If You Do, We’ve Got The Cure!

We’re Custom Electrical Services, experts and experienced at “finishing up” those do-it-yourself or handyman projects that didn’t quite turn out the way you’d hoped.

Don’t get me wrong.  I understand the motivation for wanting to do it yourself or have a handyman friend hang a ceiling fan, move a chandelier or add an outlet.  You were probably trying to save money and avoid the aggravation of finding a reputable electrician who’ll show up on time, do the job on the first trip and do if for the price quoted!

But now your stuck.  The fan is wobbling.  The outlet doesn’t work.  The chandelier project is half done or maybe never got started because you didn’t have the right tools or parts.

Have no fear!

Call 515-669-3418.  My technicians are trained professionals experienced at “stepping in” and finish up electrical projects, large and small, to your complete satisfaction.  And you’ll be relieved to know:

So, don’t despair!  The cure for your projects hangover is one call away.

Categories: Residential« Ceiling Fan Winner!  |  Attention Homeowners: Do you know… »

Last week, we focused on electrical safety for babies and how you can baby-proof your home. When children are merely toddlers and learning to crawl or walk, their adventurous spirits can sometimes be a danger, especially when electrical appliances, wires, and plugs are in the picture. This week, we’re going to expand our efforts to include children of all ages. As your kid continues to grow, in both height and in their adventure, your home may become a greater danger zone as they can now reach kitchen appliances, electrical switches, curling irons, and virtually any other electrical device located in just about any location.

We want to share with you some of our top electrical safety tips that you can pass on to your kids to keep them out of harm’s way. It’s important to remind your children that there is nothing wrong with having an adventurous spirit, but they should always be vigilant and cautious, avoiding anything and everything that could potentially cause harm.

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.

A recent TedTalk about LED lights has garnered about a million and a half views. That high number isn’t surprising, given that LEDs have been making headlines a lot, lately. Tons of informational articles about the efficiency of LED light bulbs and how to choose them have been circulating online. But this TedTalk is about something quite different – data transmission.