Power to the people, but not too much

July 2018 Editor's Choice, Security Services & Risk Management

Hi-Tech Security Solutions and Rob Anderson hosted the Residential Estate Security Conference in Durban earlier this year. Among the presentations offered to another full house, there were two that focused on electricity.

Riaan Allen
Riaan Allen

The first was by Riaan Allen from Ultimate Group who focused on keeping your power equipment running smoothly by insisting that everything is installed according to accepted international standards, and maintained in a similar manner by people qualified to do electrical work.

Don Drennan
Don Drennan

The second was all about lighting and surge protection for estates and was presented by Don Drennan from Drensky technologies. He demonstrated just what damage a surge could cause to an electrical component while providing interesting insights into lighting and its effects – none of which are good. Drennan presented a powerful argument for hiring skilled and experienced people to assist in limiting the damage surges and lightning can cause.

Keep the power flowing

When installing power systems to keep your security operations running, you naturally want a reliable system that can handle the ups and downs of South Africa’s electrical supply and that is able to keep functioning for a long time. This is quite a simple task, but not when you’re cutting corners and asking the wrong people to do the job.

Allen highlighted the difference between ‘sales engineers’ who are there to sell you electrical equipment to fit your budget irrespective of the realities you face, versus professional engineers who design a system for longevity. Designing a system without strict adherence to industry standards and taking the quality of the product into account is a recipe for disaster.

In the first instance, the optimal outcome is that your electrical systems won’t last as long as planned, requiring more investment into repairs and maintenance and the next installation project which will basically be a replacement project. At the most extreme, the result can be death for people who happen to be close to badly set up and cheap equipment. Once again, opting for the cheapest quote is not the way to long-term, reliable electrical power provisioning.

Some examples of poor design Allen highlighted, among many more, include:

• The generator size doesn’t match the UPS requirements,

• The supply to the UPS doesn’t allow for charging of batteries, and

• Equipment is loaded to full capacity.

In terms of compliance to standards, he said SANS 10142-1 is a good place to start when installing backup generators, UPSs and inverters, while SANS 10222-3 applies to electric fences. Of course, there are many standards, backed up by best practices in the installation and maintenance of electrical gear that experienced technicians will apply.

To ensure you are buying equipment that will work as required for the long term, Allen suggests looking at more than the quote. For example, he says examining the documentation and Certificates of Compliance will provide more insight into the products and decrease the chance of buying inferior goods. Study your service and maintenance contracts as well, especially for UPSs and generators (after making sure your generator can handle the load of supplying power and charging the UPS simultaneously). And, of course, consider future expansion you may have to undertake and plan to meet the power demands ahead of time.

A final word of caution Allen offered, based on experience at multiple sites, is to consider the cost of replacing cheaper equipment, or poorly installed equipment (effectively buying twice), as well as the cost of repairs when you want to opt for the lowest quote.

A powerful argument

For security managers who have had their fill of lightning damage to cameras and other equipment, Drennan started his presentation with the unfortunate news that lightning activity across South Africa has increased considerably over the past few years, even in coastal areas where there was little activity in 2011. He then showed the audience the different type of strikes that can occur and which pose a danger to electronic equipment.

The reasons electrical components fail 65% of the time is due to overstress, in other words, they try to handle more current than they were designed to handle which ‘fires the components’. Drennan showed a few examples of what can happen when a bolt of lightning or even a surge over stresses various components, with predictable results.

Drennan also stressed the importance of installing systems according to standards, such as SANS IEC 62305, among others, but added that correct earthing is a vital component of lightning and surge protection. He explained that an effective earthing system diverts excess energy away from protected equipment, but poor earthing results in a reduction of protection. It is also critical to properly maintain your earthing systems according to the manufacturer’s advice to ensure optimal operation. Again he provided examples of what not to do when trying to earth your systems and then potential results of cutting corners.

He then delved further into surge protection, looking at various low, medium and high energy devices before ending his presentation with a live demonstration of what happens when electrical components are faced with too much electricity.

The next Residential Estate Security conference will be held in Johannesburg in August 2018. For more information (especially as it will be held just as South Africa enters another lightning season), go to www.resc.co.za, or contact Dominique at +27 11 543 5800, or [email protected]



Credit(s)




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

SMARTpod talks to Armata’s Richard Frost
Technews Publishing SMART Security Solutions Videos
SMARTpod, the podcast by SMART Security Solutions, recently spoke to Richard Frost from Armata about the company's new 'all-in-one' cybersecurity bundle designed to relieve cyber stress in the SMB market.

Read more...
Boost revenue streams for MNOS
News & Events Security Services & Risk Management Financial (Industry)
ReveNet has introduced its new solution, designed to safeguard and potentially boost revenue streams in an increasingly challenging landscape for MNOS. The new platform combines advanced analytics and is built on trust, transparency, and sustainability principles.

Read more...
Here’s to a SMART 2025
SMART Security Solutions Editor's Choice News & Events
This is the final news brief from SMART Security Solutions for 2024, and the teams would like to take this opportunity to thank our readers, advertisers and partners and wish everyone a safe and secure festive season.

Read more...
NIS2 compliance amplifies skills shortages and resource strain
Information Security Security Services & Risk Management
A new Censuswide survey, commissioned by Veeam Software reveals the significant impact on businesses as they adapt to this key cybersecurity directive, with 95% of EMEA businesses siphoning other budgets to try and meet compliance deadline.

Read more...
Physical security technology trends to watch in 2025
Technews Publishing News & Events
There are some exciting developments and significant changes, some technical and some operational, taking place in the market that security professionals should be aware of as they plan for the year ahead.

Read more...
SA company develops world-first safe K9 training for drug detection
Editor's Choice News & Events Security Services & Risk Management Government and Parastatal (Industry)
The Braveheart Bio-Dog Academy recently announced the results of its scientific research into training dogs to accurately detect drugs and explosives without harming either the dogs or their handlers.

Read more...
Understanding South Africa’s Cybercrimes Act
Information Security Security Services & Risk Management
The Cybercrimes Act No.19 of 2020 is a comprehensive legislative response to the evolving landscape of cyberthreats in South Africa. Its effectiveness, however, relies on enforcement, which relies on implementation, international cooperation, and collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Read more...
AI-powered automation for an operational efficiency edge
Editor's Choice AI & Data Analytics IoT & Automation
In the fast-moving world of digital transformation, businesses are under immense pressure to accelerate their operations and adapt quickly to stay competitive in an era dominated by AI and technological advancements.

Read more...
Elvey to distribute Tiandy
Elvey Security Technologies Editor's Choice Surveillance News & Events
Tiandy’s presence in South Africa was boosted in November with the announcement that Elvey Security Technologies will distribute a broad range of Tiandy equipment through its channel partners and provide project assistance.

Read more...
Partnership addresses fire hazard mitigation
Brigit Fire (a Division of Hudaco Trading) Elvey Security Technologies Fire & Safety Security Services & Risk Management
Brigit Fire has partnered with the Elvey Group. The collaboration will see Brigit Fire distributing both the advanced C-TEC addressable fire detection systems (CAST Technology) and GreenMist lithium extinguishers.

Read more...