• • • NEWS • • •
COOLER THAN THE REST WITH MAKITA
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s part of its extensive LXT cordless range, leading power tool
manufacturer, Makita has announced the release of its DCW180Z 18V Cordless Cooler & Warmer Box. The new release is ideal for keeping food and drinks cool or warm in any season. Keep food and drinks either cool, or warm on-site with Makita’s new 20-litre DCW180Z Cordless Cooler & Warmer Box. Powered by an 18v LXT battery,
this handy product has two 18V LXT battery ports so you can attach two batteries in series for extended operating times. When the first battery is depleted the unit automatically switches to the second battery. This model can also be powered via 240v mains or with an in-vehicle 12v / 24v AC socket. When set at 5°C (normal fridge temperature) the cooler will run for up to 17 hours with 2x 6.0Ah batteries. The 18V Cooler & Warmer Box is a versatile unit with a large 20-litre capacity of storage space and as an example, it can hold approximately 30 cans, or 15 x 600ml water bottles. The solution can operate at two warming settings of 55° and 60°, with five cooling settings of -18°, -10°, 0°, 5° and 10°. The unit can run at its coldest setting of -18° for five hours and its warmest setting of 60° for around four hours. The box features large 100mm wheels and a pull handle for convenient transport, and side grips for easy lifting as well as a comfortable shoulder strap. It is highly durable for outdoor use with an IPX4 rating. The solution is fitted with a convenient LED display, to provide users with temperature and battery levels and easily change settings at the touch of a button.
MCA FUSION UPGRADES ELECTRICAL TESTING
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supplier of specialist hire equipment is rolling out a new investment programme to upgrade its electrical testing facilities throughout its national branch network. MCA Fusion Hire & Repair, part of Wolseley UK’s Infrastructure division, is a leading provider of butt fusion and electrofusion equipment for the welding and jointing of plastic pipe used in the utilities, construction, and telecoms sectors.
As part of an improved test management strategy, the company is installing dedicated safety testing stations at each of its nine branches using sophisticated test technology that has been specifically designed for the hire, rental and service industries.
At the centre of the new MCA Fusion electrical safety testing protocol is the SafeCheck 8 tester, along with a label printer, bar code scanner, fault simulator unit and test beacon, that together provide a fully integrated and traceable ‘test and tag’ safety system.
The bench mounted SafeCheck 8 has built-in pre-configured tests for Class I, Class II and IEC extension lead/power cord testing to ensure compliance with the Hire Association of Europe code of practice and all other safety regulations.
Building back greener in 2021 with JIB training
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ith the UK showing a commitment to tackling the climate crisis by setting a target to meet net-zero emissions by 2050, the Joint
Industry Board (JIB) is urging electrical contracting companies to evolve and broaden their skill sets.
The JIB believes that the increasing adoption of greener technologies presents contractors with a number of opportunities to upskill and open up their services to new markets. In 2020, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £3bn boost to the UK green economy to be spent on decarbonising buildings and introducing modern systems to save homeowners on their energy bills and kickstart the sector. We have also recently seen the Government get behind plans to support up to 220,000 British jobs in the green sector with the release of the Energy White Paper in December pledging another £6.7bn in support for this sector. The intention is to create a greener and more sustainable energy network in the UK for which environmental technologies such as solar photovoltaics, electric vehicles and battery storage will play a part.
Environmental skills and qualifications are part of continuing professional development (CPD) for many electrotechnical operatives and can be recognised within an ECS registration and on the reverse of an ECS card.
The JIB is, therefore, encouraging member companies to take advantage of the JIB’s Skills Development Fund, which provides financial assistance for courses for those undertaking further education and training in the electrical industry.
The following green technology qualifications are accepted by the JIB Skills Development Fund as eligible courses: Solar Photovoltaic Installation and Maintenance; Electric Vehicle Charging Point Installation (City & Guilds 2919-01); ONC/HNC/Degree courses in sustainable engineering
ECS cardholders are also encouraged to highlight and show off their hard-earned qualifications and skills by including these in their ECS card renewals and updating their registration.
Darren Crannis, managing director of CTS Electrical, was funded through the JIB Skills Development Fund to undertake the C&G 2919- 01 (as well as obtaining European Social Funding), and he believes all electrical contractors can benefit by improving their knowledge on electrical vehicle charging equipment (EVCE). The EV market is constantly evolving and it is going to play a crucial role if the UK is to succeed in hitting its net-zero target by 2050. It really makes sense for installers to become familiar with EV technology as early as possible and it has certainly opened up a profitable new avenue for our business.” He added: “The Level 3 City & Guilds 2919 is a two-day in-depth course on the design and installation of EVCE. There is access to funding via European Social Fund (ESF) from training providers and if you are a JIB company this course is eligible for JIB skills funding, which reduced the cost of the course significantly for me.”
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