Engineering Beyond the Obvious – Delivering Precision Power Solutions for a Leading Battery Manufacturer
A major battery manufacturer approached Johnson & Phillips with a critical issue: the existing supply circuit feeding their rectifier chargers was regularly overloaded and experiencing nuisance tripping. The initial goal was to upgrade the infrastructure to meet operational demands. The expectation was clear — increase the circuit capacity.
Initial Assessment & Proposal
Upon initial review, the overloaded 630A circuit required significant intervention.
A conventional upgrade would have involved costly and disruptive works. J&P priced this traditional solution at approximately £72,000, taking into account the challenging installation and site-specific complexities.
The client was ready — the order was issued without hesitation.
But we said no.
Engineering-Led Integrity
As engineers, we couldn’t proceed blindly. We proposed a Power Analysis to better understand the true source of the problem. The results were eye-opening:
- The 630A circuit was operating at 645A — beyond design limits.
- Conductor temperature had risen to 70°C, presenting a long-term risk.
- Power Factor was a shocking 0.3, highlighting excessive reactive power and inefficiency.
This wasn’t just a case of undersized infrastructure — it was a Power Quality issue in disguise.
Alternative Solution: Smarter, Cleaner, Cheaper
Armed with real data, we proposed a more intelligent approach:
- Install a Hybrid Digital Compensator at the load side.
- Cost: Approximately £38,000, nearly half the original proposal.
- Delivery: Completed and commissioned within one week.
The Client’s Reaction?
“You’re either mad or geniuses.”
We let the outcome do the talking.
Results: Performance Transformed
The impact was immediate:
- 70% of the ‘dirty load’ was neutralised at source.
- Conductor temperatures dropped to ambient.
- Nuisance tripping stopped completely.
The Moral
Don’t throw copper at a power problem. Understand it.
With deep technical insight and a commitment to getting it right, Johnson & Phillips delivered a solution that:
- Cut costs by over £30,000
- Reduced operational risk
- Improved efficiency and resilience — all without unnecessary infrastructure works
We Are Johnson & Phillips
Power is more than what we deliver — it’s who we are.
From transformers to PFC, from resilience to power quality, we engineer better outcomes.
We are J&P. We are engineers.
Lights out? We answer.
Network failure, tripped protection or a site that has gone dark. Our disaster recovery engineers are on call every hour of every day, arriving in minutes, not hours.