March 2026 Electrical Apparatus

Electrical Apparatus is the monthly magazine and virtual community for electromechanical professionals who design, specify, use, sell, operate, maintain and repair electrical equipment. Subscribe at http://ea-renew.com. Email barbara@barks.com for advertising information.

A BARKS PUBLICATION

MARCH 2026 / $12

A BARKS PUBLICATION

MARCH 2026 / $12

Electrical Apparatus

paratus

More than Motors

Training the

next generation

in HVACR

Prosser Career Academy

of Chicago

Electric school buses

Tending to HVACR health

Unbilled work: good or bad?

New EASA expo exhibitors

Analyzing motor failures

Smoky Mountains, TN, USA

865-983-7444

info@iccinternational.com

www.iccinternational.com/quote

ICC International

Improving commutators is our job.

–

Every detail matters.

Uncompromised quality isn’t a claim –

it’s at the foundation of everything we do.

Plant Life

20 Tending to HVACR health

Prevent weather-related downtime by upgrading equipment

and implementing proactive maintenance strategies

By Bill O’Leary, EA Contributing Writer

Energy

22 Running hot and cold

Energy and HVACR are more interrelated than ever — and

colliding in a regulatory storm

By Charlie Barks, EA Managing Editor

Conventions & Trade Shows

24 New on the expo floor

Introducing some first-time exhibitors at this year’s

convention of the Electrical Apparatus Service Association

By Avery Heeringa, EA Contributing Writer

EA Reader Profile

27 An eventful and inventive life

How Dell Klotz, the founder of Datamite Technologies, built a

career by listening

By Colin Gregory-Moores, EA Contributing Writer

Training & Education

29 Next-gen trades training

Chicago’s Prosser Career Academy illustrates promising ways to

address the U.S. skills gap

By Charlie Barks, EA Managing Editor

Motors & Generators

33 When motors fail

How to analyze motor failures to prevent repeated breakdowns

— and maybe upsell your customer

By John Malinowski, EA Contributing Writer

Finance & The Workplace

37 Unbilled work: asset or red flag?

That work a contractor hasn’t billed for could signal either a

contract asset or potential financial mismanagement

By William H. Wiersema, CPA, EA Finance Editor

Electric Avenue

42 Electrifying student transportation

U.S. school districts are adopting electric buses to improve

student health, reduce costs, and obtain environmental funding

By Maura Keller, EA Contributing Writer

Contents

A BARKS PUBLICATION

VOLUME 79 / NUMBER 03

WWW.BARKS.COM

03/26

— William Hager / Shutterstock photo

— Electrical Apparatus photo by Charlie Barks

— Illustration by ChatGPT generative AI

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026 1

04 The editor’s comment

The merging of HVACR and energy

05 Let’s solve your problem

Answers to questions about motor application and maintenance

06 Plant happenings

Three North American plants open as one closes

08 Business

Data centers are forcing a re-imagining of HVACR

10 Know your industry

A century of IAPMO is keeping plumbing up to par

13 Pumps

Variable-speed drives prove their worth in HVACR

14 Associations

Associations aiding the phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons

18 Names & faces

Changes at Ford Motor Co. and Sagepoint Energy

23 Calendar

Events on electrical testing and facilities management

39 Utilities

How utilities are adjusting to increased use of electric heat

40 Product showcase

What’s new from WorldWide Electric, Toshiba, and NTN

44 Classified advertising

Your monthly marketplace for equipment, businesses, and more

44 Cy’s Super Service

The electrical service industry’s most prominent curmudgeon

COVER PHOTO: By Charlie Barks, at Prosser Career Academy, Chicago. In the Automotive Technology class-

room, students receive practical education in electrical principles.

Departments

45 EA puzzle

A word search puzzle based on “New on the expo floor” (page 24)

47 Moe, Genny & friends

The surreal world of an anthropomorphized motor and generator

48 Direct & current

A new water academy, and plans for a Canadian dual-pipeline

48 Advertising index

Who’s who—and who’s where—in this issue of Electrical Apparatus

— IAPMO photo

— Planprophoto / Shutterstock photo

— Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas photo

2 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026

The Editor’s

Comment

This issue of Electrical Apparatus is positioned strategically,

as it’s sandwiched between our Utilities and Energy issues.

That’s no coincidence; it’s partially because this March issue

focuses on the theme of HVACR, as it has over the past few

years. HVACR and Energy have never been more closely

aligned.

Power consumption and energy use have always been a

core component of the HVACR industry, but they’re now truly

joined at the hip. The energy world and HVACR are basically

merging into one giant ecosystem due to modern electriﬁ ca-

tion, a push for sustainability, and a medley of new energy

sources that seems to grow each year.

Heat pumps, variable refrigerant ﬂ ow systems, and high-

eﬃ ciency refrigeration are turning buildings into dynamic

electrical loads. HVACR is no longer just “mechanical”; it’s

a major player in grid planning. Meanwhile, buildings are

essentially becoming mini power plants in more places than

ever before due to the variety of energy sources available and

the eﬀ orts to combine them. HVACR systems now interact

with on-site generation, demand response programs, time-

of-use pricing, and grid ﬂ exibility markets.

Also, eﬃ ciency is no longer just a goal; it’s now considered

by many a full-on energy resource. Utilities treat HVACR

upgrades like power plants because reducing load is cheaper

than generating new power. Smart HVACR controls can shave

peaks, and “refrigeration optimization can save megawatts,

not just kilowatts,” according to the U.S. Environmental Pro-

tection Agency.

As far as HVACR coverage goes this month, we tried to delve

into as many diﬀ erent sectors as possible. Our cover article

(“Next-gen trades training,” page 29) focuses on the training

aspect, where a few decades of red ﬂ ags in the form of age dis-

parity and heightened interest in digital ﬁ elds have pushed

the industry into tackling the skills gap.

High schools in the U.S. are beginning to make strides

addressing the skills gap in traditional areas of the skilled

trades such as HVACR, electrical engineering, and others.

They’re also integrating new aspects of industrial-tech devel-

opment. Prosser Career Academy, a magnet school in Chicago

fortunate enough to receive grant money for such programs,

is a model reﬂ ection of this shift.

This month’s issue also features a new section highlight-

ing new exhibitors at the upcoming EASA show (“New on the

expo ﬂ oor,” page 24). Other topics covered include motor-

failure analysis and motor replacement (page 33), making

sense of contractor revenue (page 37), and how data centers

are forcing a reimagining of HVACR (page 8).

CHARLIE BARKS

WWW.BARKS.COM

CHARLIE@BARKS.COM

The merging of HVACR and energy

Read Electrical

Apparatus online

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4 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026

Have you been stumped recently by an

electromechanical application or repair

problem? Send your question to this depart-

ment, at editor@barks.com, and we’ll see

if we can give you an answer. — Editor

Why the change in

torque computation?

I’ve been working on electric motors

since 1987. Back in those days, we com-

puted torque by multiplying horsepower

by 5250 and dividing it by RPM. I see

that at some point, someone decided to

increase the multiplier to 5252. Why did

this happen?

The constant 5252 is the result of sev-

eral math operations used to get matching

units of measure for each of the three terms.

Horsepower is a measure of work over time;

it’s usually stated in ft-lbs/second. Torque

is a measurement of force over distance

and measured in ft-lbs. Rotational speed is

measured in revolutions per minute (RPM.)

5252 is the numerical result of combining

the Imperial system’s deﬁ nition of horse-

power with the necessary conversions from

RPM to radians per second. 5250 is often

used as the constant, perhaps because it is

easy to remember. But with ordinary round-

ing, the mathematical result is 5252.

L10 life of motor bearings

We’re trying to predict the statistical

life of rolling-element motor bearings for

a large compressor motor in an automo-

bile assembly plant. We are studying the

L10 life method of theoretical planning

based on average performance of many

similar bearings. Is this a good way to

plan maintenance? Is there a better way?

The term L10 life (sometimes written B-10)

is a statistical measure used to estimate the

service life of rolling-element bearings. It

originates from early work by bearing man-

ufacturers and researchers who observed

that even under identical conditions, not

all bearings fail at the same time. Instead,

bearing life follows a statistical distribution

driven largely by subsurface fatigue.

The L10 value represents the number of

operating hours at which 90% of a popula-

tion of identical bearings can be expected

to survive, with 10% having failed due to

fatigue-related mechanisms. L10 life is cal-

culated from the dynamic load rating of the

bearing and the equivalent applied load,

using an exponential relationship.

In simple terms, bearing life increases

signiﬁ cantly when operating loads are

reduced and decreases when loads, mis-

alignment, or vibration increase. Modern

versions of the calculation (such as ISO and

manufacturer “adjusted life” models) also

incorporate lubrication quality, contami-

nation, material properties, and reliability

factors.

It’s important to recognize what L10 life

does and does not represent. L10 is a proba-

bilistic fatigue model, primarily applicable

when bearings operate under clean lubri-

cation, proper ﬁ t, correct preload, and

relatively steady load. In heavy-industry

service, many failures occur instead from

causes such as lubrication starvation, con-

tamination, electrical discharge damage,

corrosion, or improper mounting — none of

which is predicted by the L10 formula.

So, is L10 life a good predictor? It’s very

useful as a design and comparison tool,

helping engineers size bearings conser-

vatively and evaluate expected fatigue

life. However, in real-world maintenance

practice, the statistic should be viewed

Let’s Solve Your Problem

as a theoretical baseline rather than as a

guarantee. Actual bearing life depends far

more on operating conditions, maintenance

discipline, and environment than on the

catalog calculation alone.

Machining outer surface

of a squirrel cage rotor

We had a catastrophic bearing failure

on a compressor motor. When the bear-

ing crashed, the rotor came in contact

with the stator. This contact damaged the

stator iron, the rotor iron, and the main

winding. We are working with a service

shop for a rewind and to have the stator

re-stacked with new laminations. The

damage to the rotor iron is less severe. Is

it possible to take a skim cut on the rotor

iron to clean things up?

Even a light skim cut removes steel from

the rotor’s outer diameter. This operation

eﬀ ectively increases the air gap, which

directly aﬀ ects magnetizing current and

torque. A small change, perhaps 0.005-inch

in diameter, will likely change the power fac-

tor of the motor and raise excitation current.

Also, rotor laminations aren’t just mag-

netic material. The outer periphery of the

stack helps hold down the bars in the slots.

Removing too much material reduces this

holding strength and can allow the bars to

loosen under a load, causing vibration, bar

movement, or broken end rings.

Skim cuts on new or fully rebuilt large

squirrel cage rotors are standard proce-

dure for many OEMs and repair shops.

To mitigate a minor rub, a carefully con-

trolled skim cut can remove minor scoring

or burners, but it’s not a simple cosmetic

ﬁ x. It changes both the magnetic and the

mechanical characteristics of the rotor. If

the cut is deeper than a few thousandths of

an inch or if insulation between the lamina-

tions is breached, the correct repair should

be a rotor rebuild. — Chase Fell

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ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026 5

Walmart dairy plant opens in Georgia

A dairy processing and bottling facility hosted its grand

opening in December, bringing 400 new jobs to the area. The

Valdosta, Ga., plant — the second Walmart-

owned dairy facility in the U.S. — supplies

milk to more than 650 Walmart stores

and Sam’s Clubs. When the project was

announced in 2023, Andrea Schruijer,

former Valdosta-Lowndes Development

Authority executive director, said, “One of

the reasons this is so huge for our agricultural industry is the

dairy that they’re going to be taking from our region will all be

produced in the state of Georgia. So, it’s a huge agricultural proj-

ect and a boost for our dairy farmers.”

New fastener manufacturer in Tennessee

In January, Simpson Strong-Tie celebrated the grand open-

ing

new

500,250-square-foot

manufacturing plant in Gallatin, Tenn.

Simpson Strong-Tie manufactures build-

ing solutions and structural connectors

like fasteners, anchors, fastening tools,

and roof frames. The Gallatin facility

focuses on the production of a range of

anchors and fasteners, and it will create an additional 20 jobs

in 2026 after the initial opening with 227 employees. The CEO

of Simpson Strong-Tie, Mike Olosky, said, “This manufactur-

ing and training facility is unlike any other in the construction

industry, featuring end-to-end fastening production under one

roof with the latest equipment and technology.”

Kraken Robotics expands to Nova Scotia

Underwater power solution and sonar company Kraken

Robotics began operations at its new manufacturing plant

in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, earlier this

year. The company kicked oﬀ the North

American expansion with a multi-million

dollar set of orders for its SeaPower bat-

tery to three unnamed customers. The

60,000-square-foot facility will house

pressure testing tanks that will increase

battery production. Kraken Robotics expects the creation of 200

advanced manufacturing jobs.

Thermo Fisher closes Asheville facility

News of Thermo Fisher Scientiﬁ c ending production at its

Weaverville, N.C., location comes after the

company opened a new pipette manufac-

turing plant in Mebane, N.C., in the spring

of 2025. Operations at the Weaverville

facility will end by early 2027, with lay-

oﬀ s starting in December 2026. Thermo

Fisher oﬃ cials did not share the reason

for the closure in the WARN letter to the greater Asheville met-

ropolitan area. The science and laboratory supply company is

the largest employer and taxpayer for Weaverville. The layoﬀ s

will impact 421 employees. — Kristine Weller

Plant Happenings

6 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026

Data centers forcing

a reimagining of HVACR

The rapid growth of artiﬁ cial intelligence

workloads and high-density comput-

ing has created a need to reimagine how

heat is managed within the world’s digi-

tal infrastructure. As data centers evolve

to support these processes, traditional

air-based cooling methods are becom-

ing increasingly inadequate. Modern

servers generate heat at unprecedented

levels that often exceed 30 kW to 50 kW

per rack, which is pushing the industry

toward innovative thermal management

systems.

That’s according to a report from

DataCenter Asia, which says that “tra-

ditional air-based cooling methods are

increasingly inadequate for modern data

centers.” A reimagining of heating, venti-

lation, air conditioning, and refrigeration

is essential to maintain the reliability of

equipment and to reduce the high opera-

tional costs associated with electricity

use, according to the report. Because cool-

ing accounts for 30% to 40% of the total

energy used by data centers, HVACR has

become an area of interest for technologi-

cal innovation.

Business

The challenges of intense heat genera-

tion mean that cooling must evolve from

basic air conditioning to advanced tech-

niques that directly target heat sources.

Liquid cooling systems, such as direct-

to-chip or immersion systems, allow for

higher computational performance with-

out causing proportional spikes in energy

use. These systems are necessary because

the massive heat loads produced by

high-performance computing can lead to

equipment failures and costly downtime.

Environmental pressures are also play-

ing a role in the need for reimagined

HVACR. With projections indicating that

data centers may double their energy use

by 2030, there’s been a shift toward “eco-

friendly” practices. These include the

adoption of low-impact refrigerants, the

reduction of water use, and the repurpos-

ing of waste heat. In some regions, waste

heat is being captured and redirected

into district heating grids to warm nearby

buildings.

Reliability and scalability remain top

concerns for data facilities that require

constant operation. Reimagined systems

now include modular designs that can

scale as a facility grows. These systems

often integrate with “smart” building

management platforms to enable real-

time

optimization.

using

these

advanced tools, operators can ensure that

their cooling infrastructure matches the

needs of digital workloads.

Manufacturers are responding to these

needs by developing products that depart

from conventional HVACR designs:

> Vertiv of Westerville, Ohio, for exam-

ple, provides a broad portfolio of systems

that include both air and liquid cooling.

Its Vertiv 360AI line is designed for AI-

ready setups and delivers energy savings

through integration with digital twins for

monitoring. By using these digital models,

operators can simulate thermal perfor-

mance and adjust their cooling strategies

accordingly.

> Johnson Controls, with U.S. operations

based in Glendale, Wis., has increased its

focus on the data center sector by invest-

ing in specialized cooling technology.

These coolant distribution units manufactured by Silent-Aire were designed expressly for “high-

density compute” of the sort found in data centers. Silent-Aire was acquired by Johnson Con-

trols in 2021.

— Silent-Aire photo

8 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026

Last Oct. 6, the company announced an

investment in Accelsius, a liquid cooling

ﬁ rm, to enhance its thermal management

capabilities. Johnson Controls also oﬀ ers

YORK chillers and Silent-Aire hyperscale

units (pictured). These products use

OpenBlue software to provide integrated

management that helps reduce emissions

and manage the full lifecycle of multi-site

data centers.

> The French multinational Schneider

Electric specializes in scalable cooling

systems that use automated climate con-

trols. Its products place a priority on

regulatory compliance and sustainability,

particularly in hyperscale environments.

By deploying these automated systems,

data centers can adjust cooling levels

based on the demand of the servers.

> Trane Technologies, with North Amer-

ica headquarters in Davidson, N.C., is

redeﬁ ning cooling for AI data centers by

developing intelligent chillers, such as

its 3 MW air-cooled units. According to

the company, the data center industry is

“transforming thermal waste into power”

by reimagining how heat is handled.

Trane’s systems use real-time adaptive

controls to reallocate energy and improve

the overall eﬃ ciency of facilities.

> The Japanese industrial conglomerate

Daikin Industries has launched air-side

and chiller systems tailored for the needs

of data centers. These designs incorporate

refrigerant recycling and high-eﬃ ciency

components to cut down on the use of

both water and energy. As data centers

often require signiﬁ cant amounts of water

for evaporative cooling, Daikin’s focus on

reducing water use addresses a major sus-

tainability concern.

> Carrier Global Corp. Palm Beach Gar-

dens, Fla. is oﬀ ering its AquaForce and

AquaEdge chillers, which feature rapid

recovery capabilities and EquiDrive com-

pressors. In documentation about data

centers, Carrier states that its “Aqua-

Force and AquaEdge chillers with rapid

recovery and EquiDrive compressors”

are vital for precision airﬂ ow in mission-

critical environments. These systems are

designed to restart in under 150 seconds,

ensuring that cooling is restored quickly

after power interruptions.

The reimagining of HVACR in the data

center sector comes as a direct response

to the changing nature of computing.

As AI continues to drive the density of

data storage higher, the collaboration

between server manufacturers and cool-

ing providers will surely become even

better-coordinated that it already is. —

Kevin Jones

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026 9

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A century of keeping plumbing up to par

International Association for Plumbing and

Mechanical Officials

Founded: 1926

Headquarters: 4755 E. Philadelphia St., Ontario, Calif.

91761

Annual dues: Varies by tier

Website: https://iapmo.org

Most people would likely say they don’t think about

plumbing much. But in many ways, plumbing is one of

the most central pillars of modern life. How else would

we get the water we drink, clean ourselves with, or even

use to steam our clothes? It’s safe to assume that most

would say they want their water to be clean.

But when that water isn’t transported properly or

purified sufficiently, it can lead to disastrous outcomes.

Take, for example, the 2000 biographical drama film

“Erin Brockovich,” which tells the true story of a young

mother who took on Pacific Gas & Electric Co. for con-

taminating groundwater in a small California town.

Beyond an Oscar-winning depiction of a very real prob-

lem, the issue of clean and safe water remains at the core

of modern life.

The issue of safe plumbing systems is what led to the

formation of the International Association for Plumbing

and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) exactly a century ago.

In 1926, a group of Los Angeles plumbing inspectors

gathered to try to stop the spread of illnesses and deaths

caused by deficient plumbing practices. What started as a focus on plumbing

codes and procedures has evolved into standards development, workforce

training, and testing products to ensure safe plumbing practices.

“The newest thing at IAPMO is that we are celebrating our 100-year anni-

versary in 2026,” says John Watson, executive vice president of industry

relations and business development at IAPMO. “That’s quite a feat for any

Know Your Industry

In its 100th year, IAPMO continues to promote safe plumbing practices through

standards development, workforce training, and testing.

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10 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026

organization these days, but certainly impressive for a non-proﬁ t NGO

whose mission is to protect public health and safety by helping to shape a

safer built environment.”

IAPMO describes one of its central goals as being “to protect people every-

where through the development and enforcement of safe and eﬃ cient codes

and standards, and the proper installation of certiﬁ ed products, systems,

and materials.” Not only does the organization work to develop codes and

standards of its own, it also works to support the United Nations’ Sustainable

Development Goals, which protect Earth’s water resources.

“Most people think of IAPMO as focused on plumbing and mechanical

systems and products, but our portfolio encompasses the broader built

environment,” Watson says. “IAPMO is a one-stop shop, oﬀ ering testing,

inspection, and certiﬁ cation services for electrical, food equipment, and

building products in addition to plumbing and mechanical products. It all

still ties back to our roots in public health and safety while helping to accel-

erate innovation.”

IAPMO is home to more than 4,500 members across an international base

that includes 17 countries and all 50 U.S. states. According to the organi-

zation, “Half of the world’s population is impacted by IAPMO’s codes and

services, including the ﬂ agship Uniform Plumbing Code,” which includes

regulations and guidelines for plumbing excellence.

Membership with IAPMO is divided into ﬁ ve diﬀ erent tiers, including

eMember and international, student apprentice, individual senior, govern-

ment, and organization. Membership costs for each tier vary. “These tiers

enable everyone — from apprentices to seasoned oﬃ cials and organizations

— to engage in the codes and standards community and access resources that

advance their professional growth and industry inﬂ uence,” Watson says.

Member discounts, chapter and committee opportunities, and Q&A data-

base access are included in all tiers of membership. “Membership also

includes a free subscription to IAPMO’s award-winning quarterly magazine

publication Oﬃ cial, featuring technical case studies on

how plumbing and mechanical codes made a diﬀ erence

in communities,” Watson adds.

Some more specialized oﬀ erings for members of the

individual, government, and organization tiers include

the opportunity for voting on code development, which

is a gateway for members to make a real impact.

“Being a member of IAPMO gives you an opportunity to

be part of something bigger: helping us shape the safety

of the built environment,” Watson says. “Industry col-

laboration and networking at the local level and on a

national basis through IAPMO online communities such

as LinkedIn creates value.”

IAPMO’s plumbing and mechanical codes are intended

to promote safe living conditions. Examples of the

organization’s codes include the Uniform Plumbing

Code, Uniform Mechanical Code, Uniform Solar Energy,

Hydronics and Geothermal Code, and Uniform Swim-

ming Pool, Spa, and Hot Tub Code.

“Unlike competitive codes, IAPMO codes are devel-

oped through a true consensus process in which every

voice is equal and heard. This is a unique ‘gold standard’

for collaboration and transparency in safety,” Watson

says. “You can be part of the code development process

and serve on committees that work to set requirements

and make changes to requirements that translate into

protecting the health and safety of the public.”

Although plumbing might not be top of mind for most,

IAPMO has kept it a priority for 100 years now, ensuring

that water is delivered using safe methods that protect

public health. — Avery Heeringa

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KNOW YOUR INDUSTRY continued from page 10

12 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026

Variable-speed drives

prove their worth in HVACR

A white paper from Swiss industrial ﬁ rm

ABB titled “How to make big energy sav-

ings with pumps, fans, and compressors”

explores the signiﬁ cant energy-reduc-

tion potential of variable-speed drives

(VSDs) within HVACR systems. Drawing

on research from Germany’s Fraunhofer

Institute, the paper analyzes equipment

in the European Union, although its con-

clusions regarding eﬃ ciency and motor

control are applicable globally.

In HVACR applications, VSDs — a term

ABB treats as synonymous with variable-

frequency drives — control the speed and

torque of electric motors. While VSDs

are already standard for variable-load

applications where demand ﬂ uctuates,

their beneﬁ t in constant-load scenarios

is often overlooked. Although a VSD

introduces modest internal energy losses

(operating at 95% to 99% eﬃ ciency), these

are heavily oﬀ set by the drive’s ability to

compensate for oversized equipment.

Traditional ﬂ ow control relies on

mechanical throttling, such as damp-

ers for fans and valves for pumps. These

methods restrict output but increase

system pressure, wasting energy and

increasing mechanical stress. In con-

trast, VSDs adjust motor speed directly,

optimizing both ﬂ ow and pressure.

Pumps represent a major opportu-

nity for savings. Despite many pumps

operating at steady loads — including

98% of wastewater pumps and 97% of

swimming pool pumps — they often run

ineﬃ ciently. Without a VSD, motor speed

is ﬁ xed by grid frequency, frequently

forcing the pump to operate away from

its best eﬃ ciency point, or BEP. Further-

more, “constant” loads often ﬂ uctuate

between partial loads and overloads. A

VSD smooths out these ﬂ uctuations and

allows for precise speed settings.

Oversizing is a pervasive issue, as

engineers often specify extra capacity

to account for future growth or 25-year

lifespans. Throttling an oversized pump

via valves is ineﬃ cient; using a VSD

to match the pump’s speed to actual

demand, however, can reduce energy

use by up to 12% per unit. Other meth-

ods, such as impeller trimming, are often

impractical, especially in wastewater

applications where solids create clogging

risks.

Fans follow similar eﬃ ciency patterns.

Because a fan’s power use increases with

the cube of the fan’s speed, running a

motor faster than necessary results in

exponential waste. Fans are frequently

oversized to maintain airﬂ ow as ﬁ l-

ters become clogged with debris. A VSD

allows the system to run at lower speeds

when ﬁ lters are clean or full capacity is

unnecessary, resulting in average energy

savings of 10% per fan.

Compressors beneﬁ t from VSDs by

matching output to demand and avoiding

ineﬃ cient cycling, although the savings

in constant-load compressor applica-

tions are more limited due to internal

drive losses.

Pumps

Collectively, the Fraunhofer research

estimates that optimizing variable-load

pumps, fans, and compressors in the EU

could save 121.1 terawatt-hours annu-

ally. When constant-load applications

are included, the total potential savings

approach 140 terawatt-hours per year. By

addressing the inherent waste of over-

sizing and mechanical throttling, VSDs

clearly provide a highly eﬀ ective path

toward industrial energy eﬃ ciency.

The ABB white paper is available at

https://bit.ly/4box402. — Kevin Jones

VFD-Induced Shaft Voltage

Destroys Motor Bearings!

Electrical bearing damage causes

unplanned downtime

Variable frequency drives (VFDs) are widely

used to control HVAC systems. But VFDs create

a motor shaft voltage that discharges through

the bearings, blasting millions of pits in

bearing surfaces. Both motor and equipment

bearings are at risk. Over time, damage from

these discharges accumulates and causes

premature failure and the twin expenses of

replacement and unplanned downtime.

Protect motor bearings with

AEGIS® Shaft Grounding Rings

AEGIS® Shaft Grounding Rings prevent

electrical bearing damage by dissipating

shaft voltage before it discharges.

Proven in millions of installations world-

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protection of motors against electrical

bearing damage, premature failure, and

unplanned downtime.

The Original Shaft Grounding Ring

For over 20 years, AEGIS Rings have been protecting motors from

premature bearing failure. Motor manufacturers recognize the value

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ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026 13

Associations aiding in the

phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons

The HVACR industry is undergoing one of its most sig-

nificant transitions in decades, and several associations

known to EA readers are helping to lead the way.

Driven by the American Innovation and Manufactur-

ing Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is

enforcing a major phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons.

The primary goal of these regulations is to move the

HVACR industry toward alternatives with lower global

warming potentials, or GWPs. Prior to and since a Jan. 1

deadline, five major organizations have been providing

the technical standards, training, and research neces-

sary to manage this shift.

One of them, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and

Refrigeration Institute, or AHRI, serves as the central

voice for manufacturers navigating these new rules. In

late 2025, the organization worked closely with federal

regulators to address concerns about “stranded inven-

tory,” which refers to equipment manufactured before

the 2025 production ban that has not yet been installed.

Thanks to AHRI’s efforts, the EPA proposed a rule in

October 2025 to allow the continued installation of resi-

dential and light commercial systems that use R-410A,

a high-GWP refrigerant, if they were manufactured or

imported prior to Jan. 1, 2025.

Standardization is a major part of the work being per-

formed by AHRI. By providing a common framework for

performance and safety, the organization is helping to

ensure that new equipment using “mildly flammable” refrigerants, such as

R-454B and R-32, meets rigorous quality requirements.

While manufacturers are concerned with equipment design, the Air Con-

ditioning Contractors of America, or ACCA, serves the people who install

and service these systems. The transition to A2L refrigerants has introduced

a slight flammability risk that didn’t exist with older HFCs. To address this

challenge, ACCA has launched a series of comprehensive safety training

programs. These courses cover the practical aspects of handling, transport-

ing, and storing A2Ls. Participants learn new best practices, such as using

leak detection tools and ensuring proper ventilation during brazing and

repairs.

ACCA has also been vocal in the regulatory process. In November 2025,

the organization urged the EPA to extend installation relief to variable-

refrigerant flow systems. These complex systems often have longer lead

times for installation than standard residential units. Without an extension,

many expensive systems already in the construction pipeline could become

illegal to install.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engi-

neers, better known as ASHRAE, is meanwhile providing the scientific and

engineering foundation for the entire transition. Two of its standards, Stan-

dard 15 and Standard 34, are the primary references for the safe use and

classification of refrigerants. Standard 15, for example, lays out the safety

requirements for refrigeration systems, including the maximum amount of

a mildly flammable refrigerant that can be safely used in a given space.

During its 2026 Winter Conference held in Las Vegas Jan. 31 through Feb.

4, ASHRAE hosted more than 100 technical sessions, many of which focused

on decarbonization and the implementation of low-GWP refrigerants. These

sessions were intended to help engineers and building designers under-

stand how to integrate new equipment into existing building codes.

Associations

Please turn to page 16

14 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026

The World’s Leading

Exhibition in Coil Winding

Strong debut: A successful first edition in

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events, one destination for innovation

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At the World Magnetic Conference, developers

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ASHRAE

advocating

the

quick

adoption of these standards by local gov-

ernments to ensure that the transition

is properly managed. According to the

society’s public policy priorities for the

2025-26 period, “Where ultra-low GWP

refrigerants are being applied, ASHRAE’s

priority is to ensure the transition to

these refrigerants is managed so that they

are used safely, efficiently, and cost-effec-

tively.”

For those who manage large buildings

and industrial plants, the International

Facility Management Association, or

IFMA, provides the guidance needed

to stay compliant. This year’s January

deadline has brought new requirements

for leak repair and management. As of

the first of the year, owners of equip-

ment containing 15 pounds or more of

HFC refrigerants must follow manda-

tory leak detection and repair rules. If a

system leaks above a certain threshold,

the owner must repair it within 30 days

or develop a plan to retire or retrofit the

equipment within a year.

This regulatory shift is meant to

encourage facility managers to adopt

more sophisticated monitoring tech-

nologies. Many larger systems will now

require automatic leak detection sys-

tems that provide real-time monitoring

and reporting. These tools should help

managers detect problems early, which

in turn should help prevent the release

of gases deemed harmful and protect the

efficiency of the equipment. Proactive

planning, IFMA points out, is essential for

facility managers to avoid the high costs

associated with emergency equipment

replacements and regulatory penalties.

Finally, the National Institute of Stan-

dards and Technology is playing a more

behind-the-scenes role by conducting

the fundamental research that makes

possible the transition described above.

Scientists at the Institute study the

chemical and physical properties of new

refrigerant blends to determine how they

behave under different conditions. This

includes detailed research into the flam-

mability and heat-transfer characteristics

of A2L and A3 refrigerants.

By providing accurate data on how

these new refrigerants perform in real-

world applications, the Institute hopes

to help manufacturers refine their equip-

ment designs. The NIST research also

aids in the creation of more accurate

safety standards, such as those published

by ASHRAE. — Kevin Jones

Attend the Premier Event of

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Jan. 1 was the deadline originally estab-

lished by the EPA as the final cutoff for in-

stalling new residential and light-commercial

split-system air conditioners and heat pumps

that use high-GWP refrigerants. These are

being replaced by a new generation of A2L

refrigerants (such as the one shown above)

in a transition that’s being aided by several

organizations familiar to Electrical Apparatus

readers.

— Arkema S.A. photo

ASSOCIATIONS continued from page 14

16 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026

Electric Motor Forum!

Celebrate 30 Years of

CWIEME Berlin at the brand new

The Ford Motor Co. has named Lisa Drake president of Ford

Energy, the company announced in January. She will report

to John Lawler, vice chairman. Drake will launch the compa-

ny’s battery energy storage systems business, the formation of

which was announced this past December.

In this new role, Drake is responsible for

the full scope of Ford Energy’s end-to-end

operations, spanning battery cell manu-

facturing, system assembly, and sales.

She will focus on building the future lead-

ership team needed to capitalize on this

high-growth market opportunity for Ford.

“Lisa has deep expertise in scaling

complex industrial systems and secur-

ing critical supply chains,” said Lawler.

“Her leadership is essential as we stand

up Ford Energy to capture the growing

demand for reliable battery energy storage that supports grid

stability and resilience for utilities and large energy users.”

Drake most recently served as vice president, Technology

Platform Programs and EV Systems, leading the industrial plan

for batteries and electric propulsion engineering. Her back-

ground in industrialization and purchasing will be central to

operationalizing the new business unit, according to Ford.

The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National

Association, based in Chantilly, Va., a promoter of quality and

excellence in the sheet metal and air conditioning industry,

announced that Frank Wall has been named the organization’s

new CEO. Wall looks to advance the association’s mission of

creating a competitive advantage for members through indus-

try education, labor relations, standards

development, industry representation,

and business studies.

Wall most recently served as the

Mechanical Contractors Association of

America’s executive director of opera-

tions. At the national oﬃ ce, he served as

executive director of the John R. Gentile

Foundation and handled the day-to-day

operations of the association. In addition

to his role at the Mechanical Contrac-

tors Association of America, Frank also

worked with C. Richard Barnes and Associates as a faculty

member, helping facilitate leadership courses for the unionized

electrical industry.

Sagepoint Energy LLC, a Carmel, Ind.-based waste-to-energy

company, announced the appointment of Curt Reitz as vice

president of logistics Jan. 27. In this role, Reitz will lead Sage-

point Logistics, a subsidiary of Sagepoint Energy, where he will

oversee the development and execution of the company’s inte-

grated logistics strategy and ﬂ eet operations.

Reitz brings more than 30 years of leadership in the trans-

portation and alternative energy sectors. He most recently

served as president of Contract Transport Services, a Green Bay,

Wis.-based carrier, where he gained national recognition for

transitioning the company to a 100% compressed-natural-gas-

powered ﬂ eet. A military veteran and the son of a truck driver,

Reitz is known for his “driver-ﬁ rst” leadership philosophy,

which emphasizes safety, professional respect, and operational

excellence. — Charlie Barks

Names & Faces

Lisa Drake

Frank Wall

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Tending to

HVACR health

Prevent weather-related

downtime by upgrading

equipment and implementing

proactive maintenance strategies

By Bill O’Leary,

EA Contributing Writer

I’m writing this column in sub-zero temperatures and more than five

inches of snow. A winter storm with a wide swathe from New York to

Dallas, spanning over 1,500 miles, is causing flight cancellations in the

multiple thousands. We are officially in the extreme weather season.

But the best defense is a good offense. And that’s where a strong HVACR

system in your plant comes in.

Knowing the most common problems that an HVACR system faces

allows managers and maintenance technicians to build and implement

a robust, sustainable system that can withstand any of the erratic ele-

ments. And as you will see, oftentimes the best approach is to update

the various HVACR products across your plant.

Why spend time troubleshooting when you can eliminate downtime

and headaches through shrewd purchases, relevant knowledge, and

proactive maintenance? As extreme heat and extreme cold become

more common, managers will continue to be on the hook for guaran-

teeing that their plant continues to operate at full capacity.

“Climate change is driving up HVAC demand,” according to Matthew

Pigott from IBIS World in his “Heating & Air-Conditioning Contractors

in the U.S. - Market Research Report” (2015-2030). “Hotter summers

mean households and businesses increasingly rely on HVAC Systems.

While inflation and remote work challenges hurt HVAC needs in office

buildings, healthcare facilities and manufacturing plants show prom-

ise. Essential services and renewed industrial investment provide a

balance in this diverse sector.”

What often ails HVACR systems

Common HVACR problems include dirty air filters, electrical issues

such as capacitor failure, thermostat malfunctions, and refrigerant

leaks. Some are caused by an unkind climate but otherwise can arise

from simple neglect. And the result? Poor airflow, leaky ducts, system

failure, and unbalanced temperatures.

I can go on. Okay, maybe I will, to really drive the

point home. Other problems include dirty coils,

heating system ignition problems, and condensate

drains.

Plant managers face a whole host of heating, ven-

tilation, and air-conditioning issues and should

implement periodic maintenance checks in the very

guts of their plants, such as the ducts and boilers.

Quarterly inspections ensure that the system is

cleaning and running problem-free. It also allows

the team to get in front of any dirt build-up or wear-

and-tear that may seem minor now but may be a

significant challenge in the future.

Other culprits include constant-speed motors with-

out variable-frequency drives. Older induction motors

running full-bore at all hours of the day and night will

wear down quickly, even when the load is relatively

light. Fans and pumps that are throttled with valves

or dampers, as opposed to slowing these motors, will

lead to excessive energy waste. Real-world symptoms

emerge in the form of frequently closed valves, hot

motor housings, loud airflow noise, and high kWh

during low production. Adding variable-frequency

drives to your motors can reduce energy use on your

systems by as much as 20%-50%. (For more about the

use of electronic drives with HVACR motors, see this

month’s “Pumps,” page 13.)

Pneumatic controls and old electric electrome-

chanical thermostats can be root causes for HVACR

problems. They can drift out of calibration while

leaking air and react slowly to changes in the envi-

ronment. What often results is over-correcting on

either end of the temperature — i.e., more heat or

more cooling than is necessary. Even simultaneous

heating and cooling can occur along with hissing

air lines. To avoid these challenges, ensure that

you have modern digital controls to document and

regulate temperature. They provide a more pre-

cise, tighter, faster, and efficient foundation for your

plant’s HVACR system.

“Direct digital control systems offer increased

accuracy and the ability for the buildings’ systems

to be computer-controlled,” said Andrew Wilcox,

global marketing manager at Trane Control Systems.

“Increased energy efficiency will result with the

proper control strategies and a properly commis-

sioned system.”

Feature | Plant Life

Belts are among the several HVACR components that need to be checked and

periodically replaced.

— William Hager / Shutterstock photo

20 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026