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EC&M E-Tradeshow
Introducing the EC&M
E-Tradeshow
EC&M magazine's new online tradeshow and
conference series is now open! Use it as often as you like at no cost
to you. The E-tradeshow is a 3D exhibition where you can examine some
of
the latest in electrical products, meet with exhibitors, and gather
information. Plus, you'll be able to attend conference seminars inside
the E-Tradeshow throughout the year. Just click
here and you'll be connected to detailed information about how
to get inside and make full use of the E-tradeshow. In minutes you'll
be
exploring in the 3D environment, be visiting in our charter exhibitors'
booths, and checking out some very cool products.
See you in the show!
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Plant News
Plant Closures on the Horizon
According to marketing information resources company
Industrial Information Resources (IIR), 165 U.S. industrial plants will
close their doors between January 2006 and the end of 2008, translating
into 64,000 lost jobs. The regions most affected appear to be the
Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Great Lakes, each losing between 30 to 32
plants and 9,000 to 13,000 jobs. Many of the plants are tied to the
automotive industry.
But the news isn't all bad. IIR is also tracking 742 plants
scheduled
to open throughout North America during the same time period. The new
plants are projected to add approximately 155,000 jobs.
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Maintenance
Maintaining Batteries, Part
One
Ask the typical manufacturing plant engineer about
batteries, and you'll hear about lift trucks. In a data center, you'll
probably hear about racks of stationary batteries and lift truck
batteries.
One appeal of electric lift trucks is they eliminate fuel storage
and
fuel handling issues. For indoor operations, they eliminate air quality
problems that arise from combustion fumes. However, their downside can
be costly.
When an internal combustion engine runs out of LP gas or diesel, it
shuts off (in a diesel, this shortens the life of the fuel pump). An
internal combustion engine doesn't start overheating as the fuel tank
nears empty. But an electric motor does.
How do you manage battery care? Do you leave it up to the lift
operator to monitor battery life, stop work, drive to the lift truck
depot, have maintenance swap out batteries, and then resume work --
all while production managers are hollering for the machine? If so, you
have identified a curable cause of the high motor failure rate in your
lift trucks.
But it's not just the motor that is in danger with a
"leave-it-to-the-operator" policy. Does the operator carry loads up
grades? That's when the battery drain will be most noticeable. The lift
truck motor, unable to produce enough torque with the low battery,
fails
on the ramp, causing the truck to roll backward.
Does your battery replacement program account for the fact that
batteries lose capacity over time? Burning up lift truck motors because
you run on old batteries to reduce battery purchase costs equals false
economics.
On the other hand, a formal battery maintenance program is a
sensible
way to reduce battery purchase costs -- and it helps ensure reliable
operation of your lift trucks.
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Repair
Electrical Troubleshooting
Quiz
An electric lift truck has burned up three motors in as
many months. The battery is less than a year old, and it gets a full
charge every night. What are some possible causes?
The answer to this question appears at the end of this
newsletter.
Replacing Lift Truck
Batteries
Because so-called "maintenance-free" batteries are
"sealed," the myth exists that they neither leak acid nor need
maintenance. In reality, they are not sealed, and they do require
maintenance. In fact, they contain a pressure valve that regulates the
gas pressure inside the battery.
All batteries produce gas. Exposure to sunlight can heat up the
battery, raising the gas pressure -- do your trucks ever sit outside?
Excessive charging or discharging also raises gas pressure. If the gas
pressure is too great, the battery may vent acid in addition to gas. If
the battery can't vent fast enough, the case will bulge and may even
rupture.
When replacing a battery, take the time to clean the battery tray
with a neutralizer -- even if it's just baking soda and water. Clean
the mounting hardware, cables, and terminations. Inspect the cable ends
-- are they still serviceable, or should you replace them? Inspect
insulating materials for damage.
A maintenance tech changing a lift truck battery in an Illinois gear
factory made inadvertent contact between his screwdriver and the truck
frame. He wasn't shocked or burned, because he was wearing the correct
PPE. But a large portion of his screwdriver blade vaporized. Training
in
the proper procedures is essential, which is one reason many firms
simply outsource their lift truck maintenance to specialty shops (net
cost savings is another).
Battery storage, transportation, and disposal each bring
requirements
that you may not have considered. Ask your battery vendor or a lift
truck maintenance service for advice.
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Operation
NEC at the Facility
Electricians regularly engaged in construction tend to
be well-versed in Art. 310 -- not confused by its many nuances. The
opposite tends to be true of facility maintenance electricians or plant
engineers performing the infrequent new wiring job. Some tips will help
you avoid confusion:
- If you run parallel conductors, think of them as "clones." If the
conductors differ in size, insulation, terminations, or length, you are
doing the job incorrectly [310.4].
- Don't run THHN for everything, just because you have THHN in your
storeroom. This may not be the proper insulation for the application.
Follow the requirements of 310.7 through 310.10, and 310.13.
- Where more than one ampacity could apply to a circuit, use the
lowest value. See the FPN in 310.35(2) for the one exception to this
requirement.
- Remember that the terminations limit the conductor temperature
rating you can use. If you are using a 90°C conductor with a
60°C termination, you must consider Tables 310.16 through
310.20.
OSHA and the Manager in
Maintenance
The typical plant has a safety director onsite. This
leads to the common misconception that safety plan enforcement is the
duty of that person, not the individual managers.
Company executives are responsible for ensuring the company's safety
plan includes an enforcement component. Enforcement procedures
typically
range from progressive discipline for minor infractions to termination
for willful violations. And, yes, OSHA does track willful violations.
While it may be tempting to overlook safety violations, doing so can
create legal problems in addition to creating an unsafe work
environment. It can also cost you your job. If you have concerns about
properly disciplining and documenting safety violations, ask your HR
manager for assistance.
Quiz Answers
Answer to Electrical
Troubleshooting
Quiz
Just because a battery is fairly new doesn't mean it's
in good condition. A full discharge does permanent damage. What's the
discharge/recharge history on that battery? Or do you track battery
charging cycles? Here are some other questions to ask:
- Is the new battery the right size and model for that truck (it may
be replacing an incorrectly specified battery)?
- What is the condition of the battery; how long does it hold a
charge?
- Is that truck the right size and configuration for the work being
done?
- Is the operator frequently cycling the truck on and off, thus
heating up the motor unnecessarily?
- What's the condition of the drive train?
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