrical continuity after the first failure, the system is vulnerable to unwanted triggering if other( More than one ) failures occur. A major difficulty associated with these systems is the location of the faulty circuits. An interesting solution to monitor system insulation and identify leakage circuits involves the use of an Insulation Monitoring Device (IMD), along with a Locator and CTs (Current Transformers). See the figure below. In this composition, when a fault occurs, we will have the automatic identification of the faulty circuit. If you want to know more details about this solution, send me an e-mail. send it to "[email protected]".

Bonding, Grounding, and Earthing : In the field of electrical engineering, ensuring safety and reliability is paramount. Three critical concepts that play a vital role in this are Bonding, Grounding, and Earthing. Though often used interchangeably, they have distinct functions and importance in electrical systems. 1-Bonding refers to the practice of connecting all exposed conductive parts and metallic parts of an electrical installation to create an equipotential plane. This minimizes the potential difference between conductive elements, thereby reducing the risk of electric shock. 2-Grounding ( North American terminology) involves connecting parts of an electrical system to the earth itself. This provides a path for electrical current to disperse safely into the ground in the event of a fault, ensuring the protection of both the system and personnel. 3- Earthing , commonly used in European standards, serves a similar function to grounding. It refers to the direct physical connection of the electrical installation to the earth, ensuring any excess electricity (such as from lightning strikes) is safely dissipated. Why is it Important? Safety: Proper bonding, grounding, and earthing help protect against electric shock and fire hazards. Equipment Protection: They safeguard electrical equipment from damage due to surges and lightning strikes. System Performance: They improve the overall performance and stability of electrical systems by maintaining consistent voltage levels and reducing electrical noise. Applicable Standards IEC 60364: International standard for low-voltage electrical installations, which includes guidelines for earthing and bonding. IEEE 80: Guide for safety in AC substation grounding. NFPA 70 (NEC): The National Electrical Code in the USA, which outlines requirements for grounding and bonding. CSA C22.1: The Canadian Electrical Code, which provides standards for safe electrical installation practices including grounding and bonding. Stay safe and ensure your electrical systems are up to standard! ⚡🔧 #ElectricalEngineering #Safety #Bonding #Grounding #Earthing #ElectricalSafety #EngineeringStandards #IEC60364 #IEEE80 #NFPA70 #CSAC221

Are you currently in compliance with Arc Flash NFPA 70E guidance? Are you sure you comply? Are your studies accurate? How did you verify the accuracy of your studies? 1- Do you have a label in front of most of your electrical equipment? 2- Do you have a label on the backside of some electrical equipment? 3- Do you have a documented paperwork study signed by a PE? 4- Does your label have a limited and restricted approach boundary? Walk in front of your arc flash labels: Does it have the word "category"? Does it have a number affixed by the term "calories or cal"? Is your arc flash boundary number less than 3.5 ft? Is your arc flash boundary number less than 1 ft? Does it have the word " maintenance switch/mode" Does it have many fine print letters saying a lot of stuff? Some of those answers must be NO. Some of those answers must be YES. Contact us, and we will share all the documented findings we caught in several electrical studies. Those findings were the cause of deaths, significant injuries, and equipment damages. Remember, there are often no precursor signs in electrical power systems before you realize you are running with significant flaws. There are no temperature, pressure, flow, or level slowly changing weeks before the incident. See our contact info in the comments. Knowledge is Power, and Power is Our Expertise EEEngineering, LLC #electricalengineering #powergeneration #epassa #engineering #alternativeenergy

One label, one worker, could be saved. No one thinks it could ever happen to them, their site, their facility, their coworker, under my watch, until it does. By the time it occurs, it is too late. 1- Are you compliant with OSHA and arc flash assessment 2- Are you compliant with NFPA 70E 2024 3- Are you compliant with IEEE 1584 2018 4- Are you compliant with OSHA and shock assessment 5- If you have done an arc flash assessment, did you verify the accuracy? If yes, how did you verify the accuracy?  Do not underestimate the power of power engineering. We had to fix 20,000 arc flash labels and restart all assessments from scratch. We had to train all the facility managers and engineers to detect incorrect arc flash assessments in the future. Yes, it included instructions on seeing if my arc flash assessment is erroneous. We come to your site and take care of everything. You sit and do nothing. We have the expertise, we have the experience, we have the theories, and we use practice. We put our name on every label with contact info. No matter what occurs, I can be tracked. Accountability! #electrical #electricalengineering #engineering #epassa EEEngineering, LLC

Very effective solution in finding of Source mixing ,Multiple earth faults ,symmetrical faults etc .

A disconnector switch, also known as an isolation switch or disconnect switch, is a device used to isolate a circuit or component in the GIS system from the rest of the system. The disconnector switch is typically used for maintenance or repair work, or for isolating a faulty component from the rest of the system. In GIS, the disconnector switch is typically located in a separate compartment within the GIS enclosure, and is connected to the busbar and other components using high voltage cables. The disconnector switch consists of a mechanical switch mechanism and a set of electrical contacts, which are designed to safely interrupt and isolate the electrical circuit.