image: dedeking.com for IKEA

Take the stress out of getting dressed in the morning and update your closet lighting design.  See colors more vividly and surround yourself in flattering illumination with the latest closet lighting tips.  Whether you are building a new closet or updating an existing one, there are specific rules for safely and effectively lighting this valuable space.

The options abound in closet design from choosing the number of shelves and drawers to the dimensions of hanging space and shoe storage.  Some closets may serve as dressing rooms with areas for makeup application, as well.  Providing sufficient lighting is tantamount to making the best use of your space; for all that planning is wasted if you cannot see well enough to distinguish a black sock from a navy blue one.

1. When using surface-mounted incandescent or LED(light emitting diode) luminaires within an enclosed light source, be sure to install fixtures at least 12 inches from all storage areas.  If opting for a single surface-mounted light fixture, size the fixture to allow for a clearance of 18-24 inches from the wall. Usually one centrally located surface-mounted fixture will be sufficient to illuminate a standard size closet.

2. For surface-mounted or recessed fluorescent light fixtures, a minimum clearance of 6 inches between the light source and storage space is required.  LED and fluorescent light fixtures run cooler than incandescent, so they are the top choice in closet lighting design.

3.  When choosing surface-mounted or recessed LED light fixtures, go for top quality luminaires and buy from a reputable dealer.  LED lighting may cost a bit more, but the energy-savings, maintenance-free operation and safety features of LED will prove to be well worth the investment.

Going green is no longer an inconvenience.  The fuel cost savings alone makes buying an electric vehicle a wise economic decision.  Let alone the environmental benefits.  Now add on the current $7500 federal tax credit on top of what several states offer and you have huge savings!  Not only do we carry the seal of a  Green Screened electrical contractor.  We are also authorized to install Tesla Charging stations.  These charging stations are not a do it yourself installation.  Tesla recommends hiring a licensed electrician and also a authorized Tesla electrician for installation.

Did you know there is a Tesla SUPER CHARGER located at the Hy – Vee on Jordan Creek Pkwy.  Currently its the only one in Central Iowa and 1 of 3 in the State of Iowa.  However plans are underway for additional charging stations.  The united states is covered with Tesla super chargers.  In fact to date Tesla says there is a total of 744 supercharger stations with 4,703 superchargers.  At a super charger location you can charge up to 170 miles in as little as 30 minutes.  Plug your Tesla in and grab a Starbucks or do some grocery shopping!

Right this instant you are probably enjoying light provided by a CFL or an incandescent bulb. Buying and installing this kind of light sources is an automatic process. It`s popular, you buy it and when it does not work anymore you just go to the store and replace it. Little do people know about the hidden dangers of these light sources and their utter inefficiency, not to mention the way they damage the environment.

Let`s take each one and see why they are not the best option.

Incandescent bulbs have been around for a long time, being quite simple and cheap. While in the past they may have been revolutionary, today they are ineffective and their production will soon be stopped. Incandescent bulbs have several disadvantages and can`t even compare to, for example, LED lighting:

Sure, manufacturers strive to create better variations but they are all costly and do not improve the initial concept by a whole lot.

CFL are much better than incandescent bulbs and replaced the latter in many places but they are still not quite the best option, even if they can last up to 12000 hours (no match to LEDs, which go up to 200000 hours). What are the problems?

A deep and attentive analysis like this one reveals just how many things we are used to ignore. Fortunately, a better alternative makes both CFL and incandescent bulbs seem utterly irrelevant. The alternative is LED lighting, a known technology that is now applied to public and private lighting. It is ten times more efficient and it is not a threat to the environment or to you.

Last night, thousands of walkers and hundreds of runners in Edinburgh kicked off the Courtesy of NVA.org.uk

A bunch of research went in to creating this light up gear to meet the NVA’s head designer James Johnson’s following standards:

For the runners, the design team wanted something dramatic, so they ended up going with concentrated point source LEDs, which looked great both close and at a distance. The LEDs allowed them to mix color and adjust intensity of the lights remotely. The runners themselves had to be in tip-top shape, able to run 10 miles at a 9-10 minute pace in all kinds of weather. Therefore, as to not hinder them in their physical feat, the design team fashioned a webbing suit out of the LEDs, complete with a radio and battery pack. Check them out:

The only shortcoming of these suits was that they couldn’t be powered by the runner’s motion. After attempting to harvest energy via knee braces, they determined any impediment to the runner’s motion dramatically affects his or her performance.

For the walkers, Johnson and his team wanted to build something subtler, to provide adequate safety lighting, but not to distract from the viewing experience. They decided to go with staffs/walking sticks illuminated by a combination of electroluminescent tape, fiber optic fabric, and diffused and non-diffused LEDs. Each staff housed a micro-computer that would synch up the flashing patterns with the Orchestra’s score, with changes triggered by movement and altitude. And here they are:

The research team was able to use motion to generate power in this instance, since walking is a more leisurely, steadier movement. To harness the power of movement, two LEDs, two high power Neodymium magnets, and a copper coil go in the top of the staff, then as the walker strides along, striking the stick against the ground, one of the magnets oscillates through the coil, creating a small electrical current. One LED lights up when the magnet travels down, and the other when the magnet travels up, producing a twinkly effect.

The runners also received a smaller version of this staff in the form of a baton.

Electrical contractors and electricians work with electrical wire color codes on a daily basis. But if you’re not one of these professionals, you might be wondering what the different colors of electrical wiring signify.

The simple explanation is that every color used for electrical wiring has a specific meaning, with different colors indicating different circuit types and purposes. Electrical contractors and electricians understand the color codes, but a simple guide can help you understand their significance.

Before beginning, though, it’s important to realize that different countries use different wiring color codes. In some countries, all permissible wiring colors are specified by the applicable governing body, but in others only a few specific types of wiring are required to have specific colors. In those countries, the colors used for some types of wiring are simply established by local practices followed by electrical contractors and electricians. Again, electrical contractors and electricians will be familiar with the wiring colors used in their localities.

So, the meaning of any given wiring color may vary from country to country. It can all get a bit complicated, but here’s a helpful guide to the significance of various colors used for common types of AC (alternating current) electrical wiring in different parts of the world.

American electrical contractors and electricians are required to follow the National Electrical Code (“NEC”) with regard to wiring colors. NEC imposes the following electrical wiring color standards:

In theory, wiring conducting live current in the U.S. is permitted to be any other color, although in practice, electrical contractors and electricians follow these local conventions:

Most countries in Europe, including the U.K., now follow the color conventions established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (“IEC”). These color conventions are as follows:

Electrical wiring in Canada is governed by the Canadian Electric Code (“CEC”). The following wiring color requirements apply in Canada:

It’s important to remember that the above color information applies only to AC circuits. Completely different color standards apply to wiring used in DC circuits.