Expanding EV charging network poses challenges

With sales of electric vehicles reaching a record high, Bureau Veritas has stated that the rapid rise in the number of charging points being installed presents a ‘clear maintenance challenge’ for businesses. According to the latest figures, one in every 12 new cars purchased each month in the UK is now an electric vehicle (EV) – with an estimated 7,500 electric and alternative fuel vehicles sold each month. To accommodate the rising numbers of low-polluting vehicles expected to hit the roads in coming years, it’s estimated the UK will need at least 100,000 EV charging points - a significant increase on the 16,500 currently available. As a rising number of hotels, office car parks and supermarkets are currently being upgraded with this infrastructure, many businesses should consider a long-term maintenance framework to ensure their longevity, says Michael Kenyon, Technical Manager at Bureau Veritas. He comments, “Given the growing numbers of people now buying electric vehicles, it’s great to see more and more EV charging points being installed, as charging infrastructure is vital to facilitate the UK’s transition to sustainable travel. However, while these charging points will come with an initial warranty, they also present a clear maintenance challenge that many businesses may not have yet considered. For instance, not to be overlooked is the fact that they will need maintaining in the coming years, which includes regular testing and inspection to ensure performance and electrical safety.” According to Bureau Veritas, although there is currently no direct statutory obligation to test and inspect electrical installations, there is however a legal requirement under Regulation 4 of the Electricity at Work regulations 1989 to maintain all electrical systems in a safe condition. Kenyon adds, “It’s also worth noting that the recent introduction of the 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations and the updated Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installations 3rd Edition, sets out the most comprehensive guidelines to-date on the installation of EV charging points. As all new installations will need to be compliant, businesses that haven’t done so already are advised not only to put a robust strategy in place for maintenance, but also carry out an independent appraisal of the installation to ensure it complies with the relevant standards.” Bureau Veritas offers a range of testing and certification services to support customers in managing compliance around electrical safety in general for new and existing installations or for specific areas, such as electric vehicle charging points.

Rolec launches solar EV charging unit

Rolec EV, an EV charge point manufacturer, has launched a new solar powered electric vehicle charging unit, named WallPod:EV SolarCharge. Designed to be a cost-efficient EV charging solution, WallPod:EV SolarCharge is specially designed to benefit homeowners who have, or have future plans to install, a home solar panel array. Frankie Mellon, Rolec’s National EV Sales Manager, comments, “EV SolarCharge has been designed to offer the homeowner a feature-rich charging solution that not only displays the charging activity, but also highlights whether the charging is coming from the National Grid, exclusively from the home’s solar panels, or a combination of both. “The standout features of EV SolarCharge include two unique charging modes and a summary data screen. “The first of the two charging modes is the Solar + Grid Charge, which monitors the solar power being generated, highlights it on the data screen, and tops up any shortfall with power from the Grid. “The second of the two charging modes is the Solar Only mode, which monitors and tracks the power being generated by the home’s solar array and limits the charge provided to the EV, matching exactly the amount of power produced by the panels. In effect, the EV is now running on the sun.” Mellon continues, “In addition to the two charging modes, EV SolarCharge also provides a summary data screen which demonstrates historical charging activity - including total charging kWs, solar supplied charging kWs Vs Grid supplied charging kWs, the actual percentage of charging provided by the sun, and the amount of CO2 saved. “While EV SolarCharge has primarily been designed for homes with solar arrays, it can also be installed on homes without solar panels - utilising the Grid supply until a solar array is fitted. EV SolarCharge provides Mode 3 fast charging in both 3.6kW (16A) and 7.2kW (32A) formats, and is compatible with all current PHEVs and EVs.”

CEF launches new catalogue

CEF, the electrical wholesaler, has launched a new, priced trade catalogue and website to provide customers with a more transparent, consistent and convenient shopping experience. The new catalogue, which features everyday value prices on all products, is designed to bring pricing consistency and transparency to the electrical wholesale market. Featuring more than 26,000 electrical products, the catalogue includes cable and cable management products, heating and ventilation solutions, lighting, lamps, wiring accessories, switchgear, industrial controls, hand tools, site equipment, test instruments and more. All products are available for click and collect, or next day delivery wherever customers need them, with thousands more available at cef.co.uk. The catalogue also highlights CEF’s lowest priced everyday 'trade essentials', in addition to smart home products from the company’s recently launched Get Smart, Get Connected range. “Traditionally, pricing in the electrical wholesale industry is complicated, time consuming and inconsistent,” explains Andrew Moseley, CEF’s Commercial Director. “Our new priced trade catalogue is a direct response to customer feedback and part of a wider commitment from CEF to bring pricing transparency and consistency, and improve the level of service we offer to our customers.” To support the launch of the new catalogue, and create a multi-channel customer experience, CEF has also enhanced its website to include the same transparent catalogue pricing. It has also improved the search functionality and guest checkout, allowing customers to select and purchase the products they need quickly and easily.  Customers can browse more than 32,000 products online and can check stock availability at their nearest store before they ‘click and collect’ or order for next day delivery at a convenient location. The new catalogue is available to pick up from any of CEF’s 391 stores nationwide.

Simple, elegant control with Vitrea

Offering the intelligence today’s homes and buildings need, combined with strong aesthetics from a wide range of wall-mounted control options, the Vitrea family delivers stylish and simple control of lighting and other utilities. Wired and wireless systems, as well as strong retrofit abilities, deliver a wide choice of options to installers meaning that no matter what the project, new build or existing structure, there is a Vitrea solution to fit. Merely replacing existing light switches and sockets for ease of install, Vitrea control panels come in a myriad of bespoke styles. With 25 years' experience in other countries, a full year of development within Vitrea’s R&D department went into preparation for its UK launch. The elegant glass keypad designs created for the UK market offer modern designs for any system, including a variety of colour, matt or glossy finishes, as well as a huge variety of customised scene names and icons. All of the keypads come with matching glass socket frames or flush-mounted adaptors, with metal finishes on the way. All keypads are also CE, UL and FCC certified. Vitrea’s vision is to enable home and business owners to control and connect their interior spaces in an elegant, yet simple and affordable way. VTouch Pro A key product is the VTouch Pro range, suitable for home, office or hotel environments. Using this range, smart buildings can be smarter, simpler and more affordable with VTouch Pro’s unique approach and strong retrofit capabilities. Because of its ability to replace existing conventional electrical switches or plugs, VTouch Pro’s use of wireless technology gives all the benefits of a typical automation system, without the need for expensive infrastructure, renovations or complicated wired installations. VTouch Pro controllers communicate over Vitrea’s own communication protocol called Aranet, which is a mesh network that handles all the data in a VTouch Pro system working on RF signals at 2.4GHz. All communication over the network takes place within two milliseconds, so users get a fast and responsive experience. All the functionality delivered by a VTouch Pro system can be connected, managed and controlled from within the dedicated app. However, the switches can all work separately via the responsive physical interaction as well. A complete family of control The product range doesn't end with VTouch Pro. There is the V-Touch Plus, a modern design that comes ready to integrate with Lutron lighting, Control4, Vantage and RTI automation platforms. There is also VTouch KNX, which, as the name suggests, is a family of controllers based on the VTouch Plus and designed specifically for integration with the KNX control protocol. The maker is also proud of its ability to integrate with the Crestron system via the VTouch Cresnet range. Again, this is the VTouch Plus but with full control over the Cresnet bus. Vitrea is one of just five companies Crestron contacted direct to provide access to the company’s API to enable compatibility with the two systems, so impressed were Crestron with the style and quality of Vitrea switches. Vitrea also has available Vmax, its own complete, centrally wired, bus system with DIN rail mounted dimmers, switches and actuators to create a totally centralised smart building control system. With careful planning, Vitrea has created a range of products and partnerships that will offer UK installers the ability to not only take advantage of its own strong range of products, but integrate with established systems too.

Jim Pridham becomes new ECA President

Photo: The full ECA Presidential Team for 2019/20. L-R: Malcolm Crofts, Jim Pridham, Garry Worrall and David Lewis. Highly respected businessman and electrical engineer, Jim Pridham of JR Pridham Services Limited, has become ECA President. He began his electrical training in the Royal Navy, where he held various roles as an electrical mechanic on ships and submarines between 1971 and 1978. He finished his time in the Navy as a leading ordnance electrical mechanic and went on to work for Thames Water Utilities before forming his own company, JR Pridham Services Ltd in Reading in 1988. The company now has more than 90 employees. Pridham comments, “It is a great honour to become ECA President, and I am grateful for the opportunity to champion the electrotechnical and engineering services industry. I look forward to working with ECA’s staff and members, our partners, and Government, to further raise the positive profile of our industry and tackle its biggest challenges, including fair payment, the skills shortage and Brexit uncertainty.” Pridham takes over the Presidency from Malcolm Crofts of DH Crofts Limited, who has played an important role in championing the industry and the ECA’s role in supporting members to grow their businesses. ECA CEO, Steve Bratt, adds, “We are very pleased indeed that Jim Pridham, a great advocate of our industry, has become ECA’s new president. The ECA team look forward to working with Jim to further enhance the status of the wider engineering services sector. On behalf of ECA’s staff and members, we are very grateful to Malcolm Crofts for his active support and engagement with the issues facing the industry, and his achievements over the past year as ECA President.” The full ECA presidential team for 2019/20 is now as follows: • Jim Pridham (JR Pridham Services Ltd) – President • Gary Worrall (Lorne Stewart Engineering) – Senior Vice President • David Lewis (Chancery Contracts Ltd) – Vice President • Malcolm Crofts (DH Crofts Ltd)– Immediate Past President

Zumtobel lights up school's 'learning plaza'

Luminaires manufactured by Zumtobel Lighting have been installed as part of a £600,000 makeover project at the Mintlaw Academy secondary school, giving its library a brand new space known as the ‘learning plaza’. The luminaires were chosen to enhance the overall appearance of the new state-of-the-art facility, whilst increasing wellbeing and comfort for users, providing a low maintenance, energy efficient solution. Located in Aberdeenshire, Mintlaw Academy has a capacity for 1,000 students. The new learning plaza includes new study areas for pupils, a library, a resource centre for teachers, and an IT suite. There are also ‘book hives’, where students can sit among the library’s latest titles. Zumtobel’s Vaero LED was chosen to cater for the need to adapt the lighting for different visual tasks and individual needs. This LED is a purist direct/indirect pendant luminaire with a clear, minimalist and discreet design that can be successfully integrated into very different areas and almost any room architecture – whether a classic working or learning environment, or a creative zone. With the aid of special technology, the light is evenly spread from the luminaire centre to the edge, for a pleasant distribution of light and a pleasing visual ambience. Caela pendants, along with an Ondaria fitting, were used for their flexibility and aesthetic qualities. The precisely processed diffuser material of Caela enables exact dispersion of the light emitted and the luminaires can also turn 355° and tilt 45° so several luminaires can form a curve. The Ondaria decorative round fitting provides a gentle lighting effect within a harmonious design. Lightfields, with its minimalist, unobtrusive design, provides the perfect lighting quality for educational establishments thanks to a micro-pyramidal optic. Ideal for screen-based work, Lightfields has been wall-mounted to provide an uplight of illumination against the turquoise walls in the learning plaza. To complete the perfect lighting environment for pupils and staff, Panos downlights have been utilised to provide maximum luminaire efficiency. Pupils have been involved in design, selection of furnishing and colours and will also be involved in coordinating a community event aimed at showcasing the finished plaza for parents and the community.

No more false alarms for Grove Housing

Grove Community Housing Association in Northern Ireland has replaced its smoke alarms with Aico multi-sensors and Ei164e heat alarms in more than 80% of its properties. Grove Community Housing Association manages 218 properties in North Belfast, which are a mixture of new builds and renovated existing dwellings. With the smoke alarms in these properties coming to the end of their ten-year life, Grove looked in to the market for mains powered alarms that are reliable and could reduce false alarms. Denis Bleakley, Grove Community Housing Association’s General Manager, explains, “We wanted ten-year life rechargeable batteries so that neither tenants nor the Association would be troubled by battery replacement. Being rechargeable also means that if for some reason the electricity supply is off for an extended period, the batteries still do not need to be replaced and the alarms function safely. We liked the multi-sensor technology to reduce false alarms for us and our tenants, which we found was backed up by Building Research Establishment (BRE) research.” The multi-sensor fire alarms contain two sensor types – optical and heat – to constantly monitor smoke and heat levels, sending and receiving information via its intelligent detection software, for fast response and reduced false alarms. The latter is enhanced through a dust compensation feature. The Housing Association confirmed that no false alarms have been reported since the installation of the Aico alarms.

Apprentices reflect on their progress, one year on from awards

Ahead of this year’s NICEIC and ELECSA Electrical Apprentice of the Year contest, Marie Parry - Group Marketing Director with the competition’s official partner, Scolmore Group - catches up with some of the 2018 finalists to see where participating in the competition has taken them. Last year’s competition winner, Zach Swift, was in his second year as an apprentice with North Star Electrical when he took part in 2018, and is now due to finish his studies in September. He also embarked on a HNC Electrical Engineering course to help bolster his qualifications and is due to complete this in June. Swift comments, “The biggest thing for me is the boost it has given to my confidence.  There has been a definite change in attitude towards me since winning the competition, and this has led to more trust in me and means that I have been running more jobs on my own. The company is growing, so there are more opportunities now on the commercial side, which brings bigger challenges.” As the overall winner, Swift received £2,000 in holiday vouchers and has only recently returned from a two week holiday to Dubai. Runner-up in 2018, Morne Louw, is now a fully qualified electrician, and continues to enjoy working as part of a team with FSH Group and since the competition has been given more responsibility and is doing more work on his own. He has completed his 18th edition and is working towards his Testing and Inspection qualification, which he hopes to complete in the near future. He is looking forward to putting his £750 holiday voucher towards a holiday in Majorca with his wife and daughter later this year. Matt Jones (pictured above), who achieved third place, was in his final year as an apprentice working with Mobius Works when the contest took place. Work at Mobius has changed for him since the competition, with Jones being given more responsibility and operating as the lead electrician on a number of bigger jobs with an apprentice working with him. He comments, “The competition definitely made me realise that I had a lot more knowledge than I thought I had. I am certainly more confident in my work, and as the company is moving on from smaller domestic jobs to bigger commercial work, I am able to demonstrate my skills and expand my experience.” Jones used his £250 prize vouchers to take his girlfriend and young daughter for a weekend of sightseeing in London. Scolmore's Marie Parry comments, “These three may have different stories to tell, but at the heart of it all is the positive impact that taking part in the competition has had on them. Not only has it boosted their confidence, it has also earned them more respect and trust, and ultimately led to more responsibility at work. This is what we envisioned when we were asked to get involved with the competition by NICEIC and ELECSA. It’s an opportunity for hard working apprentices to put their skills and knowledge to the test and for them to see what a rewarding and diverse career they can have within the electrical sector.”

Select announces tour for Toolbox Talks

The Select Toolbox Talks Tour 2019 is set to hit the road. An annual event since 2013, the Toolbox Talks Tour is one of the most keenly anticipated events amongst the members of Scotland's electrotechnical industry. Aimed at electrical professionals across Scotland, the tour, which will visit 12 venues, is the focus point for technical presentations dealing with up-to-the-minute matters of interest to the widest possible number of trade professionals. Topics aimed at addressing contemporary issues of concern to Scotland’s electrical professionals will this year be: Fire Detection & Fire Alarm Systems in Dwellings. An amendment to BS 5839-6 this year brings changes to standards for fire detection and fire alarm systems. In Scotland, further changes are coming due to the extension of the tolerable standard and updated guidance on the repairing standard that will see the introduction of enhanced fire safety requirements across Scotland’s housing stock. RCD Selection in accordance with Chapter 53 of BS 7671:2018. An overview of RCD types, correct selection and selectivity to ensure correct levels of circuit and individual protection. In this topic, Select will cover which circuits require RCD protection and the types of RCD protection. Building Standards in Scotland: an update. Following the review into Building and Fire Safety Regulations across the UK, Select will look at what changes to expect in Scotland as the full recommendations from the Dame Judith Hackitt report are implemented. It will also report on an important change to the way Certificates of Construction are accessed and completed. Going by Select’s experience in the recent past, the free-to-attend events are expected to attract large audiences of directors and managers, company owners, qualified electricians and apprentices. The 2019 Toolbox Talk Tour kicks off at The Walled Garden in Edinburgh today (May 7). The other dates and venues are as follows: Borders, Tweed Horizons, Wednesday 8 May Dundee, Apex Hotel, Tuesday 14 May Glasgow, Hampden Park, Wednesday 15 May Dumfries, Easterbrook Hall, Tuesday 21 May Ayrshire, The Gailes, Wednesday 22 May Inverness, Tulloch Stadium, Tuesday 28 May Aberdeen, Pittodrie Stadium, Wednesday 29 May Oban, The Wide Mouth Frog, Tuesday 11 June Isle of Islay, The Bridgend, Wednesday 12 June Orkney, The Pickaquory Centre, Tuesday 18 June Shetland, The Lerwick Hotel, Wednesday 19 June Dave Forrester, SELECT's Head of Technical Services, says, "Every professional needs to keep up-to-date with their skills and knowledge, and Toolbox Talks are designed to bring the latest developments into focus.” As well as the technical presentations, the events feature a small scale exhibition, which this year will feature Select, SJIB, Megger, Martindale, Aurora Lighting, KSR Lighting, AICO, Scolmore, Wylex, Electrical Industries Charity, and SECTT. Select is Scotland’s largest trade association. Its members have a collective turnover of more than £1 billion and provide employment for more than 15,000 people. Its member companies account for over 90% of all electrical installation work carried out in Scotland.

New training facility for Schneider

Schneider Electric has opened a new, purpose-built, 660 square metre Safety Academy at its UK headquarters in Telford. The two-storey facility will enable the company to increase both the number of health and safety training courses it runs, as well as the number of training places available on each course by up to 40%. Courses at the facility will be available to both Schneider Electric customers and partners. In addition, all of Schneider's UK employees will now receive health and safety training at the facility. Last year, Schneider Electric trained thousands of delegates on the safe operation of low, medium and high voltage electrical products, including staff, customers and partners. For the last five years, Schneider Electric has been running courses from its training facility in Coventry. The popularity and demand for its specialist courses led to the decision to invest in a new facility to increase the quality and capacity of the training on offer. The new Safety Academy facility boasts a 280 square metre, hands-on demonstration and training area with over 70 low, medium and high voltage switchgear products from a variety of manufacturers (including Schneider Electric), connected in configurations that simulate real-world operational environments. There are three 16-seater training rooms, as well as a number of break out areas. Mike Hughes, Zone President of Schneider Electric UK and Ireland, explains, "Understanding how to install, operate, maintain or handle low, medium or high voltage products safely is absolutely imperative, whether those products are manufactured by Schneider Electric or any other firm. We are incredibly proud of our new state-of-the-art training facility here in Telford. The practical training room is one of the largest in the country, offering delegates a best-in-class training experience." He continues, "Our aim is to ensure that whatever the set up, in terms of equipment in their own place of work, the training received here will give people the skills, knowledge and experience to work safely. We’re really excited to open this new Safety Academy, and offer our high-quality training courses to even more businesses across the UK & Ireland."