Friday, November 5, 2010

A Guide to Surge Protection


Today’s electrical appliances, stereo equipment and computer systems are much more important to our daily lives than we’d like to imagine. Our computers are our link to the world around us. They have become a center-point in the daily lives of many families. Think about it, what would you do if your computer burned up? Could you afford to replace it on a moment’s notice, and what about all the valuable data stored on it? Could you easily replace the Plasma screen television you bought for the holidays? You may want to consider protecting your valuable electronics with a proper surge protector.
What is a surge protector? A surge protector is your first line of defense against voltage surges or spikes in your home or office’s electrical system. Typically, a “surge” is when the voltage in your home increases slightly and lasts for about three nanoseconds. A “spike” is a voltage increase that lasts for one to two nanoseconds. Either one can have a devastating effect on your delicate electronics if they are unprotected.
Surge protectors come in many sizes, shapes and variations. Sometimes called a “power strip”, most homeowners know them for being able to extend the number of outlets available on a given wall outlet, like a more convenient extension cord. Unbeknownst to most homeowners, that so-called “power strip” can be a money saver if it’s ever called upon to do its job.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Argo Electrical Services Leads the Way


The Argo Electric Vehicle Company operated in Saginaw, Michigan, from 1912 to 1916. The Argo Electric used a 60 volt system with Westinghousemotors. They claimed to be capable of 20 mph (32 km/h). It had 6 forward and 6 reverse speeds, had 36 x 4 cushion tires and used an 18-inch (460 mm) steering wheel on the left. They were offered in both four- and five-passenger models, with open and closed versions available, and all models used steering wheels. The 110-inch (2,800 mm) wheelbase was the longest of any electric at the time. The Argo Brougham was a 4 passenger car, weighing 3,200 lb (1,500 kg), claimed a range of 75 miles (121 km) per charge using thirty 190 ah, MV Exide batteries.
In 1914, Argo joined with the Broc and Borland electric vehicle companies. In 1916 the Columbia Motors Company purchased the assets of Argo.

Importance of Grounding

“the degree to which both the utilization and delivery of electrical power affects the performance of electrical equipment”.Power quality affects system performance and operating costs. Another experience was the improper operation of delicate testing equipment, of an electronic manufacturing company,due to transients.A
TVSS(Transient Voltage Surge Suppresor) network was installed and a significant grounding improvement using chemical grounding was set-up to solve the problem.