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National Electrical Code (NEC) Releases New Class 4 Fault-Managed Power Category Class 4 power, also known as Fault Managed Power Systems, allows you to safely transfer higher loads across significant distances. Aug 4, 2022 The National Electrical Code (NEC) is widely regarded as the authoritative standard for safe electrical practices. The code is published and updated every three years by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Over its 100-plus years of existence, the NEC has defined three classes of electrical power, with each representing a distinct characteristic of a circuit’s voltage threshold. In its most recent update, the NFPA has added a new circuit classification: Class 4 Power . This distinct category, also referred to as fault-managed power systems (FMPS) , is drafted for inclusion in Article 726 of the 2023 edition of the NEC code. What is Class 4 Power? And Why Now? I will explain the following points: How is Class 4 power distinctly different to the prior classes? What prompted the addition? And why is DES, a low-voltage data communications solution provider, so excited about this development?! The three classes of electrical power are defined as follows: Class 1 power is a high voltage circuit with a limit of 600V of power. It must be handled by certified electricians and carries a risk of fire or electrical shock. Class 2 power is your classic low voltage circuit – think about a laptop, portable fan or doorbell. Voltage is limited and typically much lower – running at around 24V – plus power is capped at 100W. The low power makes this class of wiring safe to handle and poses minimal fire hazard. Class 3 power is relatively niche. It can handle up to 300V and can cause electrical shock. Because of its additional safeguards, it is not a fire hazard. You see this type of wiring in public address systems or central fire and security systems. Class 4 wiring can carry up to 450V – that’s a 300% increase from Class 2 wiring. Yet, its safety profile resembles Class 2 wiring: It is both safe to handle and poses minimal fire hazard. This unique blend of power and safety is the result of an innovative electrical transmission system, and that’s why it has earned its own classification. As you may remember from grade school, a traditional circuit includes a circuit breaker that disables the circuit when it detects that the circuit is attempting to draw more current than it should. While this safety mechanism is acceptable in low power situations, once you get to higher power levels, the shutdown simply isn’t instantaneous and can still cause severe electrical shock with human contact. Class 4 power is defined by a continuous fault management system . One way of achieving this is through packetized energy transfer . Each unit of power is packetized and transmitted over a data cable. The result is a steady stream of hundreds of packets per second that is continuously monitoring for faults. If the transmitter detects a fault, such as improper wiring, a short circuit, or an obstruction, it halts transmission within a fraction of a second! There is no risk of serious shock. In fact, the author of this article (that’s me!) touched a live Class 4 wire, and it felt like a pinprick… Disclaimer: don’t do this at home, in the bathtub, or any place where I could be liable. To give you a sense of Class 4 power capabilities, the circuit can run 2,000W over the length of a football field, or else, 100W for over 1.2 miles. Once you consider the safety profile, then many applications come to mind. Any large venue, like stadiums, factories, airports, campuses, can benefit from the ability to manage their low voltage circuitry in-house. Additionally, any venue with many dense wireless applications could also benefit, since all those endpoints are backed up on a single UPS, saving you valuable space in your building. By now, you can probably infer the connection between Class 4 power and DES. Aside from expanding our ability to work on higher voltage systems, Class 4 power plays nice with Power over Ethernet applications. Recently, Belden started offering a hybrid copper-fiber cable which bundles the fault-managed power system with structured cabling. VoltServer and DES VoltServer is the mastermind and pioneer of packetized energy transfer. Founded in 2011, their patented Digital Electricity™ platform has won numerous industry awards, andis deployed in big-name venues such as the Los Angeles Convention Center, Amtrak Headquarters, Navy Pier, and closer to home, Acrisure Stadium (formally Heinz Field). The Digital Electricity™ platform supports both AC and DC loads, first levelling the power to a DC stream during the packetized transmission, and then at the receiving end, transforming the energy to the requirements of the output destination. The networked system allows for offsite visibility and control of the power system. More so, VoltServer was instrumental in getting the technology codified in the NEC. “It will speed adoption and drive the development of more DC-powered devices,” commented Luke Getto, VoltServer product development manager. He sees plenty of potential for devices like EV chargers, network switches, and large digital displays to integrate fault-managed power receivers and directly connect to a Class 4 power circuit. DES is a partner with VoltServer and looks forward to deploying Class 4 power across the region. Summary and Best-Fit Cases for Class 4 Power To summarize, the new Class 4 power category enables the electrical code to keep on pace with innovation. With the ability to safely transfer higher loads across significant distances, fault managed power systems are a best-fit solution for the following scenarios: Expansive venues : Manufacturing facilities, hi-rise buildings, college campuses, stadiums Hi-density Wi-Fi venues : Facilities with many IoT devices, PoE switches, small cell devices, indoor and outdoor Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS). Indoor agriculture facilities: The drivers are located in a centralized, climate-controlled environment away from humidity which translates to longer fixture life. Learn more about Class 4 Fault Managed Power Systems and please contact us for a friendly conversation and free consultation. Who is the first-person point-of-view of this article? Dena Taub, DES marketing manager. Now Read These! VOLTSERVER | Digital Electricity Fact Sheet READ Watch: What is Digital Electricity? READ

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Slippery Rock University's SCALE-UP classroom Dagostino Electronic Services had the privilege of working with Slippery Rock University on their new 'SCALE-UP' classroom. Sep 15, 2014 Dagostino Electronic Services had the privilege of working with Slippery Rock University on their new “SCALE-UP” classroom in North Hall. A former faculty dining room was converted to the modern classroom. The original tile was kept, adding an interesting dimension to the work. Installers could not run cables under the floor for fear of cracking or shifting the base tiles. Instead, they ran some cables down from the ceiling. SCALE-UP stands for “Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies.” It is a learning environment specifically created to facilitate interactive learning. The professor lectures from the center of the room with projectors around the perimeter. Students are able to see what is being displayed on each wall without having to turn around. Each table has three computers so groups can easily look up more information. DES helped create this method of interactive learning at SRU by installing projectors, screens, mics and the Crestron control system. Read more about the project here . Now Read These! Hear the Difference: Transform Your Hybrid Meetings READ Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) Eliminates Cellular Dead Zones READ DES Audiovisual Enlivens Duquesne’s New School of Osteopathic Medicine READ

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The Futuristic Universe of PoE Lighting What is PoE Lighting? How is it scalable? Why is it incredible?! Get all your questions answered by DES lighting engineer and guest author, Jeff Corbett Dec 7, 2021 When you consider futuristic entertainment like the Jetsons, Star Wars, Avatar, and Ready Player One, fictional environments are imagined and designed to enhance the lives of the people living in them. Sure, it’s Hollywood, but essentially those characters are living in an enhanced environment where small computers combine to make a much larger one. Well, welcome to the future! Today, the Internet of Things (IoT) already enhances the present by combining computers for our benefit. The adoption of Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) lighting is crucial to continuing that effort. IoT devices connect by communicating over a network. PoE lighting advances the network by adding power to the same cable that transports the communication data. Essentially, a PoE lighting network lets devices talk to each other while also supplying full power to the lights. Is that beneficial for you, though? Let’s dig in and find out. It’s stable and reliable. One of the great advantages of PoE lighting is its use of superior parts and better power supplies to light the LED lights. With LED lights, alternating current (AC) illuminates the LEDs, but not directly. The power must first be transformed to direct current (DC) through a power transformer. (You know that black box hanging off your laptop cable? That’s a power transformer.) Unfortunately for us, power transformers are mass produced for the lights as cheaply as possible and only need to be “good enough” to make them function. A failed LED light is likely the result of a failed transformer that couldn’t stand up to the voltage spikes and fluctuations from the AC power grid. The LEDs in the light aren’t damaged. In a PoE solution, the power grid inconsistency is neutralized in the data closet by power line conditioners and robust power supplies. All downstream devices (including the lights) are protected because electricity is cleaned and transformed to DC before it reaches them. As a result of the stabilized power, networking gear ends up being so reliable it’s often forgotten in an IT closet for years. PoE-powered lights also leverage that stability so they don’t need maintenance and they don’t fail. Like ever. You can EXPECT them to last, and you won’t be disappointed. In fact, the lights will work so well that you’ll also stop thinking about them, leaving you more time to focus on important tasks. It’s less expensive. Let’s face it – inflation is upon us. The costs of manufactured goods and labor are increasing, but budgets are shrinking. People are panicking. PoE lighting can help because it’s typically less expensive to install and maintain. In some cases, it’s FAR less expensive. Say you’re planning a traditional AC lighting project that requires the installation of heavy gauge electrical wire, conduit, and a second and third set of wires for lighting controls. You’ll also need a licensed electrical contractor to install it. Instead, consider pulling low voltage cable supporting both power and data using low-voltage contractor labor. Quick disclaimer! Electricity will KILL you if you don’t know what you’re doing, so use an electrician to do electrical work. However, because network cable is low power, it’s safe for just about anyone to install. With PoE lighting, if you want to move a light you can do it yourself. No need to hire someone. You can change the programming through a user interface instead of paying someone to make the right connections at the light switch and electrical panel. Add PoE lighting’s flexibility to the aforementioned longevity, and now you’re talking about cost savings both up front, and long term. That’s extra time for other things, plus real money in your pocket. It's adaptable and scalable. As a network-based, state-of-the-art system, PoE lighting automates operations in harmony with your decisions and expectations. While being flexible enough to allow you to control your own space, it’s capable of communication on multiple floors of a building, multiple buildings on a campus, or multiple campuses around the world. The result of the behind-the-scenes wizardry is that personal office spaces can be custom-tailored for comfort while global building intelligence keeps energy usage to a minimum. Life becomes more efficient and more relaxed at the same time. It’s advanced. Power over Ethernet technology has already laid the groundwork for applications that have improved your quality of life, whether you know it or not. As a technology that’s been around for nearly 20 years, its ability to carry both power and data on one network cable is not new. Wi-Fi access points, security cameras, and desk phones are applications that had their traditional power sources replaced by PoE power ages ago. A little more recently, electronic locks and access systems have implemented the technology. Now, thanks to continuing power enhancements, PoE lighting is another platform replacing a traditional power source with a 21st century solution. This helps all of us because streamlined power and communication on more devices means more efficient, sustainable solutions. It’s amazing! You’ve probably invested time and money on IoT in your offices and facilities, but it’s likely those systems are proprietary, stand-alone, or expensive to integrate. IoT devices use a connected network to transmit information to end users via a network, whether wired or wireless. In the same way, a networked lighting system can move significant amounts of environmental data, while at the same time sending commands to your lights. That’s something traditional lighting systems can’t do. With a connected lighting system in place, there are potential applications everywhere. What if smoke detectors could call the fire department, turn beacons red, and send an alert to the phones of the people in the building that it’s time to evacuate? What if it could text you when the batteries are low instead of beeping at you. Now we’re solving real problems! Do you want to know how clean the air you’re breathing is in this semi-post-COVID world? Are your emergency lights in compliance? What’s the level of Carbon Monoxide in your warehouse? Did you hear Gunshots? Is there a flood in the basement? Is the coffee pot empty? A PoE lighting system puts in place the network needed to feed you all this real-time, usable information, and much more. It’s another layer in the IoT infrastructure that continues to energize our civilization. If you’re looking at lighting, you should be looking at LED lighting. If you’re looking at LED lighting, you should be looking at PoE lighting. It’s that simple. Without a doubt, PoE lighting is beneficial. It leverages the technical world to provide a comfortable, intelligent, flexible, and future-proof environment which can reduce stress and stimulate the imagination. It advances an established technology and facilitates ingenuity. In our human-centric world, PoE lighting makes sense because it makes life better. Get to know this blog author! Jeff Corbett is a Technical Account Manager at DES specializing in advanced lighting controls. With a background in commercial lighting, access control, and network infrastructure, Jeff is fascinated by all things IoT. When not actively seeking IoT solutions, Jeff either hangs out with his wife and 10 kids, or works on vintage bicycles. Now Read These! DES Tech + wtec smartengine = Smart Building Success READ Smart Lighting and DES' Vision for Seamless Building Integration READ FRIDAY15: Smart Buildings with Karpinski Engineering READ

DES honored with service excellence award from Great Service Forums Dagostino Electronic Services was awarded the Seal of Service Excellence from Great Service Forums and the Sustainable Service Institute. Nov 1, 2018 COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dagostino Electronic Services is honored to have received an award for outstanding service from Great Service Forums and the Sustainable Service Institute . DES President Bob Dagostino accepted the Seal of Service Excellence on behalf of his company on Oct. 31, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. Great Service Forums works exclusively with union electrical contractors passionate about service and maintenance to help them develop service management teams that lead to new customers and service-based opportunities. Participants attend two-day educational and training sessions three times a year. The Seal of Service Excellence is awarded to a contractor who is in good standing and has delivered satisfactory performance throughout the year. Read more at GreatServiceForums.com . Now Read These! DES Ranks as Top Workplace in Pittsburgh READ Genetec honors DES for cloud sales achievement READ Alcatel-Lucent awards DES Higher Education Partner of the Year READ

PCCD Non-Profit Security Grant - Now Open PCCD awards non-profits up to $150,000 in security upgrades. The grant application deadline is 11:45 PM on March 2, 2023. Jan 31, 2023 The PCCD Non-Profit Security Grant awards non-profits who are targets of single bias hate crimes up to $150,000 in security upgrades. The grant application deadline is Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 11:45 PM . Grant money will be awarded to nonprofit organizations who principally serve individuals, groups or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents as identified by the FBI's Hate Crime Statistics publication. DES has partnered with local houses of worship, community centers, schools, and non-profit institutions to harden their security profile while keeping a welcoming environment. By their very nature, non-profit organizations are designed to be easily accessible – which, unfortunately, makes them into soft targets. When we do a site assessment, we look for vulnerabilities and build up from there. We often discover an unlocked side door that has literally open access, or else a rudimentary camera system that is not proactively or expeditiously deterring danger. We will work with your budget to maximize layers of security until we achieve a desired balance of hospitality and protection. Our list of grant eligible services include: Threat assessments and security planning Surveillance equipment Special emergency communications equipment A full-suite of secure door solutions Upgrades to existing structures that enhance safety and security We will partner with you from concept design to project installation and post-job support. Please contact us today to get started. We offer free site assessments and security consultations . Included in our free service is the support documentation of proposed work for your grant application. We look forward to working with you! Further Resources · PCCD website with grant instructions and application · DES Security Solutions · Sanctity and Safety: Security Solutions for Houses of Worship Two excellent guides for securing community institutions: · ADL Guide To Protecting Your Religious or Communal Institution · Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety Now Read These! New PCCD Grant Update: $100,000 Instant Funding for School Safety READ PCCD Grant Deadline: Plan for School Emergency Alerts Ahead of Alyssa’s Law READ Alyssa's Law: Strengthening Emergency Response in Pennsylvania Schools READ

DES standardizes classroom technology at Mercyhurst University DES worked with Mercyhurst University to standardize their classroom technology allowing professors to focus on what really matters: the curriculum. Feb 22, 2018 ERIE, Pa. — Mercyhurst University , with two campuses in northwest Pennsylvania, wanted standardized technology in their classrooms. ​ Dagostino Electronic Services upgraded the projectors, screens and speakers, and installed a unified control panel in each room. The technology resides in a podium complete with a computer and monitor. Professors and presenters can now take control of the room’s technology and switch between sources with ease. ​ Since the technology is identical in every room, a last-minute location change is no longer an issue. The setup is the same, and no one has to learn a new process or procedure. ​ “The standardized technology allows professors to take control seamlessly, so they can focus on the curriculum and not the technology,” DES Account Manager Mike Novak stated. ​ DES is upgrading the technology in three more classrooms at Mercyhurst this spring with plans to do additional rooms over the summer. Now Read These! Hear the Difference: Transform Your Hybrid Meetings READ Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) Eliminates Cellular Dead Zones READ DES Audiovisual Enlivens Duquesne’s New School of Osteopathic Medicine READ

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