About Cabling Installation & Maintenance

Our mission: Bringing practical business and technical intelligence to today's structured cabling professionals

For more than 30 years, Cabling Installation & Maintenance has provided useful, practical information to professionals responsible for the specification, design, installation and management of structured cabling systems serving enterprise, data center and other environments. These professionals are challenged to stay informed of constantly evolving standards, system-design and installation approaches, product and system capabilities, technologies, as well as applications that rely on high-performance structured cabling systems. Our editors synthesize these complex issues into multiple information products. This portfolio of information products provides concrete detail that improves the efficiency of day-to-day operations, and equips cabling professionals with the perspective that enables strategic planning for networks’ optimum long-term performance.

Throughout our annual magazine, weekly email newsletters and 24/7/365 website, Cabling Installation & Maintenance digs into the essential topics our audience focuses on.

  • Design, Installation and Testing: We explain the bottom-up design of cabling systems, from case histories of actual projects to solutions for specific problems or aspects of the design process. We also look at specific installations using a case-history approach to highlight challenging problems, solutions and unique features. Additionally, we examine evolving test-and-measurement technologies and techniques designed to address the standards-governed and practical-use performance requirements of cabling systems.
  • Technology: We evaluate product innovations and technology trends as they impact a particular product class through interviews with manufacturers, installers and users, as well as contributed articles from subject-matter experts.
  • Data Center: Cabling Installation & Maintenance takes an in-depth look at design and installation workmanship issues as well as the unique technology being deployed specifically for data centers.
  • Physical Security: Focusing on the areas in which security and IT—and the infrastructure for both—interlock and overlap, we pay specific attention to Internet Protocol’s influence over the development of security applications.
  • Standards: Tracking the activities of North American and international standards-making organizations, we provide updates on specifications that are in-progress, looking forward to how they will affect cabling-system design and installation. We also produce articles explaining the practical aspects of designing and installing cabling systems in accordance with the specifications of established standards.

Cabling Installation & Maintenance is published by Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

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Distribution Disconnect Switches: What They Do and Where They’re Used

A distribution Disconnect Switch is a basic mechanical switching device. It’s used in electrical power distribution systems—usually at the substation and feeder level. Its main job is to give a safe, reliable, and easy-to-see way to isolate part of a circuit. This isolation is for maintenance, repair, or rerouting power. It’s important to remember: these switches aren’t made to stop load current or fault current. They only work on circuits that are already turned off by an upstream protective device, like a circuit breaker. The main design feature of a disconnect switch is the visible air gap between its contacts when it’s in the “open” position. This visible break is a key safety step. It lets workers know the isolated part of the circuit is de-energized, so they can follow lockout/tagout (LOTO) rules. These switches are built to handle high continuous current. They also have strong mechanical endurance to stand up to environmental stress

Some common kinds of these switches exist. Air Break Switches are the most common—they open contacts in regular air. Group-Operated Switches are mechanically linked; they work all three phases at the same time. Load-Breaking Switches are a special type. They have arcing horns or chambers that let them stop small load currents, but they never stop fault currents. Distribution disconnect switches are put in key spots in the network. For example, they isolate transformers, capacitor banks, or transmission lines. They’re also at the start of distribution feeders to section off parts of the system. Sometimes they’re used to bypass substation equipment. You can only operate these switches when you’re sure the circuit is de-energized. Trying to open a switch while it’s carrying a load creates a dangerous arc. This arc can damage equipment and cause serious safety risks. So, safe operation of the Abimat disconnect switch always depends on working with upstream devices that stop current. You must follow IEEE and IEC standards too. These standards cover how the switches are designed, tested, and used—they make sure the system is safe and reliable.

GCD12-630, isolating switch

Media Contact
Company Name: Zhejiang ABIMAT Electric Co., Ltd.
Email: Send Email
Country: China
Website: https://www.abimatelectric.com/

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