Indoor Generator Provides 20,000 Watts of Stored Renewable Energy to a Ranch Home, Even When All External Power Supply is Unavailable

Dallas, TX  December 30, 2011– Doug Kerr is the proud owner of a stretch of land located in the rural area of Kaufman County (Texas) where the air is fresh and the hustle and bustle of city life is non-existent. One thing Doug’s land doesn’t have, however, is a city power grid. Traditionally, to gain access to power in an area that hasn’t already been included on the electrical grid, you can pay the local electrical provider a large sum to run new electrical service to your location, or be forced to use noisy, polluting, and high-maintenance fuel-powered generators.

Fortunately, Doug found a much better option when he called ElectricMan Inc., a local Dallas and Plano electrician. ElectricMan Inc. is the exclusive North Texas provider of the Indoor Generator, a system that utilizes the latest technology in power storage, partnered with reliable renewable energy options to pioneer electrical independence not only for off-grid applications, but any residence or business that could benefit from more reliable electrical service and lower electrical costs.

Using a vertical access wind turbine, ElectricMan Inc. takes advantage of the abundant wind rolling across Doug’s land, from any direction, to provide a consistent source of electricity for the custom-built Indoor Generator unit installed in his home. The Indoor Generator system itself contains 20 maintenance-free deep-cell AGM batteries capable of storing 20,000 watts of on-demand power—enough electricity to run the household for an entire week or two, even if the wind doesn’t blow at all.

Keeping in mind that no matter how reliable your system is, a backup power plan is always important. The Indoor Generator is also compatible with an external gas powered generator that will run and charge the system at the same time in the event of an emergency, or the unlikely case that the wind doesn’t blow for an extended period of time. This is where the innovative versatility of the system makes it uniquely capable to reliably power a home. With thousands of programmable commands, the Indoor Generator has the capability to utilize multiple incoming power sources, and automatically switch between options such as grid power if it is available, stored battery power, wind turbines, solar panels, or a gas-powered generator, dependent upon what option is readily available and efficient.

The innovations that are integrated into the Indoor Generator system now give any home or business access to a constant supply of clean power, increasing safety, security, and longevity of electrical systems and appliances, while providing the opportunity for electrical independence to anyone.

About ElectricMan Inc.

ElectricMan Inc. is a licensed Dallas and Plano electrician serving the Dallas/Fort Worth area with 27 years of experience in electrical repair and installation, offering fast 24-hour service for residential and commercial needs. ElectricMan Inc. is now offering state-of-the-art backup power systems that exceed current emergency power standards while also providing a homeowner or business owner with the ability to have multiple options for emergency power, as well as the option to switch to the most efficient power supply available during normal usage to reduce energy costs in the long run. Call ElectricMan Inc. today at 972-792-7270 for a free quote on your next electrical project!

Most of us will not be leaders with the ability to speak and the bravery to act as Martin Luther King, Jr., but we can change the world for the better in small ways.  Even one bulb at a time…

The world of illumination is changing quickly and advancing into a new frontier with light sources that are more durable, more energy-efficient and better for the natural environment.  While we still have a choice, future lighting installations with LED (light emitting diode) lamps will provide the best light for your home or office space.

To make the best choice, there are a few lighting facts you should know.  All LEDs are not created equal, so read on to educate yourself and make a change to LED with confidence.

Learn what light sources are available and the limitations and benefits of each light source, so that you may choose the best one for each application.

•The right lighting will always help you look better, feel better and perform to the best of your ability.

•The right lighting will always be energy-efficient.

•The right lighting will always work well with the natural environment, making the most of sunlight streaming in during the day and delivering illumination in the most eco-friendly manner.

•The right lighting will last.  Choose good quality bulbs and light fixtures that are guaranteed to provide excellent illumination, equipped with fine finishes and components that are durable.

1.  KNOW YOUR BRIGHTNESS LEVELS IN LUMENS

New bulb cartons are required to prominently display the brightness level (measured in lumens (lm)).  In the past we have determined bulb brightness in terms of energy consumption in watts (W), but now we must learn to think in lumens (lm).  Here is a quick conversion chart to help get you started:

Lumens            Old Incandescent                                             LED

2600 lm————→150W——————————–→25-28 W

1600 lm———— →100W——————————–→16-20 W

1100 lm————→75W———————————-→9-13 W

800 lm————-→60W———————————-→8-12 W

450 lm————-→40W———————————-→6-9 W

2.  CHECK OUT COLOR QUALITY:   Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) and Color Rendering Index (CRI))

•CCT is measured in Kelvin’s (K) and is an important factor determining the quality of light for your specific application: Warm White or Soft White is about  2700-3500 Kelvin’s (K) and Bright White light is about 4000 K+

•CRI is measured on a scale of 0-100 and is an important measure of the degree to which your light source will show the true colors of all that is being illuminated.  Color rendering for decorative indoor lighting applications should be between 85-100.

3.  FACTOR IN DIMMING CAPABILITY

Most dimmers work by reducing the amount of electricity sent to the bulb.  But with LED the correlation between brightness and energy consumption is much different than with incandescent illumination.

Because of this difference, LEDs are not always compatible with traditional dimmer switches.  You either have to replace your switch with one that is compatible with LED or look for replacement LED bulbs that are compatible with standard incandescent dimmers.

4.  FIND SUITABLE BULB-TO-LIGHT FIXTURE MATCH-UPS

The reflector and fixture type will play a significant role in determining the light output from the light source (bulb).  Look at colored lenses and fitters, as well as shades and shielding to determine how they will help steer and direct your desired level of illumination.

When looking to replace an incandescent bulb with an LED bulb in a lighting fixture where the bulb will be totally enclosed, be sure to check that your LED is specifically made for an enclosed or recessed light fixture.  LED bulbs run cooler than others, but they do produce heat. To protect the quality of the LED chip and the performance of your LED light source, LED fixtures are specifically engineered to provide adequate heat-sinking.

5.  BEWARE OF THE LOWEST “BINNER” and COMPARE PRICE VS. QUALITY

“Binning” is the process by which LED chips are sorted.

Prior to being marketed in fixtures or light bulbs, LED chips are sorted into bins according to their light output (lumen output) and color temperature.  There are clear standards set to measure the lumen output of each LED chip.  LEDs chosen from bins with higher lumen output are of better quality.

Color temperature is determined by matching up each LED according to a chromatic line grid for a specific color temperature.   LEDs chosen from larger bins contain more color variation and are not as bright.

Due to the process of “binning,” LED chips vary in their quality—especially in relation to their lumen output and color, so it is important to purchase LED light bulbs and LED light fixtures from a reputable dealer.

Philips medium base LED

Philips LED reflector, perfect for landscape and outdoor lighting applications

Dimmable LED from Philips

Kolour One LED bulb offers full 180 degree illumination

Look for all new LED bulbs from Philips, Kolour One, Satco and Bulbrite, now available at 1800lighting.com

Most homeowners in Los Angeles who buy an electric car, like a Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt, will want to purchase a special charger that allows them to charge their vehicles overnight. This is called a “Level 2 Charger.” It can take a Nissan Leaf, with a range of 100 miles, from empty to fully charged in about eight hours. A Chevy Volt hybrid, with an electric battery range of 40 miles, takes about four hours. Click here for more on Level 2 chargers.

Important Note: A few days ago, on April 27th, L.A. DWP announced a rebate of $2,000 to homeowners who install a Level 2 charger and a special electric meter as part of a DWP research project on charging electric vehicles. This rebate will result in a significant price reduction on charger installation. Call me for more info (800) 990-9490.

Of course, it would be more convenient to be able to recharge your car (electric vehicle or “EV”) with the speed of going to a gas station. Such chargers, “Level 3” are already available, but so far, only in Japan. Level 3 chargers fully charge a Nissan Leaf in 15-30 minutes…and cost about $45,000 installed. When they come to the U.S., they will most likely be installed for electric trucks and for fleets of company cars. But they will also be installed in the U.S. in shopping malls and gas stations. Shoppers and travelers will be able to top off their batteries in a relatively brief stop.

An even faster system is currently being built in Israel. A Palo Alto company called “Better Place” is building a network of “carwashes.” Only, when you drive your EV in, instead of getting a wash job, your spent battery is pulled out and within a few minutes, is replaced with a fully charged battery.

Better Place is also considering construction of car charging networks in Denmark and Hawaii. It’s focusing on small self-contained locations, what it calls “islands.” So, it probably won’t be coming to Los Angeles any time soon.

The good news is that the pressure to be fully charged when leaving home will ease as chargers increasingly are installed in public places. In Los Angeles, Level 2 Chargers are already available for a fee in train stations, LAX, the Burbank Airport, the L.A. Convention Center, and other public places. Some businesses, like Costco in Burbank and in Canoga Park, have also installed Level 2 chargers. Click here for an up-to-date map of public EV chargers near you.

Soon, more businesses and shopping malls will begin installing Level 2 or Level 3 chargers as an inducement for shoppers. Workplaces will be installing them as an employment benefit. We’re only at the beginning of a changeover to electric cars. With the federal government setting the goal of one million EVs on the roads by 2015, and with incentives provided by the State of California as well as L.A. DWP, charging your electric vehicle is going to get easier and faster.

For more about my company, The Electric Connection — all the stuff you wanted to know but were afraid to ask — click here. If you’re interested coupons for electrical work, for example $50 off installation of a Whole House Surge Protector in the L.A. area, click on our coupon page.

Although LED T8s have not been around long enough to produce a thick memoir, there are some interesting things to note about why they exist.  A few years ago, there was concern that the rare earth metals used in fluorescent tube lamps might start getting significantly more expensive for the U.S. to purchase from China. Light bulb manufacturers began an arms race to develop an affordable and effective LED T8 replacement tube.

A sustained sharp increase in the price of phosphors never really happened. And so LED T8s have gained momentum in their evolution, organically evolving to better perform well in certain applications. Their price point has decreased, and their performance has gone up. And now, LED T8 linear lamps are certified by the DesignLights Consortium to be high quality, high efficiency lighting products.

However, LED T8s continue to be very controversial – even divisive – in the lighting world. Many people think they’re great; but some people think their existence is entirely unnecessary. Both sides of this argument tend to contextualize their visions of the merits and pitfalls of the LED T8 in a comparison with the merits and pitfalls of the traditional fluorescent T8 tube light.

LED T8 Linear Light Bulbs vs. Fluorescent T8 Linear Light Bulbs

First of all, the merits of fluorescent T8s cannot be overstated. Fluorescent tube lamp technology has been developed over decades and is now basically mastered. Fluorescent T8s are extremely inexpensive and have ridiculously long rated lives. In fact, in some cases, fluorescent T8s can last as long as LED T8s!

And it doesn’t stop there. The production of light with fluorescent tube lamp technology works really, really well. It is probably at its peak in terms of performance and cost. Fluorescent T8 light bulbs can last 50,000 hours. And despite their not-always-positive reputation for rendering color, fluorescent T8s can achieve high color rendering indexes (CRIs). But, it must be clearly noted, fluorescent T8s get more expensive as you seek a higher CRI.

And in terms of cost, let’s just say it straight: In many applications, the LED T8 tube light’s initial cost doesn’t make sense when compared to the relatively low cost of fluorescent T8s.  For example, at this stage of the game (June 2014), lighting large spaces like classrooms or large offices is job better performed by fluorescent T8s than LED. First, there’s the cost. Fluorescent tube lamps last long, cost little, and give off crisp light. Furthermore, fluorescent tubes give off light omnidirectionally, casting light upwards toward the ceiling as well as downward. This makes a space look more fully lighted. LEDs, in contrast, are generally more unidirectional and cast light downward only. This is something that will change, but, currently, this is just affirmation of the fact that fluorescent T8s reign supreme for some applications.

Fluorescent T8s often take a while to come on; they’re adversely affected by temperature (and somewhat sensitive about it); they can flicker often; and if the lights are turned on and off frequently, as in laundry room or bathroom applications, for example, they can fail quite prematurely, to the dismay and annoyance of everyone involved. And then there’s that toxic mercury vapor which poses danger to humans and the soil on which we live.

Oh yeah, fluorescent tube lamps require a ballast, too: A component that will also, eventually, fail.

Now, let’s give some attention to LED T8 tube lamps. It should first be noted that LED T8s have a higher initial cost than fluorescent T8s, which can be purchased for only a few dollars in some cases.

Despite their higher cost, LED tube lights have some nice advantages. First of all, LEDs love the cold, so they are great in cold weather applications, unlike fluorescent T8s, which become seemingly infirm in the cold, slow to turn on and flickerish. Basements, sheds, garages, porticos, covered pathways, bathrooms, etc, are great places to utilize the LED T8 linear lamp.

You also have to consider that if an LED T8 tube breaks, it will not release harmful mercury vapor into the air. Mercury from fluorescent tubes can get into the air but also the water supply, which is why you have to recycle them. For some people, the whole mercury thing is enough to open their minds to alternatives to the long-reigning fluorescent T8.

Plus, you can get better color rendering with LEDs than with fluorescent lights. Fluorescent lights work by transforming ultraviolet radiation into visible light. If you have a vague idea about what UV light is, you know that it’s the part of the light spectrum that’s just past the blue and violet area. Even with a rudimentary understanding of light, then, it’s easy to see how the result of transforming UV light into visible light would leave you with a bluish result. As a result, in general, fluorescent lights do not render reds well.

LEDs exude very little to no UV or infrared radiation, both of which fade the color of displayed objects including wall art, furniture, and even rugs. Fluorescent tubes – did you know this? – do indeed fade sensitive belongings over time.

Finally, LED tubes do not generally require a separate power supply. They run on line voltage and require no separate drivers, ballasts, or transformers. That’s one less thing that can break. In conclusion, LED T8s are more expensive than fluorescent T8s, but LEDs are safer, render color better, require no ballasts, operate better in the cold, and do not decline significantly in lifespan due to frequently switching on and off. This means that there are some applications, like cold places, bathrooms, basements, laundry rooms, kitchens, closets, storage rooms, walk in refrigerators or freezers, or places where there’s a risk of broken light bulbs like gyms, warehouses, etc, for which LED T8s might be the better choice. And since LED T8s don’t weaken with frequent switching on and off, they are great for use with occupancy sensors.