The Outlet: August 4, 2026
Hi there,
Welcome to this week's edition of The Outlet. Here are some sparks to keep you informed and entertained!
🔦 Fun Fact
A clamp meter reads current by sensing the magnetic field around a conductor, so it can take a measurement without opening the circuit. Put both the line and neutral in the jaws and their opposing magnetic fields cancel, usually producing a near-zero or incorrect reading. For normal load current, clamp around one conductor at a time.
😆 Laugh of the Day
Why did the electrician keep a clamp meter in the break room?
To measure the current mood.
🏗️ Nonresidential Starts Just Cleared $100 Billion in a Month
Nonresidential construction starts reached $100.3 billion in June, up $24.8 billion from May and 35% above the 12-month moving average. Office starts, including data centers, nearly doubled to $23.5 billion, while new school projects also climbed sharply. Civil construction starts rose to $34.8 billion and remain 9% ahead of last year's pace through June. For electrical shops planning backlog and hiring, demand looks strong, but the concentration in a few large sectors makes project mix worth watching...
🔋 Sodium-Ion Storage Is Giving Contractors Another BESS Option
Sodium-ion battery systems are emerging as an alternative to lithium-ion for utilities, data centers and large commercial sites. Electrical Contractor reports that the chemistry carries a lower thermal-runaway risk and can reduce cooling and maintenance demands. One new modular system packages 1.2 megawatt-hours in a 10-foot container, can stack to 4.8 megawatt-hours and is designed for discharge durations up to 26 hours. For contractors, a new storage chemistry means another equipment platform to understand for layout, cabling, controls, commissioning and long-term service...
🚁 Electric Aircraft Are Bringing Charging Work to Heliports
New York City is upgrading two Manhattan heliports for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft as federal demonstration projects spread across 26 states. The sites will need more than a row of chargers: operators must assess electrical capacity, add dedicated charging equipment and coordinate with utilities, aircraft makers and existing flight operations. Federal pilots will test passenger, cargo, medical, autonomous and offshore-energy uses while the FAA gathers data for future rules. Electric transportation work is moving beyond cars, and the service-upgrade questions are moving with it...
We hope you enjoyed this week's edition of The Outlet. Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, keep the current flowing! ⚡ 🔌
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