Technical workshops are included with registration for the NECA Convention and Trade Show. Check out the full schedule of technical workshops online, as well as two additions to the Monday schedule!

Understanding Ground Resistance Testing
Monday, Oct. 6
12:30-1:20 p.m.
NECA Show Floor, Room 2

In today’s rapidly changing world of technology advances, good grounding is more important than ever to prevent costly damage and downtime to due to service interruptions and inoperative surge protection caused by poor grounds. Low ground resistance is required to meet NEC, OSHA and other electrical safety standards. Whether you’re performing regular ground testing on existing systems, troubleshooting power quality problems or designing grounding systems for new installations, a solid understanding of the ground and soil resistivity testing procedures and the equipment used in conducting these tests is essential.

This presentation will include all aspects of soil resistivity and ground resistance testing, as well as bonding. The 4-Point soil resistivity test and the 2- and 3-point (62% method)( ground resistance testing methods will be presented, along with the revolutionary clamp-on testing methods. Topics covered include:

• When and how to use each test method
• When and where to NOT use a text method
• Proper placement of auxiliary rods to conduct each type of test
• How to calculate the required ground electrode depth based on soil resistivity
• How to distinguish ground resistances measurements from loop resistance
• How to use the fall-of-potential method when it’s not practical to drive auxiliary rods
• How to test bonding resistance

Instructor: George Vlachos, AEMC Instruments

The Power of Green: How LED Technology Can Help You Meet Today’s New Standards and Regulations
Monday, Oct. 6
1:30-2:20 p.m.
NECA Show Floor, Room 2

Being “green” continues to be a hot topic, and one part of the equation calls for a reduction in electricity usage. The amount of electricity consumed can be dramatically reduced by leveraging innovative technologies, such as LED lighting. More and more, government agencies and industry organizations are emphasizing the importance of environmentally responsible building practices. As a result, new standards and regulations have emerged to encourage, and, in some cases, even require the use of compliant materials and technologies. Several of these standards apply to lighting.

Although much has been published about the energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly nature of LED sources, there is no “one size fits all” answer as to how they facilitate compliance with today’s various mandates. This in-depth discussion will highlight the rapid advancements in LEDs, where LEDs stand today in terms of cutting energy consumption, and several energy-and environment-related initiatives and how they are supported by the use of solid-state lighting.

Instructors: Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions (formerly Color Kinetics)