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Nuts and Bolts of
Grounding
I have been designing quite a few small off-grid solar
power systems for end-users who want to run livestock water pumps,
remotely-located flow meters, emergency call-boxes, etc. Many times grounding is
the last item addressed, so I’d like to present a little Grounding 101 class for
you who have courageously ventured into the arena of off-grid solar and wish to
properly protect your investment.
What s Grounding? Grounding is essentially the sending of
electricity into the ground. Grounding is used to control dangerous
over-voltages, making equipment and personnel safer by providing a low-impedance
path (oath of least resistance) for any unintended voltage that is
 present
on the metal parts of equipment, i.e. a “zero volts” condition on all metal
parts. Soil composition and environmental conditions determine soil resistance
around your ground, including moisture content (more is better), mineral levels
(more ions is better), and temperature (warmer is better).
What Should You Ground? You will want to ground any
electrical system that has the potential to over-voltage enough to cause damage
to personnel or valued equipment. For instance, there’s no need to ground a
small flash light — it won’t hurt anyone, and it’s cheap and easy to replace.
You will, however, want to ground your —48VDC 2000 amp telecom switch. In the
case of solar-powered
Systems, the panels are frequently mounted on the top or
side of a pole, and can make quite an attractive lightning rod. Often that
system will include a radio antenna mounted on a ten to twenty foot high pole.
Equipment performance can also be affected by intermittent interruptions that
can be caused by a poorly-designed grounding sys tem, so best to do it right
from the start.
How Should You Ground? For process control and
telecommunications circuits, the vast majority of Grounding and Bonding
specifications recommend a resistance to ground of 5 ohms or less. The earth
itself is a poor conductor of electricity, but given enough patting area,
resistance can be brought quite low. This is often obtained through the use of
deeply-driven ground rods or other earth-penetrating metal piping. Ground rods
are typically copper or copper-clad, and sunk at least 8’ into the ground. Metal
water pipes (not PVC) are often used if they provide sufficient patting area.
Never ground to metal gas pipes, as they could explode when supplied with an
ignition source such as a lightning strike.
Take a look at an off-grid solar power system, such as the
ones we make to power flow meters at remote gas pipeline sites (see the Solar
Off-Grid Customer Application Profile on the next page). It has one 4.5 watt
solar panel and a 12V 100-Ah battery backup. The greatest source of danger from
over-voltage at these sites is a lightning strike to the 20’ high antenna. The
entire power system is essentially metallic and well-connected — a strike to any
part of it would severely damage all the electrical components if not
sufficiently protected. A 5/8”, 8’ copper-clad ground rod is driven into the
ground, a copper ground rod clamp firmly fastened to it, and #6 stranded copper
ground wire run into the steel battery cabinet and securely attached. All of the
other power equipment is wired inside the battery cabinet. Since the remainder
of the system wiring is #12 copper stranded with an ampacity of 20, and the #6
ground wire has an ampacity of 75, electricity flowing through the
System from a lightning strike will flow through the more
accessible path — the larger-ampacity ground wire — and then straight to the
ground rod, to be dissipated into the surrounding earth.
The components for the grounding system are quite
inexpensive, and well worth the effort to install. If you lose equipment due to
over voltage, not only will you have the expense of replacing it, you will also
have the expense of your systems down time. Intermittent operation due to poor
grounding is frustrating and can damage components as well. According to the
Electrical Power Research Institute, “electrical wiring and grounding defects
are the source of 90% or all equipment failures”. The best course of action is
to eliminate the causes, starting
With proper grounding procedures and practices (NEC Article
250-5 1 and CEC Article 10-500).
Solar
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Solar Lighting
and the New
Solar LED Lighting
All components needed for installation are
included (except for the mounting pole). The systems
are designed for installation onto a wood, concrete,
or metal mounting pole. You may choose to use your
own pole or we can quote the poles separately from
the lighting system itself.
These units can be used for: Area lighting,
Billboards lighting, Dock lights, Park lighting,
Parking lot lighting, Parkway lighting, walkway
lighting, Street lighting, Transit Lighting, Outdoor
area lighting.
Explosion proof Lighting fixtures: explosion
proof light fixture is ideal for wet/damp or
hazardous. Hurricane Proof LED Lighting -
Seismic Restraint LED
OkSolar solar LED Parks
Lighting
Change This type of
unsafe setup for
More information Lcick Here!
How to Retrofit Street Lights with LED by IQLED
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IP Video
OK-IP
Video Anywhere!
Solar Powered, wireless Got
facilities you need to keep an eye on? Oftentimes they're several
miles from your headquarters and, worse, you can't get any
electricity (let alone Ethernet) to an exterior location where you'd
like to mount a camera. Companies with remote or hard to access
assets, such as oil and gas pipelines, bridges or rural properties,
have not had an effective, economical solution for protecting those
assets. |
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Easy to retrofit LED streetlights can easily
retrofit existing metal halide,
high pressure sodium and mercury vapor luminaries.
Your next scheduled QLED maintenance will be in 5 to
8
years!
with our IQ Retrofit Lamps
IQLED Unlike bulb streetlights,
IQLED lighting
modules produce very intense light in tightly
control IQLED directions. There is no longer a need for
reflectors or cut-off shields to minimize light
pollution and trespass. With IQLED energy
usage less than 20% and lifespan more than seven
times that of conventional streetlights, payback
occurs very early in a long life cycle.
 High
Power Led Tunnel and Subway Light:
Revolutionary Photometric Design-The world’s first
dedicated optical system(rectangular beam focusing
lens): Reasonable control of the light distribution,
spot rectangular bean pattern ,and ensure an ideal
uniformity of brightness on the road surface,
eliminate the glare and keep the LED lighting efficiency on a high level, no light pollution
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Weatherproof for coastal climates
Vibration resistant for tunnels and bridges
Withstand 160 MPH winds
Saving energy and money.
The new IQ LED lens fixtures use less energy,
helping to keep operating costs down. After
three years, The City will regain the cost of
installing the new fixtures from energy and
maintenance savings.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Using
less electricity reduces the emissions produced
by gas and coal-burning generators. When the IQ
LED Streetlights project is completed, carbon
dioxide emissions will be reduced.
Reducing glare to increase visibility.
Glare from street lights is significantly
reduced with the new IQ LED's street-light
fixtures, increasing visibility by directing
light onto the roadway and preventing it from
shining into the eyes of motorists.
Reduce excessive lighting and light
pollution. New ways of designing and
providing street lighting have been developed in
the last several years.
Maintaining a safe level of lighting. Street
lighting on residential and collector roads will
continue to meet minimum Illuminating
Engineering Society (IES) guidelines.
If your City is committed to
savings and reduce the level of light pollution
by using the most efficient IQ LED
street-light fixtures and employing the latest
design methods.
Hurricane Proof LED
Lighting - Seismic Restraint LED
 High
Power LED Street Light: High Power Led Streetlight: Designed to eliminate glare, light trespass, and sky
glow, the LED street lights only shine light at
ground level. Multiple colors Temperature from 3000K
to 7500K are available, suitable for different area
and situation. The Power varies from from small
security yard, to Major road. The lamp applies high
power LED. Fine cooling system applied. The average
life time of the system can be high up to 50,000
hours, lighting 10-11 hours a day, the light can be
used for more than 11 years.
LED Tunnel Light
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Tremendous Energy Saving: Used the ultra high
power, high brightness LED light source
,together with the high power efficiency power
supply, which can save energy 50%-80% than the
conventional sodium and mercury lamp
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Intelligent current control, achieve the
precision constant current: Each LED module can
implement intelligent current control, whatever
power network how to wave, it is able to achieve
the precision constant current, ensure the LED
can work under the secure curren
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No
Strobe Flashing: Eliminate the visual fatigue
which caused by the strobe lights of the
traditional tunnel lamps.
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Perfect Support intelligent control: such as
combine Tunnel lighting starts shortly as
trait(<2 seconds), Adopt the newest technology
of tunnel lighting intelligent control, when no
vehicles pass tunnel, It can put out most of
lamps, when vehicles pass tunnel entrance at
within 500m area, It can start lighting
automatically. So It has solved the problem of
smaller tunnel traffic which no vehicles pass
the tunnel will waste a great deal of electric
power sources. Supply a new idea “establish
saving society” to city road management
Contact us today!
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Transportation:
IQ Traffic Control Transportation:
Ever-demanding traffic and rail signal applications
require a constant reliability 24 hours a day, 365
days a year. By applying
IQTraffiControl
Illuminations
LED signals in place of older fluorescent or
incandescent technologies, municipalities, rail
yards
and transit operators can benefit from recurring
energy savings, lower maintenance costs and reduced
safety concerns. School Warning flasher signal, Solar
Powered School warning flasher signal Manufacturer
and Distributor, school warning flasher signal,
solar powered school warning flasher signal
 OkSolar.com traffic solar powered Speed Awareness
displays have been designed to assist transportation
departments in promoting speed limit compliance and
traffic safety, regardless of power availability.
Our school warning signal packages are the
cost-effective solution to you r pedestrian safety
problems. Using a combination of solar power and
energy-efficient LED lights, we provide complete
safety solutions with minimal installation cost by
eliminating the need for tunneling power lines to
the unit.
Ice on Bridge Warning system |
 Transportation
Accessories:We
offer an extensive line of proprietary
precision-lenses signals that direct 90 percent
of all
light toward the
motorist, ensuring compliance with ITE, Caltrans, Energy Star and
many other state and municipal DOT specifications. Products include
red, yellow and green modules, using state-of-the-art, Hi-Flux LED
technology; arrows including the industry's first bi-modal unit; and
a variety of pedestrian signals.
Increase the public safety and reduced traffic congestion by
 allowing
traffic lights to function even during a power failure. A
typical traffic signal intersection experiences eight to ten local
power outages annually. With IQUPS battery backup power, some or all
the traffic control signals can continue to operate. This seamless
switchover to battery power increases public safety and eliminates
the need to dispatch police or other service personnel to direct
traffic. If all traffic signals were converted to LEDs, the battery
backup system would allow full operation of the traffic signals
during a power outage, thus alleviating traffic congestion.
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Power
The SPDC/AC unit was designed to be
easily expanded: power units can range from 2,000
Watts to 10,000 Watts. Its flexible platform design
allows it to be easily
 customized for use with area
lighting, remote communications, security systems,
and surveillance equipment, to name a few
applications. Charge power alone can be
doubled or
tripled with the addition of simple, cost-effective
photovoltaic capture equipment. Pre-assembled & Factory Tested
UPS Uninterruptible Power Supplies |
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GeneralCommunications
Communicating - Alerting - Warning!
Audible signaling, Visual Signaling, Wireless.
Portable Radio Remote Controls: A signal for every signal need.
Radio Remote Control for cranes, locomotives, material handling
equipment, mining machinery, mobile equipment, ship loaders,
agricultural machinery, and virtually any equipment where the
operator can be moved to a safer, more efficient location signals
that can be both seen and heard.
 Automation signaling works best when you partner with an experienced
source, one with a track record of product innovation and technical
leadership. GC signals come with innovative features that meet all
your signaling applications needs. From simple horns and bells to
demanding factory automation signaling utilizing your PLC or
Device net network, wireless, powered by Solar and Fuel Cells, GC
provides complete factory solutions. Find out what makes signaling
sense to you!
Remote Controls
Applications include: Products for material handling applications
like Underground Mining, Processing & Airport Transportation
industries, Military Applications, Whether your application requires
SPEED MONITORING,
REMOTE CONTROLS, Security environments we can OEM
at your specs, Remote areas Control and Visualization. Visual and
Airport Suppliers Find Runway lights, runway lighting, Runway End
Identifier Lights, Heliport Lighting/Navigational Aids, and
Obstruction Lights, Transportation, Airports, Operations and
Maintenance, Supplies and Equipment. Signal Solutions for
industrial, commercial, institutional and security applications.
Everything you need to satisfy your customer for OSHA, ADA or
Process control signal requirements |
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Visual Signals: Complete line of electronic audible
and visual signals
for indoor outdoor & hazardous locations
wireless controls
 Catalog
describes our complete line of electronic audible
and visual signals for indoor, outdoor, and
hazardous locations. Signaling & Security Systems
Catalog including two-line Workstation Message
Centers, Chameleon LED multi-status indicators,
industrial
weatherproof and
marine-rated hazardous location
beacons, and outdoor-rated hazardous location bells
and horns.
Status
Indicators,
102
Series
Trilateral
Stackable Status Indicator
Device Net Compatible PLC Compatible |
   Aviation
Lighting
Solar Powered FAA Appubed L-810The Runway Guard Light is used to enhance the
visibility of taxiway holding positions. Two fixtures are installed
on opposite sides of the
taxiway holding position line.
Crouse-Hinds. Lighting The Way OkSolar.com and
IQAirport.com power it with
Green
reliable Solar Power contact us today!
Airport Lamps, bulbs and parts
    
MIL-STD-810E, FAA MIL-STD-810E, FAA L-810, FAA L810,
FAA L-861, FAA L861, FAA L-862, FAA L862, FAA L-864,
FAA L864
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 Explosion
Proof Fixtures uses LED bulbs
24VDC, 120VAC 277VAC, 50 - 60 hertz
UL Listed for Standard 844
IQLED has been making
Explosion proof LED Lighting systems
Construction Features Lamp compartment is factory sealed from wiring
chamber, eliminating on-the-job sealing. Inspection hole provides easily
accessible splice space. There is nothing to hold while splicing to
line. Set screw to stem keeps fixture from turning during relamping.
Three close-up plugs furnished with four hole junction box. Mounting
lugs are standard. |
Portable Ok-Power pack
Ok-xPower 1600 is a
portable
solar powered system that can supply
up to 1500 watts of household electricity – enough to run almost any
electronic product or appliance you might connect to your wall
outlet at home. Ok-xPower 1600 consists of a battery pack
that stores electrical energy, state-of-the-art electronics that
convert 12 volts from the battery pack to household power, an AC
power panel that contains two standard outlets, and a DC power panel
that is used to run 12 volt products. These components are packaged
into a rugged “cart” with a removable waist handle that allows Ok-xPower 1600 to be wheeled from room-to-room or outdoors
over rough terrain. |
OkSolar military
power requirements. The overall benefits
of our military solar power products are
to, enable extended missions, improve
logistics by enabling
 field charging
thereby reducing the number of batteries
in the field and provide a significant
cost reduction when compared to primary
batteries.
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Hospital Products
Now you can add wireless emergency buttons to al most
any nurse call system with Pull Cord Alert link
Nurse Call systems
 7035
Nurse Call Annunciator
4 Bull's-eye lamps Provides both visual and audible signals Brushed
stainless steel finish The Edwards 7035 Nurse Call Annunciator
provides an unmistakable indication when a patient or resident...MORE
Ambulance and EMS
Inverters Hospital Grade 
se Fleet Power Inverter/Chargers and OkSo lar Portable Generators to power:
• Ambulances
• Fire Trucks
• Rescue Vehicles |
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Off-grid combined wind and diesel solutions for
island nations, farms, remote areas, cell
towers, exploration equipment, backup power &
water pumps for natural gas mines; rapid
deployment diesel & wind solutions (to include
airdrop) to disaster areas for power to
emergency and medical equipment, water pumps;
on-grid applications for farms, factories,
remote communities; and wind farm deployments.
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Deka Military/Ordnance batteries out rank the requirements
for power and reliability.
Specially designed to meet military
 specifications.
Certificate of compliance available upon advance request.
Available Wet or Dry Charged. 2HN, 4HN and 6TL sizes
available
Rail Road:
Available in 32-volt unitized design or individual 8-volt
units.
Deka Unitized Locomotive Starting batteries at 32-volts
are available from 2395 amps to 3415 amps @ the 5 second
rate @ 77°F to 1.00 VPC and 450 to 650 AH @ the 8 hour
capacity @ 77°F to 1.75 VPC.
 8-volt
Locomotive Starting batteries are available from 1665 amps
to 3415 amps @ the 5 second rate @ 77°F to 1.00 VPC and 330
AH to 650 AH @ the 8 hour capacity @ 77°F to 1.75 VPC.
Batteries -
Deka
PDF files -
Dynasty PDF files
Enclosures and Cabinets |
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Inverter/Charger Available in 12 - 24- and
48-volt models, it provides utility-grade output
power and offers high surge capacity
105 VAC/60 Hz - 105 VAC/50 Hz - 120 VAC/60 Hz - 220
VAC/60 Hz - 230 VAC/50 Hz
-DC to DC Converters
-DC to DC Converters Din Rail
-Din Rail Linear Power Supplies
-DIN Rail power supplies
-Din Rail Single Phase Power Supplies
-Din Rail Unregulated Line Power Supplies
-Din Rail Voltage Regulator
-Inverters Accessories
-Inverters DC/AC
-Mini Power
-Power Supplies
-Power Transformers
-Transformer
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