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Ground Fault and Arc Fault 101

Safety

Ground fault and arc fault are sometimes used interchangeably but they are actually two separate things. Ground fault is a type of short circuit sometimes known as “short to ground.” It happens when current going out on ungrounded phase (energized “hot” current) accidentally makes contact with a ground path. Electricity always wants to find a path to ground. Sometimes this unintentional path to ground is a person’s body. Ground fault causes electric shock that could be severe or fatal to people…

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Coronavirus – How to Keep the Power On

News

Coronavirus is the buzzword. We are making history in our current state of global pandemic. If you’ve been living under a rock, COVID-19 is a disease that affects the respiratory cells. More specifically, SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that enters the respiratory cells, replicates, and proliferates throughout the lungs, causing pneumonia. We won’t get too deep in the science, but let’s talk about what’s happening outside and what this means for electrical contractors…

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Important Things to Consider When Buying Surplus Electrical Equipment

Training

General Advantages General Disadvantages 1. Cost efficient 1. Limited availability of uncommon items 2. Readily available inventory 2. New technology can be slow to market 3. Minimal obsolescence in cycle 3. Requires more attention to vendor qualifications 4. More choices for buyers sourcing material   5. Focused on medium and small size contractors   6. …

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What’s the Difference Between Short Circuit and Overload Conditions?

Safety

Short circuit and overload conditions are a bit different but they both pose similar dangers. Read on to see their slight differences. Short Circuit – We know that current flows in a path from point A to B – this is considered one phase. A short circuit occurs when current flow deviates from that path in two different ways: phase-to-phase (direct short) or phase-to-ground (ground fault). When current flows from one phase to another, also known as a direct short, that huge amount of current…

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GE Armor Clad Bus Plug

Training

This General Electric Armor Clad (AC) plug is an older bus plug version that’s been replaced by the newer GE Spectra bus plugs. The AC plug family is one of the most popular GE bus plug systems. This family of bus plugs has been in the market for many years. The 600V line are the most popular varieties in the family. They have amperages that range from 15A to 800A. Although these bus plugs have been replaced by the newer version (GE Spectra bus plugs), Armor Clad…

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GE Spectra Series Bus Plugs

Training

General Electric (GE) Spectra Series bus plugs replaces the older generation Armor Clad plugs, which had no current protection bust are still also popular nonetheless. Nowadays, these newer vintage Spectra bus plugs are widely used and come in different configurations. They are available as fusible or circuit breaker type plugs with either a 3 or 4 wire. These plugs have various fuse classes, frame types, and interrupting current rating. You can also choose to get them with or without ground.

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Can Circuit Breakers Go Bad?

Training

If you’re asking “can circuit breakers go bad?” – it’s most likely because yours stopped working, or at least it seems like they’ve stopped working. The short answer is – yes, they can actually go bad. Like many electrical items, circuit breakers could break down due to a few reasons. It’s a good idea to …

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Circuit Breakers Installation

Training

Electrical Panel Upgrade: Should You Replace the Entire Box? If you live in an older home or just need to upgrade your electrical panel, there are some things you may want to consider before you move forward with the project. Here are some things to think about. A panel upgrade generally requires replacement of the …

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NEMA Enclosure Types

Training

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) set safety, reliability, and efficiency standards. These standards apply to enclosures, which vary in the way they’re constructed for their specific use and environmental conditions. There are many types of NEMA enclosures that we have listed here. It is a good idea to take note of the enclosures that …

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Motor Control

Training

In 1887 Nikola Tesla invented an alternating current (AC) Motor to harness the power of electricity. It is a great invention but not as useful unless operators could turn the motor on and off. Therefore the “knife switch” was created, which connected the power to the motor when the operator manually pulled the switch to the “on” position.

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Who Makes Siemens Breakers?

Training

The simple answer is, of course, Siemens – they make their own well-known and durable breakers. Siemens has been around for over 150 years in engineering and world history in general. They have been making circuit breakers for a long time and are one of the top breaker manufacturers in the industry. Their simple design make …

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What Does BD1520 Breaker Mean?

Training

BD1520 is an Eaton / Cutler Hammer brand miniature molded case circuit breaker. This breaker is a tandem / circuit limiting breaker. In other words, BD1520 is a double circuit breaker that takes up one circuit breaker space on a panelboard. However, it does not have a common trip or handle tie for simultaneous disconnecting of …

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