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Electricity for your business. What’s the cost?
We all know that with consistent growth of inflation it’s becoming predictable that the electricity prices will eventually go up too.
If we look at the trend for the last decade in New South Wales, the increments aren’t slight either.
Price rises in electricity are inevitably met with dissatisfaction, especially in the domestic market where home budgets are smaller and the impact is applied more directly.
However, for commercial and industrial businesses it generally has a ‘knock-on effect’, usually by increasing prices for trade partners or consumers which in turn cycles back to increase inflation again. Otherwise, it becomes a loss in revenue for the company which may result in loss of jobs.
In this case, the argument for investment in energy efficiency is clearly stronger than ever:
· We live in times of constant climate changes and environmental sensitivity.
· There are the financial and potential productivity gains made from running a more efficient electrical system, which will invariably differ from company to company.
· With the big potential ROI of between 3 months to 12 months, such an investment has the ability to pay dividends fast.
· Investing in power optimisation will directly strengthen your local and national economy.
( Check out our older post about the first fully solar powered Airport in the world)
Would you like to switch to the more efficient electrical system for your business?
Find out more about more about our Commercial Electricians projects and services.
LED Installation Issues
I have noted an article described as an advertorial in the 2016 July – August NECA NEWS (page 13) regarding LED Power Supplies which I believe is a very important article for commercial electricians in Sydney to understand and take important care in choosing LED lighting fixtures & associated controls.
In particular, it is very important for the LED fixtures & controls to have been approved by the Australian Standards to ensure that imported products are suitable for installation within Australia. Otherwise, various products suitable for other countries may cause early expensive failures of the light fixtures and the controls connected to the LED circuits.
Apart from providing electrical installations, Caslec also provides electrical maintenance services and recently a Caslec service technician was required to attend a large new LED lighting installation installed by another contractor who was having technical issues. Commercial electricians from Caslec in Sydney observed that the LED lighting installation & the general installation equipment and distribution switchboards were of a high standard, however, there were issues with circuit breakers tripping and several failed contactors at the lighting distribution switchboard.
Various tests were performed & it was concluded that the electronic drivers were permitting considerable inrush currents as can be seen within this particular graphic image, over a page. One 60 Watt LED light fixture was producing an inrush current of 39 Amps. This may only be for a minimal period however when there are a number of light fixtures connected to the circuit, as in this case, the inrush current is considerable, particularly at the maximum level of the switching cycle. One of the commercial electricians from Caslec created a graph that clearly displays the level of start current that is drawn by a single light fixture during start up. As an example, 10 light fixtures on one circuit will certainly strain any normal lighting circuit including the controls, even during a minimal section of a single cycle.
The light fixture drivers external to the light fixtures were not approved for Australian installations resulting in costly replacements, even though the LED fixture itself is certainly of high quality. LED’s are the new lighting technology that is being embraced by almost everyone in Australia but they are not simple incandescent globes or fluorescent lamps. LED’s emit light but are grouped with other electronic components & devices, including additional controls that are associated with these devices.
The controls have to relate to the LED’s and the actual incoming power supplies within Australia & conform to Australian Standards.
For more information, contact commercial electricians from Caslec.
Knowledge is power – electrical safety
In today’s blog, we would like to discuss electrical safety in your workplace. As the commercial electricians company in Sydney, the safe work environment is the priority for us. So we would like to give you a couple of tips that could protect you and your staff from potential electrical hazards.
If you are working on electrical circuits or with electrical equipment, you need to follow some golden safety rules.
Commercial Electricians in Sydney Safety Tips
- Stay away from energised electrical circuits.
Sounds obvious yes! But if something bad happens you probably won’t get a second chance.
- Think about electrical devices as if they were live or energised
- Make sure you always disconnect the power source before servicing or repairing any electrical device
- Use only equipment with non-conducting handles
- Don’t use metallic rulers or pencils.
- Take off rings, watches etc when working with electrical devices. Unfortunately, this rule is quite easy to forget.
- If it’s necessary to handle some plugged in equipment, make sure your hands are dry and if possible wear protective clothes
- If possible, work with one hand only.
Have you ever read about current passing through human body??
Here’s more info:
http://www.mnn.com/family/protection-safety/stories/electrical-safety-how-electrical-current-affects-the-human-body
- Try not to use electrical equipment in cold rooms or other areas where condensation is likely.
- If water or a chemical is spilt onto equipment, shut off power at the main switch
- If someone comes in contact with a live electrical conductor, don’t touch the equipment or the person.
- Devices that produce a “tingle” should be reported for repair
- Drain capacitors before working near them and keep the short circuit on the terminals to prevent electrical shock
- Don’t touch another’s person equipment unless instructed to do so
- Secure all electric contacts and conductors so no one can accidentally get in contact with them
- Don’t handle electrical equipment when your body is wet or when standing on a wet floor
- If it’s necessary to touch electrical equipment use the back of your hand. To avoid “freezing” to the conductor
- Don’t keep highly flammable liquids near electrical equipment
And for the end please have a look at a typical example of ignorance when it comes to basic electrical safety
Need professional help in your industrial area??
Contact Caslec commercial electricians from Sydney.
First completely solar powered airport in the world
Commercial Electricians Curiosities
Cochin International is the fourth busiest airport in India and the first in the world that runs solely on solar power. It became totally energy self-sufficient in August last year.
In today’s blog, we would like to give you some more details about this great project and how it is holding up.
According to BBC News, the 1.300-acre airport collects energy from a field with over 45,000 solar panels for daily operation. The field produces enough energy to provide electricity for 10,000 homes for one year. The project took six months and cost $9.5 million, but many other airports all over the world expressed interest in copying the model.
So it all seems amazing, but how about the new challenge?
Cochin International Airport wants to open a new terminal that exceeds the current plant capacity.
It may seem like this infrastructure is getting way too big for its britches, taking millions of dollars and trying to keep pace with strict timetables. However, the Indian Prime Minister is just about to boost his country’s solar capacity to 100,000 megawatts in the coming up years.
Using alternative energy options in transportation is becoming more common. Nowadays, big airlines are toying with biofuels to run their jets.
With Cochin International Airport, we can see a great example of how serious the governments become about getting greener. Apparently, enormous power bills are the most important reason of these ideas.
It’s encouraging to see emerging markets like India invest in solar energy, though, despite the clear problems of expanding an expensive, energy-efficient infrastructure in a short period of time. We’ll have to wait and see what happens – not just in India, but in other countries all over the world.
Need professional help in your industrial area??
Energy efficient company buildings – Caslec Commercial Electricians
As a leading commercial electricians company in Sydney, we would like to come up with weekly advice on how to make your business a better place to work for you and your employees.
Industrial properties in Sydney are one of the main electrical energy consumers in Australia. Heating, lighting, and office equipment use large amounts of energy. However, in today’s article, we would like to give you a range of steps companies can take to make their buildings more energy efficient.
- Industrial properties should have energy management plans that regulate the use of lighting, cooling and heating. The energy saving strategy should include optimising the usage of appliances to minimise costs while meeting the needs of tenants.
- Energy efficient lighting should be installed together with control sensors used to ensure that lights are on only when they need to be. The interior design of industrial buildings should favour the daylight over artificial one.
- Server rooms should be cooled efficiently with fans or located off-site.
- Offices also should be equipped with energy efficient devices. Old copiers and computers should be replaced with power saving modern alternatives wherever it’s possible.
Studies done by Caslec Commercial Electricians show that also employees are happier and more efficient when working in a healthy office environment.
Need professional help in your industrial area??
Call us on (02) 9604 4488 for a free consultation.
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