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  • VIEWS & OPINION: more >>

  • LIGHTING: more >>

    • The benefits of Power over Ethernet lighting

      Information from Crystal Communications

      One way to save money in buildings such as schools, hospitals, offices and homes is to power the lighting installation over Ethernet. “Power over Ethernet” (PoE) refers to the ability to use Ethernet cords to carry network data and electrical power to an electrical load. A common use of the Ethernet cord involves connecting it […]

    • Lighting lessons from Europe

      by Phil Hammond, BHA Lighting

      A recent European trip prompted me to look at the latest lighting trends and to explore the lighting installations at the places I visited. The trip included a visit to Diocletian’s Palace in Croatia, built for the retirement of Roman Emperor Diocletian. It is an amazing old place still in good condition where the stones […]

    • Generators, UPS systems versus individual emergency luminaires

      by Stirling Marais, Cosine Developments

      There are numerous cases where generators and UPS systems are installed instead of individual, self-contained emergency luminaires. The argument may be that these generators and UPSs still supply power to the light fixtures during a power failure. However, according to SANS 0114-2, emergency lighting shall not only operate in case of general power failures but […]

  • SWITCHGEAR & DRIVES: more >>

    • Transforming condition monitoring of rotating machines

      by Ralf Gitzel, Benedikt Schmidt, Arzam Kotriwala, Ido Amihai, Guruprasad Sosale, James Ottewill; Marco Heese ; Diego Pareschi, ABB

      ABB has equipped less-critical equipment in a pilot plant with a solution based on inexpensive sensors, machine learning and software allowing advanced but affordable monitoring. In a typical industrial plant, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance are usually only applied to the most critical rotating equipment. For cost reasons, less-critical items are often only analysed on […]

    • Choosing between VFDs and soft starters

      by Mike Rycroft, EE Publishers

      The choice between a multifunction and single-function system can be made by analysing the needs of the motor. VFDs have advanced to the stage where virtually any required function can be programmed on devices. There is, however, a sector in the drives market that does not require this degree of flexibility but needs only a […]

    • Winding resistance testing of motors

      Information from Megger

      Winding resistance measurements detect various faults in motors and transformers: shorted turns, loose connections, broken strands and malfunctioning tap changer mechanisms. Winding resistance measurements detect problems in motors which other tests may not find. These problems include partial or fully shorted coils, poor crimps or connections, imbalance between phases (improper turns on phases) and incorrect […]

  • MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY: more >>

    • The measurement of noise

      by RPS Horn, 1974

      From the ICMEESA Archive This article is concerned with the work situation, with reference to factory noise. Fig. 1 shows some of the interrelations between engineers and factory management on the one hand and many of the other auxiliary activities on the other. When discussing noise, we deal with sound pressure magnitudes ranging from the […]

    • Hoist speed controller and braking

      by I Butler and a team of Vaal Reefs engineers

      From the ICMEESA Archive The purpose of winder rope speed indicator, winder controller and controller deceleration cam tests is to ensure that the winder is safe under all conditions. The winder technician, under the direction of the electrical engineer, is subjecting the winders on Vaal Reefs to a series of brake tests. The engineers on […]

    • The future of the glass industry

      by Sir Alastair Pilkington, 1974

      From the ICMEESA Archive The chairperson of Britain’s largest glassmaker (at the time of writing) describes advances in glass and the management philosophies which the glass industry must adopt. After five thousand years, glass has quite suddenly become one of the most versatile of all modern materials. It can be porous, flexible or even crystalline. […]

  • INSTALLATION & CONTRACTING: more >>

    • Medupi magic fails Eskom and South Africa – the stuff of nightmares

      by Chris Yelland, investigative editor, EE Publishers

      . Following major problems that brought Eskom’s Medupi power station to its knees during the height of the load shedding last week, Medupi’s power station manager, Rudi van der Wal, is leaving Eskom to take up a position overseas. Van der Wal had resigned before the mess started, and was due to leave in about […]

    • Safety for cable networks, remote signals, sound signals and interactive services

      Information from DEHN

      IEC 60728-11 calls for earthing measures in addition to equipotential bonding and lightning equipotential bonding of cable networks. Nowadays, conventional satellite and terrestrial antennas are almost exclusively installed on the roofs of buildings. The IEC 60728-11 (EN 60728-1) standard therefore calls for earthing measures in addition to equipotential bonding and lightning equipotential bonding of the […]

    • The science of solar geysers for domestic use

      by Erich Seeger, SABS

      The SABS explains the physics and testing procedures for solar water heaters. The concept of solar collection is not new at all; there are records of solar collection darting back to before the 1900s. One of the first solar water heater found was a tank painted black and mounted on a roof. Basically, white light […]