Sparks Electrical News March 2019

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

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TALKING ELECTRICITY WITH ANDREW LUKE DAPSHIS

ELECTRICAL PARANOIA R ecently I bore witness to the second batch of load shedding our municipal supplier so graciously be- stowed on us. The previous batch at the end of last year, showed us all what no electricity means through the scramble most were forced into to accommodate school concerts and end of year functions. Now,without getting into the debate of whether it was political propaganda or supply that was to blame,I would like to highlight the paranoia that industry and business at large entertained. A large number of companies, seeing a literal 4-5 hours of no electrical supply realised it was time to ensure a proper back-up option.. But, like the taxi service on New Years at 2 am, the bottleneck meant only a few could be catered for while the rest were left with up to eight week waiting periods for their high kWA generator to be supplied. Many generator suppliers with an abundance of stock were soon left with nothing on their floors other than a waiting list and a brochure. This was great for the sales side of business but created unnecessary challenges for aftersales departments and technical staff as the installation of these units requires a fair amount of prep work and time to test and ensure supply meets demand i.e., the amps required are the amps delivered. Normally a data logging service would have been set up over a period of time (generally 48 hours) to determine maximum required amperage, but owing to mass paranoia and the need to maintain production,

these steps were missed and incorrectly sized units bought that were either overcompensating for the required load, or overwhelmed by demand during peak periods. Another challenge was that when an automatic change over panel is installed, in most instances the municipal mains need to be isolated, and for this to happen, an already overwhelmed municipal supplier must be contacted. Before load shedding recommenced, it would have taken up to twomonths to get a representative to go to your site and switch off for final connection and testing, meaning that completion in many cases is still controlled by the municipal supply. In-between load shedding periods, there might be a short pause which brings peace back to the chaos, but the finance, time and availability to fix the problems municipal suppliers face means a great possibility for future shedding. In order to ensure your company gets the right product installed correctly, start preparing now, during the pauses. The lesson is to not wait until load shedding starts so companies can avoid being stuck with a waiting time or, even worse, an under spec setup. During these times units are also put to test so technicians work around the clock to sort out breakdowns and get units back online, leaving even less hands for installations and final commissioning. Anyone reading the news or following what’s happening in the country can see what’s ahead, so fail to plan and ultimately you plan on failing.

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A PASSION FOR LIGHTING

I am extremely passionate about Regent and sometimes that passion has been channelled into the wrong areas. As I have become older and more experienced I have become far better at doing the small things better. I firmly believe that Regent’s large dedicated staff component is what sets us apart from many of our competitors; we have committed staff who go way above and beyond to ensure we live by our company values of Trust, Respect, Integrity and Team. I have become a better listener and I trust each staff member and believe in them. The individual counts – I really enjoy the fact that Regent is long term focused and customer centric. Sparks: How do you motivate your staff? RW: I motivate my staff by being myself, by being present and committed to them and Regent, having a deep loyalty to all the staff and believing in our team. To persevere and stay with the problem longer and, above all, live a life of meaning. Never take life for granted as there is always someone worse off than you. Sparks: If you could ‘do it all again’, would you change anything? RW: If I could do it all again, the only thing I would change is that I would have not attacked the individual but rather the situation in the early days, and understand my circle of competence earlier. Sparks: Would you advise a person leaving school to enter the electrical industry? RW: For a young person who is interested in entering the electrical industry, my advice would be that you need to be committed and have a thirst for continual learning as things do not stand still. Be observant and learn from your experiences, and have a positive attitude as that will make all the difference. RW: My advice is that lighting is a critical element to any built environment and that the correct lighting design with the appropriate product will enhance any project. The impact that lighting has in education, retail, office, industrial and commercial applications is often underestimated, and in many instances the incorrect person is making decisions that can have drastic long term implications to a project. Lighting is a medium that, if used correctly, can change people’s lives. Sparks: What is your favourite quote? RW: If you can’t change the person, change the person. Sparks: Name three things on your ‘bucket list’. RW: To watch the French and Wimbledon Open Tennis Championships with my wife, travel the West Coast of America and attend all my children's graduation ceremonies. Sparks: What is your advice to electrical contractors and/or electrical engineers?

Enquiries: www.regentlight.co.za

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

MARCH 2019