JANUARY 2017 || VOLUME 53 || ISSUE 1
The future has arrived. Are you ready to respond? See page 5.
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from the EDITOR ANTHONY CAPKUN CONTENTS
The RIGHT BOX for the JANUARY 2017 || VOLUME 53 || ISSUE 1
RIGHT Environment Pre-buying, product support and other issues New Hinged Cover 48 recent EFC panel discussion with Peter Available on all 8" to 16" Series JBoxes, Calabrese of Black & McDonald and Rob the NEW Hinged Cover features: Smith of Guild Electric revolved around how both electrical contractors and their distributors are to remain relevant in the ✓ A removable cover that opens more Amarketplace. than 180º with easy access to While Smith admitted “The support [distributors] provide relieves some of the project planning pressure,” 14 56 install devices in the cover and they should not rest on their laurels. “Often, the guy on the other end of the phone [at the distributorship] is inside the box just an order-taker. He doesn’t support the product,” said Calabrese, adding distributors need to have in- Curtain walls & ceiling tricks at Halifax ✓ Nema 1,2,3R,4,4X,12,13 house product specialists. Central Library “Manufacturers are becoming our competition, then 14 The Jenga-like Halifax Central Library continues to reel in ✓ Back panels available for all sizes try to sell us product, too. There is definitely an erosion accolades, but it was business as usual for Easco Electric. of brand loyalty,” said Calabrese. ✓ Hand-close fastener tabs On how manufacturers can do better, Smith sug- When electrical product does not meet gested better education on the products themselves Canadian safety standards ✓ 100% nonmetallic and how to better sell them. 18 What do you do, who do you contact, when you suspect a One of the big issues both Calabrese and Smith potential safety concern with an electrical product? brought up several times is that of pre-purchasing by either the end user or, increasingly, the general con- The 2017 BlueBook Source Guide Larger Sizes 14" & 16" tractor... and the manufacturers who enable them. Our comprehensive buyers’ guide for the electrical market New “My biggest problem is the end user—especially 21 in Canada, with information on manufacturers and their general contractors these days—buying the product,” products, distributors, sales agents, service providers and Scepter JBox has expanded its offering to include said Smith. “We’ve had end users ask us what we need, associations. then go and buy it offshore. This complicates things like 14" and 16" molded PVC junction boxes...the approvals, having things onsite when you need them, The 5 Shades of Green of electric heat LARGEST available anywhere! and so on.” There has never been a better time to make the switch to With technological advances seemingly occurring 48 a greener heating solution, as electric heat systems are every day, it’s reasonable to assume not every journey- affordable, efficient, safe, clean and comfortable. ✓ Nema 1,2,3R,4,4X,12,13 man will know how to do everything. Both Calabrese and Smith believe future projects will involve varying Recapping PLUG 2016 Toronto ✓ 100% Nonmetallic degrees of specialization, whether it’s wireless controls, “Even large power consumers need creative energy building automation system integration, or what have management solutions on a tight budget.” ✓ you. 52 Hand-close fastener tabs “It’s hard to be specialized in every field, so we’ll Energy savings in this crystal ball ✓ Back panels available for sizes 6" and up have to depend on subs for specialized work,” said Fusion Energy & Nedco retrofit Montreal’s 5-Star Hotel Le Calabrese, noting, “Our problem will be getting guys 56 Crystal with LEDs and more. from the union hall who have the skills we need.” So there may be a skilled labour problem down the road... not with numbers, but skills. COLUMNS DEPARTMENTS FULLY CERTIFIED “As for the future of the electrician, we’re going to see more technicians and technologists,” said Calabrese. 12 Legal desk 4 Letters UL 50 / CSA C22.2 NO. 94.1, UL As such, “The IBEW has to become a union—not just Escrow Bid Documents... not new, 4 EBMag.com exclusives for electricians—but for people who install electrical but worth a look 6 Industry News 50E / CSA C22.2 NO. 94.2 , CSA product.” 12 Calendar C22.2 NO. 40 CSA C22.2 NO. 85 www.ipexna.com 62 Code File 58 Personalities Products are manufactured by IPEX Electrical Inc. Ground fault protection requirements 59 Products & Solutions
cover Photo courtesy Halifax Central Library Central Halifax courtesy Photo cover [email protected] for interconnected systems 61 Code Conundrum
EBMAG.COM January 2017 · ELECTRICAL BUSINESS 3
EB_Ipex_Oct.indd 1 2016-09-26 9:30 AM letters
Who is the victim, and who gets As for working without a permit... Leonard January 2017 || Volume 53 || Issue 1 all the cash? F. suggests a $5000 fine and 5 years’ jail time. The letter you published by Leonard F. Are you kidding? That’s more severe than ELECTRICAL BUSINESS is the #1 Canadian resource (EBMag September 2016, p.4) is typical of what some murderers and drug dealers might for electrical contractors, maintenance & engineering special interest groups who have tunnel vision get. Just to be sure, this is Canada, right? Not professionals, distributors, manufacturers and their for their own causes. His letter brings up a some Third World banana republic? agents, and associated stakeholders. number of points, and so does my response. To those who lobby for the exclusive right Any fee increase from Electrical Safety to do any and all electrical work, you are now Editor Anthony Capkun Authority is simply passed along to cus- trampling on the rights of home and business [email protected] tomers. ESA cannot inspect everything, so owners who like having the option of doing Group publisher John MacPherson a quality job still depends on the contractor. it themselves. Assuming you can eliminate [email protected] They should also make getting a all unlicensed contractors, the Master Licence easier, but ESA home/business owner will still be Account manager Deborah Taylor is basically a technical organ- We all know victimized, only now by opportun- [email protected] ization—they know little of the istic licensed contractors. how to do Assistant editor Renée Francoeur reality of doing business. a job to Restricting electrical materials [email protected] You can be technically perfect, to licensed electricians is not a using gold-plated components, technical new concept. The gas and HVAC Art director Svetlana Avrutin but you will find yourself losing perfection, vendors already refuse to sell [email protected] a lot of jobs to other contractors but how gas-specific supplies unless you Account Coordinator Kathryn Nyenhuis who are cheaper and whose work many of us can produce a licence, but where [email protected] is just good enough to keep the do we draw the line? Shall we customer from complaining. are willing to restrict auto parts to mechanics, Circulation manager Urszula Grzyb I hate to depend on ESA and the do it? pipes only to plumbers, and so on? [email protected] Ontario College of Trades to pro- Ever since TSSA took over gas Director of soul/COO Sue Fredericks tect me. No matter how high you licensing and inspection in the raise the bar on trade exams, the quality will name of safety (a well-worn word!), they’ve not significantly improve. After all, jobs often been encouraging gas contractors to watch Published by Annex Business Media go to the lowest bid, and the lowest bidder out for installations not meeting code when- 222 Edward Street, Aurora, Ontario L4G 1W6 rushes to finish the job. We all know how to do ever they enter someone’s house. When you Tel. 905-727-0077 • Fax 905-727-0017 a job to technical perfection, but how many of let a gas technician into your home, you’re Printed in Canada us are willing to do it? basically inviting him to a fishing expedition ISSN 0013-4244 for repairs. Publication Mail Agreement #40065710 I am sure Leonard F. would love having the Circulation EXCLUSIVELY AT power to go on similar electrical fishing exped- email: [email protected] itions, and he will get respect for them, too... at Tel: 416 442 5600 ext.3552 Fax: 416 510 5168 the bank, when he wheels in his wheelbarrow Mail: 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 EBMAG.COM full of cash. — Tony L., Toronto Subscription rates Canada: Single issue $7.00 “I’m sure the electrical con- 12 issues: $35.95 USA: $62.95 (US) tractors have been following International: $76.00 (US) per year the Internet of Things and wondering We always welcome your comments, Occasionally, Electrical Business will mail when and how that will affect them,” insights and article ideas. Got an information on behalf of industry related groups said John Selldorff, CEO of Legrand itch to write? Scratch it by emailing whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this North America at the company’s [email protected], or com- information, please contact our circulation launch of its latest global IoT solution ment directly on the items you see department in any of the four ways listed above. for the built environment: Eliot. Catch at EBMag.com. (N.B. letters may be The contents of Electrical Business are copyright the video at tinyurl.com/hf297c9. edited for clarity and brevity.) ©2016 by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. and may not be reproduced in whole or part without written consent. Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. disclaims EBMag was hounding the massive any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or floor of The Buildings Show in Decem- currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect of the results of any ber at the Metro Toronto Convention Video killed the radio star! action taken or not taken in reliance upon Centre, scouring Construct Canada If video is king, then we are the power information in this publication. behind the throne. Onsite or in our studio, as well as PM Expo and IIDEXCanada. we provide full-service corporate We acknowledge the [financial] support of See the gallery at tinyurl.com/ video filming and production. the Government of Canada. hq9kmav. Cue the red carpet!
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4 ELECTRICAL BUSINESS · January 2017 EBMAG.COM The future has arrived. Be ready to respond.
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