TM
Volume 1
Articles:
INSIDE
this issue
FOCUS:
Enclosures
Power 101:
Issue 7
>
Thinking Inside The Box
>
It Starts With Design
>
Alpha Group World Report
>
Energy Alternatives For Alaska
>
The Fred Kaiser Building
>
Extending Fiber Products Family
>
Global Telecom Markets
>
Spectra Industrial Battery Charger
>
Building A Box
>
Optical Enclosure Series
>
Radium MiniBay
>
Alpha Group Supports Hurricane Relief Efforts
Product Profile:
Flooded Batteries
Tempest Te21
Thinking Inside The Box : Enclosure Markets
This continued growth is seen all over the world. Developing countries that cannot
afford to put in landlines are focusing on wireless and fiber infrastructures, while
developed countries are paving the way for new wireless technologies and
expanding customer offerings.
The Alpha Group has been designing and manufacturing enclosures for over 30
years. With a primary focus on the cable/broadband industry, The Alpha Group
has expanded their enclosure series to meet the demands of many markets
including wireless, traffic control, commdata, utilities, access control and public
security. There has been significant growth around the world for wireless and
cable enclosures.
The demand for wireless enclosures began to increase significantly four years
ago with the establishment of consumer wireless devices, at that time the telecom
market was still down. It took a few years until market demands pushed the carriers
into expanding their networks to accommodate the growth of the new technologies.
The demand for enclosures in the cable market has also risen. Replacing fixed
access buildings with enclosures like the Radium MiniBay has freed up expensive
land. The enclosures can now be installed in right aways, giving neighborhoods
more space for housing.
Although customers are still looking for cost effective, well designed enclosures,
there are also space, access and regulatory constraints to consider. The Alpha Group
has utilized its years of experience in the power industry to offer complete
solutions including power, backup power, supervisory and EF&I (Engineering,
Furnish & Installation). New developments focus on increasing product added
value as well as reducing customer operating and maintenance costs.
Grant Clark
Argus Technologies, Ltd.
Business Development Manager
gclark@argus.ca
The world’s communication networks are adding traffic at an astounding rate.
Increased network demand requires more bandwidth, more agility and greater overall
network reliability. The result is an increased investment in outside plant hardware.
The Fred Kaiser
BUILDING
September 15th, 2005 represented
the official dedication of the UBC's
(University of British Columbia) new
five-storey Fred Kaiser Building.
This facility will house the Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
which will expand from the neighboring
MacLeod Building, as well as
some Department of Mechanical
Engineering Laboratories.
As the central hub of the engineering
precinct on the UBC campus, it will
also house the Faculty’s Dean’s Office,
Student Services, and Technical
Communications Centre. As a new
building for UBC campus, the Fred
Kaiser Building has been constructed
with an eye to sustainability and
environmental awareness.
The facilities will allow the faculty to
build a true centre of excellence for
electrical and computer engineering
teaching and research. It will allow
the faculty to conduct research that
will boost economic development in
BC, and help communities improve
their quality of life through new
technologies. Most importantly, the
facility will be among those that
bring UBC onto the world stage as a
university dedicated to excellence,
innovation, and progress.
Mr. Kaiser’s vision, entrepreneurial
spirit and success in business, has built
The Alpha Group into one of the leading
power engineering and manufacturing
organizations worldwide. He firmly
believes in empowering youth through
education — they are the leaders of
tomorrow. It was this passion and his
personal commitment to the furtherance
of technology through the support
of higher education that led him to
establish the Kaiser Foundation for
Higher Education, which is dedicated
to providing funds for programs in
higher education in technology in BC
and across the continent.
The contribution of the Kaiser Foundation
towards the new Fred Kaiser Building
will leave a lasting legacy of Mr. Kaiser’s
support for, and vision of, the role of
engineering and high-tech education
in our economy and our community.
Engineers educated here will be those
who design and build the technologies
for the future. The Fred Kaiser Building
will make it possible for the students
who are educated within these walls
to make their own similarly profound
contribution to their chosen field as
Mr. Kaiser.
Jeannie Scarfe, M.A.
Faculty of Applied Science
The University of British Columbia
Building A Box:
Welcome to the Power Connection
Enclosure Selection Criteria
Several key criteria should be discussed and considered before
specifying a particular enclosure for deployment. Included are enclosure
technical design, durability and flexibility.
It is one thing to be able to develop leading edge technologies, but today, it is
essential to be able to integrate these technologies into “turn-key” systems.
Without exception, all Alpha Group member companies are experiencing
meaningful recognition (and increasing sales) for going above and beyond the
call of duty by expanding up and down the powering value-chain.
Thermal management is one of the most significant aspects of enclosure design.
Temperature related design criteria are even more critical when wide temperature
variations are considered. Such conditions can result from either large disparity
between day and night time ambient temperatures or extreme seasonal fluctuations.
Solar loading and extreme wind conditions also complicate thermodynamics.
Argus Technologies, known generally for DC power products, have significantly
expanded their power enclosures business. Similarly, Alpha Industrial Power
is looking to expand its business by offering integrated charger systems in
addition to its current battery range. Alpha Energy (formerly Altair) is focusing
attention on complete solar power systems for both on and off-grid markets.
Additional considerations include segmentation within the enclosure to isolate
temperature sensitive components from heat generating electronics. Enclosures
must serve to protect sensitive and costly network hardware from dust, moisture
and insects, in often very demanding environmental conditions.
This trend of integrating components into systems, or solutions has been part of
The Alpha Group make-up, from the earliest standby cable power systems that
Alpha Technologies introduced into the North American market back in the 1970’s.
Material choice and fabrication techniques are of importance. Most Alpha Group
enclosures are aluminum, ISO controlled, weather resistant and have powder coated
finishes. These attributes allow for maximizing service life of both the enclosures
themselves and the network equipment they house.
Today, with the need for our customers to maintain and grow their market
share, they are looking to consolidate their supplier base, reduce costs, and
maximize the return on their combined human and financial capital.
The strategic significance of choosing a quality enclosure is becoming more
important in recent years as it is becoming increasingly difficult and more costly
to obtain enclosure placement easements. With already limited pole space, utility
and private easements are both scarce and expensive. Enclosure security is also a
critical consideration. The cost of network hardware certainly warrants appropriate
protection from potential vandals, thieves and intruders.
Please send all of your comments and suggestions to editor@argus.ca
Paul Humphreys
Alpha Technologies, Inc.
VP Marketing and Product Management
phumphreys@alpha.com
Another important enclosure selection criterion is the ability to meet both current
and future network needs. Ideally an enclosure should have the ability to grow with
network requirements.
Scalability is a critical factor when considering the addition of expanded
communication services. Many network business models work only if scalability
will allow the system to grow incrementally as additional revenue generating
continued on pg. 7
North American Enclosure Standards and Testing
An enclosure’s ability to provide
both environmental protection and long
service life is highly dependent on its
technical design. The technical design
of an enclosure is critical to meeting
the highest levels of certification.
Alpha Technologies and Argus
Technologies, members of The Alpha
Group, are ISO 9001 certified companies
that are subject to many standards,
policies and procedures. Alpha Group
enclosure products are further subject
to strict government and vendor
mandated standards and testing.
Many Alpha Group enclosure series
such as Tempest, Novus, Radium,
PWE, UPE and UPE-M have met the
stringent safety and agency standards
of UL, CSA, NEMA, NRTL, and in some
cases, Telcordia and NFPA. Certain
regions will also demand seismic
considerations, requiring Zone 2 or
Zone 4 certification.
UL (Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.)
and CSA (Canadian Standards
Association) are both “not for profit”
product safety testing and certification
organizations, the prior based in the
United States and latter in Canada.
These organizations often collaborate
to create a common set of requirements
that enable manufacturers to build
products that can be certified under
both seals. The scope of requirements
required by UL, CSA cover protection
from hazards, wiring, connections and
supply, physical requirements, electrical
requirements, simulated abnormal
conditions, and connection to
telecommunication networks.
roof tops to mountain tops, this high
level of testing ensures that Alpha
Group products can be trusted to
provide ultimate protection.
NEMA (National Electrical
Manufacturers Association) is an
electrical industry trade association
in the US that focuses on the
development of product standards,
government affairs and market
economics. While NEMA themselves
do not conduct testing of potential
products, The Alpha Group used the
CSA International facility in Canada
to complete NEMA 3R testing for
its Tempest enclosures. A NEMA
3R rating ensures that Alpha Group
enclosures are constructed for either
indoor or outdoor use and provide
a degree of protection to personnel
against incidental contact with the
enclosed equipment, or a degree of
protection against falling dirt, rain,
sleet, and snow. The NEMA 3R rating
also ensures that the enclosure will
remain undamaged by the external
formation of ice.
C
US
Doug Wicks
Argus Technologies, Ltd.
Product Manager
dwicks@argus.ca
NRTL/C
Extending Fiber
Products Family
The FlexNet™ FMPS (FTTx
Multipurpose Power Supply)
is a power supply specifically
designed for fiber-to-thepremise installations,
supporting multiple dwelling,
multiple tenant and small
business unit applications.
The FMPS is an intelligent
microprocessor controlled
48VDC UPS system. The
input is powered from either
a customer owned 90 to
320VAC power outlet or a
hardwired AC connection.
These criterium were met by subjecting
the enclosures to a series of tests
including; rod entry, drip, rain, dust
(outdoor and indoor), external icing,
hosedown, rust resistance (with a 24hr
salt spray), corrosion protection (with
a 200hr salt spray), submersion, air
pressure, and an oil exclusion test.
As a result of the strict adherence to
high levels of certification, exceptional
attention has been put into the
technical design and functionality of
every Alpha Group enclosure. With
enclosures installed everywhere from
The system includes one or
two parallel outputs and alarm
connections, supporting distances of
up to 100 feet between the FMPS and
Optical Network Terminal (ONT). This
allows the FMPS to be located close
to existing power outlets. Individually
|2|
| FMPS
monitored 48VDC
strings of standard
7.2Ah maintenance
free, sealed lead acid
batteries provide standby
power. An optional
battery heater supports
extended runtimes at
-40°C. LED indicators
and an audible alarm
provide local visual
status and PacketCable™
compliant telemetry
connections to the ONT provide
remote status reporting.
Scott Hopper
Alpha Technologies, Inc.
Product Manager
shopper@alpha.com
Power 101
Optical Enclosure Series:
PMR-GMR Series
Batteries Part 2 : Flooded
Alpha offers two types of flooded lead-acid batteries, the AlphaCell™ OPzS
and AlphaCell OGi. Flooded battery products are constructed with either lead
antimony or lead selenium. Even though both batteries are designated lead acid,
a small amount of antimony or selenium is added to improve the plate strength
and improve electrical characteristics. Another common additive material is
calcium. Calcium offers most of the same benefits as antimony and selenium
batteries but is prone to decreased deep discharge performance and
unpredictable plate growth. This is a common fault in sudden cell failure. Alpha
flooded stationary batteries are used primarily in communications, UPSs,
switchgear, emergency lighting, utilities and solar applications.
Alpha extends its family of pole and
ground mount enclosures with the
introduction of the PMR (Pole Mount
Rack) and GMR (Ground Mount
Rack) enclosure series. These new
enclosures are designed specifically
to support outdoor applications where
19" rack mount, convection cooled
equipment is used including fiber-tothe-home networks, wireless backhaul,
Wi-Fi and WiMax.
AlphaCell OPzS
The AlphaCell OPzS battery is a vented tubular positive
plate battery. The positive plate is constructed using
a tubular cell that is arranged from a series of vertical
lead alloy “spines” resembling a comb. Lead oxide,
the active material, is packed around each spine and
is retained by woven glass fiber tubes and protected
by an outer woven polyester sleeve. This design offers
several inherent benefits including extended life due to
positive retention of the active plate material. In addition,
the OPzS battery design requires less watering than
traditional lead antimony, provides excellent frequent
charge/discharge cycling, and reduces shedding of
active materials thus decreasing the chance of internal
short circuits common in other lead acid cell types. The OPzS
batteries are used in mission critical applications where discharges are likely to be
both frequent and deep, including traditional applications commonly supported
by the flat plate battery designs. These batteries are available in 6 and 12V multicell jars ranging from 50 to 300Ah and single-cell 2V jars ranging from 100 to
3000Ah. The OPzS batteries are designed for 20+ years of continuous operation.
“We are excited to offer our customers
reliable, cost effective enclosures and
UPS systems for the quickly evolving
fiber market,” commented Paul
Humphreys, Alpha Technologies VP of
Marketing and Product Management.
The PMR-S2 pole mount enclosure has
fourteen mounting spaces in a 19" rack
and the GMR-S2 ground mount enclosure
system has thirteen mounting spaces
in a 19" rack. The PMR/GMR-S1 series
is slightly smaller than the PMR/GMR
S2 series and both accommodate
eight mounting spaces. These
enclosures support FTTx optical core
processors for the last mile.
The enclosures accommodate Alpha’s
FlexNet 300W 48VDC uninterruptible
power supply and a string of AlphaCell™
85 GXL batteries, providing exceptional
standby runtime. Additional features
include thermostatically controlled 48
or 120VDC fan and heater options,
adjustable 19" equipment racks and an
AC service entrance.
A recent wireless installation involved
44 PMR-S2 series and 120 GMR-S2
series enclosures, with the potential for
another 50 to be purchased. Alpha
provided a complete system solution
incorporating enclosures with a 19"
swing rack (PMR), FlexNet 300W UPS,
AC service, DC distribution, AlphaCell
batteries, precast pad (GMR) and
battery heater mats.
Scott Hopper
Alpha Technologies, Inc.
Product Manager
shopper@alpha.com
AlphaCell OGi
The AlphaCell OGi battery is a vented flat plate lead acid battery. Cells in
this battery contain active material that is pasted on a current collecting lead
alloy grid. The grid structure resembles the cross section of
a honeycomb. The OGi delivers excellent power output
for short discharges and is popular in UPS, switchgear,
communications, transmission, power generation, switch
tripping and closing, emergency lighting, and engine starting
applications. The batteries are available in 6 and 12V multicell jars ranging from 50 to 300Ah and single-cell 2V jars
ranging from 600 to 900Ah. The OGi batteries are designed
for 20+ years of continuous operation.
PMR-S1
Sam Ayoubi
Alpha Industrial Power, Inc.
Strategic Accounts Manager
sayoubi@alpha.com
Product Profile Tempest Te21
Argus Technologies, announces the
release of a new outdoor power
enclosure, the Tempest Te21. This
versatile high power cabinet provides
power in expanding BTS (Base
Transceiver Stations), UMTS (Universal
Mobile Telecommunications Service)
and MCPA (Multi-Carrier Power
Amplifier) equipment lineups or for
new site builds.
Looking to further expand into the
wireless and WiMax (Worldwide
Interoperability for Microwave Access)
markets, Argus noted a need for a
compact, higher power rated
enclosure. At up to 40kW of DC
power, this combination of features
provide the highest power rating,
output distribution breaker count,
longest battery backup and battery life
available in a 30" square footprint.
equipment. The power components
are environmentally hardened and will
operate up to 65°C (149°F) requiring
only extended area filtered fan cooling
to maintain stable operation in all
ambient environment conditions. The
Te21 has a robust backup power
system and is built with lightweight
durable aluminium construction
desgined to withstand severe
environmental conditions.
Built on a low maintenance, easy
installation platform the Tempest Te21
is an integral piece of any wireless
system. With SNMP/remote reset the
Te21 is perfect for rooftops or mountain
tops and can be used widely throughout
the wireless industry.
Doug Wicks
Argus Technologies, Ltd.
Product Manager
dwicks@argus.ca
The Te21 enclosure, available for 24
or 48VDC applications, provides a
separate power compartment for
battery and for customer equipment.
The air conditioning helps maintain
long battery life and provides stable
temperature conditions for customer
||
GMR-S2
Alpha Group
Global Telecom Markets
> Canada
are heating up
The Montreal Subway is revamping its communication and control system.
Argus has been selected to supply the 48VDC systems required in all 81
stations and control centers. Argus’ flexible system design allows the
ability to pre-kit each system with individual substation name and
parameters. The kits are integrated in a customer supplied cabinet at a
local staging area. All service and operation personnel are trained locally
or remotely using a web based application.
Downward price pressure coupled with increased competition
has forced vendors of DC and AC power systems to introduce
new cost effective products in order to maintain a foothold in this
very volatile market. Convergence has transformed traditional
telecommunications carriers into suppliers of bundled multimedia
services. Communications platforms which form the network
core for “triple play” services, while providing ever increasing
functionality, continue to decrease in cost, thereby forcing power
system vendors to the OEM market in order to keep pace with
this cost reduction trend. Distributed power systems are moving
switching, transmission and delivery technology away from
the central office and closer to the curb. Wireless technology
continues to grow at an unprecedented rate with wireless carriers
poised to offer 3G services throughout South East Asia, China,
North America, and some parts of Europe.
Alpha’s Novus 1000 UPS is becoming the standard for traffic intersection
light backup systems in Canada. All Eastern Canadian provinces are
deploying the Novus UPS to protect critical intersections. Daily lane
changing bridges require 100% availability of the control systems; this has
been achieved using the AC filtering and high reliability of the Novus
system. The customized cabinet with multiple configurations decreases
deployment and installation time.
Quebec’s independent telephone companies turn to The Alpha Group for
power solutions. With the new wave of WiMax equipment being deployed,
traditional telephone companies find themselves obligated to offer multiple
services. Aging power systems with limited growth capacity force them to
update central offices and remote shelters. With a wide range of AC UPS
and DC solutions The Alpha Group, with the help of a local partner, is
providing complete reliable backup systems. Typical applications include
Internet servers backed up by Alpha’s CFR 5 to 15kVA. The CFR 5kVA
bypass mode inverter is widely used to offer AC backup using the larger
battery bank from the central office.
Internet reverse auctions are driving high value added power
systems vendors out; to be replaced by new market entrants who
are unaware of the level of funding required to service this market.
These are just some of the trends that are reshaping the traditional
international telecommunications market.
Alpha solar products are being introduced into the Canadian market via the
Ontario government’s Conservation Task Force, which has recently
released its report on conservation and renewable energy. Entitled ‘Building
a Conservation Culture in Ontario’ it recommends 30 specific renewable
energy initiatives geared toward commercial real estate owners/operators.
The report also supports the resolutions of the Ontario Liberal Party
Conference, which included subsidies for green energy (such as solar
heated water), and the introduction of a feed in tariff program.
The order of the day is cut costs while increasing market share.
Argus Technologies rose to the occasion with the introduction of
the first in a family of CordexTM products in 2004. The launch of
the Cordex family of power electronics, including the innovative
Cordex controller has positioned The Alpha Group as a leading
supplier of competitively priced power conversion technology.
After four quiet years the communications market is finally starting
to reinvest in network infrastructure. China, which felt minor impacts
from the tech bust, has continued to set the pace for technology
innovation, leaving the rest of the world behind. We are seeing
high levels of market activity and many requests for DC, AC and
solar power systems.
One of the few remaining government owned incumbent telephonies in the
world continues to be a leader in technology evolution. Through expansion
of existing Argus power plants, the deployment of Cordex controllers for
remote location communications, and the RSM 48/10 as part of their 48VDC
outdoor cabinet power, this telephone company has been able to bring
high speed Internet to more than 86% of its province’s population. This
includes public institutions in 366 communities, linking 834 educational
facilities, 310 health facilities, 86 First Nations schools, 256 government
offices and 162 libraries.
Beginning in 2006, markets such as China, South Asia, South
East Asia and North Asia will be managed by master distributors,
who will be given distribution responsibility within their respective
territories. Focus now shifts to our most lucrative markets, Canada
and Latin America.
The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police), in the province of
Saskatchewan, has chosen to power 172 radio repeater shelters with
24VDC power supplies from Argus. Their current equipment was being
upgraded and required new power supplies at the same time. Argus’ RSM
24/18 rectifier systems are currently used by the RCMP and the power
requirements are a perfect match for the 24VDC power supply units. Argus
provided test and evaluation equipment for four sites in advance of the
project. As a result Argus was able to custom design and manufacture
distribution to meet the RCMP’s load and battery connection demands
precisely. When the public tender was released Argus had the only product
that achieved a perfect score on the tender point scoring system. This may
equate to Argus providing replacement power systems across Canada.
Bryan Locker
Argus Technologies, Ltd.
Senior Vice President
International Sales
blocker@argus.ca
|4|
World Report
/CEANIA
0ACIFIC
/CEAN
> Philippines
> Paraguay
Argus and its incountry partner were recently awarded an order by telecom
provider, Innove, to provide Cordex power plants. The Cordex’s ability to
handle wide AC input range and operating temperature reaching more than
50˚C surpassed the customer’s performance and technical requirements.
This carrier’s equipment is housed in outdoor cabinets installed along
streets exposed to dust, heat and AC voltage fluctuations. This is especially
critical in rural areas where the customer’s major DLC (digital loop carrier)
network is located.
Success was recently achieved when PORTABLE (formerly Hutchinson,
now America Movil) gave Argus the task to supply, deliver, install and
commission a high capacity power plant (2000A) and three mid-size
(800A) power plants for their new MSO (multiple service operator) in
Asuncion. Once again Argus’ ability to deliver in a fast, timely manner as
well as their reputation in the region earned them the customer’s trust and
confidence, awarding Argus the responsibility to carry this milestone
program to fruition.
> Europe
> Thailand
On-going activities includes a recent bid to an Eastern European law
enforcement agency looking for both equipment and turnkey services,
Argus responded with Cordex 3.6 and 1.8kW in 19" systems and are
eagerly awaiting the outcome.
Argus and a local partner have put on trial a Novus XT enclosure in the first
steps to securing an order for an initial 130 Novus XT units with a potential
for 800 units overall. The Novus was put on trial with one of Thailand’s
leading wireless communications providers in an outdoor metro site. Alpha’s
Novus surpassed the lab test conducted by their engineers in August
2005, and was rated in the number one position.
Poland presents a further tender opportunity to power remote border patrol
centres, with Alpha’s AC UPS’s.
> China
In Hungary, Argus has responded to their Government’s tender for a
secure public mobile wireless net for police/government services with the
Cordex 1.8 and 3.6kW rectifiers.
China is a difficult market with very low market based pricing. However,
the magnitude of the market demands that The Alpha Group maximize its
presence in China in order to gain market share, whereby driving down
manufacturing costs.
Turkey has presented opportunities to Argus for Cordex systems to a
Turkish wireless operator and an oil and gas company.
In Madrid Spain, Argus is pursuing a project for DC and AC replacement in
a rail transportation network.
For The Alpha Group in China there have been two significant
developments in 2005:
> Africa
Alpha entered into a strategic alliance with a very successful distribution/
integration partner in China. This partner has more than 60 sales
personnel and is active with both traditional telecom carriers as well as the
utilities market.
Solar products are being used to complete a portion of a rural network
infrastructure project in Mozambique. A Canadian telecom company will
be supplying the local African telecom service provider the Alpha solar/PV
(photovoltaic) solution. Alpha will be supplying the solar power to all of the
off grid and grid tied sites.
Alpha Group DC products have been selected by China Mobile to power
their 3G wireless outdoor BTS (base transceiver station) sites. To date, 60
systems have been installed in outdoor wireless sites.
Argus has earned a contract to install power systems for South Africa’s
major power supplier, ESKOM. The communication applications contract is
for 48, 110 and 220VDC power systems. Currently, Argus is providing
Botswana’s main telecom provider with new rectifiers in their major switches,
and are the sole provider of rectifiers for Malawi’s up and coming cellular
network provider.
> Mexico
Argus Mexico continues its growth in the Latin American markets, excelling
not only as the supplier of choice for DC power plants but now becoming
industry leaders in site service and maintenance in Mexico. After developing
a reputation for the high quality of work rendered during a contract with
Alcatel, Argus Mexico has been awarded the maintenance service contract
of TELCEL’s (America Movil) 1100 sites countrywide. This contract represents
the ratification of Argus Mexico as a major player in the Mexican market.
In Angola Argus has installed approximately 100 rectifiers in cellular base
stations and provided equipment for the two major switching centers.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo Argus has become the sole
supplier of base station rectifiers and is now supplying systems for the
switching centers.
Argus Mexico was chosen by TELCEL as the prime supplier in their node
centers UPS replacement program. This project calls for Argus to develop
the necessary EF&I of high capacity (2000A) power plant systems,
batteries and inverters to replace the existing UPS systems at TELCEL
switch centers.
In Kenya Argus is currently supplying rectifiers for the GSM rollout and
have provided systems for their main switching centers.
Nextel has selected Argus as the DC power plant of choice in their newly
deployed market, servicing the Cancun area. Argus was called to deliver
the first 50 sites under extremely tight timelines and given our track record,
it was felt that Argus was the only vendor who could deliver in accordance
with the customer needs.
|5|
Radium
MiniBay
A Multi Purpose Enclosure
As advanced voice, video and data fiber based services are deployed deeper into
the broadband network, the need for reliable attractive modular transition nodes
has increased. The Radium MiniBay is a scalable environmentally controlled
enclosure system designed for demanding outside plant applications.
section and can hold up to four 155Ah batteries. For extended runtime, the MiniBay
is compatible with the AlphaGen™ series of telephony grade DC generators.
The Radium MiniBay is rated for NEMA 3R and NEMA 4X applications and is fully
scalable to 4,000W and 1240Ah of battery capacity. The enclosure is designed
with front and rear accessible 19 or 23" equipment racks with a total of 46 rack
units available for customer installed communication gear. Other attributes include a
N+1 redundancy DC UPS system, modular enclosure system, side chamber for fiber
management and copper cross connection and protection options.
The MiniBay supports bulk power to CATV hub and secondary hub requirements.
It is ideal for remote optical transition applications that provide optical amplification,
optical demultiplexing, narrowcast combining and return path aggregation services
to remote communities.
Recently, a MiniBay system was utilized to replace a remote hub on a small piece
of property. By relocating all of the equipment from the building into the MiniBay
the property became more attractive for prospective buyers and reduced
maintenance and capital costs. A further advantage is it can be easily located on
a public easement.
To ensure proper thermal management, the enclosure can be installed with a fan,
filter and/or air conditioner. Additional options include integrated AC service entrance,
TVSS, AC distribution, standby generator interface, lighting and heat exchangers.
Chaun Westrich
Alpha Technologies, Inc.
Headend Power Regional Sales Manager
cwestrich@alpha.com
The MiniBay integrates a comprehensive line of power solutions for today’s complex
Hub and ONT powering requirements. This includes the Cordex and RSM series
of 48VDC rectifiers. The battery storage module is isolated from the equipment
Energy Alternatives for Alaska
This past September, The Alpha Group
exhibited at the 2005 Alaska Rural
Energy Conference in Valdez, Alaska.
This annual event brings together rural
stakeholders, community leaders,
politicians, vendors and consultants
to discuss the challenges of providing
power and communications to the farflung reaches of rural Alaska. The 2005
conference highlighted, more than ever,
the state's dependency on fossil fuel
and underlined the need to quickly
develop alternative powering strategies.
In many cases, rural villages depend
significantly on diesel fuel to provide
heat and power through the long winter
months. Due to the high costs of fuel
distribution, diesel is sometimes
transported only once per year. Recent
oil price increases have dramatically
affected the budgets of these small
rural economies, jeopardizing the very
survival of these communities.
In a presentation given by the Alaska
Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC)
a bleak picture was painted for rising
oil prices versus rural community
sustainability. The AHFC presenter
explained that oil discoveries and
production peaked in the 1950's
and 1960's. With most existing wells
reaching maturity, new discoveries
are simply not occurring to offset
reduced oilfield production coupled
with increasing Third World demand.
Furthermore, the cost of oil extraction
increases as oil wells mature.
Through this conference, The Alpha
Group gained interest from builders,
developers and individuals concerned
with off-grid residential powering using
Solaris 3500XP, Novus inverters and
AlphaCell battery products. Additionally,
there was interest in the Alpha Solar
Power System (SPS) and Hybrid Power
System (HPS)products for such
applications as SCADA (supervisory
control and data acquisition) for oil/
gas pipeline flow monitoring, power
generation site management and
communications.
Today, Alaska finds itself aggressively
investigating the feasibility of solar
power, geothermal energy, wind
generation, wave/tidal, and coal/coal
bed methane. Even nuclear power is
being reviewed with a proposal by the
City of Galena to consider purchasing
Alaska's first nuclear power plant to
power the town for 30 years at 20
to 30% of today's equivalent cost of
diesel. Synthetic fuels (soy/vegetablebased) and fish oil diesel were also
presented as means of reducing fossil
fuel dependency.
The more rural the site, generally,
the higher the cost to distribute utility
power or fuel to remote residences.
These customers desire an all-in-one
alternative energy solution that can be
tailored to the particular site conditions
of the residence or remote business.
While wind energy can conceivably
be used, most remote residences
will rely on battery cycling coupled
with periodic operation of AC or DC
gensets through periods of peak
power and/or low solar activity.
|6|
Utilization of the Solaris 3500XP can
significantly reduce the fuel requirements
for those customers accustomed to full
diesel, gas or propane dependency.
The cost justification and fuel delivery
autonomy afforded by residential use
of the Solaris 3500XP or Alpha SPS
and HPS systems will become even
more attractive with each increase in
the barrel price of oil.
Many consider Alaska the final frontier
and this attracts significant residential
development, much of it off-grid. With
the increasing price of oil, residential
hybrid powering will become increasingly
affordable and will provide a hedge
against fossil fuel cost unpredictability.
Owen Macht
Argus Technologies, Ltd.
Regional Sales Manager
omacht@argus.ca
Alpha Introduces Spectra Industrial
Battery Charger
Alpha Industrial Power has expanded
its battery charger family to include the
Spectra series. This new battery charger
incorporates the latest in digital control
technology with robust SCR (Silicon
Controlled Rectifier) power electronics.
The Spectra enhances Alpha’s battery
charger product line by adding a feature
rich solution designed specifically to
meet the most stringent industrial
battery charger requirements.
in a package designed exclusively for
general battery charger applications.
The Spectra series provides DC power
protection for control, signaling and
SCADA (supervisory control and data
acquisition) applications within the utility
substation, switchgear, process controls,
and railway transportation industries.
This new charger extends the technical
benefits of the highly successful P45
series custom battery charger family
The Spectra supports applications
requiring 24, 48 and 130VDC output
voltages in capacities ranging from 6
to 50A. Available with three different
output-filtering options, the Spectra
can be floor, wall or rack mounted.
transformer providing
precisely regulated DC
output and current limiting.
An embedded high reliability
microprocessor provides
enhanced monitoring and
control. Additional features
include temperature
compensated charging, digital
display, universal control
boards, control disable for tamper
free operation and online adjustment
with drift free digital control settings.
Its modular construction provides easy
maintenance, and rectifier replacement
with a battery eliminator option for use
as a DC source without batteries.
“By limiting the number of models and
options to address the most commonly
specified requirements, the Spectra
industrial battery charger significantly
reduces delivery lead times while offering
a very attractive price point,” commented
Sam Ayoubi, Alpha Industrial Power,
National Strategic Accounts Manager.
Michael Burkhalter
Alpha Industrial Power, Inc.
VP Sales Emerging Markets
mburkhalter@alpha.com
This charger has a unique SCR
rectifier with a double wound isolation
The Alpha Group Supports
Hurricane Relief Efforts
In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast area of the United
States, The Alpha Group has been working hand in hand with affected local
cable operators to help rebuild their networks. In particular, Alpha Technologies’
personnel were enroute within hours of the alarm being raised, and have been
available 24/7 ever since, ensuring that the needs of the operators are being met
as quickly as possible.
“Cable operators need to get their systems up and running as soon as feasible, and
we have been working diligently with them to provide the emergency equipment
they need”, commented Mike Bansavage, Alpha Technologies, Southeast Regional
Sales Manager.
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, there were roughly 1,700 Alpha power supplies and
400 AlphaGen™ generators affected by the hurricanes. Alpha’s Technical Services
group spent a combined total of four weeks living amongst the hurricane aftermath,
working to get the network systems up and running. There were roughly 300
AlphaGen generators that survived and it is suspected that 50% were destroyed
by Hurricane Katrina. To date, Alpha has deployed over 120 generator cabinets
and 500 power supplies to aid in the rebuilding.
In continuing support efforts, Alpha’s facility outside Atlanta, Georgia (USA) has
expedited shipments to operators in the region and talking with the operators on
a daily basis. Alpha Technical Services group has continued to work on site in
New Orleans, Louisiana, getting power supplies, and generators back on line.
Manufacturing has implemented emergency inventory of XM2 power supplies,
three battery and six battery enclosures. The Georgia facility has agreed to host a
consignment battery warehouse for one of Alpha’s battery manufacturers to facilitate
shipping to customers within a day’s notice.
Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita have caused thousands of miles of network destruction
and it is unclear exactly how much damage was incurred. The people working on the
networks are so overloaded at this time, that they still have not been able to get to all
of the systems to evaluate the extent of the damage. The Alpha Group is prepared
to continue its role in disaster recovery assistance for many months to come.
John Hewitt
Alpha Technologies, Inc.
VP North American Cable Sales
jhewitt@alpha.com
Building a Box continued from pg. 2
communication services are added.
Replacing network hardware is much
more capital intensive than installing a
platform that can grow incrementally
as new services and subscriber
bases increase.
For maintenance personnel, the
enclosure needs to be service
friendly and accessible, meaning
that housed equipment and network
connections must be easily and
conveniently reachable.
Mounting flexibility is also a factor.
Having the option of either pole or
ground mounting enclosures, while
retaining common connections and
equipment shelves, assists network
personnel in both the installation and
maintenance processes.
Other important flexibility criteria
include size and color choice. With
increasing regulatory pressure from
individual municipalities to limit the
amount of visible hardware intrusion,
the ability to make network hardware
installations blend into their surrounding
is key. Low profile or small footprint
enclosures may allow network
operators to make the most of smaller
easements and limit the amount of
hardware visibility.
Enclosure color choice, while a
seemingly benign issue, can work
miracles in helping otherwise
obtrusive enclosures blend into their
surroundings, and greatly reduce heat
build-up in the enclosure.
While enclosure choice may not be the
most exciting or compelling element
of network technology deployment,
|7|
appropriate selection is critical to both
system reliability and longevity.
An enclosure’s value is only as good
as its ability to protect its contents.
Enclosure technical design, durability
and flexibility should be key criteria in
the selection process.
Doug Wicks
Argus Technologies, Ltd.
Product Manager
dwicks@argus.ca
ISES/ASES Solar World Congress 2005
August 7 – 10, 2005
Orlando, FL
The sunshine state of Florida seemed
a fitting venue to hold the Solar World
Congress 2005 in Orlando on
August 7 – 10. More than 1600 solar
energy professionals were on hand
representing 79 different countries. It
had been 14 years since the last Solar
World Congress was held in the United
States, and this year celebrated the
Society’s 50th Anniversary.
ASIS International
September 12 – 15, 2005
Orlando, FL
ASIS International held in Orlando,
Florida attracted almost 20,000
attendees interested in the security
management profession. This year was
the 51st Annual seminar of the world’s
largest trade show dedicated solely to
the security market. “The increase in
attendees, as well as exhibitors, is a
direct reflection of the growing need
for critical security products. Alpha
will continue to innovate creative
powering solutions to cater to this
expanding market segment”, comments
Frank Albano, VP CPS Division. FTTH Conference
October 4 – 6, 2005
Las Vegas, NV
The Fiber-to-the-Home trade show
saw over 1900 attendees, up 60%
from 2004 and 150 exhibitors, up
55% from 2004. Alpha presented new
fiber products including; FlexPoint™,
FlexNet™ and PMR-S2 enclosure. The
Radium MiniBay was also very well
received. Overall, with such success
at the show, Alpha moves into a larger,
20' x 20' show space in 2006!
International Telecommunications
Energy Conference (Intelec)
September 19 – 21, 2005
Berlin, Germany
Over 900 representatives from
more than 50 countries and areas
attended the 27th International
Telecommunication Energy
Conference (Intelec '05), which
provided a unique opportunity
for designers, manufacturers and
distributors to discuss power systems,
components and energy storage
technologies. The Alpha Group
displayed a range of power products
including power systems, enclosures
and batteries.
SCTE-Emerging Technologies
January 10–12, 2006
Tampa, FL
WCA
January 18–19, 2006
San Jose, CA
BICSI Winter Conference
January 23–25, 2006
Orlando, FL
WiMax World
October 27 – 28, 2005
Boston, MA
TelecomNEXT
March 20–22, 2006
Las Vegas, NV
Growth in the WiMax industry was
apparent at the successful WiMax
World show held in Boston. The exhibit
floor and conferences were full with
over 2600 attendees. The Alpha Group
showcased equipment used in preWiMax installations as well as solar,
fiber and generator products.
CCBN China Cable
March 21–23, 2006
Beijing, China
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The markets designated for the various enclosure series below,
are for their current primary use, but are not limited to those markets.
y
l
An Enclosure for Every Application
X
X
X
X
Novus Series
Ground mount enclosure, complete conditioning
and reliable backup power for critical revenuegenerating equipment
PMR and GMR Series
Pole and ground mount, supports fiber field
deployment for FTTx applications
Powernode Series
Modular ground mount enclosures supporting
centralized powering
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
PWE and UPE Series
Pole and ground mount, single and multiple
power supplies; supports distributed powering
architectures
Radium MiniBay Series
Ground mount, environmentally controlled
enclosures for modular transition nodes
Tempest Series
X
Ground mount, larger imprint; enclosure adds
versatility to outside power systems
X
The Power Connection is published by the marketing departments of Alpha Technologies and Argus Technologies
Please send your submissions and feedback to editor@argus.ca
Submissions may be revised for clarity and length.
Executive Editor
Paul Humphreys
Vice President of Marketing and Product Management
Alpha Technologies
phumphreys@alpha.com
Tel: +1 360 392 2220
Alpha Group members reserve the right to make changes to information contained in this document without notice.
Copyright © 2006. All rights reserved. This document may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from a member
of The Alpha Group. Alpha is a registered trademark of Alpha Technologies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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01/2006