Electrical

In summary, CAT ratings are overvoltage categories; they are safety ratings that indicate the types of electrical environments in which test and measurement instruments can be safely used. Understanding these categories is crucial to ensuring that you select the correct tool when working on an electrical installation.[1] Continue reading →

Buy a Fluke Get a Free Fluke is Back! Spend £100 or more on any qualified Fluke product between September 1, 2021 and December 15, 2021 and choose a free Fluke Tool/Tester! Get more for your money this Autumn with Fluke! Continue reading →

In September last year, the new Code of Practice (5th edition) for inspection and testing of electrical appliances was released by the IET. It provides full guidance on the standards that are required for electrical appliance safety, along with advice on determining whether electrical equipment is fit for continued use. Continue reading →

HIKMICRO are about to launch their new generation mini smartphone thermals in the UK. Be one of the first to find out more about how these new handheld thermography products can help you in your day-to-day work! Continue reading →

TECC, The Electrical Compliance Collective Ltd, is a specialist electrical contracting business using Seaward test equipment to standardise company-wide testing protocols with a view to facilitating a nationwide expansion. Continue reading →

Oxfordshire City Council commissions ODS (Oxford Direct Services) to maintain council properties including 7000 residential homes, as well as parks and streets across the county. To fulfil such an important, varied, and large-scale contract, ODS employ a team of over 200 builders, plumbers, electricians, and other skilled tradesmen to conduct maintenance and repair work. Staff use company equipment, therefore, to ensure their safety ODS has implemented a preventive maintenance program. As part of this program, Seaward equipment, such as the Apollo 600+ with PATGuard 3 Software, is used to check the electrical safety of company equipment including drills, portable lighting, vacuum cleaners, heaters, compressors, and batteries.   Continue reading →

The UK government announced a series of measures to end the country’s contribution to climate change by 2050 and achieve a greener transport future. These steps include phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars/vans by 2030 and ensuring that all new cars/vans are fully zero-emissions at the tailpipe from 2035. Plans are supported by over £1.8 billion of government funding intended to encourage the uptake of greener vehicles. Funding includes grants for purchasing zero or ultra-low emissions cars/vans, as well as grants for local authorities, businesses, and homeowners to install EV chargepoints. The UK government has pledged £1.3 billion to accelerate the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in homes and on streets across the UK, as well as on motorways in England.[1] However, installing an EV charger is not as simple as just connecting it to your electricity supply. There are many factors to consider and electrical parameters that need to be monitored. Investing in a portable energy logger, such as Chauvin Arnoux’s PEL103, provides an easy, ergonomic, and economic solution to evaluating your company’s capacity to support multiple EV chargepoints.[2] Continue reading →

It is estimated that most of the UK’s businesses are energy inefficient; recent studies show that some businesses are squandering 50% of their electrical energy usage. Not only is this bad for business as it drives overhead costs up and, therefore, profits down, it also results in unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions. The damaging economic impacts and positive environmental side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic mean it has never been more important to monitor energy usage. PELs (portable energy loggers), such as the Chauvin Arnoux PEL103, provide a compact, convenient, and clever solution to monitoring, optimising, and subsequently reducing energy consumption.[1] Continue reading →

Portable energy loggers, or PELs, are compact, comprehensive test instruments that measure, monitor, and record an array of electrical parameters. They can be used to troubleshoot electrical systems and, more importantly, identify sources of energy and/or power wastage contributing to inflated utility bills, as well as excessive and unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions.[1] Continue reading →

Metrel has advised that the firmware update for their MI3152 Multifunction Testers, which should have been available to download from their website/ software, has been delayed. To rectify this, Metrel has provided a link from which customers can download the firmware update and install it onto their Metrel MI3152 Multifunction Tester for free. This firmware update will enable the Metrel MI3152 Multifunction Tester to carry out an EV test it was previously unable to support. Continue reading →