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PUBLISHERDanny J. Salchert

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR Derek Gaylard

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSKeith Van Kerckhove • Mark Nelson

Muey Saephanh

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PRESIDENT Danny J. Salchert

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P R I N T E D I N T H E U S A

FEATURES6 Code Update:

NFPA 99 Enters a New EraBy Keith Van Kerckhove

22 Photopic and Scotopic: Seeing is BelievingBy Mark Nelson

16 Success Story:Catoosa School DistrictBy Muey Saephanh

DEPARTMENTS

2 Electrical Products & Solutions • February 2012

CONTENTS

6

26 Industry News

32 Product Focus

40 Ad Index

ON THE COVERPhoto courtesy of PG LifeLink

CASE STUDY22

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mission will likely implement the revisedrequirements in their survey regimes as wellby 2013.

Since it was first issued in 1982, as acombination of 12 separate hospital stan-dards, this document has provided practi-cal guidance on the design, application, andmaintenance of health care facilities in-cluding electrical, mechanical, and otherbuilding systems. However, over the yearsmany have complained of its disjointedstructure and increasingly obsolete refer-ences. Regular revision cycles have madesome slight improvements to keep pacewith new technology and practices, butfailed to address the underlying fundamen-tal issues. This latest edition represents a


FEATURE • PG LifeLink

concerted effort on the part of the health-care engineering community to fully rewriteand modernize this standard into a cohesiveset of relevant and effective requirements.

The broadest change made during thisprocess was to transform the way in whichthe document is applied in order to matchcurrent delivery methods for health care ser-vices. The previous occupancy based struc-ture has been replaced with a more intuitive,risk based approach in which safety systemsand procedures are employed consistentwith the relative risk level of a given proce-dure. In other words, the potential for harmto a patient, staff member, or visitor due toa system failure is the most important factorto consider, not just the

Beginning in 2012, organizations in-volved in the design and construction ofhealth care facilities will notice some majorchanges. After a six year revision processthat spanned two complete cycles, the Na-tional Fire Protection Association finally re-leased a revised edition of NFPA 99 in thefall of 2011. This publication, “NFPA 99 –Health Care Facilities Code – 2012 Edi-tion” is a major event due in part to the el-evation of this document from a guidelinestandard to an enforceable code, thus al-lowing various jurisdictions to adopt the re-quirements directly into local buildingordinance. National accreditation organi-zations, including the Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services and The Joint Com- Continued on page 8

Code Update: NFPA 99Enters a New Era

By Keith Van Kerckhove

0212EPSp06,08,12,14:Company Spotlight 2/10/12 7:24 AM Page 6


and simply deemed all such areas as “dry”.In many instances, this decision was madesolely by executive staff without consulta-tion of other relevant stakeholders.

The reality is that many critical care areasincluding surgical, ICU, cardiac, labor anddelivery, and trauma rooms play host tomany medical procedures which routinelyresult in substantial volumes of fluid con-tacting both the patient and attending staff.Blood and other bodily fluids, antisepticsand sanitizers, intravenous fluids, conduc-tive gels, and saline irrigation liquid all re-duce the body’s natural electrical resistanceand can create a path for dangerous electri-cal current to flow through the body in theevent that a ground fault develops onnearby electrically powered medical equip-ment. This is no surprise to physicians,nurses, and others intimately familiar withthese areas.

These facts were supported by an inde-pendent study commissioned in 2010 by theNFPA’s affiliated Fire Protection ResearchCouncil to analyze and quantify the electri-cal hazards associated with fluid spills inhospital operating rooms. The subsequentreport, entitled “Evaluation of Health Care

Operating Rooms as Wet/Dry Locations”1

provides the results of it research. Amongthe study’s key findings are the following:• Cardiovascular, thoracic, obstetrical, and

orthopedic surgeries are the most preva-lent surgical procedures performed today.2

These routine procedures involve verylarge volumes of blood loss and or irriga-tion solutions, up to several liters in someinstances.3

• Their research confirmed that fluids canpool in the work area during surgical pro-cedures, and that significant spills ofblood and irrigation fluid can occur.4

Blood run off has been estimated to poolaround the shoes of surgical team mem-bers in up to 13% of all operations.5

• Splashes of blood and fluid are observedmore than 50% of the time for many com-mon surgical procedures.6

In a common sense response to this situ-ation, the 2012 edition of NFPA 99 at-tempts to address some of the ambiguity ofthe previous version and

type of building or department. The risksassociated with surgical and other criticalmedical procedures are the same whetherthey are performed in a large urban hospitalor a small outpatient surgical center. For-mal risk assessments are essential to prop-erly determining the necessary safetyprecautions throughout all types of healthcare facilities.

Among the many revisions to the Elec-trical Systems Chapter, one of the most im-pactful is related to the determination of“wet procedure locations”. Confusion andmisinformation has circulated around thistopic for years. The previous standard(2005 edition) provides a vague definitionof wet [procedure] locations and places theresponsibility for designation on the gov-erning body of the facility. The intentionwas that those individuals with firsthandknowledge of the procedures themselvesshould apply the definition. However, it of-fers no guidance on how to properly evalu-ate and apply this definition, nor does itrequire any documented justification. Con-sequently, without any true mandate, manyfacilities have felt it unnecessary to under-take a serious review of the relevant risks

FEATURE • PG LifeLink Continued from page 6

Continued on page 12

Operating Room protected by an IsolatedPower Panel



we are interested in sprays, spills, and fluidaccumulation that come in physical contactwith patients or attending personnel. Giventhat the severity of this contact is very highin the presence of electrically powered med-ical equipment, the main parameter to con-sider is the likelihood that fluid contact isestablished. There are two factors that willdetermine this, the probability of a spill oc-curring, and size and position of the spill inrelation to individuals in the area. Fre-quency data on fluid splashes and spills dur-ing many types of surgeries are availablefrom several sources. These can range fromrelatively small percentages less than 10%,up to 100% frequency for many orthopedicprocedures. Since patients are typically sta-tionary during surgery, and personnel aregenerally nearby, even a moderate volumeof fluid (around 1 liter) released within thepatient care vicinity is very likely to comein human contact. Over the course of oneyear, this could amount to several hundredpotentially hazardous spills in a single op-erating room.9

Under the new code every facility shouldestablish an assessment team and developa methodology that makes sense to their en-

vironment. Documents such as “ISO/IEC31010, Risk Management – Risk Assess-ment Techniques” can be consulted for tipson developing a process. The bottom line iskeeping people safe from electric shockhazards using common sense principles.It is especially important for electrical

system designers and specifying/consultingengineers to become familiar with thesenew requirements, as areas classified as wetprocedure locations require special protec-tion against electrical ground fault hazards.This protection can be in the form of GFCIdevices if the system can tolerate loss ofpower in the event of a fault. However, anyloss of power in critical patient care areas isgenerally not tolerable, and therefore, iso-lated power systems are the preferredchoice of protective system. Design Engi-neers should review the new documentcarefully and discuss its implications withtheir clients that currently do not use isola-tion power systems. Note that these newrequirements only apply to newly built orrenovated areas. Therefore, retro-fitting ex-isting, functional rooms with fault tolerantpower safety systems will not necessarilybe required, but it is

ensure all newly constructed and renovatedareas are thoroughly evaluated by inclusionof a new section.

“6.3.2.2.8.4* Operating roomsshall be considered to be a wetprocedure location, unless a riskassessment conducted by thehealth care governing bodydetermines otherwise.”7

This new section acknowledges that, atleast in the case of operating rooms, wetprocedures are the norm. It does not changethe definition, nor does it take away re-sponsibility from the individual facility. In-dividual OR’s can be opted out of thisdesignation by the facility through the useof a documented risk assessment process todetermine the relative probability of fluidrelease during a procedure. Although thissection specifically addresses operatingrooms because of their very high probabil-ity of fluid release, it does not preclude theclassification of other critical care areas as“wet” using the same process.In addition, guidance on which stake-

holders, beyond just administrators, shouldhave a voice in this review is included inAnnex A as follows.

“A.6.3.2.2.8.4 In conducting arisk assessment, the health caregoverning body should consultwith all relevant parties, includ-ing, but not limited to, clinicians,biomedical engineering staff, andfacility safety engineering staff.”8

This ensures that those individuals withintimate knowledge of the procedures them-selves are able to take part in this criticaldecision. During this assessment it is im-portant to consider not only the intendeduse of particular procedure rooms, but alsothe possible alternate uses it may eventu-ally be called on to support. Most modernfacilities are designed with the flexibility tohandle a wide range of procedures.The addition of these two sections is en-

tirely consistent with the document’s newrisk-based application.Formal risk assess-ments take into consideration both theseverity and probability of a particular haz-ard occurring. In this case, the hazard is arelease of conductive fluids during specifictypes of medical procedures. In particular,



Operating Room showing a wetprocedure location.



port”, Melissa K. Chernovsky, Ph.D.,Joel E. Sipe, Ph.D., Russell A. Ogle,Ph.D., P.E., CSP, Exponent, Inc., TheFire Protection Research Foundation,Quincy, MA, October, 2010, pp. 15-16.

3. “Evaluation of Health Care OperatingRooms asWet/Dry Locations – Final Re-port”, Melissa K. Chernovsky, Ph.D.,Joel E. Sipe, Ph.D., Russell A. Ogle,Ph.D., P.E., CSP, Exponent, Inc., TheFire Protection Research Foundation,Quincy, MA, October, 2010, pp. 6-12.

4. Duensing RA, Mueller GP, WilliamsRA, “Hazards in the Operation Room,”Chapter 15: in Malangoni Mark A, ed.Critical Issues in Operating RoomMan-agement, Lippencott Raven, Philadel-phia, PA, 1997.

5. Quebberman EJ, Telford GL, HubbardS,Wadsworth K, Hardman, B, GoodmanH, Gottlieb MS, “Risk of blood contam-ination and injury to operating room per-sonnel,” Ann Surg, V214:614-612, 1991.

6. “Evaluation of Health Care OperatingRooms asWet/Dry Locations – Final Re-

certainly something for owners to consider.Proactively applying the risk based strategythroughout their existing facilities couldstreamline risk management programs andminimize potential liability concerns. In ad-dition, facility renovation and moderniza-tion continues to occupy a large proportionof overall health care construction. Accord-ingly, owners and consultants should be sureto review the impact of these changes on ex-isting renovation plans. Electrical contrac-tors and facility maintenance professionalsshould also review the new requirementsand make sure that they are familiar with allof the latest information. �

1. “Evaluation of Health Care OperatingRooms asWet/Dry Locations – Final Re-port”, Melissa K. Chernovsky, Ph.D.,Joel E. Sipe, Ph.D., Russell A. Ogle,Ph.D., P.E., CSP, Exponent, Inc., TheFire Protection Research Foundation,Quincy, MA, October, 2010.

2. “Evaluation of Health Care OperatingRooms asWet/Dry Locations – Final Re-



port”, Melissa K. Chernovsky, Ph.D.,Joel E. Sipe, Ph.D., Russell A. Ogle,Ph.D., P.E., CSP, Exponent, Inc., TheFire Protection Research Foundation,Quincy, MA, October, 2010, pp. 11-12.

7. “NFPA – Health Care Facilities Code –2012 Edition”, National Fire ProtectionAgency, Quincy, MA, September, 2011,Chapter 6, Paragraph 6.3.2.2.8.4.

8. “NFPA – Health Care Facilities Code –2012 Edition”, National Fire ProtectionAgency, Quincy, MA, September, 2011,Appendix A, Paragraph A6.3.2.2.8.4.

9. “Evaluation of Health Care OperatingRooms asWet/Dry Locations – Final Re-port”, Melissa K. Chernovsky, Ph.D.,Joel E. Sipe, Ph.D., Russell A. Ogle,Ph.D., P.E., CSP, Exponent, Inc., TheFire Protection Research Foundation,Quincy, MA, October, 2010, pp. 62-77.

Keith Van Kerckhove is Vice Presidentof Engineering and Scott Mustian,

Vice President of Sales & Marketing –PG LifeLink



CASE STUDY • ICC

SUCCESS STORY

Catoosa SchoolDistrict

On April 27th, 2011 CatoosaCounty, GA along with several othercounties were devastated by tornadoscausing extensive damage and loss of life.Among the devastated was Ringgold Mid-dle School which sustained substantialdamage. Rebuilding of county schoolsfrom the tornado damage remains on trackas relief efforts continue to provide thecounty with a fresh new start. Now, Ring-gold Middle School and Lakeview FortOglethorpe High School are the first ofeleven schools in Catoosa County, GA tocomplete reconstruction.

Catoosa School District prepares chil-dren to become good citizens and leadersof the future with high standards for ex-cellence in education. Catoosa schoolshave built a tradition of achievement inacademics, athletics, and the arts. Theytake pride in providing a safe, nurturingand challenging learning environment forthe students and Continued on page 18

By Muey Saephanh

0212EPSp16,18,20:Company Spotlight 2/10/12 7:24 AM Page 16


that connect the IDF to the MDF. The IDFis located in the Media Center with 16 6-strand-50 micron fibers which are distrib-uted to classrooms where they areterminated in low profile wall cabinets.Typically there are two classrooms thatare served by one fiber and each computerlab has a dedicated fiber run.

Category 6 cabling within the IDF isconnected to a lab in the media center aswell as offices. Some CAT6 drops go toadministrative offices at the end of the7th grade hall near the media center. In-stallations for both schools consisted ofICC’s end-to-end channel link solution.Products included 175,000 feet of CAT6e 600MHz riser (CMR) premise cableand over 2,200 drops. A combination ofcopper and fiber optics were installed us-ing CAT 6 high-density (HD) jacks forwall area outlets, 122 units of multime-dia configurable 24-port patch panels.Blank multi-media patch panels wereused rather than standard panels whichprovided better identification with colormatching modular connectors to helpidentify the media center. In addition,fiber adapter panels, rack mount fiber op-tic enclosures, patch cords, faceplates,surface mount boxes, cable management,and raceway were installed in these new

buildings as a turn-key solution.“The new technology has greatly im-

proved our network efficiency and re-duced downtime at schools where ournew components have been installed,”Steve Sawyer, IT Director said. “Thebiggest change is the inclusion of a wire-less network. This opens up many doorsfor our teachers when it comes to the de-livery of instruction. Additionally amore reliable network

families of Catoosa County.Access to technology will provide in-

structional tools necessary for the stu-dents’ success. Through system andschool-level long-range technology plans,Catoosa County Schools are committed tointegrating technology into the curricu-lum, providing sufficient resources andtraining to support faculty and staff offer-ing access to up-to-date technology for allstudents, faculty, staff, and the commu-nity. Recent reconstruction of theseschools provides students and instructorswith access to state-of-the-art technologyand allows for the opportunity to improveeducation within the district. All librarymedia centers are networked, and class-room and computer lab computers will beable to access the library and other localarea networks in the schools.

For the majority of the schools this wasthe first comprehensive upgrade to theirentire network infrastructure in severalyears. Updates specified in the infrastruc-ture provided new deployment for voiceand data cabling, as well as fiber opticruns linking from the Intermediate Distri-bution Facility (IDF) and the Main Dis-tribution facility (MDF) to classrooms,labs, and administrative areas. Renova-tions include 12-strand- 50 micron fibers

CASE STUDY • ICC Continued from page 16




to have that technology available whenteachers need it.”

South Western Communications(SWC) was the installer behind this pro-ject and has been awarded 11 Schools as

part of the renovation efforts. SWC is oneof the leading systems integrators in thecountry since 1976. SWC has sevenbranches specializing in high end solu-tions for the educational, healthcare, andIndustrial Commercial markets.

Since SWC is an ICC Elite Installer,the Ringgold Middle School and LFOHigh School installations will be coveredunder ICC’s 15 Year Performance War-ranty. Since 1984, ICC has been offeringend-to-end structured cabling solutionsfor data, voice, audio, video, and fiberoptic connectivity for commercial andresidential installations. ICC offers awide array of modular connectors, face-plates, patch panels, patch cords, UTPpremise cable, cable management racks,fiber optic solutions, raceway solutions,residential products, and other productsthat meet and exceed project needs. �

Muey Saephanh is the AdministrativeAssistant at ICC Marketing

[email protected]

with improved speed allows teachers tomore consistently include technologywithin their instructional planning.Technology is a valuable tool within theinstructional framework and our aim is

CASE STUDY • ICC Continued from page 18




FEATURE • PRUF LED

Photopic and Scotopic:Seeing is Believing

By Mark Nelson

given object. There are approximately 17rods to each cone in the eye. Even thoughthere are far fewer cones in number toeach rod in the eye, the cones are essen-tial to our vision by allowing resolution offine detail and color discrimination. Bothparts of the eye are needed to distinguishaccurate color and clarity.

So where does clarity come into play?In short, the pupil in the eye is used to fo-cus on objects by using the light availableto it. With lower light levels, the pupil willbe larger in an effort to try and focus onthe object by letting as much light into theeye as possible for this task. Conversely,in higher light levels, the pupil shrinks toallow the amount of light needed to accu-rately focus and distinguish color on theobject. Smaller pupil size results in im-

proved depth of field, acuity, and less fa-tigue. This means that in low light or inScotopic poor light, the eye is workingharder causing greater fatigue. In a workplace environment, this can result in de-creased productivity. This fatigue will oc-cur regardless of the worker’s age, but canbe especially important as the workingclass ages since our eyes naturally degradeover time. Currently, over one-third ofworkers in the United States are in theBaby Boomer generation with ages rang-ing from 48 to 66 years old. Quality oflight is more important than ever.

Historically, the common solution tothis problem has been to increase light lev-els using higher wattage lamps to producemore lumens. In theory, we assume thatwe can increase lumens

LIGHTING CONTINUES TO BEa subject of debate, and some of this de-bate involves Scotopic and Photopic lightreadings. At this point, there is plenty ofscientific data to back up the fact that, aslighting professionals, we need to under-stand these terms and why they can be im-portant to a quality lighting consultationand installation.

The human eye contains two light sens-ing parts that are known as rods and cones.Both of these parts in the eye are used todistinguish color and to some extent clarityof an object. Cones in the eye respond toPhotopic sensitivity while the rods respondvia Scotopic sensitivity. As more of thecolor spectrum is presented with the lightsource, you engage both parts of the eyeresulting in increased color and clarity of a Continued on page 24

0212EPSp22,24:Company Spotlight 2/10/12 7:26 AM Page 22


ity, while still providing the most energyefficient and cost effective solution.

So how is this achieved? This is whereScotopic and Photopic science comes intoplay. Since the rods and cones of the eyerespond to different parts of the colorspectrum, it makes sense to look at a so-lution to engage both the Scotopic andPhotopic view, while still keeping in mindour other, “meet in the middle” factors.Lighting color is measured with theKelvin scale and ranges from 0 to 10,000.Most lighting installed in home and com-mercial interior applications through theyears has ranged from 2700 to 4100Kelvin. This Kelvin temperature range isfar more weighted to the Photopic viewand leans mainly on the performance ofthe rods in the eye. With that in mind,one way to effectively engage both thecones and the rods of the eye would be toincrease the Kelvin temperature of thelamp or fixture. The higher color temper-ature activates more of the rods in the eyewhich enables you to see enhanced colorbut also creates the visual perception of a

thereby increasing foot candles at deskheight/task height and be just fine, right?Not necessarily. While raising light lev-els by increasing power and lumens willin fact decrease pupil size, it can addtremendous glare and waste significant en-ergy. This theory was born in the lightingindustry at a time where we erroneouslyassumed that the more light sensitive rodsin the eye function only at dim light levels.This view also created the standard lightmeter measurements of lumens as the stan-dard. Unfortunately, this measurementstyle completely excludes the Scotopicmeasure. The end result becomes thatwhile you could increase lumens, youcould still be in a Scotopic weak lightingenvironment. If the light is not Scotopi-cally enhanced, the pupils of the eye arestill larger and under greater strain thanwith a Scotopically enhanced light source.The key is meeting in the middle. Forgeneral purposes, the middle can be de-fined by achieving the appropriate footcandles(considering both Scotopic andPhotopic views), minimal glare, great clar-

FEATURE • PRUF LED Continued from page 22


“brighter” light since both parts of the eyeare now engaged. For example, youmight replace an existing 4100 Kelvinlamp with a LED, or Scotopically enhanceflorescent lamp, at 5500 Kelvin. Usingthis strategy will reduce the pupil size,which we know will minimize fatigue, en-hance visual color acuity, and may allowyou to use a more energy efficient lightsource or less lamps overall. We get thisresult through the rods and cones of theeye both being engaged due to the in-creased color spectrum provided by thehigh Kelvin lamp or fixture.

With the varied light sources and tech-nology available today, traditional mea-surement of lumens and foot candles is justone way to determine which lightingchoice would be best for your application.Seeing is believing. �

Mark Nelson is the Executive VicePresident of Sales and Marketing for

PRUF LED, a manufacturer anddistributor of LED Lighting based in

Waco, TX.

0212EPSp22,24:Company Spotlight 2/10/12 7:26 AM Page 24

Bear Creek Ranch, an affiliation of Pa-cific Ag Management, in Wasco, Cali-fornia chose Conergy’s Solar LargeProjects Group as the project managerfor its 1.5-acre solar energy power gen-eration site . The solar energy site willpower the water pumps and irrigationsystem for the surrounding almond or-chards. Brought into the project at itsconception phase, Conergy is providingdevelopment, EPC and O&M services,along with assistance in securing financ-ing. Using Conergy P modules and Con-ergy’s SolarLinea driven-pile groundmounting, the solar site will annuallyproduce 470,000 kWh of clean solar en-ergy, which is equivalent to reducingCO2 levels by 308,000 pounds per yearor not driving nearly 6 million miles.Wanting to reduce their costs and

hedge against rising utility rates, BearCreek Ranch decided to install a solarpower plant. Using an operating lease fi-nancing structure, the power plant willprovide the ranch $2.6 million in utilitysavings over the next 25 years. “By im-plementing a solar power plant we areable to turn our energy costs into pre-dictable fixed costs. By hedging againstrising utility rates, we can increase ourprofitability, have better cost control andimproved forecasting capabilities.” saysKeith Gardiner, Managing Partner ofBear Creek Ranch. “We chose Conergyas our project developer due to its trackrecord, its reputation of installing similarsystems on agricultural operations and theCompany’s responsiveness.”“Working on many agricultural solar

energy projects, Conergy has the insightand experience to develop cost effectivesolutions for the unique challenges thissector faces, such as being heavily depen-dent on electricity to irrigate crops. We arepleased that we can apply this experienceto the development of Bear Creek Ranch’ssolar power plant development,” said Con-ergy’s David Vincent, Project Develop-ment Manager. “With this solar powerplant, Bear Creek Ranch is showing theirenvironmental stewardship and energy

leadership in the agricultural industry.”From planning, financing and engineer-

ing to procurement, construction, permit-ting, and maintenance, the Conergy SolarLarge Projects Group has providedturnkey solutions to meet a continuum ofrenewable energy objectives. To everyproject, the Group brings its experience indeveloping power plants around the worldfrom a 10 MW system for a Michelinmanufacturing plant which at the time ofinterconnection was the largest rooftop in-stallation in the world to 20+ MW instal-lations in Spain and South Korea. In theUnited States, the Projects Group teambrought online a 2 MW ground-mountedphotovoltaic installation at the Fort Car-son U.S. Army base in Colorado, a 3 MWground mounted photovoltaic installationin Pennsylvania for Exelon and a 1.6 MWtracker system in California for the SouthSan Joaquin Irrigation District.The SolarLinea is a Conergy-manufac-

tured driven-pile mounting system forfree-field PV installations. With a terrain-adaptable design, the SolarLinea adapts toa ±10% terrain variation and minimizes orcompletely eliminates site modification.The system is designed to decrease the to-tal install cost of PV system, from labour,equipment and other overhead costs. Of-fering design flexibility and optimal use ofspace, the SolarLinea is available in both adual and single post options.About Conergy USA Only Conergy

delivers solar energy systems from a singlesource. As a system manufacturer, Con-ergy produces all components for a solarinstallation and offers all services underone roof. With its modules, inverters andmounting systems, the solar expert createsConergy System Technology, which is ef-ficient and synchronized solar energy sys-tems for private or commercial rooftops,as well as for multi-Megawatt Parks.Conergy System Services deliver a

“Worry-Free Package” for Conergy solarinstallations. Conergy’s experts not onlyinstall on-site turn-key solar projects, butthey also manage the planning and financ-ing, project implementation, system mon-

itoring, operation and on-going mainte-nance of the project for maximum perfor-mance. With this comprehensivetechnology and service package, Conergyoffers yield insurance for its installations.Conergy System Sales brings Conergy

premium products to nearly 40 countries.The solar expert supports homeowners, in-stallers, wholesalers and investors in theirefforts to “go solar” through deep-rootedlocal operations in 18 countries. With salesactivities on five continents, Conergy hasclose relationships with all its customers.Listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange,Conergy employs more than 1,700 peopleworldwide. Since Conergy’s founding in1998, it has produced and sold more than1.5 GW of clean solar power.Through its acquisition of well-estab-

lished local companies, Conergy beganoperating as a distributor and project de-veloper in North America in 2005 andcurrently has five offices, four warehousesand three production sites in the region.Conergy manufacturers mounting systemsin Sacramento, CA. In Ontario, CanadaConergy produces modules and mountingsystems that meet local content require-ments for the Provincial FIT. In addition,Conergy operates a Project Group that de-velops and operates large-scale systems.Through these activities, Conergy main-tains expert knowledge about local mar-ket conditions and requirements. �

About Bear Creek RanchAfter serving one term in the White

House, Herbert Hoover decided to farm.He hired experts to find the best

agricultural land available – the BearCreek Ranch was one of two sites theyidentified. “Hoover told them to find

the best combination of soil, water andclimate, and they didn’t let him down,”indicates Gardiner. “We’re on some of

the best ground in the world. If youcan’t make it as a farmer here, you

can’t make it anywhere. We believe thesolar system will stabilize our powercosts and enhance our ability to farm

this ground for generations.”

Industry NEWS


California Bear Creek RanchPowering Agricultural Water Pumps with Solar Energy

Conergy’s Solar Large Projects Group Completes the 300 kW Solar Power Plant

0212EPSp26,28,30.qxd:Company Spotlight 2/10/12 7:26 AM Page 26

A judge has made a final ruling in apatent infringement complaint filed byLutron Electronics Co., Inc., against Pass& Seymour concerning its range of Har-

mony Dimmers. The case was originallyfiled against Pass & Seymour and otherson May 16, 2011.

On November 2, 2011, Administrative

Law Judge Theodore R. Essex formallydismissed Pass & Seymour, Inc., as a re-spondent in Investigation No. 337-TA-776 that was pending at the United StatesInternational Trade Commission.

Pat Davin, Vice President and GeneralManager at Legrand/Pass & Seymoursaid, “We are happy with the outcome.Pass & Seymour is a company that hasbuilt and maintained its reputation on in-novation, good business ethics, customercentricity and collaboration with our widerange of partners. We are committed toprotecting our own intellectual propertywhile respecting the IP of others. Deliv-ering industry leading products, like theHarmony Dimmer range will continue tobe important for us.” �

About LegrandLegrand is the global specialist in

electrical and digital buildinginfrastructures. Its comprehensive

offering of solutions for use incommercial, industrial and residential

markets makes it a benchmark forcustomers worldwide. Named toForbes’2011 list of the 100 Most

Innovative Companies, Legrand believesinnovation for a steady flow of newproducts with high added value is aprime vector for growth. Legrand

reported sales of $5.7 billion in 2010.Legrand has a strong presence in the

North American market, with a portfolioof well-known product lines that includeCablofil, Electrorack, On-Q, Ortronics,Pass & Seymour, Vantage, Watt Stopperand Wiremold. The company is listed on

NYSE Euronext and is a componentstock of indexes including the CAC40,FTSE4Good, MSCI World, ASPI and

DJSI (ISIN code FR0010307819).

Industry NEWS


Judge Dismisses Pass & SeymourIn Lutron Patent Infringement Case



Nationally, the unemployment rates re-mains above 8%, but here in Connecticut,one company is bucking the trend. In theaftermath of October’s historic storms,Newington Electric Company, a CT insti-tution for more than 50 years, has an-nounced the formation of ConnecticutHome Generator Systems (CTHomeGen-eratorSystems.com).“During the past two storms, Newing-

ton Electric Company fielded over 4,500phone calls and hundreds of emails fromCT residents who were without power,”said Ed Ingalls, owner of Newington Elec-tric Company. “We had to call in additionalhelp and worked around the clock, in re-sponse to the needs of our customers.”Connecticut Home Generator Systems

has moved full steam ahead since its re-cent formation, however, despite a de-pressed economy, the company is

struggling to find qualified employees tofill a number of open positions created bythe new company.“We want to get the word out that there

is opportunity here in CT,” said Ingalls. “Inorder to turn the tide of unemployment, ittakes growth, one company at a time.”Included on the list of open positions are

a variety of positions, including:• Generator Installation DepartmentManager• Generator Service Maintenanceand Repair Manager• Office Manager A/R and A/P• Generator installation Electricians• Generator Service and Repair Technicians• Site Assessment Coordinator• Sales & Customer Relations

Connecticut Home Generator Systems’parent company, Newington Electric

Company, has been providing expert gen-erator installation for more than twentyyears. The organization has become oneof the largest Generac dealers in the state,offering 24-hour emergency service andrepairs to its customers. Newington Elec-tric is also listed on Generac’s web pageas an authorized sales & service dealerand installation expert. Now ConnecticutHome Generator Systems is pushing thecompany to the next level.Moving forward, CT Home Generator

Systems will be dedicated to providing itscustomers with unsurpassed first classcustomer service before, during, and aftera storm. “Anyone can install a generatoron a nice, sunny day, however, it’s theservice after the installation that countsthe most,” Ingalls adds. “If your genera-tor won’t start, will your electrician beavailable in the middle of a storm whenyou need him most?”Connecticut Home Generator Systems’

main focus will be on installing and ser-vicing residential stand-by generator sys-tems, while educating its customers on thechoices they have when deciding on ahome generator system that’s most suit-able for their current situation, specificallytaking into consideration the customers’needs, requirements, concerns and physi-cal limitations.To anticipate the demand for its new di-

vision, Newington Electric has expandedinto an additional 2,000 square feet of of-fice warehouse space at its current facility,located at 16 Progress Circle in Newington,CT. For more information on the positionsor home generator systems safety and in-stallation, visit CTHomeGeneratorSys-tems.com or call toll-free: 855-667-4819;Newington Electric Company is the par-

ent company of Connecticut Home Gener-ator Systems. Newington Electric offersstatewide electrical contracting services spe-cializing in commercial and residential elec-trical service and repairs. The Company is asecond-generation company started in 1958by Richard Ingalls and is now owned andoperated by his son Edward Ingalls. New-ington Electric is State licensed and regis-tered with the State of Connecticut’sDepartment of Consumer Protection. Formore information or call 860-667-4819. �

Industry NEWS


Connecticut Company Thrives in Down EconomyConnecticut Home Generator Systems Strives to Find Qualified Employees




Product FOCUS


Milwaukee® Launches New Thermal Imager

Milwaukee Tool Corporation continues to expand their Test and Measurement lineand M12™ LITHIUM-ION system with the introduction of the new 160x120 ThermalImager, powered by M12™. Ideal for professional preventative maintenance and trou-bleshooting applications, the new tool features 160x120 pixel, high resolution thermalimages, a visual camera for standard pictures, and the broadest temperature range in itsclass (-10° to 350°C/ 14° to 662°F) for unmatched productivity.“Designed from the ground-up with the professional tradesman in mind, this tool is faster,

more versatile and easier to use than any other tool in its class,” says Jon Morrow, Director ofMarketing, Test and Measurement for Milwaukee Tool Corporation. “Users are able to capture athermal & visual image on every trigger pull and toggle between the two with the simple push of a but-ton. With an easy, 5-button interface and a no blur, no wait display that updates the screen image 60times a second, this tool is easy to use and delivers professional quality… all for an outstanding value ofonly $2,500 suggested retail.”As a complete problem-solving solution, the 160x120 Thermal Imager kit also includes the simple and

powerful Thermal Imager Report Software that makes analyzing images and generating reports quick andeasy. Users can easily download images from the Thermal Imager with the included 2GB SD card orUSB connection port. By simply switching SD cards, users can even take the tool back into the fieldwhile someone else generates the report to minimize downtime. All images use the versatile JPEG file for-mat that can be used with any graphics program for added convenience.Powered by REDLITHIUM™ battery technology*, the new 160x120 Thermal Imager leverages Milwaukee’s

M12™ battery system for quick charging and easy field replacement. By using the M12™ battery, the toolis compatible with the entire Milwaukee M12™ System of professional power tools and there is less downtime on the jobsiteas the battery charges 5 times faster than the closest competitor.

Features:2260-21 M12™ 160x120 Thermal Im-ager Kit• Capture thermal & visual images onevery trigger pull

• Crisp, high resolution thermal imagesfor professional users

• PC software built from the ground upto quickly analyze images and rapidlycreate reports

• All images use versatile JPEG fileformat

Includes 2260-20 160x120 ThermalImager, Thermal Imager Report Softwareand Manuals on CD-ROM, 2 GB Mem-ory Card, USB Cable, (1) M12™ REDLITHIUM™ Battery Pack, 30-MinuteCharger, SD Card Reader and CarryingCase*REDLITHIUM™ Battery TechnologyMilwaukee’s new REDLITHIUM™ bat-

teries provide up to 40% more run-time,20% more power and 50% morerecharges than other Lithium productson the market. The new technology willalso operate in extreme temperatures aslow as 0°F/-18°C and will run 20%cooler, with fade free power and nomemory effect.

For more information visit,www.milwaukeetool.com

0212EPSp32-40.qxd:Company Spotlight 2/10/12 7:27 AM Page 32

February 2012 • epsmag.net 33


Appleton’s New Interlocked Receptacles OfferNEMA 4X Corrosion Resistance in CompactForm Factor

Appleton, the leader in hazardous location electrical equipment,has expanded its Powertite™ line of plugs, connectors and recpta-cles with the new FSQC interlocked receptacle, offering NEMA 4Xcorrosion protection, superior electrical performance, and a highlycompact form factor. Typical sites that would benefit from the FSQCinclude refineries, chemical plants, water treatment facilities, andpharmaceutical production.

“Customers can now eliminate the expense and inconvenienceof replacing receptacles that do not stand up to aggressive salt spray or corrosive chemicals by installing a fully finished, highlydurable unit into an existing electrical system footprint,” said Eric Goldberg, Director of Hazardous Products Marketing for Ap-pleton. “If you are looking for compact, durable and safe receptacles for retrofit or to meet existing specifications for expansionprojects, there is no longer any reason to settle for second best. Choose the Appleton FSQC and end the cycle of future re-placements.”

The compact footprint is suitable for applications where space is restricted and is ideal as a drop-in replacement for existingcompetitor FSQC receptacles.

Appleton delivers the major advantage of NEMA 4X protection to greatly reduce maintenance and replacement costs. Adurable epoxy powder coat finish provides superior corrosion resistance. Competing products do not meet rigorous NEMA4X requirements.

For more information visit,www.appletonelec.com


Product FOCUS


FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 47 ON READER SERVICE CARD FOR FREE INFO, CIRCLE 48 ON READER SERVICE CARD

Cerro Wire Introduces Steel Pulling GripsSimple and reliable wire pulling grip lets you pull four times as much wire per day

Cerro Wire LLC, a leading manufacturer of copper electrical building wire and cable, introduces a com-plete range of wire equipped with RectorSeal single-use steel pulling grips, the simple, reliable, and durablesingle-use wire pulling tool that reduces set up time and lets you pull up to four times more wire per day.Pulling grips eliminate waste, saving time and money, especially on larger commercial jobs.Rated for use on THHN and XHHN wire, these steel pulling grips reduce total set up time for a 4-wire pull to

less than five minutes. Eighteen sizes are available, ranging from 1 AWG to 750 MCM.Made with an extremely durable steel body, the pulling grips are far less likely to fail during an installation

than a pulling grip made of aluminum. They also have a shorter body length, which allows them to corner bet-ter, further reducing failure risk compared to other pulling grips.The contractor can receive the wire with all three or four wire lengths on a paralleled reel, ready to pull. At

the end of each wire is a steel lanyard, used to pull the wire through the conduit; lanyards are of staggeredlengths to stagger the heads, making entry into the conduit and through nineties easier. To complete the pull,a contractor simply attaches his rope to the lanyard. After the pull is complete, the grips are simply cut off andare disposable.“No more taking hours of expensive labor just to prepare to pull wire by preparing pulling ends,” said Rick

McDonald, President of Cerrowire Electrical Distribution. “Contractors using our pre-installed steel pullinggrips will add significantly to their bottom line.”

For more information visit,www.cerrowire.com


Product FOCUS



Resi-Pro™ Multimeters Help Contractors EconomicallyTroubleshoot Residential Electrical Systems

Troubleshooting, repairing and verifying electrical systems play a major role in thejob of residential contractors. To assure professional results without overpaying for un-necessary features, IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. today introduced its affordable Resi-Pro™line of digital multimeters.The two multimeters that make up the Resi-Pro™ line deliver the functionality re-

quired by residential electricians to perform routine testing operations, such as mea-suring AC/DC voltage, current, resistance and temperature. Both models are CAT IIsafety rated up to 600V, well beyond the demands of typical residential systems, plus of-fer large, easy-to-read displays. Compact, handheld dimensions make Resi-Pro™ mul-timeters portable without sacrificing a rugged design including a protective rubber bootand overload protection on all ranges.At the forefront of the Resi-Pro™ line is the model 61-312. It offers residential electri-

cians auto-ranging and auto continuity, along with testing of AC current (1.2% accuracy),DC current (0.8% accuracy), capacitance (3.0% accuracy), frequency (3.0% accuracy),temperature (1.0% accuracy), and resistance (1.0% accuracy). MSRP is $38.00 (U.S).For more basic testing, electricians can choose the Resi-Pro™ 61-310. It tests cur-

rent, resistance and temperature, as well as household batteries (1.5V/9.0V).MSRP is $25.00 (U.S.).Resi-Pro™ multimeters are backed by a two year limited warranty.

For more information visit,www.idealindustries.com


February 2012 • epsmag.net 37


Lithonia Lighting LaunchesPROTEON™ LED High BayThe PROTEON LED luminaire offers one-for-onereplacement of HID and fluorescent fixtures.

Acuity Brands, Inc., a market leader in innovative en-ergy-efficient lighting and control solutions, has ex-panded its LED indoor ambient lighting portfolio withthe launch of the PROTEON™ LED high bay from Litho-nia Lighting®. The PROTEON luminaire can replacehigh intensity discharge (HID), fluorescent and induc-tion high bay fixtures in manufacturing, warehousing,cold storage, commercial, retail and other large indoorspaces.

The PROTEON LED high bay is for indoor spaceswith mounting heights ranging from 15’-40’ and ambi-ent temperatures between -4°F (-20°C) and 131°F(55°C). Utilizing a robust aluminum extruded heat sink,the fixture provides superior thermal management toreduce operating temperatures.

Featuring focus, narrow, wide and spread distribu-tions, the PROTEON LED luminaire meets both hori-zontal and vertical light level requirements asdetermined by the Illuminating Engineering Society(IES). The product comes standard with a semi-diffuselens to reduce glare. For additional glare control, ahighly-diffuse lens is available.

The PROTEON fixture features a custom light en-gine specifically designed for the lumen requirementsof high bay lighting to achieve optimal performanceand reliability. Using pluggable connectors, electricalcomponents are securely mounted to a removable,maintenance-friendly tray.

Optional controls offer additional energy savings andcan extend the life of the PROTEON LED high bay. ThePROTEON fixture is available with Acuity BrandsnLight® enabled controls that facilitate remote systemconfigurability. Advanced features include the abilityto group fixtures, adjust dim levels, schedule operationand monitor status.

For more information visit,www.acuitybrands.com


Product FOCUS



T3 Innovation’s New Snap Shot™ TDR Now AvailableUtilizing an Advanced Form of Spread Spectrum Time Domain Reflectometry, SnapShot Seeks and Measures for Electrical Faults Over Energized Data Lines, ElectricalCable Runs, and Live Coax Systems

T3 Innovation, a leading provider of advanced handheld test equipment for the ca-ble/telecommunications, datacom/networking, electrical design and maintenance, and residen-tial/CEDIA custom install markets, has announced that the new Snap Shot™ fault finding/cablelength measurement TDR is now available.

“With the complexity of today’s electrical, data, voice and video signal carrying systems, youneed a tool that is fast, accurate, and easy-to-use to see down the wire and show the exact con-ditions that exist,” explained Ron Vogel, T3 Innovation CEO. “Our new, compact Snap Shot TDRaccurately detects, locates and identifies fault conditions such as opens, shorts, and arc faults onenergized cable of all types up to 3,000 feet in length.”

Made in America with American technology, Snap Shot’s large backlit LCD display clearlyshows lengths in both feet and/or meters with an accuracy of better than 1 percent for pin-pointing any fault or condition. Dual internal memory allows users to store cable parameters foreasy reference, while a built in tone generator with multiple tone capability traces found faults.

“In addition to precise location of faults, Snap Shot uses an advanced form of Spread Spectrum Time Domain Reflectom-etry that allows its use over energized cables,” added Vogel. “Now, attached working data lines, electrical cable runs, and livecoax systems can be measured for run lengths, and to see if there are any existing electrical faults while the cable is in useand under power. No other TDR has this capability.”

For more information, visitwww.t3innovation.com



Company PG# RS# Company PG# RS#

AEE SOLAR 11 11AEMC INSTRUMENTS IFC 1ALBER CORPORATION 25 18ARPI OF USA 36 49BATTCON 2012 CONFERENCE 40 54BRADY WORLDWIDE 1 4BURNDY 24 42BYTE BROTHERS 28 43CONDUIT REPAIR SYSTEMS 27 19CONNECTRAC 32 45COPPER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION 13 12COPPER WIRE STRIPPER 34 48DH SOLAR 39 23ENERGIEBAU NORTH AMERICA 35 22EXTECH INSTRUMENTS/FLIR SYSTEMS 3, 9 5, 9E-Z METER 36 50GENERATOR INTERLOCK TECHNOLOGIES 7 8GENSCO 33 46HIOKI USA 15 13

ICC 19 15KRENZ & COMPANY 38 52LAPP USA 31 21MEGGER IBC 2MITCHELL INSTRUMENTS 29 20NATIONAL WIRE & CABLE 37 51PG LIFELINK BC 3PHASE-A-MATIC 38 53PHILIPS EMERGENCY LIGHTING 30 44PRUF LED 23 17QUICK MOUNT PV 21 16REMCO ELECTRICAL MFG. 34 47SNAPNRACK 17 14SOKKIA 5 7STRIP-TEC 14 40THE HOME DEPOT 4 6UNDERGROUND DEVICES 20 41UTILITY METALS 10 10

This advertisers index is compiled as a courtesy to our readers. While every effort is made to provide a complete and accurate listing of companies, page numbers andreader service numbers, the publisher is not responsible for errors.

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