Here are some recent Posts about us, our products, services, events and industry news.
The ITE HK circuit breakers are among the most commonly used in industrial facilities and we’ve got the answer when it comes to Remote Racking. Join us for a webinar session highlighting the differences between the older breaker accessory and the latest one. Chris will demonstrate how easily the accessory is installed and used on the inoRAC3 Remote Racking devices. Register for FREE here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_32v-tarGTOaEG9s49JyZjQ
We are so proud to introduce the newest edition to our global sales team – Pacific Power Reps! With over 10 years of successful industrial and electrical equipment sales experience, multi-state coverage and a winning attitude, founder Greg Albertyn and his team are excited to hit the ground running for inoLECT. Check out their website for more information: https://ppreps.com/.
A recently completed turnkey Protection Retrofit Project sheds light on the scope of inoLECT’s capabilities in offering the full package, from Engineering to Installation. Read the Case Study here.
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One customer was experiencing reliability issues including at least one ground fault incident a year for the past few years. inoLECT conducted analysis to see why. Read about the project that eliminated ground faults by procurement and installation of high resistance grounding systems and proved well worth the cost in increased reliability.
Remote Racking and Switching at the same time? Why not. The versatility of the inoRAC device is unmatched by competitors products, which have users basically using a different machine for each type of operation. Watch how the inoRAC3 can rack a rotary style Circuit Breaker, then quickly switch to operation of a MV Motor Starter, seamlessly and efficiently.
Join us for a live webinar on September 1, 2020 and ask about getting your free onsite or virtual demonstration.
Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_x0L5tnjrS7iaYBzO0FNUKw
Join us tomorrow for a Live Webinar on Remote Racking: The ITE K600. The ITE K600 is a very common rotary-style circuit breaker that we see in a lot of industrial customer’s facilities. Simple breaker connection tools are required to allow the inoRAC device to easily connect and perform racking operations remotely, which allows operators to stand outside of the dangerous Arc Flash Boundary. Watch our demonstration, get your questions answered or schedule your free demo.
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_I_VillP_TNa4WPw4nwTamg
If you have inoRAC1 or inoRAC2 Remote Racking units, you are eligible to upgrade your software and hardware and bring those units up to date with the latest technology available in brand new units. Learn about the differences in the units, the new features available and the cost, time-frame and other details involved on our free Live-Stream Webinar, “inoRAC Upgrades”, Thursday, August 6th at noon CST. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rkZhSjkxSJiDE4XPFBGtYA#electricalsafety#circuitbreaker#inorac#ArcFlash#safety#PPE#remoteracking#goinoLECT#PowerUp#switchgear#upgrademe
GE’s MagneBlast breaker is one of the most common breakers in Power Generation Stations and other industrial facilities throughout the country. Join us for a demonstration on “Safely Racking the GE Magbeblast” – Tuesday, August 4 at 12 noon CST. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8cyGts0LSRi9-N7a0BH5vw
A proactive preventative maintenance plan for your LV and MV switchgear is crucial to longevity in power distribution equipment at your facility. Without proper maintenance, companies run the risk of unscheduled outages, costly downtime and even injury to personnel.
Our Breaker Service Specialists offer years of valuable experience with maintenance, testing, repair and troubleshooting of power circuit breakers and deliver successful strategies for upgrades and maintenance to keep you running.
Maintaining your electrical switchgear can provide:
• Extended life of the switchgear
• Improved safety for your employees
• Increased reliability of the entire facility
• Reduction of operation and maintenance costs
Regardless of the manufacturer, inoLECT’s Switchgear Services team can help improve the dependability of your breakers, extend their lifecycle, reduce cost and increase safety.
Our Services include, but aren’t limited to:
• In-shop Breaker Repairs
• LV & MV Breaker Refurbishment
• LV Breaker Retrofits
• Onsite Switchgear Maintenance & Testing
• New Equipment Commissioning
• Transformer Testing
• Cable Testing
• Thermal Imaging
We’re pleased to offer a new, comprehensive training course, based on NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safe Work Practices. This isn’t your basic safety training course. Instructor, Chris Ordes, has over 30 years of personal experience in and around dangerous electrical hazards and has some moving stories about friends and co-workers involved in electrical incidents. Have you ever been shocked or seen someone come in contact with hot equipment? Tell your story during the session. Personal accounts help to drive the ‘Meter for Life’ message home. This interactive, 8-hour course will educate you about the dangers of Electrical Work, specifically Arc Flash, and provide information about what is expected by OSHA, MSHA and NFPA compliance. Course deliverables include a NFPA 70E Standards Book, Course Workbook, Certificate of Completion and the opportunity to earn CEUs. Download the Brochure here.
Course Topics Include:
Visit our Training section to learn more.
Wow. Where did 2018 go? Seems like last year flew by! Time flies when you’re busy releasing new products, hiring new faces and launching a NEW website! Go and check out the NEW and improved inoLECT.com and peruse all of the neat features – like our Meet the Team section, Videos page and all of the social media stuff. It’s pretty awesome, not to brag or anything 🙂
We’re very excited to announce the release of the isoRAC: Single Application Remote Racking device! The newest product in our line of Remote Racking devices connects to and operates the Siemens 81000 and GE LimitAmp IC7160. Remote Racking is the quickest and most cost-effective way to eliminate Arc Flash hazards for your personnel, as well as protect your valuable equipment. Click here to watch the isoRAC in action.Contact your local Sales Rep for a product demonstration today! Download the isoRAC brochure.
inoLECT is proud to announce their latest product in the inoRAC Remote Racking line – the i90. This lightweight, easily installed accessory allows the Remote Racking unit to connect and disconnect a contactor to an energized bus remotely, from outside of the Arc Flash boundary. The process of ‘throwing’ these switch-style levers involves serious hazards, similar to that of racking circuit breakers. Operators are at risk of severe injury or death. Utilizing the i90 device with the advanced technology of an inoRAC, eliminates these risks for personnel and provides optimal equipment protection. No switchgear modifications are required and users can quickly install, use and uninstall the accessory to move to the next breaker or motor starter. Multiple versions are available for compatibility across most major manufacturers medium voltage contactors and other electrical equipment. Call 1-844-inoLECT for a free onsite demonstration or visit www.inolect.com for details.
Watch the i90 in action! Click the link for the video.
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A new year means new technology and new industry information to get out to our valued customers. inoLECT is excited to be hosting a series of educational webinars and tutorials on our latest products and services – all for FREE! These short, mini-sessions will take place twice a month, and last around an hour. It’s the perfect way to fill a lunch spot and learn something valuable. Here’s the calendar of events:
1/5/17 Remote Racking Demonstration
1/19/16 Rep Training
2/2/17 Remote Racking Demonstration
2/16/17 Power System Studies
3/2/17 Remote Racking Demonstration
3/16/17 Arc Flash Remediation
4/6/17 Remote Racking Demonstration
4/20/17 INR1 – INR2 Conversion
5/4/17 Racking Demonstration
5/18/17 Power System Studies
6/1/17 Remote Racking Demonstration
6/15/17 Relay/Meter Retrofits
7/6/17 Remote Racking Demonstration
7/20/17 Rep Training
8/3/17 Remote Racking Demonstration
8/17/17 Power System Studies
9/7/17 Remote Racking Demonstration
9/21/17 Arc Flash Remediation
10/5/17 Remote Racking Demonstration
10/19/17 INR1 – INR2 Conversion
11/2/17 Remote Racking Demonstration
11/16/17 Power System Studies
12/7/17 Remote Racking Demonstration
12/21/17 Relay/Meter Retrofits
Email info@inolect.com to RSVP or for details on any of these webinars!
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If you’re an electrician who lives in the South, chances are you may not be pulling in the same pay as your colleagues living in other parts of the United States. Based on the latest research available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Employment and Wages Study from May 2015), the “Tar Heel State” pays electricians less than any other state in the nation. Unlike Alaska (the highest-paying state for electricians with an average of $38.18 per hour), North Carolina and several other southern states fall at the low end of the pay spectrum. (Note: Puerto Rico was actually the lowest-paying location for electricians at an average $12.69 per hour and $26,390 annual average salary, but it’s technically a U.S. territory — not a state.) Let’s take a look at the rankings in descending order. Here are the full articles from EC&M. http://ecmweb.com/contractor/5-worst-paying-states-electricians-2015#slide-0-field_images-138151
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The newest and most highly anticipated accessory in the product line for the inoRAC2 Universal Remote Racking device is a rechargeable UPS Battery Power System. This optional accessory allows the unit to perform all functions, racking and operations, using battery power instead of 110v electrical outlets. Extension cords are no longer required! The Battery Power System will allow the inoRAC2 approximately 1 hour of usage before requiring a recharge. It was designed to aid customers who are in outages, have lost power for any reason, or have remote breakers or substations where the usage of cables is difficult.
The inoRAC2 is the most versatile, technologically advanced Remote Racking product on the market, with over 100 breaker connection tools available. No switchgear modifications are required. Unlike competing products, the unit monitors torque and breaker position during the entire racking process, providing optimal equipment protection while eliminating the risk for personnel.
Battery Power Systems are available for all inoRAC2 Remote Racking devices today – call for your free onsite demonstration of this life-saving product! 1-844-INOLECT
Click here for more details, pictures and videos!
18Many of you know that inoLECT manufactures a universal, technologically-advanced Remote Circuit Breaker Racking Device, the inoRAC2, which eliminates the risk of Arc Flash to personnel. The newest addition to the inoRAC Product Line is the ABB Advac Actuator, which allows compatibility with Advac circuit breakers.
The custom-designed tool is a lightweight, aluminum housing, surrounding a linear actuator equipped with a roller. It easily attaches to switchgear doors with industrial-strength magnets and requires no modifications. When operating, the actuator/roller engages the breaker’s interlock lever, allowing it to perform disengage/engage functions. The tool is installed quickly, very user-friendly and requires one connection cable.
This is only one of the many solutions that make the inoRAC2 the most universal remote racking product on the market. Unlike competitors, the inoRAC2 provides optimal breaker protection by monitoring torque and breaker position, and applying torque only when needed. It is also the only device available that stores breaker profiles for easy access next time it it needed.
Schedule a free demo by calling 1-844-inoLECT or watch the ADVAC video online here.
As you probably know, the OSHA Revised §1910.269 and Subpart V compliance deadline for provisions on fall protection, minimum approach distances, and arc-flash protection is April 1, 2015. The employer must determine the maximum anticipated per-unit transient overvoltage, phase-to-ground, through an engineering analysis no later than this date, for voltages over 72.5 kilovolts. For more information about why OSHA revised its ruling and how you can prepare, visit this helpful list of FAQ. You can find a copy of the rule by clicking here.
There are numerous recognized hazards that workers in a construction and maintenance environment are potentially exposed to on any given day and in the performance of any given task (see photo above). Many of these hazards result from the lack of attention to safety by design and leave a worker feeling that he or she has little choice other than to use PPE to perform the task — that is, if PPE is even provided and used at all. Read the full article from EC&M
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The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)’s White paper on Protective Devices and Maintenance states that “Industry Standards for an manufacturer’s of LV power circuit breakers recommend a general inspection and lubrication after a specified number of operations or a least once per year” and “most requirements for LV circuit breaks apply to MV breakers as well. Manufacturers recommend that these breakers be removed from service and inspected at least once per year”. Similar to other aging infrastructure systems in the US, very little maintenance and testing is done to electrical systems, with many LV systems never seeing period maintenance at all. This is very alarming when you consider that electrical personnel have been injured by arc flash incidents where arc flash prediction was Category 0 because upstream breakers failed to trip. A poorly maintained electrical system is a serious hazard present to all who work on or around it, and should not be neglected. “Several studies have shown that LV power circuit breakers which are NOT maintained within a 5 year period, have an average of 50% failure rate”, also stated by IEEE.
Need some help backing up your concerns to decision makers within your facility? Consider the following:
• The 2012 edition of NFPA 70E states “The arc flash hazard analysis shall take into consideration the design of the overcurrent protective device, including its condition of maintenance”. Refers to Section 21.10 of NFPA 70B-2006 for maintenance of protective devices; this section specifies overcurrent time-current testing of the protective devices.
• NFPA 70E Article 205.3, General Maintenance Requirements, states, “Electrical equipment shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or industry consensus standards to reduce the risk of failure and the subsequent exposure of employees to electrical hazards.”
Several recent studies have determined that failure rates of LV circuit breakers are increasing, after only a few years of use. One recent survey states that 23% of circuit breakers tested had an issue affecting the protective device operations and over 10% did not function at all. We should assume that all older gear that have not been maintained in accordance with NETA MTS or NFPA 70B, will trip per their overcurrent time-current curves. Such a critical assumption would likely not be included as a description on the equipment arc flash warning label. An arc flash calculation based on actuation of a protective device that has never been maintained will not present accurate and correct data in the models or on the labels. The calculated incident energy depends on how long it takes an upstream protective device to sense, respond to, and eventually clear the arcing fault. If the breaker hasn’t been maintained and tested as required, there is no assurance that it will respond in accordance with its published time-current curve.
Before beginning an Arc Flash Study for your facility, determine whether or not your equipment maintenance has been performed at the acceptable level. If not, there is no promise that the circuit breakers will actually respond to their time-current curves or if they are capable of opening properly at all. It’s important to confirm that Arc Flash calculations are performed using correct data, on properly maintained equipment, so that the arc flash ratings are correct. The safety of personnel depends on it.
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Arc Flash Remediation is the process of developing a plan to correct deficiencies within your electrical system. We’ll be hosting seminars in the upcoming months, in different areas of our customer base, to touch on the importance of Remediation planning. We’ll discuss solutions for optimum system performance, for whatever plant size, budget and time constraints you may have. Learn more about the steps you can take to move towards a safe and reliable system. Click here to inquire if there’s a seminar happening near you.
inoLECT is an authorized reseller of Siemens MV Vacuum Roll-in Replacement Breakers. Replacing breakers increases the reliability, safety and performance of your site, while reducing operating and maintenance costs. Siemens offers the best Vacuum Circuit Breaker in the industry, and when paired with a Remote Racking unit, can eliminate the risk of Arc Flash hazards. Regardless of the type of current breakers you have onsite, we will assist you in finding the replacement which best meets your needs. Contact us today for details or a price quote. Click here for more information.
Random samples, the null hypothesis and bell curves are but distant concepts learned taking statistics in a college class long ago. Yet, statistics are used daily, and one cannot escape using or being a part of a statistic. Without knowing how well you performed [statistically] it is difficult to forecast any future event. For example, your favorite baseball team has the lead at the bottom of the 9th inning. The coach signals the bullpen to send in the “closer.” Why? Based on statistics, the closer is proven to be effective in getting the remaining outs to win the game.
So what do statistics and baseball have to do with inoLECT?
Many of our readers are customers of inoLECT and take advantage of the many products and services we provide, including the inoRAC Remote Racking device. Numerous customers have seen an inoRAC demonstration and agree it is a well-engineered product beneficial in removing personnel from hazards and protecting equipment. Yet, many have not purchased the inoRAC, or any other device, as they do not see any issue for their particular plant. “We’ve been doing it like this for 20 years without any incident” or “we never perform work, unless we have a dead bus” are some of the statements commonly heard when considering safety equipment in a plant. Perhaps statistics do not concern them? Perhaps they think electrical safety is just nonsense born from safety directors with nothing better to do? Perhaps they believe they are in no danger of being the next plot on a bell curve?
Consider this: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that electrocution is the fifth leading cause of work place fatalities in the US. Electrical Safety Foundation International reports that every 30 minutes during the work day, a worker suffers an electrically induced injury that requires time off the job for recovery. Over the last ten years, more than 45,000 workers have been injured from on-the-job electrical hazards. OSHA reports that 80% of electrically related accidents and fatalities involving “Qualified Workers” are caused by arc flash / arc blast. Between 2007 and 2011, more than 2,880 fines were assessed for not meeting OSHA regulation 1910.132(d) which averages out to 1.5 fines a day. 97% of electricians have been shocked or injured on the job. These are merely just statistics. They really don’t matter, do they?
Consider the facts:
The paradigm of yesterday is truth today and the dangers of arc flash are violent and real. It is imperative that each facility review and regard steps to prevent electrical hazards as a serious matter when presented with statistical data. There are many factors when considering adding safety equipment, such as the inoRAC Remote Racking device. However, the absence of a decision is a decision that is costly. Statistics and facts are two issues that cannot be eluded.
It’s the bottom of the 9th inning. Are you ready to send in the closer? Statistically, the inoRAC will help get the win.
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We’re excited to be participating in this year’s VPPPA Safety and Health Conference in Nashville, TN. The 29th Annual show will take place on August 26th – 29th, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in the heart of Nashville. Come by and check out booth #1007 in the exhibit hall. We’ll have product demonstrations, prizes and give-aways.
The four-day conference offers attendees countless opportunities to network, learn and advance as leaders in occupational safety and health. Features include: two full days of workshops addressing current safety, health and environmental issues; inspiring keynote and general session speakers; the VPPPA Expo 2013 with vendors showcasing their cutting-edge products and services; and evening receptions and other social activities that provide the perfect setting for attendees to network and exchange best practices.
VPPPA conference participants represent a wide range of individuals involved in safety and health. Safety and health managers, employee safety team members, industrial hygienists, union representatives, consultants, environmental health specialists, human resource managers and government agency representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Department of Energy (DOE) all come together for networking and education. Click here for for registration info.
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We all know that every plant requires preventative maintenance to stay healthy and productive, but how often do you test and clean your overcurrent protective devices? Outdated and neglected overcurrent devices can adversely affect results of an arc flash study. Electrical equipment that is “out of sight, out of mind” is often unattended for long periods, which could result in catastrophic failures. Preventative maintenance is important to maintain a healthy and productive plant and is critical in the protection of personnel and equipment.
Consider this; the IEEE paper Protective Devices Maintenance as it Applies to the Arc Flash Hazard states “several studies have shown that low-voltage power circuit breakers which are not maintained within a 5 year period, have an average of 50% failure rate.” The same document goes on to state “industry standards for, as well as manufacturers of, low-voltage power circuits recommend a general inspection and lubrication after a specified number of operations or at least once per year, whichever comes first.”
Section 130.5 of the 2012 edition of NFPA 70E Handbook for Electrical Safety in the Workplace states “the arc flash hazard analysis must also take in to consideration the design of the overcurrent protective device and its opening time, including its condition of maintenance.”
inoLECT’s Field Service Engineers and Technicians are trained and ready to ensure your protective devices operate correctly. Call us today to schedule your over-current protective device maintenance.
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Each June, the United States National Safety Council encourages organizations to get involved and participate in National Safety Month. NSM is an annual observance to educate and influence behaviors around leading causes of preventable injuries and deaths. This year, the NSC is celebrating 100 years of dedication to safety. Successful organizations engage everyone in safety and create a culture where people feel a personal responsibility not only for their own safety, but for that of their coworkers, family and friends. Click here for free NSM materials from the National Safety Council.
We’re exhibiting at the Saudi Aramco Global Reliability Forum today and tomorrow, at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Houston, TX. If you’re in the area, stop by booth #129 for prizes, give-aways and to see our new Remote Racking product, the inoRAC2. This product is the latest in the inoRAC family of Remote Racking solutions. It’s boasts a high-definition color touchscreen, with easy to follow directions for operation, as well as position indicators for efficient racking. Read more about it here.
