The list of rules to be followed when installing new electrical systems into a building are related to the specific rules of the state, as well as certain minimum requirements laid down by Federal law. So in some senses the United States does not have a unified Electrical Building Code, because often there are variations between different states.

It was to address exactly this issue that the National Fire Protection Association, a panel of nineteen different bodies, began publishing the National Electrical Code (NEC) in 1897, and now every three years, in order to arrive at a single source of rules that should govern electrical installations. The current version was published in August 2010 and runs to over 1000 pages.

Whilst the NEC is not law as such, in practice it has been adopted by most states as their set of rules for electrical installations and wiring in buildings (with a few changes here and their depending on the state you are in), and so is now in practice the Electrical Building Code for the United States.

You can read the full 1000 pages plus version online for free here: Building Codes

This is the book that all Journeyman Electricians will consume when undertaking their training, as it is pretty much the standard version across the country.

Though there are some differences between the states, and you can see the individual requirements for your state here: State Regulations

Some of the key NEC rules that need to be followed when installing a new electrical system into a building are:

If you are planning on installing electrical wiring then you should refer to the NEC and your local Electrical Building Code for specifics and to the link above for any state specific requirements that you need to know.

It’s full-on spring, and there seems to be a lot of activity in the landscape lighting world. That’s probably because landscape lighting is generally a great and affordable way to significantly improve the curb appeal of your home. Landscape lighting ideas abound on the internet, and, since it’s a popular season for landscape lights, I thought I would curate for you some of the best landscape lighting I have seen out there on the Web.

1. Wall Grazing at Its Finest

Wall grazing is a lighting technique in which light is cast up or down a wall in order to let the light and shadow play off the wall’s texture. Wall grazing works especially well on this wonderfully textured stone wall. Interesting walls like this almost demand uplights to play off their texture.

2. Cinematic Pond Beacon Situation

Very bright light on this structure in the middle of a pond creates a dramatic, almost cinematic effect. Bright uplights on the trees give some context to the attractive structure.

3. Variations on a Path

Using different styles of path light can make the walk to the house much more interesting. Never assume it’s law that all your path lights match. Mixing it up a little gives the eye a lot more to look at, and the outdoor lighting design looks more calculated, in a good way. Instead of the string of path lights that come in a pack, this is conscious design that makes every trip to the front door pleasant.

4. Variation on Variations on a Path

Another way you can break the monotony of path lighting is to place your path lights according to the visual features along the path, like plants or garden ornaments. Setting up the path lights to be spaced a little farther apart and placing them in different proximity to the path – now directly on the path, now set back near some interesting plants – leads the eye farther down the path, which creates a spectacle and gives the eye much more to admire.

5. Path Lighting without all the Path Lights

Landscape lighting doesn’t always have to include path lights. Here, adequate illumination and very attractive lighting design is achieved by uplighting trees and using downlights mounted on the house.

6. Moon Lighting: A Supernatural Experience?

Moonlighting is a technique in which lights are hidden higher up in trees to create an ambient effect. Pretty cool!

7. Under Counter Lights

One really cool outdoor lighting effect is under counter lighting. Led rope, tape, or LED tape rope hybrid can be run under the edge of counter, stone wall ledge, bar, island, or bridge to create a wonderful lighting effect. This is one application in which LED landscape lighting works really well.

8. Water + Lighting =  Awesome

What’s cooler than light fixtures giving an almost otherworldly beauty to outdoor water features? This is my personal favorite kind of landscape lighting. It just provides such a reliably relaxing and comfortable atmosphere. If your home is your sanctuary, you might want to consider this one-two-three punch of water, sound, and light.

9. Shadowy Magic

Moonlighting can also be used to create cool shadows on the path. See that light mounted up in that tree? It mimics the light of the moon, creating interesting shadows on the ground and enough ambient light to see where you’re walking. Great lighting design.

10. Lit Up Night Time Oasis

There are a lot of interesting things going on here. The space feels large and luxurious, in part because that uplight at the back draws the eye directly to the back edge of the space, making the whole spread look larger. The path lights around the perimeter draw attention to the landscaping. Of course, the star of this show is the cove lighting used around the bridge, making it look almost as if it is floating on light. Yes to this.

11. Epic Landscape Lighting in a Park

I mean, this pretty much speaks for itself. The high powered uplights illuminating the tall canopy creates an amazing effect. Not only is it beautiful, but it also represents the dual purpose of landscape lighting: To beautify and to make safer. Urban parks can be dangerous, but this one looks even more welcoming at night.

By Clarissa Allison | January 30th, 2015

RAB Lighting’s rectangular shaped LED Future Flood lights are designed to replace Metal Halide lights. The patent pending airflow technology ensures a long LED and driver lifespan. These fixtures are used for building facade lighting, sign lighting, LED landscape lighting and instant-on security lighting.  Following are the specs on the FFLED39 fixture.

LED Info Watts: 39

Color Temp: 5100k

Color Accuracy: 68 L70

Lifespan: 50,000 LM79

Lumens: 2,991

Efficacy: 66 LPW

Driver Info Type: Constant Current 120V: 0.4 A 208V: 0.25 A 240V: 0.22 A 277V: 0.19 A

5 Year Warranty

This cutting edge fixture comes complete with three multi-chip, 13Watt high performance LEDs.  It contains superior heat sinking ability with external Air-Flow fins. In electronic systems, a heat sink is a passive heat exchanger that cools a device by dissipating heat into the surrounding medium. It has high-temperature silicone gaskets, and a chip and fade resistant powder coat finish.

Your light will also have a heavy-duty mounting arm with an O ring seal and a stainless steel screw to aid in easy installation. The fixture is suitable for mounting within 1.2M(4FT) of the ground.  Its UL Lighting also makes it suitable for wet locations.

RAB LED products exceed industry standards for chromatic stability. RAB’s range of CCT (Correlated Color Temperature) follows the guidelines of the American National Standard for (SSL) Products, ANSI C78.377-2008. RAB LED luminaires have been tested by an independent laboratory and have received the Department of Energy Lighting Facts label.   The FFLED39 complies with California Title 24 building and electrical codes.

Water heaters are one of the greatest inventions we have in the modern home. There is nothing like a nice warm shower or bath. But to improve this invention even more, you can switch to an electric water heater. Electricity is much safer than traditional gas water heaters. It also offers a longer life and greater efficiency.

Whenever you are removing gas from your home you are always making it safer. With a natural gas or propane water heater you have a chance of explosion or fire. Either of these situations can leave you with significant damage to your home.

Electrical water heaters last longer than gas water heaters. This is because electrical water heaters have less parts, meaning they do not need to be replaced as often and do not come into contact with direct heat as much as gas water heaters do. Having your water heater last 4 years longer is a great benefit for anyone’s wallet.

When it comes to electrical, it usually means it is more efficient. While the cost of running an electrical heater may be the same as a gas water heater, the costs are recovered over the life of the heater because of the lower repair and installation costs as well the longer life span. Electrical water heaters also have an energy factor of 0.95. This means that there is less energy wasted when heating your water, making it much better for the environment. And, because it is electric you can put it on a timer and stop it from running when it is not needed.

If your water heater at home is reaching the end of its life span, start thinking about going electric. With the help of a licensed plumber you can purchase and install the right electric water heater and the piping to the heater. Then one of our Expert Electricians can take care of all the necessary wiring. Since the heater is electrical there is no need for an exhaust vent being drilled through your home! Contact your local Expert Electrician and he will help you realize the full benefits of electrical water heaters.