If you live in the United States, you’re likely well-familiar with our typical wall-socket setup. Your plug has two flat pieces of metal roughly half of an inch wide, with one side sometimes being slightly wider than the other. Your wall socket has two slots that match this, with one side also being slightly larger than the other. However, sometimes there’s a variance: some plugs have a third prong below and between the normal two, and most electrical sockets also have a third hole to match this plug. What’s the difference between these two types of plugs and is one better than the other?

To put it simply, yes, one is better than the other. When it comes to electrical plugs, the old adage “less is more” does not apply—the three-prong plug is far better than a two-prong. To learn why, let’s discuss the difference between the two.

In order for electricity to flow, you must complete a circuit. A circuit essentially is a connection from your power source to the device, and then from the device back to the power source. The line that brings power from the power source to the device is called your “hot wire”, which is most often red and comes off the positive terminal (noted by the large “+” sign). The line that then returns from the device to the terminal, usually a black wire connected to a “-“ sign, is known as the “neutral wire.” A plug must have both of these lines in order to work.

However, the third prong in a three-prong plug is a “ground” plug, which dramatically improves safety. When an unexpected burst of electricity happens, such a short in the device or a surge from your power supply, the ground plug will take that abundance of additional electricity and move it away from the device and down into the ground where it is safe. This prevents your device from being overloaded which can cause overheating, sparking, and fires in addition to ruining it.

Three-prong plugs didn’t become the standard in homes in North America until the late 1960s. If you have a home that was constructed around this time or after, odds are your wall sockets are probably already of the three-prong variety. Two-prong plugs can work with three-prong sockets just fine, and you’ll rarely experience any issues.

However, if you have any old two-prong plugs, you’ll likely need your electrical system updated in order to upgrade to a three-prong setup. Properly installing ground wires can involve several hours of electrical work and even cutting into your walls in order to do so properly, so it’s a rather large undertaking. However, it’s by far the safest and most prudent option.

Another option that doesn’t involve tearing open your walls is to install a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet, otherwise known as a GFCI. These sockets are two-pronged, but feature a miniature circuit breaker that measures the resistance through a plug and mechanically shuts off when the risk of a shock is present. While this can help you avoid being shocked by a faulty device, there is still no ground wire present so your electronics are not protected from a power surge.

Just about everyone is looking for a way to cut down on energy costs and save their business money. Here are some ways to improve the energy efficiency in commercial buildings:

It might seem like common sense, but  most commercial buildings do not need to have their lights and air on at all times. If your building allows, and when it isn’t being used, make sure the energy system is turned off.

As the season changes, so should the temperature of the commercial building. To maintain a comfortable, energy-efficient temperature, set rooms to 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months and 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter ones. Adjust rarely used spaces, like bathrooms, to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

It’s important to remember to change the air filters in a commercial building to save energy. Paying attention to proper filter maintenance will help prevent wasting energy and overworking the equipment.

A room’s temperature, air movement and humidity affect energy efficiency a great deal.   Using fans can help reduce your business’ need to turn up the air conditioner as the fan moves the air around the room.

Not only does turning off the lights in areas that aren’t being used decrease the energy consumption in a building, but replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light globes or even better yet  LED or high efficiency fluorescent lamps can reduce the amount of heat in the room as well as save money.

Occupancy or vacancy sensors can also help reduce the time lights are on.  These sensors adjust accordingly when there is no movement in a room, shutting off the lights.  A full commercial Lighting Control System can keep your business from wasting energy through the monitoring of how light a room actually is and through daylight harvesting.

Being mindful of energy efficiency in commercial businesses means preventing energy waste in any way possible. Investing in energy efficient office electronics and equipment can lessen the amount of heat that’s emitted from these appliances. Turning off the equipment completely can help reduce savings as well.  Also purchasing equipment with features such as “energy saver” can help reduce energy use.

A large amount of heat is lost in the winter and gained in the summer through a building’s windows. In order to reduce this energy inefficiency, a commercial building can double-glaze their windows, or purchase thermal window coverings, if allowed.

As far as a long-term solution is concerned, insulating a commercial building can help lessen the amount of time and energy spent on cooling and heating systems. Insulating ceilings, walls, pipes and roof spaces can be incredibly useful. Energy efficient electricians can help.

The little community of Victoria Park in central Florida is beating out Los Angeles when it comes to saving electricity on street lighting. Last November, I wrote a blog post about the street lighting program here in Los Angeles, which is currently yielding higher-than-expected energy savings — 60% compared to the expected 40%. Well, that’s something to crow about regardless of what they’re doing in Victoria Park.

The Nitty-Gritty in L.A.

Electricians are using LEDs to replace the conventional incandescent bulbs in 140,000 Los Angeles street lights. Maintenance costs for LEDs, though not as significant as electric bills, also take a smaller bite. Nothing to be sneezed at! LEDs are good for the City budget, good for climate change, and good for energy independence.

An LED (Light Emitting Diode) is a light created by the kind of tiny parts that are in a computer. LEDs are used, for example, in many kids’ light sabers. They’re brighter and use a lot less electricity than the incandescents that you and I screwed into sockets when we grew up. As for what Victoria Park is up to….

Electricians Retrofit Gas Lights in Victoria Park, Florida

Victoria Park is now upping the ante. Electricians are retrofitting its gas-burning street lights with special LEDs that will save the community 92% on its combined energy and maintenance bills.

Victoria Park is a planned community in central Florida. Residents enjoy the charm of real gas-lit street lights, but the expense is a concern. As the community builds out, the annual costs for gas and maintenance were being projected to top $1,000,000 a year, just for street lighting.

When residents formed a committee to look into alternatives, the committee hit upon low-voltage LEDs. While typical house current runs at 110 volts, low-voltage current can run at around 24 volts, reducing power needs.

Victoria Park is now retrofitting their existing street lights with low-voltage LEDs. The retrofits, an innovation by Solas Ray™ Lighting in Anderson Indiana, look, for all the world, like real gas lights. They mimic the look of a candle flame. The lights create charm and a warm glow, but also five times more light than each pole would create with gas. Not to mention the 92% energy and maintenance savings. In fact, the Mayor of the City of DeLand, where Victoria Park is located, awarded Solas Ray a proclamation of appreciation for saving Victoria Park residents nearly half a million dollars in 2010.

Fortunately for all of us, in the energy efficiency race, we all win as cities out-do each other to help out their budgets and help the environment.

Want to save energy in your home or business?

One of the specialties of my electrical contracting company, The Electric Connection, is energy-efficient lighting. Call us to discuss your lighting needs (800) 990-9490.

Kim Hopkins

CEO, The Electric Connection.

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Be sure to observe these simple tips to make your holiday decorating a safe and fun experience for the whole family:

In addition to using LEDs, there are a few other ways you can save money with your holiday decorating. Consider using a timer to ensure that your lights only run between sundown and bedtime, which will help keep your energy bills under control. And be sure to invest in sturdy storage containers to protect your lights and other delicate decorations when they’re packed away.

These tips will help you keep your home and family safe throughout the holidays, but if you ever need additional help planning your electrical light display or with other electrical issues, contact an experienced and licensed electrician.