There are a lot of interesting facts and tidbits about solar power and its usage. If solar panel installation is something you are considering, here are four points you may find helpful in making your decision:

It does not cost as much as you think.

Solar panel costs are not as high as most people assume. There are even financing plans that you can look into. Also, they end up saving you a bunch on your electricity bill.

You are going green.

Having a solar panel installation done on your home greatly reduces your carbon footprint. Powering your home via solar energy requires no pollutants being expelled into our water or air. While your home is basically ran on solar energy, you still have the back up of electricity when its clouded over or rainy for several days.

There are different types of solar panels.

You should educate yourself on the different types of solar panels if you are looking into solar installation for your home. There are photovoltaic panels and solar thermal panels. The photovoltaic panels convert sunlight into usable energy. Solar thermal panels absorb heat and then distributes that heat for warming purposes.

The idea of using solar energy is not a new innovation.

Back in the Fifteenth Century, Leonardo Da Vinci had sketched several ideas on how to harness the power radiating from the sun. Although much was not done with it, it still proves that great minds thought early on that using solar energy was wise.

If you are interested in having solar panels installed, look no further than The Electric Connection. If you need solar installers based in the Los Angeles area, we can help you out. You can also visit our website or give us a call today for more information on solar panel installation and benefits.

 Illuminate anything from skateboards to yard games, and transform them into unique, eye-catching displays that you can use anywhere. single colors or

Perfect for tailgating or late-night stargazing—portable LED light strips make the perfect truck bed lights. They’re easy to install and are a great way to add colorful illumination without having to do any vehicle wiring. Adhere the strips to your truck bed with their adhesive backings, and mount the battery pack in a covered location so that it’s not exposed to water.

Let your little one ride in style with LED strip lights on their wagon, stroller, or ride-on Power Wheels vehicle. These portable LED lights are super simple to install and can be set to one of many exciting single-color or color-changing modes. They will not only capture the attention of your baby, but they’ll also provide increased safety and visibility for evening walks or events.

From movie, theater, or extravagant Halloween props to models and costume figures—portable LED strips lights will take your project to the next level. They’re available in several shades of white as well as pink, UV, blue, green, yellow, amber, red, or color-changing RGB to match any theme or design.

Decorate your skateboard or scooter with LED strip lights, and differentiate yourself from the crowd. The portable LED lights are easy to apply, and you can use the wireless RF remote to control single-color or color-changing modes while you ride.

Brighten up your next tailgate party or camping trip! Install portable LED strip lights on canopy tents, sun shelters, instant canopies, pop-up shelters, or E-Z UP Instant Shelters. A variety of colors are available—including “Bugs-Away” yellow—and the strip lights provide up to 402 lumens of illumination.

With portable LED strip lights, you can create a lighted wreath, garland, or other holiday decor that’s unlike anything storebought. Colors are available for every holiday, and the attention-grabbing strip lights have several modes from flash to strobe to fade and more.

We all know or at least heard that converting from Metal Halide (High Intensity Discharge) to LED will save you money.

But how much? Are there any other reasons or difference you should know about?

In this article, we break down all the factors that you should be aware of before making a decision to convert from Metal Halide to LED. Here are the 9 reasons we think LED wins over Metal Halide.

Let’s take a look at the information on a typical 400 watt metal halide bulb. While specifications may vary, a visit to a popular online website that sells Metal Halide bulbs shows that a brand new bulb has the following specifications:

We have just as many customers wanting to convert to LED because of maintenance savings as they do for energy savings. Think about what we discussed, over the life of the LED retrofit kit, a customer would have to do 5-6 Metal Halide replacements. The higher the installation height, the higher the cost of replacement. And if you have a facility loaded with lights, this becomes a significant budget amount every year that you must take into consideration. Now, we know that reduced maintenance time on lights does not translate into dollars saved because it is highly unlikely that people will lose their jobs over the fact there is much less work to do. However, these people will have time to now work on things that matter, like fixing the machines that make the company money instead on replacing lights that cost the company money.

When you take a measurement of light with a light meter, it reads lumens. And this measurement of all the lights that contribute to the light at that location creates a measurement called foot candles. But let’s think about that light that is being measured. Metal Halide creates all sorts of light, in all spectrum’s, visible or otherwise. This includes UV and IR spectrum’s, visible to the measuring device but not visible to the human eye. LED, on the other hand, does not produce UV and IR. Therefore, its readings using the same light meter is only picking up visible spectrum’s.

So there is a fun little test you can do. Have 2 light sources, LED and Metal Halide. And first ask, which one is brighter? And if the right LED source was selected, they should say LED. And then use a light meter, and the light meter may say the Metal Halide area is producing more foot candles. And so now you know part of the reason, but wait, there’s 2 other pieces of information you need to know.

Click here to see our infographic on Retrofitting vs Replacing.

Conclusion

Electrical pre-construction services are a portion of the pre-construction services that are undertaken when a house is to be built. Pre-construction is considered a part of construction management in which specific elements of a project are planned out and coordinated between different contractors. The end goal of pre-construction is to create, implement and complete a project that will best satisfy the needs of the owner.

So why do contractors undertake pre-construction during the process of building a home? There are really two reasons, both of which have to do with ensuring a safe, orderly build that meets the owner’s expectations.

If you have ever watched a cartoon or old TV comedy where the characters are attempting – and failing – to build a house or skyscraper, then you know how important pre-construction planning is to a building project. Pre-construction ensures all contractors are on the same page with regards to the project itself. This permits the project to be completed in a much smoother fashion. It also ensures the safety of all workers involved with the project.

For example, electricians doing risky high-voltage work on the house’s wiring systems can warn other workers to keep their distance. This helps prevent electric shock or fire due to contact with potentially live wires. They can also avoid using certain tools to minimize the risk of damaging the electrical system.

Pre-construction work also ensures the owner’s wishes will be followed as closely as possible. Have you ever seen a home remodeling program on TV where the owners are trying to fix a botched remodel? Much of that hassle can be prevented with better communication. This way the owner’s specifications are met. If there are issues meeting the owner’s needs with the current plans, then their input needs to be sought. This way new plans can be developed to meet their needs.

Electrical pre-construction services are very similar to the pre-construction services provided by other contractors. The process works to save the owner money now and in the long run. These steps may vary depending on the contractor, but usually include the following:

If you have ever attempted to do your own electrical work at home, you know the value of a good electrician. The same goes when you’re having a home built or remodeled. Good electrical pre-construction allows you to save both time and money. A solid pre-construction plan will give you the electrical layout you require. That’s especially important if you plan to utilize solar or other alternative energy sources. It will also help you evaluate your choices and choose equipment that will be the most cost-effective over the years.