Sparks Electrical News April 2020

CABLES AND CABLE ACCESSORIES

12

How to safety-check your meter in the field

D igital multimeters are designed to assist users to carry out simple to highly complex test and measurement functions on the bench or, increasingly, remotely in the field. From time to time, users should test meters and other equipment in the field, and attention to the following quick steps, could help ensure the safety and efficiency of the meter. Use common sense: B efore starting, take a closer look at the equipment and its accessories. Are they shabby and badly worn? If so, perhaps the unit is beyond functional and cannot safely be used. Inspect leads: Before using test leads, perform an inspection to ensure the leads can safely and accurately conduct electricity for the job at hand. Be sure the leads have: • Shrouded connectors

Inspect test lead insulation: • Check that the insulation is not nicked or cracked. With age, the insulation material – whether PVC or silicone – can become dried out, brittle and susceptible to cracking. • A visual inspection will usually show any part of the lead that has this problem. • Ensure there are no signs of gaps or cracks at the junction between the insulated wire and the moulded banana plugs or probes at each end. Verify correct voltage rating: Verify that the meter and its accessories are appropriately rated and designed for the system and equipment to which they will be connected. • Check for the IEC rating (e.g., CAT III or CAT IV) on the tester, and only purchase leads and other accessories that meet or exceed that rating.

• Finger guards • CAT ratings that equal or exceed those of the meter • Double insulation • Minimum exposed metal on the probe tips Continuity testing: Use the meter’s own continuity testing function to check for internal breaks. Check test lead resistance by: • Inserting leads in V/ Ω and COM inputs • Selecting Ω , touching probe tips and being sure the leads are 0.1- 0.3 Ω Choose accessories that are suitable for industrial work, and check for abrasions and other damage that eventually occur with use: This way, users will never have to worry about the failure of a test lead or probe – or the consequences thereof.

Safety checking equipment in the field can reduce hazards and ensure that equipment is safely func- tional. Whether the equipment is a voltage tester or a digital multimeter, users could benefit greatly by carrying out a quick safety scan before commencing work.

Enquiries: +27 (0)10 595 1821

CAT ratings can be found between the input jacks on most tools.

LAPP expands in Africa “F or us, Africa is a sleeping giant. We see great opportunities for growth in the long term. We want to be a part of that,” says Andreas Lapp, Chairman of the Board of LAPP Hold- ing AG. Indeed, experts are already predicting that the African market will be among the world’s fastest growing markets in just a few years. With its 54 countries, wealth of raw materials deposits and around 1.3 billion inhabitants, Africa offers great potential. In some countries, growth rates (GDP) of between 6 and 10 percent were achieved in 2018. Expansion of the sales network All the indicators are pointing to growth: This is why LAPP is continuing the strategic expansion of its sales network this year. Andreas Lapp knows that the almost important thing for a successful entry into the market is to establish long-term and trustworthy relationships: “Africa is anything but homogeneous. While some countries are already very developed, others are not even connected to a power grid. Some countries are currently developing so rapidly that they are skipping whole stages of technological de- velopment. This makes access to this market a ma- jor challenge for us at LAPP. At the same time, we also benefit from the enormous prospects that come with such diversity.” The demand for connection solutions from LAPP is constantly growing: In some regions of Africa, LAPP was able to achieve up to 50 percent turnover growth in the last financial year. The demand is particularly high for automation, the food industry and the energy sector with the expansion of power grids and the use of renewable energies such as wind and solar energy. LAPP has had its own subsidiary in South Africa since 2010, which its 30 local employees use as a base to serve seven countries in southern Africa. At the end of last year, LAPP Southern Africa moved to a new location in Johannesburg. With 2 700 square metres of storage space, it is four times as large as its old location. In North and West Africa, sales have so far

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

APRIL 2020