Are your electric installations ready for harvest time?

Posted on 12th July 2019 at 13:02

Electric farm equipment and installations have become essential in a modern agricultural environment.

They make so many things easier and simpler and help to keep people safe.

However, farms can be risky places for electrical installations, so regular maintenance and repair is important.

Building Management Systems

Posted on 5th July 2019 at 12:55

In a security- and efficiency-conscious environment a building management system (BMS) can be used to manage fire alarms, and to coordinate controls for timers, thermostats, fans and lights. Most importantly a BMS can save energy.

Building energy management is now catching up with LED lighting as the most popular way for businesses to reduce energy costs.

While around two thirds of the businesses introducing energy management systems have 1000 employees or more, there’s still scope for smaller organisations to make significant savings.

A cleaner, greener cuppa

Posted on 30th June 2019 at 13:46

As you know, we like to keep an eye on new developments involving electricity generation and use.

That’s why we were interested in the recent announcement that more electricity will be generated from zero carbon sources than fossil fuels this year in the UK.

According to the National Grid, this is the first time since the industrial revolution that we have generated more electricity from renewable sources than fossil fuels.

Seven electrical tips for your home makeover

Posted on 25th June 2019 at 15:48

If you’re considering buying a property that’s more than 20 years old as a renovation project, here are some things to think about.

Your House Buyer’s survey doesn’t include and electrical inspection and condition report (EICR). A professional inspection of the wiring and any installations will confirm that the property is safe and help you to understand what you will need to do to bring it up to modern standards.

Strange but true – electricity from mushrooms

Posted on 3rd June 2019 at 08:51

Although this news report initially seemed ‘stranger than fiction’, it’s a genuine example of extraordinary science.

Mushrooms that you can buy at any grocers have been used to generate electricity.

They were covered with bacteria that can produce electricity and strands of the new wonder-material, graphene, were used to collect the current.

Virtual power plants

Posted on 21st May 2019 at 19:12

Here’s a clever idea… Siemens has introduced a virtual power plant (VPP).

It’s a software solution that balances electrical loads from buildings connected in a ‘microgrid’ that has both renewable energy and energy storage.

The new VPP service allows electrical loads of commercial buildings or industrial sites to be combined, helping to reduce the need for reserve power by balancing consumption. Building operators can then sell surplus energy back to the electricity market. Siemens believes this approach will increase the flexibility of the whole market.

Electric vehicle charging

Posted on 30th April 2019 at 14:29

The government says it plans to introduce low and zero-emission transport.

Today you could go a long way and without seeing an electric vehicle, but numbers are slowly increasing. Only 1.8% of new cars registered were electric or low-emission in 2017, but that figure rose to 2.5 percent in 2018.

Outside lighting

Posted on 22nd April 2019 at 09:45

The weather is getting warmer and summer is around the corner, so outdoor spaces will become more popular again very soon. Outdoor lighting can help to make the most of these areas.

Here are some things to think about to make sure your outdoor lighting is safe and effective.

Safety

Firstly, make sure fittings are designed for outdoor use and locations are safe and unlikely to flood. Any light you fit outdoors should have an IP (Ingress Protection) rating of at least IP44.

All outdoor sockets must be protected with a residual current device (RCD) to switch off electricity if a cable is cut. Cables must also be suitable for outdoor uses.

Outdoor cables should be buried so they won’t be damaged by garden tools.

Managing CO2 for productivity

Posted on 26th March 2019 at 10:38

A new report highlights how improved management and monitoring of building systems such as air-conditioning and ventilation, can reduce CO2 levels to improve the comfort and health of employees.

One third of us have bought counterfeit electrical products

Posted on 21st March 2019 at 19:22

It’s difficult to identify counterfeit electrical products, just by looking at them.

The problem is growing as more products are bought online. Some online sellers are misleading shoppers with images taken from official product sites and fake official safety marks. They are often priced only slightly lower than the recommended retail price to avoid suspicion.