End Customer Links for Siemens & the Start of the 2013 Race Season

Hey Man,

Today we have some handy links from Siemens for you.
Mostly links and not much prose.
This past Sunday was my birthday, so I slacked off a bit.
 

 

Siemens Controls Homepage

Siemens Technical Application Requests

 

Cax - AutoCAD and Certificate Download Tool

 

SieLect - On-Line Configuration Tool

 

 

Siemens Industry Mall Catalog Test Drive

Now to REAL sports.

 2013 racing calender on SPEED
 

Jack Jr& Billy Johnson Win in Their Boss 302R in the Conti Tire Opener Before the 24Hr of Daytona

24Hr of Daytona Coverage on SPEED

I didn't get to watch the Conti Tire Season Opener, but the results looked interesting.
I did get to watch the last 3 hours of the 24HRs of Daytona live and it was quite good.
There was a lot of action for an endurance race as has become the modern standard.

cheers

The ElectricAlan

 

The Electrifying 2013 Houston Auto Show

Hey Man,

Watts up?
Electric Cars Man.

Today kicked off the 2013 Houston Auto Show. I was the with the local electric car club and Mustang club for the Ford press conference.
Texas is the center of the pickup truck universe and the F-150 and new Atlas concept trucks were big topics. Ford didn't bring the Atlas to Houston, but will soon.
The 50th anniversary of the Mustang celebration was discussed.  In the show you will see a Shelby GT-500, a 5.0GT and a Mustang Club of America edition Mustang. No Boss 302 this year.
The next big topic was the wide range choices Ford offers consumers with power trains.
I took a couple of camera phone pictures with my BlackBerry. Not quite iPhone quality.

Here we see the Ford plug in hybrid power train display, in the first photo.
On the left is the cut-a-way engine an don the right is the hybrid transaxel.
The second photo shows a close up of the electric motors in the transmission.
Ford and their technology partner Toshiba have moved production of the electric motors and generators to the USA from Japan. Toshiba now makes these pats right here in Houston.

The auto show has a lot of chances to drive new cars this year.
Also there a lot more brands than Ford to see.
Here is the link.
2013 Houston Auto Show

I think I need a plug in hybrid Shelby GT-500 so I can smoke all four tires with 1200HP!

cheers

The ElectricAlan

Last Chance Reminder City of Houston PV Code Training & a little basketball

Hey Man,

This is a first come first serve code training opportunity. I got this from the IEC Texas Gulf Coast Chapter. So this is just a forward of the news you can use. Contact information for them at the end.

PV Code Official Training Course Houston, TX January 22, 2013.
Registration from Jan 7th - Jan 21st.
To Register.
This work shop is intended to benefit the authorities having jurisdiction, (AHJs) such as inspectors, and code/fire officials who conduct inspections of PV systems

Please contact THEM with any questions:

Cheyenne Morgan

Research Technician, HARC
4800 Research Forest Dr., The Woodlands, Texas 77381
Office: 281.364.6010
cmorgan@harc.edu


Well I went a saw a little basketball yesterday. Sadly the Cougars only played a little.
The pare-game feature was Olympic Legend Carl Lewis signing autographs and speak some during the game. The Coogs got out to a 10 point lead and lost in over time.
The high point of the evening was a double early birthday celbration at Twin Peaks HWY290.

 

cheers

 

The electricAlan

New Texas Environmental Regs & College Hoops

Hey Man!


New regulations take effect March 1, 2013 in Texas on air quality. It will change how do things in the electrical and electronic industries.
Below is a notice we got from CRC:

                                            

 

 

Texas Administrative Code

Environmental Quality

Title 30 part 1 chapter 115 subchapter E

Rule 115.461

This ruling puts forth limitations of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) being expressed from solvents for the purpose of cleaning/degreasing.

·        Cleaners/Degreasers must have a low VOC rating

o       .42lbVOC/gal or 8.0 mm of mercury at 20’CS

o       This will rule out the most popular degreasers sold in Houston

·        Cleaning solvents supplied in aerosol cans are exempt from the VOC limits in 115.463 of this title if total use for the property is less than 160 fluid ounces per day.

o       This would mean that all products in aerosol put together that are used would have to be less than 160 ounces per day.

·        Electrical and electronic components are exempt from this rule

o       This means that if the product is energized then you are exempt

o       If it is being used on electronic components (circuit boards) then it is exempt as well.

This is effective March 1, 2013 and will be enforced by the TCEQ

Houston Cross reference for Chemicals not allowed as of March 1 2013(not my cross, you must confirm on your own, blah, blah,blah.)
CRC Part number	Description	Acceptable in Houston Metro	CRC replacement	Description
3110	Super Degreaser	no	2018	Lectra Clean
3910	Super Degreaser MUO	no	2018	Lectra Clean
3095	Heavy Duty Degreaser	no	2018	Lectra Clean
3115	T Force	no	2018	Lectra Clean
3180	Quick Clean	Yes
3185	Chlor Free Degreaser	no	3100	Insta Solv
3100	Insta Solv Degreaser	Yes
LPS part number	Description	Acceptable in Houston	CRC replacement	Description
1020	HDX	NO	2018	Lectra Clean
720	Instant Super cleaner	NO	2018	Lectra Clean
3520	Zero Tri Cleaner/degreaser	NO	3100	Insta Solv
4016	NO Flash	NO	3215	Electronic Degreaser
816	Electra X	NO	3150	Contact Cleaner 2000
Chemax Part number	Description	Acceptable in Houston	CRC replacement	Description
A114	Blast it	NO	2018	Lectra Clean
B350	Future II	NO	3100	Insta Solv
Zep	Description	Acceptable in Houston	CRC replacement	description
18101	Aerosolv II	NO	2018	Lectra clean
7201	Zep Elec II	NO	3150	Contact Cleaner 2000
9601	ID Red	NO	3100	Insta Solv
20301	Power Solv II	No	2018	Lectra Clean
2101	Power Solv 5000	NO	2018	Lectra clean
407	Nu Tri Clean	NO	2018	Lectra Clean
Sprayon Part number	Description	Acceptable in Houston	CRC replacement	description
SO20848LQ	heavy Duty electrical safety solvent	No	2018	Lectra Clean
SO20848	Flash Free Safety Solvent	No	2018	Lectra Clean
EL20846	Non chlorinated flash free safety solvent	No	3150	Contact Cleaner 2000
Jet Lube Part number	description	Acceptable in Houston	CRC replacement	description
61542	Clean up	NO	2018	Lectra Clean

 

CRC and everyone else is working to get new product to market.
CRC Global Home

3M Electrical Home

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Now that the Texans have lost out of the NFL playoffs all our attention can be on basketball.
The Houston Cougars are now 12 -3 overall  and 1-1 on conference play. I didn't make the long drive to Southern Miss on the 12th, but I did our win at home against SMU and their new Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown. UH scored first on a free throw of all things and soon was down 12 points.
UH rallied after a key substitution and went on for a hard fought 11 point win.


Cheers.

The ElectricAlan

 

New Year New Terminal Block?

Hey Man,

I hope you had a Christmas and New Years. We have one more holiday this month, but more on that later.
We have seen an uptick in termianl block interest of late. We feature the ABB Entrelec line here in the Texas District.
We have a wide offering with ABB Entrelec:
Wire to board pluggable 5.08mm
DIN rail mounted terminal with pluggable adapters.
Spring clamp.
Insulation displacment blocks and IDC/screw hybrids.
Railway blocks.
Power distribution blocks
High power blocks
Traditional screw clamp.
New  SNK screw clamp.
Instrument and meter test blocks for switchgear.
PLC interface modules.
A full line of signal conditioning modules.

Now is a good time to review what termianls you use. We can save you time in assembly, and in many cases save you money.

Below are some links.
Only 21 more shopping days untill my birthday y'all.
cheers
The Electricalan


ABB Entrelec Terminal block home page

ABB terminal video from APW 2010

ABB Automation & Power World 2013