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Around the Circuit
EPRI Unveils
Restructuring Plans
As part of a broad restructuring move, the Palo Alto,
Calif.-based EPRI family
of companies recently made some significant changes. EPRI's Electricity
Innovation Institute (E2I) affiliate has been merged into EPRI, where
its technical programs will continue. However, its separate
administrative operations will be discontinued. Three
of EPRI's services subsidiaries, including EPRIsolutions, Primen, and
EPRI-PEAC, have been combined into a new company called EPRIsolutions.
Internally, EPRI is now organized into three key areas: the
client-focused Business Group, the Science and Technology Group, and
the
Human Resources and Administration Group. "EPRI has a unique and
powerful collaborative model for leveraging scientific and technical
resources," says Steve Specker, the new president and CEO of EPRI.
"Today's changes will
streamline and strengthen the organization so that these resources can
be more effectively focused on the needs of the electricity industry
and
the public at large."
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 Simple. Reliable.
Accurate.
AEMC Instruments' clamp-on ground resistance testers measure ground rod
and grid resistance in any environment without the use of auxiliary
ground rods. Both testers measure ground resistance from 0.01 ohm to
1200 ohms without disconnecting the rod under test. The Models 3711
and
3731 also measure ground leakage and phase current from 1mA to 30Arms.
The large jaw (1.25") accommodates ground conductors up to 1000MCM. The
Model 3731 includes both an alarm function and a memory function, which
will store up to 99 field measurements. Patented design. Visit www.aemc.com to learn more.
ETL Strives for
Recognition as Alternative to UL Mark
The ETL SEMKO division of Intertek Group plc, a testing,
inspection, and certification services company that operates more than
273 laboratories and 521 offices in 100 countries around the world,
recently launched an industry awareness campaign with a series of ads
and a new Web site. The purpose of the promotion is to educate
manufacturers about the use of the ETL mark and position it as a viable
alternative to the UL mark. "There are a number of certification mark
alternatives," says Gregg Tiemann, president of Intertek ETL SEMKO,
Americas. "In the
case of the ETL Listed mark, it's preferred by manufacturers seeking
fast testing turnaround throughout 30 labs worldwide." According to
Nancy Medas, director of marketing, the campaign goes way beyond
branding. "When all manufacturers know they have a choice, the doors
are
open for a competitive market," she says. For more information, visit
the
company's
Web site or call 1-800-WORLDLAB.
California
Construction Volume
Remains Up
According to a recent report by the Construction
Industry Research Board (CIRB), large construction projects kept
California's total construction volume up in September for the second
straight month. Compared to the same time period in 2003, statewide
construction totaled $6.67 billion, which is up 0.6% from August and
15.9% percent from September 2003. According to Ben Bartolotto,
director
of the CIRB, heavy construction in the first nine months of 2004
totaled
$6.6 billion, which is 15.2% or $868.8 million greater than the same
period
last year. Public works construction during the same nine-month period
totaled $13.3 billion, up 3.3% from last year. All construction
sectors are up in the first nine months of 2004 except public buildings
construction, which totaled $6.7 billion, down 6.1% or $439.4
million from the same period last year.
EC&M to
Offer
Business Advice for
Service Contractors
Calling all service contractors: If you've got
questions, we've got answers. Beginning in January 2005, EC&M
will
launch a new monthly business-themed Q&A column for the owners of
residential electrical service companies. Each month in the print
magazine, Patrick
Kennedy, president of Mister Sparky and CEO of Electricians' Success
International, will answer real questions submitted by real readers
with
real problems. Need advice on how to turn a negative service call into
a
positive referral? Having trouble drumming up new business? With nearly
20 years in the electrical service industry, Kennedy has almost seen it
all, and he's ready to use that experience to help you. E-mail your
service contracting questions to mhalverson@primediabusiness.com.
ADVERTISEMENT
 Yet Another Reason to Buy a
LANTEK®
As the only handheld LAN certifier capable of sweeping up to 1 Ghz, the
LANTEK® 7G is the most advanced and complete CAT
5e/6/6a/7
certification tester in the world. And now with exclusive DUALmode
technology, it's the only tester capable of performing two tests
simultaneously. Visit www.idealindustries.com
to set up a demo of the LANTEK 7G.
Project Watch
Renton, Wash.,
Accepting Bids on
City Lift Station Rehabilitation Project
The City of Renton, Wash., has released a call for bids
for its WWP-27-2987 2004 Lift Station Rehabilitation Project. The scope
of work, which must be performed within 90 days from the date of
commencement, includes modifications in the electrical building.
Approved plans and
specifications and contract forms are available from the City of
Renton,
Planning/Building/Public Works Department, sixth floor Customer Service
Counter, 1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA, 98055. Mailed orders for
plans must be received no later than Dec. 3. Sealed bids will be
accepted no later than 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 14. Interested parties should
contact Mike Benoit, project manager, at 1055
South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98055 or (425) 430-7206 with questions, or
visit the city's
Web site.
Orlando
International Airport Announces Upcoming Construction Project
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) has
embarked on a multimillion dollar construction program and is accepting
bids on a design/build signage project due in February. Project #BP-355
involves procurement and installation of four dynamic message signs
(DMS) at various locations along the Loop Road at the Orlando
International Airport where a fiber optic cable system either currently
exists or will be deployed as part of this project. All signs must be
remotely controlled and programmable from the terminal communication
room inside the landside terminal building. Anyone interested in being
placed on the bidder's list should submit a request to Stanley J.
Thornton, Director of Construction, Attention: Bidder's List, Greater
Orlando Aviation Authority, Orlando International Airport, 5850 Cargo
Road, Orlando, FL 32827-4399. For more information, see the Construction
Update.
ADVERTISEMENT
 Contractors Earn Free Merchandise From
B-Line
Introducing the Great GearSM program, a way to acquire free
gifts by collecting and redeeming B-Line Bucks found on B-Line's
fastener product boxes.
Simply remove your B-Line Bucks from the box label and use them to
select from a wide assortment of gear in B-Line's Great Gear catalog.
To obtain a catalog and order forms, see your local B-Line distributor,
or visit our website at www.b-line.com.
Zone Exclusives
The Ups
and Downs of Transformer Installations
Ever wonder what the NEC says about installing
overcurrent protection for transformers? As EC&M's Code expert
Mike Holt
points out in this discussion of Art. 450, your first step is to pick a
suitable transformer. Visit
www.ecmweb.com for the full story.
Eye on Safety
Deere & Co., Moline, Ill., recently recalled nearly
15,000 of its Gator HPX Utility Vehicles, which were sold in 4x2 and
4x4
drive configurations at authorized John Deere dealers nationwide
between
December 2003 to October 2004. These vehicles are believed to possess a
common safety hazard - loss of brake system pressure can decrease the
effectiveness of the
brakes. Although no injuries have been reported, the company is aware
of
14 instances where replacement of the master brake cylinder was
necessary to correct the problem. Consumers should contact their local
John Deere dealer for a free repair of the master brake cylinder. For
more information, contact John Deere's Customer Communications Center
at
(800) 537-8233, or visit the John Deere Web site. For a complete list of the
recalled model and
serial numbers, read the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission Safety Alert. (Note: Six-wheeled
models with 6x4 drive configurations are not included in the recall.)
On the Job and Out to
Lunch
Everyone makes mistakes. Some are just funnier than
others. Got a story about a jobsite blunder you'd like to share? Send us your
story of embarrassing on-the-job mistakes for use in EC&M's new
column
called Short Circuits. If we publish it, we'll send you a check for
$25.
Read the latest stories
from your fellow readers.
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information.
Shows and Events
Enter the 2005
EC&M Product of the
Year Competition
Have you invented a product that deserves to be in the
spotlight? Then enter it in the 2005 EC&M Product of the Year
competition, which honors excellence in new product development in the
electrical industry. The entries will be judged by a panel of industry
professionals, including representatives from the engineering,
maintenance, and contracting fields. Finalists' materials will be
displayed at the Electric West Show held Feb. 8-10 in Anaheim, Calif.,
and published in
the March issue of EC&M. Magazine subscribers will then vote for
the
Product of the Year online. The deadline for entry is Jan. 15, 2005.
Entry information is posted on the EC&M Web site.
Electric West Show
For anyone who purchases, recommends, or uses
electrical products and equipment, Anaheim, Calif., is the place to be
this February. Scheduled for Feb. 8-10 at the Anaheim Convention Center,
Electric West will bring electrical contractors, engineers,
electricians, and plant and facilities managers together for the annual
interactive trade show. Not only will attendees be able to check out
the
latest and greatest products in the industry, but they will also have
access to a comprehensive conference program packed with technical
seminars. Presented by industry experts, session topics cover
everything
from the NEC, power quality, and maintenance, to lighting, renewable
energy, and home technology integration. In addition, one free session
will be offered each day, including the keynote address, general
session, and Ask the Experts -- Topic: Power Quality. For more
information, visit the event's Web site or click here
to register online.
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