Showing all posts by Felix Shelton

In Engineering Blog

Obvious Similarities of an Enclosure and a Flamenco

Author Felix SheltonPosted on
Obvious Similarities of an Enclosure and a Flamenco

The dance lessons continue and I’m learning more than I thought I would. Really, I always assumed it was one or two moves and then just add in some flair, like dips or a fancy foot move. But no, there are STEPS to these dances. And one must know them in a specific order, from start to finish, so that as part of a couple, he or she can lead or be led. Blows my mind really. So are there other processes in life that we must follow exact steps in order to correctly complete the process? Why, I’m glad you asked. Yes, yes there are.

It is surprising to know that are obvious similarities of Flamenco to an enclosure. Actually almost all form of dances is similar to the process of building an enclosure. Dancing is not akin to just forming the steps and just adding extra poses to make it brilliant. The dancer should know how to give the steps and dance gracefully by order. There is no brilliant thing that is done overnight. There are crucial steps that are needed to take in order to lead the dance and be able to finish it gracefully. This is just really amazing when you think that in also in life, you need to take slow processes for you to master the exact steps and be ready to make and complete what it is needed to be done.

With this in mind, I would like to help you understand this by illustrating how a plastic enclosure’s lid is secured by following these steps. For your reference, here are the steps below:

1. First, arrange the screws on the cover and seal them by threading them through the cover holes. There are different holes for different types of screws. For the enclosure cover, it accommodates WA, WC, & WP series. These are considered to be captive screws that is primarily made for stainless stell.

2. After the first step is done, this is the time to have the cover placed over the base or the bottom half of the enclosure. Then arrange the screws or align on the cover over the corresponding holes on the base.

3. Have the screws loosely assembled in the cover in sequence until the screws are already finger tight.

4. Have the screws tighten up to a torque of 8-inch pounds. To achieve a better accuracy, use a torque screw.

5. To make sure that the sealed joint is tight enough and the gasket covered is properly aligned, inspect everything. It should be aligned with the lip in the body. For the 4-hole covers, the engineer should have the middle of the cover be squeezed tight against the base of the enclosure. There are times that when doing this on a larger enclosure you will hear a snap noise. Do not worry because this is a normal scenario and it just indicates that the sealing lip in the base is now properly seated and aligned with the cover gasket.

In Engineering Blog

What does Trade Agreement happen Between Advances Amidst Tariffs

Author Felix SheltonPosted on

In today’s United States government, the trump administration made success in the conclusion of negotiations happened last September 30. This is the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). The agreement was hastened its notifications to Congress on October 16 because of its intention to enter into new trade talks together with the European Union, Japan, and United Kingdom.

Because of these agreements and happenings – there are four actions that were already set in motion. 60 days till USMCA will be signed and this also happened 90 days before there are new proposed negotiations that will take place. Whilst reviewing the terms included in the USMCA agreement, NEMA is now on the verge of consulting with its members their objectives for the EU, UK, and Japan talks. All of these are happening while there are navigating tariffs that helps in the importation of steel, Chinese-made products, equipment, & components as well as aluminum.

In line with this, there economic espionage happening. Last November 1, the then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray made an announcement that there has been new broad initiatives taking place to contradict the impact of the criminal economic activity started by China.

“The Chinese government is determined to acquire American technology, and they’re willing [to] use a variety of means to do that—from foreign investments, corporate acquisitions, and cyber intrusions to obtaining the services of current or former company employees to get inside information,” said the then FBI director.

“If China acquires an American company’s most important technology—the very technology that makes it the leader in a field—that company will suffer severe losses, and our national security could even be impacted. We are committed to continuing to work closely with our federal, state, local, and private sector partners to counter this threat from China,” Wray concluded.

In line with this, the senior of the Justice Department official told NEMA the main tool for the interagency integration initiative is no other than prosecution brought about by certain individuals and companies in case there is a trade-secret theft. One of the efforts given for the expansion of the prosecutions were under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Foreign Agents Registration Act. As well as there is an existing implementation happening together with the Treasury Department. The said department is now under the new Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act. This helps the government to expand and increase its authority on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.

In Engineering Blog, Literary News

The Partnership between NEMA & SASO regarding Collaboration on Certain Standards

Author Felix SheltonPosted on
The Partnership between NEMA & SASO regarding Collaboration on Certain Standards

The President of the NEMA organization and the Chief Executive Officer CEO Kevin J. Cosgriff, has recently traveled to Saudi Arabia, Riyadh last October to close and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) on a Technical Cooperation Program (TCP). This meeting’s agenda is to have a discussion about the TCP and the potential opportunities that can be created if the partnership takes place. Mr. Cosgriff met with Dr. Saad Othman Al-kasabi, the governor of SASO discussed the role of the latter in making sure that the safety of Saudi Arabians when using end-products such as consumer products, transportation, as well as infrastructure. 

The TCP also outlines how the NEMA and SASO can effectively work together as a team to make this happen. The NEMA also granted SASO open access to the former’s standards and publication journals so that SASO will be able to carefully study them and make them as their reference in their products and processes. SASO has been given the privilege to access this wonderful opportunity but these come with an expansive set of responsibilities on Saudi Arabia’s government end. This also includes the safety of the final users of transportation services as well as the electrical standards in making sure that these sectors perform well. The TCP, however, should foster the relationship happening between the two organizations that will also allow NEMA to be able to effectively assist SASO in terms of its Standards developing process. 

Ever since SASO has MOUs with only a handful of other organizations who are also concerned about this matter. This TCP will greatly enhance the partnership between NEMA and SASO, and this will also make sure that the end-users in the kingdom can be granted access to quality, genuine, and good products only applicable to its electrical infrastructure. 

In conclusion, NEMA made an agreement with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Market Access Consortium (KSAMAC) that is geared in maintaining the fair market access to the kingdom by efficiently working directly with other companies concerned in the country, SASO, the United States Trade Representative’s Office, and the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia. 

In Engineering Blog, Literary News

The Integrations of Increased Growth in Renewable & Distributed Resources

Author Felix SheltonPosted on
The Integrations of Increased Growth in Renewable & Distributed Resources

In today’s news, there has been a recent conclusion from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that we are on the right track in seeing the global temperatures currently rising by 1.5°C as early as 2030. With the recent United States government headed by President Trump, the latest National Climate Assessment also tells us that the absence of great reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases, the consequences of which (in terms of its annual economic consequences) is projected to reach by hundreds of billions of dollars at the end of this century. 

However, until recently, the sector of electricity was proven to be the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States alone. Though the combination of significant reductions and improved energy efficiency derived from the renewable and natural-gas generation has started to make the electricity sector emissions decline by a good 28% since last 2005. It is also cost-effective. However, this does not totally eliminate the problem. According to IPCC, the emissions in form of carbon dioxide gases should be reduced by 45% compared to the 2010 level for the next 12 years. This is to avoid the worst effect of climate changes happening around the globe. This will also likely requires the implementation of the electrification on other parts of the US economy. Specifically in the transportation sector which then now is United States’ main source of greenhouse gas emissions. 

In line with this and regardless of the big challenges ahead, the existing technology helps in the overall reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions. We now find that the solar generation has been continuously growing at good exponential rates. And it now produces as much as 60& to 70% of total electricity consumption in different & diverse markets such as California and the Southwest Power Pool. 

By repeating the mindless mantra that says “the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow all the time” it helps in the ignoring of the technologies we currently have today that addresses the different variability of the renewable energy resources. For example, some of the operational protocols and the coordination happening between greater regionals produces smoothened ebbs and flows of different variability in generation technologies. This also helps in the accommodation in different fluctuations happening in various demands. Also, the energy storage technologies existing today (such as batteries, pumped hydro, and compressed air) have the potential to increase the flexibility of the grid and it greatly reduces the electricity cost being produced during peak periods. 

In contrast to this, there is no possibility to achieve a decarbonized electric generation sector without the presence of a robust grid. Even if the United States possesses some of the best renewable energy resources there is, these are often placed on remote locations. The accessibility of these will require a significant investment that should happen in the long-haul transmission facilities. The development of these interregional transmission in the infrastructure has posted great potential in delivering billions of dollars worth in savings brought to consumers. Because of the reduction in congestion and releasing recent renewable projects trapped in synergy queues across United States. 

In Engineering Blog

Different Ways on how to Leverage and Use the Power of Grid in Transitions

Author Felix SheltonPosted on
Different Ways on how to Leverage and Use the Power of Grid in Transitions

With the recent developments in the technology today, there is a transition that is happening from the perspective of a predictable grid – these comes with one of the few sources of energy that is happening when we monitor some of the control points to come up with a new dynamic monitoring system and control points. With this in mind, there are three categories in which we can effectively change the motivation for this transition: 

  1. the consumers’ low and decreased acceptance for power outages 
  1. the onset of increase in importance of cybersecurity 
  1. And the community’s genuine desire to have the employment of more renewable energy resources that can be used for electricity and consumption. 

With this in mind, these changes will definitely require greater effort from the grid and its other supporting systems. One of the most successful models in the resilience of yet flexible system is the existence of the internet. The architects are designed to withstand the definite losses of some of the network segments while continuing the main functionalities. 

As the community works for the global utility of the customers, we are now seeing many utilities that are starting to rethink and reshape the modern smart grid requirements. The emergence of this from the architectural construct is to meet the new divergent requirements while maintaining the most fundamental principles such as safety and reliability. 

However, in similarity of the internet, some of the modular federation of the existing microgrids from the architectural models increases its resilience to come up with broad possibilities in any given situation. Even if there are segments of the electrical and information networks that are now being non-operational. With this in mind, some of the microgrids are determined to have interconnection sections included in the grid even if there are intended to act within the central coordination. But this enables the said function to function locally especially when there are reconfigurations happening even if there are isolations caused by certain events. 

In some of the urban and suburban locations, reconfigurations are most common. However, while in rural, island or some developing areas. The existing sub systems may be isolated (electrically or from the central data communications) 

One of the main elements included in this transition is both of the electrical network and its other supporting information of network are now started to become more modular than ever. Each component should be able to stand the reconfiguration or the potential loss that may occur between the central connections. The effort should be continued even the functionality in the safest manner or way. 

As for the electrical grids that are becoming more diverse and dynamic, the support information and networks has now started to become even more mission-critical. During the isolation, some of the microgrids can now leverage the peer-to-peer communications and some of the distributed energy resources can now respond very quickly to ever-changing local conditions. 

In Literary News

The 21st Century’s Lighting Revolution: What is it all about? Part 2

Author Felix SheltonPosted on
The 21st Century’s Lighting Revolution: What is it all about? Part 2

The Department of Energy actually did was in last 2017, they stated that the number of light bulb classifications the Congress has explicitly stated are not included in the formal definition of the general service lamp. However, these classifications are now included. The lamps that are being included in classifications of specialty light bulbs are differentiated according to their special applications, sizes, and bulb shapes. 

To be more specific, DOE separated the incandescent reflector lamps, directional light bulb (this is commonly known as spot or flood lights used to focus lighting to a specific area) small decorative light bulbs that comes with different shapes of a candle flame, small globe round shape lamps, and light bulbs that are tubular shaped which are commonly used in orcherstra or furniture displays. 

With this in mind, the Department of Energy included the light bulbs that cannot be screwed or installed on the common general service lamp socket because they tend to have a smaller candelabra lamp base. They also have the intermediate sized bases for lamp bases that can come in a plug-shaped pin that can be also installed on a wall, ceiling or floor receptacles. The Congress never stated that these type of light bulbs are classified as general service lamps. 

With these facts together, it is not right to depend the alleged rollback for energy saving to be heavily dependent on the removal of incandescent versions of the mentioned specialty lamps just because of the illegal and misconstrued definition of a general service lamp. This claim is not cognizable. 

The Energy Savings Claim is Being Exaggerated. 

During the course of rulemaking about the general service lamps happened from 2014-2017, Department of Energy the congressional appropriations rider that has limited ability to allocate appropriated funds to effectively implement energy conservation rulings for these special type of incandescent lamps. This is done so that it could not be researched, collected, or even look at the data gathered about these lamps. 

In effect, the Department of Energy was going data blind that concerns about the general service incandescent lamps or other types of these lamps. Even if a citizen submitted information about these incandescent lamps to the department, DOE will not bother to even look at it. NEMA did this and DOE refused to even consider it. 

The importance of DOE’s restrictive interpretation, is it shows that the Department of Energy was not primarily concerned in effectively tracking an economic event that is currently taking place. The NEMA and other NGO bodies (from energy efficiency community) are heavily dependent on this interpretation. There is now a rapid adoption of LED lighting technology that leads the way to even more drastic decline in worldwide installations and shipments of incandescent lights happening since 20003.  

With this in mind, the general service lamp decline was now being tracked by the Department of Energy. However, the body failed to capture the effects of the recent decline, more so from recent years. The body’s estimates already ended in 2015, and they failed to capture a drastic fall in years 2016, 2017, and 2018. 

In Blog

The 21st Century’s Lighting Revolution: What is it all about? Part 1

Author Felix SheltonPosted on
The 21st Century’s Lighting Revolution: What is it all about? Part 1

With today’s recent developments in technology, there is a revolution happening in lighting industry and it is being organized by consumers, retailers as well as manufacturers. The energy savings goal was now achieved for the standard light bulbs. It was implemented and sought by Congress in 2007. However, the tipping point has already happened. This scenario is not about the “rolled back” instituted and planned by the government as others may have argued.

The engineering colleagues in the energy efficiency advocacy community are making it to a point to make the Department of Energy (DOE) should roll back the proposal about energy savings that can rectify a significant error. This error is done by DOE in 2017 and the body would like the department to realign its regulatory actions with legal authority Congress has assigned to the DOE in general service lamps.

It is true that DOE should not prescribe any amended standards for energy conservation because it can increase the maximum allowable energy used. At the same time it can also decrease the minimum required efficiency for energy. However, this is not the case.

Then what is the real issue here? Let us clarify on this. The major problems lies within the rollback claim.

First, the claim solidifies what Department of Energy did last 2017. The body defined the general service lamps to include bulbs that are not general service lamps in nature. It is illegal. The body cannot just make a rollback from a place where Congress effectively stated that DOE does not have a legal right to do this on the first place. If this is the case otherwise, it can unconstitutionally subordinate Congress to federal agencies, in this case the Department of Energy.

Second, the energy savings that are reportedly being lost during the energy transfer are based on unreliable statistical data. The singular reliance of the report published by Lawrence Berkeley National Labs (LBNL), a branch of Department of Energy done in January 2017 was done on a bad faith. The data was not updated. Because the data used was directly related to domestic shipments that happened on different types of incandescent lamps and these were installed based on the lamps that use domestic light bulb sockets.

The number stated by the Lawrence Berkeley National Labs are believed to be exaggerated on unrealistic proportions and does not reflect actual numbers. LBNL failed to get the data showing the significant decline in shipments and installation of the incandescent lights of the past decade. This is because of the growing purchases for first compact fluorescent substitutes. This is now what we call the light-emitting diode (LED) substitutes for incandescent lamps.