12B — June 23 - July 13, 2017 — Contractors/Subcontractors — Owners, Developers & Managers — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
www.marejournal.com
C ontractors /S ubcontractors
By Bob Kilroy, Jewel Electric Ground Fault Protection
R
function allows for periodic, automatic testing of the abil- ity of the GFCI to respond to a ground fault. If the Self-Test function detects a problem, the GFCI must deny power or provide visual and/or audible indication. 2.) Reverse line-load mis- fire function - repeated: If the line cable is wired to the load terminals of a receptacle GFCI, power to the receptacle face will be denied. This re- quirement applies to the initial installation and any subse- quent re-installations. To maintain UL certifica-
tion, all manufacturers must meet these revisions with GF- CIs produced after 2015 . It is important for all proper- ty owners to be aware of these and other changes; changes in codes and products can create an atmosphere where second- rate counterfeit materials flourish. The responsibility for not allowing substandard substitutes to be used at your properties becomes your re- sponsibility; 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, wir- ing devices, timers, switches, motors or any other electrical component for that matter can cause fires, electric shock or explosion risks that may cost tenants and/or workers their lives, cause serious property damage and involve unpredict- able financial liability to you. Fake components will often void warranties for entire sys- tems and can result in severe financial losses and liabilities to you the owner. Think of it this way: who is going to be responsible when a counterfeit circuit breaker fails to trip and
evisions to UL 943 re- quired manufacturers to make improvements
lives are put in jeopardy? That is right, you are! 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 the real McCoy, 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. Manymanufacturers will tell you that nothing is safe from counterfeiting and counterfeits are often difficult to identify because of their designed ap- pearance and packaging. The products themselves are often sub-standard and may not per- form like an authentic product. Manufactures claim that more than half of the counterfeit products produced have some sort of critical performance failure when tested. Fraudu- lent parts are not held to the same quality control standards and are a big safety concern. Write your job specifica- tions in such a way that they leave little room interpreta- tion. 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 being 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. Contact one of our experts at Jewel Electric to learn more about some of the many changes and revisions to the National Electrical Code that can impact your properties. n
i n Gr o und Fault Circuit I n t e r r u p - tion (GFCI) 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 electrical shock. These improvements include: 1.) Auto-Monitoring or Self-Test function: This Bob Kilroy
Markets we serve: Commercial Industrial Residential
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
Markets we serve:
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