Power Books

[Attawa]

I'm a control/computer engineer who has found himself to be the only electrical guy in a fair sized water reclemation plant. We have lots of HV & MV switchgear, motors, multi-fuel backup gen., and starting soon a 10MW cogen facility. Can you recomend a couple good books to get me up to speed quick??

In deep poop!! (sorry couldn't resist)

 

[alehman]

Suggest you retain a qualified consulting engineer. These guys (I am one) are educated to handle such systems and do this stuff every day. There is far too much to learn so quickly. I am fearful you would learn only enough 'to be dangerous' and possibly get yourself in deeper poop (or even 6 feet deep).

 

[AusLee]

Hello,

I find all the books from CRC Press LLC to be very interesting. I prefer these titles:

Distributed Generation - The Power Paradigm for the New Millenni
Electric Power Distribution Handbook
Electric Power Transformer Engineering
Electrical Engineering Dictionary
Electrical Guide LV
Electrical Network Management
Electrical Power and Machines
Measurement, Instrumentation, and Sensors Handbook
Protective Relaying Theory and Applications
The Electric Power Engineering Handbook
The Electrical Engineering Handbook
The Engineering Handbook, Second Edition
Wind and Solar Power Systems

i still haven't got the time to read a single page

 

[GerryMoore]

" We have lots of HV & MV switchgear, motors, multi-fuel backup gen., and starting soon a 10MW cogen facility."

Read some of the suggested books, but by all means I agree with alehman: "Suggest you retain a qualified consulting engineer."

If you have never worked on power equipment, then someone needs to teach you especially the safety aspects. Its not at all the best "learn on my own" type of thing to be playing with.

Get and read NFPA 70E for the safety aspect.

 

[dpc]

I'd start with the IEEE Red Book. Standard 141, I believe.

You will also need a National Electrical Code book (I'd spring for the Handbook - it's a great help in explaining the NEC if you're not familiar with it.

The NFPA-70E is also a good idea.

And keep one hand in your pocket for a while.

 

[davidbeach]

And keep one hand in your pocket for a while.

And any time you want to point at something with the other hand, point with your elbow.

 

[Skogsgurra]

There are so many aspects of this.

First of all: It is not a discipline where you learn by mistakes. Some lucky guys do - but very many get killed. And kill others, too.

Second. Doing theoretical calculations is fine. That is also needed. And such things can be learned from books.

Third. Safety isn't learned. It is "lived into" by working with experienced and knowledgable people for quite a lot a years. Some never seem to get it.

Fourth. Good practice. Same as above.

Then, there are things like sevicability, economy, standardization, fault-finding, commissioning, power quality and lots more. It is a complete trade and nothing you can get good at by reading books. Possibly dangerous - but not good.

I have been doing drives and automation for decades. I have a certificate that lets me do work on LV and HV switchgear. But I do not do it. Reason? I do not do it often enough to be real good at it. I leave that to those that do it on a daily basis.

So should you.

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org