EC&M Code Change Conference
Sept. 12-13, 2017
Cleveland, OH
NECA 2017
Oct. 7-10, 2017
Seattle, WA
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| Replace or Upgrade? Take the Switchgear Quiz! |
Schneider Electric has developed a 7 question quiz to help determine if you should upgrade or replace switchgear. Take the
quiz today!
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| Participating PEARL Technician Certification Program Companies |
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Advanced Electrical & Motor Control
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Breaker Hunter, Inc.
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Carolina Precision Switchgear, Inc.
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Circuit Breaker Sales, Inc.
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Civic Recycling & Equipment
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Instel Power Products
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National Switchgear
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North American Switchgear, Inc.
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| Oregon Breakers, Inc. |
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Potomac Testing, Inc.
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Quality Switchgear, Inc.
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RG Industries
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ROMAC
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RS Electrical Supply, Inc.
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Shermco Industries
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South East Switchgear, LLC
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Southland Electrical Services, Inc.
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SouthWest Electrictech Services
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Western Electrical Services, Inc.
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WideSpread Electrical Sales, LLC
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The PEARL Family during Hurricane Harvey
Our hearts and prayers go out to those who are affected  by Hurricane Harvey. We have many of our member companies and their families that have been affected by this tragedy. This brings to mind why we have PEARL; we are a group of like-minded companies that are here to support each other. As we have members that are digging out, this is where the support of the PEARL family becomes a huge asset and part of the value proposition. PEARL companies are willing and available to help each other through this difficult time; whether it is providing additional staff, needed expertise, parts or equipment, the PEARL organization is here to provide support.
Wishing you the best,
Howard Herndon,
PEARL President
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NEMA Harmonizes Maintenance Standards for Molded-Case Circuit Breakers
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) published a new version of NEMA AB 4-2017 Guidelines for Inspection and Preventive Maintenance of Molded-Case Circuit Breakers Used in Commercial and Industrial Applications. "This revision contains several edits to reflect new industry practices as well as harmonize the industry standards that apply to molded-case circuit breakers," said Patrick Salas, chair of the AB 4 Task Group, and director, Codes & Standards GE Energy Connections, Industrial Solutions.
Molded-case circuit breakers have a very diverse use in several commercial and industrial applications. NEMA AB 4 is designed to guide qualified personnel during inspection and maintenance.
Learn more.
Electricity and Jobs in America
The United States electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs. This is about 5% of all jobs in America or 1 in every 20 jobs. That is the crux of a new report released earlier this month by M. J. Bradley & Associates that describes how the electric power industry contributes about $880 billion each year to the economy. That's 5% of our total Gross Domestic Product or GDP. Read more.
Hurricane Harvey is Putting Texas Grid Resiliency to the Test
Hurricane Harvey's path of destruction has left hundreds of thousands of Texans without power, and the state's utilities are facing days, or even weeks, before the floodwaters recede and they can begin to repair the damage.
Read more.
St. Elmo's Fire and Partial Discharge (or, How to Inspect for Signs of Aging in Medium Voltage Switchgear)
The risk of fault within switchgear increases with voltage. To protect against this, manufacturers are focusing more on the design of switchgear and the materials used to ensure the phases are separated from each other and ground. Typical solutions include powder-coat epoxy insulation, fiberglass barriers, etc. However, the effectiveness of these solutions is known to deteriorate over time. So, how do we inspect the insulation to determine failure and how do we know when the switchgear has reached the end of its service life? Read more.
Economy Needs Workers, but Drug Tests Take a Toll
In Youngstown, OH, the kind of middle-class factory jobs President Trump has vowed to bring back from overseas are going begging. It's not that local workers lack the skills for these positions, many of which do not even require a high school diploma but pay $15 to $25 an hour and offer full benefits. Rather, the problem is that too many applicants - nearly half, in some cases - fail a drug test.
Read more.
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The PEARL$AFE Leadership Corner is focused on professional and leadership development and ways to increase your business's internal effectiveness.
5 Incredible Things that Happen When You Focus on Results and People
People often debate what makes a better leader: the no-nonsense, results-focused type or the motivational, people-focused type. New research has provided the answer-neither.
James Zenger surveyed over 60,000 employees to see which leadership characteristics made leaders "great" in the eyes of their employees. Two of the characteristics that Zenger looked at were "results-focus" and "people-focus," and he found that neither characteristic consistently produced great leadership.
Leaders who primarily focused on results were seen as great just 14% of the time, and leaders who primarily focused on people were seen as great only 12% of the time. Read more.
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PEARL News
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PEARL Member Community Platform Launched
PEARL has launched a new member benefit allowing greater communication and productivity among members, the
PEARL Member Community. This highly
integrated platform is similar to a social media network in terms of connecting people to encourage dialogue and sharing of information, but it allows for member-specific exchanges in a secure, gated environment. What's more, your Community profile isn't "personal" meaning you don't have to provide any kind of personal history or information to get started. Information is pulled from your member record in the PEARL member database and is all that is required. Get started today! A FAQ document has been created to help familiarize you with the Community and some of the basic features. A recorded demonstration of the Member's Only area and the Community can also be viewed to provide further step-by-step guidance.
Welcome New PEARL Full Dealer Member!
Duval Electrical & Breaker Sales
9595 Sunbeam Center Dr.
Jacksonville, FL 32257
PEARL In-Person Board Meeting Scheduled for Sept. 15-17
This September, the PEARL Board of Directors will be meeting in Indianapolis, IN for the biannual in-person board meeting. Taking place Saturday, September 16, at The Alexander hotel, the in-person meeting allows the PEARL leadership to meet for a full day to work on important issues facing the organization. The board will also be meeting on Sunday, September 17 to discuss strategy and future direction of the Technician Certification Program.
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PEARL Technician Certification
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Level I Technicians
Congratulations to
the following technicians who passed Level I of the PEARL Technician Certification Program
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Alan Flores,
National Switchgear
Torry Sylvester, Western Electrical Services, Inc.
Click here
to learn more about how you or your technician can become PEARL certified.
Level II Technicians
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