Sparks Electrical News September 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019

E L E C T R I C A L N E W S www.sparkselectricalnewsmagazine.co.za

REGULARS: CONTRACTORS’ CORNER | BUYERS' GUIDE : DBs, SWITCHES, SOCKETS AND PROTECTION | FEATURES : EARTHING, LIGHTNING AND SURGE PROTECTION | DBs, SWITCHES, SOCKETS AND PROTECTION | LIGHTING | INDUSTRY 4.0

ENSURING GROWTH IN TOUGH TIMES

E stablished in 1977, Three-D Agencies has for the past 40 years provided a consistently high quality range of cable ac- cessories to a wide spectrum of South African industries. By sourcing products from leading cable accessory manufacturers around the globe, the company has grown into one of Southern Africa’s leading cable accessory suppliers. Its geographic footprint covers all the major economic hubs of South Africa, including Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Despite a floundering economy, Three-D Agencies recently posted Members of the Three-D Agencies team with Ian Downard and Mark Jenkins in the front.

a record month of sales. In spite of the rand currently plummeting against the dollar, Ian Downard, Managing Director of Three-D Agencies, sees a silver lining. “If the rand hits R20 to the dollar, everyone will put their prices up, inflation will go up, and electrical contractors will have to increase their rates to cover expenses. Yet, as long as other companies think the same as we do, we should see a national sales growth going forward.” Downard is excited about the many new products Three-D Agencies, a member

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WIN ONE OF 5 UNI-T

RESIDENTIAL MULTIMETERS

To stand a chance to win, email sparks@crown.co.za with your

name, address and the year in which Three-D Agencies was started. Five lucky winners will be drawn and they will each

win a Uni-T UT123 Residential Multimeter courtesy of Three-D Agencies. The Uni-T UT123 Digital multimeter is a pocket- sized residential multimeter designed for home use. Its compact structure makes it easy to hold in one hand, and the EBTN screen allows users to obtain clear readings.

Entries close on September 27 th , 2019.

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

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ENTRIES OPEN FOR ECA(SA) PRESIDENTIAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 T he countdown has begun for the 8 th ECA(SA)’s Presidential Excel- lence Awards 2019 and it’s time for ECA members to enter their best projects and make it a night to remember. members should they need guidance or assistance with their entries. Simply enter your best projects, undertaken between 1 July 2018 and 31 July 2019, in one or more of the 14 categories; attach high resolution images of the work undertaken; and return the forms before the closing date on 13 October 2019. The Awards are not about the size of your company, they are about quality of work, and smaller contractors have as much chance of winning as the big names.

• Installation of the Year – Retail and Shopping Centres • Best Contributor to Energy Efficiency • Best Contributor to Renewable Energy • Reticulation Contractor of the Year • Apprentice of the Year • Women-Owned Business of the Year • National Safety Award • Special Innovative Projects Award • Host Employer of the Year

The awards acknowledge those members who have achieved the highest standards in the electrical contracting industry. Since 2012, the ECA(SA) Presidential Excellence Awards have grown – not just in size but also in importance, as more members recognise the significant value these awards add to their businessed, to staff morale and to their standing in the electrical contracting industry. Entries The first step towards winning an ECA(SA) Award and being counted amongst South Africa’s top electrical contracting companies, is to re- quest entry forms from Zinhle Ramashala, who is available to help

Categories • Installation of the Year – Industrial

The 8 th ECA(SA) Presidential Excellence Awards banquet will be held on 14 th November 2019 at the Birchwood Hotel and Confer- ence Centre.

• Installation of the Year – Residential (Housing) • Installation of the Year – Residential (Complexes) • Installation of the Year – Office Blocks • Installation of the Year – Hotels and Hospitals

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 392 0000 or zinhle@ecasa.co.za

ESKOM ‘SKA BAIZA’ ELECTRICITY SAFETY CAMPAIGN

ESKOM kicked off Electricity Safety month with the launch of the new ‘Ska Baiza’ campaign that is aimed at educating communities about the safe use of electricity. Derived from everyday South African ‘township lingo’, “U-ska baiza” means “don’t do anything foolish”. Eskom professionals will be spreading this message across the country during August, actively engaging local schools and communities to ensure that the safe use of electricity is top of everyone’s mind. Miranda Moahlodi, Corporate (Occupational Health & Safety) Senior Manager at Eskom said, “While issues like illegal connections, vandalism, electricity/cable theft, meter tampering and bypassing are national problems, there are some areas with a high prevalence. The hot spot areas are in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. Eskom officials will be shining the spotlight on these areas during this week and will be bringing members of the public important messages on how to stay safe from harm.” ThelaunchwashostedbyNdabankuluSecondary school in Butterworth and Eskom representatives, together with learners from surrounding schools, spent the morning engaging around the safe use of electricity. The message from Eskom was clear. U-Ska Baiza – don’t overload your plugs, don’t take chances with unsafe and illegal connections and don’t touch exposed cables. “It’s important for us to start speaking to young people, particularly in this age group, about the safe use of electricity because they soon will leave school and start being independent members of society. We care for the communities within which we work and if we want to have a consistent supply of electricity and for our communities to be safe, we must encourage the safe use and access to electricity right from the start,” emphasised Eskom General Manager in Distribution: Lindi Mthombeni. “With ‘Ska Baiza’ we are urging South Africans to go back to basics when it comes to using electricity safely. We’re encouraging people to actively monitor their environment inside and outside the home so as to avoid unnecessary injuries and fatalities. We want South Africans to know that we care about their safety and ask communities to assist us by reporting illegal connections in their neighbourhoods so as to ensure that we serve them effectively,” Zama Mpondwana, Senior Advisor Stakeholder Management concluded.

Enquiries: www.eskom.co.za

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2019

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

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PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH – DR. JANAN ALLOS

REMEMBERING A PIONEER IN THE ELECTRICAL FIELD

world to countries that would benefit from the Automatic Voltage Switcher’s ability to protect electrical and electronic equipment from bad power. A natural home for the AVS was found in Africa, where the increasing uptake of electrical appliances was not being matched by development in electricity transmission infrastructure. Sollatek Kenya was launched in 1986 and followed by rapid expansion into Sub- Saharan Africa. Allos was limited to a wheelchair for the final 25 years of his life; however, his enthusiasm for the business and product innovation never subsided. He was actively involved in Sollatek’s operations as it expanded into solar power, energy saving and temperature control, growing into a company that has offices in 14 countries and ships over two million products to over 100 countries a year. Allos was in the office on a weekly basis right up to his death from natural causes in January 2018 at the age of 81. Research and Development is at the heart of Sollatek, with 30 engineers based at Sollatek’s UK head office continuing Allos’ legacy of developing solutions for Africa’s electrical prob- lems under the guidance of Allos’ sons, Manhal and Maan Allos.

Dr. Janan Allos

DR. JANAN ALLOS was born in Mosul, Northern Iraq, the son of a renowned doctor. Allos was a top student at the Jesuit run, Baghdad College and his potential was recognised with a scholarship to study electronics in the United Kingdom at King’s College London, where he accumulated a B.Sc followed by a PhD in record time. Having moved back to Iraq and started a family, Allos began teach- ing at Baghdad University where he wrote many scientific papers and was a firm favourite with the students. During this time, Allos was working on an invention that would be- came omnipresent throughout large parts of Africa, the Automatic Voltage Switcher (AVS), a device that disconnected power if voltage of the Hudaco Group since 2013, is bringing into the market, including a new 40-page short form catalogue soon to come available for Uni-T. “Of special interest is a new household domestic multimeter at a great price point,” he says. His, and the company’s, focus is primarily on the customer. “Clients are important – you need to go out and see them to keep your finger on the pulse. We never stop looking for places to grow, but it is tough work. You have to keep knocking on doors. That is why you see myself and Mark Jenkins (sales director) out on the road all the time; we do all the training and visit customers, we don’t sit in our offices. We are out there and, as the decision makers, we can make decisions instantly,” he says. The company also does everything in its power to ensure that its customers are satisfied. “Whatever the circumstances, the customer is always right, and if the customer is happy, we are happy. An example of this is the free repairs offered on Uni-T meters. Uni- Trend Group Limited is one of the leading testing meters and instruments companies in Asia and the group has developed and manufactured creative, reliable, high quality and safe-to-use-technology products and provided a wide range of products and related services to global markets. As an electronics technician by trade, Downard, along with two other members of staff, repair any returns within a week. “Although we don’t get many back, having the ability and resources to repair the products in- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

house ensures a quick turnaround time and a happy customer,” he says. The company’s own staff are also of vital importance to Downard. “I have an expression for everyone who joins this company – ‘we are serious about what we do, but you should have fun whilst doing it.’ If you’re not having fun you shouldn’t be doing it, and we combine both. We have fun, but are serious, we work hard and hit the numbers. I’m happy when we hit a record month like we did in July. A lot of hard graft goes into it and when you see the results, especially in these testing times, it's a vindication of all the effort.” Downard also leads from the front and his enthusiasm for the industry is clear. He gets involved on the warehouse floor when he has to and is one of the first to arrive at the office. Generally, too, he turns his computer back on when he arrives home, and continues working. “I am very passionate, if you’re not passionate, don’t do it,” he states. With a vast array of international and local suppliers, Three-D Agencies aims to provide its customers with the highest levels of service and expertise at all times. With Downard leading by example, keeping in close contact with the industry and catering to the needs of the local electrical contractor, Three-D will look to continually grow and improve its product offering to the market. went outside of pre-set limits, and automatically re-connected power when the voltage returned to an acceptable level. In the early 1980s, Allos moved to London as a result of rising ten- sions in Iraq and because his children were studying at universities in London. Around this time, Allos was diagnosed with Multiple Sclero- sis, an incurable condition that was attacking his nervous system and gradually limiting his ability to move under his own power. In the midst of this life changing revelation, Allos launched Sollatek (Allos spelt backwards + tek) in 1983 along with the patented innovation of the AVS. Initial products were manufactured in a colleague’s garage and Allos’ son Manhal travelled around the

Enquiries: www.sollatek.com

ENSURING GROWTH IN TOUGH TIMES

Enquiries: www.three-d.co.za

SEPTEMBER 2019 SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

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IMPROVED MEASUREMENT WITH NEWDIGITAL MULTIMETER

V oltex, leading supplier of electrical accessories and Bidvest Group subsidiary, has been appointed the exclusive distribu- tor of the ground-breaking UNI-T® UT89X digital multimeter in South Africa. The new digital multimeter, which has just landed in South Africa, offers cutting-edge versatility currently unseen in its price range. The UNI-T® UT89X redefines what a voltage tester is, and boasts an array of handy features that make the job of an electrical contractor a whole lot easier. Issues faced by electrical professionals Whether qualified electricians or handymen, most electrical profes- sionals deal with multimeter-related issues from time to time. Voltage testers have come a long way since the first galvanometer was intro- duced to the electrical industry in 1820, gaining greater accuracy and

power efficiency with battery-powered and digital display technologies. However, few modern multimeters come close to the UT89X in terms of practical functionality. Issues electrical contractors face on a daily basis range from multimeter test leads getting worn out, to unlit display screens rendering testing in poor light a challenge; and when testing at night, a built-in torch would make a world of difference. With these and other challenges in mind,UNI-T® has designed a powerhousemultimeter that is as affordable as it is versatile. A modern measurement solution The UNI-T ® UT89X solves these challenges, and offers added func- tionality for ease of use. The double injection-moulded digital voltage tester features a dual indicating system, with the traditional display

screen and an added front-facing LED light to indicate voltage status. Instead of testers having to look at their multimeter to see if there is power, the UT89X beeps to notify that it has picked up an electrical current – so multimeter users can keep their eyes on what they’re doing. The latest multimeter from UNI-T® boasts true RMS count of 6000, with dual range NVC testing that quickly identifies neutral and live through the front-facing LED. The UT89X is ranged at 1000 V ac/dc to 20 A ac/dc, and the on-board transistor charge testing comes in handy when working on circuit boards.

Voltex supplies awide range of electrical and related products through its 20 supply divisions and 54 distribution outlets across Southern Africa. As South Africa’s leading supplier of electrical accessories, the company is a stockist and distributor of more than 60 000 specialised products.

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 879 2000

COMPUTER CENTRE DONATED BY HENGTONG ABERDARE

KWAZULU-NATAL MEC for Education, Kwazi Mshengu, officially launched a high-tech computer centre in Siqongweni High School, Imbali Township, Pietermaritzburg in August. The provisions, do- nated by Hengtong Group Aberdare Cables, were announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during a visit to the school in January this year. Siqongweni High School is one of the highest performing schools in the country with an 84% matric pass rate. Addressing the students, MEC Mshengu said that as the modern world becomes sophisticated as a result of technological changes, institutions of learning in South Africa need to adapt and acclimatise themselves with the new digital education system, which has been em- braced by many countries all over the world. “We strongly believe that the computer centre facility in Siqongweni High School will serve this purpose as we aim to advance and revolutionise basic education in KwaZulu-Natal. The launch of this facility is in line with one of our strategic ob- jectives which is to rigorously develop our leaners’ technological skills to ensure that they compete with the best in the world. "We are prepared to work closely with the pri- vate sector and our social partners to improve our education system, particularly in technology, math- ematics and science, to prepare our youth for the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said MEC Mshengu. The donation of the computer centre is part of Aberdare’s socio-economic development pro- gramme AberSchool Project, launched in 2017 in Pi- etermaritzburg to assist in addressing the low math- ematics, physics and science subject pass rate in the country, and to encourage pupils to take on these subjects. Siqongweni is one of the beneficiaries. Dr. Song Haiyan, Africa Regional President of Hengtong Group and CEO of Aberdare South Af- rica, said the world is moving towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution, therefore Aberdare be- lieves the youth in townships and rural areas need to be equipped with necessary technological skills to be relevant in this new technological era and to ensure that they are not left behind in the era of internet of things. “It was this realisation that pro- pelled us to launch the AberSchool Project. As part of the initiative, we donated eLearning Tablets to Pietermaritzburg schools in August 2018. The pro- ject has thus contributed significantly to the excel- lent performance of the participating schools in- cluding Siqongweni,” said Dr Song.

Enquiries: www.aberdare.co.za

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2019

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

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WORKING KNOWLEDGE WITH TERRY MACKENZIE HOY

CLEAN LINE AND HARMONICS

HIGH POWER LOW VIBRATION ROTARY HAMMER The electricity distribution system in the buildings had not been designed for air-conditioning loads. Thus, sometimes when the A/C unit started, the voltage dip caused the lights to flicker and the word processors and computers to reset. This was very tedious. Soon a belief was spread (by the interior designers, who knew nothing about electricity) that all computers had to be fed from a ‘clean line’ which was an electrical circuit separate from the circuit that fed an A/C unit. Now, N obody who is not middle aged will recognise the business offices of times gone by. Back in the day (as they say) there were no ‘open plan’ offices – there were individual offices, each with a door. Managers got a single big office with plas- tered brick walls. Less important staff had cubicles which were ¾ height, normally with timber and glass partitions. There was an open area called the ‘typ- ing pool’ where typists (all women) typed out letters. There were no computers until about 1980. When computers did arrive they were in two forms: IBM computers or ‘IBM Compatible computers’ using Microsoft software and Apple computers. Both types came with word processing software. The MS-Dos word processing software was the worst software on the planet. Soon word processors appeared. Not really computers, they were a huge step forward – they had spell checking functions and documents were easy to modify and ‘cut and paste’. There was, for some reason, a generally held belief that word processors and computers had to be in an air-conditioned environment. Perhaps the rumours were generated by the office staff, since at the time, air-conditioning was very rare. In any event, installation of computers equalled installation of air-conditioning units in the form of wall mounted units (‘window rattlers’) or split units. MAKITA has produced one of the world’s largest ranges of 18 V power tools, and through its continu- ous research and development is constantly pro- ducing innovative new and exciting tools to enhance its range. Makita’s latest offering to its twin battery range is the DHR400ZK. Powered by two 18 V LXT batteries, installed in series to supply energy to the powerful 36 V dc motor drive system, these twin battery tools offer great versatility, as they utilise your existing 18 V battery and charger system. Not only do the tools compete head-to-head with their corded counterparts but they are a significantly more affordable option than having to purchase a 36 V tool and batteries. The New DHR400ZK Twin Battery Rotary Hammer has a two-mode operation with an SDS- Max shank – rotary drilling with hammer action and hammer action only – ensuring easy operation and handling and providing 8.0 Joules of impact energy. The built-in LED light ensures greater accuracy in poor light conditions. Measuring 473 mm in length, the DHR400ZK has a 40 mm capacity in concrete with a TCT bit and a 105 mm with a core bit. It features a no load speed of 250-500 r/min and the brushless motor delivers 1450-2900 blows per minute. Operator comfort and more control during operation are ensured as it features Anti-Vibration Technology (AVT) for extra comfort and an unrivalled low level of vibration.

Since ‘harmonics’ are a measure of the distortion of a voltage waveform and, since such distortion can only be caused by very large electrical loads, this whole concept was ditch water from beginning to end. However, soon the demand rose for ‘in line harmonic filters’ to end the ‘blue screen of death’. The fact that this patently didn’t happen worried nobody (the ‘blue screen of death’ lasted until Windows 98 – see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW7Rqwwth84). What I learned from it all was that it is not necessary to admit blame and fix a software problem – it is far better to blame something else and then sell the client an unnecessary item to fix it. Sadly, this still happens today, but I thought I should tell you where it all began, back in the day.

moment the computer would crash and the screen turned blue. The computer suppliers refused to accept that this was a software problem (which it was) but hinted darkly that it was all because the power supply was full of ‘harmonics’. None of the computer people actually knew what a harmonic was and, if questioned, would hint darkly about some manevolent electrical wave which would infest and destroy a computer programmed with Windows 3.1. Most interestingly, a persona was given to harmonic currents: a USA writer referred to them as ‘rogue electrical currents and a UK writer wrote that “in these modern times we have to accept that mankind has misused the gift of electricity and is now being punished with the consequences of this...”

since electricity travels at 100 m per microsecond, the voltage at one point was going to be the same as at the distribution board busbars if the conductor lengths were less than 30 m. So the ‘clean line’ was a non solution to a real problem. The electrical contractors made good money installing all the ‘clean line’ circuits. Things moved on. Microsoft produced Windows 1. It was terrible, slower than a sloth on dope. Then Windows 2. Marginally faster. It was rumoured that Windows 2 had ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ running in the background to slow it down. A suitable software purchase got rid of it and things speeded up, from ‘glacial’ to ‘very slow’. Then came Windows 3.1. Just fast enough. But, free with the software, came the ‘blue screen of death’. At any given

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 878 2600

SEPTEMBER 2019 SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

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HOW TO RUN YOUR ELECTRICAL BUSINESS PROFESSIONALLY

T his is the first of a new series focusing on how to become an electrical contractor and run of a successful business. The South African prepaid industry is a growing one, and with men and women being given access to skills devel- opment and training, we are seeing more people considering careers as electricians and plumbers. Almost every building, whether residential or commercial, has basic utilities such as electricity and plumbing, therefore the demand for qualified installers is always high. If you’ve considered becoming an electrician, Citiq Prepaid has put together a list of things to help you understand what your career path will look like: Get certified Electricians don’t need to have a university degree but industry-

recognised training is required to become a qualified installer. If you are considering a career as an installer then we encourage you to make contact with the Electrical Contractors Associa- tion (ECA). Through professional partnerships and accredited training centres, the ECA offers a variety of skills development and training courses to equip aspiring electrical practitioners. Consider an internship You have just got your certification and are keen to start your own business. However, sometimes the best thing to do is con- sider an internship. An internship gives you the opportunity to gain on-the-job training from experts with years of experience, so you can hone your skills in a real world setting. Many certifi- cation programmes or trade schools will also help you connect with professional contractors you can work with as an apprentice. Professional equipment Once you start gaining experience, it’s important to invest in the right tools and equipment. Start off small and grow your collection of equipment before starting your own business. This ensures that your start-up costs are low and that you feel confidently equipped to go out on your own. Apart from equipment, your main expense is likely to be a van or truck that you can take to jobs and use to transport all your professional equipment. Register your business Once you’ve made the brave decision to start your own electrical business, it’s important to sort out the different admin tasks i.e. business registration, legal and tax. To get your business up and running, speak to a professional from the onset about your best op- tions. In the next issues, we will provide detailed infor- mation about registering your own business. Market your business It has become more important than ever for small businesses to market themselves, especially in such a competitive industry. Most businesses understand the importance of creating a website, being active on social media and building a strong brand. These are important for electrical companies as well. In upcom- ing articles, we provide more insightful tips and re- sources for marketing your electrical business. Note: If you are considering becoming an electrician, there are several pathways you can choose from and gain all the necessary knowledge and experi- ence required. With an immense pool of expertise from which to draw, the ECA is well placed to pro- vide members with excellent and accurate advice on all aspects of running a safe, efficient and prof- itable contracting business. For more information, visit www.ecasa.co.za

Enquiries: www.citiqprepaid.co.za

NO ORDINARY GLAND

T ufflon compression glands from Pratley are made from a tough engineering plastic that is unlike ordinary PVC. This renders them virtually unbreakable, and makes them ideal for ap- pliances and instrumentation in a wide range of ap- plications and industries, from sewerage and chemi- cal plants to abattoirs. An IP68 seal also protects the gland from the ingress of dust, and renders it com- pletely waterproof for immersion up to 2 m.

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 955 2190

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2019

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

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NO FRILLS. NO HIDING. NO FEES. NO PROBLEM ... T he cost of living has gone up and people are feeling the pinch. They want to invest into solutions and technologies that help “Electrical contractors only want to recom- mend utility management systems that perform and that are going to put their expertise in a good light,” says Scheepers. “They don’t want clients complaining about unforeseen costs, hidden de- tails in the fine print, and exorbitant fees. This can seriously affect their reputation and their relation- ships with their clients.”

them to manage and control their expenditure so they can save money and plan for the future. An innovative and transparent sub-metering sys- tem is the perfect solution to this problem. Not only will it offer the tenant a clear view into how much they are spending on their power, but they aren’t at risk of spending more than they can afford. Another advantage is that the owner is guaranteed of timely collections and payments. With the benefits of prepaid so clear, owners are looking to electrical contractors to provide them with the insight and expertise they need to make informed choices on what sub-metering system to use. “Electrical contractors are experts in their field and they understand what solutions suit specific situations and what the best routes to sub-meter- ing should be for their clients,” says Carel Scheep- ers, General Manager: Sales at Citiq Prepaid. The sub-metering market presents an amaz- ing opportunity for the entrepreneurial electrical contractor. There are plenty of tenants in plenty of buildings who want access to reliable, trans- parent and cost-effective sub-metering solu- tions. There are just as many property owners and landlords who want to cut back on admin and time-intensive utility management while en- suring their customers get reliable service and utility provision. Contractors who understand the market, the people and their requirements are uniquely placed to provide the right solutions to their customers.

Citiq Prepaid has invested into creating a sub- metering offering that’s defined by how well it differentiates itself in the market. There are no hidden costs, no secret clauses printed in the fin- est of prints on contracts, no connection fees, no monthly fixed fees and, even more importantly, no switching fees. Citiq Prepaid is so confident of its sub-metering solution that it doesn’t believe there is a need to charge for switching. “We are always looking for ways in which we can improve the sub-metering experience for our us- ers,” says Scheepers. “Whether our user is a land- lord, a property owner or a tenant, we work hard to make their experience as simple and seamless as possible. This has allowed us not only to build really good relationships with our customers, but also with our electrical contractors. They know they can trust us to deliver excellent support and guidance to our users; and that they can trust in our quality.” For Scheepers, it is essential that Citiq Prepaid work closely with electrical installers as they are the lifeblood of the organisation. “The role of the electrical contractor is so important to the suc- cess of our company,” he concludes. “Without the contractors as our partners, we would never be able to reach so many people and build long

Citiq Prepaid’s utility sub-metering system is all about simple, seamless and systematic.

build long-lasting businesses and client relation- ships. This includes business and installation sup- port, innovative solutions, transparent contracts and no hidden costs with a company focused on giving every person the perfect experience from start to finish.

lasting relationships. We have found that by work- ing closely with our electrical contractors we have been able to fine tune our systems and our solu- tions to suit what they need and, in turn, what the market needs.” Citiq Prepaid works closely with its electrical contractors across the country, providing them with the information and support they need to

Enquiries: www.citiqprepaid.co.za

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2019

EARTHING, LIGHTNING AND SURGE PROTECTION

9

TEST DYNAMICS LAUNCHED TO REPRESENT NATIONAL BRANDS

NEW ELPA BOARD APPOINTED F resh to print, the Earthing and Lightning Protection Association (ELPA) co-hosted the first of two seminars with Association for Renewable Energy Practitioners (AREP), ‘Earthing and Lightning seminar – Surge protection for solar PV Plants’ on August 14 th at a venue fortuitously powered by a solar PV plant in the vicinity of Paarl, Cape Town. The second seminar took place in Midrand on August 20th. ELPA National Director, Richard Evert discusses the immediate road ahead for the industry and the association: “The seminars are consistent with my previous statements that ‘Communication is key’. Supportive interventions by our past Chairman of the Board, along with the President of AREP, Carel Ballack, opened the door for this intervention. While the seminars may have been premature, the opportunities could not be ignored, and the outcome has been enlighteningly consistent with the message we shared with Spark Electrical News readers in January 2019. A typical response to the message of lightning threat is either “We don’t have lightning” or “We don’t have a lightning problem”. The term ‘Ignorance is our enemy’ was coined in the Spark Electrical News September 2018 edition and still holds. So what to do about it? For a start, the Association has to be sustainable to be able to make a lasting and positive impact. A year ago in the Sparks August 2018 edition, we reported that the business and financial models would change by knowledge gained from an older and significantly larger equivalent organisation, the LPI, the Lightning Protection Institute in the USA. The model lends itself to collaboration while demanding accountability through financial investment. An integral part of any industry is its resources, and the lightning protection industry does not have a feeder program to ensure new resources in a growth market. That is, the establishment of a clear career path and qualifications by industry needs is a high priority. From the assistant to the installer to the designer to the inspector – each category will be reviewed to quantify the job and the associ- ated skills set and populated within the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). Set of unit standards and translated to the Qual- ity Council on Trades and Occupations (QCTO) modules under the supervision of the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) to establish aligned occupational qualifications in the lightning pro- tection industry. Some aspects of the occupation are available as unit standards, and therefore, some existing skills will already have some credits towards the lightning protection qualifications. Those T est Dynamics has been appointed to provide continued repre- sentation of the National Instruments brand following a deci- sion by National Instruments to pursue a distribution model in southern Africa. According to sales manager, Stephen Plumb, this distribution mod- el has been successfully rolled out in multiple territories around the globe as National Instruments seeks to divest from sales expenses and channel more resources into R&D. He explains that a renewed focus on military/aerospace, 5G and academic research puts Test Dynamics in a strong positon to expand the advantages that National Instruments software-defined platforms offer in these areas. “With LabVIEW having just passed the 33 year mark, no other company has the depth of experience in bringing software-de- fined instrumentation to market. The synthesis of high quality dig-

mass interconnects for high-density test systems; Quanser, which focuses on teaching and research of controls within the academic space; and Magtrol, which supplies high precision torque trans- ducers. Another brand to be represented is Micron Optics. “This com- pany has been partnering with National Instruments for fibre optic measurements of strain, temperature and displacement in environments where traditional measurements are not easy due to factors such as high EMC or risk of lightning. They have solu- tions for both low- and high-speed fibre sensing that are easy to incorporate within the LabVIEW environment to build a mixed measurement system,” says Plumb.

itising hardware, together with software, has been the essence of the National Instruments approach since its inception and more recently this philosophy has been driven even closer to the hard- ware with open architecture digitisers and FPGA-based platforms that have provided users with firmware level access to custom- ise their instruments to very particular requirements,” explains Plumb. “We can also offer training on the platforms to ensure that our customers are able to make the best use of the tools. Some customers prefer to have a turnkey solution, so we will continue to work with the National Instruments Alliance Partner network to assist customers that do not wish to engineer solutions in-house.” In addition to the National Instruments products, Test Dynam- ics also represents a number of globally recognised technology suppliers, including Mac Panel Interconnect, which specialises in

Enquiries: www.testdynamics.co.za

not included in other professions will be quantified and approved according to QCTO with recogni- tion of prior learning (RPL) as part of the outcomes. Throughout this process, the Department of Labour and the AIA (Approved Inspection Authority) is integral to a positive outcome to- gether with industry Associations such as the ECA, SAIEE and the ECB. We need to expect more from these bodies, and ELPA needs to be measured by the same yard- stick. However, these Associations must work together to achieve success within the electrical in- dustry as a whole.

The new ELPA Board of Directors: (seated from left to right), Hano Oelofse, Tertius Oelofse, Helmut Kanwischer, Israel Melodi, Rhyno van der Westhuizen, Graeme Smart, Mike Visser, Gerhard Human, Karen Evert (minute taker) and Richard Evert.

engaged in resources to build collaboration capacity with all main- stream Associations that are impacted by lightning or can have an impact on how we, as South Africans, should be addressing the threat of lightning. ELPA is looking to a coordinated future with a reduction in light- ning damage and loss of human life.”

We have completed the changes to the ELPA business and financial models. The new Board of Directors has been elected and appointed. They are (ordered by surname), Gerhard Human, Helmut Kanwischer (Treasurer), Israel Melodi, Hano Oelofse, Tertius Oelofse, Graeme Smart, Rhyno van der Westhuizen and Mike Visser (founding chairman and current Company Secretary). The

Enquiries: www.elpasa.org.za

first meeting of the Board of Directors took place at the end of July with a significant number of decisions made. We have identified that education and training is an extremely high priority alongside building up the membership of ELPA for a sustainable representation. ELPA will maintain core teams to review materials and procedures compliance and standards relevance in support of the SABS, Department of Labour (DoL) and the munic- ipal regulatory bodies. Also on the priority list will be the development of handbooks for the industry, skills development pro- grams, and regional support through inter- action with the ECA and SAIEE. ELPA has

LIGHTNING – CAN YOU AFFORD TO IGNORE IT? T oday, computers and computer based equipment are used extensively in virtually every sector of in- dustry and commerce - as well as hospitals, gov-

electronic circuitry of computers and other sensitive electronic equipment. This results in data loss, loss of fax and phone, system disruption, physical damage to equipment (either immediate or later through compo- nent degradation). Costly downtime Electrical switching events can cause the same problems although chiefly affecting mains power supply.

ernment facilities, laboratories and banking. Whether a company operates a local area network, automated factory equipment, a sophisticated building security system, or even a small telephone exchange, it depends totally on that system to operate efficiently. However, many organisations ignore the single big- gest threat to their systems - voltage surges caused by lightning and electrical switching events. Main power supplies and data communications lines are highly sus- ceptible to surge voltages and the result is usually a total systems failure. Apart from the enormous cost involved in replacing damaged equipment, consider other expenses that are difficult to quantify: severe disruption to your operations - data loss, downtime, loss of fax and phone, inconven- ience to your staff and your customers. But the situation CAN be avoided! Lightning activity near to a building can cause voltage surges (transient overvoltages). These brief but signifi- cant increases in voltage on mains power supplies or data communication lines can be conducted into the

www.whichvoip.co.za/lightning-protection

SEPTEMBER 2019 SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

EARTHING, LIGHTNING AND SURGE PROTECTION

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PROPER EARTHING AND LIGHTNING PROTECTION FOR WIND POWER

I n South Africa, most people tend to think of solar energy when they think of renewable energy sources, and certainly photovoltaic (PV) power is on the rise – the public is becoming more aware of on- ground solar farms as well as the increase in individual businesses and homes that are installing solar panels to reduce their dependence on the grid. But what about wind, and where are we in South Africa with this interesting renewable option? Florian Vögerl, head of sales and operations at DEHN Africa, says, “In 2016, a study by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) noted that the capacity to produce electricity from wind turbines in South Africa was more widely spread than initially thought, and was in fact on a par with solar energy . Since then, wind energy has become an increasingly important part of this renewable landscape. Here at DEHN Africa, we play a critical role in protecting wind turbines that are used in renewable energy production from the destructive effects of lightning and power surges.”

Renewable energy in South Africa Locally, the energy landscape is in a state of upheaval, best summed up around the ongoing uncertainties and delays related to the Department of Energy’s latest draft Integrated Resource Plan for electricity (Draft IRP 2018). The draft IRP walks a delicate tightrope among a number of different stakeholders, including the government, labour, business and communities, and issues at stake include (but are not limited to) those who want to continue for as long as possible with coal-fired energy production, largely because of job continuity; a small number voting for nuclear; and an ever-growing voice clamouring for the final green light for renewable energy sources. Vögerl comments, “When you think that, as per the CSIR, the cost of new wind generation is 40 percent cheaper than that of coal, it does make enormous sense to explore wind energy as a renewable energy option in South Africa. This is especially true as we have vast areas of the country that are very windy, such as the Eastern and Western Cape provinces, and parts of the interior. Additionally, the average time for construction to completion of renewable energy projects is only 1.9 years, which obviously allows a new source of energy to be connected to the grid very quickly. “At DEHN Africa, we are obviously aware that legislative issues still need to be enacted around the implementation of different energy sources in the grid overall. But I think it remains a certainty, amidst all the noise, that more wind turbines will be required in South Africa, and they need to be protected against lightning strikes and electric- ity power surges – quite literally, one turbine at a time.” Protecting renewable energy equipment from lightning strikes Lightning strikes to renewable energy equipment, such as that used on wind or solar farms, or rooftop solar panels, will cause damage at the strike point, as well as surge damage to any equipment that is connected downstream. While external lightning protection helps avoid damage at the strike point itself, surge protection devices help prevent downstream damage because of conducted and induced surges from the strike, while further allowing the renewable energy system to stay online. In addition to the damage that an individual lightning strike can do, it must also be considered that South Africa is a country where many areas have a very high lightning ground flash density (a measurement of the number of lightning strikes to the ground over a period of one year). There are, in fact, areas where the country’s ground flash density is comparable to, or higher than, the lightning hot spots of north and south America, Asia and northern Australia .

Europe do. Therefore, it is critically important to protect our renew- able equipment in South Africa from lightning strikes. The results of a lightning strike to an unprotected renewable energy source will include physical repairs or replacement – not to mention potential reputational damage.” He clarifies that, in some cases, wind turbines are imported into South Africa with the lightning protection equipment already pre- assembled, and that DEHN Africa’s work requests are mostly around the earthing of the turbines. Appropriate earthing for wind turbines In this vein, says Vögerl, the earth termination system for onshore wind turbines has the following tasks: • Protective earthing, which safely connects electrical equipment to the ground and protects people and property in the event of an electric fault; • Functional earthing, which needs to ensure safe and efficient operation of the electrical and electronic equipment; • Lightning protection earthing, which must safely conduct the lightning current from the down conductors to the ground. DEHN advises in a white paper on the earth termination of on-shore wind turbines that, as regards lightning protection earthing, it is advan- tageous to have a single, common earth-termination system for all purposes (medium-voltage system, low-voltage supply, lightning pro- tection, electromagnetic compatibility, telecommunication and control systems). The white paper notes further that the reinforced concrete foun- dations of wind turbines should primarily be as a foundation earth electrode, as these provide a low earth resistance and represent an excellent basis for equipotential bonding. As a medium-voltage transformer is also installed in the wind turbine, the earth-termination system must be designed according to international standard IEC 61936-1, which describes all types of earth electrodes. Foundation earth electrodes are defined as the most effective earth electrodes. When working out the dimensions of the earth termination sys- tem, it is important to factor in the composition of the surrounding ground, and the type of neutral point treatment and the resulting short circuit currents in case of a fault. Moving forward “We believe that South Africa is on the verge of seeing a tremendous increase in the use of renewable wind energy production. When the green light is given for even more investment in the renewables space and the finalisation of the draft Integrated Resource Plan for electricity, companies will want to move quickly with their wind energy production plans. With this in mind, the time for planning is now, and it should be remembered that each wind turbine needs to be earthed properly and individually,” concludes Vöger.

“South Africa’s lightning conditions,” says Vögerl, “are in general more frequent than those found in many parts of Europe, where much of the world’s renewable energy sources and technology are developed and implemented. We therefore have even more reason, arguably, to look after our renewable energy equipment than our colleagues in

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 704 1487

LIGHTNING AND SURGE PROTECTION DIVISION LAUNCHED

• Calculation of separation distances according to IEC/ SANS 62305 • Selection of surge protection devices • Detailed tender specifications in accordance with IEC/SANS codes. The O-line-OBO Bettermann Group is a leading sup- plier of cable support systems as well as surge and lightning protection systems. The company offers supply and design on external lightning protection and earthing systems. With a comprehensive programme of training courses and seminars on the subject of surge voltage and lightning protection systems, O-line is able to support its customers with specialist knowledge from a single source. Training covers the industry regulations and practical im- plementation in everyday applications, etc.

O-line recently announced a new lightning and surge protection division. OBO Engineering, situated in Selby, Johannesburg is a new division designed to provide tech- nical assistance to the African market within the field of lightning and surge protection. The division, which has an experienced design and solutions team, will now comple- ment its already world renowned products through pro- viding the following services: • Earth resistivity testing with detailed report on find- ings • Risk assessments with detailed report and mitigation measures • Site assessments • Detailed engineering design with bill of materials • 2D and 3D drawings of lightning protection systems in CAD format • Detailed installation instructions

Enquiries: www.o-line.co.za

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2019

EARTHING, LIGHTNING AND SURGE PROTECTION

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GUARANTEED POWER PROTECTION A dopting smart uninterruptible power supply (UPS) technology has become the preferred course of action to protect valu- able equipment from power surges, especially in South Africa, where blackouts occur frequently. Downtime caused by power outages is frustrating for anyone but can be financially crippling for a business or organisation. Every year, millions of rands are lost due to downtime caused by power disruptions that could have been prevented by a UPS. Small to medium-sized businesses may be most at financial risk due to a limited ability to generate revenue during downtime. Schneider Electric’s UPS offers guaranteed power protection for connected electronics. When power is interrupted, or fluctuates out- side safe levels, the UPS will instantly provide clean battery backup power and surge protection for plugged-in, sensitive equipment. It can be selected for home, office or even data centres and config- ured to provide a reliable source of power. Selection criteria When selecting a UPS, electronics have both maximum watt ratings and maximum VA (volt-ampere) ratings. Neither rating may be ex- ceeded by attached equipment. Watts measure real power drawn by the equipment, while volt-amps are the product of the voltage applied to the equipment times the current drawn by the equipment. For computers and UPS units, watt and VA ratings can differ sig- nificantly. The ratio of watts to VA is called the power factor and is expressed either as a number or a percentage. When sizing a UPS for your specific requirements, the power factor matters most. OUTSMARTING THE DC SWITCH ARC E lectromechanical relays (EMRs) or solid-state relays (SSRs) are used for switching various loads in numerous industrial fields. These switch- ing devices generally operate reliably in the control cabinet at the most commonly used voltage levels 24 V dc and 230 Vac. If, however, dc loads have to be switched at higher voltages, often with higher powers at the same time, the common standard versions of the EMRs and SSRs prove to be unsuitable, and often fail quickly. Applications for the switching of higher dc loads can be found in nu- merous industrial sectors. Examples include electric motor vehicles with up to 800 V dc, battery voltages on trains, and photovoltaic systems with up to 1000 V dc. Due to the application-specific switching requirements and the simultaneously occurring high currents, the relay manufacturers have developed special devices for those applications. However, these devices are often unsuitable for the control cabinet applications imple- mented in automation solutions. Use of dc voltage from battery systems For the most part, the control cabinets in industrial automation solutions use the common voltages of 24 V dc and 230 V ac, as well as three-phase systems for mainly motor-driven applications, operating at higher voltages. At a closer look, however, dc voltage systems operating at more than 100 V dc can also be found, normally used as battery-based emergency power supplies in case the mains voltage fails. Such solutions are used in computer centres, airports, in the chemical industry, in process engineering, in power plants for electricity generation, etc. To maintain uninterrupted operation, even when a malfunction occurs, power plants have emergency power generators. When these also fail, large battery systems need to ensure that the important parts of the power plant can operate in emergency mode for a certain period of time. In Europe, such applications preferably use 220 V dc battery systems, whereas also 110 and 125 V dc solutions can be found in other parts of the world. In order to supply the very high power required, a significant number of individual cells are connected in a large battery system. Numerous loads from the control system, including many switching devices such as contactors and coupling relays, which are conveniently snapped onto standardised DIN rails in the control cabinet, are directly supplied by the dc voltage from these batteries. In contrast, three-phase loads – such as pumps – are supplied indirectly by the batteries via rotating transformers or converters. No voltage commutation with dc voltages What are the reasons that cause standard coupling relays in such applications, often installed due to a lack of insight, to fail so quickly? The answer can be found considering the completely different behaviour of coupling relays when switching ac or dc voltage. On that point, a brief digression into the physical basics: almost all of the standard coupling relays available today have contact clearances in the range of 0,3 to 0,4 mm. These clearances are perfectly sufficient to switch off loads up to 230 V ac, even at higher currents. Not later than after one half-wave of the sinusoidal mains voltage, the voltage commutates and thus ensures that any electric arc possibly igniting at shutoff is extinguished automatically. Naturally, with dc voltages, there is no voltage commutation, which is why the maximum permissible switching current decreases drastically, especially with higher switching voltages. Generally, users don’t know about the differences in relay behaviour be-

tion of energy management and automation in homes, buildings, data centres, infrastructure and industries. It provides UPS power supply for home, data centres and industrial environments. UPS power supply provides protection from power surges, blackouts (load shedding) and unpredictable weather conditions.

Generally, your UPS should have an output watt capacity 20-25% higher than the total power drawn by any attached equipment. Three-phase power protection, with fully integrated solutions, is needed for enterprise-wide networks, data centres, mission critical systems and industrial manufacturing processes. How much runtime do you need to support your attached equipment? That depends on what you intend to backup with your UPS. Runtime refers to the amount of time a UPS will be able to power its attached equipment in the event of a power disruption. The more equipment you have plugged in to your UPS, the less runtime you will have, so it is important to make sure your UPS is only providing backup power to your most critical equipment. Selecting features Schneider Electric offers the following features on its range of APC UPSs: • Basic: user-replaceable batteries; surge-only outlets; building wiring fault indicator; transformer-block spaced outlets; automatic self-test. • Enhanced: automatic voltage regulation; pure sine-wave output on battery; SmartSlot; scalable runtime; power conditioning. • Advanced: adjustable voltage transfer points; temperature- compensated battery charging; intelligent battery management; predictive failure notifications; plug-and-play external batteries. Schneider Electric South Africa is leading the digital transforma- cause the interruptible current turns out to be absolutely identi- cal (10 A for a suitably rated coupling relay) at the voltages of 24 V dc and 230 V dc commonly used in automation solutions. However, in applications where the dc voltage to be switched is significantly higher – 220 V dc, for example, the 10 A coupling relay can only switch off 0,3 A. This is why, unfortunately, mis- use occurs frequently, leading to a total failure of the standard coupling relays, sometimes even during the first switching cycle. Integration of an additional magnetic arc blowout solution The explanations above emphasise that common coupling relays are not suitable for switching off higher dc loads. Consequently, au- tomation applications also require special solutions. The integration of an additional magnetic arc blowout solution has proven helpful here. The functional principle is simple: a permanent magnet is in- tegrated into the contact gap of such a special relay. Any electric arc igniting at shutoff will now be deflected in the magnetic field in accordance with physical laws. Instead of, as before, striking directly at the point where the distance between the opened relay contacts is shortest, the electric arc deviates laterally between the contacts. Because this looks like the electric arc is blown out of the gap, the relays are called magnetic arc blowout relays. The electric arc becomes sig- nificantly longer, and even the higher dc switching voltage is not sufficient anymore to help maintaining it. Thus, the electric arc extinguishes within a few milliseconds. Usual coupling re- lays of such type safely switch off loads up to 220 V dc and 10 A – 30 times higher than relays of the same design without blowout magnet. Purely electronic switching by high-voltage MOSFETs Another interesting alternative for switching loads at higher dc volt- ages is the use of modern solid-state relays (SSRs). The key

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 254 6400

here is the use of high-voltage MOSFETs. So, up to voltages of 300 V dc, switching is done electronically, with no electric arcs ever occurring. Consequently, there is no wear either. Such de- vices outperform electromechanical relays not only with regard to their service life: they do not bounce, and moreover, switching is fast and completely silent. Even if the solid-state relay can ‘only’ switch loads of up to 300 V dc/1 A, it tops conventional standard relays by a factor of 3 to 5 while offering the above- mentioned advantages. Moreover, the SSR has proven to be space-saving with its overall width of only 6,2 mm. A third approach to the switching of higher dc loads is the contact series connection of several N/O contacts or N/C con- tacts of a conventional multi-position coupling relay. Depending on the number of contacts connected in series accordingly, dc switching currents in the low one-digit ampere range can be reached at a switching voltage of 220 V dc. Information on the interruptible current is provided in the relay manufacturer’s load limit curve, if determined for this special type of connection. Summary Trouble-free switching even of higher dc loads up to 250 V dc and 10 A can be realised by means of selecting a special cou- pling relay, preferably with blowout magnet. The use of these powerful devices eliminates the need to expect troubling fail- ures such as those occurring in similar applications with con- ventional standard relays, where continuous electric arcs occur. In applications with switching voltages of up to 300 V dc as well as maximum currents of 1 A, the high-voltage SSR pre- sented can be an interesting alternative to its electromechanical equivalent. This is because it is only as wide as a terminal block (6,2 mm) and it switches completely wear-free.

Enquiries: www.phoenixcontact.co.za

SEPTEMBER 2019 SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS