Why is electricity so hard to understand?
It's been a busy few months on different projects or busy couple of decades depending on how I look at it. I can say that on the odd (frequent) occasion...
Introduction to Traction Substations
Following on from my post on railway electrification voltages, I thought an introduction to traction substations would be a good idea. Traction substations...
E-Ink
Before the technical, some general information. E-ink display are found in a lot of e-readers, some mobile phones and similar devices and the intent is...
Lighting - Lamps
Lamps are the essential part of any luminaire. These are the light generating components. Since the advent of electrical lighting in the middle of the...
Thermoplastic and Thermosetting Insulation
While there are a vast array of cable insulation materials, these are often divided into two general types; Thermoplastic or Thermosetting. For example...
Hazardous Areas – IEC and NEC/CEC Comparison
Depending where in the world you work, you are likely following one of two standards
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
National...
Gas Insulated or Air Insulated Switchgear
Various arguments exist around SF6 Gas Insulated (GIS) and Air Insulated (AIS) medium voltage switchgear. Recently we had to change a GIS design to AI...
Harmonised Cable Codes and Colours
Within Europe the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) has standardised the both the designation and colour of cables. ...
Motor Efficiency Classification
Electric motors are one of the most widely used items of electrical equipment. Improving motor efficiency benefits include, reduced power demand, lower...
Generation of a Sine Wave
A fundamental concept behind the operation of alternating current systems is that voltage and current waveforms will be sinusoidal – a Sine Wave. This...