HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - August 18, 1982 (42)STANDARDIIATION
OF ELECTRIC PANALS
APPROVED
i—
;TIN
i 82=
Following a report and recommendation from Staff, Council,
by motion action under the Consent Calendar, voted to
standardize low voltage electrical panels as manufactured
by the Square 0 Company.
4 V'
11.
Win' -
ME
R CITY C0UNC�L
.
AUGUST
18 1
a
STANDARDIIATION
OF ELECTRIC PANALS
APPROVED
i—
;TIN
i 82=
Following a report and recommendation from Staff, Council,
by motion action under the Consent Calendar, voted to
standardize low voltage electrical panels as manufactured
by the Square 0 Company.
4 V'
11.
CITY OF Loaf
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
T0: City Council
FROM: City Manager
DATE: August 5, 1982
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
SUBJECT: Standardization of Low Voltage Electrical Panels
RECOMMENDED ACTION: That the City Council standardize low voltage electrical
panels. The recommended standard to be manufactured by the "Square D" Company.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The City's low voltage electrical panels are used to
control equipment suc as water wells, sewage and storm water pumps, park lighting
and pub Ii_c_bua-l-dings. Generally, the Utility Department se -leets, purchases and
Installs the panels in these facilities for other City Departments-.
The cost of these panels is now exceeding the $5,000 informal-bld limit. Purchas-
Ing them under formal bidding would more than likely provide the City with panels
by many different manufacturers. A major problem with this is one of spare parts
availability. Electrical components are generally not interchangeable from manu-
facturer to_manufacturer. This would mean that the City would have to stock parts
for each specific panel; in many cases, duplicating parts of similar function.
Choosing a supplier based solely upon low bid would not solve the problem. 1t has
been the Utility Department's experience that of the six or so major electrical.
equipment manufacturers, none are consistantly low bidders on equipment. Factors
such as reliability, repair costs, serviceability. and parts availability play a
much larger role in keeping the equipment in service economl'cally.
The City currently has over 40 low voltage panels In operation Most of these
panels were manufactured by the "Square D" Company. They have proven to be of
high quality and excellent reliability. All contain components manufactured by
"Square D" with parts readily available in Stockton or from the manufacturer.
Parts for older panels are likewise available or easily fitted with new style com-
ponents. Utility Department experience has shown that parts for other brand
name, older equipment are no longer available and that there are no reasonable
substitutes. The City Electrici=ans have noted that "Square D" panels require only
periodic maintenance and are well organized internally and easily serviced.
Many of these low voltage panels are not "off the shelf" items; they are built for
specific customer- application, thus it Ts necessary for the manufacturer to lay
out and design such panels. The "Square D" Company has engineering staff located
in Stockton, Sacramento, and Los Angeles and during the design stage their plan-
ning and design engineers have been readily available to City Staff providing
expert service. This has enabled the City to obtain many specialized, high quality,
low maintenance control panels.
APPROVED: I FILE NO.
ty Manager
r
Featttries such as:
Quality workmanship
Reliable components
Availability of parts
Ease of serviceability
Low maintenance
Avallahtttty of engineering services prompts the recommendation that love
voltage panels for C-ity facilities be standardized as "Square D" equi-PAWnt'.
For the Council's Information, the City of Lodi has previously standardized
the following equipment:
Water meters
Fire hydrants
Propene r_pumps and motors
Traffic signal controllers
I L.., Ronska .
to Works D -i rector
JLR/ML/meq
David K. C rry
r
Utility Director