Alternating Current Circuits
Alternating current (a.c.) is the backbone of modern electrical power distribution. In this article I’ll be pulling some of the more important concepts...
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was born exactly at midnight on July 10, 1856 in the tiny village of Smiljan, Lika in Croatia. In his late teens, Tesla left the village to...
Battery Sizing
This article gives an introduction to IEEE 485 method for the selection and calculation of battery capacity.
Star-Delta Motor Starting - Performance
Many questions sent in to the site are in connection with motor starting and in particular star-delta. For all but the simplest application, there is...
Surface Treatment – Ladders, Trays and Baskets
Steel ladders, trays and baskets form the backbone of cable containment systems. Often these items need some form of surface treatment to prevent corrosion...
IEC Reference Designations
The IEC publishes a series of documents and rules governing the preparation of documents, drawings and the referencing of equipment. Depending on country...
How to refer fault levels across a transformer
Over the past year or so I've been involved in on going discussions related to referring fault levels from the secondary of a transformer to the primary...
Thermoplastic and Thermosetting Insulation
While there are a vast array of cable insulation materials, these are often divided into two general types; Thermoplastic or Thermosetting. For example...
Lightning Risk Assessment (IEC 62305)
IEC 62305 'Protection against lightning' requires a risk assessment be carried out to determine the characteristics of any lightning protection system...
Lightning Protection and Earth Electrode Resistance
Most installations involve some form of lightning protection system which is connected to an earth electrode. The function of the earth electrode is to...