Systems

 

 

Integrated electrical and low-voltage systems of all types—inside and outside a building—encompass the range of work that electrical contractors do. The articles in this section highlight different types of work, from security, fire and life safety, to traditional electrical power and distribution, to lighting, cabling and more. 

The fire alarm systems industry has changed considerably over the years. Many old-timers can remember a fire alarm system that only detected a fire and sounded an alarm. Nonfire alarm systems did not interface with these fire alarm systems.

The history of classes and styles of circuits is interesting. Back in 1987, a proposal was accepted to start using Styles of Circuits instead of the Class A and B we were all used to. Well, at least some thought so.

As bandwidth demands continue to rise, both copper and fiber cable manufacturers are developing products that offer greater capacity and flexibility.

H&S Electric Inc., Valencia, Calif., has been in business since 1990. Its services include construction, commissioning, consulting, energy analysis, engineering safety, green building/­sustainability, maintenance and operations, systems management, systems design, and technology evaluation.

More on Systems

 
Futureproof Your Installations
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“The world is going digital.” Recently, a customer service representative of my favorite long-distance provider made this statement. (I’m not being sarcastic when I use the word “favorite.”)

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Designing and Building Centralized Fiber Networks
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Last month, we mentioned centralized fiber local area networks (LANs) as a place where fiber optics are more cost effective than copper wiring. What exactly is a centralized fiber network and how is one designed and built?

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What and Why? Testing Gigabit Ethernet
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Last month we looked at the state of Gigabit Ethernet today and recognized that it will be confined to backbone networks and server connections for the reasonably foreseeable future, simply because most desktops can’t use such speed.

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Category 6 Cabling—Standard or Not?
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I guess the honest answer to the above is, “We’re working on it.” Most manufacturers have products (cable, jacks, patch cords, and test equipment) out in the marketplace promoted in one fashion or another as Category 6 compliant.

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High-tech Robots Deploy Fiber Optic Cables in Sewer Systems
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CityNet Telecommunications Inc. has launched the first commercial deployment of a fiber optic network through a sewer system. The first-of-a-kind deployment was conducted in the city of Albuquerque, N.M.

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Lighting Controls: Profiting from Mood Lighting and Dimming
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True story: A few weeks ago I went to a major retail store to buy a new television. The model I liked was on sale and had all the features I wanted. Or so I thought.

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E-Lighting—Too Much of a Good Thing?
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The Internet is a wonderful creation. But, is it too much? It permits you to find all sorts of interesting information at no cost.

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