Not Another Top 10 List…The Best of 2019

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Top 10 lists or countdown lists from 2019 are everywhere as 2020 comes around the corner. You might be sick of all of the countdown lists, so we thought we would, of course, add one more to your reading list! Luckily this is only a Top 4 list.

Over the years, Woody has shared some fun memories, thoughts, and information about the electrical industry. To celebrate another year of electrical humor and new products, we are taking a look at some of the best 2019 blog posts.

And without further ado:

  1. Gone FIshin’: Woody had a fun time with this fish tape solution from Milwaukee. We think he hid the fish tape tool and only shared the video with us!
  2. Is It Ever Gonna Warm Up?: A question that has been on my mind recently, but that is a Midwest winter for you. Woody sums up our need to stay warm with a Marley space heater and shares his new favorite television show in the process.
  3. Think Pink with 3M: Woody gets serious to explain the importance of our partnership with 3M for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We ended up donating proceeds from these sales to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, a great organization for information and support.
  4. Sliding through the raceway made easy!: The sad news is that this post is not about a water slide. The good news is that Polywater Lubricant J is an effective solution for pulling wire through conduit.

There you have it: the top 4 posts from 2019. You can read the full article by clicking on the link in each title. Thank you for enjoying and have a happy New Year!

~Kristine

Welcome to Toyland!

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It’s that wonderful time of year for gift giving!! It can be stressful running around to stores and possibly getting trampled to find the right present.

Who can forget the horrible Cabbage Patch Kid Riots of 1983? People were fist fighting, kicking and trampling each other just to get one.

Or the Tickle Me Elmo from 1996? Oh man, no one was giggling when they were clawing and scratching to get that red, furry, and (kind of creepy) vibrating stuffed animal!

Why risk your physical well being and sanity when you just shop at https://www.gordonelectricsupply.com/? In the electrical world there are all kinds of toys that are cool to give—and receive! Here are few cools things you can find!

From Klein Tools is the 55421BP-14 Tradesman Pro™ Backpack

  • 39 pockets for tons of tool storage
  • Hard, molded front pocket protects safety glasses
  • Front zipper pocket for small parts and tools
  • Taller bag and interior pockets allow for long screwdrivers
  • Fully molded bottom protects from the elements
  • Orange interior for easy tool visibility
  • 1680d ballistic weave for durability and water resistance
  • Shoulder straps with extra padding and handles for easy carrying

From Ideal Industries is the Large Mouth Bag Tool Kit, 18”, 16-Piece 

 So have a great Holiday Season, and if you do hit the brick and mortar stores …Stay Safe!!!

~Woody

A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work!!

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I have heard this saying a lot, but I don’t think it is always true. Hear me out:

Who remembers Captain Quint form Jaws? His fishing trip didn’t end well at all!

Or Captain Ahab? He went down roped to the whale!

Then there are those guys up in Alaska catching crabs. The Baring Sea, 10 degrees Fahrenheit, high winds and sliding around on the frozen deck of a boat full of vengeful sea creatures that walk sideways and have pinchers! (on second thought—that would make a great movie!)

Fishing through conduit to pull wire is the same way! Sometimes the tape pushes right through and the wire pulls easily while other times the conduit is clogged or the wire won’t pull, and when it does you wind up with the fish tape all over or bouncing off of a live buss!

Milwaukee Tool has a very cool answer for this!!

The MILWAUKEE® M18 FUEL™ ANGLER™ Pulling Fish Tape System is the world’s first battery powered fish tape solution. The fish tape wire puller’s AUTO-RUN™ Powered Feed and Retract eliminates manual pulling tools for less user fatigue and automatically reels the tape back into the drum for a cleaner jobsite. The electric fish tape wire puller features a POWERSTATE™ brushless motor that provides the ability to pull wire through a 200′ run with 360° degrees of bends. This new battery powered fish tape puller is more efficient with an automatic feed that pushes through bends faster for maximum jobsite efficiency. The M18 FUEL™ ANGLER™ Pulling Fish Tape Powered Base is powered by the M18™ REDLITHIUM™ battery pack and is compatible with 4 anti-binding steel and non-conductive drums to tackle any situation. The automatic wire puller is equipped with REDLINK PLUS™ Intelligence to ensure maximum performance and protection from overload.  

~Woody

See the M18 FUEL™ ANGLER™ Pulling Fish Tape in action:

Think Pink with 3M

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Breast cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer diagnosed in women. About 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point in their lives.

The good news is that most women can survive breast cancer if it’s discovered and treated early. A mammogram – the screening test for breast cancer – can help find breast cancer early when it’s easier to treat.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a chance to raise awareness about the importance of finding breast cancer early. Make a difference! Spread the word about mammograms and encourage communities, organizations, families, and individuals to get involved.

How can National Breast Cancer Awareness Month make a difference?  We can use this opportunity to spread the word about taking steps to detect breast cancer early.

3M is helping with the H-713R pink Hard Hat

These hard hats show support for breast cancer detection all while looking stylish!

  • 4-point ratchet suspension allows wearer to customize height and fit
  • Meets requirements of ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2014 Type I, Class C
  • Replaceable brow pad enhances comfort and extends service life of hard hat
  • ANSI/ISEA compliant when worn in the forward and reverse donning positions

 

And the P2001 No-Touch Ear Plugs. A comfortable and easy way to show your support for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

  •  No roll-down, easy-insertion design keeps tip clean even if hands are dirty
  • Push-to-fit livewire stem flexes sideways if impacted during wear
  • Cylindrical shape fits most ears comfortably
  • Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) 29 dB. CSA Class AL

~Woody

Sliding through the raceway made easy!

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Pulling wire through conduit can be challenging sometimes and depending on the amount of bends and the length of the pipe run, it can be almost impossible!

Someone finally discovered that the best thing to use was some kind of lubricant to make the wire slide through the raceway.

Over the years I have heard of all kinds of things being used: dish soap, motor oil, and grease to name a few!!

(Hair gel never really caught on.)

WHAT A MESS!!!

The other problem is that, in a few years, you have to pull the wire out for some reason. The wrong lubricants can make the wire stick in the pipe.

All along the solution has been wire lube!! So a lot of companies started making it—some good and some NOT so good.

Some lubricants were made with dyes that stain your hands and anything it got on!!

Then came POLYWATER!!!!!

Polywater Lubricant J has been proven through use with a track record of more than 30 years pulling cable and wire. Due to its reduction in tension and friction, Lubricant J can be used on both electrical and communication cables.

Polywater Lubricant J

Features:

  • Meets LEED and Green Seal criteria
  • Lubricity for months after use: clean and slow drying
  • Maximum friction reduction
  • No wax, grease, or silicone content found in Lubricant J
  • Specified for fire-critical cables (Noncombustible residue)
  • Stays on cable jacket during application
  • UL listed and CARB compliant
  • Stable in variety of temperatures (20°F to 120°F)
  • Viscosity Rating 25000 to 40000 Cps at 10 RPM
  • PH Rating 7.5 to 9

~Woody

This is going to burst your bubble

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The 2014 NEC code states:

406.9(B) (1): Extra-Duty Covers at 15- and 20-Ampere Receptacles at Wet Locations.

This provision contains the previous requirement that all 15- and 20-ampere and all 125- and 250-volt receptacles—when installed in wet locations—must have enclosures and covers that are weatherproof, whether or not the attachment plug cap is inserted.

These are known as Bubble covers. They are designed so you can have a cord plugged in with the cover closed.

It’s a great idea, but they are UGLY!!!

They look like a huge plastic pimple sticking out of the side of your house.

Some are plastic, some are more heavy duty gray cast aluminum.

Intermatic has come out with a very cool cover, that not only complies with the code, but it looks great!!

The WP6000 and WP7000 series covers have an expandable clear cover that can be pushed in when it’s not in use!!

You might say, the pimple has been popped!!!

Features

• New low-profile design offers an expandable front window that can be collapsed to save space when not in use

• Complies with 2017 NEC for Wet Locations/Extra-Duty Applications (WP7000 and WP7200 models only) and CEC Section 26-702

• Heavy-duty UV stabilized polycarbonate construction ensures long-lasting durability

• Single-gang covers mount vertically or horizontally

• Single-gang models: GFCI pre-set for faster installation Two inserts are provided with all models, allowing for up to eight unique configurations

• Double-gang models: GFCI pre-set for faster installation Four inserts are provided with all models, allowing for up to 16 unique configurations

• Reinforced hinge pin: Designed to withstand a 40 lbs. hinge hang/stress test

• Impact-rated: Tested in 12 lbs. impact test to ensure cover remains intact

• Lockable hasp: All models accept up to 0.19″ dia shank

• Meets requirements for cold impact testing at -60°F (-51°C)

• 6000/7000/7200 Series available in gray, white and bronze • 6200 Series is available in gray only

~ Woody

Is It Ever Gonna Warm Up?

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I started watching that show where they drop 2 people off out in the middle of nowhere without their clothes so they can act like cavepeople for 21 days.

In every episode, it takes days of rubbing sticks together to start a fire for heat, and it always ends up in a fight.

Call me crazy (and a lot of people do), but Muddy Waters invented electricity a long time ago so that we could have music and stay WARM!!!

If you are needing an awesome space heater, Marley has the answer.

The MMHD1502T

  • Two heat settings for a full range of comfort.
  • Automatic thermostat.
  • Fan only feature to circulate air during non-heating periods.
  • Tip over safety switch and thermal limit.
  • Built-in carrying handle and guards.
  • Polarized cord and plug (MMH).
  • Safety buzzer.
  • MMHD has grounded cord and plug.

~ Woody

LABELS, LABELS, LABELS

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Labeling is a big deal in the electrical industry: from wire labels to panels and push-buttons.

Back in the old days, we had one type of label maker. It had a round knob on top of it with all the letters and symbols.

You would feed a hard plastic tape into it, turn the knob to the letter you wanted, pull the trigger and the letter would be punched into the tape.

Then peel off the back and stick it on whatever you were labeling.

And we labeled EVERYTHING!! Our lunch boxes, folders, lockers and each other.

Now a days labeling is more sophisticated and the label makers can get very pricey.

Brady has an awesome labeler at the right price!!

The BMP 21-PLUS

TOUGH on the outside, SMART on the inside. The super rugged, ultra intelligent BMP®21-PLUS is an affordable label and wire printer designed for the tool box.

  • This handheld label printer creates multi-line labels for clear identification of wires, panels, circuit boards and other industrial items
  • On-board keyboard contains letters A to Z and numbers 0 to 9, and backlit LCD graphics display for easier labeling even in low-lit areas
  • Prints in 6 different text sizes ranging from 6 point to 40 point in a single color
  • Compatible with Brady BMP21 Series printer continuous tape cartridges to enable printing of various styles and widths
  • Drop-tested and reinforced with molded-rubber impact bumpers for durability in the most demanding work environments

~ Woody

Timing is everything

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It’s that fun time of year when we get to play Clark Griswold and decorate our houses for the holidays!!

What a great time, freezing, running extension cord connected to extension cord all over the yard and roof!!

If you’re like me, you have a vast collection of blow molds, lights and even a moving Santa. (I always have to nail his feet to the roof so he won’t fall off.)

The biggest pain is always trying to remember to run outside and turn them off.

Thanks to Intermatic, this is now easy!!

The TN311 Heavy Duty indoor timer will do the trick. You set it and forget it!!

Features

  • 3 ON/3 OFF settings per day with removable trippers, more ON/OFF events with addition of extra trippers
  • Minimum 30-min ON/OFF time
  • Grounded receptacle and 3-prong plug
  • Plugs directly into wall outlet

~Woody

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!!

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Emergency lights have come a long way!! Back in the old days, they were huge steel boxes containing a large heavy battery with two big lights on top. These boat anchors could weigh a ton, not to mention they looked like a robot and took up a lot of room.

In the last few years they have all become LED. This means smaller batteries and smaller housings. One of the smallest is the Lithonia EU2LM12.

The Lithonia Lighting® EU2L LED Emergency Light is suitable for emergency lighting applications such as stairways and hallways.

Its low profile design with small, unobtrusive dual lamp heads makes the EU2L ideal for safely illuminating the path of egress in small spaces at lower mounting heights.

It can be wall or ceiling mounted and will provide 90 minutes of emergency power in the case of power loss.

FEATURES:

 Test switch and status indicator

UL indoor damp location 50°F to 104°F (10°C to 40°C) listed standard

For use with dual voltage 120/277VAC

~Woody