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

 
Home Networking: The Next Big Thing or Nothing at All?
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Many see home networking as a huge potential market. Contractors with a memory might confuse this boomlet with the home automation flop of the early- and mid-1990s. Is this more of the same, or something new—–and big?

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Terms of the Trade: Keep up with Fiber Optics Lingo...
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Absorption: That portion of fiber optic attenuation resulting in conversion of optical power to heat. Attenuation coefficient: Characteristic of the attenuation of an optical fiber per unit length, in dB/km.

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TIA-570-A: The Standard Whose Time Has Finally Come!
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The first release of “TIA-570-Residential Telecommunications Cabling Standard” was published in May 1991.

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Segue from Residential Electrical Wiring into Telecommunications Wiring
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Having specialized in residential electrical wiring design and installation for many years, I felt excited about the opportunity to jump into the residential communications wiring game. This additional revenue stream could significantly increase electrical contractors’ bottom line.

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Web-sters Chasing Your Business
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Between 170 and 210 Web enterprises are chasing your e-commerce orders. Enjoy it while you can, because not all will survive. In September, five contractor-purchasing sites that are emanating from within the electrical industry itself were covered in the first part of this two-part article.

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Fuel Cells Now
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People have been talking about a hydrogen economy for many years, one driven by the cheapest, most common, nonpolluting element in the universe. This dream may become reality in this decade as hydrogen fuel cell development nears the production stage.

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Control, Signaling, and Communications by Light
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Fiber optics technology is among the fastest-growing communications technologies in the world. It is increasingly being used for communications, signaling, and electrical control instead of older-technology hardwired systems.

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