Electrical and related buildings technology
Within Europe the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) has standardised the both the designation and colour of cables. These are published in CENELEC document... read more..
Photovoltaic (PV) cells (sometimes called solar cells) convert solar energy into electrical energy. Every year more and more PV systems are installed. With this growing application, it's ... read more..
Fire resistant and fire retardant cable sheaths are design to resist combustion and limit the propagation of flames. Low smokes cables have a sheath designed to limit the amount of smoke and toxic ha... read more..
In the previous note we looked at the approach taken by the standard to the sizing of cables and illustrated this with an example. We then looked at one method of applying the standard and iden... read more..
IEC 60287 "Calculation of the continuous current rating of cables (100% load factor)" is the International Standard which defines the procedures and equations to be used in determining the ... read more..
IEC 60947 is the circuit breaker standard and covers the marking of breakers in detail. Any manufacturer following this standard should comply with the markings. read more..
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is the study of coordinating electromagnetic fields give off equipment, with the withstand (compatibility) of other equipment within the vicinity. In it's simplest... read more..
Anyone specifying or using electric motors should have a basic understanding how the insulation is related to temperature. Three classes of insulation are in common use (with 'F' being the most common).... read more..
Lead acid batteries are cost effect and reliable, making them suitable for many applications.This note examines topics of interest associated with the use of these batteriesLead acid batteries are co... read more..
If your are ever called out to troubleshoot something on your electrical system, one of the first things consider is the supply voltage. You want to ensure you have a good electrical supply before movin... read more..
I think this post is going to be helpful to several of our readers. While the IEC low voltage circuit breaker Standard [IEC 60947-2, Low voltage switchgear and controlgear - Part 2: Circuit-breakers] ha... read more..
One of the comments on my Motor Starting Series was asking for something on duty cycles. Here it is.
As a... read more..
Estimating maximum demand is a topic frequently discussed. Working out how much power to allow for a building can be very subjective . Allowing too much...
Over recent years the Lithium Ion battery has become popular in applications requiring high power densities with small weight and footprint. Today Lithium...
Using software in our work is essential for most of us and we are becoming even more dependant on it's use. While software is a great asset, many times...
Bored at work and would rather be playing trump card game with you son. The next best thing (or not) maybe the online cable trump card game from AEI Cables...
While there are a vast array of cable insulation materials, these are often divided into two general types; Thermoplastic or Thermosetting. For example...
Most installations involve some form of lightning protection system which is connected to an earth electrode. The function of the earth electrode is to...
ABB has produced a range of technical guides that offer concise explanations of the major technologies and technical issues in low voltage AC drives. ...
Alternating current (a.c.) is the backbone of modern electrical power distribution. In this article I’ll be pulling some of the more important concepts...
When thinking about watts (W) or kilowatt (kW = 1000 W) it can be useful too keep in mind the fundamental ideas behind the unit. Watt is not a pure electrical...
Depending where in the world you work, you are likely following one of two standards International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) National...
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