10B — March 24 - April 13, 2017 — 2017 Walter R. Cohn, Esq. Memorial EXPO — Owners, Developers & Managers — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal www.marejournal.com 2017 W alter R. C ohn , E sq . M emorial EXPO
By Bob Kilroy, Jewel Electric The importance of groundfault protection
T
he 2015 revisions to the UL 943 require improvements in GFCI
GFCI to respond to a ground fault. If the Self-Test function detects a problem, the GFCI must deny power or provide vi- sual and/or audible indication. 2.) Reverse line-load misfire function - repeated: If the line cable is wired to the load ter- minals of a receptacle GFCI, power to the receptacle face will be denied. This require- ment applies to the initial in- stallation and any subsequent re-installations. To maintain UL certifica- tion, all manufacturers must meet these revisions with GF- CIs produced after 2015.
It is important for us as property owners to be aware of these and other changes because changes in codes and products can create an atmo- sphere where second rate coun- terfeit materials can flourish. The responsibility of not allow- ing substandard substitutes to be used at your properties becomes your responsibility, the person who has the last word; final say. The quality of the materials used is a critical factor to a suc- cessful project. Substandard fuses, circuit breakers, wiring devices, timers, switches, mo-
tors or anything electrical for that matter can cause fires, electric shock or explosion risks that may cost tenants or workers their lives, cause serious property damage and involve unpredictable financial liability to you. Fake compo- nent often will void warranties for entire systems and can also result in severe financial losses and liabilities for you the own- er. Think of it this way: who is going to be responsible when a counterfeit circuit breaker fails to trip and lives are put in jeopardy because of the risk of fire or other life safety issues?
So how do you protect your- self? How do you know you are getting what you bargained for? Although a lot of counter- feit parts originate in China, counterfeits could almost come from anywhere so the point of origin is not a surefire clue. How can you be sure what is being installed meets all of the current codes and is real, not just a great looking knock-off? Your first line of defense is dealing with reputable suppli- ers. Suppliers who are invested in their industry. Suppliers who understand and appreci- ate their responsibility to you the property owners. Owners should emphasize to all con- tractors and representatives the importance of using only the most up to date and au- thentic parts. Many manufacturers will tell you that nothing is safe from counterfeiting and coun- terfeits are often difficult to identify because of their de- signed appearance and pack- aging. The products them- selves are often sub-standard and may not perform like an authentic product. Manufac- tures claim that more than half of the counterfeit products produced have some sort of critical performance failure when tested. Fraudulent parts are not held to the same qual- ity control standards and are a big safety concern. Write your job specifications in such a way that they leave little room interpretation. Evaluating proposals from different organizations can sometimes be challenging however, if you make your specification strong enough, you can feel confident you will be receiving the desired level of service at the expected price without excessive change re- quests during the installation or repair. When evaluating price proposals be sure you are comparing apples to apples. It is important to ensure that the service, parts, or processes be- ing supplied are comparable. Large differences between pro- posals should raise a red flag. Remember, if a price looks to good to be true, then it might not be what it appears to be. Speak to one of our experts while at the POA show to learn more about some of the changes to the National Elec- trical Code that can impact your properties. Stop by the Jewel Electric Supply booth while at the POA show. n
performance that will pro- vide better p r o t e c t i o n from serious i n j ury and electrocution from electri- c a l s h o c k . Th e s e i m - provements include:
Bob Kilroy
1.) Auto-Monitoring or Self- Test function: This function allows for periodic, automatic testing of the ability of the
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Electrical Contractors State, Municipal & Government Hospital & Institutions Property Management & Hospitality Products we offer: Wire, Pipe, Fittings & Wiring Devices Switchgear, Panelboards, Motor Controls & Motors Lighting & replacement Lamps LED Retrofits, Fixtures and other Energy Efficient Products Sub-Metering Equipment Meters, Tools & Ladders Safety Devices & Equipment Fire Alarms, Smoke Detectors & Burglar Alarms Generators Services we offer: On time Deliveries to meet customer requirements 24/7 Emergency Response Inventory Management Project quotes Lighting & Energy Audits Customer Training
455 Third Street Jersey City, NJ 07302 Ph: 201-653-1613 Fx: 201-653-5470 Bob Kilroy bkilroy@Jewelelectric.com
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