Testing and Commissioning
10 general guidelines for installing power transformers
When your transformer arrives on site, various procedures should be carried out to assure successful operation (installation, testing and various checkings). The successful operation of a transformer is dependent on proper installation as well as on good design and manufacture…. Read more
Feb 08, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
How electricians test continuity of protective conductors
For all protective conductors, including main and supplementary bonding conductors, electricians must perform continuity test using a low-reading ohmmeter. For main equipotential bonding, there is no single fixed value of resistance above which the conductor would be deemed unsuitable. Each… Read more
Feb 06, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy Efficiency
8 actions to improve energy efficiency in heating systems
In many buildings, HVAC is the first or second item in terms of energy costs. This technical article deals with optimisation tips and energy efficiency savings in heating systems of a building. Heating systems have always been used when the… Read more
Feb 05, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Maintenance
4 test instruments most frequently used by electricians
The test instruments and test leads used by the electrician for testing an electrical installation must meet all the requirements of the relevant regulations. The HSE has published Guidance Notes GS 38 (download below) for test equipment used by electricians…. Read more
Feb 03, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Where do electrical faults occur the most?
A fault is not a natural occurrence. It is an unplanned event which occurs unexpectedly. Electrical faults in an electrical installation or piece of equipment may be caused by: Negligence (that is, lack of proper care and attention), Misuse (that is,… Read more
Feb 01, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Why I prefer busbar trunking systems more than cables
When a planning concept for power supply is developed, it is not only imperative to observe standards and regulations, it is also important to discuss and clarify economic and technical interrelations (cables and/or busbar trunking systems depending on situations). The… Read more
Jan 30, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Important points about grounding of electronic equipment
Grounding electronic equipment for personal safety and clearing of faults is no different than that of any other equipment. Safe grounding requires fast opening of circuit breakers or fuses and minimization of voltage differences between exposed metal surfaces on all… Read more
Jan 29, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Harmonics. What are they? What do they do?
The harmonics allow to represent any periodic waveform. In fact, according to Fourier’s theorem, any periodic function of a period T may be represented as a summation of: A sinusoid with the same period T; Some sinusoids with the same frequency… Read more
Jan 27, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
10 questions to test your electrician skills
These are not-so-easy, but also not-too-hard questions for you to try to answer and test your electrician skills. Whether you are a novice in a field of electrical engineering or a professional electrician, these questions will move your brain cells… Read more
Jan 25, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Power Substation
5 conditions for perfect parallel operation of single phase transformers
In perfect parallel operation of two or more transformers, current in each transformer would be directly proportional to the transformer capacity, and the arithmetic sum would equal one-half the total current. In practice, this is seldom achieved because of small… Read more
Jan 23, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Metering
Measurement of residual currents on a distribution feeder
The measurement of the earth fault or residual currents on a distribution system feeder can be done by the so-called summation connection, where the three current transformers, one in every phase, are connected and the summated current is brought to… Read more
Jan 22, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
When You Ground Ungrounded System With Grounding Transformer
The common grounding assumes a wye-connected neutral to ground. As this is not always the case, and in some cases it is not a three-phase system that it is desired to be grounded. For situations of this kind a grounding… Read more
Jan 20, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Wiring practices to provide future load growth in buildings
Electrical wiring is often installed without consideration for how the use of the space may change over time, particularly in residential building. This article recommends wiring practices that meet the NEC and provide for future flexibility and load growth in residential… Read more
Jan 18, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Protection
Setting the generator protective relay functions
This technical article will cover the gathering of information needed to calculate protective relay settings, the setting calculations for the various protective functions, typical generator/turbine withstand times for abnormal operating conditions, and the math associated with various types of impedance elements…. Read more
Jan 16, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Electric Motor
Protection schemes for generators and motors
It is difficult to define precisely the protection schemes that should be adopted for an electricity distribution system, given the large number of valid alternatives for each situation, but some schemes will be presented as a guide for protecting the… Read more
Jan 15, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
