Navigating Renovations and Additions with Electrical Upgrades

Navigating renovations and additions can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to electrical upgrades. With so many factors to consider, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the process to ensure that your project runs smoothly and efficiently. In this article, we will provide you with valuable insights and tips on how to navigate electrical upgrades during your renovation or addition project.

Planning Your Electrical Upgrades

When planning an electrical renovation, it is important to take a systematic approach to ensure that the project is completed safely, efficiently, and within budget. Here are some key considerations to keep in mind when planning your electrical renovation.

Assessing Current Electrical Systems

The first step in any renovation or addition is to assess the current electrical infrastructure. This involves evaluating the existing wiring, control systems, and power supplies to determine if they can handle new demands or need complete revamping. In industries such as food and beverage, where hygiene and temperature control are critical, or in agricultural and industrial settings where machinery requires robust power supplies, this assessment is crucial.

Electrical plan also needs updates and maintenance.

Designing a Comprehensive Electrical Plan

Based on the assessment, a detailed electrical design needs to be prepared. This plan should cater to current needs and anticipate future expansions and technological upgrades. It should address:

  • Power Needs: Calculate the increased demand and plan for appropriate power supply systems including transformers, panels, and backup generators.
  • Control Systems: Advanced automation systems can significantly boost productivity and efficiency. Integrating smart controls and sensors helps monitor and manage operations more effectively.
  • Safety and Compliance: All electrical renovations must comply with Electrical Codes. This includes ensuring that all wiring, devices, and equipment are installed and maintained by the codes. Failure to comply with these codes can result in fines, legal action, and even injury or death.

Professional Installation Services

Working with a licensed and certified electrician is crucial to ensuring that your electrical upgrades are installed safely and up to code. A professional electrician can also provide guidance on the best practices for wiring, grounding, and circuit protection.

In addition, a professional installation team will be equipped with the necessary tools and equipment to complete the job efficiently and effectively. This can save you time and money in the long run by preventing costly mistakes or delays.

Professional installation for electrical upgrades.

Electrical Maintenance

Testing and quality assurance are critical to ensuring that electrical upgrades are functioning properly and meeting the requirements of the project. This includes conducting tests to verify that the equipment is operating as intended, as well as performing regular electrical maintenance and inspections to identify and address any issues that may arise. Regular maintenance is key to ensuring that your electrical upgrades continue to function properly and safely over time. This includes tasks such as inspecting wiring and connections, replacing faulty components, and testing circuit breakers.

Electrical Upgrades with Current Group

Current Group specializes in strategic design-build systems for electrical design and installation that boost operational efficiency and productivity in new builds, renovations, and equipment upgrades. Our services range from enhancing power supply systems and LED lighting upgrades to installing data communication networks and fire alarm systems. Our expert team of designers and technicians is committed to providing cost-effective, innovative solutions tailored to meet specific facility needs, ensuring minimal downtime and improved control over your electrical systems. With our turnkey solutions, we are dedicated to giving you back your time by optimizing and automating your facility’s electrical infrastructure to meet today’s demanding production environments.

Explore how Current Group can elevate your facility’s efficiency and productivity. Contact us today for a personalized quote and discover the difference expert electrical design and installation can make.

As winter approaches, cattle ranchers face the critical challenge of ensuring their herds maintain optimal health and growth despite the harsh conditions. One often overlooked factor is the temperature of drinking water, which plays a significant role in the overall well-being and productivity of range cattle during cold months. In this article, we will explore how water temperature impacts water consumption and growth performance and how Current Group’s Open2O cattle trough heater can make a difference by preventing freezing and ensuring water availability.

The Impact of Access to Water on Cattle Health

Research consistently shows that water availability is critical to cattle’s water intake, especially during winter. Frozen water can drastically reduce consumption, as cattle cannot access the necessary water. This leads to dehydration and increased energy expenditure, as cattle use more energy to maintain their body temperature in the cold. 

This increase in water intake is crucial because it correlates with higher dry matter intake (DMI), which is essential for maintaining body weight and overall health during the cold season.

According to Jon DeClerck, Ph.D., cattle nutritionist with Purina Animal Nutrition, “Water is the most essential nutrient for cattle production,” says “It’s used for regulating body temperature, growth, reproduction, lactation, digestion and many other bodily functions. Water also drives intake for mineral, forage and supplements. And while we typically worry more about water intake in summer, it’s equally as important in cold weather.”

“For fall calving herds, water requirements go up drastically during lactation. Cows hit peak lactation right when water is at risk of freezing up. With spring calving herds, water access is key to avoid stress and long-term performance impacts to both the cow and unborn calf.”

Consequences of Inadequate Water Intake in Winter

When cattle do not have consistent access to water due to freezing conditions, the consequences can be severe. Insufficient water intake leads to dehydration, reduced feed intake (which affects nutrition), and poor growth performance. Instead, energy that should be used for growth is used to maintain body temperature, leading to weight loss and a decline in body condition. Additionally, water shortages can disrupt rumen fermentation, nutrient absorption, and overall cattle health, further compromising productivity.

Ideal Water Temperature and its Effect on Your Herd

Ensuring that water is available to cattle throughout winter is crucial to their hydration and growth. However, a balance needs to be met in terms of your water temperature.

Kate Hornyak, OSU Extension Program Coordinator, Delaware County, says, Keeping the ideal temperature of drinking water for cattle is a balance – it should neither be hot nor frozen.” – “It’s interesting to note that steers with access to cool drinking water have shown to gain an additional 0.3 to 0.4 pounds per day compared to those consuming warmer water. This underscores the importance of regularly checking the temperature of water, especially in waterers equipped with heaters, to avoid what’s known as a “runaway” – a situation where the water gets too warm.”

Cattle Trough Heater Open2O: Preventing Frozen Water

To address the challenges of water freezing during the cold season, Current Group offers the Open2O advanced electric device, an innovative solution designed to monitor water temperature and regulate the power to the heating element. Unlike traditional heating systems that continuously warm water, Open2O ensures that water remains just above freezing, reducing energy consumption and ensuring that cattle always have access to water.

Features of Open2O Water Controller

  • Power Savings: The Cattle Trough Heater Open2O has multiple temperature inputs, which allows it to monitor water temperature every 30 seconds and turn on the heating elements only as needed. This optimized control has been proven to cut substantial power usage, with an estimated minimum of 53% power savings.
  • Real-Time Water Consumption Report: The Cattle Trough Heater Open2O system provides real-time reports on water consumption, which allows cattle operators to monitor water intake per animal. This data helps identify potential issues early on, as it compares water usage across different troughs, signalling if a problem arises with any specific bowl. Accurate water consumption data supports better animal health analysis, ensuring every animal is adequately hydrated.
  • Alarm Options for Consumption and Temperature: The Cattle Trough Heater Open2O has alarm options that alert operators to unusual consumption patterns—whether too high or too low—indicating potential issues like a broken water line. The system also notifies operators if the water temperature drops too close to freezing.
  • Labour and Stress Reduction: With Open2O’s remote monitoring capabilities, feedlot operators no longer need to send staff out in cold temperatures to check water bowls. Instead, they can view the software and confirm that all water sources remain open, reducing labour costs and management stress year-round.

 

With these features, Open2O provides a comprehensive solution to prevent water bowls from freezing, monitor water consumption, and support cattle health through the cold months.

Critical Benefits of Cattle Trough Heater Open2O

  • Prevents Water from Freezing: Open2O ensures that water remains accessible, avoiding water freezing in bowls.
  • Energy Efficiency: By regulating the power to the heating element, Open2O conserves energy, reducing costs while maintaining water availability.
  • Durability and Reliability: Built to withstand harsh winter conditions, Open2O ensures uninterrupted access to water throughout the cold months.
  • Improved Growth Performance: By preventing frozen water, Open2O supports cattle hydration, feed utilization, and overall growth performance.


Providing unfrozen drinking water during winter is more than just a comfort for cattle—it’s essential to maintaining their health and growth. With the Open2O device from Current Group, ranchers can ensure that their cattle have continuous access to water, even in the coldest months. Invest in cattle trough heater Open2O today to secure your herd’s health and boost your bottom line this winter.