WINERIES
Back-Up Power Systems "Back in 2001 during the electrical power crunch we decided that we better have a back up power
system," explains Jim Magness, Facility Manager at Rodney Strong Vineyards. It was at that time when rolling blackouts in power grids were shutting down businesses throughout California. Faced with possibility of losing power at a critical
point like harvest time, Magness contracted with Knights' Electric commercial department to set up the emergency back up power system.
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Knights' Electric installed this back up power system for Rodney Strong Vineyards
that consists of the switchgear (left), transformer (right) and 12-cylinder Caterpillar 750 KW generator (behind). |
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Magness purchased a back-up generator set and high capacity switchgear for the winery from Knights' Electric and then they did
something inventive. "We set up the transformer so that we were able to have 480 volts going in and 12,000 volts coming out. The winery is set up to receive 12,000-volt service so that's why
we did it that way. We purchase our electricity for the winery at the 12,000 volt service level because it is the most economical," says Magness, "Then it's distributed through sub panels to run the
winery with 480-volt power."The process involves reverse feeding through the windings of the transformer and it sounds like you're getting 12,000 volts from 480 volts. It's efficient and safe. PG&E
mandates that a key switch be used for transformers like the one used by Rodney Strong Vineyards, when the input line is open the output is closed and vice versa,
so that the 12,000 volts will not be sent back to their power lines. "That's one of the dangerous things that can happen when people hook up generators to their power
box for emergency power," says Magness, "We use a manual switch if we have a power failure that closes off the 12,000 volts back to PG&E's line. Then we would
run the 750 KW generator that would feed 480-volt power in to the transformer and we would get 12,000 volts to power the winery."
This back up power system will not run the entire winery. Magness has a business plan that has a priority list of equipment that he would run to enable the winery to
crush grapes. "We've never had to use the back up system but that's why we have it. It cost us $350,000 to purchase and install it, but if we lost power during the harvest it turns out to be a huge bargain."
RESIDENTIAL
Moonlight Magic – Residential
Landscape Lighting Landscape lighting takes many forms in the exclusive homes that
Knights' Electric's residential department
works on, "Moonlighting is the technique that is achieved by mounting lights in the trees, it creates ground shadows like natural moonlight," explains Matt Sweeney, Residential Project Manager for Knights'
Electric. Landscape lighting is a creative exercise that can create not only a look, but an aura, "We worked on a residence that had hundreds of lights in the trees of
a large oak grove, after a while the owner decided he wanted to change the look so we remounted most of the lighting to give just the effect he was looking for," says Sweeney.
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Pond and fountain lighting makes this garden area a nighttime attraction. |
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Landscape lighting is, in most cases, designed by committee. The homeowner usually hires a landscape architect to design the
environmental layout of the home that might consist of trees, shrubs, flowers, hills, ponds, sidewalks and paths. Then the owner, the landscape architect and Sweeney discuss the
possible lighting effects they would like to achieve. "After we meet and talk about the lighting design, I'll show them some of the lighting fixtures we might use and we go from there," says Sweeney.
Most landscape lighting is created with low voltage halogen lights, not as much for the energy savings as it is for the fact that it is very safe to use. "A homeowner
could be gardening and sever a buried electrical line with a metal shovel and there would be no shock at all. It's a very safe 12-volt system." The lighting system can
run on a timer or photocell that turns the lights on whenever it gets dark. Ground lighting usually consists of "up lighting" that lights trees from below or path
lighting that employs more rugged type of utility lighting fixture. Other styles of landscape lighting includes trellis lighting, lighting for pools and ponds including
underwater lighting or any other scheme that might enhance the overall night time residential environment. Sweeney recalls one swimming pool contractor that used
fiber optic lighting. "Just below the cove and all the way around the pool there was a fiber optic strand that had an illuminator attached to the hidden end of it with a
color wheel that rotated slowly around in front of it. The swimming pool light changed color."
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION School DaysA great philosopher once said that gaining knowledge is like filling up a chalice
with water, except that the chalice has a hole in the bottom of it. Therefore you must be continually filling it up to maintain its level. His point was that we are
gradually losing our knowledge unless we continue to pour new education into our minds. This is true in all areas of business also, because of the changing ideas,
innovations and technology we must seek education to be current and up to date in our industries.
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WECA Journeyman Prep students: (l to r) Ben English, Tim Rose and Jim Coyle.
(not shown - Mike Rose, Brian Sheets, Ray Ross) |
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Knights' Electric has embarked on an aggressive path to help educate its
employees to insure a brighter future for them and the company. A number of Knights' Electric employees are pursuing education and certifications. Mike Rose,
Tim Rose, Ben English, Jim Coyle, Brian Sheets and Ray Ross will attend WECA Journeyman Preparation Class held at Santa Rosa Junior College in May, June and July.
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The PEP students are Matt Sweeney and Dan Beltran. |
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Matt Sweeney, Knights' Electric's Residential Project Manager and Dan Beltran
are attending PEP, the Professional Electrician Program, sponsored by the Redwood Empire Independent Electrical Contractors. This educational program denotes foreman level certification.
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The WECA Students are Steve Sperbeck, Don Thrash and Ricardo Naranjo. |
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Steve Sperbeck, a second year student, along with Ricardo Naranjo and Don
Thrash, third year students, are attending WECA apprenticeship classes to attain that certification. All of the certifications mentioned in this article will become effective in 2004.
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