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Product Focus:

Vehicles & Accessories

Line Construction & Maintenance

Transmission & Distribution

Computers & Software

ArcFLash Protection

CommunicationsTechnologies

Features:

November/December 2013utilityproducts.com

Vol. 17, Issue 10

1311up_C1 1 12/3/13 3:21 PM

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contents

2 Utility Products November/December 2013 www.utilityproducts.com

November/December 2013Volume 17, Issue 10

utilityproducts.com

Utility Products (ISSN 1942-6070) (USPS 024-924) is published by PennWell Corp., 1421 S. Sheridan Rd., Tulsa, Oklahoma 74112 USA. Utility Products is printed 10X per year monthly in January, February, March, April, May, June, July/August, September, October, and November/December. Utility Products is distributed free to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified rates are $80.00 per year in the U.S., $89.00 per year in Canada and $220.00 per year to inter-national subscribers (surface mail). Periodicals Postage paid at Tulsa, Oklahoma and additional mailing offices. Printed in the U.S.A. Utility Products is distributed to qualified subscribers in the electric, cable and telecom utilities, as well as to contractors, manufacturers, suppliers and other service companies who support these utilities. Publisher is not liable for all content (including editorial and illustrations provided by advertisers) of advertisements published and does not accept responsibility for any claims made against the publisher. It is the advertisers or agencys responsibility to obtain appropriate releases on any item or individuals pictured in an advertisement. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher.

POSTMASTER: Send change of address, other circulation information to UTILITY PRODUCTS, PO BOX 3264 , Northbrook, IL. 60065-3264. Return unde-liverable Canadian addresses to PO Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON, Canada L2E 6S4

INEVERYISSUE 4 Editors Letter 46 New Products Showcase 51 Advertiser Index

6 FLASH! Preparations against arc flash accidents make all the difference. By Paul Hull

10 The Power of a Single Communications Plaform By Donald Pollock

16 Communications Technologies and the Cloud Enable Productivity, Efficiency for Field Workers By Tom OConnor

FEATUREStories

PRODUCTFocus

Richard Baker Senior Vice President,

North American Power Group

Teresa HansenEditor in Chief

John TaborAssociate Editor

[email protected] (918) 831-9508

Paul HullContributing Editor

Daniel GreeneProduction Manager

Clark BellArt Director

Chris LongSenior Regional Sales Manager

[email protected] (205) 647-9137FAX: (205) 647-9140

Rhonda BrownReprint Manager


Melissa Ward Utility Products Conference & Expo Exhibit

& Sponsorship Sales [email protected] (918) 831-9116

Dillon Waters Advertising Traffic Manager

Linda ThomasAudience Development Manager


Frank T. LauingerChairman

Robert F. BiolchiniPresident & CEO

Mark WilmothChief Financial Officer

Jayne A GilsingerSenior Vice President, Planning, Development

& Strategic Policy Advancement

Advertising Offices for Utility Products

1421 South SheridanTulsa, OK 74112

phone: 918.835.3161Fax: 918.831.9834

[email protected]

Subscriber Service PO Box 3264 Northbrook, IL 60065

Tel: 847-763-9540 Fax: 847-763-9607

Email: [email protected]

Product Focus:

Vehicles & Accessories

Line Construction & Maintenance

Transmission & Distribution

Computers & Software

ArcFLash Protection

CommunicationsTechnologies

Features:

November/December 2013utilityproducts.com

Vol. 17, Issue 10

m

s

Computers&Software18 Enhancements to Push-to-Talk Technology Transform the Utilities Industry

20 Features to Look for in a Rugged Notebook

LineConstruction&Maintenance22 Harmonize Your Wire and Cable Standards

26 Wind Farms Whirl With use of High-density Polyethylene Conduit

Transmission&Distribution30 Big Data = Big Challenges for Big Substations

36 Fuel Cells and Utility Telecommunications: Focus on Reliability

Vehicles&Accessories40 Fleet Management Mobile Applications: A Utility Industry Accessory for 2014

42 Driver Safety in Utility Fleets

S.A.F.E.atWork

52 Getting the Chair Out of Our Face By Matt Forck, CSP & JLW

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EDITORSLetter

John TaborAssociate [email protected]

When arc flash occurs, it is devastatingand usually deadly. Preparation is essential. One of Utility Products feature articles this month, Flash! Preparations against arc flash accidents make all the difference by con-tributing editor Paul Hull, discusses the importance of training, work

practices and protective clothing. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E: Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace is probably the most read docu-ment concerning electrical safety, Hull reports, and is often considered the standard right way to do it guide. Hull also outlines actions companies should take to be in compliance with federal regulations: a safety program with defined responsibilities, personal protective equipment for workers, training, tools for safe work, and calcula-tions for the degree of electrical safety hazard.

Another feature article, The Power of a Single Communications Platform by Donald Pollock, addresses how utility personnel can deliver a safe, efficient and reliable service with communications networks. Pollock presents how grid communications systems can evolve that fully integrate independent networks that can provide the real-time business and operational intelligence to enhance the safety, accuracy and efficiency of the utility workers daily tasks.

Communications Technologies and the Cloud Enable Productivity, Efficiency for Field Workers, by Tom OConnor, discusses how devices have evolved to deliver seamless communication between workers and headquarters. And, with cloud computing, the abil-ity to drive workforce improvements is enhanced by connecting workers with the business data they need from anywhere, in real time.

A variety of great product focus articles are also featured in this issue. Learn more about how enhancements to push-to-talk technology are transforming the utilities indus-try, features to look for in rugged notebooks, harmonizing your wire and cable standards, how wind farms benefit from high-density polyethylene conduit, how using sensor tech-nology throughout the power infrastructure can bring about modernization more quickly and cost effectively, fuel cell power solutions, fleet management mobile applications, and utility fleet driver safety.

An upcoming event you wont want to miss is the sixth annual Utility Products Con-ference & Expo (UPCE), which will be co-located with DistribuTECH. Held Jan. 28-30, 2014, in San Antonio, it will feature a wide range of products and services for the utility industry. For more UPCE 2014 information, please visit www.utilityproductsexpo.com.

Preparing for Arc Flash Can Mean the Difference in Life and Death


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FEATUREStory


Just this morning, my neighborprobably the best electri-cian in towngave me a ride downtown and showed me, in his workshop, the effects of an arc fash. Fortunately, the effects were minimal, and the worker closest had lit-tle injury. The metal and wires were twisted, melted and ruined. It was caused when a technician at a body shop

suspected something was wrong with equipment so, without turn-ing off the electricity, he swung a handle and.... FLASH!. He was lucky to have escaped with a great deal of embarrassmentand some fear. There seem to have been fewer arc fash accidents for utility companies, and that is proof awareness of the dangers and steps to avoid them has been rewarded. Well done, utilities.

If there is still anybody who doubts the benefts of good train-ing, and workers taking that training seriously, the improved re-sults in arc fash incidents should be convincing. An arc fash can reach as high as 35,000 volts. As my friend told me this morning, it happens much more quickly than any human reaction can match. The main protection, then, is training, and knowing what not to

doand never doing it. With an arc fash such, there is seldom a second chance. If the worker escapes with injuries, they will be painful and costly; unfortunately, death is more likely.

About a year ago there was an arc fash accident where sev-eral utility workers were injured. One bystander said he could see smoke coming from one of the injured victims. Nobody was killed. There was no information given about the causes of the arc fash, and the utility said it was the frst such incident they could remem-ber in at least the past fve years. One spokesperson said the util-ity spends an inordinate amount of time safety-training with our staff. Inordinate means excessive or immoderate; I dont think thats what the spokesperson meant because that would nullify the value of good training.

Sources and RemediesThe National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E: Stan-

dard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace is probably the docu-ment most read concerning electrical safety. The Occupational

FLASH!FLASH!FLASH!FLLAA HHFFLLAASSHHH!!Preparations against arc fash accidents make all the difference.

By Paul Hull

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Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reinforces the prin-ciples laid down in that document and emphasizes that safety-related work practices should be used to prevent electric shock or other injuries that follow direct or indirect electrical contacts. OSHA can enforce safety practices. NFPA 70E-2000 is often con-sidered the standard right way to do it guide. Among the actions companies should take to be in compliance with federal regula-tions are: a safety program with defned responsibilities, personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers, training, tools for safe work, and calculations for the degree of electrical safety hazard. Much of this applies to commercial and industrial plants as well as to utilities. Petrochemical companies, with their plethora of ex-pensive equipment, have been prominent in their efforts to avoid electrical hazards such as arc fashes. The best way to prevent inju-ries to workers with electrical hazards is to de-energize equipment before beginning to work. My electrician friend told me the arc

fash that took place this morning would not have occurred if the company had a lineman de-energize the equipment involved. At the time, that probably seemed like too much trouble and it might slow down the days work.

Not only should approved warning labels be attached at ap-propriate places where arc fash could threatenthey should also be readable and read by employees. Much of the success in beating the deadly menaces of arc fashes will be achieved by everybody at the site doing what they have been trained to do and not thinking that, just this once, its not worth bothering with. There are several PPE brand names and you are probably familiar with them. Check with back copies of Utility Products to see advertisements and ar-ticles that may help you make decisions about specifc brands. Personal protective equipment covers clothing and accessories for all types of hazard, and it should be emphasized that protection against arc fash requires specifc rather than generic products.

One word you will come across when hearing about arc fash dangers is boundary. If you think of the arc fash as the center of an archery target or bullseye, there are four boundaries often cited. The closest to the center is the Prohibited Approach Boundary; the next one out is the Restricted Approach Boundary; the third one out is the Limited Approach Boundary; and fnally, the Flash Protection Boundary. The last one is where a worker would be exposed to a curable second degree burn. The heat generated by the fash results in burns. At the Limited Approach Bound-ary there is a shock hazard, too, and that risk is greater at the closer, Restricted Approach, distance. The Prohibited Approach Boundary marks the position where the worker might as well have contact with the live part that could cause the arc fash. The ac-tual boundaries for a particular piece of equipment will be decided (not guessed at) where the piece of equipment that operates at 50 volts or more has not been put into a de-energized state. After that evaluation, you can determine what levels and types of PPE

should be worn. The correct label also must be placed to show cur-rent and future workers of the dangers at that particular site. Lets emphasize that the most effective way to eliminate the dangers of arc fash is simplede-energize the equipment involved.

Some labels will only tell you there is an arc fash hazard, the suitable PPE is required, a warning that failure to follow the pre-scribed steps could result in injury or death, and a reference to NFPA 70E. A better, more detailed label will tell you the fash hazard boundary; the level of PPE to be worn; the fash hazard at, for example, 18 inches; the shock hazard if the cover is removed; and the distances for limited, restricted and prohibited approach. Most important is that the worker reads and understands the label.

Protecting the Workers on the LineLinemen (or women) may work several feet underground and

high overhead. Both situations are possible sites for arc fashes, and utilities have done a good job protecting their employees. Protective gear is most useful but the best preparation is train-ingand remembering that training. What have utilities done? Some have changed practices that were believed to be sacrosanct for decades (which could be restating the distance a worker should keep between him and the arc fash potential, possibly up from four to six feet), and some have provided fame-resistant clothing to all feld workers. Its worth the effort to research ev-ery product you buy, and personal protection equipment is high on the list of products that must be as good as they claim. Do you buy protective clothing, for example, that is fame-resistant or chemically induced fame-retardant? One utility discovered that fame-resistant material (with the resistance inherent in the materials of the clothing) could be preferable for a practical rea-son. The protection level did not go down every time the clothing was washed. Of similar importance is to have your employees try wearing suggested protective clothing. Which brand or type is more comfortable? Which does not interfere with the effciency of the worker?

Protective clothing is not inexpensive, and the seller should be willing to listen to your needs and adjust to them. Are all your workers the same size? If they arent, why should somebody expect you to buy clothing that is all the same size? If you buy clothing for yourself in your private life, do you walk into the store, see a nice-colored article and buy iteven if you wear a size Large and the clothing is Small or 2XL? Of equal importance is the cleaning of the protective clothing. Much of it doesnt hold up well to high temperature drying when laundered, so the wearers or the utility (whoever does the cleaning) should be warned about best practices and worst practices. What seemed like a small point when it was frst mentioned to me, but became an obvious danger when it was explained, was the repair of protective clothing. After the effort to put fame-resistant, protective materials into clothes for linemen, it would be dangerous to repair rips and tears with nylon thread and patches. It would be an easy error to make, so warn your workers against such repair work.

Of all the dangers in industrial work, arc fashes could be the most dangerous and life-threatening. Well done, those of you who have carefully trained your workers to avoid them. Well done, those of you who have provided protective materials and tools to your employees. It would be a good year when we can lower the number of injuries and deaths from arc fashes yet again.

Flash...

Protective clothing is not inexpensive, and the seller should be willing to listen

to your needs and adjust to them.

1311up_8 8 12/3/13 3:15 PM


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FEATUREStory


As they arrive for work each morning, utility per-sonnelthe CEO, plant operators, engineers, line-workers, substation technicians or customer representativesshare a common objective: to de-liver a safe, efficient and reliable service. Increas-ingly, grid automation and smart grid technology,

specifically the underlying communication networks, help them achieve these goals. Communication networks enable the two-way flow of information that allows utility departments and workers to interface with assets related to their specific department or function.

Most utilities already manage a range of independent networks including outage management systems (OMS), geographical infor-mation systems (GIS), and supervisory control and data acquisi-tion (SCADA) systemsas well as metering and other advanced networks. These disparate monitoring and control systems are often managed independently. Data generated within these networks are typically collected, transmitted to, and analyzed at a centralized loca-tion using an array of communications technologies, each indepen-dent of the next.

Application-specific intelligent systems are not enough to tap into the ability of the smart grid to inform and coordinate decisions and actions in support of shared common objectives. A grid-wide com-munications system that fully integrates independent networks can provide the real-time business and operational intelligence to enhance the safety, accuracy and efficiency of the utility workers daily tasks.

Smart Grid Communications That Benefit the Utility WorkerPlatform vs. Network

To understand how grid communications might evolve, consider how the Internet has revolutionized business and social interactions over the past 20 years. The Interneta network of interconnected computer systemsis the central nervous system of global communications. The smart grid, too, will grow to be a network of networks, connecting millions of components and integrating different communications technologies. It will include intelligent

devices for real-time control and monitoring, various wired and wireless communication technologies to suit different cost and latency requirements, as well as software to analyze and manage data, and turn it into actionable information.

Internet Protocol (IP) is the language devices use to communicate on the Internet. It is now commonly accepted as the connectivity standard for smart grid communications. In an IP-based smart grid, each device deployed will have a unique IP address and will sup-port standard communication protocols. As a result, a utility can deploy different technologies, wired or wireless, on different parts of the grid while being able to control and manage data through a unified system. This reduces the cost and complexity of implementa-tion, operations and communicationsand also offers choice and flexibility in the selection of vendors. An IP-based architecture also provides the opportunity to develop a single schema to secure data from multiple devices, which strengthens overall network security.

Just like the Internet expanded from e-mail and instant messag-ing, smart grid communications will expand beyond smart metering to fundamentally change all aspects of grid management, moni-toring and control. Voice, video and data applications are emerg-ing that will reshape utility work practices. Long Term Evolution (LTE), an advanced wireless network technology, for example, of-fers the speed and low latency required to support video-enabled monitoring, such as line surveillance, which would greatly enhance efficiency and safety.

A platform approach to grid communications unifies these isolated networks and applicationsfrom voltage and line monitoring, substation monitoring and automation, outage management, advanced metering and demand response systemsinto a common infrastructure and enables more targeted operational decisions and, ultimately, more efficient operation.

Cost-effective ConnectivityA key enabler of this platform approach to grid architecture is the

communications node. A node allows utilities to build a dedicated

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two-way communications network to monitor and control devices within their distribution system. It can be installed at various points on the grid and serve different roles in the networkat the substation, at the transformer, near sensing devices, on pole tops, or at the customer premise to create an end-to-end communications platform. Once in place, it provides a physical and logical link between wide area networks, distribution assets, and end points such as smart meters and sensors, to name two.

A smart grid communications node is a robust utility product that supports a variety of standard interfaces such as serial (raw, telnet, PPP), Ethernet (10/100BaseT), Wi-Fi, cellular (2G, 3G and 4G networks) using multiple wireless carriers, and power line

carrier (PLC) technology. These technologies can be deployed, in parallel, allowing the utility to build a solid foundation to integrate disparate data sources, facilitate connectivity and enable real-time visibility across the grid. This flexibility allows utilities to mix and match connections to grid end-points such as meters or sensors by leveraging the modularity of a single piece of hardware, and optimize the cost and increase the longevity of the network infrastructure.

Technically, the value of a node is in its ability to transmit, locally aggregate and manage data from multiple assets. The ability of a node to aggregate data from multiple devices can reduce overall device count by 38 percent or more over a

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traditional siloed architecture. In addition, local data collection, analysis and aggregation enable the utility to control what data are sent back to operations, what can be stored locally and what can be discardedall of which can significantly reduce the ongoing communication costs of transmitting and/or storing such data at the operations center.

The node has an operating system and open software framework, which enable it to manage multiple grid applications, interfaces and ports. The open software framework allows the vendor, utility or third parties to develop and integrate new applications on the node. The node-based architecture considered here, for example, integrates a dedicated power quality monitoring application that facilitates real-time visibility of distribution networks and provides a variety of power quality parameters (VRMS, IRMS, harmonics, active power, reactive power, power factor, among others). These parameters can provide actionable and accurate data for a variety of other applica-tions such as Volt/VAR optimization, transformer loading, system loss analysis, etc. Other applications that can be hosted on the node include data collection and processing from a variety of sensors, synchrophasor-type capabilities and the management of distributed energy resources.

As the range and complexity of applications increase, integrating grid communications on a single IP-based platform helps keep the grid scalable, controllable and observable.

The Power of the PlatformCommunication between smart devices represents a significant

portion of any smart grid deployment. Demand response applica-tions require a signal to be sent to shed load. An advanced meter-ing infrastructure (AMI) meter requires a communications path to the utility. Outage notification systems need to get that notifica-tion to the utility for analysis and action. The cost of deploying and maintaining separate communication networks each dedicated to a single application is impractical.

An integrated communications and applications platform elimi-nates the need for, and cost, associated with separate, application-specific devices. This approach reduces upfront investment and provides a single point of responsibility for maintenance on all smart grid applications, reduces operational and maintenance ex-penses, and aligns all utility departments toward a common objec-tiveto deliver a safe, efficient and reliable service.

About the author: Donald Pollock is global vice president of sales and

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FEATUREStory


From two-way radios in the 1990s to the widespread adoption of the tablet form factor today, field service organizations have long depended on communications technologies to enhance business processes and improve worker productivity. In demanding environments, or-ganizations have come to rely on devices that are rug-

gedly engineered to ensure seamless communication between workers and headquarters. The recent convergence of technological capabilities that include global positioning system (GPS), geographic information system (GIS) and Wi-Fi, and advancements in connectivity such as 4G LTE, enable new standards in productivity. With the advent of cloud computing, the ability to drive workforce improvements is furthered by connecting workers with the business data they need from anywhere and in real time.

Connecting Data ProntoForms, a mobile workflow solutions provider, recently

released a series of video case studies showcasing communication technology that leverages the cloud. Its flagship solution, ProntoForms, is an application that enables organizations with field workers to collect, receive and submit data in the field on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The mobile application includes a Web management portal to manage field teams and data flow, providing the ability to export or connect data to the back office or to popular cloud services. Field service organizations such as TBI Airport Management Inc., Roadway Worker Training and Rex Electric, for example, deployed ProntoForms, powered by the fully rugged Panasonic Toughpad FZ-A1 tablet, to benefit from increased accountability and savings in costs and time associated with in-the-field business processes.

Decision MakersAs the company responsible for managing the Orlando Sanford In-

ternational Airport international and domestic terminals, TBI Airport Management Inc. supervises the airports facilities ranging from safety and security to daily operations. Until recently, the entire system was bogged down by manually entering data on paper from around the facility and returning back to headquarters.

By Tom OConnor

Communications Technologies and the Cloud Enable Productivity, Efficiency for Field Workers

1311up_16 16 12/3/13 3:15 PM


www.utilityproducts.com November/December 2013 Utility Products 17

There was a lot of frustration and lost time with this system, said Michael Damico, information systems and services manager for TBI Airport Management. Youve got this paper trail of copy one, to copy two, to revision three, Damico said. Its hard to manage for the operational folks.

Similarly, Roadway Worker Training (RWT), a company that helps professionals in the railroad industry maintain their profes-sional standards, also experienced issues with its manual invoic-ing processes in the field. As part of its duties, RWT provides the railroad industry with a complete support team of experienced railroad professionals who bring a wide range of practical rail-road knowledgeoffering high-quality safety, compliance and technical training, consulting and support services.

RWTs workforce of nearly 100 veteran railroad profession-als frequently collects data from around the country and submits reports back to the home office. Until recently, this data was collected manually on notepads and invoices before it was faxed to the main office to be sorted and sent to railway clients. With

such a labor-intensive pen and pa-per-based system, paperwork was not always legible or submitted promptly.

Likewise, as one of Chicagos oldest and largest electrical firms founded in the 1920s, REX Elec-trics fleet of 350 field electricians take pride in serving a variety of commercial, institutional and resi-dential customers throughout the area. Until recently, REX Electric took a traditional approach to workflow management by using a paper-based system, involving reams of work-order printouts, pa-per forms needing to be completed by hand, and multiple trips to and from the office. This consumed significant amounts of time that could be spent serving customers and created the potential for error and confusion.

Driving OutcomesBy harnessing the power of com-

munications technologies and the cloud, all three organizations have enhanced their ability to offer su-perior services to their customers and provide increased efficiency for their field workers. With commu-nication technologies, field work-ers can electronically capture text, photos, signatures, barcodes as well as GPS and time information, and expediently submit their work by way of the cloud.

For TBI Airport Management Inc., workers can now access saved

data and electroni-cally transmit new data at the single push of a button. TBI managers have also gained the abil-ity to receive reports in real time, monitor employee progress and dispatch work orders to individu-als. For RWT, forms have been custom-ized to require signa-tures before they can be submitted. For REX Electric, the company can now create and dispatch custom mobile forms to its workforce in the field, who can then directly relay it back to management from the job site. Because of high-speed wireless connectivity, faster turnaround times are helping all companies save time and money.

Reliable TechnologyTrue success in a communications technology deployment can

be achieved when the software solution helps workers do their jobs, and the devices are purpose-built to help them succeed. As field workers continue to move to a reliance on the cloud, devices that are built to last become paramount.

Mobile solutions should be deployed on enterprise-grade de-vices capable of withstanding the rigors of the field services indus-try. These devices should be ruggedly engineered to survive drops, spills, extreme vibration and all types of weather conditions includ-ing freezing temperatures, water and dust. Enterprise-grade devices should offer features specifically tailored to a field service environ-ment, such as extended life batteries, MIL-STD-810G and IP65 certifications, and daylight viewable screens. Mobile solutions and handheld devices must function reliably, accurately and securely to allow field workers instant access to whatever information they need, wherever they need it. This allows field workers to leverage communications technologies to ensure maximum uptime, drive re-sults and do their jobs effectively and efficiently.

About the author: Tom OConnor is the senior national business development

manager, Enterprise Sales, for Panasonic System Communications Co. of North America (PSCNA),

supporting sales team efforts to provide customized mobile computing solutions that meet the diverse requirements of enterprise organizations. OConnor is responsible for developing strategic partnerships with the independent

software vendor and independent hardware vendor communities within all vertical markets in the enterprise

space nationwide.

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Computers&Software


Its becoming more difficult to use the word technology without putting mo-bile before it. The rise of smartphones and tablets has changed the way

people communicate. Mobile technology is especially affecting the business world, particularly in industries where workers are dispersed across the country and across the globe. Whether its a construction worker relaying a request for more equipment or a bus driver communicating a route delay, the need for quick and easy communica-tion is steadily growing.

The utilities industry provides services for a variety of resources that include electric power, natural gas, steam supply, water supply and sewage removal. Given the many issues facing utility companies, the process for resolving big issues in a small timeframe becomes crucial for field workers. Many issues that arise, such as outages or damaged electrical units, can cause large problems for businesses and households. The ability to communicate

with co-workers in real-time with a Push-to-Talk (PTT) device allows the field worker to avoid time wasted on setting up a call or even leaving a voice message. Because PTT devices make it possible for users to speed up communication com-pared to a phone conversation, providing employees with faster response times and more reliability is essential.

Solutions that allow fast communica-tion are important for utility companies servicing businesses and residences. As a result of carriers and service providers pushing the envelope, we are now seeing more interoperability features built into PTT devices. This is especially important for utility companies dispatching employ-ees who carry two devices: a two-way ra-dio for PTT and a smartphone for data and voice communication. Businesses can now deploy a set of PTT devices that will allow field workers to quickly and reliably communicate from one jobsite to another. Companies can, therefore, avoid deploying

a multitude of different devices and bridge the communication gap with a single device with newer PTT en-hancements and interoperability features.

Take for example an electric and gas company responsible for servic-ing a large part of a states popula-tion. With such a large deployment of utility services, it is imperative to provide superior customer service, ensure employee satisfaction and maintain a good safety record.

Prompted by issues with its pre-vious network service provider and a desire not to overburden its IT department, the utility company sought an affordable and compel-ling PTT solution. The electric and gas company purchased a few thousand mobile devices equipped

with features, including AT&T Enhanced Push-to-Talk, that would provide the utili-ties field service workers with a safe way to communicate. The companys manage-ment team and field service workers now have a Push-to-Talk solution on a hard-ware platform that extends the companys legacy back-end systems to mobile devices to enhance productivity.

The emergence of PTT in the utilities sector has provided a more productive environment for field workers. Utility companies face challenges every day and depend on fast, reliable communication to resolve those challenges. When examining interoperability features and other capa-bilities of enhanced PTT solutions, many businesses have benefited from using the technology. And, this new era of PTT is in its infancy, with the growing possibilities for the technology offering a bright future.

About the author: Igor Glubochansky is the executive

director of Advanced Mobility Product Management for Advanced Mobility

Solutions, a business unit of AT&T Business Solutions. His responsibilities

include managing and bringing to market advanced mobile solutions for AT&T business customers of all sizes.

Glubochansky is responsible for enterprise mobility applications,

including mobile solutions for retail, business messaging, mobile

resource management, and near field communication. His team

creates business solutions that help corporations wirelessly enable their

business processes and customer relationships.

WWW.ATT.COM/GEN/PRESS-ROOM?PID=23280

Enhancements to Push-to-Talk Technology

Transform the Utilities IndustryBy Igor Glubochansky

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Computers&Software


No matter what we purchase in life, price will always be an is-sueeven for the most profit-able companies. Something a

utility company needs to consider when purchasing a rugged notebook is priceand staying within budget.

In addition to price, there are other fac-tors that should be considered when se-lecting a rugged notebook. It should have rugged featuresnot every notebook is designed to endure long bumpy rides over rough roads, work in stifling heat or freez-ing cold, withstand swirling dust and dirt, or handle all manner of moisture.

It is critical that notebooks used in the utilities sector operate in remote and challenging work environments, and are durable and reliable. A rugged notebook should be designed to protect against vi-bration and shock, and built to regulations such as MIL 810G or MIL 810F specifica-tions. It should provide added protection against physical or functional damage dur-ing normal everyday use and from damage caused by mishandling or by accidental drops and bumps during transport. In ad-dition, it should include added protection against damage to vital electronic com-ponents caused by accidental spills. This extra protection lowers the risk of expen-sive component repairs while also lowering total cost of ownership by protecting this investment.

Before purchasing, consider that a mag-nesium alloy top and bottom case is 20 times stronger than those made from Ac-rylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic. Remember that shock-absorbing material around the liquid crystal display (LCD) and hard-disk drive provides shock resistance.

Something else to consider is ergonom-ics. Is the device easy to hold, carry and use? If its not, field technicians probably will be reluctant to use itwasting time

and money. Size and weight are essential considerations and should be factored in for operating (holding or using) and carry-ing (hands free with a shoulder strap) the unit.

While not an ergonomic concern, the display should also be carefully selected. Working in the field requires a screen that can be read in multiple lighting situations, from bright mid-day sun to dark environ-ments.

Docking effectiveness is another factor that must meet the technicians approvalor it will go unused. A notebook must come with a quality dock that wears well and is easy for the technician to remove the unit and place it back into the dock; otherwise, the technician might not take it to the job site. If that happens, instead of immediately inputting everything into the notebook, the technician will use a piece of paper to write specifics. When the task is completed, the technician will go back to the vehicle or office to input what was writ-ten. This defeats the purpose of purchasing a rugged notebook, not to mention wasting time and money.

When selling their products, some ven-dors will tell you what you want to hear. Then, when you later try to call them, they sometimes arent as helpful. In purchasing a rugged notebook, realize that post-sale service and support are essential in maxi-mizing a units value over its economic life. Look for technical support, repair and/or replacement hardware support, premium service offerings that can reduce risk and deliver budget predictability, and a no-fault warranty.

GammaTech Computer Corp. is a com-pany that offers No-Fault Warranty for its Durabook rugged notebook computers and covers repair or replacement to any component that is accidentally damaged or fails electronically.

Portability is a hallmark of a rugged notebook computer. Other features to consider include hot swappable battery de-sign (single or dual) and lithium ion smart battery packs that can offer double-digit hours of power, allowing extended work in the field.

Many units come with support for on/off switches for a radio frequency device, barcode scanner and radio frequency iden-tification (RFID)/near field communica-tion (NFC). No rugged notebook purchase should be completed without a quality se-curity system built in or optional.

Technicians working in remote locations like to stay in touchmaking connectivity important to them. Integrated communica-tion devices are features that need to be con-sidered when purchasing a rugged notebook. These include, but are not limited to, items such as some variation of Bluetooth, WiFi Link 6235 series combo, Intel mini-express Wireless local area network (LAN) 802.1, wireless wide area network (WWAN) (3G) and wireless local area network (WLAN) .

Because much utility work is performed in remote areas, another useful technology to include in a rugged notebook is a built-in global positioning system (GPS) receiver to put users in touch with their favorite GPS navigation software.

Having a rugged computer on the job, away from an office setting, allows utility workers access to necessary documents, files, the company network and the Inter-netanywhere their job takes them, re-gardless of the distance from their place of business. The result is increased productiv-ity and efficiency.

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Features to Look for in a Rugged NotebookPrice is always a factor, but there is more utility professionals should consider.

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LineConstruction&Maintenance


From Alberta to Atlanta, from Montreal to Maine, Cana-dian and US electricians are definitely not desk jockies. They work independently. Theyre detail oriented. They obsess about doing things the right way because of the

serious nature of their work. One of the biggest challenges North American electricians face every day are standards that ensure a uniform system of identification.

A host of agencies and others have introduced standards that impact North American contractors. The goal of this article is to provide some clarification and differentiation to harmonize the differences.

Setting standards for color-coding and tag marking in the field have historically been left to regional organizations. The US and Canada share many of the same standards, but still have differences and few field wiring standards are used uniformly around the world. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) / National Elec-tric Code (NEC), National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) are the most popu-larly used standards for industrial building installation wiring in the U.S. and provide a wide range of useful guidelines.

There are, however, few written standards in North America specifically targeted to facility wire installation identification. When we polled experts in the field, heres what they had to say.

Joseph Elliott, Penulator Project Management, SSSco, follows the NEC for facility wire installation and has seen differences on internal electrical wiring on some equipment. He uses black, red, and blue for 3-phase primary conductors (other colors as needed other than green and white). He uses white for neutral; green, green with yellow strip or bare for grounds.

Depending on the type of work involved, not everyone has dif-ficulty differentiating cables and wires by colors.

I do electrical accident analysis and there may be a case for me in which a misinterpreted wire marking or label is at fault but, so far, not yet, said Lawrence Kamm, affiliated with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the National Academy of Fo-rensic Engineers (NAFE).

In the US, white wire may be used for either neutral or a sec-ond leg on a hot connection and green and bare copper wires are used interchangeably for grounding. In cases where non-standard wire colors are used, a color-coded marking is recommended to indicate function. When a white wire is used as a second leg on a hot connection, for example, mark it at both ends with a black label. Adding these additional tag markings improves safety for everyoneespecially electrical professionals who must service these areas in the future.

Finally, we consulted with the Ontario Electrical Industry Training Trust, affiliated with both The International Brother-hood of Electrical Workers Construction Council of Ontario and The Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario regarding elec-trical wiring for facilities. They refer to the Canadian Electrical Code (CSA) pertaining to conductor colors.

Harmonize Your

Wire and Cable

StandardsBy Jack Rubinger


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Harmonize Your...

Rule 4-030: Identification of insulated neutral conductors up to and including No. 2 AWG copper or aluminum

Except as permitted in Subrules (2), (3) and (4), all insulated neutral conductors up to and including No. 2 AWG copper or aluminum, and the conductors of flex-ible cords that are permanently connected to such neutral conductors, shall be identi-fied by a white or grey covering or by three continuous white stripes along the entire length of the conductor.

Rule 4-038: Color of conductorsInsulated grounding or bonding conduc-

tors shall:a) have a continuous outer finish that is ei-

ther green or green with one or more yel-low stripes; or

b) if larger than No. 2 AWG, be permit-ted to be suitably labeled or marked in a permanent manner with a green color or green with one or more yellow stripes at each end and at each point where the

conductor is accessible.2. Conductors colored or marked in ac-

cordance with Subrule (1) shall be used only as grounding or bonding conduc-tors.

3. Where color-coded circuits are re-quired, the following color coding shall be used, except in the case of ser-vice entrance cable and when Rules 4-032, 4-034, and 6-308 may modify these requirements:a) 1-phase ac or dc (2-wire) 1 black

and 1 red or 1 black and 1 white* (where identified conductor is re-quired);

b) 1-phase ac or dc (3-wire) 1 black, 1 red, and 1 white*; and

c) 3-phase ac 1 red (phase A), 1 black (phase B), 1 blue (phase C), and 1 white* (where neutral is re-quired).

*Or greyOr white with colored stripe (see Rule

4-030)

4. Where the midpoint of one phase of a 4-wire delta-connected secondary is grounded to supply lighting and similar loads, the conductors shall be color-coded in accordance with Subrule (3) and the phase A conduc-tor shall be the conductor having the higher voltage-to-ground.

The following two rules in the CEC also match Article 517.160 of the NEC.

Rule 24-204: Single-phase isolated circuits1. Except where Rule 24-206 applies, iso-

lated circuits shall meet the requirements of Subrules (2) through (7).

2. Isolated circuits shall:c) have the insulation of one circuit con-

ductor colored orange and the other colored brown;

d) have the orange-insulated conductor connected to the nickel screw of re-ceptacles;


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TRANSMISSION

DISTRIBUTION

MATERIALS

SINCE 1921

WOOD . STEEL . FIBERGLASS

AND

[email protected] or visit website.

WWW.GRAPHICPRODUCTS.COM

Rule 24-208: Three-phase isolated systems

A 3-phase isolated system shall:c) have its circuit conductors identified as

follows:i. isolated conductor No. A orange;ii. isolated conductor No. B brown;

andiii. isolated conductor No. C yellow;

Note that sub-rule 4-038 (3) uses the term Where color-coded circuits are required. This indicates that the coloring of the cir-cuit conductors is not required by the code except it may be required by an authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), or the designer or owner of the electrical system. With the exception of Article 517.160, there are no NEC articles listing identification colors of the single-phase or three-phase circuit con-ductors.

For communication cables used in build-ings, there are two color coding standards used in North America: ANSI/ICEA S-80-576, Standard for

Category 1 and Category 2 individually unshielded twisted pair indoor cables (with or without an overall shield) for use in communications wiring systems, and

ANSI/TIA-598-C-2005, Optical FiberCable Color Coding.

Printed wire markers are an excellent so-lution when non-standard wire colors are used. Each can be printed with a custom number and additional wire identification information and display standardized col-ors. Workers never have to guess a wires true function with information on each wire. Printed markers can also be placed around closed or open terminal ends for lasting identification in harsh industrial en-vironments.

DuraLabel offers one of the few indus-trial-grade self-laminating wire wraps for wire marking. Wire wraps become a dura-ble band when wrapped around a strand or cable and communicate wire function with bright, standardized colors.

These printable markers rapidly shrink around open terminal ends with a simple heat gun for long-lasting identification in almost any environment.

About the author: Jack Rubinger, Graphic Products, is a regular contributor to industrial, trade

and business media. Graphic Products is a provider of workplace labeling and

signage. For more information about labeling wire and cable, please email


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LineConstruction&Maintenance


Some of the largest wind farms in the US are using large di-ameter, solid wall high-density polyethylene (HDPE) con-duit to protect electrical cables and the environment. While the conduit provides long life, it is also helping projects be

cost-effective. HDPE conduit has the right cost-to-benefit ratio that includes

the pipe stiffness necessary to withstand the weight of deep burial

while being able to be flexible and strong enough to allow for hori-zontal directional drilling (HDD), said Tony Radoszewski, execu-tive director of the Plastics Pipe Institute Inc. (PPI), the major trade association representing all segments of the plastic pipe industry.

It is ideal especially for projects where there is a need to reduce the amount of digging such as in a wetland or by going under roads to keep them intact. HDPE conduit can be snaked underneath. Plus, the HDPE conduit is flexible enough to resist seismic shifts. The polyethylene itself is chemically resistant to high acidity or alka-linity from the soil as well as being waterproofall of which protect the cable inside. The length of HDPE conduit in either long stick sections or hundred-foot coils can reduce the number of mechani-cal joints necessary for the installation, which in turn, reduces the overall project costs.

What is especially important for electrical cable use, is that HDPE conduit does not require any cathodic protection that would be needed to prevent corrosion of a pipe with a metal surface.

These are just some of the reasons that the trend is very strong for the use of HDPE conduit in wind farm and solar farm projects whose basic premise is to protect the environment. This product adds to that charter.

One of the newest wind power operations, the Beebe Wind Farm in Breckenridge, Mich., has 34 operational turbines with another 16 coming on-stream in 2013. The crew from M. J. Electric LLC in Iron Mountain, Mich., found the use of HDPE conduit also sped installation and enabled the crew to use either cut-and-cover trench-ing or horizontal directional drilling (HDD). The 34.5 kV lines are housed in the 8-inch diameter HDPE conduit and are buried as deep as 30 feet, with some runs 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet long. The land used for the Beebe Wind Farm is an agricultural farm.

Wind Farms Whirl With Use of High-density Polyethylene

Conduit


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walls are 3/4-inch thick with a nominal out-side diameter of 8.6 inches and complies with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F2160 standard, Stan-dard Specification for Solid Wall High Den-sity Polyethylene (HDPE) Conduit Based on Controlled Outside Diameter (OD).

Rod Brossart, general foreman for M. J. Electric, said: Well start on a project with our directional boring crew about a month or so ahead of the trenching. If its a longer

There are usually four or five turbines on a circuit, which are strung together with an underground collection cable out in the farmers field, or the grasslands, depending on what part of the country were in, said Rick Moore, director of purchasing for M. J. Electric. Ultimately, each circuit collect-ing the energy generated by the wind turbine ends up at a substation. M. J. Electric was responsible for the underground collection system, sub-station and subsequent trans-mission lines at Beebe. We used HDPE conduit exclusively for underground boring operations for runs under roads, ditches, ponds, creeks and under environmentally-sensitive areas. We standardized on either SDR 11 or SDR 13.5both these standard dimension ratios will provide the strength for the long bores.

The large gauge collector circuits typi-cally take 10,000 feet to 15,000 feet of con-duit, which was provided for the Beebe project by Endot Industries Inc. in Rocka-way, N.J., in 40-foot and 50-foot lengths. Called Enduct IDE 850, SDR 11, the side


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Wind Farms...

the Beebe collector circuits was 35 kV Un-derground Residential Distribution (URD) aluminum power cable, was pulled through.

Distance between towers varies. For the typical installation, were seeing them 1,100 to 2,200 feet apart, Brossart said. At Beebe, the way the layout was it seemed that the county would allow only two turbines to be installed every square mile. There might have been 2,200 feet between them, but from either of those two turbines to the next one could have been 5,000 or 7,000 feet.

In the past, it would be typical to use the same cast iron pipe found in water systems, Moore said. This would certainly be a pre-mium cost for conduit or galvanized rigid steel conduit, and use couplings to join sec-tions just like in any industrial application. These products come in 10-foot lengths vs. the 50-foot lengths we get for the HDPE conduit, so there is certainly a cost savings with not having to deal with such great heavy small pieces; we can deal with lon-ger, bigger sections. From our standpoint, HDPE is certainly the way to go.

Moore also agreed with PPIs Radosze-wskis observation about the life of pipe. Certainly corrosion is an issue. People put steel pipe underground all the time, whether its a gas pipe or a water line. HDPE provides a high degree of protec-tion regardless of the chemicals in the ground, especially around farms. HDPE certainly wins in that regard from a corro-sion standpoint.

As for the industry perspective of the future, Radoszewski said, The latest Department of Energy figures state that by 2030 wind power could account for approximately 20 percent of the United States electric supply.

About PPI: The Plastics Pipe Institute Inc.

(PPI) is the major trade association representing all segments of the plastic

pipe industry and is dedicated to promoting plastics as the material of

choice for pipe applications. PPI is a technical, engineering and industry knowledge resource, publishing data for use in development and design of

plastic pipe systems. In addition, PPI collaborates with industry organizations

that set standards for manufacturing practices and installation method.

WWW.PLASTICPIPE.ORG

trench, Radoszewski said. Ive seen crews cut a trench, heat fuse a couple of hundred feet of 50-foot section HDPE conduit and cover it up in just a few hours. And with a maxi-coil, the process is really fast. That cant be done with any other material.

When we directionally bore, we can steer it but can only angle it down about 10 percentbasically one foot every rod. So, if were going across a drainage ditch that is 30 feet wide but 15 feet deep, we have to do our math so that were far enough back to set up and be able to be at the depth needed at the middle of that ditch and be able to come back up. Brossart and his crew did the proper planning, which is crit-ical to the success of any HDD job.

For our runs, we trench up to a cer-tain pointsay 20 feet before we get to the bore, Brossart said. The excavation is made, theres usually a splice on one side or the other of the bore, and the splice is made and the trenching crew begins operations on the opposite side and continues. Its easy to set up the fusing equipment, put the sections

together, and pull it straight in through the directional bore.

Well backlash the cable. We do every-thing possible to mini-mize the number of splices. We just dont say youre starting at tower one, and head-ing to tower two and threewe take a look, plan the cable runs and manage the number of splices. Between tower one and two there might be two or three directional bores and well figure out how we can do it with either no splices or just one splice. We may end up pulling 500, 600 or 800 feet of cable through a bore, and that will get us to where theres just one splice rather than every time you pull up to a bore theres a splice.

After the conduit is pulled or in the trench, the cable, which for

bore shot it might take a couple of days to complete, and we want to make sure that our trenching crew doesnt get caught up. We generally have anywhere from eight to 11 on the crew.

On a wind farm, the only things you are directional boring is a road, a utility cross-ing or a wetland area. At Beebe, some of the drainage ditches were 12 to 15 feet deep and 25 to 30 feet wide. I think we were eight to nine feet below the bottom of the ditch, so in some parts that put us 25 feet deep if you were to dig straight down from the top of the ditch. For this, when were in a farm field like Beebe where there wasnt any rock, we use a drain tile-type trencher.

According to PPIs Radoszewski, this is a significant situation where the use of HDPE conduit can provide labor savings as well as a safety advantage.

When a crew is trenching down some 25 feet, using HDPE conduit sections that are put together on the surface or coming off a coil is quicker and safer than hav-ing the crew doing the work down in that

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Transmission&Distribution


Steadily growing electrical demand combined with aging substations and an aging workforce is placing extreme pressure on our energy in-

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