A bad circuit breaker is a major inconvenience, but there can be other issues at play when your power supply isn’t working the way it should. Breakers protect you and your home from current overloads and other electrical issues. If the circuit gets overloaded, the breaker will trip, cutting power to eliminate the risk of fire. Sometimes a breaker will trip even when there is no overload, but it can be tricky to figure out which situation applies.

If you think you have a bad circuit breaker, look out for the following signs so you can get the problem taken care of quickly.

If your breaker is tripping, it could mean there is a device on the circuit causing an overload. Identifying what circuit the breaker is protecting can help you figure out if the problem is with a device or with the breaker itself. There might be a label on the breaker panel that gives you this information, but if not, you can figure it out by testing your lights and devices. If you disconnect the devices connected to the circuit and try to reset the breaker again, the outcome will confirm whether you have a faulty breaker. If it still trips even without the devices connected to it, it is defective and needs replacement.

Simple lighting changes can have a huge impact on the look and feel of the rooms and hallways in your home. If your home is laid out properly, adding some great-looking wall sconces can add to the homey, inviting feel of your home. In addition to the great look that they provide, wall sconces also take up a very small amount of room, because they are placed directly on the wall. For this reason, they are perfect for bathrooms, hallways and other small spaces.

One thing to keep in mind when having your electrician in Beverly Hills install your wall sconces is proper placement. Making sure that your wall sconces are placed in the appropriate places is key to a successful installation. By placing your wall sconces strategically, and attaching them to dimmer switches, you can accent all the areas in your home that you feel like accenting. This can create a very dynamic, easily manipulated and inviting atmosphere. You should also strongly consider the height at which your wall sconces are placed. For the best results, choose a height and stick with it. Placing them uniformly gives them a professional and continuous look.

Wall sconces have become very popular in homes throughout the country, largely because of their small size and ease of installation. Although their primary use is to provide light in underlit areas, wall sconces can also be decorative elements when not lit. When coordinated with your décor, they can give your home a certain amount of flow and decorative continuity that is not possible otherwise. You can find them in many different shapes, sizes and styles that are ready for your electrician Beverly Hills to install today. To talk about installing wall sconces or any other light fixtures, call The Electric Connection Today.

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Christmas is upon us again and more than any other time of year, it’s the time of year where people put strain on their electrical system.  The lights on your house and the beautiful decorations you’ve been storing in your attic finally are brought out and plugged in for your friends and neighbors to view and appreciate.  And, of course, the vast majority of homes you visit have at least one Christmas tree.  Since most of these things are electrical, it’s probably not a surprise to you that, as a top Dallas electrician, I start getting a lot of calls this time of year.  Though it’s always nice to have the business with Christmas so close, I thought it’d be great to share with ways to avoid wiring problems with your Christmas decorations this year:

 In general, there are a few important tips that can help you avoid wiring problems.  If your lights look frayed or dangerous, they should always be replaced or repaired before using them, frayed wiring are hazardous.  You should take care that your electrical source is safe before you even begin the installation process.  To avoid the potential for overloads, you should have dedicated circuits installed for your holiday decorations.

Most importantly, you should never try to supply power for your lights without contacting a top Dallas electrician to help you install the necessary equipment and make the necessary safety precautions.  Short cuts are potentially dangerous. I can remember one example where a customer had supplied power to their lights by splicing an extension cord directly into their circuit breaker box!  Even worse, they’d shut the breaker box door, pinching the cabling!  Left unchecked, even if this hadn’t started a fire, damage from a power surge or overload could have easily destroyed their whole breaker, meaning they’d have to spend thousands to repair the damage at the absolute worst time of year!

LED fixtures, such as

With energy consumption that is less than half of what 150-watt LED parking lot light that is a direct replacement for 400-watt metal-halide (MH) fixtures. That’s 250 watts less for the same amount of light!

The average price of electricity per kilowatt-hour (kWh) is 12 cents. To figure out the monthly cost of running 25 LED parking lot lights for 11 hours per day, use this formula: (combined wattage x monthly hours of use)/1,000 x price per kWh. For 25 LED lights, (3,750 x 330)/1,000 x .12) the total would be $148.50 per month or $1,782 per year.

When the same formula is used for 400-watt MH fixtures, the monthly cost is $396, and yearly cost would be $4,752. So, in this situation, switching to LED fixtures would save approximately $3,000 per year. When coupled with the savings on maintenance, LED fixtures can save $6,470 per year. At that rate, the cost of 25 $340 LED fixtures would be recouped within two years.

Left: LED wall packs; Right: HID wall packs

Unlike LED fixtures that light up instantly, HID parking lot lights require a warmup period of up to 10 minutes before they reach full brightness. They also can’t be turned immediately back on after being switched off; this is called restrike time, and it can take up to 15 minutes before they can be turned on again. Attempting to power on the lights before the bulbs have cooled can damage a fixture’s components and cause the HID bulb to fail sooner.

HID lamps consist of a ballast and a quartz tube that contains gas, metal salts, and two tungsten electrodes. In order to create light, an electric arc passes from one electrode to the other through a gas (most commonly mercury, metal halide, or sodium). The mercury used in this process is dangerous if enough is inhaled or released into the environment. If an HID bulb bursts, all contents should be put into a sealed container or sealed bag and taken to a recycling center or hazardous waste facility. If HID fixtures are used indoors, wall packs and canopy lights, are used indoors, the possibility of ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure should be taken into consideration. HID bulbs emit a substantial amount of UV radiation, but an outer glass envelope prevents the radiation from escaping. However—according to the FDA—”If the outer bulb breaks and the inner tube continues to operate unshielded, intense UV radiation is emitted. UV exposure at this level can cause eye and skin burns, as well as blurred or double vision, headaches, and nausea.” The UV light from an HID bulb with a broken envelope can also lead to discoloration of items and fabric. LEDs emit little to no UV radiation.

In short, LED lights are a better alternative to HID parking lot lights. They offer a great deal in the way of savings, longevity, maintenance reduction, brightness, color, and safety. While it may take a short amount of time to recoup the price of switching to LEDs, all of their qualities make it easy to see why so many businesses have started the process.

For technical questions, don’t hesitate to call us toll free at 866-590-3533. Our customer service and technical support teams are available from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT Monday-Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT on Friday.

As summer rolls in, one thing everyone in Des Moines can be thankful for is a working air conditioning unit. Summer temperatures in Des Moines average upwards of 80 degrees, and when combined with the humidity in the Midwest, a home without a working air conditioning system can quickly turn into a miserable experience. When temperatures do rise and you find yourself running your AC on a daily basis, you will also find a rising energy bill because air conditioning units often use quite a bit of electricity. This also means that the rest of your home’s electrical system needs to be functioning at its peak in order to for your air conditioning unit to be working properly. In the event that your AC unit is causing problems with your home’s electrical system, it is important to have a local electrician you can trust to fix your problem

At Electrical Gurus, we service all of Central Iowa 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. If your home’s electrical services are being interrupted while running your AC, then we can help. As Des Moines’ Top Rated Local® electrician, Electrical Gurus is capable of diagnosing your residential electrical issue and fixing the problem. Whether your home requires basic maintenance or a complete house re-wiring, our team of electricians can ensure your home is capable of running its AC unit without issue. Additionally, we can help your home’s energy efficiency to reduce energy costs and eliminate future problems of your electrical services being overwhelmed. Contact us online or call Electrical Gurus today at 515-446-7040 for a 24 hour electrician you can trust.