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Page 1: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

E L E C T R I C A L C O N T R A C T I N G E N G I N E E R I N G

FEBRUARY 2015RS

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COMPANY OF THE MONTH

BRIGHT SPARKS

PROJECT

INDUSTRY NEWS

PRODUCT NEWS

Green Illumination

Business tips and advice from the experts

Optimising Melbourne University's voltage

Catch up on the latest electrical news and updates

The latest gadgets and gizmos on the market

PUB TALK

THE GRILL

BEER BANTER

ADVERTISING FEATURE

drive time

TRADE DIRECTORY

IN PROFILE

COMPLIANCE

Relax harbourside at Woolwich Pier

Science whiz Dr Karl elaborates on his love for LEDs

What's Australia's most popular beer?

Cabling & Data

Take a ride on the wild side in the Ford Mustang

Find the business you're looking for in our directory

NECA's incoming national president Dave McInnes

What's the recipe for success

Marechal’s multicontact connectors ensure high levels of protection and safety in explosive atmospheres.

They have from 12 to 37 contacts and are found in a range of industries, including oil and gas. They comply

with IECEx standards and provide “e” protection for Zones 1 and 2 (gas) and Zones 21 and 22 (dust).

Proudly Audited byThe Magazine Publishing CompanyPO Box 406, Nundah Qld 4012WEB: www.tmpc.com.aueditorialEMAIL: [email protected]: (07) 3866 0000 FAX: (07) 3866 0066

The views expressed in The Circuit are not necessarily endorsed by The Circuit nor the editor. No responsibility is accepted by the publishers, the editor or the printer for the accuracy of information contained in the text or adver tisements. Adver tisements must comply with the relevant provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. Responsibility for compliance with the Act rests with the person company or adver tising agency submitting the adver tisement. Neither the publisher nor the editor accepts responsibility for adver tisements. COPYRIGHT © The Magazine Publishing Company 2014.

All rights reserved. Copyright of ar ticles and photographs in The Circuit remains with individual contributors and may not be reproduced without permission. Other material may be reproduced, but only with the written permission of The Magazine Publishing Company.

Pick up your copy of Circuit from any of these wholesalers...

PUBLISHER

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CONT

ENTS

Page 4: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

PERFECT illumination

28/38W LED COMMERCIAL LIGHT

INVIS16 16W

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COMPANY OF THE MONTH

Page 5: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

PERFECT illumination

The beginningAn Australian-owned and managed business that commenced in 2008, Green Illumination specialises in the design, manufacture and supply of LED lighting solutions.

The company’s motto is simple; it is dedicated to the highest possible quality, reliability and performance of the products. A strong focus on product design and development ensures Green Illumination can provide market-leading lighting products across the residential and, most recently, commercial and industrial sectors.

The company’s move to develop new lighting products in the commercial and industrial sectors has largely been driven on opportunities it has foreseen in the market.

Product developmentGreen Illumination works across the electrical and construction industries to ensure its products deliver to the unique design and performance requirements.

The technical department actively works with customers to offer a range of lighting design, advice and support services. This complimentary service typically includes Green Illumination producing a full lighting design and specification that considers all layout and lighting requirements.

Green Illumination also has the ability to model and test products to ensure the products are purpose-fit for customers’ needs before the are released.

The latest in LED technology is actively sourced from selected manufacturers. In recent years, such technology changes have seen an increasing number of traditional light forms replaced with new LED products.

In the process, significant advancements have been realised in efficiency, lumen output, dimming range and colour rendering index (CRI). An example of such technology advancements is the highbay range.

The 200W LED highbay produces more than 19,000L – or 95L per watt – far exceeding the performance of a traditional metal halide product.

Secondly, recent LED chip enhancements have allowed Green Illumination to renew its residential range with second generation chip technology. This delivers even more energy efficiency for customers while exceeding lumen and dimming performance of previous products.

RETROFIT WHITE/BC FINISH

GREEN ILLUMINATION STARTED AS A RESULT OF A NEED TO ACCESS THE HIGHEST

QUALITY LED TECHNOLOGY, DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED FOR THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET.

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COMPANY OF THE MONTH

Page 6: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

Recent projectsSome of the more interesting recent projects Green Illumination has been involved in include:• Anautomotivepartssupplierwasfitting

out a new mega retail showroom. Green Illumination was asked to design the lighting layout utilising its 12mm flat-panel lights, to be fixed in a standard T bar ceiling. Interestingly, the customer questioned the lighting layout when comparing the recommended design with a competitor’s design. The reason it was questioned was because fewer fittings were needed, as Green Illumination’s 48W flat panels produce more than 4000 lumens (a real twin 36W fluorescent replacement), as well as 50 per cent more lumen output than the other company’s products on the market.

• Whenaprominentfoodretailchainapproached Green Illumination to supply the lighting to its new stores, the main focus was on three aspects: the chain required a light fitting with anti-glare features, high CRI and, lastly, a comprehensive warranty.

The result was the INVIS range. With a Citizen cob chip producing 95 CRI, more than 900L, and an extended baffle to minimise horizontal glare. Backed by a five-year warranty, the INVIS range was the ideal light application.

Lighting Council of AustraliaGreen Illumination is a corporate member of the Lighting Council of Australia. As corporate members, the company supports and encourages the design and development of energy efficient, quality, low environmental impact lighting products and systems that comply with the relevant Australian standards.

Importantly, Green Illumination’s involvement with the Lighting Council ensures the company and its staff are better informed around the constantly changing lighting compliance and standards as well as emerging developments in lighting technology.

Green Illumination is passionate about lifting regulations in the industry to ensure end-customers are better protected from the low-cost, low-quality products that often do not deliver on the stated performance claims.

Testing and complianceGreen Illumination places significant focus on the testing and compliance of its products across all phases of product design, development and manufacture. The research and development of new products includes independent testing by accredited lighting laboratories to ensure absolute compliance with Australian and New Zealand safety and EMC standards.

Further testing is then conducted at materials, pre- and post-manufacturing stages to ensure strict product quality and performance in all Green illumination products. Only through this rigorous focus can Green Illumination achieve a product failure rate of less than 0.0024 per cent throughout the product warranty period.

Recently, the company met one of its very loyal electrical contractors while visiting an electrical wholesaler. Discussing his thoughts on the company's products, he summed up Green lllumination’s goal on reliability perfectly: “Once I complete a job, I want the peace of mind that the Green Illumination light will work. Flawlessly.”

THE COMPANY SUPPORTS AND ENCOURAGES THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY EFFICIENT, QUALITY, LOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT LIGHTING PRODUCTS

48W LED FLAT PANEL LIGHT

COMPANY OF THE MONTH

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COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL

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/// WHERE TO BUY

LED lighting

Contact Green Illumination for pricing information and to find out where your nearest distributor is located.Call us: 07 3299 2496Email: [email protected] products online: www:greenilluminate.com.au

LED LIGHT RANGEby Green Illumination

48W LED FLAT PANEL LIGHT 120/200W LED HIGHBAY LIGHT

38W LED SHOP LIGHT

28/38W LED COMMERCIAL LIGHT

INVIS MINI WHITE/BC FINISH INVIS10 10W

INVIS16 16W INVIS10 10W SQUARE

RETROFIT WHITE/BC FINISH RETROFIT SQUARE BC FINISH

ECO 9W WHITE FINISH

RETROFIT

ECO 9W

INVIS

Page 8: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

The factors that are critical to your business successTHE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE PROFIT IS TO KNOW WHAT YOUR CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS (CSFS) ARE.

THESE ARE THE key things that go on in your business that, without them, the business either can’t really operate or severely slows down.

For example, if you run a service-based business, the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) are the people who provide the service. So, you need to ask yourself, "What difference would it make to the following if these CSFs were compromised?".• Shareholders;• Customers;• Staff;or• Servicedevelopment.

If service staff is a CSF, what aspect of what they do is important? Is it:• Chargeabletime;• Qualityofwork;• Downtime;• Staffcompetency;or• Customercomplaints/satisfaction?

Let’s consider how we could measure the effectiveness of the five CSFs above.1. The chargeable time of service staff

can be measured by having them fill in timesheets or use an app to report on time spent on jobs.

2. The quality of work can be measured by: a.Ontimecompletionofjobs; b.Numberofdefects;and c. Service met with customer requirements.3. Downtime can be measured by getting

service staff to fill in a timesheet for time not spent on chargeable work e.g. administrative tasks or travel.

4. The competency of service staff can be measured by the number of hours spent on training.

5. Customercomplaints/satisfactioncanbemeasured by a survey or simple follow-up call to a customer to gauge their level of satisfaction with the job.

These measurements sound like Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) don’t they? In fact, they are what is commonly known as leading KPIs – those that don’t measure results, but instead drive results.

Lagging KPIs are those that measure results e.g. job profit, overall business profit, bank balance, outstanding customer payments.

If these CSFs can be measured with KPIs, the

next question is, "How do we measure them?". We could employ someone to run

around and ask lots of questions or gather information from spreadsheets and manual documents, however, this isn’t a very efficient way of going about it when we can replace their time with a system to do the work.

The answer is a Business Performance Management system – or ERP system, as they are known. The value of such a system is you enter information into it once and it can be extracted in many ways and appear in many reports.

For example, if you had service staff enter the time spent on various activities into the system you could get the following information:• Numberofchargeablehours;• Numberofhoursspentfixingdefects;• Actuallabourhoursversusbudgetfor

eachjob;• Losttimeinjuryhours;• Numberofmeetinghours;• Numberoftraininghours;• Numberoftravelhours;and

• Numberofadminhours.By measuring these activities you get a real

insight into how much time is being spent on non-chargeable items by all service staff. This might give you information that convinces you to invest in:• Trainingtominimisedefects;• Processesandtrainingtominimise

injuries,suchasWH&S;• Betterplanningandmanagementof

meetings;• Betterplanningandmanagementoftravel

orjobscheduling;or• Employingsomeoneelsetodoadminwork

or ways to minimise it for service staff.You can quantify the potential benefit by

multiplying the charge out rate of each service staff person by the number of hours saved on non-chargeable activities. For example, if you employ 10 service staff who are charged out at an average of $100 per hour, but you find you could save five hours a week, that could be an extra $5000 in potential sales per week – or $240,000 per annum – based on 48 weeks per annum.

That’s just the service delivery side of things. A good ERP system also enables you to measure marketing and sales, such as the number of marketing leads from particular sources or quotes done versus jobs won.

It enables you to efficiently send out regular marketing messages to clients and prospects. Some other KPIs able to be measured could be:• Numberofjobsmissingdeadline;• Percentageofjobscompletedontime;• Percentageofjobswithdefects;• Costofjobsrunningoverbudget;and• Costofjobsrunningpastbenchmark

gross profit percentage.When you start to get this type of

intelligence, the next step is to implement projects to improve them. Once you’ve done this you reap the rewards for the future – once you’ve trained someone to do something better, they keep doing it that way and can teach others to do the same.

The key to reaping the benefits is to select the right system, implement the right KPIs, get staff on board, properly use the reports that come out and manage improvement projects – it’s all in the implementation.

SUE HIRSTCo-founder, Director of CFO On-Call

BRIGHT SPARKS

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Your biz: working on it rather than in itBy Helen Roe, marketer and business strategist

DO YOU INVEST TIME TO WORK ON YOUR BUSINESS? NOW IS THE TIME TO RECONNECT WITH YOUR VISIONS, GOALS AND STRATEGIC BIG PICTURE.

IT’S EASY TO get bogged down with working in your business on everyday tasks. However, investing time in a game plan for the year ahead saves you heartache down the road. It also builds the foundation for what all successful businesses thrive on.

Vision and actionWhether it’s business planning, strategising, goal setting, designing blueprints or action plans, it’s all part of working on your business. There are plenty of planning formats to choose from, just be sure to pick one that suits your work style.

Four strategies for working on your business:Reconnect with your business planDoes it still reflect your business and where you want to go? If not, it’s time to update it. It doesn’t have to be a novel – a few simple one-pagers can be just as effective.Make short-term and long-term goalsCreating short-term goals allows opportunity for more wins. This keeps you motivated toward your bigger goals. It also makes your overall goal

more achievable.Celebrate the winsReward yourself when you achieve your goals, however big or small. Celebrate the wins on your journey and look at how far you’ve come. This keeps you energised and in high vibration on your path to success.Delegate where possibleStick to what you’re good at and get help with the rest. You can’t do it all on your own, so outsource where possible. Every successful entrepreneur has their own support team.

Set deadlines and stick to themHighlight deadlines on your yearly wall planner and stick to them. Announcing these dates to your audience or in your groups and forums is a great way to create accountability. Nobody wants to break a promise.

There you have it, some simple steps to kickstart your planning process and launch you into a successful year ahead.

For more articles from Helen Roe – visit fylingsolo.com.au.

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Four simple steps to create your budgetBy Rhys Roberts, commercial accountant and director of Viridity

WORKING TO A BUDGET MAXIMISES THE CHANCES YOUR BUSINESS WILL NOT ONLY SURVIVE, BUT ALSO PROSPER.

THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE will get you started. In my experience, when it comes to building a profitable and sustainable business, few things are more critical to success than developing and sticking to a budget. Think of it as a yardstick that helps you determine whether you’re:• Achievingyouroverallfinancialgoals;• Makingthesalesyouhopedfor;• Generatingsufficientgrossmargintonot

only cover your expenses but also pay yourself a healthy wage;

• Controllingyourexpenses;or• Headingforanycashflowproblems.

Getting into the budgeting cycleBudgeting is not something you can set and forget. It’s a set of tasks you’ll almost always need to cycle through several times and revisit often. I’ve summarised the cycle below.1. Determine your sales forecastStart by estimating what you’re going to generate in terms of sales. If your business is new, this can be very difficult to forecast, but if you have some sort of trading history you’ll be better positioned to build a realistic estimate.

Try to work from the bottom up. In other words, rather than simply coming up with a dollar figure, estimate how many products or services you hope to sell and at what price. I recommend using Excel and calculating a different figure for each month of the year rather than coming up with one lump sum.2. Calculate your direct costsYour direct costs are those that vary according to your sales. For example, for every widget you sell there will be a cost of having bought it. This is where the bottom up approach helps, because if you know how many widgets you’ve forecast you’ll sell, and you know what it costs to buy them, you’ll be able to work out your

direct costs. The same is true if you‘re selling hours of labour.

The difference between your sales and your direct costs will tell you your budgeted gross profit (GP). Armed with these figures you can start testing different assumptions, such as, “If I increase my sales volume by 10 per cent (without changing my price) what happens to my gross margin?” Or, “What would happen if I increase my sales price by 10 per cent and manage to maintain my sales volume?”.3. Factor in your expenses and outgoingsYour expenses are the things you spend money on that don’t vary with sales, such as your rent, marketing expenses and insurance. Some items, such as rent and the wages of any staff, will be relatively fixed while others, such as the amount you spend on advertising, can vary. You may also need to factor in outgoings such as the cost of your vehicle, tools or equipment.

In addition, if you’re selling products or offering credit to your customers, you’ll probably need cash – working capital – in order to cover these.4. Review all the numbers and

make some decisionsNow things start to get interesting! Hopefully, your gross profit figure is larger than your expenses, because the difference between

these two is your budgeted net profit.Assuming your budget does indicate a profit,

ask yourself whether it’s going to be enough for you to live on. If your budget is projecting a loss or not enough profit for your liking, cycle through the four steps of this process again, starting by reviewing all your assumptions.

Can you increase your selling prices? Can you sell more in volume terms? Can you reduce the cost of buying your products, or perform labour at a lower price? Can you reduce your expenses?

If the answer to all the above is no, the next question to ask is, “Can I sustain a loss for some period of time until the business is generating a profit? And, if so, for how long?”.

If you work through your budget repeatedly and don’t arrive at a bottom line you can live with, don’t just keep going in the hope things will miraculously work out okay. Instead, it’s time to revisit your business plan in its entirety and come up with a different approach.

This is a critical point in your business planning – getting it right at this stage can save you many thousands of dollars.

For more articles by Rhys Roberts visit flyingsolo.com.au.

ARMED WITH THESE FIGURES YOU CAN START TESTING DIFFERENT ASSUMPTIONS, SUCH AS, “IF I INCREASE MY SALES VOLUME BY 10 PER CENT (WITHOUT CHANGING MY PRICE) WHAT HAPPENS TO MY GROSS MARGIN?”

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NECA expresses condolences on Morley Galleria incident

Australians develop world’s most efficient solar panels

Old laptop batteries could light up developing nationsResearchers from IBM in India have discovered up to 70 per cent of discarded laptop batteries have enough capacity to power an LED light for four hours per day, for one year.

This potential is due to the fact laptops lose their portability before the battery life becomes unacceptably short, so they are discarded.

According to a Cleantechnica.com report, new, conventional laptop batteries have capacities ranging from 40W to almost 100W. If a 40W laptop battery’s capacity decreases by 75 per cent, it will still have 10W that can power a 3W LED for three hours.

The National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) would like to express its deepest condolences to the families and friends of the electrical contractors involved in the fatal explosion at the Morley Galleria Shopping Centre in Perth, in which two people died and a further two suffered serious burns.

NECA WA executive director Garry

Itzstein expressed his sorrow about tragic incident.

“On behalf of NECA and its thousands of members throughout Australia, our thoughts are with the deceased and injured workers and their families,” he said.

“We also wish to acknowledge the selfless efforts of the many people who rushed to the assistance of the injured contractors.”

NECA WA has established an appeal for members of the electrical industry and the general public to donate money to, which will be used to provide support to the families of the deceased and injured workers.

People wishing to donate money may go to www.neca.asn.au/wa/content/neca-expresses-condolences-morley-galleria-incident.

Australian researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have developed a new method of using commercial solar panels that makes it possible to convert more electricity from sunlight than ever before.

The new photovoltaic system can convert 40 per cent of solar light into electrical energy – an increase of 15 per cent on regular panels.

Laboratory tests have shown

the solar cell method can convert up to 46 per cent of the sun’s energy into electricity. Further, the technique works with regular commercial PV panels under normal conditions and has the potential to make solar plants more competitive with other sources, such as fossil fuels.

UNSW Professor Martin Green said this was the highest efficiency ever reported for

sunlight conversion into electricity.“We used commercial solar

cells, but in a new way, so these efficiency improvements are readily accessible to the solar industry,” he said.

The technology developed by UNSW distributed the sunlight into four different cells, which helped to boost the conversion levels.

Three solar panels were set to capture energy from sunlight of

different wave lengths, and then excess light from the cells was reflected by a mirror and filters and directed to a fourth panel. As a result, previously spare sunlight was used in the process, which contributed to increased efficiency.

Professor Green said he hoped the technology could be adapted for use on domestic solar panels on roofs in the future.

Physiotherapists call for health and safety to be a priorityAs Australian tradies begin to settle into the 2015 working year, the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is urging employers and workers to make health and safety a priority.

APA national president and physiotherapist Marcus Dripps said now is the time to review occupational health and safety procedures to ensure a safe year ahead.

“While workplace injuries are on the decline, each year we spend billions of dollars on work-related injury and illnesses, many of which should be

prevented. Tradies are among those at highest risk,” he said.

“This is the time of year to review your safety procedures, retrain and educate your staff, develop a supportive return-to-work culture and make sure you’ve got the best measures in place to prevent injuries.”

Research has shown one in five serious workplace-related injuries involve a tradie, with sprains (42 per cent) and musculoskeletal disorders (14 per cent) the two highest work-related injury or

disease claims. Body stress (40 per cent) is one of the prime causes for these injuries.

“If you do injure yourself, our message is simple: stop ignoring aches and pains and seek treatment immediately,” Mr Dripps said.

“Often we’ll see tradies with injuries that could’ve been managed well before they became serious. It’s unfortunately a common mentality of the sector that needs to change.”

Approximately $60 billion is spent on work injuries each year.

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Electric car has plug pulled in AustraliaDespite the world’s largest-selling electric luxury car going on sale in Australia in December, the Tesla Sedan may have its plug pulled because its special charger is too big for most local electricity grids.According to news.com.au, unlike other electric cars the Tesla can’t be recharged via a normal powerpoint and instead requires a special charger to be installed at a cost of up to $10,000. It may also need to have the local electricity substation upgraded at a cost of more than $50,000 according to experts.Currently Tesla only has one unique charging point outside its St Leonards dealership near North Sydney, however, the company has issued a map showing where future charging points will be installed in Queensland, New

South Wales and Victoria by 2016. The final locations are yet to be pinpointed.Electric cars already on sale in Australia can be charged on 10A household power or require a relatively simple 15A upgrade that costs about $400. But as Tesla requires a 40A single-phase charger, the Master Electricians Association said there may be restrictions on upgrading household power supply and connecting to the local electricity grid. At a minimum, the 40A single-phase charger the Tesla uses exclusively will need approval from local electricity network suppliers.An estimated 50 Australians have placed orders for the new Tesla Model S, and more than 50,000 have been sold since June 2012 across North America, Europe and Japan.

Australian-first will see waste turned into electricity

Hills Technology Expo marks 70th Birthday

West Australian Minister for Environment Albert Jacob has given approval for Australia’s first metropolitan waste-to-energy facility that could process household waste into enough electricity to power 23,000 homes each year.

Mr Jacob said his decision to approve New Energy’s Waste-to-Energy and Material Recovery Facility, which will be located in East Rockingham, Perth, was based on consideration of advice from the Environmental Protection Authority.

“This development marks an important step in establishing the first large-scale, waste-to-energy facility to process non-hazardous residual waste from mixed waste sources in an Australian capital

city,” Mr Jacob said.Waste-to-energy technology

recovers materials and energy from residual waste, rather than disposing it in landfill.

“The new facility could process up to 225,000 tonnes of waste each year, which equates to about 9 per cent of all metropolitan waste sent to landfill in 2012-13,” Mr Jacob said.

“It is designed to produce 18.5MW of electricity, with 16MW – the equivalent to 23,000 homes per annum – available to the grid."

The facility is planned for 2017, pending state government approvals, and would be strategically located in Perth’s Kwinana Industrial Area.

To celebrate its 70th birthday in 2015, Hills will host an exclusive technology expo for customers, vendors, suppliers and industry consultants.

To be held in March, the event will showcase Hills’ Security, CCTV, IT, AV, communications and health technology solutions.

Hills security practice lead Kobi Benshabat said this would be the first time all Hills' technologies

and turnkey solutions would be showcased in one place.

“We have had a significant strategic overhaul and we want Hills’ customers, vendors and suppliers to get first-hand experience of our vision for Hills future,” he said.

The event will be held on March 10-12 in Sydney. Visit the Hills webpage for more information about the expo.

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NECA recognises industry’s best projects at national awardsThe best of the electrical and communications projects across the nation have been recognised at the annual electrical and communications industry Excellence Awards, hosted by the National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA).

Held in November 2014, state winners from across Australia came to the national awards with great expectations.

Three New South Wales projects,

three Queensland projects and one each from Victoria, Western Australia, ACT and South Australia received the top national awards. NSW and WA also received commendations on projects that were pipped at the post by the overall category winners.

NECA chief executive officer Suresh Manickam said the projects were some of the most innovative the organisation had seen in the past 12 months.

CATEGORY 1 Domestic ResidenceWINNER: Argus Technologies Solutions (VIC)PROJECT: Private residence, Mornington Peninsula

CATEGORY 2 Small Contracting BusinessWINNER: TN Electrical Pty Ltd (NSW)PROJECT: BMA House

CATEGORY 3 Energy Efficiency and EnvironmentWINNER: Blue Star Atlantic (QLD)PROJECT: JBS Dinmore Biogas Recovery & Effluent Treatment Project

CATEGORY 4 LightingWINNER: Barnwell Cambridge (NSW)PROJECT: Noble Bradman Stand – Sydney Cricket Ground

CATEGORY 5 Industrial – SmallWINNER: Shepherd Electrical (ACT)PROJECT: Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex 2.4KV Medium Voltage Works

CATEGORY 6 Industrial – Large ProjectWINNER: ECM (QLD)PROJECT: Ruby Jo Central Processing Plant (CPP) and Field Compression Processing Plant (FCS)

CATEGORY 7 Voice/Data ProjectWINNER: Fredon Industries (NSW)PROJECT: Charles Perkins Centre

CATEGORY 8 Commercial – Small ProjectWINNER: PGS Industries (WA)PROJECT: Central Law Courts

CATEGORY 9 Commercial – Medium ProjectWINNER: Niramar (SA)PROJECT: Old Parliament House Refurbishment

CATEGORY 10 Commercial – Large ProjectWINNER: Nilsen QLD (QLD)PROJECT: Verde Townsville

“They clearly demonstrate the outstanding commitment to electrical engineering. Many also show incredibly innovative ways for buildings to be more energy efficient, such as the Sydney Cricket Stadium and Old Parliament House in Adelaide,” he said.

“We congratulate all the winners and thank the industry for its ongoing support to make this program such a resounding success.”

Technology developed to recharge batteries in secondsAn Israeli company says it has developed technology that can charge a mobile phone in just a few seconds and an electric car in minutes.

According to a Reuters report, by using nano-technology to synthesise artificial molecules StoreDot, based in Tel Aviv, has developed a battery that has the capacity to store a much higher charge more quickly. In effect, the technology acts like a dense sponge to soak up power and retain it.

Although the current prototype is too bulky for a mobile phone, the company said it believes it will be ready to market a slim battery that can absorb and deliver a day’s power for a smartphone in 30 seconds by 2016.

StoreDot founder and chief executive officer Doron Myersdorf said the fast-charge phone could cost between $100 and $150 more than current models and would have a lifetime of approximately three years.

The innovation is based around the creation of nanodots, which are described as bio-organic peptide molecules. These nanodots can alter the way in which a battery behaves to allow the rapid absorption and retention of power.

StoreDot is hoping to use the same technology to create a car battery with the ability to recharge in two or three minutes.

Venture out after darkCanberra is set to light up when Enlighten once again hits the city in late February.

Now in its fifth year, the event will see the Parliamentary Triangle transformed into a dazzling arts precinct, with six of Canberra’s most iconic buildings, including the National Gallery of Australia, Parliament

House and the National Portrait Gallery, all being illuminated.

A trademark of the event, the architectural projections will bring colour and movement to each of these buildings, every night.

What’s more, visitors can also see a spectacular light installation, called Voyage, staged on Lake Burley Griffin.

Adelina La Vita from Events ACT said Enlighten would light up the city for nine nights and would include free outdoor entertainment.

“We have partnered with 12 of the capital’s cultural institutions that will open their doors after dark to host a range of exclusive events and experiences,” she said.

Old Parliament House lit up for Enlighten

Project award winners:

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Madrid upgrades city infrastructure in the world’s largest street lighting projectRoyal Philips will be providing the government of the city of Madrid with 225,000 new energy-efficient lights to help support its ambition of becoming a Smart City.

The renewal of the entire street lighting system across the city with connected LEDs and other energy efficient lighting makes this the world’s largest street lighting upgrade to date.

The products, which deliver an approximate 44 per cent in energy savings, will finance the cost of the technology upgrade, providing Madrid with the best quality street lighting for a brighter, safer and smarter city at no additional cost. The project has been conducted in collaboration with energy service companies hired by the

Madrid City Council through a public bidding process.

Madrid mayor Ana Botella said this would be the biggest technological renewal ever seen in the city.

“It’s a change that will allow us to achieve some important goals; namely, reducing the city’s energy consumption thanks to energy-efficient luminaires, extending the lifespan of the city lighting and controlling light pollution by enabling the regulation of the intensity of light when and where it’s needed,” she said.

“The lighting installation allows us to make significant progress towards becoming a smart city, which is more sustainable."

The new city lighting system will benefit from a command panel

capable of regulating the intensity and duration of lighting across the city, according to where it is most needed.

“The lighting renewal project in Madrid is a step forward in the creation of a city prepared for the future,” Philips Iberia chief executive

officer Juan Sanabria said.Replaced lamps and lamp posts

will be recycled by Ambilamp in accordance with current regulations for the safe disposal of products containing heavy metals, such as mercury.

Ecables enters liquidationEcables has entered into liquidation following a voluntary trade recall for the company's Copper Clad Aluminium RE 110 Insulated power cables in late 2014.

The move took place on January 12, and it is unknown whether this will affect the company’s recall insurance.

It is believed the cables were predominantly used for major projects such as apartment buildings, hotels and commercial installations.

Australian Cablemakers Association (ACA) chairman Andrew Davenport said the latest round of cable recalls applied to Ecables CCS products sold between January 1, 2012 and June 30, 2014.

“This cabling is designed to operate at temperatures up to 110°C and to conduct low-voltage power up to 1000V, which means it is supposed to

be able to withstand higher load currents than similar size but lower temperature rated cables,” he said.

“The cable is marked as rated to a conductor temperature of 110°C, but comprehensive testing has shown the insulation fails at temperatures well below this rating, and the cable insulation actually melts if the temperature reaches 110°C.

“Similarly, if the cable is operated at its rated current carrying capacity then the heat from the conductor causes severe and dangerous insulation deformation.

“This would leave the live conductors exposed and present a serious risk of fire, electrical injury or electrocution.

“The ACA believes this insulation failure is even more dangerous and concerning than the recently recalled Infinity and Olsent cables."

SPARC sponsorship opportunities openSponsorship and exhibition opportunities have opened for SPARC International Lighting Event 2015.

Held from May 27-29 and considered one of Australia’s premier lighting events, SPARC offers sponsors and exhibitors the opportunity to gain exposure, networking and promotional opportunities in an event packed with industry professionals.

Lighting Council Australia chief executive officer Bryan Douglas said the move to the larger venue at Glebe Island meant the event could accommodate more exhibitors.

“We also have some new and interesting sponsorship opportunities available for those in the lighting industry or looking to reach lighting industry professionals,” Mr Douglas said.

The event will play host to more than 100 Australian and international companies who will demonstrate the world’s latest in lighting technology and design. Furthermore, the event will welcome thousands of participants including major lighting stakeholders, suppliers, manufacturers and allied professionals across a broad range of related industries to come together to celebrate the innovative lighting industry.

SPARC 2015 will present a world-class program of international and national experts to speak on topical lighting industry subjects.

The event serves as an assembly for the leading lighting designers, engineers, architects, designers, developers and project managers.

Madrid will upgrade lighting across the city

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One in five Australian homes use solarUp to 19 per cent of households across Australia currently sport rooftop solar panels or solar-powered hot water systems, according to results released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in late 2014.

This figure has risen from about 5 per cent back in 2011.

Of the 19 per cent of households, 14 per cent have rooftop PV according to Karen Connaughton from the ABS.

“If you add in solar water heating then we’re up to 19 per cent, so one in five households are now using some form of solar power,” she said.

“As you might expect in sunny Australia, three-quarters of Australian households use some form of

cooling, with just under half choosing reverse cycle air-conditioning. The remainder was mostly split between refrigerated air-conditioning and evaporative coolers.”

Ms Connaughton said the hot spot for cooling was the Northern Territory, where 97 per cent of households had some form of cooling, while in Tasmania only about half have cooling.

When it came to solar panels, South Australia led the way, with 24 per cent of households across

the state using solar electricity.“This was followed by

Queensland (20 per cent), Western Australia (16 per cent), Victoria (11 per cent), the ACT and NSW both on 10 per cent, Tasmania (7 per cent) and the Northern Territory (6 per cent),” Ms Connaughton said.

“Almost all households in Australia (99.7 per cent) used mains electricity as a source of energy, half used mains gas, one in five households use solar energy (20 per cent), one in five used LPG/bottled gas (20 per cent) and 14 per cent of households use another source of energy.”

INDUSTRY NEWS

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Construction Skills Queensland hosts excellence awards

2014 CSQ Excellence Award WinnersCATEGORY WINNER LOCATION

Hutchinson Builders Award for Construction School of the Year Marist College Ashgrove

Brisbane

All Trades Queensland Award for Construction School Student of the Year

William Tily Ipswich

The Construction Training Centre Award for Registered Training Organisation of the Year

Construction Skills Training Centre

Brisbane

Bechtel Award for Employer Commitment to Training Excellence (up to $20 million turnover)

Usher & Son Commercial Coatings

Gold Coast

Lend Lease Award for Employer Commitment to Training Excellence (over $20 million turnover) – General Construction

Laing O’Rourke Brisbane

Orbus3 Award for Employer Commitment to training Excellence (over $20 million turnover) – Civil Construction

FK Gardner & Sons Toowoomba/Brisbane

Sarina Russo Apprenticeships Award for Construction Indigenous Person of the Year

Khrysilla Backo Mackay

National Association of Women in Construction Award for Construction Female of the Year

Sandra Troughton Cairns

Civil Contractors Federation Award for Construction Professional of the Year

Benjamin Crew Rockhampton

Training and Assessment Mentor Award for Construction Trainer of the Year

Nuccio Monte Toowoomba

Laing O’Rourke Award for Construction Trainee of the Year Clinton Bemish Gold Coast

Evolution Training Award for Construction Apprentice of the Year Shaun Mayes Cairns

Judges’ Outstanding Achievement Award Nathan Morgan Brisbane

Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) has announced the winners of its 2014 Excellence Awards.

Supported by Face to Face Training Services, the awards are one of the Queensland construction industry’s premier celebration of training and skilling achievements.

Award winners were announced in 12 categories along with the Judges’ Outstanding Achievement Award.

CSQ CEO Brett Schimming said the event, which was held in November, saw the construction industry come together to honour its best and brightest.

“CSQ congratulates all winners, finalists and nominees of the 2014 Excellence Awards, for their outstanding achievements and dedication over the past year,” he said.

“They have made a substantial contribution to Queensland’s building and construction industry, and are an inspiration to each of us to strive for continued excellence.

“The outstanding quality of nominations this year confirms industry leaders are recognising the vital role of training and upskilling for the future success of our industry."

India to install LEDs across 100 citiesIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a program that will see LED bulbs for domestic and street lighting installed in 100 cities by March 2016.

The scheme was launched last month in New Delhi.

Mr Modi emphasised the importance of energy efficiency, and said the conservations of energy is an effective money and environmentally-saving strategy, but it couldn’t be achieved without

the support of the population.To help raise awareness about

the scheme and its benefits, Mr Modi’s first act was installing LED bulbs in the Indian government’s building, a decision that will save 7000 units each month.

India’s investment in clean energies increased to US$7.9 billion in 2014 and is expected to keep rising to more than US$10 billion in 2015.

Philips calls to end light povertyRoyal Philips has announced up to 1.3 billion people around the globe are trapped in light poverty, because they don’t have access to electricity.

Most of those affected resort to kerosene lamps and candles to light their homes and businesses, however, these light sources claim the lives of 1.5 million people every year through respiratory illnesses and fires – the same number killed annually by HIV-related diseases.

The warning comes in conjunction with the UN launching the International Year of Light (IYOL).

The global initiative will see the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) bring together a large consortium of stakeholders, including scientific societies and unions, educational institutions, technology platforms, non-profit organisations and private sector partners. Throughout 2015, these groups will highlight the impact of light on social and economic development.

Light poverty affects large areas of Africa, Asia and South America, with as few as 1.5 per cent of people in South Sudan provided access to electric light.

In many developing countries, electrical grids are unviable due to the geographic and financial constraints of linking hundreds of remote communities.

Philips is installing 100 Community Life Centres in 12 countries across Africa, where 500 million people don't have access to light.

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undergoes voltage optimisation

melbourne university

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A VOLTAGE OPTIMISATION PROJECT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, WHICH INVOLVED THE INSTALLATION OF A 1150KVA ELECTRONIC DYNAMIC POWERSTAR MAX UNIT INTO THE UNIVERSITY’S LAW BUILDING, HAS RESULTED IN A 12.75 PER CENT ENERGY SAVING OVERALL FOR THE ENTIRE BUILDING.

THE FIRST OF its kind in Australia, the project was undertaken by Melbourne-based company Corospark, for which the company claimed the Commercial Project of the Year award at the 2014 Master Electricians Australia Victorian Excellence awards.

The aim of the voltage optimisation project was primarily to deliver greater energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions as well as to produce lower power costs to the university.

According to Corospark projects and service manager Jason Bank, in order to install the technology the company was first required to arrange a meeting with Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) to make a ruling in the Electrical Regulations as to the correct way this technology should be installed.

“After that was done, we needed to employ the services of electrical consultants and inspectors to help structure the installation plan,” Jason said.

“On completion of the installation plans, and with the university’s acceptance, we organised a 12-hour shutdown of the Law Building.”

Jason said the Powerstar MAX unit – which are custom-made in the UK – arrived in Australia prior to the planned shutdown and all pre-installation works, including the positioning of the unit and running cables and supports, were done in the three months leading up to installation so as to minimise the amount of work required on shutdown day.

Once the pre-installation works had been completed, Citipower disconnected the Mechanical Services supply to the building and the works to integrate as planned were carried out. The installation was then inspected, power to the building turned back on and the unit commissioned into service.

Jason said as the voltage optimisation technology was “literally a big box that gets installed in a location that’s out of site, out of mind”, there were no heritage issues, while the switchboard the crew worked with didn’t present any outdated system challenges.

Following the installation, the Powerstar

system has shown significant savings of between 6-17 per cent can be achieved when modern variable speed drives are connected. Powerstar then returns the excess voltage in terms of real negative power, which is subtracted from the grid input power.

To put it simply, any excess voltage above the Powerstar set-point is chopped and returned back to the grid, generating a real negative power that flows towards the supply, which is then subtracted from the incoming power.

Between 70-80 per cent of the total savings come from the negative power feedback, while 20-30 per cent come from the improvement in the equipment efficiencies.

As the technology is relatively new in Australia, Jason said there were a number of grey areas in regards to the regulations surrounding the voltage optimisation installation.

“A major challenge we faced at the beginning was the massive conflict of opinions of what was allowed or not allowed in relation to the regulations by inspectors and consultants. There was so much conflict we could not proceed without having ESV clear up the situation once and for all,” Jason said.

“In order to remove any grey areas and mitigate risk we consulted and met with ESV and ensured there was a ruling on the regulations that explained specifically how this technology needed to be installed correctly. This was new ground for them and, as a result of this meeting and installation, they now have a ruling on installing voltage optimisation so there are not any more grey areas for ourselves and others in Victoria.”

FOLLOWING THE INSTALLATION, THE POWERSTAR SYSTEM HAS ALSO SHOWN SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS OF BETWEEN 6-10 PER CENT CAN BE ACHIEVED

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The recipe for successKNOWING YOUR TRADE INSIDE AND OUT IS A SPARKIE’S FIRST AND FOREMOST PRIORITY. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO GAINING BUSINESS, DOES THAT OLD ADAGE “IT’S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT WHO YOU KNOW” STILL RING TRUE? TURNS OUT IT’S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. MALCOLM RICHARDS

CEO Master Electricians Australia

NETWORKING – IT’S THE buzzword seemingly bandied about everywhere we go, but in practice, it’s a skill that takes considerably more effort than just heading out to luncheons and swapping business cards. Unfortunately, it’s a lot more work than simply spending a few hours here and there chatting over cheese.

Successful, mutually beneficial networking is about actively pursuing opportunities, but also following through with solid, strategic action in order to build strong, long-term industry associations.

But, when done poorly, an ill-conceived attempt at networking can end up doing more harm than good.

We’ve found one of the most common mistakes people tend to make is meeting someone and then jumping right in to ask for a favour. But taking first and giving later has rarely served anyone well.

MEA’s training experts stress it’s important to first show others how they can benefit from knowing you, or risk destroying the opportunity to build a good relationship into the future.

It can come in the form of a simple gesture to begin with, such as sharing a story or

anecdote that may be relevant or beneficial to them, or recommending a potential staff member when you know they’re looking for a good employee.

MEA's training team also recommends making learning one of your first ports of call, so you have a good foundation on which to build when it comes to upholding your end of the bargain. Once those foundations are laid – knowing the who, what, when, where and why of our industry – it’s all the more simple to share that knowledge with others.

Professional development and formalised training are beneficial to the development of your trade and your contacts list, and can then open the door to employment opportunities, job prospects, new clients and industry connections.

It's also useful to take extra classes, enrol in workshops or even just pick up an autobiography of a successful entrepreneur to tap into their key learnings.

It can be relatively simple to then transfer that knowledge to your own business by spending a designated amount of time daily or weekly to putting it in to practice before getting out and about to industry events and

meeting like-minded people.MEA runs a multitude of courses and

events throughout the year that can give both members and non-members the chance to start improving their knowledge and to network with others. We’re already really excited to be heading to Kyoto’s Hyatt Regency for this year’s annual conference in September.

Yes, Japan it is for one of the industry’s biggest annual gatherings. At MEA we think this will give all of us the ability to strike the right balance between work and play – we’ll have invaluable business sessions, offset with the chance to socialise over traditional Japanese cuisine, and networking sessions galore, coupled with the chance to get together with other members to visit some of the 16 UNESCO’s World Heritage sites of Kyoto. Sake anyone?

But that event is a little far off yet, so in the meantime, MEA’s local meetings can help members keep up-to-date with industry issues.

Whatever your plan, when it comes to the age-old art of networking, learning more, getting out and about for industry-related social activities and mixing it all up with a good dose of generosity is sure to go a long way.

COMPLIANCE

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How did you first become involved with NECA?I became involved with National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) about 15 years ago when I was the manger of a major electrical contracting company. I started to get involved with higher level issues in the industry that were also affecting our company, and I felt NECA was uniquely positioned to help our company and others deal with governments, unions and other bodies whose policies affected the efficient running of an electrical contracting business.

Since starting my own business, Blue Star, I’ve kept my involvement with NECA as a way of keeping across these issues and giving back to the industry.

Tell us a bit about your history: what first drew you to the electrical and communications industry?I grew up in a small town and, at that stage, the local supply authority did most of the work in the area including contracting. My parents saw this as a very good career option, so I did my apprenticeship. In those days the county council generally kept their apprentices on after they finished their apprenticeship, however, my year was the first year where they said they weren’t automatically going to keep us on. Instead, when we had finished we were going to have to reapply for the jobs, if there were jobs available. But there weren't any jobs. That forced me to leave to find work; I went to work in an aluminium smelter. I eventually progressed in that job up to project management level, but there was a lot of travel involved and I had a family. So, when my children were old enough to go to school my wife and I decided we had to settle in Brisbane. I saw a unique opportunity to start my own contracting firm, as Queensland has been going through a growth period for some years now, particularly in the South-East.

WITH MORE THAN 30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE IN THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY BEHIND HIM, INCLUDING FOUNDING HIS OWN COMPANY BLUE STAR, INCOMING NATIONAL NECA PRESIDENT DAVE MCINNES IS FEELING POSITIVE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY.

In light of your recent appointment, what do the next few months hold for you?I’m looking forward to the year ahead. NECA is reviewing a number of its internal processes to assess and improve its member value and is about to launch an updated set of policies. I think the policy document will help NECA, lobby government more effectively to improve business conditions for contractors.

Are there any changes would you’d particularly like to see implemented in, or embraced by, Australia’s electrical industry?Mutual licence recognition across all state and territory boundaries would be a great start, however, I’d prefer to see the creation of a single, national licensing scheme for electricians and contractors.

When I first came to Queensland I had a New South Wales electrical licence, so I still couldn’t work in Queensland even though the training’s all the same. There is a mutual recognition now between the two states, but what I’m talking about needs to be national. People do go from state to state these days and the training recognition – the TAFE curriculum – is basically national.

The move would greatly reduce regulatory burdens and make it easier to employ electricians from other states. In Queensland we’re so close to the NSW state border it’s common for contractors from both states to do work on the Gold Coast. There’s a state border right there, so you could be working in Queensland one day and NSW the next and it’s easy to get yourself into trouble.

You’re also the Queensland State Council president. Will you be continuing this role?I will. This year I’m doing both roles, which is good because Queensland is relatively new for NECA. It also gives me the chance to represent Queensland on a national level as well.

What do you think Australia’s electrical sector needs to do to stay on top of all the rapid developments happening in the industry?Product quality and compliance issues are critical to the reputation of our sector. Especially in the light of Infinity and Olsent cable recall – and there are plenty of other products being imported from overseas – these kind of issues really do affect the reputation of our industry. That’s something I’m very aware about and more needs to be done to ensure that the standards and testing of those products are done. Dave McInnes

Dave mcinnes

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STREAMLINE YOUR WORKPLACEKeep your workplace systemised and functional this year and make your business streamlined and strong with CIRLOCK’S 5S system. We all have additional elements to look after that take up far too much time and help no one, so Red Tag it and get rid of it. Circlock’s uncomplicated 5S system helps others deal with waste and increase productivity. The simple 5S system helps sort areas out; simply mark unwanted items with a red tag and place them into a marked area where they can be dealt with. The tags also include a checklist, so your team can mark off when they have tidied the area as a continual best practice measure. All you have to do is ensure the practice is kept up. Cirlock’s 5S station comes complete with a clipboard, two tag holders and 25 tags to start you off. A smaller version is also available.

www.cirlock.com.au

DIMMABLE DOWN LIGHTS WITH ANTI-GLARE REFLECTOR Green Illumination’s commercial light range is designed to cater for the broadest of applications. The commercial downlight range comes in 190mm, 230mm and 280mm face sizes, specifically designed to allow for a straight retrofit swap of existing PL fittings. The company utilises Citizen LED Chips for high CRI and brilliant dimming performance. The commercial down light range is available in 28-50W, with beam angles of 50° and 80°, providing ideal applications in ceiling heights from 3-10m. Green Illumination has specifically designed this fitting with an anti-glare baffle and reflector. The product range is highly efficient and versatile in a range of commercial, retail, hotel, school and hospital applications.

www.greenilluminate.com.au

PERMANENTLY IDENTIFY SWITCHBOARDSIdentification pins, or studs as they’re sometimes called, are a a simple identification/marking device to permanently identify switchboards and power outlets. Available from REDBANK, this product is made in Australia and provides a more positive solution than a marking pen or plastic tape labelling. Easy to install, simply drill a 4mm hole and push the selected pin into the hole. It’s also possible to choose pin lettering/numbering that is appropriate to the circuit the outlet is on. Pins are available with printed letters from A to Z, the abbreviation “RCD”, and numbers from one to 150. Pin colours available are red, blue or black with white printing or white with black printing.

www.redbank.net.au

CUTTING-EDGE DESIGNBOSCH BLUE measuring tools are moving from strength to strength with the release of the cutting-edge GLL 3-15 and GLL 5-50 Line Lasers. The Bosch Blue Line Lasers feature a 360° detachable rotating platform and a precise adjustment knob to ensure accurate measurement and versatility for different onsite applications. Both line lasers have been ergonomically designed to ensure accurate measurement and versatility for different onsite applications. With the Pendulum Precision System (PPS) technology for maximum accuracy performance, the line lasers are high quality and durable measuring tools that also deliver great value for money. Further, tradespeople can monitor laser diode temperature and maximise laser visibility to prevent the lasers from overheating, thanks to the Intelligent Current Management (ICM). The entry level GLL 3-15 Line Laser has a working range of 15m, while the more advanced GLL 5-50 boasts additional features such as a pulse mode and a greater working range of 50m horizontally and 30m vertically, with a receiver.

www.bosch-pt.com.au/professional

MICRO LASER DISTANCE SENSORSPanasonic has released a range of Micro Laser Distance Sensors with a built in amplifier. Distributed by CONTROL LOGIC, the sensors are available in three sensing distances of 30mm, 50mm and 100mm and are suited to applications that require highly precise measurements in the order of 1/100mm and have a precision down to 10um. The HG-C series sensors incorporate a new optical system with a built-in mirror that allows for a more compact sensor and higher measurement accuracy. The sensor not only indicates measured values in millimetres, but also produces a 0-5V analogue voltage output so various calculations and logging can be performed when the output is taken into a PLC or control system.

www.control-logic.com.au

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Page 25: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

POWERPOINTS WITH SUPERIOR PERFORMANCEBovara has added DIN Powerpoints to its range of electrical products. Covered by a one-year quality assurance, the DIN Powerpoints feature a double pole and are auto switched. They come with a certification, as per ACMA single compliance mark, and are successfully tested to Australian standards AS/NZS3112:2011No.S14111,whichmakesthemidealfor the Australian marketplace. Branded with the swirl, the DIN powerpoints are available in 250V, 10A and 250V, 15A. The Auto Switch mechanism and ease of mounting ensure superior performance and durability.

www.bovara.com.au

POWER SUPPLY FOR RVS AND CARAVANSThe Power Source Model 1240 is exclusive to ADM. This power supply has been especially designed so it can be safely mounted in caravans and recreation vehicles. The Power Source Model 1240 has been fully tested and carries Australian Safety Approvals. The Model 1240 has a universal full range AC input range and an output of 12VDC at 40A. The built-in power factor correction function (PF>0.95 per cent) means you get a remarkable efficiency rating of up to 84 per cent. Safety, of course, is a key concern and the Power Source Model 1240 power supply has built in protections against short circuit, overload, over voltage and over temperature. Power Source has also designed the Model 1240 for easy installation, with easy-to-access screw mounting holes on the base.

www.admtech.com.au

CONTACTLESS CLAMP-ON VOLTAGE DETECTORHIOKI has developed a contactless clamp-on voltage detector, Hioki PW9020, using nulling of the very small current flowing from any potential difference between the conductor and a built-in voltage generator, so the voltage generator matches the voltage on the conductor. Highly accurate TRMS values are obtained on bare or insulated conductors irrespective of variations in insulation thickness. The Hioki PW3365-20 power logger with the PW9020 contactless voltage probes is suitable for all LV 415/240 volt circuits. Together, with a large range of clamp-on current detectors ranging to 1000A and a Rogowski flexible clamp-on sensor with a range of 5000 amps, 3-wire; three-phase, 4-wire; single-phase 2- and -3 wire; and split-phase, as well as open star (wye) circuits can be analysed. Measurements include active power (consumption and regeneration), reactive power, apparent power, power factor, integrated demand and energy usage.

www.parameters.com.au

PANELBOARDS FOR EFFICIENT ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONHAGER’S range of panelboards has undergone an extensive re-development as a solution for modern electrical commercial installations. Boasting a reinvigorated aesthetic design and improved, robust construction, the performa 2 panelboard range provides more space for wiring and incomer cables, along with a secure three-point locking system. Available in 24-96 poles or supplied with one of 11 combinations of split chassis, the performa 2 ensures you have everything needed for the next installation. Combine these features with Hager’s range of circuit protection, meters, time clocks, AOB 3-phase earth leakage and control devices and the solution to energy efficient distribution is here.

www.hagerelectro.com.au

TAKE THE WORK OUT OF CUTTINGThe Pro-Cut cordless cutter from STAINELEC will safely and cleanly cut material up to 12mm thick/diameter. This unit is driven by an 18V Dewalt battery and can cut items such as chains, bolts, steel mesh, rebar, security locks and container seals with ease. The Pro-Cut also features a safety relief valve for retracting the piston and opening the cutting jaws, if required by the operator. Weighing only 6.5kg, this unit is extremely versatile and portable for all onsite and factory situations. The Pro-Cut Cordless Cutter can be supplied with a protector guard on the front handle grip for protection from flying particles, and a shoulder strap for easier support and OH&S compliance when using the cutter for container seal cutting. The tool is also compliant with the ISO 9001 Quality Certificate.

www.stainelec.com.au

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Page 26: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

PERFECTLY ENGINEERED DRILL MILWAUKEE POWER TOOLS has introduced the cordless M18 Fuel Hole Hawg 13mm Right Angle Drill to its range. Optimised for electrical applications, this addition drills faster than the original cordless model, delivers more than 150x22mm holes per charge and peaks at 0-1200rpm. Delivering exceptional performance, the M18 Fuel Hole Hawg features three exclusive innovations: a Powerstate Brushless Motor, Redlithium Battery Pack; and Redlink Plus Intelligence hardware and software that simultaneously deliver superior performance, durability and run-time. The Powerstate Brushless Motor provides constant power output, yet runs cooler with no wearable components, while the M18 Redlithium Battery Technology provides superior pack construction, electronics and performance to deliver more work per charge. The Redlink Plus Intelligence hardware and software ensures optimised performance and protects your investment from overload, overheating, and over-discharge. Weighing just 3.4kg, or 4.09kg with the 4.0Ah battery, the 18V drill comes with a five-year warranty.

www.milwaukeetools.com.au

ARMOUR FOR YOUR EYES

On the worksite your most valuable tools are your eyes and you need to protect them. But it’s hard to find a pair of comfortable, form-fitting safety glasses that won’t break the bank. Enter Ugly Fish Armour by Ugly Fish Eyewear, the safety eyewear that protects your eyes like you would the rest of your body. Built for comfort and durability, the Armour range is perfect for all workers. With shatterprooflensesandananti-fog/anti-scratchcoating,theseglasses are certified to Australian Safety Standards. Featuring polycarbonate decentered safety lenses, the Armour glasses eliminate distortion and prevent distracting magnification. Also available in polarised and photochromic lenses, the eyeware comes with a detachable ventilated positive seal, which has the ability to shelter your eyes from harsh winds, dust and other air-bornparticles.Thelensestough,butsoaretheframes;Armourframes come with a lightweight, flexible and stress-resistant TR-90 wraparound sports frame.

uglyfisheyewear.com

PRODUCT NEWS

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Page 27: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

SAVE ELECTRICITY WITH THE TOUCH OF A BUTTONTHERMOFILM has introduced Envirotouch, a range of affordable, intelligent, timer-based switches that allow for easy, point-of-use control of lighting and electrical devices. Savings gained on one single switch used for five years in a commercial lighting application are estimated at $1104. The range includes multiple preset, count-down timer options or cycles, so with the press of a button the Envirotouch switch will automatically turn off a light or appliance after the desired time. Typical applications include control of indoor and outdoor lighting, electric heaters, fans, heated towel rails and mobile air conditioning units. This solution can be retrofitted to existing switches and sockets or installed in new projects for the same cost as standard outlets.

www.envirotouch.com.au

HIGH STYLE, EXTRA HIGH LUMENSLEDlux Comparda dimmable downlights from BEACON LIGHTING boast an outstanding lumen performance of up to 3200 lumens and a 150° beam angle, making the lights ideal for lighting wider areas, so fewer downlights are needed to light the same space. Dimmable on C-bus universal, the Ledlux Comparda range has a low profile, allowing architects and designers to make the most of restricted ceiling cavities and making it easier to run other services. Now available in both 3000K and 4000k warm and cool white, LEDlux Comparda is ideal to use as replacements for the 2x18 and 2x26w PLC-style commercial downlights. The LEDlux Comparda is styled in a fashionable matte white finish, with flex and plug, five-year warranty and IES photometric files.

www.beaconlightingcommercial.com.au

RSS 36 SAFETY SENSORThe Schmersal RSS 36 safety sensor, distributed by CONTROL LOGIC, with enhanced RFID technology, provides reliable non-contact sensing of machine guards. This means enhanced tamper resistance, with the option of three coding variants. The RSS 36 also offers a magnetic latch option that doubles as a doorstop. Meeting the highest level of machine safety, PLe to ISO13849-1, SIL 3 to IEC61508 and Category 4 to AS 4024.1, up to 31 RSS36 safety sensors can be connected in series and evaluated with a single safety module without compromising the safety level and the diagnostic capability. This also applies when combining the RSS36 with other Schmersal electronic safety switching devices, like the solenoid interlocking AZM300 and light curtains such as the SLC440, reducing hardware costs and simplifying wiring.

www.control-logic.com.au

EFFICIENT LED SIGN POWER SUPPLYLED Sign Panel manufacturers have long sought a highly efficient power supply that can deliver the required low output voltages. The Mean Well HSP-200 and HSP-300, distributed by ADM, give you just that. The 200W and 300W power supply has been specifically designed to be mounted inside LED sign panel cabinets. For the HSP-200 you can opt for either the 4.2VDC or 5VDC model, while the HSP-300 has 2.8VDC, 4.2VDC or 5VDC models, all of which are perfect for use with the latest generation of driver ICs. At only 31mm high and 62mm wide, the HSP-200

power supply is remarkably compact, allowing you to reduce the size and cost of your LED sign’s cabinet. It’s a feature echoed by the HSP-300, which is 31mm high and 81mm wide. The Mean Well HSP-200 and HSP-300 are the ideal choices for both indoor and outdoor LED electronic signage, LED moving signs or video walls.

www.admtech.com.au

CHARGE YOUR PHONE ANYWHERESCHNEIDER ELECTRIC has introduced the APC Mobile Power Pack range of high capacity, high efficiency external battery packs. The Pack is designed to provide mobile charging for all smartphones, tablets and other devices that are charged using a USB cable. The external battery packs come in two sizes – M5 (5000mAh) and M10 (10,000mAh). The smaller M5 weighs in at 142g, measuring 108x65x15mm, and packs enough energy to charge the average smartphone twice. The APC Mobile Power Packs are charged using a supplied micro USB connector and charge times are typically four hours for the M5, or eight hours for the M10. Both external batteries are remarkably efficient at storing charges and can be left in laptop bags, handbags, rucksacks and the like for weeks on end with no significant energy loss.

www.schneider-electric.com.au

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Page 28: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

INCREASED STORAGE CAPACITY FOR IP VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SOLUTIONSETHERNET AUSTRALIA has released the Digiever Pro+ series, Digiever NVR Pro+ and Pro series to meet the storage demands for high resolution IP surveillance. Digiever NVR Pro+ and Pro series supports WD PurpleTM 6TB or Seagate Enterprise Capacity 6TB 3.5HDD to expand storage capacity and allow greater flexibility to save recordings for longer. Digiever NVR Pro and Pro+ series also support Enterprise Capacity 3.5 HDD series and WD Purple series, providing 1TB to 6TB HDDs storage options. Ranging from 1-bay to 8-bay HDD storage capacity, the Digiever Pro+ and Pro series offers a maximum storage capacity of 48TB in a single server. With the addition of a Digiarray storage expansion unit Digiever NVR can support up to 96TB per unit. Users can record videos in 4K UHD quality and display 4K UHD videos on local display without any latency.

www.ethernetaustralia.com.au

EXPLOSION-PROOF SIGNAL AND CONTROL The DXN range of explosion-proof, signal and control, multi-contact connectors from MARECHAL fully

comply with the requirements of IEC international standards EN 60079-0, EN 60079-7, EN 61241-0, EN 61241-1 and EN 60079-31, and is IEC Ex certified for use within Australia. These connectors permit

the simulation’s transmission of data, power and low-level control signals. The connectors come with 13 to 37 contacts and the contact pins enable wires to be either crimped or soldered.

The unique design allows the user to populate connectors to suit individual requirements. DXN connectors have a maximum rated current per contact of 10A and a maximum

voltage of 440V. The connectors also have an IP rating of IP66/67 either with the plug connected or with the lid closed. The corrosion-free metal casing provides enhanced resistance to mechanical shock (IK09).

www.marechal.com.au

A NEW LEVEL OF CONTEMPORARY STYLECool, contemporary style reaches new heights with the Airfusion Akmani ceiling fan from BEACON LIGHTING. The seamless fusion of warm wood and brushed chrome or bronze brings together traditional Scandinavian elements with a twist of industrial style. Cutting edge cool is displayed in the form of the sculptured 152cm blades. Teamed with energy efficient Direct Current (DC) technology, which uses 40 per cent less energy than standard ceiling fans while producing a higher airflow (227.3/min), the Akmani is a superb example of sustainable style. With six-speed remote control, light adaptability, highly efficient operation and superior air circulation, this is a new generation of ceiling fan.

www.beaconlightingcommercial.com.au

FLAT PANELS WITH IMPROVED OUTPUT AND EFFICIENCY The market is awash with flat panel fittings, but how many are a true replacement for the standard twin 36W

fluorescent? GREEN ILLUMINATION has now engineered a 48W flat panel, producing a 4050Lm or 84Lm per watt. This performance exceeds most fittings it would be replacing, offering clients the added benefit of

reducing the number of fittings required to achieve similar lumens results. The flat panel fits a standard 1200mm grid ceiling, with a slim-line 12mm profile, and is matched with a five-year warranty. The

flat panel can be used in a wide array of commercial, office, school or retail applications.

www.greenilluminate.com.au

TRUE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIMERThe SHT range of time switches from IPD INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS can be programmed to switch on security lights, school and factory bells, carpark lights, advertising signs, fans, ventilation systems and air-conditioning units at the required times. There are two models available in the range; one for seven-day cyclic operation and the other for 365-day operation. Both timers have Australian daylight savings time adjustment, battery backup for up to three years, manual override and random and pulse operation modes. The timers are two modules wide, DIN rail mount, with multi-voltage supply: 12-240V AC/DC.

www.ipdgroup.com.au

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Page 29: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

LIGHT UP EVERY GARDENWith more than 25 years’ experience in the residential landscape lighting market, GARDENS AT NIGHT is leading the way with the launch of its Accent range. Simple to wire in and with colour-coded inner cores and pre-stripped outer cable jacket for faster fit off onsite, these are a must for any project. Accept voltage drop in your stride on long runs with the wide input voltage range of 15- 60VDC and power easily with the recommended 24 or 48V constant voltage drivers. There are four finishes to choose from: bronze, black, nickle plate and copper. These fittings are built from brass to last in the landscape. Rest assured if you do have a problem, these fittings are also fitted with a field-serviceable driver on board chip and backed by a three-year warranty.

www.gan.com.au

IECEX-APPROVED SAFE RADIO CONTROLLERS The SAFIR range of radio remote controls from Jay Electronique, distributed by CONTROL LOGIC, has gained IECEx approvals on the Moka Handheld control and the Alto transceiver. This provides further flexibility to the range, allowing use in potentially explosive gas atmospheres classified zone 0, 1, 2, or dust classified zones 20, 21, 22. The models inherit all existing features of the SAFIR family, such as a backlit, anti-reflection, LCD display with battery charge level indicator and equipment feedback such as weight of load, overload, limit switches, alarms or fault diagnostics. Navigation menus allow you to configure the application, integrate a large number of functions or monitor a specific part of the equipment. Safety is at the heart of the SAFIR product range. The emergency stop function is certified SIL 3 per EN 61508, or PLe per EN 13849 and the standard function buttons, certified to SIL2 according to EN61508 or PLd according to EN13849.

www.control-logic.com.au

ISO APPLIANCE INLETS WITH LOCKOUT SAFETY PROTECTION NHP has released the NHP ISO Appliance Inlets to complement its existing range of ISO plugs and sockets. The range of ISO appliance inlets are fully tested and comply with the requirements of AS/NZS 3123:2005 and AS/NZS 3120:2011. The round pin ISO Appliance Inlets include a unique safety lock-off feature. When matched with the corresponding ISO extension socket range, the patented lock-off mechanism prevents the unauthorised disconnection of loads by locking both appliance inlet and extension socket together. The ISO appliance inlet and ISO extension socket lock-off mechanism is suitable for use with industry standard padlock hasps of 4.5mm and 6.5mm. Available in both flat and round pin configurations and ranging from 10A to 50A all ISO appliance inlets are available in both grey and resistant orange.

www.nhp.com.au

IMPROVE SAFETY WITH ENCLOSURESThe Horizon series by B&R ENCLOSURES is designed for use in residential and light commercial applications, providing consumers, electricians, builders and specifiers a metering enclosure that ensures increased safety, quality and performance. The Horizon enclosures comply with state supply authority rules and regulations, and are designed for both single- and multi-phase installations. With features including a rotating/removable DIN section, easy-to-use gravity catch and cord retainer for easy retention of extension cords, the Horizon series is fully compliant to AS/NZS3012 for temporary power supply on a construction site.

www.brenclosures.com.au

SOLVE CABLING CONCERNS

Garland’s unique heavy-duty external CAT 6 cable from MADISON has been designed to suit Australian environments. Offering the protection of steel wire armour, a hard nylon termite barrier and jelly-filled water resistance, Garland’s UTPL6JFSWANY provides a solution to many outdoor category cabling concerns. With Garland’s UTPL6JFSWANY, it’s possible to run an underground cable between buildings, connect external IP cameras to security systems, create robust industrial Ethernet applications, protect against termite and rodent attacks, and reduce accidental or reckless damage to your external category cabling. The cable is suitable for use in data transmission systems operating up to 1GB, including 10BaseT, 100BaseT and 1000BaseT Ethernet systems. Further, the cables have been designed for underground and external applications including direct burial and outdoor exposure to sunlight and UV radiation.

www.madisontech.com.au.

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Page 30: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

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Page 31: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

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LIGHTING PRODUCTS AND ACCESSORIES

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Page 32: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

HE’S THE SCIENCE WHIZ THAT REGULARLY GRACES AUSTRALIAN RADIO AND TELEVISION SCREENS AND HAS ALSO AUTHORED MORE THAN 36 SCIENCE BOOKS. HOWEVER, AS CIRCUIT DISCOVERS, DR KARL KRUSZELNICKI ALSO LISTS THE HUMBLE LED AMONG HIS FAVOURITE GADGETS.

What initially drew you to the science field?When I was seven-years-old someone gave me a book on astronomy and I was just astonished by what I read. I discovered how big New South Wales was, and how big Australia was and, blow me down, there’s a whole planet and other planets in the solar system and 400,000 million stars in our galaxy. Now we know there’s around 600,000 million planets at least. After reading that I thought I’ll never get to the end of this knowledge, this is wonderful. It was just so big and awe-inspiring that I had no choice; I was hooked.

Where did you go from there?I just did the normal stuff at school. I was an average student and drifted out of things and then gradually back in again. After school I worked as a roadie for rock 'n’ roll bands, a labourer, a car mechanic, a science officer and, TV weatherman. I test drove 4WED for 20 years, and was also doctor in a children's hospital.

To put it simply, how do you know the answer to everything?I don’t know the answer to everything! But I’ve got 15 years of university education and I update my knowledge all the time by reading my way through about $10,000 of science literature each year. That’s a pile about 1m thick every month.

To retain that knowledge I then turn them into stories, because if you just read stuff it floats around in a vague sort of mess inside your skull. But if you actually turn it into a story, then it’s a whole different ballpark.

You’ve worked in an array of jobs in a number of different fields. What would you be doing if you weren’t doing this?The best job I ever had was as a doctor in a children’s hospital. In terms of personal satisfaction that was the best job I’ve ever had. The problem with that was you could only reach a small number of people at a time and so I realised that I could do more good through the media.

You do work extensively in a variety of media forms. Do you get stopped regularly and asked science questions?Yeah, but more often it’s actually people thanking me for changing their careers. They typically stop me twice in an average supermarket shop and say, ‘Thanks very much, it was because I heard you talking on the radio...’ and then say something like, 'I’ve now decided to be a carpenter or become a plumber or a fridgie or finish my nursing degree'. I’ve got no idea what it is about my answering questions on the radio that has made people decide to use their brains more or change careers and get a job that they’re happier with. But something’s working!

What are some of your guilty pleasures?Reading in the bath, swimming in the ocean – they’re not guilty though are they?

But reading in the bath is good.

Where can we find you in your downtime?Hanging out with my family or doing something physical. This year I’m going to the Galápagos Islands, and then at the end of the year I’m going to London to speak at the Royal Institution before jumping on a boat and sailing into the ocean into the Arctic up to 80°. This is all just for fun.

Circuit’s a magazine for the electrical field, so are there any gadgets you really like at the moment?I’m loving LEDs! I also like the way there are all these solar cells coming up. Five years ago there were 5000 houses with solar cells, now there are 1.5 million. If you took an area the size of Canberra (50x50km) and covered a third of it with solar cells you could power Australia in the daytime. If you took an area the size of Victoria (500x500km) and covered one third of that you could power the whole world, but only in the daytime. You only cover a third of these areas, because you need the other area for access and to avoid shadowing.

DR KARL KRUSZELNICKI

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki

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Page 33: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

ESTABLISHED IN 1885, the Woolwich Pier Hotel is a Sydney institution that offers a trifecta of top-notch food, exceptional events and some rather impressive views.

The newly refurbished venue melds old-world elegance with contemporary sophistication while also offering a variety of spaces to cater for any occasion.

The Lawn and The Clubhouse are great spots for casual celebrations in a sensational outdoor setting, while The Pavilions provide a great gathering point for groups of all sizes. Capture the essence of summer with a Pimms & Prawns Pop Up Bar on The Terrace, which hosts a DJ on Friday nights and live music every weekend.

Inside, you can soak up the atmosphere of the stylish Dining Hall on the ground floor bistro area. Head upstairs, grab yourself a spot on The Balcony and take in stunning views stretching over Cockatoo Island and the harbour. For the ultimate private dining experience, you can also book The Good Room and indulge in one of the hotel’s lavish shared meal experiences accompanied by a bottle of red.

The lively Main Bar is a great spot to meet up with friends, mingle with the crowd or sit down for a meal from the award-winning bistro.

LOCATED IN SYDNEY’S TRENDY NORTH SHORE, THE WOOLWICH PIER HOTEL IS THE PERFECT SPOT FOR HARBOURSIDE DRINKS.

For the past two years the Woolwich Pier Hotel has received the coveted 3 Schooner Award, the highest rating for pub food, in The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Pub Guide. And it’s not hard to see why; standouts include the free-range chicken and leek pot pie, grain-fed 300g rump, king crab sliders and seared yellow fin tuna. The venue even caters for ankle-biters, with the inclusion of a kids menu packed full of favourites such as schnitzel and fries.

When it comes to big events, the Woolwich Pier’s Sports Bar is the place to be. Slide into a comfy leather booth and take in all the action on the big screens (there’s also a TAB if you feel like having a wager).

Beverage-wise, the Woolwich Pier Hotel boasts a pretty schmick offering, with a comprehensive beer, wine and cocktail list. The wine list is particularly impressive, featuring a range of Australian wines as well as a few top drops from our Kiwi cousins across the pond.

The cocktail list boasts fresh juice cocktails as well as unique signature cocktails. Cocktail jugs are also up for grabs and great for sharing – we like the sound of the ‘Game, Set & Match’ – a delicious blend of Sailor Jerry’s Spiced Rum, Chambord, fresh lime, fresh pineapple and lemonade.

Harbourside haven

THE FACTS

WOOLWICH PIER HOTEL

ADDRESS

2 Gale Street, Woolwich NSW 2110

HOURS

Mon-Wed 11am-11pm Thur-Sat 11am-12am Sunday 11am-10pm

GRUB

Everything from bar snacks to seriously hearty fare and dessert to round it off. Kids menu included.

TOP DROP

Boutique beers along with an Australian-based wine list and impressive cocktail offering.

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PUB TALK

Page 34: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

THE FORD MUSTANG PROMISES WORLD-CLASS LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE, TECHNOLOGY AND REFINEMENT WHILE EMBRACING THE MUSTANG’S ICONIC GLOBAL STATUS AND HERITAGE.

New Mustang a wild ride

The LookThe clean-sheet design of both the Ford Mustang fastback and convertible showcase a contemporary execution while evoking the essential character of the vehicle, retaining key design elements of the classic Mustangs recognisable to car fans, including the long sculpted bonnet and short rear deck.

Several key design features define the new Ford Mustang, including a low roof height andwidestance;sleekprofileenabledbysteeplyslopedwindshieldandrearglass;three-dimensional,tri-bartaillights;andcontemporary execution of the iconic car’s signature trapezoidal grille and shark-bite front fascia.

Ford Mustang convertible drivers will appreciate the standard multi-layer insulated cloth top that gives the car an upscale appearance and a quiet cabin. The top has a sleek profile when folded for open-air motoring.

Large, clear instrumentation puts vehicle information right in front of the driver in the roomy cabin with an aviation-inspired cockpit, while ergonomic and tactile switches and knobs provide control. The vehicle’s width and new rear suspension contribute

to improved shoulder and hip room for passengers and a practically-shaped boot that can accommodate two golf bags.

The PerformanceThe new Mustang is modern and technologically advanced with EcoBoost engine technology, MyKey and SYNC2 connectivity with Emergency Assistance as standard.

Customers will also have the choice of either the powerful, yet fuel-efficient, 233kW 2.3L EcoBoost engine or performance-oriented 303kW 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 in either coupe or convertible configuration.

The EcoBoost engine develops 233kW of power at 5,600rpm-5,700rpm and 432Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm while the range-topping 5.0L V8 develops 303kW at 6,500rpm and 525Nm of torque at 4,250rpm.

Apart from the choice of two highly desirable engines, the new Mustang has been developed with world-class performance, driving dynamics and usability in mind – and includes advanced driver convenience and driver aid technologies.

It also features a significant number of

innovative technologies providing drivers with enhanced information, control, and connectivity when they want it, including SYNC2, Ford’s advance infotainment system. SYNC2 features a high-resolution, 8-inch colour touch screen and advanced voice control for easier access to audio, navigation, climate control and compatible paired mobile phones.

SYNC2 enables drivers to issue simpler “one-shot” navigation destinations, and to ask the system to “play” a desired artist. Simply pushing the voice control button and saying “I’m hungry” will bring up a list of local restaurants, which you can then get directions to.

The PricetagThe Ford Mustang will be priced between $50,000 and $70,000.

DID YOU KNOW? MORE THAN 9 MILLION MUSTANGS HAVE BEEN SOLD SINCE IT WAS FIRST LAUNCHED IN 1964.

DRIVE TIME

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Page 35: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

IF YOU ARE A VICTORIAN, ODDS ARE YOU THINK AUSTRALIA’S BEST BEER IS VICTORIA BITTER, OR PERHAPS MELBOURNE BITTER. A QUEENSLANDER IS LIKELY TO SAY XXXX GOLD, WHILE A NEW SOUTH WELSHMAN MIGHT SAY TOOHEYS.

Australia’s best beer

HOWEVER, IF THE voters in the annual Hottest 100 Australian Craft Beers poll are to be believed, the best beer in the nation is a beer called Hop Hog.

The Hottest 100 beer poll is sponsored by the Local Taphouse, a leading craft beer bar situated in Melbourne and Sydney. Started as a bit of fun by the hotel in 2008 to complement Triple-J’s annual music poll, the competition has since grown to a national event in its own right with many thousands of beer drinkers casting votes each year.

For the past three years the top spot in the poll has gone to Feral Hop Hog, a hop-laden India Pale Ale brewed by Western Australia’s Feral Brewery. Adding to its lustre, Feral Hop Hog has also been named as the best beer in another major poll, this time the Critic’s Choice, in the same three years.

These results are pretty compelling. Craft beer drinkers and judges alike seem to agree.

For those who like to refresh with a lighter style lager, Hop Hog will be a bit of a challenge. The hops used give it an assertive bitterness, making it much sharper on the tongue than a mainstream lager. The hops also impart a resiny and tropical fruit aroma. Even so, it is beautifully balanced and the bitterness is carried by a rounded malt profile. The flavour intensity would compare to the difference between cheese slices and a well-matured farmhouse cheddar.

Coming in at second place for the same last three years – in the same two polls – is the Pacific Ale from Stone & Wood Brewery in NSW’s Northern Rivers region.

No stranger to this column, Pacific Ale is a much lighter beer than Hop Hog, both in terms of alcohol and bitterness. It is just 4.4 per cent compared to Hop Hog’s 5.8 per cent and much lower in bitterness. It still has an aromatic hop character, expressed as a distinctive passionfruit and lychee waft. Still, it’s not sweet and certainly very refreshing.

Taking out the third spot this year was the Four Pines Pale Ale, another hop forward beer, which sits somewhere flavour-wise between Pacific

Ale and Hop Hog. Four Pines pushed Little Creatures Pale Ale out of the top three for the first time in years, relegating it to number four.

Each of the top four are beers that showcase different elements of hop character – hops being the focal ingredient driving much of the craft beer trend. In fact, hops are the driving element in seven of the top 10. The Number Five position, however, was taken by a beer brewed with vanilla pods, cacao nibs and hazelnuts. From Melbourne’s La Sirene Brewery, the beer is called Praline and is a Belgian chocolate stout, and is ideal for pairing with dessert.

If you haven’t heard of these beers, or many others in the top 100, don’t be too surprised. As we have discussed before in this column, craft beer is a fraction of the total beer market. With 6 per cent of the market, Corona sales in Australia are close to double the output of every one of the more than 200 craft breweries in the country combined. This, in turn, is dwarfed further by XXXX Gold and VB, each of which hold about 12 per cent of the total beer market.

Even so, craft beer is growing strongly, with estimates the category is growing at between 20 and 40 per cent per year, depending on who you ask.

The styles gaining popularity are starting to change the mainstream beer market as well. The list is an interesting one to browse and offers some interesting beers to seek out at bottleshops.

But whatever the polls say, the best beer tends to be your next one. The best beer is simply a good one, thoroughly enjoyed.

For the full results of the Hottest 100 poll, visit www.brewsnews.com.au.

by Matt Kirkegaard

FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO REFRESH WITH A LIGHTER STYLE LAGER, HOP HOG WILL BE A BIT OF A CHALLENGE. THE HOPS USED GIVE IT AN ASSERTIVE BITTERNESS, MAKING IT MUCH SHARPER ON THE TONGUE THAN A MAINSTREAM LAGER.

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BEER BANTER

Page 36: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

CABLE YOU CAN COUNT ON

THAT WAS WHEN two great Australian companies, Olympic Consolidated Industries Limited and Nylex Corporation Limited, pioneered cable production within a few months of each other. Olympic produced Australia’s

first vulcanised rubber insulated cable, while Nylex produced a range of plastic insulated cables for the armed services during World War II.

Since then, Australia’s electrical industry has evolved substantially.

Globalisation has led to increased choice and competition, technology advancement has raised the bar on service expectations, and society’s dependency on electricity has skyrocketed.

The origins of Nexans Olex date back to the formation of the Australian cable industry in the 20th century.

Throughout this evolution one thing has remained constant; the quality of Nexans Olex cable.

Industry events involving the sale, distribution, and installation of non-compliant products has become problematic in recent times. Cables that don’t meet Australian Standards create the unnecessary risk of fire and total system failure to occupants of buildings and legal risks to contractors and distributors who sell and distribute these cables.

Nexans Olex has supplied quality cables to Australia for 75 years and continues to innovate and design products specifically to meet and exceed the requirements of the relevant Australian and international standards.

On your next project be sure to ask if the cable is certified to Australian Standard and whether the cable is suitable for the operating environment.

Contact Nexans Olex for more information.

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Page 37: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

CABLE YOU CAN COUNT ON

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Page 38: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

HAGER ACQUIRES ITALIAN COMPANY

THE CONTRACT OF sale was signed at the Hager Group’s German headquarters by Hager Group chief executive officer Daniel Hager, chief group

resources officer Philippe Ferragu, and representatives of the Bocchiotti Group, on December 19, 2014.

“This acquisition reinforces

Hager Group has announced it took over family-owned company, Bocchiotti, on January 1.

QUALITY MATTERS WHEN IT COMES TO CABLESBambach Wires and Cables has been making cables in Australia since 1936.

THE KEY PRINCIPLES of quality and service have underpinned Bambach Wires and Cables' long presence in this business.

Although other cablemakers have announced closures and moved their manufacturing overseas, Bambach Wires and Cables has continued to manufacture in Australia and is committed to continuing in the country by investing in a Sydney factory to upgrade equipment and improve efficiency.

The recent cases of defective cables in the market has highlighted the dangers and the remediation costs it poses.

Bambach has thrived for 78 years by focusing on customer service and using top-grade materials to make cables that meet not only all the regulatory standards, but also customers’ expectations of reliable, high-quality cable that can be used with confidence every time.

To meet customers’ everyday needs, Bambach keeps a large

range of its Australian-made cables as stock items and support these with a range of high-quality overseas cables that meet the highest standards.

The company’s sales and technical departments are also committed to working with customers to design and make cables for their specific applications with reasonable minimum order quantities and quick lead times.

Contact Bambach Wires and Cables for more information.

BAMBACH HAS THRIVED FOR 78 YEARS BY FOCUSING ON CUSTOMER SERVICE AND USING TOP-GRADE MATERIALS TO MAKE CABLES...

our position in the field of cable management and means we are gaining a fantastic addition to our present offer to provide better solutions to our customers,” Mr

Hager said. Most importantly, it will enable

Hager Group to build upon its position within this segment in the French and Italian markets. At the same time, the takeover will allow the company to embark on new activities in North America, a region in which Bocchiotti is also active.

“Our enthusiasm about this acquisition is mutual,” one of the two founders of Bocchiotti Group, Cesare Bocchiotti, said.

“We are proud our company is becoming a member of Hager Group and joining a sustainable, successful, family-owned company. A family character, similar values and shared visions are important prerequisites for achieving integration and ensuring successful growth together.”

Contact Hager for more information.

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CABLING & DATAADVERTISING FEATURE

Page 39: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

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Page 40: Circuit Magazine - February 2015

NMI APPROVED ELECTRICITY METER Space saving for 36 Electrical Circuits

System Accuracy Class 1.0

* The BFM136 Branch Feeder Metering is an unequal solution for multiple circuits

Approved for NMI energy metering

- 36 Single Phase Circuits or- 12 Three Phase Circuits or- Combination of both up to 36 current inputs- Smallest foot print for 36 single or 12 three phase meters- One fit metering for NMI, Green Star, NABERS, BCA approvals- Communications RS485 and Ethernet TCP/IP- *SATEC approved and tested current sensors under NMI standards

*36 Multi-function Meters

SETTING NEW STANDARDS FOR NMI METERING PATTERN APPROVED ENERGY METERING

SDD02869