Sparks Electrical News January 2022

STANDBY AND EMERGENCY POWER

11

New Sinetech Energy alliance offers advanced solar and energy solutions

L eading energy solution companies Probe and Sinetech have forged a powerful alliance to offer a technically advanced product range enabling consumers and businesses alike to revolutionise their en- ergy sources. Probe Corporation acquired a 51% equity stake in Sinetech, effective from 1 October 2021. The new alliance will operate indepen- dently as Sinetech Energy. Sinetech CEO Chris Rodgers says, “The solar space is seeing rapid in- novation and the great synergies between Probe and Sinetech will create enormous value for our customers and dealer network as we unite to con- sistently offer a focused and complete range of solutions to cater for the different segments of the market. We are excited about the opportunities this alliance brings to add more value in a constantly evolving industry.” Further to an expanded product suite, Sinetech Energy will benefit from the shared services of the Probe infrastructure, including Probe’s extensive national and SADC footprint, to facilitate product access and advisory services across a wide geography. The core staff of Sinetech will continue to offer the added value services that the company is known for and Sinetech re-located to Paulshof from 1 November 2021. “The consoli- dation of our operations will ensure that we move beyond the COVID-19 pandemic with a revitalised vision and focus,” says Rodgers. “Sinetech has developed a good reputation and is well-respected in the industry. We look forward to developing Sinetech Energy together,” says Probe Group CEO Frank Rovelli. “Several years ago, when we saw the growing demand for renewable energy solutions, driven largely by the increasing energy challenges South Africans face, we expanded our Probe automotive battery offerings to include deep-cycle and lithium-ion batteries. This was followed by solutions in the inverter and solar module space and now includes what we believe is the next frontier in energy storage, the Supercapacitor. Sinetech Energy will bring these products to UPS series with One Cable Technology Beckhoff’s new CU81xx UPS series is designed for universal use. Due above all to the flexible connection options extending up to One Cable Technology for uninterruptible power supply (UPS-OCT), the series is suitable for a broad range of applica- tions. This includes the entire range of Beckhoff components – in particular the Industrial, Panel and Embedded PCs – as well as third-party products. In combination with the Beckhoff Industrial PCs, particularly efficient cabling is possible with just one cable for 24 VDC supply and communication through UPS-OCT. The uninterruptible power supply units from the CU81xx se- ries have been designed for rear panel and DIN rail mounting. At present, one capacitive and two battery-assisted versions are available: • CU8110-0120: capacitive UPS (0,9 Wh) with a maximum power output of 120 W. • CU8130-0120: battery-backed UPS (15 Wh) with a maximum power output of 120 W. • CU8130-0240: battery-backed UPS (30 Wh) with a maximum power output of 240 W. In the battery-assisted versions, the NiMH battery cells are easily accessible from the front should they need to be re- placed. The UPS neither needs to be dismantled nor dismount- ed from the DIN rail for this purpose. It is only necessary to release two screws in the cover to replace the battery module. One-cable solution offers special benefits A special feature of the UPS series is its flexible communi- cation capability, which allows the retrieval of status values for diagnostic purposes or the configuration of the UPS. All Industrial PCs with an appropriate interface and Windows 7 or 10 operating system can thus be connected in the con- ventional way via USB 2.0. In the simplest case, e.g. when using a classic PLC, digital I/Os are also available so that, for example, the controller can read a power fail signal and respond accordingly. The UPS connection can be implemented much more conveniently with the UPS-OCT one-cable solution, which is currently supported by the C6030 Ultra Compact IPC, the CX52xx Embedded PC series and the CX2100-0024 Em- bedded PC power supply unit. This solution combines the IPC power supply with the UPS communication in a single 24 VDC cable. This makes the installation much simpler, because the IPC can be supplied both with power and all necessary infor- mation directly from the UPS with just one cable. UPS-OCT will be supported by all Beckhoff Industrial and Embedded PCs in future.

a broad range of customers.” Probe Corporation CEO, Richard Rovelli, says: “While we of- fer an on-the-ground footprint, Sinetech brings a strong con- sumer platform to the alliance through the impressive online Sinetech Store. Our combined teams will enhance this aspect of the business with the addition of Probe consumer prod- ucts including the Probe automotive battery range, gate motor and alarm batteries, inverter plug-and-play back-up systems, MaxLi battery chargers and booster packs.” Sinetech Energy will retain current Sinetech products and brands, including TBB, Yuasa, Outback, Goodwe, Eterbright and Omnipower, and will add new options from Probe’s portfolio and other leading suppliers worldwide. These now include: 1. Jacara – Energy simulation and monitoring program to determine the optimal solar solution with ROI and energy efficiency calculations. This takes out all the guess work from solar installations and provides the customer with what they need. 2. FoxEss – All-in-one system (inverter, MPPT controller, high-voltage lithium battery pack and all electrical switches and circuit breakers) which makes installations easy, quick and professional, with flexible scalability and seamless WiFi Connection capabilities. 3. Trina PV Panels – Top of the range, ultra-efficient panels, variable sizing and latest technologies with excellent pricing 4. Batteries – Multiple technologies including lead-acid, AGM VRLA, nano-carbon, lithium-ion and supercapacitors 5. Omnitech – Energy audits, product and technical services training, system design and installation Rodgers says the team is particularly excited to introduce dealers to

The FoxEss Fox Ess all-in-one system (inverter, MPPT controller, high voltage lithium battery pack and all electrical switches and circuit breakers).

the new Fox Ess – a true all-in-one solution to the small commercial and residential market. “The huge reduction in installation time, together with the great form-factor and fantastic software functionality, will make FoxEss very appealing to our customers. Most importantly, for the first time, we will be able to offer this and other products on a rent-to-own basis for the residential market, putting solar and standby power within reach of many more people. With Probe’s extensive network and the simplicity of installation we look forward to offering the best solar solu- tions across South Africa.”

Enquiries: www.sinetech.co.za

No time for operations to stop in data centres N o organisation can afford to experience disruptions of services, especially businesses that depend on critical access to cloud environments. There has

been a significant increase in the utilisation of cloud com- puting during the global Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in greater demand for storage space and infrastructure – all of which is handled by data centres. According to Legrand – global specialists in electrical and digital building infrastructures – a reliable uninterrupt- ible power supply (UPS) system is essential in data cen- tres, to ensure that electrical power to equipment is never affected or interrupted and that data centres are fully op- erational during power outages. UPS systems also prevent power surges and provide a consistent, filtered power supply and avoid power lapses, thus protecting critical equipment. UPS devices also pre- vent data losses and maintain battery life of the system. Legrand’s advanced UPS systems ensure continuity of service of essential electrical equipment in data centres, by providing reliable performance in terms of power and back up time, particularly during electrical network disturbances - like power outages and loadshedding - that are increas- ingly common in South Africa.

Individuals and businesses rely on the continuous oper- ation of centralised, networked computers at data centres, to process, store and share large quantities of data at all times. Work that requires intense hours of concentration is valuable for businesses and can result in direct financial losses if a PC or server suddenly fails under a power loss, for example, design software and work programmes that communicate via a server. Legrand specialists advise that servers need to be powered down, as a sudden, cold switch off may result in loss of data. If the power to a server is interrupted during its operation, the UPS will automatically run a systems- check on rebooting, prolonging startup and extending the systems to be of- fline. Legrand’s UPS products are divided into two categories – single-phase and three-phase units – with solutions that ensure optimum performance in terms of power and backup time. Important systems for use in data centres are Legrand’s conventional UPS Keor LP units, which are single-phase on-line double conversion VFI-SS-111 devices, from 1 to 3 kVA and Dakar DK Plus units, which are single-phase on- line double conversion VFI devices, from 1 to 10 kVA. The Legrand design team has incorporated advanced technologies into these new systems, to optimise energy-efficiency and an intelligent battery charging system extends the system’s service life. In addition to significantly reducing UPS consumption and operating costs, these features also reduce the environmental impact of battery disposal. An important benefit of Legrand’s modular UPS systems is the power sup- ply is customised to exact requirements and can be modified at any time. Standard modules can be added to existing configurations to increase power or backup time. A range of communications accessories has been designed for managing and configuring the UPS, as well as for remote control of the

system. These devices include network interfaces for real time control of the UPS and for managing numerous events that include no power, over-loads and by-pass problems. These network interfaces, with a 32-bit processor, do not require any external software. Other accessories include sensors for monitoring ambient temperature and humidity, smoke detectors and fire safety controls, as well as air conditioning fault and intrusion detectors. Communication and supervision software for accessing the operating pa- rameters of the UPS and for carrying out full diagnostics and the configura- tion of specific functions, is also available. Legrand’s online site configurator www.ups.legrand.com assists with the selection of the correct UPS, by pro- viding easy power selection and calculation of the necessary back-up time required. The Legrand team offers a technical advisory service to ensure that the volt-ampere (VA) rating of the selected UPS device is compatible with the total load of the equipment and accessories that need to be protected at the data centre. In addition to UPS systems for data centres, the company also offers care- fully designed solutions for offices, shopping centres (especially cash regis- ters), hospitals, medical centres and hotels. Other applications are in factories and warehouses, as well as airports, rail and ship transport. The company also offers UPS systems suitable for home offices, which are gaining popularity during the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Enquiries: legrand.south-africa@legrand.co.za

Enquiries: www.beckhoff.co.za

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

JANUARY 2022