Energy and Power
You can use water pipes for grounding purposes, but…
Water pipes have been used extensively in the past as a grounding electrode. Water pipe connections are not testable and are unreliable due to the use of tar coatings and plastic fittings. City water departments have begun to specifically install… Read more
Apr 16, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Electrical Lectures
Why do we care so much about power factor correction?
Power factor, as every electrical engineer should know, is defined as the ratio of real power to volt-amperes and is the cosine of the phase angle between the voltage and current in an AC circuit. These are neatly defined quantities with sinusoidal… Read more
Apr 15, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Electrical Lectures
AC versus DC. Those were the days…
Take warning! Alternating currents are dangerous. They are fit only for powering the electric chair :) The only similarity between an AC and a DC lighting system is that they both start from the same coal pile. And thus did… Read more
Apr 13, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
What would be the best conductor material for electrical wires and cables
The conductivity of copper is 65% higher than that of aluminium which means that the conductor size of similarly rated cables is proportionately smaller. Correspondingly less expense is then incurred in providing for insulation, shielding and armouring the cables themselves…. Read more
Apr 09, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Electrical Lectures
What Is The Energy, But For Real?
Energy is best defined as “the capacity for doing work”. Electricity is but one of many forms of energy. Other familiar forms of or descriptions of energy are thermal or heat, light, mechanical, and so on. Energy is also described… Read more
Apr 08, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Power Measurement On Four-Wire System Using Wattmeter Methods
A four-wire system is suitable to supply unbalanced, three-phase loads or single phase loads distributed on all three phases of a low voltage installation. When measuring power on a three-phase system, it is really necessary to take into consideration the… Read more
Apr 06, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
The basics of selectivity (discrimination) between circuit breakers
On economical grounds and for the reason of reliability of the service, it is not always ideal to interrupt the supply to the installation in the case of a fault as fast as possible. That’s why we have the selectivity… Read more
Apr 04, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Six core activities in the commissioning of the earthing system
Commissioning of new earthing system is essential as a validation step for the design and installation process and for the design inputs. In most cases commissioning should measure the outputs of the earthing system in terms of produced voltages and… Read more
Apr 02, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
10 Factors To Consider When Specifying Transformers
There are many factors that influence final specification of a transformer. However, the following ten factors MUST be considered when specifying transformers. Let’s name these ten factors: Kilovoltampere (kVA) Rating Voltage Ratings, Ratio, and Method of Connection (Delta or Wye) Voltage… Read more
Mar 28, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
How to manage harmonic currents affecting the neutral
A number of measures can be taken to eliminate or reduce the effects of harmonic currents in the neutral conductor, in particular third harmonic currents. Let’s talk about the following five measures: modifications to the installation, star-delta transformer, transformer with… Read more
Mar 25, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Electrical Lectures
How rotating magnetic field works in AC machines
The fundamental principle of operation of AC machines is the generation of a rotating magnetic field, which causes the rotor to turn at a speed that depends on the speed of rotation of the magnetic field. We’ll now explain how… Read more
Mar 23, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Guidelines To Metering Challenges and How To Overcome Them
In the course of any metering exercise, there will be challenges that arise – these may occur in planning, specifying, purchasing, installing, or in the maintaining of the metering system. This technical article focuses on five common metering challenges with the hope that… Read more
Mar 19, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Main substations installed on public MV network, their functions and layout
This technical article is a reminder of the main substations installed on MV networks. It is concluded by two layouts showing their applications in real terms. A substation or installation is a physical entity defined by its position and its… Read more
Mar 18, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Cables
Recommended Practice For Cableways Selection and Installation
The term cableways refers to conductors and/or cables together with the means of support and protection, etc. for example cable trays, ladders, ducts, trenches, and so on… are all cableways. This technical article covers the following topics: Selection of materials… Read more
Mar 14, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Do dry type transformers cost less than oil-filled?
To many industrial and commercial organisations dry type transformers are seen to be advantageous compared with oil filled units. They avoid the perceived fire risk of oil filled transformers and can thus be accommodated inside a building or even on… Read more
Mar 12, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
