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4/282 The Electric Current May 2013

Execuve and Adversing Oces

2070 Valleydale Rd, Suite # 6

Hoover Al 35244

toll free: 866.981.4511

phone: 205-441-5591 fax: 205-733-13

www.theelectriccurrent.com glen@psmag

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PUBLISHERHank Underwoo

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hank@theelectriccurre

CREATIVE DIRECTORJacklyn Hobson

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HEAD COORDINATORSteven Hobson

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[email protected]

CEO

Christy Hobson

PRESIDENTGlen Hobson

Te Electric Currentis published six tima year on a monthly basis by H&F Media, Inc., 2070 Vleydale Rd, Hoover Al 35244 USA. Te Electric Curris distributed ree to qualied subscribers. Non-qualisubscription rates are $57.00 per year in the U.S. andada and $84.00 per year or oreign subscribers (suramail). U.S. Postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama anadditional mailing ofces. Te Electric Currentis distributed to toqualied owners and managers in the industrial induPublisher is not liable or all content (including editoand illustrations provided by advertisers) o advertisements published and does not accept responsibility oany claims made against the publisher. It is the adveror agencys responsibility to obtain appropriate releason any item or individuals pictured in an advertisemReproduction o this magazine in whole or in part isprohibited without prior written permission rom thepublisher.

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urrentContents

12

16

4

Low Voltage Pro Whole Job Tester

Named Best of Tools & Hardware at

SIA 2013

Customer Satisfaction & PV Racking

Technology

Cognex Updates Its Line of

Handheld Barcode Readers

May2013

24 Ad Index

Cover Art Provided

By Elk River

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Cognex Corporaon

has upgraded its line

of DataMan 8000

series industrial handheld

barcode readers with a

major performance boost to

both reading robustness and speed.

The already powerful handheld readers are now

equipped with proprietary Cognex Hotbars

image-analysis technology for the fastest 1-D

barcode reading performance and Cognex

2DMax+ algorithm for unmatched decoding

of 2-D printed and DPM matrix codes. The new

features also include a rapid dual-focus image

acquision roune which enables the readers to

decode a wide range of barcode sizes even faster.

The most advanced barcode readers on the

market:

The DataMan 8000 series

was a true breakthrough for

industrial handheld readers

when it was released in 2010,

said Carl Gerst, Business Unit

Manager for ID Products. However,

at Cognex, we strive for excellence and

are always looking for ways to break new ground

in technology. With the addion of Hotbars,

2DMax+, and faster focusing capability, the

DataMan 8000 series is the most powerful and

reliable industrial handheld reader available.

The DataMan 8000 series is designed for the

factory oor and oers the most advanced code

reading technology.

Easily read the most challenging 1-D barcodes

1DMax+ with Hotbars enables the DataMan

8000 series to read the most challenging 1-D

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barcodes quickly and easily even when those

barcodes are damaged, blurred, at extreme

perspecve, or otherwise challenging.

Customizable sengs for 2-D code reading:

The DataMan 8000 series now ulizes the

powerful 2DMax+ algorithm, which has thefastest decode mes and is eecve even

on codes with perspecve

distoron, low contrast, or

nder and clocking paern

damage. The DataMan 8000

series now allows the user to

select the type of code to be

read (from easy to extremelychallenging). This is especially

useful for increasing reading

speeds when only printed or

high-contrast codes are being

read or when facing the most

challenging DPM codes that

cannot be read with standard

sengs.

Fast image acquision and

liquid lens sengs:

The DataMan 8000 series is

now equipped with patented

auto-exposure algorithms and

faster image acquision and

liquid lens performance. The

faster imaging means readers

can now be used in a dual focus

mode, which allows users to

increase the depth of eld or to

read a wide range of barcode

sizes, from very large mul-inch

barcodes to ny 5 mil 2-D Data

Matrix codes.

The DataMan 8000 series is available in two base

models:

DataMan 8500

The DataMan 8500 readers incorporate patented

UltraLight technology from Cognex for superior

image formaon on any code type and surface.UltraLight illuminaon provides dark eld, bright

6 The Electric Current May 2013

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eld and diuse lighng all in one electronically

controlled light.

DataMan 8100

The DataMan 8100 includes all of the features of

the DataMan 8500 readers as well as bright eld

illuminaon. The DataMan 8100 readers areideal for applicaons that require superior code

reading performance without specialty lighng.

For more informaon about the DataMan 8000

series of industrial handheld barcode scanners,

visit hp://www.cognex.com/handheld-barcode-

scanners.aspx.

About Cognex

Cognex Corporaon designs, develops,

manufactures and markets machine vision and

industrial ID systems, or devices that can see.

Cognex vision and ID systems are used around the

world for a wide range of inspecon, idencaon

and guidance applicaons throughout the

manufacturing and distribuon process. Cognex

is the worlds leader in the machine vision and

industrial ID industries, having shipped more than

850,000 systems, represenng over $3 billion in

cumulave revenue, since the companys founding

in 1981. Headquartered in Nack, Massachuses,

USA, Cognex has regional oces and distributors

located throughout North America, Europe, Asia,

Japan and Lan America. For details, visit Cognex

on-line at hp://www.cognex.com.

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The web connectable Low Voltage

Pro Whole Job Testerfrom Byte

Brothers Named Best of Tools and

Hardware at SIAs 2013

New Product Showcase

at ISC West

The Low Voltage Pro Whole Job Tester

from Byte Brothers won at the Security Indus-

try Associaons 2013 New Product Showcase

(NPS), winning the Best of Tools and Hardware

Award at the NPS awards ceremony at ISCWest on Wednesday. The Low Voltage Pro is

a web downloadable cable and device tester

for technicians and analysts in the networking,

cabling, security and A/V industries. You can

start at $149.00 for the Model 1 and download

addional test apps as your needs grow. It is

also perfect for large, naonal and mulnaon-

al eld service operaons. The web connect-

ability means rmware xes and funconality

upgrades are available anywhere according tomarkeng manager Darrell Igelmund.

Each year, the companies compeng in

SIAs New Product Showcase at ISC West pres-

ent the leading-edge security soluons that are

shaping the industry, said SIA CEO Don Erick-

son. These new technologies and soluons

are the drivers moving the security industry

forward, and I congratulate Byte Brothers on

their win at this years NPS. Since its inceponin 1979, the NPS has been the security indus-

trys premier awardsbased markeng program.

This years NPS Program had 84 entries from 66

companies. In addion to the Best New Product

and Judges Choice honors, awards were pre-

sented in 20 other product and service catego-

ries. NPS judges also presented seven honor-

able menon awards.

The Security Industry Associaon (www.

siaonline.org) is the leading trade associaon

for electronic and physical security soluon

providers. SIA protects and advances its mem-

bers' interests by advocang legislaon at the

federal and state levels; creang open industry

standards that enable integraon; advancing

industry professionalism through educaon and

training; and opening global market opportuni-

es. As a proud sponsor of ISC Expos and Con-

ferences, SIA ensures its members have access

to top-level buyers and inuencers, as well as

unparalleled learning and networking opportu-

nies.

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American Pipe and Plastics, Inc. isan American owned WBE/Small Business

incorporated in the state of New York in

1977. It is privately owned, closely held

corporation. The company was founded

for the purpose of extruding PVC pipe and

fabricated accessories for the Water, Sewer,

Plumbing, and Telephone markets. American

Pipe and Plastics success stems from its

track record as an extruder of quality products

to ll market demands. For 35 years we havebeen supplying products at competitive prices

while exceeding industry service levels. All

products manufactured by American Pipe and

Plastics are manufactured in the USA using

domestically produced raw materials.

Located in Kirkwood, NY (just outside

of Binghamton, NY) at the junction of I88,

I81, and I86 (formerly NYS Rte. 17) the

manufacturing facility offers easy access to

highways for shipping east, west, north andsouth.

Although original target markets

were plumbing and municipal markets,

throughout the years American Pipe and

Plastics has diversied its product lines.

During the Dot.Com boom American Pipe

provided thousands of miles of conduit and

ber optic conduit systems to companies

across the USA to build the underground

infrastructure for their ber optic networks.In 1996 the company changed its focus,

discontinuing the manufacture of pipes for the

municipal markets and refocusing towards a

product offering more synergistic with their

Telecommunications products, targeting the

utility markets by adding Power Utility and

CATV conduit and fabricated accessories to

its Telephone conduit line. In 2011 electrical

conduit and accessories were added to

complete the PVC conduit products used in

the Telecommunications, Power Utility, andElectrical markets.

American Pipe and Plastics products

are sold to power utility companies, telephone

companies, CATV companies, distributors

and contractors. Products are manufactured

to meet NEMA TC2, NEMA TC3, NEMA

TC6/8 EB/DB, NEMA TC9, NEMA TC10,

ASTM F512, and UL 651 specications. As

required, products are tested and approved

by numerous utilities, agencies, and thegovernment.

The New York State Southern Tier

might seem an odd place to locate a PVC

manufacturing plant, however, the area has

long history of supporting manufacturing

companies with a local workforce who offer

loyalty and a solid work ethic. Corporate

ofces are located on the mezzanine oor

overlooking production. It is a short walk up or

down a staircase to communicate changingcustomer requirements or production issues.

Communications ow smoothly between the

different departments. A culture of openness

and mutual respect promotes the exchange of

ideas between management and labor.

The companys management is

experienced and dedicated, steady and

competent. Senior management has

combined experience of over 100 years

in manufacturing. The salaried workforceaverages 18+ years and the hourly workforce

averages 14+ years at American Pipe &

Plastics. A 98.6% On Time/In Full delivery

rating is maintained across all product lines.

Sufcient inventory levels are maintained to

meet customer requirements. Employees at

all levels feel a responsibility for day-to-day

operations, the welfare of fellow employees,

and the companies continuing success.

Quality and Service at Competitive

Prices, Efciency, Flexibility, and

Tenacity, theses are phrases that

describe American Pipe & Plastics, Inc.

COMPANYPROFILE:

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Customer Satisfaction and PV Racking

TechnologyIn todays PV market, mounting system manufacturers seem to pop up every day. There

are often new brands promising the fastest, cheapest way to get the job done with a host of

advantages. The reality is that, often, these unproven systems have hidden costs and delaysthat directly affect a projects bottom line. A PV racking solution with the right mix of technology,

engineering support and availability leads directly to a satised end customer and increased

prot for the installer.

Customer Satisfaction

System yield, aesthetics and longevity are key factors to a satised solar PV customer.

While each customer will weigh these factors differently, an installer must be cognizant of

the requirements and the importance their customer places on each. The choice of racking

technology affects these key factors and the installers ability to efciently address each of

them.

System Yield

System yield, or energy production, of a solar PV system is generally the most salient project

feature for a customer. Thorough and detailed analysis of each installation site will decrease

module shading and increase system yield. When shading is an issue, micro inverters or DC

optimizers can be used to increase yield. Both micro inverters and DC optimizers should be

protected from the sun for better performance. The racking technology selected should providea simple means to attach and ground micro inverters to the racking system using standard

hardware and without the need of onsite fabrication (Figure 1.)

Figure 1 Micro inverters aached to rail will be

shaded by the modules and increase system yield.

HaCon Solar Pitched Roof system installed by

Palomar Solar.

Aesthetic Appeal

Aesthetic appeal is one of the

best calling cards for an installer.

This is as true for an eight panel

residential system as it is for a

multi-megawatt utility scale PV

plant. In the residential market, it is

common to have neighbors install

solar PV after the rst project on the

street has been completed. A clean,

streamlined installation reects

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an organized, detail oriented and professional installer. Cables should be neatly ordered,

secured and routed. When possible, all rails and cables should be covered and invisible

from the street or surrounding structures. Home Owner Associations, HOAs, may require

the racking system to match the color of the module frames. Rail end caps may be required

by HOAs and utility customers. The chosen racking technology should be able to address

aesthetic requirements with a minimal number of parts and no onsite fabrication.

LongevityAluminum systems are the best choice for longevity since they offer corrosion protection

and aesthetic appeal. System longevity leads to satised customers and decreased costs

for the installer. A properly

designed and installed solar

PV system will be virtually

maintenance free and will

not require callbacks for the

installer. A homeowner does

not want an additional item

on their to-do list and a utilityscale client needs to minimize

maintenance costs. Aluminum

and stainless steel cable tray

and clips are great options for

a clean looking, long lasting,

installation. No follow up trips

will be needed to x sagging

cables if they are properly

afxed.

Mounting Technology

As mentioned earlier, there

are many racking technologies

on the market. In fact, it

seems that every month new

companies come on to the

market while others close their

doors. An installer needs toidentify the type of racking

technology they will use

which will best serve the end

customer and the installers

bottom line. Installers should

partner with proven racking

manufacturers. The technology

chosen should have a large

and diverse installation history

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across multiple climates and regions. Many successful mounting system manufacturers

have made their way from foreign markets that dwarf the installed capacity here in the North

America. These brands, with their eld proven technology, are good choices for the simple fact

that they have been around for years and will be in our market for many years to come.

Flexibility

The chosen racking technology must be exible. The North American market has many

different climates. The Southwest US can be dry and arid with low wind speeds while the mid-continent has very high snow and wind loads. Even installers that focus on smaller regions

like the Central Valley in California can nd themselves dealing with multiple microclimates as

they do installations at the sunny valley oor and with large snow loads in the Sierra Nevada

Mountains.

Along with climactic differences, construction methods require exibility of a solar PV racking

system. The system used by installers should be able to interface with the roof substrate or

adapt to multiple soil conditions in the case of open eld applications. The chosen racking

technology should allow onsite exibility with limited or, better yet, no fabrication required.

Ideally, the technology chosen by the installer should be simple and fast to install. Installersshould stay away from rudimentary systems where an initial low price point is offset by

increased labor demands and costs. At the other end of the spectrum there are systems that

are over-engineered for most sites. The perfect system for most installers is able to adapt

across a wide variety of ecosystems, substrates and roof materials, as the case demands.

Ease of installation

Besides exibility, a well designed solar PV

racking system will have been designed with

ease of installation in mind. These systemsare simple to install. Click, or snap on,

technology speeds the installation process

and decreases labor costs. They will feature

pre-assembled universal module clamps.

Universal module clamps can be used across

different modules and projects (Figure 2).

Figure 2 HaCon Solars connecng Angle Brackets allow up 1.5

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in of vercal onsite exibility without any fabricaon. Pitched Roof system uses universal, click-on clamp technology for fast and easy

installaon.

This decreases inventory, accounting and logistic complexity. Integrated grounding and durable

cable management options should also be provided. Ultimately, the chosen racking technology

should be simple and hassle free for the installer to learn and install while maintaining onsite

exibility and longevity.

Manufacturer Support

Engineering Support

Manufacturer support is crucial for a growing solar PV installation business. It is important

to ensure the engineering services provided by the racking manufacturer will be timely and

sufcient to get the system approved for installation. Technical support including Wet Stamps,

drawings, and span charts should be easily available when unexpected questions arise (Figure

3).

Figure 3 HaCon solar provides easy access to span charts, installaon instrucons,

product datasheets and other reference material on their website.

A manufacturer should be able to supply wet stamps for most states where there is an active

solar market. For large or out of the ordinary projects, a manufacturer should have an on staff

Professional Engineer for questioning.

Technical data supplied by a manufacturer must be clear and accurate. For example, racking

system manufacturers span charts often exceed the point load capacity for the lag bolts at

each standoff. Just because a rail can span 10ft or more, does not mean that the roof can

support the specied maximum rail span for a given exposure/wind/snow load zone. When

designing roof structures, the design must be limited by the lag bolt pull out capacity at each

standoff location. Good span charts will provide the conditions and loads for which the spans

provided are specied.

Availability

Racking systems need to be stocked in the appropriate quantities and rail lengths to allow

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the residential installer constant access to the materials that are most often used. Quality

distributors will select mounting systems that have outstanding service and are dependable.

A racking company does not need to be the oldest company in the industry to gain the

condence of a distributor to stock the product, but they do have to have a large portfolio of

successful projects in different geographic locations. For commercial to utility scale solar PV

plants, racking system rails are generally ordered directly from the racking manufacturer.

In a nutshell

Customer satisfaction depends on the yield, aesthetics and longevity of the solar PV system

installed. A satised customer leads to word of mouth business and increased prots. The

choice of racking technology and manufacturer by the installer directly affects the nal

aesthetics and longevity of the system.

While the racking system is not the most expensive part of a solar PV installation, smart

choices in racking manufacturer and technology have a large impact on the customer

satisfaction and installer prot. Good racking technology will be exible and simple to install

therefore decreasing labor and logistic costs. A good manufacturer will provide the necessary

technical information for permitting in a timely manner making sure the solar PV system can be

installed quickly.

The Electric Current Ad Index

Company Pg. Website

American Pipe & Plastics IFC www.ampipe.com

Byte Brothers 6 www.bytebrothers.com

California Turbo 18 www.californiaturbo.com

Dee Zee 3 www.deezee.com

Dur-A-Lift, Inc. 21 www.dur-a-lift.com

Dynatech 19 www.dynatech.com

Elk River 8,9,FC www.elkriver.com

Greaves 7 www.greaves-usa.com

Haticon 17 www.haticonsolar.com

Hercules Industries 20 www.herculock.com

Hioki USA 5 www.hiokiusa.com

Jeffrey Machine IBC www.jeffreymachine.com

Krenz Vent 10 www.krenzvent.com

Ligman Lighting USA 13 www.ligmanlightingusa.com

Phase-A-Matic BC www.phase-a-matic.com

Power One 1 www.power-one.com

Ram Mount 11 www.ram-mount.com

Shasta College 15 www.shastacollege.edu

Steelman Industries, Inc. 10 www.steelman.com

Tork Worx 23 www.torkworx.com

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