Photovoltaics employ solar panels to create energy. Solar power remains a rapidly growing field in the renewable energy sector. It has the potential to completely power our world and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Aside from large-scale solar plants, photovoltaics can also be found in a variety of places from calculators and watches to electric planes and the space station. The lack of moving parts makes them valuable in portable devices and in areas without other sources of power. And because the only source of fuel required is sunlight, they can produce power continuously for years without maintenance. Thanks to the falling cost of installation and the potential savings on utility bills, many homeowners are now choosing to install rooftop panels on their own homes.

As the cost per watt of solar power continues to plummet, new solar technologies are emerging. Therefore, the second generation of solar panels, known as thin-film PV, consist of extremely thin panels only a few micrometers thick. These panels are much more versatile and have found their way into Tesla’s solar roof tiles, among other things. They are less efficient than first-generation panels, but much cheaper, simply due to the fact that they require less material to manufacture.

Most noteworthy, third-generation high-intensity solar cells are also in development and promise to be even thinner and extremely efficient. Perovskite PV cells and Organic and Polymer Photovoltaic (OPV) cells are some of the newest third generation solar technologies and use materials other than crystalline silicon.

Photovoltaics remains a quickly growing field that has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This technology provides energy independence, while powering the world reliably and efficiently.

Today, most property owners look for ways and means to make their properties more energy-efficient. It’s why people insulate their homes using the latest materials, are choosing appliances with a high WELS rating and opt for green building materials when they are constructing their homes. One more effective way to improve the energy efficiency of your home or commercial establishment is to opt for LED lighting systems.

Many people avoid replacing their older CFL bulbs with energy-efficient LED bulbs because they feel the latter are too expensive. While it’s true that the up-front cost of LED bulbs is 5-6 times higher than standard bulbs, the cost factors can’t be looked at in isolation. Here are some other facts that will help you make a more well-informed choice about the type of lighting to use.

Unlike conventional bulbs, LEDs don’t have any filament that can burn out and they emit a very cool light which goes a long way in reducing residential and commercial air- conditioning bills. These bulbs get illuminated when the electrons move through a semi-conductor and release visible light.

Though the initial costs of LED lights are higher than other conventional types of lighting, you end up saving a significant amount of money in the long term. Regardless of whether you need commercial or residential LED lighting, transitioning to LED light bulbs is a smart choice. Today, a large number of homeowners and commercial establishments are switching to LED lighting.

Many people wonder whether LED bulbs are able to provide as much illumination as incandescent bulbs or CFL bulbs do. In order to understand this, it’s important to understand a little more about how the light intensity of a bulb is measured. Lumen (a measure of the light intensity) is the simplest (though not perfect) measure of lighting efficiency that any lighting sources produce for every watt.

A traditional incandescent bulb provides 13 lumens per watt to light a room. A fluorescent globe provides around 60 lumens per watt. In comparison, an LED bulb provides 80 lumens per watt. As you can see, even when it comes to illumination, LED bulbs stand a head above the rest of the lighting options.

Apart from the illumination and energy-efficiency factors, there are some other distinct advantages to using LEDs on your commercial or residential property.

The need of the hour is for energy-efficient alternatives and LED lighting is a revolution in lighting. No matter which way you look at it, you stand to benefit from switching to LED lighting. For any more information about LED lighting and for any type of commercial or residential electrical jobs, call Allround Electrical’s friendly team today at this number – 1300 169 263. You can also write to us at this email address or by filling out this contact form.

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We have already had a taste of what the summer weather promises this year. With rising energy prices and hotter than normal temperatures just around the corner, it is time to start thinking of alternatives for keeping cool this summer. One way you can stay cool and comfortable without spiking your electric bill is with the installation of a ceiling fan in each room. A Burbank electrician, like those at The Electric Connection, can help you stay cool by taking care of the installation for you. This way, you can rest easy knowing a professional electrician has taken care of all the wiring and it is done safely and the right way.

Ceiling fans go a long way to keeping you cool despite the fact they don’t actually produce cold air like an air conditioner would. The cool breeze that is created with the rotation of the fan blades can make you feel much cooler and keep you from heading to the thermostat and cranking up the air conditioning on those really hot days. By using a ceiling fan to keep cool in combination with your air conditioner, you will save yourself a lot of money. Not only are you saving money on your electric bill by reducing the demand on your air conditioning system, you are also saving money on repairs that will be needed due to working the AC unit too hard.

Because there is some electrical wiring involved with the installation of a ceiling fan, you will need to hire an electrician. Burbank residents can opt to have fans placed in each bedroom, the living room and the dining area. This will help circulate the cooler air throughout the home. The fans can typically be installed in place of the light fixture in the center of the room. The cost of a ceiling fan is extremely affordable and well worth the investment. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule you ceiling fan installation.

5-pin SPDT (single pole, double throw) automotive relay.

Relays are essentially two parts in one package. The first part is an inductive coil (pins 85 and 86). This coil is the “trigger” function of the relay. By applying both a positive (+) and ground (-) to the contacts, current passes through the coil. When current passes through the coil, a magnetic field is generated and moves the switch (the arrow in the diagram). This is where the second part of the relay comes into play.

The second part of the relay is the “switch.” The switch has three interface contacts—common, normally closed, and normally open. “Normally” refers to the state of the relay not being energized.

While relays can be used for virtually any task, there are some very useful, simple applications for adding LED lighting to a vehicle. Please note that this wiring only pertains to the relay—not the wires in the vehicle. Before interfacing with a wire in a vehicle, always ensure you test the wire with a digital multimeter first to confirm circuit function.

Positive Switching

Positive switching is used for applications where the “trigger” for your switch or circuit is positive. This could be an ignition, brake, or reverse light wire for example.  This could be used for applications such as off-road light bars, work lights, additional brake lights, and other exterior lighting.

Negative Switching

Negative switching is used for applications where the “trigger” for your switch or circuit is negative. Negative triggers are often found in door, hatch, and trunk triggers as well as many interior switches. This could be used for applications such as footwell lighting, truck bed lighting, under-hood lighting, and other interior lighting.

Switch Activated With Ignition Override

This is useful for applications where you want to turn your light on or off with a switch but only want the light to remain on when the car is running or key is in the “ignition” position. The main advantage to this is—even if the switch is left on—the light (or output circuit) will shut off when the key is turned off so that the battery will not be run down.

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.