Electrical Storm Business Preparedness Plan

An electrical storm can spell real trouble for a business of any size. Although direct lightning strikes do occasionally happen, the real threat is when lighting strikes somewhere along the power grid. This can cause dangerous surges along the trunk lines, which can overload and damage your electronics. In addition, these strikes can disable parts of the power grid for hours or even days, cutting power to your business. When putting together your emergency plan for electrical storms, see to surge protection, data backup and backup power.

Surge Protection

A strong enough surge on your power lines can destroy key components or entire systems. Good surge protection starts with your fuse box. Make sure all fuses are up to date and set to break below the tolerances specified for your equipment. Further down your pipe, plug all fragile electronics (especially computers and medical equipment) into professional grade surge protectors. These are available at office and computer supply stores. Though you can get cheap surge protectors, this is an item where investing in higher quality gear is usually worth it. If appropriate and possible, unplug your gear when you know a storm is coming. This is the only way to completely ensure that no surge will reach your machine. When doing so, unplug your telecommunications and cable lines as well as your electrical.

Data Backup

Some of the most destructive damage to electrical equipment is losing the information stored on hard drives. Have backup copies of everything important to running your business. It's best to have three copies of everything: on your working computers, on a detachable data storage device (such as a Zip drive), and on a backup hard drive. If possible, this backup hard drive should be at another location entirely. Many services exist online that will store backup copies of your files for a reasonable price. Also, some network administration software packages can be set to automatically back up your files at regular intervals.

Backup Power

Businesses will require some measures for dealing with a long-term loss of power. For a small retail shop, this can consist of a flashlight and a sign that says "closed due to power outage." For other businesses (such as a restaurant with refrigerators or manufacturing that requires power for safe storage of materials) you will need to have backup generators installed. Most industries have state or federal regulation that act as guidelines for backup power requirements. Check with an appropriate agency for your company's requirements, asking specifically about backup light, backup heat and what equipment it's necessary to keep running at all times.

The Top Electrical Engineering Business Ideas

Engineers study how systems work together and design ways for such systems to be stronger, better or more efficient. While a mechanical engineer ensures the components within a robot move together smoothly, an electrical engineer sets up the electronic components within the machine that allow it to move with the push of a button. If you are interested in starting an electrical engineering business, your state may require you to hold an engineering license.

Green Consulting Business

When you pair your electrical engineering license with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification, you can start a green-related business that performs energy audits. Energy audits help home and business owners find ways to improve energy efficiency by conducting evaluations of energy consumption and suggesting green retrofits. Retrofits can include the installation of solar panels, residential power-generating windmills, programmable thermostats and energy-efficient appliances.

Research and Development

Use your advanced knowledge in circuitry to test and create products with your own research and development firm that you can use to sell your own ideas or that companies can hire for unbiased test results and consultations. Items can include green building products, machinery controls, navigation systems, communication systems, wiring systems and lighting. You also can develop and research ways to make power generation and transmission more efficient, and serve as a consultant to companies developing machinery or high-density batteries.

Maintenance and Repair

Electrical engineers developed the circuitry inside electronic equipment and vehicles, and this knowledge can serve others who require maintenance and repairs. For example, if you specialize in the electrical components in automobiles, you can contract your services to a car manufacturer that wants to fix a never-before-seen sound system that is not performing well in its latest line of cars. On the other hand, if you specialize in aircraft, you can promote your services to airplane mechanics who service private aircraft at local hangars.

Printed Circuit Boards

One of the most important components within an electronic product is the circuit board. Using your skills, you can design and sell printed circuit boards to manufacturing companies, construction firms and engineering firms that do not specialize in electrical engineering. By purchasing special automated equipment, you can design and print a large number of circuit boards for clients who have a great demand, like computer manufacturers.

Electrical Engineering : Winners' Strategies

Before the marathon begins, the ‘runner’ puts in months, even years, of effort before he actually runs the race. GATE is not at all the mugging up the end results (formulae) and directly applying them; instead, you need to know the principle in the derivation of those end results because in most of the cases the questions are based on the basic principle involved in the derivation, or the case where they may ask the behavior of the system under some other conditions or simple application of that result. So at all GATE is an exam that tests you on your fundamentals.

I will recommend following while preparing for your GATE exams people may differ as this is my personal opinion:

Try to cover complete syllabus. If not possible expertise in whatever portion of syllabus you practice.

Prepare notes with reading every chapter/topic. This may initially take some time but will help you while revising before paper.

Best way to prepare is to follow cycle Learn, Test, Analyze, Improve, Learn, Test, Analyze, Improve.

Group study is one of the best ways of preparation. Divide sections/topics between you and your partner and have a brief session on topic from your friend before you actually start topic.

This will save your time and efforts and will improve your and your partner’s understanding on the topic. Normally coaching for GATE is not required but if you are not able to concentrate much then this is a good option.

Do not waste your time in NPTEL video lectures. Avoid reading from soft copies. You can also write down some important points if do not want to have printed copy.

Get Question banks: Have a question bank or GATE questions answer book for sure. As soon as you finish a topic you should refer to different types of questions that can be asked.

Simulate actual test environment: This is very important. The actual test happens in a classroom, and is timed. Also, if possible, take up a mock test series which enables you to take the test in a classroom environment.

Many of the questions that will be asked in GATE Exam are from your academic syllabus. So, do not neglect academics too.

GATE study material : choose best and deal with rest

For students starting preparation just before one month of GATE exam

If you have less time in your hands, do not bother or fear regarding the completion of syllabus for GATE Exam. Try to finish the subjects first which you feel easy and then go for the subjects which you feel difficult. As soon as you finish a topic you will see more energy and excitement of cracking the GATE. As you have less time, do not stick to be perfect in entire syllabus. Try to cover the important areas.Here are some important topics (with recommended books) for electrical which can be covered in 15-20 days and covers 50-70% of GATE exam questions

Power system:Cables, String efficiency, Symmetrical components, Distance relays, CB ratings, Swing equation, Basic stability concept, Admittance matrix (J.B.Gupta)

Machine:Transformer-phasor diagram, parallel operation,Starters, Induction machine -speed control and starting, Sharing of load, Numericals (B.L. Thareja)

Measurement:Bridges, CRO, Current transformer (A.K.Sawhney)

Electronics: Op-amp, Microprocessor instructions, Sequential circuits (Morris Mano, Anil swarnkar)

Power electronics:Clipper, Clamper, Characteristics of thyristor, Voltage commutated chopper, 180o and 120o mode of inverter (P.S.Bhimbhra)

Signal and systems-Invariant and causal systems, Fourier series and Laplace transform (Schaum series)

Control system-cover each and every topic (Nagrath and Gopal)

Engineering Mathematics:Made easy publication (no need of any other book for mathematics)

Improve World Technology As Electrical Engineers

Electrical engineers have a very challenging job and their jobs require that they receive a concentrated education that deals with electronics, electricity, and electromagnetism. They spend a few years in college pursuing this challenging degree to go into a very competitive, high tech field. Usually, they spend their time in college taking classes that have to do with mathematics, physics, computer science, and various other topics that deal specifically with electrical engineering. Master's degrees are also available in the engineering field, and, while those with a BA degree make a great deal of money as electrical engineers. After college, before they become certified, they must also go on to complete a certain amount of work experience, which can is different from place to place.

Everyday electrical engineers could not run from doing a day to day basis on the job such as computer science, power, telecommunications, digital electronics, optoelectronics, control systems, analog electronics, and artificial intelligence. There are many different technologies that we depend on that are developed and serviced by this type of job. The technology that brings electricity into our homes and the technology that has developed the global positioning system is what these engineers are working with. Not only do they design these technologies, but they also work to make them better, they test them, and even deploy them, as well.

Electrical engineer have a lot of responsibilities in his hand. Failure to perform accordingly would be a disaster to all people. Can you imagine what would it be like if there is a failure in power electricity that supply to offices, factories or even entire country? Sometimes, even a small error in one single wiring can cause a a lot of problems.

Electrical engineering is an exciting job and the engineers work on the cutting edge of technology all the time. They are always working to make technology better and are finding ways to improve the technology that already exists as well. 

Where is the place does these engineers work?

Some of them work in labs, developing and testing new technologies. Others work in offices dealing with clients and helping them with their technology. Yet others work in industrial plants and help manage the technology that is already in place. 

You should understand that electrical engineers is not the same as electronic engineers. While the two may sound the same, there are great differences between the two. An electrical engineer will deal with electricity and electrical things on a large scale, where electronic engineers will deal with smaller electronics such as cell phones and computers and the components that are inside them. 

Electrical engineering has a very wide job base and you can choose from any number of works. The education in this job prepares them to work in many different related fields. A good thing of this work is it can provide you with a a lot of job opportunities, and most of them will be very different. If you are interested in electrical engineering, you need to remember that the training and the job take a great deal of dedication and hard work

.

Generating And Using Electricity

The job of an electrical engineer is to maintain an electrical network. This can be a simple small factory electrical wiring to a city wide distribution network. Such wide ranging applications lead to a large number of electrical engineering jobs.

Electricity is generally produced by electro-mechanical generators. These generators are driven by steam that is in turn produced from combustion of fossil fuel. Electricity can also be generated from the heat released by nuclear reactions. Other sources of electrical energy are kinetic energy sources like wind or flowing water. Sir Charles Parsons invented the modern steam turbine in 1884. It still generates eighty percent of the world's total output of electric power. This is made possible by using a number of heat sources. The basic electromagnetic principle remains unchanged: a conductor linking a changing magnetic field induces a potential difference across its ends. The invention of the transformer meant that it is possible to transmit electrical power mire efficiently at a higher voltage with lower current. As the efficiency of electrical transmission increased, it meant that centralized power stations could generate electricity- and economies of scale would kick in. The electricity could thus be sent over longer distances where it is required. A great number of electrical engineering jobs are also created.

The problem with electrical storage as the energy cannot be stored in large quantities to quench demand on a national scale. Thus it is produced as much as it is required. This requires the concerned electrical engineers to compute predictions of electrical loads. Constant co-ordination among power stations is also required. A certain amount of electricity generation must also be held in reserve to make up for unplanned losses and disturbances.

Demand for electricity is proportional to development. The more an area develops, the greater the area's net electricity demands. It is more than any other sources of comparable energy. An electrical engineer services the equipment that runs on electrical energy. Electricity powers a wide range of equipment. Such equipment can be loosely termed "electrical appliances". The term is used more often in case of domestic or household use.

The earliest use of electrical energy is still the most widely used. It is used in lighting. Electrical light bulbs are much safer than light generated by naked flame sources like candles and provide more illumination. In colder countries, it is used to heat homes and offices. In warmer countries, electric air-conditioners cool an enclosed area. It is also a power source for refrigeration equipment.

An electrical engineer may also get gainful employment in the telecommunications industry. Starting from the nineteenth century electrical telegraph to modern satellite communications and optical fiber technology, electricity remains an essential component in one form or the other. The electric motor is also one of the more visible applications of electrical power. Electric vehicle is slowly getting popular nowadays with rising costs of fossil fuels like petrol and diesel. Electric train engines and trams use a pantograph to drain power from overhead electric lines laid especially for that purpose.

The Need For An Electrical Engineer

The contribution of engineers for the welfare of the society is immense and it cannot be ignored at any cost. The manufacturing and construction industry is where most electrical engineers seek employment at various posts. There would be no sophisticated electrical gadgets without electrical engineers. Now if you would like to become an electrician then there are a couple of things that you should consider. To become an electrician and participate in any electrical job you will need to have a background in science. You will need to make sure to you have good grades n math and science. You will need to go to a college to electrical engineering; the whole course will take about four years to complete. The only thing is you should do a full time course from a reputed college. There are many universities that offer this course online but it is not worth it, nothing really compares to a full time course as you can learn so much from those valuable practical classes. After you are through with college you may apply for a PE license to start practising as an engineer. Graduates may also appear for a test to become a trainee in the field of electrical engineering.

After you complete college you can gather some work experience by working as an assistant in an electrical engineering company. You can actually learn a lot of things while working on the job; so your knowledge will not be bookish in any way. The rules and regulations for becoming an electrician may be different from state to state but the basic requirement remains the same. You should also note that all the designations of an electrician do not require the candidate to have a PE certificate. After a candidate completes college he or she has to decide which specific area of electrical engineering he or she would be interested in. They can then do a masters degree on that specific area. You must know that the roles of electrical engineers are different from industry to industry sand you have to be trained accordingly to seek a job in any one industry. Telecommunication, signal processing, control systems and power electronics are some of the categories in the profession of an electrical engineer. These engineers are responsible for designing everything from a cell phone to the power supply that supplies electricity.

A Power Systems Engineer is not just responsible for making sure that the lights stay on, he or she is also given the responsibility of inventing various electronic gadgets that will be of use to the society. The level of inventions may be different from industry to industry. An engineer usually designs capacitors and resistors for various circuit boards. In a construction company the engineer would be putting together various designs for devices that deliver power. So by now you have understood that the role of an electrical engineer is very important to the society. A well qualified engineer can be expected to earn a lot.

The Job Of An Electrical Engineer

The job of an electrical engineer has a lot of responsibility attached to it. All electrical jobs will require the electrician to make sure that all electrical appliances are running in a proper way. Basically the job will require the electrician to perform installation of appliances, re wiring, fittings and testing. All of the activities mentioned can be performed almost anywhere from public buildings, homes to office buildings. 

Electrical jobs are basically performed to make sure all the circuits and wires are in perfect condition and working. If it is found that the wirings or circuits are not in order then the electrician will have to perform repair jobs. An electrician is usually very well equipped to take on electrical jobs like these.

An electrical engineer is usually very well paid and they have the potential to make good progress in life. So if you want to take this up as a profession you can do so without any hesitation but there are certain things that you will have to keep in mind. You will have to undergo extensive training and then you have to start working as an assistant to gain work experience. To move up the ladder in this profession you will need to be very hard working and dedicated towards your job. After working under a company for a couple of years you can then strike out alone and become self employed.

Educational requirements

To become a qualified electrical engineer you have to possess a 3rd level NVQ in technical services and you can earn this either from ETMA Limited or City and guild. For candidates who really want to take this up as a profession should immediately gather work experience by being an assistant this will help them in their NVQ studies and the grades should be within A and C.

To become an apprentice a candidate has to have GCSE in Science, English and Maths and the grades should be within A and C. Now if your grades are not that good then you will have to appear for a test that will check your aptitude. If you pass this test you know that you are eligible for the course. For someone who is just out of school becoming an assistant can be helpful as it will help him or her to earn some money while gaining valuable knowledge at the same time. If the candidate is not out if school then a candidate will be required to show some work experience in order to qualify for an NVQ course. Performing electrical engineering jobs will require the candidate to have a lot of self confidence to use the tools to deal with any situation. An electrical engineer simply cannot rely on bookish knowledge, to perform in this profession they have to be mentally alert to face some of the toughest and unusual situations in their career. So by now you have an idea how demanding the job of an electrical engineer can be and that it is no childs play.

Electrical Wiring Services by Electrical Contractors

Electrical issues are the most common these days and property owners often struggle to keep them as lowest as possible. It is not only deadly, but also a complex problem. This is the reason from instant change to the electrical section alternative only an experienced, experienced electrical engineer should be employed. Qualified and certified electrical engineers have the required abilities to take care of your issue and fulfill your needs effectively and efficiently. Electricians provide complete electrical services, illumination services, and a variety of other prestigious services to be able to makes sure that the house or office is completely treated.

Today, individuals are developing innovative houses that have contemporary equipment. However, not all contemporary equipment complies with the factors of wiring and somehow falls short to go with. At such times, individuals need re-wiring. Specialists make sure proper wiring or mending in your cooking area before you brings in your new equipment. Most of the individuals it the most convenient job and try to fix themselves; however, it should not be performed alone. It is highly lethal and may lead to serious injuries. Only an experienced electrical engineer should be approached to execute precision-driven personal electric fix or set up job.

Frequently, property owners usually think that they can do almost any do it yourself venture without any external help; however it is not always possible. Electricians understand the content factors of wiring or renovating or enhancement tasks and brings it in a joyful style. From changing a fitting to including a new routine, they can manage anything. They also make sure zero-defects in their work to avoid damage or incident.

If you want to transform your cooking area then you must have consider several things. Modern equipment may sketch more power and therefore needs powerful wiring and section system. You may need cooking area electrical rewiring to assistance these new equipment or to add a new electric outlet to move current equipment. In most of the cases, the rewiring may require new tour included to your buster box assistance section, which can be effectively implemented by the experienced electrical specialist. They can also add the wiring for new lights in your cooking area to be able to enhance lighting levels while you prepare or enjoy with kids. To make sure that the wiring will be done effectively the very first time without putting yourself in risk, you must call professional electrical engineers. You will discover a top quality electrical company in your nearby area by examining scores and opinions from different the sites.

The Prosperous Profession Of An Electrical Engineer

The society as a whole benefits from everything that an electrical engineer does. So this means that the job of an electrical engineer is not to be taken lightly. The two industries where the presence of an electrician can be felt are the construction industry and the manufacturing industry without the presence of any electrical engineer it would be impossible to use any of the modern gadgets that are found in todays world. The career of an electrical engineer is very promising, so if you are contemplating on becoming an engineer you will have to qualified before you undertake any Electrical jobs big or small. As a student you have to make sure that you have a very strong foundation in science while you are in high school. You also have to score high grades in math.

After high school you will be required to have a bachelors degree in electrical engineering which is a four year course. Now you must get enrolled in well known university to avail the best of education. There are various online courses that give a degree in electrical engineering and you should stay away from them as they are not good. A full time course gives you the benefit of attending practical classes that teach you a world of things that might help you in the future. After you finish with college you have a choice to sit for an exam that will give you a license to become a PE or you can stay back in college and complete a masters degree which would be a sensible thing to do as this will increase the chances of you getting a better job.

After you are done with your academics you can then start applying for various electrical jobs in small company where you can actually learn the work under an experienced electrician. Now the work of an electrician is different from industry to industry, so as a candidate you will have to decide from before the area in which you would like to specialize in.

The industries that you can seek a job in as an electrical engineer are listed as follows

Power electronics

Control systems

Signal processing

Telecommunication

An engineer is not just responsible for putting wires together and proving electricity. An engineer that undertakes any Power Systems Jobs is responsible for inventing electronic devices that will benefit the users from the society. The inventions may be different depending on the type of industry that produces it but it is the expertise of an electrician to make sure that it functions properly at any given time. So if you want to take up electrical jobs Australia based you will have to undergo a training in Instrumentation to learn how to use sophisticated technology to invent various gadgets. An electrician that has sufficient work experience will be able to earn a lot of money every year. So if you are serious about taking this as your career follow the guide lines in this article.

The Outstanding Contributions Of An Electrician

A lot of students have started opting for electrical engineering as the profession is really well paying. So the number of students wanting to become electrical engineers has increased a lot over the years. The contribution of an electrical engineer is immense and it cannot be overlooked under any circumstances. Without an electrician we would not have the fortune of using certain modern gadgets that make our lives so easy on a daily basis. Most students after completing their studies in electrical engineering they prefer to get jobs in sectors such as manufacturing and construction. If you have just completed high school and you are really interested in becoming an electrician who takes up various electrical jobs well you have to have the right qualifications to get to that level. While you are at high school you must make sure that you have high grades in science and math. After you are through with high school you have to go to college and study a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. The course will last for four years; you must enrol for a full time course; do not enrol for any online course as it is not worth it at all. Enrolling in a full time course will give the chance to attend practical classes hosted by some very experienced faculties in the academic world. Students will also have to submit group projects that will help them learn a lot by exchanging ideas with fellow students. After you complete your bachelors you can go ahead and complete your masters; which will ensure that you get highly paid electrical jobs Australia based.

After you have completed your academic run at the university; you can then appear for a test that will enable you to attain a license to start taking up various Power Systems Jobs. As a candidate who is just starting out you will need to take training so that you are well equipped with suitable knowledge that will enable you to use various hi tech equipments. You will also need to decide the area of work that you want to specialize as an electrical engineer. The role of an electrical engineer also involves inventing sophisticated technology that benefits the entire society. If you have sufficient work experience and the right qualifications you can earn a lot as an electrical engineer. You can earn more than $100,000; after you gain experience by working in an electrical firm for a couple of years you can then start your own electrical engineering company and you can also invent gadgets that will help mankind progress through life. People often associate an electrician with fixing bulb or connecting wires. The importance of an electrical engineer is much more than that. It is because of an electrical engineer that we get to use so many wonderful gadgets that make our daily activities so easy and we can achieve so much within such a short time. If you really want to take up electrical engineering as a profession you should follow the guidelines in this article.

How Much Electricity Does a Wind Turbine Generate?

A wind turbine generator is basically a mechanical electrical machine that converts the kinetic energy of the wind into the required rotational mechanical energy with the use of turbine blades that is needed to produce free electrical energy.

Turbine generators for home use can generate many kilowatts of free electricity and are a popular choice for remote farms, houses and log cabins which have no reasonable access to mains electricity but are in areas with a good amount of wind speed.

So what are the main advantages of using a wind turbine generator?

They are environmentally friendly as they do not emit any harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere or leave any potential harmful residues.
They do not consume any non-renewable fossil fuels to produce the electricity, thereby helping the environment.
Wind turbine generators are classed as an alternative energy source saving on conventional electrical power generation.
Although the initial purchase and installation costs of your wind turbine generator may be high, the savings made in generating your own electricity will offset this cost, so you could be getting your electricity free for many years to come.
Turbine generators give you independence by doing away with paying the utility companies for your electricity, and with a turbine generator on your own land, you have your very own power generating plant.
Generating your own power could be as easy as installing a suitable wind turbine generator and using the power from the wind to lower your monthly bills. Wind turbine design and generator technology has come a long way over the last few years as more and more companies jump onto the renewable energy bandwagon. Today complete wind turbine systems and DIY kits are available for the homeowner with turbines that are more efficient, smaller and quieter than ever before.

Most modern "wind turbine generators" are available locally or online in a large variety of different sizes and power ratings to suit any homeowners needs. Although turbine generators are based mainly on well established motor-generator designs which have been successfully used for many decades, the newer generator designs are much more energy efficient and as such include many new improvements.

In the past, to have a home wind turbine system, most homeowners needed a lot of free space on their property which was completely open and exposed to provide a strong enough and consistent amount of wind to rotate the larger heavier blades of the traditional wind turbine.

Back then wind energy was a relatively new, so the old style electrical generators used for many domestic installations were nothing more than scaled-down versions of the larger commercial motor-generators. But these were not very well suited to smaller domestic type installations.

To begin with, these early generators required very strong winds to help start the blades rotating, the result was they needed to be fixed and mounted on the ends of tall poles high up above the ground to be able to catch the stronger winds. These generators were themselves very heavy, so they needed to be positioned into the oncoming wind before they would started rotating and generating electricity.

This positioning and orientation into the oncoming wind was achieved by using a large tail fin positioned directly behind the generator. As a result of their heavy weight, it required a strong enough amount of wind to rotate it into the required position. Then this meant that most of the time they would miss most of the smaller lighter winds and not position themselves correctly. Although these were very good at turning these stronger winds into huge amounts of electrical power, most residential and domestic locations are not normally favourable to these strong winds.

However, a couple of decades ago, smaller modern generator designs began to start to become available on the marketplace that would take fuller advantage of not only the stronger winds but the much lighter winds as well found in most residential locations. These newer wind turbine generators could rotate at much lower speeds than the older generators and because these were lighter and better balanced, they could even orientate themselves into position much quicker without the need of large heavy tail fins.

Some newer vertical axis turbine designs are even capable of catching and using a light breeze aimed at it from any one direction. These newer more innovative turbine designs make for a perfect turbine generator for use in the home, boat or recreational vehicle, and for the homeowner they are actually a lot less expensive to run than the electrical power which they generate.

The modern wind turbine generator available today is designed to be installed and used in most residential type installations. So they are manufactured smaller and more lightweight allowing them to be quickly and easily mounted directly onto a roof or onto a short pole or tower. Installing a newer turbine generator as part of your home wind power system will allow you to reduce most of the higher costs of maintaining and installing a taller and more expensive turbine tower as you would have before in the past.

Also, although these newer generator designs would generate less power when turning compared to their larger and older cousins of the past, for sure they will be rotating more often and therefore can generate the same amounts of free electricity over a period of time. The result is that these improved wind turbine designs will actually give a more consistent and reliable amount of electrical energy from your wind energy system.

As these newer "wind turbine generator" designs are quieter and less obtrusive, there may be lesser complaints from your neighbours about your wind energy system. Then you can relax in the knowledge that your wind turbine generator will still keep delivering free power from any passing breeze or strong wind for many years to come.

How Electrical Engineering Continues to Change the World

Electrical engineering may seem like a boring profession, especially if the first person that comes to mind is the public utility repairman who fixed the neighborhood power grid. Contrary to popular belief, a degree in electrical engineering leads to career opportunities bigger than that. Behind some of the latest and greatest innovations is a workforce that is well-versed on the subject.

Cellular Telecommunications

A few decades ago, the first publicly available handheld phones were bulky and with bad reception. By the 90's and with thanks to the electrical engineering developments towards GSM technologies, mobile phones soon did more than just make and receive calls. Today, it has become a race to the smallest, most multi-functional mobile phone. Headway in electrical engineering and the subsequent circulation of the science means more companies need creative individuals. And this is just to keep up with the competition. That's not even taking into account the perks of such a world-changing occupation.

Computer Electronics
The boost in the mobile world is owed largely to the impressive breakthroughs in computer technology. These original steps forward are owed to the electrical engineering concepts behind them. Even now, electrical engineering knowhow is necessary in order to come up with devices that get continually more complex as its operation becomes simpler. Before the software developers came up with the applications that make our lives easier, someone made the increasingly sophisticated networks and computers that they are stored in. Whose midnight oil do you think was burned to make the hardware and software giants the successes that they are?

Space Exploration

Rocket science may have been ultimately responsible for putting a man on the moon. Yet it was the resolve and commitment of electrical engineering professionals that made it possible to see three-dimensional renditions of the planet Mars. It is their skills that are put to the test when equipment stop functioning or have new requirements. They continue to challenge the existing limitations by changing how we view them and the world in general. This makes them the best bet towards future journeys outside our solar system.

Become An In-demand Electrical Engineering Technician In Two Years

There is currently a technical skills shortage looming both regionally and nationally in Canada's Electrical Engineering Technician field. As such, Centennial Colleges Electrical Engineering Technician offering gets students into the field in just two years to fill these technical positions as the manufacturing sector becomes more specialized, the construction industry flourishes and retirement rates increase.

But what exactly is the job of the Electrical Engineering Technician and how do you know if the field is for you? First and foremost, areas that fall under this umbrella include: power distribution and utilization, electrical power generation, transmission, and protection; industrial telecommunications, electrical maintenance and installation, control systems, services, sales, design and repair. All of these areas should interest you if you are to succeed in this field. Secondly, you must be comfortable with working in a range of employment settings in commercial, utility and industries using electrical technology as these are all areas of concern for the Electrical Engineering Technician.

Centennial College prepares students for the Electrical Engineering Technician field by exposing them to SETAS labs that provide extensive practice and ample opportunity to develop skills required to assume entry level positions in the industry. These labs play an important role as students obtain thorough grounding in electrical engineering sciences and skills, including electrical circuits, maintenance of electrical instruments or devices, operation of electrical motors and power transmission as used in the industry. In addition to the practical lab approach, the Electrical Engineering courses also weave in a project approach that simulates actual workplace assignments and allows students to gain experience in producing electrical drawings as well as diagnostics and analysis of electrical systems.

Specific Electrical Engineering courses in the Electrical Engineering Technician offering include: Canadian Electrical Code and Drawing Interpretation, Electrical Theory and Installations, Electronics, Ethics in Technology and the Environment, Fluid Power - Hydraulics, Monitoring Systems as well as Mathematics (covers calculations with approximate numbers, rules for exponents, simplifying algebraic expressions, graphing functions and solving linear and quadratic equations as well as systems of equations); and Ethics in Technology and Environment (provides students with an understanding of the impact of technology on society and the environment by examining ethical issues governing social, technological and environmental policies, and the impact of their implementation).

The final step students take in this Electrical Engineering Technician course is completing a final semester Electrical Engineering Technician Capstone Project course. This offering is an opportunity for students to gain real life experience and apply everything they have learned in the program by working on a project that serves as the final component of the diploma program.

Those interested in attending Electrical Engineering courses must have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status (19 years or older). They must also have the compulsory English 12C or U credit, or skills assessment, or equivalent; and the Math 11M or U, or 12C or U credit, or skills assessment, or equivalent.

Layout Of The Domestic Electrical Network

The job of an electrician is to install, maintain and basic repair of the domestic electrical network. Duties also include solving simple industrial electrical problems in business areas like offices and factories. For more complex work, however, like repairing electrical transformers, the services of an electrical engineer are required. For more specialized work, professionals from the field of control systems, instrumentation and automation may be required.

The electrician is required to work on the domestic or home electrical system. The system is made up of the electrical service- the electricity supplied to the home-lighting and a number of other electrical appliances. The electrical service must cater to the persons who inhabit the house and range of 100 amps and 400 amps. The job of an electrician is to install the service and also the installation of telephone and cable television wires and sometimes, security systems.

An electrical engineer supervises lying in the electrical lines and maintenance of the civic electricity network. The engineers work related jurisdiction stops at the meter box outside the home. The line continues from the meter box through the exterior wall and directly goes to the electric panel board. The board has switches-also known as breakers- that controls the electricity in each room of the home. The amps are divided up across circuits to provide different areas of the home with electricity. For example, in a 100 amps home, the living room may have 30 amps, the bedroom 10 amps and it continues like this.

A power systems engineer conforms to the electrical system to a code that protects the inhabitants of the home. The list of safety measures includes circuit breakers that prevent fires by cutting off the supply of electricity to a specific area if the wires short out. High moisture areas may necessitate the need for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters or GFCI. This includes areas like washrooms, kitchens and garages. Common areas may be fitted with smoke alarms that are connected to the electrical system and alert occupants in case of a fire.

An electrical engineer is bound by national building codes. To quote, electrical codes in particular areas need wiring to be encased in flexible metal casing as an additional fire prevention measure. It is the duty of the engineer to check the installation when the system is being wired and again when the home is finished. He or she ensures that all codes are followed and the electrical system is safe for people to move in. For particular needs like an entertainment complex, advanced wiring systems are included.

Control systems enable the house owner to minimize electricity related expenses. The system enables the user to remotely control the heating, cooling and ventilation equipment. Lighting can be controlled even when the occupants of the building are away. An electrical engineer selects the location of electrical outlets after much deliberation. It is to be remembered that once they are put in, they cannot be changed easily. The house owner must understand the best options available to him and choose accordingly.

Top 12 Automotive Wiring Tips

1) The best connection is a properly done solder joint. If you aren't sure how to solder, crimp the connection then solder it. Cold solder joints not only introduce resistance, but they can come apart.

2) Keep your grounds as short as possible. It is far better to have a few more connections than a long ground that can build heat and introduce ground loops. It is common practice to run a ground wire from a high demand devise such as a fuel pump back to the battery. This not only adds additional loads to the pump or devise but also can lead to device failure. Have you ever seen a production auto with a ground cable longer than the positive cable?

3) If at all possible, use stainless hardware to fasten all primary cables. Some galvanic or plated hardware can cause dissimilar corrosion and can sometimes carry more impedance that its stainless counter parts. On smaller secondary circuits, this is not as important.

4) Battery storage. Keep batteries away from humidity. Keeping it charged will prolong its life. If a battery is dead, cool it before you charge it. Put in the refrigerator or outside if its cold. Cool batteries charge better.

5) Batteries specifications and charge rates are for 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature variations will change charge rates.

6) Use relays. Anytime you want to switch a device that draws more current than is provided by an output of a switch or component you'll need to use a relay. The coil of an SPDT relay that we most commonly use draws very little current (less than 200 milliamps) and the amount of current that you can pass through a relay's common, normally closed, and normally open contacts will handle up to 30 or 40 amps. This allows you to switch devices such as headlights, parking lights, horns, etc., with low amperage outputs such as those found on keyless entry and alarm systems, and other components. In some cases you may need to switch multiple things at the same time using one output. A single output connected to multiple relays will allow you to open continuity and/or close continuity simultaneously on multiple wires.

7) Most electromechanical devises are rated according to the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures). You improve your odds of a long MTBF by keeping your electrical devices in a low humidity, low heat environment.

8) Do not ever use THHN/THWN wire. This wire (insulation) classification is not rated for automotive use. Cars move and vibrate which chafes the insulating material.

9) A wire that is rated for A/C voltage may have a different rating when used in low voltage D/C applications. Your house uses A/C, your car uses D/C.

10) The best primary power cable is a type TEW or MTW (Machine Tool Wire) as its rated for continuous use with higher amperage loads.

11) OFC (oxygen free copper) is by far the best cable for automotive use. However, it is expensive and requires a quality crimper and should be soldered for security. The most common application for this wire is high-end car stereo applications.

12) If you are like me, you may choose to skip OFC and go with TXL wire. TXL (thermal cross-linked) wire is next best. TXL wire has twice the voltage rating of standard GPT (general purpose) wire. Most high-end harnesses are made with this wire. If you want to keep your ride for the long haul, you may want to pony up for a harness made with this wire.

All Categories Of Copper Wires

One of the major requirements in the electrical wiring systems is high electrical conductivity. Copper exhibits excellent conducting properties and thus, it is used for manufacturing electrical wires and cables. Copper Wires find various applications in power transmission, power distribution and telecommunications. Copper can be alloyed with other metals for improved properties. Some of the beneficial characteristics of copper wires can be listed as follows:

High Electrical conductivity
High Tensile strength
Ductility
Creep resistance
Corrosion resistance
Low Coefficient of thermal expansion
Thermal conductivity

Copper wires are available in various grades and specifications. They can be broadly classified into following categories.

Tinsel wire

Tinsel wire is required for maximum mechanical flexibility. It is generally used in telecom wires, tweeter coils, handset cord of telephones, etc.

Tin copper wire

Tin copper wire is commonly used in heaters, cables, industrial machines and other high temperature and other sort of machines.

Armoured cables

Armoured cable is basically used for power distribution. Its basically a power cable and used in underground power system.

PCV wire

PCV wires or polyvinyl chloride are very tough electrical wire designed to tolerate high voltage currents. With the use of copper in PCV wires it can bear more than 1000 volts of current.

Stranded Copper wires

Stranded wires are designed to compensate for expansion and vibration of electronic equipments. Wire structure gives stranded wire more flexibility and strength.

Twisted Pair Copper Cables

Twisted Pair Copper Cables comprise of two conductors that are twisted together to eliminate any electromagnetic interference. This unique design prevents signal loss and proves to be handy in telecommunications.

Coaxial Copper Cables

Coaxial Copper Cables consist of concentric wires that are wrapped together with a dielectric separation between them. They are used to reduce low-frequency magnetic transmission.

XLPE cables

Commonly known as Cross linked polyethylene, PEX or XLPE, these are armored power cables with copper conductor.

Copper wires are demanded for a variety of uses. Copper is attributed with high tensile strength, superior electrical conductivity, ductility, mechanical flexibility, durability, etc and as such is an ideal material for power transmission.

Wind Power--the Best Green Energy Source

Electricity produced by wind turbines is green power in that it causes no environmental pollution. No greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change are produced either. Wind power generation can be on a large scale,which is the case with most commercial projects,or on a small scale as with home owner turbines.

Wind is the cheapest form of renewable energy without a doubt. Solar energy is also clean,green,power but is more expensive and limited in output. Solar panels are presently expensive in relation to the power they can produce. Nuclear energy supplies a lot of the power requirements in some countries,notably in Europe.
There is however much public opposition to building new nuclear power plants.

In the USA natural gas is the biggest form of new energy production. Wind power is the next in line. In 2008 wind turbines will produce about 1% of the United States power needs. Around 30% of new energy production installed in 2007 was wind power.

Many consumers now realise that green energy must be our highest priority in future,if we are to minimise climate change and it effects. The trend to building fossil fuel powered generating stations must be reversed.

Home owners and farmers can help with the transition to clean power by installing small wind turbines to supply all or part of their electricity needs. These turbines can be purchased from a number of manufacturers and can be installed as a rooftop wind turbine or on a small free standing tower.

Commercial wind turbines are quite expensive in relation to power output. A better solution for many is to build their own low cost wind turbine. A good turbine can be built from auto parts and a few odds and ends at very low cost. Plans and instructions are available for this project.

Any excess power production can be sold to the power utility in many areas thus reducing the cost even further. Power can also be stored in batteries for use when the wind is too light. Even a light breeze will however produce power.

The average home owner can easily build a small wind turbine or several of them to supply part or all of the power required. All that is needed is simple tools and some auto parts and wood. Several can be built for the cost of one commercial wind turbine.

Not a bad business also for anyone who wants to make them for resale. The demand for a low cost turbine is there and can only grow in years ahead.

Why not build your own wind power turbine now and produce your own free green electricity. You will be doing mother earth a favor by reducing atmospheric pollution. This is an idea whose time has come.

Wind Power--the Best Green Energy Source

Electricity produced by wind turbines is green power in that it causes no environmental pollution. No greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change are produced either. Wind power generation can be on a large scale,which is the case with most commercial projects,or on a small scale as with home owner turbines.

Wind is the cheapest form of renewable energy without a doubt. Solar energy is also clean,green,power but is more expensive and limited in output. Solar panels are presently expensive in relation to the power they can produce. Nuclear energy supplies a lot of the power requirements in some countries,notably in Europe.
There is however much public opposition to building new nuclear power plants.

In the USA natural gas is the biggest form of new energy production. Wind power is the next in line. In 2008 wind turbines will produce about 1% of the United States power needs. Around 30% of new energy production installed in 2007 was wind power.

Many consumers now realise that green energy must be our highest priority in future,if we are to minimise climate change and it effects. The trend to building fossil fuel powered generating stations must be reversed.

Home owners and farmers can help with the transition to clean power by installing small wind turbines to supply all or part of their electricity needs. These turbines can be purchased from a number of manufacturers and can be installed as a rooftop wind turbine or on a small free standing tower.

Commercial wind turbines are quite expensive in relation to power output. A better solution for many is to build their own low cost wind turbine. A good turbine can be built from auto parts and a few odds and ends at very low cost. Plans and instructions are available for this project.

Any excess power production can be sold to the power utility in many areas thus reducing the cost even further. Power can also be stored in batteries for use when the wind is too light. Even a light breeze will however produce power.

The average home owner can easily build a small wind turbine or several of them to supply part or all of the power required. All that is needed is simple tools and some auto parts and wood. Several can be built for the cost of one commercial wind turbine.

Not a bad business also for anyone who wants to make them for resale. The demand for a low cost turbine is there and can only grow in years ahead.

Why not build your own wind power turbine now and produce your own free green electricity. You will be doing mother earth a favor by reducing atmospheric pollution. This is an idea whose time has come.

Aluminium Wire In Electrical Wiring

Since copper is very expensive, Aluminum was preferred as a cheaper substitute for it. This happened in North America as residential wiring gained popularity in late 1960s. Aluminium wire has many shortcomings, but with the aid of modern technology those problems have been fixed. New ways to ensure safety when using aluminium wire for electrical purposes are popular nowadays. Aluminium is one of the most plentifully found materials on the earths crust and it can be used not only for electrical wiring but also in myriad different uses. It has a lot of application in Electrical, Mechanical and Welding works.

Aluminium has a greater resistance than copper, which necessitates larger conductors than those required for copper. For example, instead of 14 AWG (American wire gauge) for copper, aluminium wiring needs 12 AWG on 15 amp circuit. You can get many of Aluminium Wire Suppliers round the world and Indias position is the eighth on the list of aluminium producer countries of the world. All the aluminium wire suppliers know the combination of various properties that make aluminium one of the best materials for engineering and construction works.

Initially, using Aluminium for wiring was a safety measure; however these days safety is not as much a concern as the aluminium building wire is 8000 Series alloy that has the approval of NEC. Though this wire has been approved for sizes greater than 12 AWG, the Aluminium Wire Suppliers provide wires smaller than 8 (for SEU cable) and 6 AWG wires for a single conductor. Previously aluminium was brought into houses to be used in switch as well as the receptacle. This created a safety concern and this caused connector manufacturers and cable manufacturers to remove this wire and bring 8000 series alloy, which is even now used and more widely at that.

Aluminium conductors these days are used widely for power supply as well as for large feeder circuits, because they are less expensive than doing the same with copper wiring.

These days some alloys of aluminium are equally safe as copper and can be directly replaced with copper for electrical wiring. Copper Clad Aluminum short-formed as CCA is composite wire which comprises of aluminium core clad with ETP copper. Although this material consists of 90% aluminium, it has electrical properties that are equivalent to copper. Many Aluminium Wire Suppliers produce broad line, round, flat, square and also rectangular aluminium wire that are copper clad. This type of electrical wiring is extensively used in many applications and has some advantages of being light weight when compared to aluminium.

The Composition Of Power Cables

There are companies involved in the manufacturing of power and control cables. A power cable is a kind of a system where electrical conductors are bound together with a sheath and this system or assembly is primarily utilized for transferring of electrical power. Power cables can be installed within buildings, exposed or run overhead as permanent wiring. Alternately, there is also an option of flexible power cables that can be used with mobile tools, portable devices and machinery and are even sometimes made out of PVC cables.

Power cables are available in an array of different types, materials and sizes and sometimes even insulated conductors that are quite large are also known as power cables. Power cables contain three important parts, which are conductors, insulation and jacket. The material used in the power cable and the way it is manufactured is dependent on the following factors:

1.The kind of working voltage will be the decisive factor for the thickness of the cable.
2.The kind of capacity it possesses for current-carrying will help in figuring out the size of the conductor.
3.Exposure to excess temperatures, chemicals, sunlight and mechanical impact are other factors that need to be taken into consideration to determine the type of outer jacket to be made.

Power cables are known to utilize aluminum or copper as conductors but sometimes smaller power cables may even use solid conductors. Cables that are specifically meant for exposed installations may also use wires wrapped around the cable, which becomes the metal armor to give it more strength and durability.

There are some cables that are used for overhead outdoors may not contain a sheath at all whereas there might be some other type of power cables that may use sheath made out of metal or plastic. It is important to ensure that the sheath material is resistant to oil, water, sunlight, chemicals, high temperatures as well as underground conditions. In some specific industries such as nuclear industry, there might be a requirement for the cable to possess requirements for radiation resistance. Cables that are specifically meant for underground use will generally have sheath made out of metal or plastic or even lead so that they are well protected.

In case of high voltages especially where the circuits operate above 2,000 volts, a conductive shield would need to surround the insulated conductor. This balances the stress applied by electricity on the cable insulation. Cables that are specifically meant for power distribution of 10kV or more can also be insulated with paper and oil and are usually made to pass through a semi-rigid aluminum, steel pipe or lead sheath. In case there is more high voltage, then oil has to be kept under pressure to stop any kind of void formations that would lead to discharge within the cable. Ideally most of the power cables available today use polyethylene or polymer, which also includes XLPE for further insulation.

Tips To Prevent Fire From Occurring In The Workplace Or Home

Although we can do our utmost to prevent fires from happening by isolating the sources of heat from combustibles and oxygen, it is often the unexpected event that catches us unawares.

Carelessness

Sometimes, forgetfulness can result in an accidental fire. Putting a kettle to boil water on a gas stove and forgetting about it can be disastrous. When all the water has evaporated, the kettle becomes red hot, melt and spread the molten metal around.

LPG gas leaks are also dangerous. If the fuel and air mixture is in just the right proportion, an explosion can occur when a heat source is introduced in. Many accidents have occurred when a light is switched on in an explosive environment. The correct thing to do then is to free the room of any gas by shutting off the source of the gas and letting in more fresh air into the room.

Chemical reactions can also cause heat and fire. Mixing acids and alkalis, mixing components of some household glue like epoxy resins and hardeners can generate quite a substantial amount of heat that can lead to fires. The containers used and the amount of chemical used can have a great effect on the heat produced. Plastic containers are known to melt and burn when large quantities of thermosetting plastics like epoxies are mixed with hardeners.

Fires are also known to be started by the careless smokers who throw lighted cigarette butts indiscriminately. Many bush fires are started this way. Some areas are especially vulnerable to careless acts like these. People working in the garage at home should be very careful not to cause a fire, especially with open petrol cans and other volatile fuels around them. Sometimes, smokers fall asleep while smoking, and their bed or sofa catches fire. The rubber foam mattress used for bedding can catch fire easily.

Although most electrical equipment is quite safe as far as fire is concerned, the use of sub standard and poorly designed equipment may give rise to overheating and fires. Carelessness in the area of electrical appliances can cause fires as well as electrical shocks. Many households use multiple power points because they have many electrical equipment that must be used at the same time. Videos, television, fans, radios, and fancy lights may occupy only one electrical socket. When a multiple adapter is used, usually the connection pins cannot be fitted very tightly. The loose power connections are a source of sparking and deterioration of the insulation materials and can lead to fires.

This will be worst if high powered appliances are used because the electrical current drawn from these will be very much higher and so the wires and connections gets hotter.

Preventive Measures

Since we know that all the three conditions of heat, fuel and oxygen must be present in order for a fire to start; our basic fire prevention strategy must be to keep them isolated from each other. Heat sources must be kept away from combustible materials and if possible, from oxygen.

We should take a critical look at all the sources of heat in the home. They are the potential fire hazards. It is good to make an audit of our own homes and make a list, or at least be aware of all the heat sources in the home. Electrical wiring, appliances, gas stoves, kerosene lamps, candles, electrical light bulbs, ovens, electrical kettles, barbecue fires, burning garden refuse, and so on, are some of them. Even spells of dry weather should be looked at with vigilance.

The sources of heat are many. Below are some of the sources of heat that we have to exercise caution, so that we can be especially careful not to let them come into contact with combustibles:

Kitchen Gas Appliances - The normal appliances in the kitchen are the gas stoves, and the kerosene stoves. These are normally safe, efficient and seldom gives trouble. However, the conditions of the kitchen stoves are often spoilt by spillage of soups, gravies, and other food materials from the cooking processes. After a long time of use, and especially with cooks who do not take special precautions, the gas stove become blackened with carbon, oil and other debris. Gas orifices and nozzles get choked up. Carbon deposits pile up. The carbon deposits become its other source of fuel. The soot fire can burn if it is heated long enough.

The environment in a busy kitchen can make it a fire risk. Gas hoses are especially prone to deteriorate if the material used can be attacked by the presence of oil. Cooking oil is ever present in the kitchen environment. Hoses coated by a layer of oil will produce leaks. Any leak in the gas hoses is dangerous. It can shoot flames of fire all around the place uncontrollably and spread the fire.

Do a regular check on your gas hoses and service your gas stove regularly.

Electrical Installations and Appliances - Mains electrical wiring and their components can be a hidden source of heat that can cause a fire. Sometimes, due to loose contacts in the terminals of electrical switchboxes, some sparking will occur. If this is not found out early and rectified, the sparking will become worse, and the heat produced becomes more. Carbonization of the insulation materials will occur. Once the carbon gets deposited on the insulation materials, it becomes a conductor of electricity. Short-circuiting of the electrical wiring will occur leading to overheating of the wiring. If the electrical protection devices do not work, the overheating will cause the insulation materials of the wiring to even melt or decompose. When the decomposition gases given out by the insulation materials catch fire, the whole house can be burnt down.

Do a regular check up of your electrical wiring in your house, and quickly call in a qualified electrician to rectify any fault.

Electrical appliances also have to be used properly. When people modify equipment indiscriminately, sometimes they leave out or bypass certain safety features put in by the manufacturer. Appliances can become overheated and cause burning. It is better not to do any modification unless you know what you are doing.

Do not do bypass any safety feature in any electrical appliance.

Burning of candles, garden refuse, incense, mosquito coils and other open burning - The sources of heat is quite obvious. When we do any open burning, make sure that the source of heat is not able to reach other surrounding materials. It is good practice to clear the area before doing open burning. We must also think about how to control the fire if it gets too big. Be ready to dose the fire with water if it gets too big.

We know that we need a source of heat, a fuel, and oxygen in order to have a fire. Other than looking at all the places where we encounter sources of heat, it is good preventive practice to store easily combustible materials safely. Some materials do not need a lot of heat in order to ignite, while some materials can be kept at quite high temperatures without any fire occurring. We need to identify the easily combustible materials and keep them out of harms way.

Some materials in the home are known to be easily combustible. It is advisable to store these materials in a cool and isolated place away from the house if possible. Should a fire occur by any chance, they will have less opportunity to spread. Below are a list of commonly used inflammable materials in the home. However, the list is not exhaustible:

1. Paints, turpentine, spirit, aerosols for spray paints.
2. Kerosene, petrol, diesel, and other oils used for fuel.
3. Aerosols used for pesticides
4. Paper and wood, especially when dry
5. Vegetable oils used in cooking
6. Other solvents like nail polish

There are other materials that can catch fire if brought to a source of heat. Some of them are listed below. The best way to handle these is to do regular house cleaning to remove them.

Involving Others
Sometimes, even though we have taken all the precautions, fires can still come from a neighbor's house. Sometimes, it can even come from the sky in the form of fireworks! Sometimes the sparks from a neighbor's rubbish fire can fly over to your own home and cause a fire.

So it is simply not enough that you alone know how to prevent fires. The people around you should also know about fire prevention.

Everybody needs to be educated in fire prevention. When a fire happens in the neighborhood, there is a very real possibility that the fire can spread to the surrounding houses. It is essential that no fires at all start in any of the houses in the neighborhood or even the community.

When everyone understands the grave consequences of their actions, the fire risk becomes more manageable.

Children are especially high potential fire starters if they are not taught about the risks. With their natural curiosity, playing with fire comes naturally to them at some point in their life. Adults have the responsibility to impart the knowledge of fire prevention and the consequences of fire to them quite early in their growing up years.

In order for adults to have this knowledge themselves, the relevant authorities should organize courses on fire safety and fire safety awareness campaigns. The media, including newspapers, magazines, television and radio, has an important role to play in getting the message of fire prevention to the general public. Their message should be able to reach the masses and ingrain in them the importance of fire prevention.

The message of fire prevention should be delivered continuously over a long period of time. A fire safety campaign should only be considered successful when people considers fire prevention a natural thing to do. It must become habit and a daily way of life. Then only can lives and properties be secured.

The knowledge of fire prevention is even more important than fire detection and fire fighting. If a fire does not start, or is prevented from starting, there is no longer any need for fire detection and fire fighting. Everybody should be preventing fires even before it can start.

Is prevention enough?

Sometimes, we have done the best we can. We have isolated the sources of heat. We have stored away inflammable materials away from sources of heat. We have done whatever we can to the best of our knowledge.

Can a fire still start?

Incidents of fire can still happen. For example, a mouse in your house may decide to chew on your highly powered electrical wires, or a lizard may managed to crawl into your electrical switchboard and cause a short circuit, or the hot weather may cause the weeds and bushes around your house to catch fire.

So while steps taken for the prevention of fires will keep us safe most of the time, it is also good to be prepared in case a fire still starts despite our actions.

There are portable smoke detectors available in the market for those who want to have an early warning when a fire starts. This can in fact be considered prevention too - preventing a large fire. These smoke detectors will be able to alert the occupants about any small fires so that it can be put off before it becomes large and unmanageable. It can prevent loss of property and lives. Any fires detected early have a very good chance of being extinguished.

It is also good to keep a portable fire extinguisher at home for the purpose of putting out small fires. For the home, the most suitable portable fire extinguisher to keep is a dry powder extinguisher because it will be able to handle all the likely classes of fires found in the home. It can be used to put out fires involving solid materials like wood and paper, oils and even electrical fires without the risk of electrical shocks.

In conclusion, when we are able to instill awareness of fire prevention to all the people around us, we will have won the battle with fire. Fire becomes our ally and we can tap its benefits without worrying about its consequences.

Fire becomes our friend and not our foe.

Why Learn About Electrical Panel Wiring?

To give yourself a clear idea of how electrical panel wiring impacts electric distribution in your home, you have to understand first how electric circuits work. Electricity is not just about meter readings; it is more about how electricity is distributed to lights and other electrical circuits you have in your home. Having some clear instructions about electrical wiring is an additional knowledge that may come in handy. If by chance you need to do electric installation, make sure you proceed in a way that is safe for you.

What are Electrical Panels?

Electric panels are connected to the service meter or the electrical disconnect. Each panel has varying wire size and the size depends on the electrical panel installation and the size of the meter. Typically, a household uses 100-amp and 200-amp breaker panels and the power comes from service drops, which are split into separate circuits or sub-panels. Though it is not a common practice among homeowners to explore what is inside their electrical service panels, it is a good idea to evaluate the inner section of the electrical panel, taking all due caution. Be reminded that working outside of your scope can be dangerous. You need to take proper care to ensure there is no risk of shock produced by the lugs that connect to the service drop as the consequences of contact can be fatal.

Helpful Information About Electrical Panel Wiring

Having the knowledge and the experience to do competent electrical panel wiring is rare. There are only a few people who still perform electric installation, as it can be a dangerous task, especially if one is inexperienced. Trial and error processes are not encouraged at all, as a single error can be fatal. Thus, if you need somebody to repair something in your electrical panel, to knock out or install an electric panel, or to perform safety measures once a fuse blows, you need to hire a licensed electrician to do the job for you. After mending the problem, the electrician can also work out the source of the problem and evaluate your electrical panel wiring to determine what needs to be done to prevent similar circumstances in the future.

Electrical panel wiring is a serious task that may cost not just heavy expenses, but even one's life. In any case, if a licensed electrician is not available to come to the rescue, and you are left there in a bad, or even dangerous, situation, you have to be prepared. Basic knowledge about electric wiring will save you from more troubles. You can wire an important electric panel or the breaker panel as a start. You need to know how to mount the panel, how you are going to pull and strip the wires, and then connect the wires in the end. In doing so, you need to identify wire colors, what they mean, and how you are going to connect them together. You need to know how to connect the feeder wires to the main breaker, too. All can be done neatly and professionally if you are equipped with the right and helpful information about electric panel wiring. After all, knowledge about electrical panel wiring is a power on which you can greatly rely.

The Future Of Nuclear Engineering

With an ever increasing demand for clean energy, nuclear power is an option that many governments around the world are considering to meet the energy needs of its nations. This coincides with the decommissioning of nuclear power plants and the need for their replacement. We take a look at the future of nuclear engineering at a time when the climatic effects of burning fossil fuels is a major talking point in the media.

Nuclear power is considered clean as it produces energy without burning fossil fuels and therefore does not contribute to rising greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. The major drawback with this type of energy is dealing with the radioactive waste. The general consensus however is that as long as the waste is stored correctly, it will not pose a hazard to the environment or the population.

Coal fuelled power plants on the other hand are responsible for the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere which in turn contributes to global warming. At a time when many nuclear reactors are coming to the end of their life, governments are faced with a decision about what technology will be used to meet the growing demand for energy.

One consideration is harnessing energy from sustainable sources. Renewable energy from wind, solar and geothermal power have been considered as viable options, as has hydrogen power. Unfortunately the technology behind sustainable energy has not developed to a point where it is efficient enough or cost effective enough to meet demand. As such, these sources need to be combined with other types of energy production to provide the energy needed.

In light of this, it seems that the nuclear power sector has the potential to be the power source of choice. Advances in nuclear engineering means that an industry that has already been proven to meet energy demands without releasing greenhouse gasses is in a better position than ever to provide the solution. Even though the initial start up costs of building a nuclear power plant are high, the fact that it is a proven technology means that the government will be willing to invest; which is something they are reluctant to do with newer technologies that capture energy from renewable sources.

Power from nuclear reactors currently accounts for a large proportion of electricity generated worldwide, but there is a huge opportunity for expansion. Provided that nuclear engineering can alleviate the concerns over the safe disposal of radioactive waste, there is a chance that it can be the right technology for combating dangerous climatic change.