Our Services

01

Short circuit studies are critical to electrical system reliability and safety. Electrical codes require protective devices (fuses, circuit breakers) to be rated to interrupt the calculated short circuit current. Electrical codes also require the maximum short circuit current to be listed at each service.

Electrical codes are becoming more stringent with each Code revision. Are YOU compliant? Avoid costly downtime and potential fines by having a compliant, adequately rated system.

A Short Circuit study will:

• Identify underrated equipment that can not safely interrupt a short circuit.
• Increase facility uptime, equipment protection and personnel safety.
• Aid in future expansion plans by providing updated short circuit values at each location in the system, thereby allowing properly rated equipment to be specified.

We use proprietary AI technology to visualize data and present an easy-to-read report that cuts through all the data and helps Facility Management quickly identify issues with their electrical system. However, ALL data is manually reviewed by a Professional Engineer prior to issuance to the Client. We do not simply “push buttons” in the study program and blindly have AI create “magical solutions” without human review!

03

We will calculate the arc flash incident (heat) energy for major equipment such as switchgear, switchboards, panelboards, industrial control panels, and motor control centers in your facility. We will then use the latest IEEE 1584 and NFPA 70E Standards to perform the incident energy and hazard analysis. We will calculate the following:

• Flash hazard boundary
• Amount of incident energy (cal/cm2)
• Shock hazard
• Limited approach
• Restricted approach
• Type of Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) needed. Custom Lists applicable to your facility can be easily generated!

An Arc Flash Study will:

• Improve safety
• Increase facility reliability, equipment protection, and personnel safety by ensuring personnel are advised of hazards and use protective equipment.
• Comply with NEC Article 110.16, NFPA 70E, and OSHA requirements
• We will use proprietary AI technology to create easy-to-read, sortable lists of hazards, and how much of an impact they will have on your specific facility. We will create easy to read, sortable lists that easily visualize the data, rather than other firms that simply produce hundreds of pages of raw data!

05

We will perform reliability studies of your electrical system. The electrical system is only reliable as its “weakest link”. Facilities have lost significant money due to the failure of a seemingly insignificant component. Our study will include:

• In person evaluation of your electrical system.
• Identification of any obsolete or hard to find components that will extend the mean time to repair.
• Review of processes and assignment of values per latest industry standards or IEEE 493.
• Unlike other firms that usually rely on data from IEEE 493, which was last updated in 2007, we will research more recent uptime statistics from data published by associations relative to YOUR industry!
• We will produce flowcharts and process flow diagrams to quickly identify “weakest links” in your electrical system.

07

Ductbank heating calculations are crucial to ensure underground feeders do not become overheated under the facility’s operating load. Variations in soil, burial depth, conductor types, and concrete characteristics can significantly impact conductor temperatures. Do NOT simply rely on NEC ampacity tables! Ductbank heating calculations will ensure conductor temperatures will not exceed NEC recommendations, and prevent catastrophic failure of feeders! Contempus Engineering can do the following during a ductbank heating study:

• Review of geotechnical soil reports.
• Review of ambient soil temperature data specific to your location
• Calculation of ductbanks in accordance with Neher-McGrath industry standard calculation methods
• Recommendations on how to maintain conductor temperatures.

Ductbank heating calculations can actually save you money during installation by optimizing the number of conductors and reducing the amount of thermal backfill needed. We have saved our clients hundreds of thousands of dollars by optimizing the amount of thermal backfill and trenching needed! Let us review your design today!

09

Our team is well versed in use of ETAP, SKM, and EasyPower software packages. All too often the end client is given a PDF (or hardcopy) of a power system study report. However, updating the project as required by National Electric Code and NFPA 70E is virtually impossible. Or, your facility may prefer one software package over another. Let our team convert your project from one software package to another cost-effectively. We have teams that have rolling availability to complete project conversion quickly, accurately, and very cost-effectively.

• Recreation of project files from PDF files or hardcopy study reports
• Updating of projects from older versions of ETAP, SKM, and EasyPower to the latest versions
• Converting of projects from one software package (ETAP, SKM, or EasyPower) to another
• All conversions are reviewed by a Professional Engineer for accuracy and completeness
• Field verification of existing projects for accuracy and completeness