Meet The Expert – Dave Burns

What is your current role and what are your main responsibilities?

I’m the Electrical Supervisor in the R&D team at Prolectric. I’m responsible for wiring and building new prototype lighting and hybrid power products to the correct standards, ensuring that the products meet the design specification and customers’ requirements. It’s my job to make sure that the electrics are 100% before handing over to our operations department.

I also work closely with new and existing customers, providing product training and supporting them on-site. It’s essential to me to build great customer relationships, so I can gain feedback to support them in using and maintaining the products most efficiently to meet their expectations.

Tell us about your background and how you got started in your career?

I started my four-year apprenticeship in Electrical Installation back in 2007 whilst working for a local company carrying out domestic work.

In 2011, I wanted to gain more site experience in commercial installation, so I moved to another local company as an Electrician, managing a small team carrying out jobs in solar PV, switch room installations, fire alarms and factory machine installs, amongst other electrical installations.

I joined Prolectric in 2018 as an Electrical Supervisor, managing a small team of engineers who built and serviced our ProLight, ProTemp and ProRXM Solar Lighting Towers. I also installed our AE3 and AE6 Solar Streetlights as part of our Permanent Lighting range.

In 2020 I moved across to R&D, as it was felt that my electrical knowledge would be a great resource to the team. I’m now designing components layouts, sizing cables, selecting fuses, and completing the electrical installation of new and existing products.

What are some of the most exciting projects you have worked on recently?

The most exciting projects I’ve worked on recently must be the ProPower Solar Hybrid Generator and the 3-Phase ProPower.

I’ve learnt a lot while working on the ProPower. It’s pushed me to learn more about electrical systems and wiring and to develop the most effective maintenance and servicing programs for generators whilst navigating our Power Portal.

I’ve been developing the ProPower products along with the R&D team for about three years. We’ve made giant leaps during that time, and it looks great. Most importantly, it saves customers money and carbon emissions.

The success of the ProPower Solar Hybrid Generator and 3-Phase is very much a Prolectric and R&D team effort. We truly have some amazingly experienced and talented people, and we wouldn’t have achieved this without working together.

What common misconceptions about your industry would you like to dispel?

'Solar Lighting and Solar Power don’t work in the UK.' It does, and we’ve proved it. Prolectric has been doing it successfully since 2011. Our years of experience working with solar PV and batteries have allowed us to develop state-of-the-art kit and industry-leading telematics in our Lighting and Power portals. They provide live data and remote control to all our temporary lighting and power products.