Beta Max Beta Lite, Operating And Maintenance Procedures

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1-5
1.4 Understanding Electricity
The electricity that powers your Beta Max hoist is as important as the hoist itself.
Electricity may seem complicated, and an easy-to-understand explanation would
be helpful. The following is an attempt to help explain and simplify electricity.
Let us compare electricity to water in a way everyone can understand. Electricity
is like water passing through a hose or pipe and controlled by a faucet.
The following is a list of terms and their explanations:
• CHARGE is a group of particles gathered together.
• VOLTAGE is CHARGE that flows and builds up pressure. The higher the
voltage, the more charges flow.
• AMPERAGE is the measurement of the charge.
• RESISTANCE is restricting or limiting the flow of charge.
In using the example of water in a pipe, the amount of pressure in the pipe is the
equivalent to the VOLTAGE. The amount of water flowing through the pipe
(volume) can be thought of as the AMPERAGE. And finally, RESISTANCE can
be described as the interaction of the faucet (power supply) and the size of the hose
(length and gauge of electrical cable).
The measured voltage at the electrical outlet may be 110V AC or 220V AC with
nothing plugged in or just a couple of pieces of equipment running. In the context
of the water pipe, if the shower is in use, the dishwasher machine is running, and
the lawn sprinklers operating, then the pressure (VOLTAGE) will be less for all of
the water faucets.
Electrical power in American cities is not always perfect. When a couple of pieces
of equipment are plugged into one circuit and drawing a high AMPERAGE, the
VOLTAGE will drop. The VOLTAGE (pressure) will not always remain constant,
it will decrease. How much the voltage drops depends on the electric power
company, specific wiring to the job site, and the length and type of extension
power cable (hose size) being used.
What about the faucet (RESISTANCE)? If the faucet is rusted, corroded,
undersized, or located a long distance from the source, the water pressure
(VOLTAGE) will not be as strong as desired. Likewise, with electricity, if the
electrical connections are corroded, the electrical extension cable is undersized or
too long, or any combination of these circumstances exist, then the VOLTAGE at
the hoist may be too low to lift the load, and the hoist could become damaged.