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Can one component really make testing easier, safer and faster? Dave Enefer, Devices Product Manager at Crabtree, one of Electrium’s leading brands in electrical components, talks about achieving time and cost savings in periodic circuit testing.

Testing is an essential activity, yet it can often be a time consuming one, whether it has to be repeated annually or more or less frequently at regular intervals.

Obviously, this means that there’s a cost to be budgeted for, with time and labour being the most expensive part. So, if there’s a product on the market that can make testing easier, safer and faster why wouldn’t you use or recommend it?

Responsible social landlords, for example, will have a programme of periodic testing of the electrical installations in the dwellings that they own and rent out. T

hey do this not only because it’s recommended in the IET wiring regulations, regulation 135.1 and Chapter 65, but also to ensure that their tenants have a safe environment in which to live.

In social housing situations periodic testing is often carried out more frequently than other types of installation because every time there is a change of tenant, the housing authority or association will check the electrical installation before the next tenant moves in.

Ordinarily when this involves insulation resistance (IR) testing on circuits that are protected by RCBOs, the circuit cables on the RCBO circuits need to be disconnected.

This is so that the IR tester does not damage the electronic components inside the RCBO, but that slows down the testing process, adds cost and introduces risk.

It takes time to disconnect the live and neutral cables, and attach the test leads to each core in turn in order to carry out the test.

It then takes more time to put those cables back into the terminations on the RCBO and make a secure connection again so that the installation can be put back into use.

However, making that secure connection might mean stripping the cable insulation back a little further to find fresh undamaged conductor cores to put into the terminals (It’s a fact that copper cables can’t be repeatedly disconnected and reconnected without getting damaged from the screw biting into the cable core).

However, all of that can be avoided with Crabtree Miniature RCBOs, as they are two-pole switching devices.

The only thing that has to be done to get a circuit ready for an insulation resistance test is to switch the device off. This saves time and money from your annual budget on essential testing, and provides higher levels of protection for all who interact with it.

In a single second the circuit is ready to test. There’s no need to disconnect the circuit cables, no need to attach test leads, and no need to be concerned about reconnecting cables either. All of which makes this testing process easier, faster, safer and cheaper too.

By taking some of the cost burden away from the regular testing of circuits, it not only makes it more competitive for contractors quoting for ongoing periodic testing but it also then enables the property management company or social landlord to invest more of their increasingly tight budgets into the upgrade of old systems and the implementation of new ones.

Crabtree Miniature RCBOs are just one module wide and the same height as an MCB, so they provide lots of extra wiring space during the installation and test process. Regular maintenance is made safer by the two pole switching capability of the device.

The device also totally isolates any faulty circuit or faulty appliance and provides a much safer environment while waiting for the emergency electrician.

When they arrive, having the faulty circuit fully isolated by a two pole device provides a safe working environment for the task of maintenance or and repair as necessary.

By the way, it’s not just new installations that can benefit from these new and innovative miniature RCBOs.

Crabtree Miniature RCBOs are designed to fit into all Crabtree Starbreaker consumer units, whatever the age of that consumer unit might be.

Crabtree Miniature RCBOs are fully retrofit / backward compatible and can be simply plugged into the fully insulated plug self-connecting busbar system for an easy upgrade from single pole to two pole protection – making the ongoing time and cost benefits from testing readily accessible.

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A cladding system based on a unique safety glass has achieved an outstanding A2 fire-resistance accreditation and is now available to architects and specifiers looking for product re-assurance in the post-Grenfell environment.

Chromatics safety glass has undergone extensive testing by Exova Warringtonfire who awarded it an A2-s1-d0 ‘reaction to fire’ classification. Class A2 means the product is non-combustible as no flashover occurs; s1 is the lowest level of smoke generation and d0 the lowest level for production of flaming droplets or particles.

The system is also lightweight, being up to half the weight of traditional glass cladding solutions.

Not a toughened glass, Chromatics is extraordinarily resilient as a result of bonding together, at a molecular level, glass, organic colour process and metal. This results in a laminate that is visually stunning, durable and opaque and when encapsulated between annealed glass and aluminium gives world’s first optically flat, shatterproof, bomb blast resistant, thermally safe and impact resistant laminate that can be cut, edge worked and drilled after processing.

A full range of RAL colours is available. As an alternative, high definition imagery may be specified.

Products are produced by glass industry specialists Klöpper Maschinentechnik of Dortmund, Germany for UK company Chromatics Glass Ltd
 
 
 
 

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Increased capability all round. That is the simplest way to describe the Powerstar VM160 panel board from Crabtree, one of the leading brands at Electrium.

Designed and manufactured in the UK, this latest generation of Powerstar panel boards offers high standards of protection and control, plus a host of other market-leading, user-friendly features.

Competitive? Definitely. In more ways than you might imagine too. For example, this is one of only two panel boards on the market capable of offering a true Form 4b Type 6 group mounted solution. So, now specifiers and installers have a real choice.

The VM160 offers;

• More outgoing ways (up to 18 in an off the shelf unit)
• Higher current capacity (up to 800A)
• Higher out-goer ratings (up to 160A with 250A add-on options also available)
• Increased breaking capacities (up to 65kA for 1s)
• Adjustable MCCBs
• Four pole device options (incoming & outgoing devices)
• Earth leakage protection (incoming & outgoing devices)
• Metering throughout (incoming & outgoing including MID options)
• Easy fit MCCB control & monitoring accessories.

Jimmy Higginbotham, Product Manager for Commercial Circuit Protection Products at Crabtree comments on the new range: “For discerning contractors the VM160 represents an opportunity to reduce on-site time with labour saving features such as easy wire meters, fast fit coppers, as well as open cableways that provide greater access for cabling.”

The VM160 has been designed for ease of installation. All enclosure keyhole fixings are positioned ‘in’ from the corners to allow easy access for power tools. VM160s’ asymmetrical terminals provide certainty of connection. VM160 also includes “faster fit” copper interconnections at the front of the board (no awkward hand positions or dropped parts from working blind to hold “out of sight” nuts and bolts in place).

The Powerstar VM160 has increased internal cabling space that provides greater access to terminals, while the flat cable ways allow the back plate to be installed and then cables fitted before the side walls and front cover – providing additional working access for wiring, especially important when handling larger cables.

VM160 also benefits from a new range of MCCBs; utilising Siemens technology, and with an enhanced range of easy fit accessories including shunt trips, under-voltage releases and auxiliary contacts, the new MCCBs have increased current ratings and breaking capacities up to 55kA at 415V.

For more information about Crabtree’s new Powerstar VM range, submit a request via: electrium.co.uk/contact-us  

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British manufacturer of high quality protective coatings Bradite is set to take the specialist paint market by storm with the launch of a new multi-purpose product that is suitable for use on all surfaces.

Bradite ‘One Can’, the first all-purpose water-based primer and finish in one can, will be available at stockists nationwide from Autumn 2018. The unique product is an interior and exterior, anti-corrosive, quick drying, low odour, low VOC, primer, undercoat and finish. It offers the decorator a single pack, direct-to-substrate paint that provides superior stain locking and adhesion properties.

The high-performance coating will give protection to many substrates including: cladding, UPVC, powder coated metal, steel, and timber including fencing, garden furniture and sheds.

In addition, ‘One Can’ gives excellent stain locking properties. It will block stains and lock them in the coating even hiding tanning, knots and resinous bleed when applied to hardwoods, as well as locking in water stains.

‘One Can’ also gives excellent anti-corrosive protection making the product ideal for application to all metals, both ferrous and nonferrous, including brand new galvanised steel.

One Can is easy to apply and is touch dry after 30 minutes and re-coatable after one hour. There is no need for buying additional primers and undercoats, ‘One Can’ can be used as both a priming and finish system, so each job can be completed in double quick time. The product is also compatible with all water and oil-based finish coats. No longer will three different cans be required and its superior adhesion properties means ‘One Can’ may be used with confidence on all manner of substrates.

It will be available in eggshell finish in the full BS and RAL colour range.

Bradite National Sales Manager James Burton says:

“Whether you are painting a small domestic radiator or the end of the pier the ‘One Can’ system will handle it. There’s no reason why any decorator or maintenance person should not have this product in their van.”

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Saniflo has launched a new, user-friendly, interactive configurator that enables customers to specify the Kineduo bath most suitable for their needs at the click of a button. Available on the Kinedo website the configurator can be used by anyone with access to a computer, tablet or mobile – including showroom staff sitting with prospective customers, merchants who need to assess the options for sale and installers who are planning the installation on site.

The Kineduo bath is highly customisable and prior to the development of the configurator it was a manual task to add items such as the glass bath panels, grab rails and other options. Because of the range of possibilities (there are thousands of potential configurations) it was never possible to create a photo for every possible scenario and it was left to the imagination to work out how the final product would look. Now, it is a simple task to pick the right spec and view an image of the final product with the option of downloading a printable pdf. It’s even possible to find a local registered Kinedo installer on the website and to email the required specification with a view to obtaining a quote for the supply and fit of the bath.

Simple to use, available in real time and optimised for every platform the Kineduo configurator is a time saving device aimed at making life easier for customers. Its ingenuity has been acknowledged by suppliers of the bath who are now incorporating it into their own websites.
The link can be found here: http://www.kinedo.co.uk/shower-cubicles/kineduo/

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Customers throughout the world are requesting an ever greater number of products and solutions that meet increasingly strict environmental requirements. Green building is one of the expressions of this trend: The effort to work environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle.

COOL-FIT 2.0, the revolutionary pre-insulated plastic piping system by GF Piping Systems, can help achieve relevant green building declarations like DGNB, BREEAM, and LEED. It fulfills important requirements necessary for the overall building assessment:

COOL-FIT 2.0 is free of HBCD, halogens and halogenated blowing agents. It contains also no chlorinated paraffins and neither lead nor tin.
It contains no other substance of very high concern according to the REACH criteria of the European Chemicals Agency or any candidate substance.
It does not lead to toxic or corrosive fumes in case of fire, protecting both inhabitants and environment from additional risks and hazards.
GF Piping System as the producer is certified according to ISO 14001 for its environmental management system and the Georg Fischer Corporation publishes sustainability reports according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Energy efficiency and climate and environmental protection are strategically anchored as key elements in our product development processes.

COOL-FIT 2.0 is manufactured in Switzerland. This premium system for efficient cooling is the result of strict quality management (ISO 9001) and health and safety management (OHSAS 18001). Its unique qualities improve the overall performance of each building.

“COOL-FIT 2.0 helps to save at least 30 percent of energy compared to traditional cooling systems and thus reduces operating costs and CO2 emissions drastically”, says Daniel Dossenbach, Head of Pre-Insulated Systems at GF Piping Systems. “It is a product that combines economic and environmental benefits very well.”

Its longevity, at least 25 years of usage within a building, and its non-corrosive nature lead to additionally saved resources related to maintenance, repairs and replacements. While many conventional insulation materials can lose their insulation effect by absorbing moisture (rain or air humidity), COOL-FIT 2.0 is protected by its PE jacket tube and virtually watertight.

COOL-FIT 2.0 helps building green while staying cool. For more information please visit here to learn more about the advantages of this revolutionary system.

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Sleek, stylish and strong – meet Sterling Curve Aluminium, the latest product launch from British cable management specialist Marshall-Tufflex.

This new triple compartment Cat 7a compliant trunking solution is gently curved at the edges to prevent clutter, make cleaning easier and deliver a good-looking profile that is as strong as it is attractive; aluminum’s mechanical strength, impact resistance and light weight makes it ideal for high traffic environments such as schools, hospitals, offices, factories, railway stations and airports.

Sterling Curve Aluminum is a medium-sized trunking with three segregated compartments. It complements Marshall-Tufflex’s popular PVC-U Sterling Curve range and references its unique all-curved Odyssey trunking system.

“Launching Sterling Curve Aluminum is a natural progression for our hugely popular Sterling range,” said Jeremy Dodge, Marshall-Tufflex Head of Innovation. “We identified a gap in the market for a sleek, curved profile that is also strong and hard-wearing. We are confident that we have delivered with this new product range.”

The 167mm x 50mm profile is available in silver grey as standard. Profile 1 is suitable for dado applications and Profile 2 for skirting installations. Boxes are available to comply with Part M of the DDA regulations. Data boxes are adjustable from 32-40mm and can be screened. Single piece moulded polycarbonate couplers, end caps, internal and external bends plus fabricated flat tees and flat angles support the range. All centre compartment fittings from Marshall-Tufflex’s Sterling Aluminium range are compatible.

For full details of the new Sterling Curve Aluminium range see www.marshall-tufflex.com/sterling-aluminium-curve

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Condair plc is offering a new CIBSE-approved seminar on humidification for facility managers. It provides an overview of the different humidifier types, the service requirements for each, details an FM’s responsibilities in relation to L8 and offers trouble-shooting tips for common humidifier issues.

The CPD seminar is ideal for any contracted or in-house FM team working with or looking to install a humidification system. The session is free, one-hour long and conveniently delivered over lunchtime at a company’s site or office. Condair will even pick-up the catering bill.

The CIBSE accreditation means that the seminar’s content has been independently verified to be unbiased, up-to-date and technically accurate. It also enables attendees to gain CIBSE CPD points from the convenience of their own workplace over lunch.

To request further details or to book a seminar, please telephone 01903 850200 or visit www.condair.co.uk/cpd.

The Condair Group is the world’s leading specialist in humidification and evaporative cooling, with energy efficient, hygienic and innovative technologies for commercial, industrial and heritage applications. Condair is represented in the UK by Condair plc, which offers system design, manufacture, supply, installation, commissioning, maintenance and spares. Condair plc is the new name for JS Humidifiers following the organisation’s rebranding in October 2014. You can find out more by visiting the company’s website at www.condair.co.uk.

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Waterproofing of Structures Below Ground is the latest CPD accredited by the RIBA for structural waterproofing specialists, Triton Systems. It offers a complete overview of all aspects of structural, below ground waterproofing and explains barrier, watertight concrete and cavity drained systems (defined in BS 8102:2009 as Types A, B and C). It looks at systems available, as well as the benefits of combining two or more types. It presents examples of typical details and good site practice, and showcases a variety of project references. Triton Systems uniquely have in-house expertise across all waterproofing systems for new-build including large commercial projects and existing structures.

The new seminar is just part of a series of waterproofing-related,RIBA accredited seminars from Triton Systems which are all listed at tritonsystems.co.uk

The company also offers a wider range of Professional Learning CPDs – which can be tailored to specific audiences including architects, building engineers, concrete project contractors or specialist installers.

An alternative learning opportunity is also available from Triton in the form of a ProjectReview Meeting. Arranged at a time and place to suit you, a CSSW qualified member of Triton’s technical team will drop in and provide unbiased project-specific advice for a current or imminent waterproofing project – just when you need it – and follow it up with detail drawings and specifications etc.

BS 8102 (2009) recommends the involvement of a qualified expert at the outset of any waterproofing project – the Triton team is ready to get involved with your projects!

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Rex Preston Photography

Crittall windows have been used to frame a spectacular London docklands view promoting a prestigious new residential and leisure development for the capital.

When Ballymore Property Group needed state-of-the-art glazing for the marketing suite promoting their London City Island development they turned to D&R Design who provided the perfect solution using large Crittall W20 steel doors and screens.

Four large double-glazed screens incorporating double doors were installed in the converted dockside warehouse with an uninterrupted view across the Thames to the O2 arena and Canary Wharf.

“The sleek lines of Crittall’s narrow W20 profiles provide the perfect view whilst protecting the suite from the River Thames elements,” says D&R Design managing director David Phillips.

Rex Preston Photography

The London City Island scheme is located on a peninsular of land where the River Lea meets the Thames. The site, of just under five hectares, combines high-end apartments, a network of walkways, open spaces and residents’ clubhouse, spa and pools.

The residential project has won both the 2017 Mayor of London Planning Awards Best New Place to Live category and the RESI residential property Award 2017 for Development of the Year.

 

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