TALKING BUSINESS in a row, you must route a single core cable 20 times from the RPP’ s physical location to 20 different racks. This process is labour-intensive and time-consuming.
Busway is considerably less complex. When busway is installed overhead, a 40-foot span only requires four or five modular pieces, making‘ day one’ installation very straightforward. Crucially, powering the racks is achieved using plug-ins which can be added or removed in minutes. The difference in time and labour between the two systems is substantial; the busway’ s reduced complexity and ease of installation positively impacts the overall project cost.
Beyond cost, what are the primary risks introduced by the extensive wiring required for traditional RPP installations?
One of the primary risks of traditional RPP installations stems from having two separate locations, the RPP panel and the rack, sometimes distanced by 30 or 40 feet. Wiring between these two disparate points, especially when live, significantly increases the chance of human error. While you typically need to de-energise an RPP to work on it, live RPP work does occur and exposes technicians to the entire live panel.
Conversely, busways are inherently designed for enhanced physical and electrical safety.
When working on the busway, you install a single plug-in, which manages a single or dual circuit. This allows work to be done‘ on the fly’ without downtime. When compared to traditional RPPs, busway offers far greater flexibility and involves considerably less risk.
How does Starline Track Busway enable the rapid addition or modification of circuits without requiring a system shutdown?
Our basic design foundation is based on operator safety. Busway is compliant with UL 857 and we also voluntarily conduct arc flash testing.
There are two critical design features. First, the busway and the plug-in are engineered to physically minimise improper installation. Second and most significantly, a ground fault path is established throughout any installation or removal process. We achieve this by establishing the ground connection first from the plug-in to the busway blade using a mechanism called the ground tap. During installation, this ground is always engaged before the current-carrying conductors connect. Similarly, during removal, the ground tap remains connected to the busway until after the live conductors have disengaged.
These two criteria are key design elements that permit safe, energised work and allow for the rapid addition or modification of circuits without requiring a system shutdown.
How do accessories like the Remote Plug-in Actuator( RPA) and plug-in power monitoring enhance both operator protection and system visibility beyond what RPP can offer?
Starting with the plug-ins: they feature builtin detection that provides overload alerts on a per-circuit basis. This allows the building management system to be alerted to any anomalies occurring at the load.
A major advancement for Starline is the Remote Plug-in Actuator( RPA). The RPA allows a user to engage the plug-in hands-free, from a remote location outside the arc flash zone.
Though busway is designed for safe, live insertion, increased power levels have prompted some customers to seek remote engagement of plug-ins so that personnel can remain outside the arc flash zone. We developed the RPA in response to this feedback, adding in an additional layer of protection and making Starline busway even safer. •
60
INTELLIGENT CIO MIDDLE EAST www. intelligentcio. com