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.

Even if your electric bill isn’t really a problem for you, just imagine what you could do if you shaved it down just a tad. A few more dollars in your pocket could be put towards your retirement nest egg, save up for that new big screen television you have been wanting or maybe just going out for a nice dinner. It is your money, do as you please. There are always ways to save here and there and your electrician in Pasadena has a few simple tips you can start doing today, to get you one step closer to that nest egg. The Electric Connection has been helping customers for years with energy savings.

1-Cook with small appliances when possible. Use a toaster oven, skillet or slow cooker. 10. Use a timer to control outdoor lighting to only come on at dusk and turn off at dawn.

These are just a few tips. You can call The Electric Connection to begin saving money today by installing a ceiling fan and dimmer switch.

Whether your child is well into elementary school or not yet in kindergarten, it’s never too early to talk about electricity. We know how daunting the topic of electricity may be, especially if you’re the one having to explain it; however, because so much of the world requires it, it’s important to at least understand some basics.

In our first ever edition of “Electricity for Kids,” we’re going to dig into the difference between protons and electrons, and then demonstrate, using a balloon and a can, how a negative or positive charge can change an outcome. You may be wondering: Will this be fun? Of course it will! And we’re not just saying that because electricity is our specialty. There are numerous experiments and demonstrations in which you and your child can conduct together – and they really are quite fascinating.  As a parent, you might even learn something along the way too!

When facility managers or building owners first start the search for new replacement lighting fixtures in their facility, it can seem like a long road ahead.

From all of the read this post where we talk all about what it is. From there, you can come back to this post and continue, it will really help you keep up! Now, let’s get into when high bay lighting is practical in both broad terms and specific applications it is best used in.

In broader terms, the most appropriate time to use a high bay lighting fixture is for ceiling heights that are between 20 to 40 feet high. For heights between 15 to 20, you typically are going to go with a low bay fixture, but that’s for an entirely different post. For anything lower, you will typically be dealing with tubes and panels lights, most often found in offices, hallways, and other similar type environments.

So for commercial and industrial type environments in which the ceiling height is 20 to 40 feet tall, a high bay lighting fixture is commonly the most chosen lighting fixture to install. That is the broad definition of when high bay fixtures are going to be used at the most optimal rates.

So, what types of high bays are often used and fit the purpose perfectly. Although these applications are highly relevant, there are some we have not listed and may have missed, but these are just a few of many very practical applications that high bays work perfectly in:

Gymnasiums

Think about your school gym, or even your warehouses often have tall ceilings due to storage space requirements, this need for space vertically makes their ceilings the perfect height for high bay fixtures.

Factories

Similarly to a warehouse, factories and production facilities need proper lighting to keep things safe and consistent. With proper lighting through installation of high quality high bays (such as with LED technology), you opt-in for better safety standards and higher consistency in your production efforts.

Airplane Hangars

Large airplanes call for large ceilings in the hangars and a proper lighting system is a must for this environment. When maintenance is required, you need clear and proper light to contact one of our professionals.

AC driven LEDs are rare but popular in certain applications. Designers focus on LEDs because of their advantages like direct, brilliant light, strong color saturation, slim measurements, dynamic lighting scenes and in total all the design possibilities that are thinkable. The only restrictions are made by the heat that needs to be dissipated by surface, natural or forced ventilation and the driver’s measurements. The driver is mostly not slim at all. That is why AC driven LEDs can be a smart consideration.

Conventional LEDs, Modules and Light Engines are driven by DC (direct current) power supplies. The LED characteristics are highly dependent on these components as they control the inrush current, convert the alternate current down to DC voltage and stabilize the current the LEDs are driven with. The efficiency of the system is dependent on the driver too as the power factor is one part in the total sum. Most conventional DC power supplies support LED systems with power factors (PFC) of 0.9 and higher.

The lifetime of LED lighting systems is defined by electronic devises. The LED can last up to 100,000h but if the driver needs a replacement after 50,000h the system is only half worth the maintenance. Without any driver at all the problem is solved completely. Power supplies need space, no matter how small, the driver is mostly bigger than the LED modules and electronic component’s wiring needs space too. Without this item there are not restrictions in design any more than heat dissipation. Designers can release their full creativity.

AC driven LEDs are of advantage concerning design and lifetime options. The more complex the circuit, the higher the possibility of system failure and electrical noise. On the other side, the efficiency of AC driven LED modules is not that high like DC driven ones. The performance achieves 110 lm/W these days which is good compared to other light sources but behind DC driven LEDs with up to 140 lm/W and more. AC driven LEDs are a thinkable substitute in applications like bulb lights, downlights, ceiling lights and industrial lighting systems.