DC Power Hour

In this episode Allen hosts Pete DeMar, who has over 40 years of experience in the stationary battery industry, and Ryan Wallace, Market Development Manager for Eagle Eye Power Solutions. They explore the critical topic of battery room safety, covering key precautions and best practices to prevent hazards. The expert panel discusses essential safety measures, including proper signage, ventilation, PPE requirements, and emergency protocols for thermal runaway and hazardous gas exposure. Tune in to learn how to create a safer battery environment and mitigate risks before they become serious threats.Episode Highlights5:05 – More and more batteries are being moved into occupied spaces, either rightly or wrongly, safely or not safely. So, let's start with battery location.13:52 – You should have two people both trained on the hazard that they're going to be working with. The person that goes in there has to be trained. And that's in a several OSHA and IEEE documents.17:53 – I've been lucky. I've only had one battery blow up in front of me.30:10 – We want to install that hydrogen detection sensor on the highest peak or the highest part of the ceiling.39:06 – Your ventilation could actually fail and your recombiner, by recombining that 90 some percent of that gas, will prevent air from being a buildup in the battery room.

In this episode Allen hosts Pete DeMar, who has over 50 years of experience in the stationary battery industry, shared his background and expertise in battery failure analysis. Al Warner, with a history of involvement in batteries since his time on the farm, shared his experiences in the military and the UPS industry, highlighting his learning journey and continued interest in battery maintenance.Episode Highlights4:53 – I was, I guess, the whistleblower for VRLA batteries. I had, the main manufacturer at the time come to my location and had a battery assembled for them. I showed them every problem that they have with them. So IEEE came out with a document called IEEE 1188, and that became the standard for maintenance of VRLA batteries.11:56 – UPS batteries are the heart of the UPS system. If you don't have a battery, it's not uninterruptible so battery maintenance is critical.22:28 – Control algorithms that monitor the batteries kind of put the customer to sleep believing that the UPS is going to give them a warning before it fails, but that doesn't always happen.22:28 – A brownout is where the utility lowers the voltage so they can provide for a few more customers and then there's of course the famous blackout and rolling blackouts.29:24 – A totally separate problem that we have not actually discussed is, there are two things and one of those is, with large UPSs and DC battery systems, the arc flash calculations, they are way off.49:35 – They're relying on the electronics to Safely take care of their batteries. Same thing is true with UPSs. They rely on the electronics and no inspection It's out of mind, out of sight.

In this episode of DC Power Hour, Allen along with special guests Al Warner and Fran Losey discuss how AI growth, along with data center growth and the required electrification, affect the powering infrastructure.Episode Highlights6:03 – Do you agree with me when I say that the politicians are those that try to enforce these laws or make the suggestions?3:57 – It's critical that people who have our level of experience speak out when we see a need for the younger generation to understand what we've went through. We've learned a lot of lessons. In the power industry and being able to communicate those. And today's topic is probably near and dear to my heart.10:32 – The number one lesson that I took away from the National Power Lapse study was that before the actual outage, where the power just goes to zero, there's usually a voltage sag and power supplies traditionally are designed to withstand a certain amount of voltage sag and outage.16:06 – A brownout is where the utility lowers the voltage so they can provide for a few more customers and then there's of course the famous blackout and rolling blackouts.19:51 – The reality of today's grid, which needs a massive upgrade, as we've said before, is it needs to be redesigned because the whole backbone of the US grid is the problem.31:46 – We had a crew come to our, our property and they were trimming the limbs. I said take these down because they're going to be a problem and the guy said, no they don't pay me to do that. The next year we had limbs from those trees hanging on our power line and we had an outage.

In this episode of DC Power Hour, Allen along with special guests Al Warner and Fran Losey discuss how AI growth, along with data center growth and the required electrification, affect the powering infrastructure.Episode Highlights6:03 – Do you agree with me when I say that the politicians are those that try to enforce these laws or make the suggestions?10:42 – What do you see happening in some of those big data centers you work in?17:17 – Do you know the rack requirements for hyperscale deployments are 10 to 14kW per rack in existing data centers, and they're estimating this is going to rise to 40 to 60kW rack?27:33 – Question: I got three strings in parallel, I lose 1 string, what's my run time? And everybody will say 2/3rds. Answer: Not even close!32:09 – Who has the most experience with micro-nuclear plants? The United States Navy. If we can power aircraft carriers, we can power cities with these plants.

In the latest episode of DC Power Hour, Dave Neubert recaps the BATTCON conference in Miami with the Battery Blarney duo, George and Allen. Allen, a founder and Hall of Fame member, discusses the history of BATTCON, which began to address negative press around VRLA batteries by fostering dialogue among industry stakeholders. Despite Allen's absence this year, George highlights key presentations and international participation, underscoring BATTCON's importance as a leading stationary battery conference.Episode Highlights3:28 – It started off with the presentation by Curtis Ashton, the current chair of the committee, the job you held for many, many years Allen.11:30 – There was a lot of focus from the floor on battery safety.31:04 – In some of the very large telecommunications applications, particularly places like the cable companies, they were seeing instability on the 48 volt bus, and I mean real instability.37:27 – I know from my own training requirements here, a basic standard like PRC 005, there is a lack of understanding at the level with the people who are doing it.

In this episode of DC Power Hour, the Battery Blarney duo of George and Allen, along with our resident load bank technician and engineer Josh Fox, delve into the intricacies of load testing and load banks. They emphasize the critical importance of load testing in assessing battery capacity and highlight challenges faced by utilities in allocating manpower for comprehensive testing. The conversation explores IEEE and NERC standards for load testing, including acceptance tests and modified performance tests, and offers practical insights from field experiences. The hosts conclude by discussing strategies like cell jumping and the necessity of adjusting charger voltages, providing valuable tips for professionals in battery maintenance.Episode Highlights:4:59 – A common question I get is "why do we have to do a test for eight hours?"9:41 – When you're recharging the battery, you're shoving maximum current in into it. Depending on the design of the power system, you could be shoving two or three hundred amps into that battery.20:23 – There's also a couple of excellent papers on load testing itself. One by, I'll give a plug here, one by an old friend of mine and yours, Rick Tresler. And Another one by I believe it was Steve Clark on rate adjusted method.22:11 – You're putting yourself at risk because you're working on 120 volts with a lot of current around, and you're putting the system at risk if you get it wrong.49:14 – Are there certain pitfalls or certain things that people need to worry about in order to do a discharge test correctly?

For this episode of DC Power Hour, we brought in another expert who's powerful in his field, Marketing Guru Jay Schwedelson. Jay joins one of the Battery Blarney brothers, Allen Byrne, for a conversation across industries on (insert the thought leadership part here) ( different industries, we discuss and compare providing thought leadership and educational information to our respective communities/industries to help them do improve things a better. We also have some fun discussing some recent email campaign testing and the results.Episode Highlights:4:59 – The path to success is not having an agenda. Sharing your industry knowledge, whatever industry that you're in, putting it out there and not saying, hey, do this.9:35 – When the powers out, you can still use your cell phone. Do you ever think why?13:17 – So Jay, we wanted to have a little fun here and we've got this subject line challenge that we've been incorporating and wanted to see if you could weigh in.17:49 – It's good that you guys are testing all this stuff. A lot of people, especially in the business to business marketing world, they're afraid to go as far as you guys are going but it's great to see that you are! 25:52 – I was thinking about what question do I have? I guess what I'm curious about, I'm always curious about this in any business. I want to know what is, what's a bad day in your industry?

In this episode of DC Power Hour, the Battery Blarney Duo delve into the topic of ground fault testing, welcoming special guest Ron who shares his experiences with ground faults on his installations. They discuss the nuances of ground faults, distinguishing them from short circuits, and explore techniques to mitigate issues such as corrosion in the telecom industry.Episode Highlights:8:03 – One of the big benefits of an ungrounded system and, or a floating system is the safety aspect of we can work on the batteries safely or work on instrumentation in the field without worry about getting shocked unless the system is in a ground fault.13:14 – You have a short sleeved shirt on, your elbow catches the ground when you're touching the wrong piece of the battery, I speak from experience on that one.21:28 – We assumed that the the ground fault was someplace along the cable, which was not a happy thing to think about, trying to trace that, which whereabouts in the cable would it be?24:53 – What happens if you can't find the ground fault?33:40 – We're in a commercial world and the battery is not a revenue generator so tends to get overlooked.

In this episode, the Battery Blarney Duo chats with charger specialist Lucas Berndt on the history and advantages of switch mode, convection-cooled rectifier technology. They discuss its benefits across applications and the importance of chargers regarding overall battery and DC system performance. Finally, they discuss the redundancy and continuity testing required for NERC TPL-001-5 compliance and how Eagle Eye's BC-2500 meets this important standard.Episode Highlights:2:54 – How did switch mode rectifiers come about?9:30 – Those were kind of the initial drivers of it, looking for not only more compact technology, but the one that that steps out.16:16 – The other thing was to do with another mandate, TPL, 001, not only monthly, but they have to have built in redundancy.18:22 – PRC 005, which is the first of the mandates that come out really just established a defined level of maintenance that was required.44:26 – I'll ask the question. We've got where we are now, good chargers, good batteries, what's the biggest challenge?

Listen in this episode of DC Power Hour as our battery Blarney duo of George and Allen welcome George Turner, another industry veteran who recently joined Eagle Eye as an advisor/EEU instructor. They discuss and recollect the evolution of batteries over the span of their careers.Episode Highlights:0:59 – I (George Turner) started in the battery industry in 1985 with Johnson controls and at that time they they manufactured flooded batteries.4:28 – It was pretty rapid change for a stoic industry like ours. There were a couple of drivers, I think that one was the development of control ferro rectifiers, which were replacing the the SCR.9:07 – There's another concern we had as well. That was the regulation and filtering had to be much better, but it didn't have that great big capacitor sitting at the end of the rectifier, acting basically as a battery eliminator.17:13 – One of the shortfalls of AGM is that there's not good contact between the electrolyte and the case. So it causes problems with heat dissipation, but with the gelled AGM the gel was in contact with the case and made for greater heat dissipation.49:31 – So the battery evolution over the last 50 years has improved dramatically. Quality levels are much better than what they were. Valve regulated is the way of the future, but there will always be a flooded battery systems as well.

Listen in this episode of DC Power Hour as our battery Blarney duo of George and Allen field questions from Doug on our sales team. They discuss topics ranging from seismic racking to spill containment and neutralization to chargers.Episode Highlights:1:57 – What are the seismic and UBC zones and how have they changed over time?7:40 – If you put the spacers in, you've just got rid of half the airflow that's necessary to keep the battery cool.9:46 – What are the pros and cons of Stevrofoam sheets vs corrugated PVCs in regards to airflow for the racks?14:10 – Spill containment, is it recommended for VRLA purviews?19:35 – Does the spill containment count as a neutralization kit?

Listen in this episode of DC Power Hour as our battery Blarney duo of George and Allen field questions from a few members of our sales team. We've got Patrick, Andrew, and Doug taking part in our round table discussion looking for feedback and answers to client questions and demands that they are asked to overcome.Episode Highlights:1:34 – Is there a time when either a SAN or fire retardant (FR) jar options should be recommended for usage over the other?5:08 – If you recommend the FR material type, even when the customer doesn't specify it, how do you differentiate that into a quote for a customer and against competitors?11:34 – Where does the battery monitoring system vendor fall in the responsibility of ensuring that a customer actually installs or ties the system into their network and SCADA systems in a way that actually makes them compliant?17:10 – What is the purpose of humidity monitoring included in a BMS and would you find that to be something that's totally necessary in a battery monitoring system?26:28 – In 2023, is there really any reason for a customer to buy a flooded battery anymore? Isn't VRLA just far superior as far as footprint, flame retardant jars, everything about them just seems to be superior.

So, welcome back to another episode of DC Power Hour with one of our internal subject matter experts, Patrick McElwee from our Portable Testing inside sales division. Pat talks about some of the handheld battery testing products that he works with on a daily basis and sells to customers and what customers are looking for. From digital hydrometers and the IBEX-Series of portable battery resistance testers to ground fault locators, hear what Pat has to say.Episode Highlights3:14 – Hear about some of the different applications our Digital Hydrometers are used for6:11 – Our SG Ultra comes with the most features and it's at the best price point10:58 – That's going to give you your NERC compliance13:25 – We have a good RMA process and the average turnaround time, I would say, is 7 to 10 days

The Battery Blarney duo is back together again after a few months with a very special guest, Jeff Donato from H2Scan, author of the article, "A Primer on the Codes and Standards Governing Battery Safety and Compliance". One of the subjects of this podcast is one that's often overlooked, and that's hydrogen detection and ventilation in the battery room. We will also talk about some other things in the battery room such as spill containment and more.Episode Highlights9:06 – Some even claim that depending on the composition of concrete, that hydrogen can actually mitigate through the concrete.20:52 – If you're calibrating, then you have a working sensor. If you're not calibrating, it's gonna drift off at some point.39:01 – If the pillow has contamination or has signs of contamination, then that has to be treated as hazardous material.43:44 – As a battery manufacturer, you have to decide how does your design meet that SDS requirement

Meet Chad, the load bank killer Teichmiller, our inside sales load bank guru. He's been on board here at Eagle Eye Power Solutions for a couple of years now. He's up to speed with all the technical aspects of load bank testing. There's a lot to these load banks and a lot of technical information but he's absorbing it and he's on the front lines every day working with customers to provide solutions.Episode Highlights02:24 – What are the, the range of models and things that we offer?10:33 – What's a D A C?13:54 – What is a general lead time?20:55 – Where do you see the market going with EVs?25:10 – What type of load bank would you be and why?

In this episode of the DC Power Hour David and Allen introduce Ed Rafter, a special guest on DC Power Hour, who is an expert in UPS batteries. They discuss the differences between ups and downs, voltage, discharge times, and other aspects of battery powering. Ed has a 40-year career in mission-critical applications, focusing on batteries. He first learned about batteries in the 1980s when he worked for an engineering firm in New Jersey and then worked for data centers for the New York and American Stock Exchange and securities industry. Allen shares his experience installing dry charge batteries in Saudi Arabia in the late 70s.Episode Highlights01:06 – UPSs are now probably one of the largest users of batteries in this country. But there's a lot of differences between UPSs and other types of powering, and we'll go into that, you know, differences in voltage, discharge times, whole slew of stuff.08:24 – When I first was introduced to the battery, we used to size them for 30 minutes. That was pretty common as part of that was if all hell broke loose, we wanna make sure that the UPS stays online so we can either recover, figure out what went wrong, and see if we couldn't recover or have enough time so that we might be able to quiesce the system.30:09 – I think it was the first time I heard somebody got killed. It was one of the manufacturers, one of their people working in a battery cabinet. I had known of people getting hurt working on the racks, the open racks.42:33 – Now we're talking about bidirectional inverters. So instead of having a very large substantial rectifier that's gotta not only serve its critical load, but keep the battery charged.

In this episode of the DC Power Hour David and Allen introduce the power solutions sales team, including Brian, Luke, and Andrew. They discuss the evolution of the utility market and customer issues. Luke emphasizes the growing adoption of permanent 24/7 monitoring and the importance of better understanding and interpreting data. Brian mentions that utilities are looking for more efficient solutions to manage fleets and improve asset efficiency. Andrew highlights the shift from manual data collectors to automated data collectors and renewable energy as a more mainstream form of power generation.Episode Highlights3:51 – Across the industry a lot of customers are dealing and grappling with the onboarding of TPL-001-515:34 – Remote locations have been challenging, but that's where we're coming in and creating a great value, showing them our easy reports and how they can connect.22:06 – You might have a ton of electric vehicles and high demand surges in LA or San Diego, but that's not where the renewable sites are and getting that power to those areas can also be a problem.44:37 – We're looking at putting on regional Eagle Eye University events where clients within a specific 700 mile range can come and get training at a location that's convenient to them in the local utility market and be tuned highly towards that specific market, whether it's in the west, the south, or the east.

In this episode the Battery Blarney Duo talk about a great topic once again, the Battcon 2023 recap. We've been waiting a few weeks to discuss this as George has been traveling, doing some training around North America. He's back and in studio with us along with Allen and Chris joining in so sit back and enjoy the conversation.1:53 – How Battcon began9:08 – Oh, they'll be back next year. They really enjoyed it. and found it really, really informational.13:06 – As a Battcon presenter for many years, George discusses the process and experience36:09 – Some companies say that they're installation experts and you look at pictures they proudly send out and I can pick about half a dozen problems with it. We're going to have to talk about installers and user safety as well.

In this episode, the Battery Blarney Duo of Alan and George and are joined by their longtime friend and colleague at times, Dan Lambert. These gentlemen definitely have their finger on the pulse of the industry and can shed some light on the really interesting topic of codes and standards. Episode Highlights04:40 – Not only with the national Electrical code NFPA 70, but also with the fire codes and UL and the IEEE standards. We've got so many change that's going on. It's sometime really hard to keep up with. You think just about UL alone, they've had revisions in the last six months of UL 94, UL 1778, 1973, 9540 has been revised and the 95 48 test procedure has been revised. 14:41 – And the, the crux of it is, is that what they do is they take a battery and they subject it to a, a variety of test methods, overcharge over discharge, overheating it short circuit a nail penetration test where that's something that's conceivable. And all of these tests are designed to see what it takes to set that battery on fire, if in fact it will will burn. 42:49 – So, and we know that monitoring and management within lithium battery is critical from a safety point of view to make sure that it doesn't either overcharge or over discharge, and to identify potential thermal runaway conditions. We don't have the same problem with the newer technologies, do we, Dan? What are we looking at in the way of monitoring and controls within these new technologies? 52:53 – And then when you have to build a system out of those components into something that's commercially viable, and you have generally contract manufacturing doing the assembly and such as that with those systems, you've introduced several layers of potential miscommunication, let's just put it that way, and that miscommunication can be a real problem for the end user.

In this episode, the Battery Blarney Duo is back in action to discuss the important topic of battery monitoring for different types of stationary battery applications. What all does a BMS monitor and what doesn't it? They'll discuss IEEE 1491, which they've have both chaired committees on, and review all that's included in this vital standard while dispelling any myths in the process. For anyone who wants crucial insights on the history of battery monitoring, as well as some ideas as to where it's headed, tune in and get the facts from George and Allen.Episode Highlights9:35 – IEEE came up with the term omic resistance to cover all three methods of checking the omic path through a battery.16:59 – If we talk about true battery monitoring where you actually are going to monitor the battery on a 24/7 basis then it starts to become a lot more interesting because as you said, and I will totally reinforce there is no single parameter within that data collected by the monitor that indicates failure or loss of capacity.20:50 – As you get into the larger vented lead acid batteries which have a extremely small resistance of the metallic path. You have to be conscious of the fact that you're going to have to pull a lot of current, or push a lot of current, push, a lot of signal through that battery to make it meaningful.35:35 – Besides the visual things you talk about George, that you can't look at or see, a good battery monitor will be able to measure ripple, current, ripple voltage.44:58 – So if you have a battery in a cabinet, you need to be measuring the temperature of a battery unit that is surrounded by others where you're gonna find the biggest contact temperature. How much temperature rise. So the other thing that I'm looking at here are some of the interpretations of battery monitoring with respect to 1491, and that's the measurement of ground fault.

In this episode, George is joined by Lucas Berndt, modular switch-mode charger product expert, to talk about industrial battery chargers and redundancy. They discuss the benefits of having a modular charger – with hot-swappable power modules – for redundant functionality in case of an outage. They address how this satisfies NERC and TPL standards that aim to eliminate single points of failure – and instead of having to buy and make room for two chargers, just one of these chargers will do the trick. Tune in for an in-depth conversation about chargers that you don't want to miss.6:10One of the things that I really like about the modular chargers is the fact that at a location, just by adding a small charger, we suddenly have full N+1 redundancy. 12:53Basically, what I look for when I'm looking for redundancy, in talking about plusses, that is also variant from utility to utility – what they view as redundancy. So, they may look at it from the standpoint of my redundancy in my equation is I need, if this charger fails, I need to have the exact same power it had available. Or is their term of redundancy, I can lose a little, but I still maintain.23:43Changing out a modular battery charger is so easy a salesman can do it. I can be done 100% safely. It is pretty safe and pretty fast.43:10With NERC and TPL standards aiming to address and eliminate single points of failure, and a lack of space to consider when configuring system updates, being able to use a single charger instead of two is a priority.

How Does Standby Battery Power WorkIn this episode, George of The Battery Blarney Duo answers questions about the basic concept and workings of battery backup for electric substations and their critical components. He touches on topics including ensuring the stability and reliability of the electricity grid, reducing the risk of equipment damage, keeping communications systems powered and preventing costly power outages.The session highlights that battery monitoring systems are critical components of battery backup systems in electric substations. They provide real-time information on the battery's state of charge, voltage, and health, enabling timely maintenance and ensuring that the battery is always ready to provide emergency power when needed.Episode Highlight2:43 - When there is an outage and substation stand-by power is engaged, how does that work?8:00 - Substation communications systems are a key part of the system and depend on having a properly maintained battery back up system.10:12 - Learn what happens when the power flickers out for a moment and what to expect if it happens more than once.15:01 - George explains how power is shifted around through the system and touches on the failings that led to the 2021 electrical crisis in Texas.17:56 - Technicians play a critical role in maintaining the safety and reliability of electrical power systems, and having both field experience and mission critical training is essential. Training with real-world equipment, problem solving, and seeing the consequences of their actions in a safe and controlled environment are invaluable.Eagle Eye E-mail

The discussion about the chemistry and applications of batteries continues in this episode with David, Al Warner and Dan Lambert, and The Battery Blarney Duo. They are comparing flow and lead acid batteries in terms of their reliability and need for maintenance. They examine the problem if you have an energy-storage battery, such as a zinc manganese battery, as well as the benefit of nickel zinc batteries in which electrodes interact with electrolytes. They also mention that a hybrid system using both nickel zinc and manganese dioxide batteries might be very efficient, and that if manufacturers collaborate, third-party integrators will find it easy to connect these products together into a cohesive unit.Tune in to hear about the various codes and standards affecting stationary batteries plus comments about systems integrators and how they can fail when integrating different types of energy storage.Episode Highlights06:33 - There are a lot of things about different systems that most people are not aware of and they think, "Oh, fuel cell, that's the answer to everything." It's not. It can never be the answer to everything. A lead acid battery is not going to oxygen starve the environment that's surrounding it. Fuel cells definitely can do that. A large system can starve the oxygen in the inside of a facility. Lesson is learned the hard way. 15:40 - I'm glad you brought up the idea of the hybrid battery system. Problem is that you end up, for instance, working with two different manufacturers, obviously competing for business, who don't always want to cooperate as well as they could. So, you end up with a third party having to do it.24:42 - Integrators are probably the short end of the circuit. You have to have people that are qualified and there seemed to be very few of them. It's interesting to me that you gain wisdom by knowledge. You gain wisdom by failing. There's no two ways around it. Experience counts for an awful lot in this game. The powers that be seem to want to push us towards an electrified world without adequate thought, without any experience. It's up to us in the industry, basically, to educate those that are coming into the industry. Contact InformationEagle Eye E-mail

The Battery Blarney Duo are joined by industry experts Al Warner and Dan Lambert to discuss lead acid, lithium, nickel cadmium and other prominent battery chemistries and their proper applications. They discuss the pros and cons of these popular chemistries as well as the prospect of other interesting options, like that of zinc manganese. The discussion revolves around selecting the best battery for a given application and how some outdated technology might be reimagined to better suit present-day requirements. With roughly 150 years of industry experience on this epsiode alone, it's safe to say there are a lot of insights to gain from listenting to these four battery veterans.Episode Highlights16:47 - Most of these lithium battery fires have occurred because people did not have good fire suppression to take care of the external flame source.30:42 - The problem we have with most people is they think lithium is a one size fits all. It's not. It cannot fit all of the applications. 33:59 - Through the years, there have literally been millions of dollars invested into the development of the nickel zinc technology.35:41 - The other technology I was alluding to is zinc manganese dioxide. It's kind of the other end of the scale. It's a zinc battery, very similar to the zinc manganese primary cells.46:18 - The real key here to energy storage as we move forward is going to be, and is rapidly becoming kind of a focal point for everybody, is the sustainability of the technology. And some of these old technologies – yeah, they're old. They weren't really, shall we say, manipulated or commercialized, basically, because the technology at the time of the invention was, to our way of looking at it, very rudimentary. We have much better technology now and as modern science looks at these things, they can see massive improvements that can be made.Contact InformationEagle Eye E-mail

The world is rapidly becoming more and more reliant on technology. We rely on technology for communication, commerce, and so much more. One of the most important aspects of our technological infrastructure is the stationary battery. Stationary batteries are used to provide backup power or continuous power to a facility. The Battery Blarney Duo, George and Allen, are joined by their colleague Peter DeMar to discuss the different types of stationary battery applications and how they are used across multiple industries. Episode Highlight01:23 Communications, power and data processing; they all rely very much on stationary batteries in order to maintain their service in the event of power outages. 07:21 We are totally dependent on electricity, communications and data centers. You lose any one of them, and half the world will stop it appears. 20:18 It's absolutely the wrong thing to have in a utility application where it can be abused because of weather conditions. 29:01 Visual inspection, because you know, that's when we see the other things that are going wrong that may not be indicated by monitoring static or active parameters. 39:35 The concept of the electronic battery technician measuring just the parameters that Pete talked about but looking at them in a ratio basis and measuring the ratio between them and when that ratio started to change, you needed to go and check the battery which of course now is what basically the artificial intelligence is gonna be doing. Contact InformationEagle Eye E-mail

The Battery Blarney Duo continue their discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing the DC power industry. They discuss the role of standards in promoting innovation and interoperability, the need for improved energy storage technologies, and the potential for micro-grids to provide resiliency in the face of extreme weather events. They also talk about the changing landscape of the utility industry, as more and more customers are seeking alternatives to traditional grid-provided power. The panelists agree that the future of the DC power industry is full of promise, but caution that there are still many challenges to be addressed. They urge companies and individuals to continue to push for progress in order to ensure that the industry can meet the needs of a rapidly changing world.Episode Highlight:07:51 - What I think people forget sometimes is the use of the word "standards". Standards really should be mandated by law, like the national electricity code.19:39 - That`s probably one of the biggest challenges we have, from the maintenance point of view, because we simply like the technicians or all of those recommended practices on how things should be done.27:17 - For me, if I was a manager of a facility, I would require that our technicians adhere to the standards.37:44 - Maybe we have a high level of engineering expertise but it doesn`t apply in a different industry and each industry is different.49:25 - PRC 005 and TPO 001-5 are all part of the requirement, most of these managers or in the managerial level dont understand the basis of it.Contact InformationEagle Eye E-mail

Batteries are a critical part of the telecom infrastructure and can be found in many different types of telecom equipment. They provide backup power and support to essential systems during an outage or emergency situation. Most substations have some kind of telecom element to them. This could be as simple as a few batteries, or it could be a much more complex system. In either case, a DC battery is typically used. However, batteries alone are not enough to power a substation. They must be connected to the utility's power grid in order to function properly. Without this connection, the substation would not be able to provide the necessary power to the community it serves. Episode Highlights06:34 - The challenge has become another direction because it's a lot more difficult to innovate because you're stuck to certain things that you have to do. 09:42 - We already got computerization within the main switching centers. With a lot of fancy details and fancy fonts, one of the problems was that they needed to be able to operate the monitor and the keyboard in order to access the switch. 14:43 - Customers said, “Well, we don't want these nasty batteries with electrolytes rushing around inside, we want something that is more user-friendly, we want something that's smaller, something that's lighter, something that's cheaper, something that doesn't require maintenance,” and low and behold, the industry came up with one of the greatest marketing ploys I thought ever happened and it's a complete oxymoron. They come up with selling free batteries. 29:14 - There's a telecom element within every substation. Some more complex than others, sometimes they are stand alone. It all depends on the utility structure.34:08 - There's almost a disconnect within certain utilities as an entity within their own substation sometimes and I'm sure some people are upset about being told that. Contact InformationEagle Eye E-mail

In this episode, the Battery Blarney hold a Q&A with Ron Dickinson from Western Farmers Electric Co-op in Oklahoma. They discuss things like the fact that batteries are susceptible to corrosion, which can lead to a thermal runaway event. And when dealing with battery corrosion, it's important to know the signs. One of the most common causes of battery corrosion is from electrolyte or electrolyte vapors emitting from the top of the battery. This can often be caused by overcharging, and can lead to a condition known as thermal runaway. It's important to keep an eye on your batteries. Make sure that they are properly maintained and that you know what you can do to protect your battery from harm.Episode Highlights:04:05 The common cause I found recently is that, because the seal is damaged in some way or another. You know, electrolyte rips off those terminals and you'll see, obviously, a corrosion. 08:47 When you clean a post, you should only use a soft kitchen pads, or whatever you call them.12:05 You can try another equalizer and try to equalize charge but it may not solve the problem but it's good to have at least a very much internal analysis, so I'm always looking for more than one thing to look at to confirm why I think it could be. 21:45 The basis of thermal runaway is that the battery, it gets hot and it's unable to dissipate that heat. 37:55 One way that can affect the battery is if it's operated in a very humid condition.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

In this episode the Battery Blarney Duo, George and Allen discuss the challenges of battery warranty and why battery maintenance is important. Many battery problems can be attributed to a lack of maintenance. Batteries are usually warranted for only a year or two, and many battery manufacturers consider battery failures due to sulfation (a lead acid battery enemy) to be the user's fault. Sulfation occurs when a battery is left in a discharged state for too long. Our society has become accustomed to seeing things work without maintenance until they no longer work, and batteries are no exception. Disposable batteries have spoiled us rotten. With battery ignition, there's very little battery maintenance required other than checking the electrolyte level and keeping it topped off. When was the last time you replaced the battery in your smoke alarm or flashlight? All batteries will eventually die, but with proper care and maintenance, their lives can be prolonged. Episode Highlight02:26 - You have to select the right battery for the application, and that's one of my biggest concerns is, are people getting the right advice?08:07 - A lot of the batteries were not being placed and service properly, there were others sitting on the shelf too long, a lot of people don't realize that a typical battery only has a shelf life of 3-6 months.19:28 - It is also important that you charge the battery according to the manufacturing instructions, because the battery may require different charging voltages.30:43 - Anything that you do to that battery or anything that happens to that battery during its life, should be recorded and all of the information about it should be recorded.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

In this special episode, we went live! The Battery Blarney duo welcomed questions from the audience about ohmic testing on a battery, how the rules apply to a NiCad battery, and many more. We were excited to answer these questions and give our audience a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into testing batteries. Our hope is that by answering these questions, we can help people better understand batteries and how they work. Thanks for tuning in!Episode Highlights:[04:27] - So, if you have to do Ohmic testing on a battery, and you see you need to add some liquid, are you supposed to wait a certain amount of time before you can actually test it properly? What's the recommended timeframe?[09:32] - How do the rules apply to a NiCad battery?[25:35] - Allen, have you come across a lot of stratification in flooded cells, and how would you go about testing for it, or looking for it? This is for you because I know what George thinks about it.[28:36] - If the whole battery's sitting there static for a long time, most of the cells will stratify to a certain extent, and the voltage is going to be the same for all of them because they're all stratified.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

The Battery Blarney duo welcomes Al Warner to talk about the unreliability of the electric grid.The electric grid is one of the most important infrastructure elements in the United States. It's a system of interconnected power plants and transmission lines that delivers electricity to homes and businesses. The grid is also one of the most complex systems in the world, and it's susceptible to a variety of risks. Grid operators must constantly balance supply and demand to maintain a consistent flow of electricity, and they must also contend with severe weather, cyber attacks, and other threats. As a result, the grid is not always reliable. Outages can occur for a variety of reasons, and they can have major consequences. That's why it's important for grid operators to continuously monitor conditions and take steps to mitigate risks. By doing so, they can help ensure that the electric grid remains reliable for the millions of Americans who rely on it every day.Highlights:02:54 - The electric grid today is like playing grid Jenga. If you pull out specific pieces of the grid it will all fall down.12:21 - If I want a fast recharge I`ve got to have a 250kw charger for one vehicle. This is the problem for the electrical grid, it cannot support this kind of spontaneous step load.23:29 - This country really needs a brand new backbone. If these people are serious about the future being electrical we need a whole new backbone.39:41 - The rail system is probably the most economical way to transport goods but the trucking industry took over and the prices were so low but now with the price of fuel, train transporting of goods is becoming more competitive I think.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

The Battery Blarney duo of George and Allen welcome Joey Davis and Ed Rafter to talk about applying Stationary Battery Training in the Field and Battery Monitoring. Battery training is important for a number of reasons. First, it helps to ensure that employees are properly trained in the use of batteries. Second, it helps to improve the safety of employees by teaching them how to properly handle and use batteries. Third, it helps to improve the efficiency of battery usage by teaching employees how to best maintain and operate batteries. Finally, it helps to improve the overall quality of the battery monitoring industry by teaching employees how to better identify and resolve issues that may arise with batteries. By providing employees with proper training, companies can help to improve the quality of their products and services and ensure that their customers are satisfied with the results.Highlights:02:08 - They badly need training in order to bring people up to speed. This is probably the key to everything that we do. 05:51 - We have some guides coming out which I think will be great tutorials towards helping people and those folks responsible for batteries.18:35 - One of the things that I had found, especially when I go out into the field and do training, not only are you there as a teacher but you end up also being a consultant.20:13 - It takes time to see things happen and learn things and all that you can't just walk in and say hey, I go to a training class so I know it all now.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

This June, as we look back on our first 20 episodes, we wanted to revisit two of our favorite topics so far - "Renewables and Alternative Energy Sources" and "Extreme Weather and Other Pitfalls of the Current Power Grid."Please enjoy, and we'll be back with all new episodes in July.In today's episode of DC Power Hour, it is the 1st year anniversary of the Texas power outage. This episode will focus on how extreme weather and the stress on the power grid affects everyone. They kick off the episode with a discussion on climate change and the lack of national support for power plants. They also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy. They explore the best practices of European countries and how they can help if applied in the US. This is an episode rich with great thoughts between experts and some things to consider on energy moving forward.*The views expressed in this podcast represent the individuals who share them and are not necessarily those of Eagle Eye Power Solutions, LLC.*Highlights:06:07 We've got what we've got coming. This really is a perfect storm when you think about it. We've got an aging infrastructure, really aging infrastructure, we've got aging power plants, money hasn't been spent, we have changing weather patterns, we also have a drive to rely more and more on renewable energy. 20:05 The first major thing we get changed is that people need to start looking at how the return of investment will be the improvement in reliability at less cost and loss of service. 26:57 One of the things in the United States that is different from Europe is their electrical reliability is a lot more superior, not because they do things better, not because they have better people, but because a lot of their utilities are underground.35:55 I've been a proponent of micro nuclear plants for quite a while. You move the power source closer to the end user. 37:50 One thing I've always been curious about, maybe it's just me but, why isn't there more push for hydro? 42:43 All batteries using anodes and cathodes are effectively a metal of some kind because that's the way the atomic system works; the only way you get free electrons is to have a conductor and they're all metals. In order to build a lot of this stuff your gonna be doing a lot of mining, and isn't that pollution?47:42 When it comes to transmission and getting power to the coast and you're talking about these micro grids. I really think that it's a potential path because some of the biggest things we see are like the “not in my backyard” movement .Contact information:Eagle Eye E-mail

This June, as we look back on our first 20 episodes, we wanted to revisit two of our favorite topics so far - "Renewables and Alternative Energy Sources" and "Extreme Weather and Other Pitfalls of the Current Power Grid."Please enjoy, and we'll be back with all new episodes in July.In this first episode, we learned about renewables and alternative energy sources. In the Battery Blarney segment, industry experts George Pedersen and Allan Byrne dive into talking about different topics from solar farms, a combination of other sources, alternatives and much more. In the second segment, we are joined by Jack Andreasen, who is the Manager of Industrial Decarbonization Policy at Breakthrough Energy. He touches on topics regarding building decarbonization, increase in transmission deployment, transmission lines and more. Episode Highlights02:49 If you look at some reports, renewables are going to take over a whole generation of the power grid, which is not possible at the moment. 05:13 I think the thing that most people don't understand is that when you generate electricity, when you cause that electro reaction, the way you start moving atoms around charging atoms, so you get charged ions to create your power, you can't get rid of it, it's got to be used.08:14 The environmentalist wants all this solar power and wind power. What's that actually doing to the environment?13:57 In most places in the world, if you have a combination of both wind and solar, you get a much more consistent power source. You combine the two together.20:23 I think it's going to be a mixture of everything, we're going to have renewable energy, whether we like it or not.23:06 Education is something as you're realizing, something very dear to my heart at the present moment, but it's hard work because people come in with preconceived ideas now and somehow, for some reason, scientific facts are no longer the driving force behind anything.35:18 We don't have to build huge networks or distribution to try and support it because one of the things that people should realize is that the network power in those transmission lines that we crisscross the countryside, are also very vulnerable to attack. 39:58 The problem is that we live in a world today where we want a simple answer that will cover everything and that's not the way the world is, it's never been the way the world is.47:23 One of the advantages of gases is that it's easier to transport than anything else.58:34 We work with Congress, we work with the private sector, we work with other NGOs and think tanks to develop strategies and policy recommendations around ways we think we could decarbonize those various industries.01:02:55 One thing that could really unlock the potential across the country is an increase in transmission deployment.01:05:27 Transmission has been, and will continue to be a huge obstacle in renewable energy deployment going forward.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

Stand-by power installations are a crucial part of any business or facility. They provide emergency power during outages, ensuring that critical systems keep running. However, many businesses and facilities are finding that the quality of their stand-by power installations is declining. What's causing this decline, and what can be done to improve the situation?The Battery Blarney duo of George and Allen welcome Peter DeMar, the person that led the team that developed the VRLA battery capacity recovery process named the IOVR or IOVR+ process. These processes were created to help users that were experiencing early capacity or capability losses with their VRLA batteries. It has been proven that by utilizing these processes that any structurally sound battery that has suffered from premature capacity failure can be improved, and in most cases restored to a fully functional battery system. Of course, the process must be performed properly and completely to obtain the maximum benefit available.Highlight:03:08 – A lot of it is due to the fact of this continual pressure to get the job done. We've given you two days to do this but nobody went to look at the site to discover what has to be done. That's probably the biggest problem we have.11:44 – A lot of the installation of DC systems is now being left to electrical contractors and they have absolutely no experience to actually install a wire in a DC system.20:02 – It`s critically important to label the hands of the cable, so that we can find which is what.45:03 – I don't see it being followed throughout the industry so maybe that is one of the things that we need to look out for, training of the various technicians at various skill levels.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mailConnect with Peter DeMarLinkedIn

The Battery Blarney duo of George and Allen welcome Fran Losey, a critical power and power quality professional who has a disciplined military background. His specialties include critical power systems, power distribution, power quality, battery systems, battery monitoring, and advanced analysis of battery systems for risk reduction and lifecycle management.To many, the battery is a mystery. What are they? What do they do? How do they work? In this episode, we'll demystify batteries and take a look at how to monitor them in order to get the most out of your system. By understanding battery behaviors and taking proactive steps to managing them, you can mitigate problems before they arise and maximize uptime. We'll also take a look at some data analysis techniques that can help you understand your battery's health.Highlight:01:30 – One of the craziest things about life is there's absolutely nothing that we do or are involved in that there`s not at some point involved a battery to try and keep it operational.09:18 – Today it is very easy to collect that data, modern electronics are wonderful. You can measure almost anything you want to, and you can collect data. The big problem is how do you make sure that data you`re collecting are accurate?17:40 – The measurement techniques, because they`re all not the same and with that you have to have a fairly decent understanding of what you are looking at and what the risks are.28:46 – Everything is a compromise. What you have to do is to say which of the compromises you`re willing to accept and what you`re going to do about it.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mailConnect with Fran LoseyLinkedIn

This episode focuses on the reality vs. myths of moving from fossil fuels toward alternative, renewable energy sources. George and Allen discuss the true effect this will have on society, the environment, and the power industry. While electrification in theory will greatly reduce carbon emissions and result in a more sustainable environment and future, in reality, it poses a number of concerns about cost, efficiency, and reliable power. Striking the right balance through this transition is a must as we navigate the myriad of potential issues to consider.Highlights19:16 Maybe we can start transitioning over to the alternatives to see what's realistic and what's not, there.22:19 Converting a traditional coal burning plant to a clean coal burning plant is significant. 29:16 People often forget that the pollution and the impact of coal, natural gas, burning plants Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

The Battery Blarney duo of George and Allen welcome Ed Rogers, National Service Support Manager at EnerSys, to talk about battery charging. The topic of proper battery charging is one of Allen's passions and they discuss what happens when you undercharge and overcharge a battery. All batteries are not equal and the discussion covers temperature compensation and the difficulty of determining the state of charge of a battery. They talk about freshening the charge per the manufacturer's guidelines, lack of education on why it's necessary to follow those guidelines, and the importance of optimizing battery life.Highlights:01:25 One thing I found in common with warranty claims, in over 50% of them, the paperwork that accompanied them showed the batteries were not being properly charged.05:34 Corporate training teaches people how to do something, but it doesn't teach them why they're doing it. Basically education comes in two forms: you've got to educate the people, and then you can tell them how to do something. I think that's one of the biggest problems we have at the present moment that people have been asked to do things and they don't understand why they're doing them. 15:30 Overcharging has a much more devastating effect. When you overcharge a battery, you're shoving in more current than the battery can handle. Current causes heat.23:49 The battery itself, as it's manufactured and leaves the factory, it's only ever going to be in two states after that. It's always going to be in discharge or it's always going to be in charge.52:18 We've known the use of zinc and manganese and nickel. They've been available almost since the start of battery technology, but they had chemical things that made them difficult to use. Some of that's been overcome now.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

In this episode, we dig in about the importance of battery room safety. In the Battery Blarney segment, George and Allen talk about issues that can occur when safety precautions are overlooked, and why they are overlooked. Then, they are joined by Ed Rafter, an experienced engineer who has spent his impressive career successfully working across a number of segments in the industry. Ed shares his expertise and recommendations based on what he's seen over the past few decades.Highlights02:45 - The whole point is that the battery itself is physically dangerous and the things that I worry about are electric shock and chemical risks and that is something that people don't understand.11:26 - One of the things that we should do once we are in the battery room is to smell, If you smell anything unusual, get the hell out of there.19:20 - A 2-volt cell can be dangerous if you short it out and you happen to be in the wrong place when you're doing it. You can be burned very badly. 29:29 - Without input isolation transformers, we had a risk that we essentially could have a ground fall path that travels to the input transformer.33:49 – One of the things we recommended over the years is to put the UPS on racks.44:39 – I`ve seen it, I`ve felt it. I`ve seen in my personal experience, the aftermath of mishandling a battery. It's the customer who feels that pain some time later on.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

In today's episode, we spread deep knowledge in the battery industry and look at how ohmic measurement and ohmic values play a crucial role in battery testing. The Battery Blarney Duo, George and Allen, discuss data trending, the most significant things to look at when monitoring a battery, the value of low capacity cells, and acceptance of ohmic value. In the second segment, they are joined by industry expert and friend, Peter DeMar of Battery Research and Testing for almost 40 years. Peter shared his background and they discuss artificial intelligence, indication of battery health, place for ohmic testing for batteries with advanced chemistry, ohmic testers and UPS.Highlights:16:14 You've got to look at everything. This is probably my biggest concern when we talk about ohmic measurement is this almost pathological belief that that is the only value that matters. We have to go back to the original battery technicians, think about what they did. They're looking at everything, they are looking at temperature, they are looking at the voltage.21:37 You need some very accurate instrument tape devices in order to measure those voltages and also the problem of noise at the same time because batteries are not as quiet as people think they are.22:47 Why do we have to have this value, why must we have limits? Eventually I do believe we will see artificial intelligence get involved because AI doesn't need limits, it recognizes those changes and variations.41:37 In improvements or inclusions or whatever the right word is. With artificial intelligence and machines and programs in understanding what they're looking at we're going to make improvements. The information or analysis coming out of them might be more beneficial.Contact information:Eagle Eye E-mail

The world is changing - is our electrical grid prepared to handle it? In today's episode of DC Power Hour, George, Allen and the guys acknowledge the anniversary of the Texas power outage last February by discussing how extreme weather and the stress on the power grid affects everyone. From extreme weather events to the lack of funding and personnel for utilities, the group discusses the complexity of issues facing the power grid infrastructure now and in the future. They explore what's working and what's not in some European countries and if it could be applicable in the US, as well as other potential ways to start attacking this immense problem.The views expressed in this podcast represent the individuals who share them and are not necessarily those of Eagle Eye Power Solutions, LLC.Highlights:06:07 We've got what we've got coming. This really is a perfect storm when you think about it. We've got an aging infrastructure, really aging infrastructure, we've got aging power plants, money hasn't been spent, we have changing weather patterns, we also have a drive to rely more and more on renewable energy. 20:05 The first major thing we get changed is that people need to start looking at how the return of investment will be the improvement in reliability at less cost and loss of service. 26:57 One of the things in the United States that is different from Europe is their electrical reliability is a lot more superior, not because they do things better, not because they have better people, but because a lot of their utilities are underground.35:55 I've been a proponent of micro nuclear plants for quite a while. You move the power source closer to the end user. 37:50 One thing I've always been curious about, maybe it's just me but, why isn't there more push for hydro? 42:43 All batteries using anodes and cathodes are effectively a metal of some kind because that's the way the atomic system works; the only way you get free electrons is to have a conductor and they're all metals. In order to build a lot of this stuff you're gonna be doing a lot of mining, and isn't that pollution?47:42 When it comes to transmission and getting power to the coast and you're talking about these micro grids. I really think that it's a potential path because some of the biggest things we see are like the “not in my backyard” movement .Contact information:Eagle Eye E-mail

In today's episode, we talk about UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) applications and improvements that can be made based on seasoned expertise from George and Allen. The Battery Blarney duo talks about how UPS was initially used and the pitfalls of using it over the years. They talk about the problems with the batteries, the kind of lead used, their experience with it, maintenance and so much more. In the second segment, they are joined by industry expert and friend Al Warner, who has been involved in the UPS industry for 37 years. They talk about the several types of UPSs and which is the most reliable. They debate if UPSs are battery-friendly and what their problems are. Highlights12:41 In the last 10-15 years, there has been a major push to actually raise the operating temperature of the data room because they say the computers can operate at a much higher temp and that will reduce the cooling. 13:45 When they introduced lead acid batteries, so-called sealed maintenance-free batteries, which we know are either sealed or maintenance-free.17:24 In my opinion, all stationary batteries should use virgin lead. 19:39 The big problem we have is that theoretically if you remove the charge, you then will not be causing the rate of corrosion. The only trouble is depending on how long you remove the charge from the battery, you will get into self-discharge and that's sufficient to do damage to the battery overtime. 22:08 I'd like to move on to the fact that maintenance nightmares are another aspect of UPS battery designs.39:51 I think flow charging is a disgrace to the UPS industry because it promotes positive grid corrosion.Contact information:Eagle Eye E-mail

David and Andrew welcome industry experts George and Allen to set the record straight on lead acid batteries. They talk about the origin and history of batteries, including French physicist Gaston Plante and his invention of the rechargeable battery.George and Allen discuss battery life span and challenges with different battery types over the years as well as the importance of the maintenance of the battery and understanding why batteries fail. They emphasize that maintenance and treating the battery properly is the key to battery reliability.Highlights:08:14 Lead is a very soft material and in the initial lead acid batteries they used pure lead plates, but these proved to be somewhat cumbersome and didn't like to be moved. 10:10 This led to the fact that there was a little bit of a divide between North America and the rest of the world with respect to technologies to use. 12:19 They still had the problem with the positive plate growth. Once again, these batteries had to be very carefully charged because if they were overcharged, it gassed.18:39 With valve regulated lead acid batteries, adhering to the same standard for length of service, what we found out very quickly was that the 10-year life battery, which was probably the one that was launched first, wasn't performing. 25:30 That's probably the biggest challenge we have is getting people to understand the environmental conditions under which these batteries are being operated is key to their life. 33:14 People have to make sure that the battery is charged at the charge voltage recommended by the manufacturer, not by the ups company, not by the charger company, otherwise you're going to have problems, big problems. 42:09 There is no single measurement that you take that tells you the status of the battery. It's a combination of all the measurements, and their interaction and how they are behaving at the time.Contact information:Eagle Eye E-mail

In this episode of the DC Power Hour Podcast, we learn about renewables and alternative energy sources. In the Battery Blarney segment, industry experts George Pedersen and Allan Byrne dive into talking about different topics from solar farms, a combination of sources, alternatives and much more. In the second segment, we are joined by Jack Andreasen, who is the Manager of Industrial Decarbonization Policy at Breakthrough Energy. He touches on topics regarding building decarbonization, increase in transmission deployment, transmission lines and more. Episode Highlights2:49 If you look at some reports, renewables are going to take over a whole generation of the power grid, which is not possible at the moment. 5:13 I think the thing that most people don't understand is that when you generate electricity, when you cause that electro reaction, the way you start moving atoms around charging atoms, so you get charged ions to create your power, you can't get rid of it, it's got to be used.8:14 The environmentalist wants all this solar power and wind power. What's that actually doing to the environment?13:57 In most places in the world, if you have a combination of both wind and solar, you get a much more consistent power source. You combine the two together.20:23 I think it's going to be a mixture of everything, we're going to have renewable energy, whether we like it or not.23:06 Education is something as you're realizing, something very dear to my heart at the present moment, but it's hard work because people come in with preconceived ideas now and somehow, for some reason, scientific facts are no longer the driving force behind anything.35:18 We don't have to build huge networks or distribution to try and support it because one of the things that people should realize is that the network power in those transmission lines that we crisscross the countryside, are also very vulnerable to attack. 39:58 The problem is that we live in a world today where we want a simple answer that will cover everything and that's not the way the world is, it's never been the way the world is.47:23 One of the advantages of gases is that it's easier to transport than anything else.58:34 We work with Congress, we work with the private sector, we work with other NGOs and think tanks to develop strategies and policy recommendations around ways we think we could decarbonize those various industries.1:02:55 One thing that could really unlock the potential across the country is an increase in transmission deployment.1:05:27 Transmission has been, and will continue to be a huge obstacle in renewable energy deployment going forward.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

In this episode of DC Power Hour, we have a panel of round table experts to talk about the most recent Battcon event. Allan Byrne, George Pedersen and Erik Knudston discuss their experience and process the whole event. The whole team dive deep into the conversation and share their thoughts and opinions on the event. The Battcon Stationary Battery Conference and Trade Show covers the latest industry trends and how to apply the best practices to manufacturing, safety, selection, installation and use of stationary batteries. Episode Highlights:5:30 Battcon is an international conference with people coming from all over the world to the conference which is a very good platform. 8:45 Unlike any other conference I've spoken at, they are far more thorough and stricter on the speakers. 11:30 One of the major things I've noticed throughout the entirety of the show is how engaged the people were that were actually there. 17:00 I actually do believe that we do have some disruptive technologies that are coming along. The most interesting fact about it is though, that they're not actually new technologies. They're very old technologies. They just were learning how to make the chemistry work.19:00 There are a lot of experts there and I really am appreciative that a lot of it was non-commercialized, not pitched towards a specific product.31:32 One of the things about the background as well, is that it's one of the few conferences where the list of attendees is not made public, and attendees love that because it means that you don't have every salesman in the universe sending them information after the conference. 39:36 There's more than the interactive consideration as well, we do want to be an interactive conference. Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

In this episode's Battery Blarney segment, George Pedersen and Allen Byrne talk with hosts David Neubert and Andrew Charlton about their take on innovative technology that is shaking up the industry. They discuss information about innovation in the battery world from valve regulated lead acid batteries to lithium-ion batteries. They also share their opinion on the importance of recycling these batteries and the charging system. On the second segment of the show, Andrew continues the conversation with Alex Smith who is the Chief Technology Officer at a startup company called Moxion. They talk about the replacement for temporary power for diesel generators which is what the company is trying to build. Episode Highlights:2:37 The problem we have is, it's not that we don't have innovation in the battery world, but the biggest problem is that the industries are very slow to accept anything that hasn't been around for 20 years. 7:26 You can call it disrupter but it was simply the evolution to meet a requirement. 13:45 I think there are a lot of limitations with what they're going to be able to do. 14:34 The maintenance on the lithium-ion batteries is not that stable at the moment but the big thing about them is this alone is a lot of development. 22:38 Maintenance is a challenge for a lot of industries at the moment. 29:22 One of the things he predicted is the use of Wireless Transmission of Power. 33:04 One of the biggest challenges in the industry is to find some way of recycling lithium-ion batteries the best way. 53:37 Interview with Alex Smith56:17 We really started with the temporary power need. Is the technology mature enough to provide a temporary power supply that can run long enough, be transportable and economical?Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

In this episode of DC Power Hour, we learn about the impact of electric vehicles on the power industry. Industry experts George Pedersen and Allan Byrne hold a spirited debate on the pros and cons of Electric Vehicles in the Battery Blarney segment. They discuss the safety of lithium batteries, the environmental impact of alternative energy sources, and infrastructure changes needed to accommodate electric vehicle charging in the home. Then, hosts David Neubert and Andrew Carlton speak with Jeff Springer, Manager of Innovation and Efficient Electrification at Dairyland Power Cooperative. They talk about all things EV in the electrical grid, renewable energy credits, and innovations in consumer charging stations in homes and public spaces.Episode Highlights01:32 They're with us whether we like it or not.04:24 There's a natural reluctance to change as part of this. 06:04 I think people are starting to look in different directions at the moment because of the sometimes deserved, sometimes not deserved, problems with lithium batteries. 08:15 These goals are set with no consideration of technology; with no consideration of public acceptance.12:16 How do you charge this (electric vehicle), where's the power coming from? Nine times out of 10 it's coming from a fossil fuel power plant. 15:59 We're not just talking about a product here; we're talking about an entire infrastructure change in what America currently is and what it needs to be. 18:45 They (solar and wind) are not a good method of producing that baseline power that we require to produce that power we need for our everyday living resources. 29:25 CHARGE - provides charging infrastructure both in people's homes and in rural areas where public charging is needed but no one else seems to be building any.43:51 The growth of EV's has been relatively slow up until this point, but we do anticipate it taking off.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

In this episode of the DC Power Hour podcast, we learn about equipment redundancy. In the Battery Blarney segment, industry experts George Pedersen and Allan Byrne explain what it is, why it is important, and what applications it pertains to. They discuss their experience in the telecom industry and the evolution from redundant chargers to redundant battery systems. Today, the utility industry recognizes that redundancy is essential to maintain the electrical supply.In the second segment, David Neubert welcomes Dennis Martini, an engineering technical consultant from Dominion Energy. George speaks with Dennis about equipment redundancy in DC substation systems and how Dominion Energy has prepared for potential loss of power with a high level of redundancy. Episode Highlights1:42 As the industry evolved, UPS's started coming on the market.3:20 On my first visit to a substation, to say I was shocked was an understatement. There was a substation controlling quite a large area for people in that area and it had a single battery and a single charger.4:37 We have a lot of substations in this country and it's going to take a long time to get them all up to speed and meet the requirements of the new standard.5:39 When you talk about redundancy, you're not just talking about a redundant charger, you're not just talking about a redundant battery. You've got to look at the whole system.12:36 When you start looking at redundancy within the utilities, one of the challenges has been there simply isn't enough space to add another battery. A 120 volt battery is quite large.17:53 If you've lost the ability to charge them, you've only got the run time of the battery, that's all you've got before you have complete failure.26:30 Dennis- We'll use them (secondary chargers) in a load-sharing capacity so they're both on all the time, but the one is there in case one were to fail. We also do it in locations where we need quicker recharge time.27:48 We also have battery trailers that are outfitted with chargers and a whole set of batteries. If we got into a bind, we strategically place them throughout our system on stand-by. Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

In this episode's Battery Blarney segment, George Pedersen and Allen Byrne talk with hosts David Neubert and Andrew Charlton about why Battery Monitoring is important. They discuss artificial intelligence, or machine learning, and the new role it plays in replicating the work of battery technicians. Routine maintenance is a must for success.Andrew continues the conversation with industry expert Nigel Scott who offers an engineering perspective on battery monitoring and what has - and hasn't - changed over the years. According to Nigel, the point of a battery monitoring system is to avoid trouble. Episode Highlights07:16 If you could only look at a couple of things about a battery, what would you look at? Overwhelmingly two of the top items were: battery temperature and battery charge current.14:24 Getting accurate measurements off the battery is probably the biggest challenge the manufacturers of monitors have.18:03 The key to making and achieving good results with machine learning is the ability to collect a lot of data and analyze all that data. 19:14 The machine can replicate a thousand battery technicians by just looking at a whole data set, but it needs to know what to look at.23:32 You can not 100% totally rely on battery monitoring as the only source of information. You still need to inspect the battery on a regular basis.33:55 Interview with Andrew Charlton and Nigel Scott37:56 The goal of a user who buys a battery monitoring system is to avoid difficulties if and when a battery should fail.40:36 If you just present raw data to a customer - especially a customer with a lot of systems - you're asking for trouble.Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

In this episode of the DC Power Hour podcast, our host David Neubert talks about the effect of the pandemic on the DC power industry with George Pedersen and Allen Byrne. The two experts shared that the pandemic has hit the industry in different ways. They talked about the supply chain and cost maintenance as two of the many things that affected them during the pandemic. They touched on some amazing topics that will teach us about the industry. The second segment of the podcast is called “CEO Corner”. Today's guest was Ryan Sberna who is the CEO of Eagle Eye Power Solutions. He talks about how the business has been affected by the pandemic. He shares some of the ways they handled the challenges faced during this time. Episode Highlights02:48 The two biggest things are, one is supply chain, getting the right components to build a system. The other thing that's been the biggest problem is maintenance cost. 03:06 I think the problem is not just our industry, it's overall, we simply weren't prepared and we didn't know how to handle the situation. 04:49 One of the lessons that's been learned is to provide money into improving infrastructure. 05:43 Maintenance really has to become part of the process. 12:06 I find that we're lagging behind standards. Also, a lot of conferences have been canceled last year and there's a lot of knowledge that's been given, imparted and shared at these conferences and that hasn't been possible. 17:56 We're still reacting rather than implementing new procedures properly. 27:15 “CEO Corner” – Ryan Sberna is sharing his thoughts and challenges during the pandemic. Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail

The topic of this episode covers the importance of battery room safety. In the Battery Blarney segment, George and Allen talk about some of the issues that can occur when safety precautions are overlooked, and why they are overlooked. They also discuss what to do when there is a battery spill or accident in a battery room. In the Field Report segment, Dave talks with Eagle Eye Service Field Tech Manager, Dustin Parker, about what he sees every day in the field regarding safety and precautions taken in the battery rooms he frequently works in. Episode Highlights03:38 - There are several other codes and standards that apply to battery charge or safety. The problem is that some of them do not agree with each other. 15:19 – If you understand what the problems are, you can at least take a series of precautions when you try to do it.18:10 – Part of the cost of doing a job was that you went on site ahead of the job, and you did the complete survey to understand what the challenges were, what was required in order to do the job. That concept of doing a survey seems to have disappeared in every aspect. 25:52 – Field Report segment – Dave interviews Dustin Parker about safety in the battery rooms. 29:51 – Always make sure your stuff is at 100% to what it was when you took it out of the package. Contact informationEagle Eye E-mail