Last month, I wrote via www.bet.com

2) A Dwarf Makes Giant News

Astronomers are given the spotlight as they announce that Pluto, the dwarf planet with a changing orbit, has passed Neptune to become the ninth planet from the Sun. It had been the eighth farthest since 1979. Of course, we now know that Pluto is not a planet at all but some kind of ball of rock and ice. 

 4) Re-imagining Literary History

Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman win the Writers Guild Award for SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE. Also nominated were Robert Rodat for SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and Andrew Niccol for THE TRUMAN SHOW.

6) You’re Still the One

Shania Twain wins a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for “You’re Still the One,” in which the Twain passionately announces, “We’re still together, still going strong.”

9) Run to the Hills

Gloriously, and to the headbanging delight of metal heads across the globe, Iron Maiden announces that singer Bruce Dickinson has rejoined the band. 

11) The Tumultuous Days Continue for Kid Dynamite

Early in the month, Mike Tyson is sentenced to four years in prison for assaulting two motorists after a traffic accident in 1998. The judge gives him only one year of jail time, followed by two years of probation and a $5000 fine. Days after he begins his sentence at the Montgomery County Detention Center, he is put in solitary confinement for throwing a TV in the general direction of some guards. He is released from solitary after about six days.

13) Return Mail

TLC releases their third album, FANMAIL, after a five year hiatus. The new album sells 318,000 copies in its first week, and it becomes clear to the world that TLC “don’t want no scrubs.”

15) The Dawning of the Age of the File Share

The Artist Formerly Known as Prince makes headlines a second time as he files a lawsuit against nine websites for copyright and trademark infringement. He accuses websites of selling bootlegged recordings and offering unauthorized song downloads.

If you are doing work on your yard over the weekend, you can now get away with doing everything using only electricity. Lawnmowers, pressure washers, and other tools that commonly used gas can now be purchased in models powered by electricity. If you are using these electrical powered tools you need to ensure that you have electrical coverage around your home to plug them in. Here are some tips for having outdoor GFCI outlets installed in your home’s exterior.

Most homes come standard with a couple of outdoors outlets. Sometimes this is not enough and you will be restricted because the cable for your lawnmower or pressure washer can’t reach around the side of the home or to the back of your yard. When preparing to have an outdoor GFCI outlet installed, measure the length of your cables and the maximum distance you will need to go. You can then create the radius of coverage you will need and pin point the correct locations for the outlets. If you do not choose the optimal location you could end up installing more outlets then you need and will have to unplug during tasks to move outlets. This is inconvenient, so lets do it efficiently!

With a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), the outlet can detect if there a problem in the circuit such as contact with water or a person, and then the circuit will shut off. This is especially important outside, as the outlet is more susceptible to water, from rain and snow, car washing, and interaction from animals and children. It is also wise to have covers installed overtop of the outlet as well. This adds an extra layer of protection. The covers will need to be manually opened by yourself before use and prevent unwanted interaction.

As we usually recommend, double check that your existing wires and circuits can handle the additional outlets. The tools and equipment that make use of these outlets can demand a lot of power and if the outlet is installed on circuit that is already heavily loaded, you will be experiencing trips and electrical hazards to your home. An Expert Electrician will be able to identify the proper circuits to have the outlets installed on.

Using electricity offers convenience and efficiency. Make the most of it and be safe by having a professional, certified electrician install outdoor GFCI outlets on your home.

LED Tubes and LED Panels become the best solution for the office workplace environment. They are cost effective lighting solutions, provide good lighting quality, last longer and contain or emit no harmful compounds while leaving an ecological footprint in each building. This article is going to explain the difference between tube fixtures and panel fixtures. They are both different, but often times get mixed up when talked about. Let’s clarify any confusions you may have about the two fixtures…

LED Panels are installed in dropped paneled ceilings. perfect replacement for expensive shatterproof fluorescent lamps. MyLEDLightingGuide LED tubes do not contain glass and will not shatter if dropped. Fluorescent tubes contain mercury, some projects decide for LED versions because they want to remove mercury out of the building.

All LED tubes use drivers that power the LEDs. The ballast is converting the AC power from the utility company into LED’s DC power. Some manufacturers incorporate the drivers in the LED tubes. Some decide to use an external driver outside of the tube. There are some subtle differences between the two designs. Retrofitting to LED tubes with internal drivers involves removing the ballast and rewiring the line source. Retrofitting external driver tubes involves removing the ballast, the line source gets wired to the external LED driver that is connected to the tubes. More and more people ask for LED tubes that can be just installed as a plug and play version into existing fixtures without removing or rewiring the existing ballast. While the installation of these tubes is simple, they are compatible with most ballast, but not all ballasts. Contact the lighting experts at MyLEDLightingGuide.com to ensure the tubes will run properly.

Changing the light at work and in offices is easily done by LED tubes. They are readily set up and use considerably less power. LED tube light sources offer smooth, stable and clear lighting conditions.

There are numerous lighting options you have when it comes to upgrading and updating your home. The standard light in the center of the room is no longer the only option. In fact, it is a rather dated look. You can update your home and give it a more modern look by simply changing out a light fixture. Of course, this will require handling electrical wiring, which should always be done by an electrician in Pasadena. Don’t risk trying to do it yourself and causing some serious damage to your home or injuring yourself. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help and can take care of your lighting update.

Track lighting offers numerous benefits and looks great too! If you are unsure of what track lighting is; it is several lights fixtures on a track that is on one circuit. The track can be a straight line, a U shape or a curved shape. You can choose to have 2 lights or 4 or more. Your Pasadena electrician can help you determine just what track lighting structure is best for you and your needs.

One of the major benefits of track lighting is flexibility. You can light up an entire room with a single fixture. You have the freedom to choose just how many lights you use and direct them where you need the light the most. Another benefit to track lighting is the fact many are designed to use LEDs. LEDs will save you a great deal of money on your lighting bill. They are extremely bright and use a fraction of the electricity of a standard light bulb or even a CFL bulb. You will want to have the track lighting fixture installed by an electrician. Pasadena homeowners will feel better knowing they are getting a professional installation job. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your track lighting upgrade.

Understanding common household light bulb shapes, sizes, and styles is important whether you’re converting outdated incandescent fixtures into energy-efficient ones or using LED bulbs for new-construction applications. Every light bulb has identifying characteristics that are represented by a letter or series of letters and a number; these are known as light bulb codes. The letter or letters in a bulb code indicate either shape or special features such as reflector type. Numbers in a bulb code indicate size in millimeters or eighths of an inch. These codes will tell you if a bulb will fit in your fixture and if it’s the right shape.

For every light fixture or application, there’s going to be a specific bulb or light bulb shape that will fit best and provide the right type of light. If you understand bulb codes, it’s easy to look at a light fixture and know right away what kind of bulb you’ll need.

Let’s talk about light bulb groups, their bulb codes, and what applications those bulbs are typically used for.

Standard/arbitrary (A) bulbs are the most widely used and thought of when it comes to household lighting. These bulbs work well for a variety of applications, such as ceiling lights, lamps, vanity lights, kitchen lights, closet lights, porch light fixtures, and so many more.

Numbers in each code refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch.

A15 bulb: 15/8 = 1-7/8″ diameter

A19 bulb: 19/8 = 2-3/8″ diameter

A21 bulb: 21/8 = 2-5/8″ diameter

A25 bulb: 25/8 = 3-1/8″ diameter

Most common base types:

Globe (G) bulbs have a full, round shape and are available in various sizes. They can be used for many applications throughout the home, such as foyer lights, kitchen lights, chandeliers, and ornamental fixtures. The most common type is the large G30 bulb, which is used in bathroom and makeup vanities.

Depending on the bulb, numbers in each code can refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch or in millimeters.

G11 bulb: 11/8 = 1-3/8″ diameter

G14 bulb: 14/8 = 1-3/4″ diameter

G16/G50: 16/8 = 2″ diameter

G60: 60 millimeters = 2-3/8″ diameter

G25/G80: 80 millimeters = 3-9/64″ diameter

G30: 30/8 = 3-3/4″ diameter

Most common base types:

All of the bulbs in these groups resemble the shape of a candle flame and are often referred to as candle bulbs. Conical (C) bulbs are shaped like a cone. Conical angular (CA) bulbs are shaped like a cone but have a bent tip. Blunt-tip (B) bulbs are very similar to C-type bulbs but have more of a torpedo or bullet shape. These bulbs can be used in chandeliers, wall sconces, pendant lights, night lights, decorative light strands, holiday light strands, and other decorative home lighting applications.

Numbers in each code refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch.

B10 bulb: 10/8 = 1-1/4″ diameter

CA10 bulb: 10/8 = 1-1/4″ diameter

C7 bulb: 7/8 = 7/8″ diameter

C9 bulb: 9/8 = 1-1/8″ diameter

C15 bulb: 15/8 = 1-7/8″ diameter

Most common base types:

BR stands for bulged reflector. Traditionally, the inside surface of an incandescent BR bulb is covered in reflector material that is used to gather and cast a wide beam of light away from the bulb. LED BR bulbs don’t require the reflector material. These bulbs can have a frosted, clear, or patterned dome-shaped lens that diffuses light and provides a gradual fade into nonilluminated areas. BR bulbs also produce less shadows when compared to PAR bulbs. They’re a bit longer than PAR bulbs and tend to protrude from light housings but are used in similar applications, such as track lights, recessed lights, display lights, or can lights.

BR20 bulbs are often referred to as R20 but have the same characteristics of other BR bulb types. The R stands for reflector.

Numbers in each code refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch.

BR20/R20 bulb: 20/8 = 2-1/2″ diameter

BR30 bulb: 30/8 = 3-3/4″ diameter

BR40 bulb: 40/8 = 5″ diameter

Most common base type:

Multifaceted reflector (MR) bulbs are small in size with a reflective, faceted interior. The facets create a concentrated beam of light that can be displayed in a narrow spot or wide flood beam pattern. Because of the directional light they provide, MR LED bulbs don’t require the facets but often still have them. These bulbs are available in a variety of colors and can be used for many applications, including track lighting, recessed lighting, desk lights, and display case lighting. Many MR bulbs operate on low-voltage wiring systems, which makes them great for outdoor and landscape applications such as driveway lights, path lights, gazebo lights, paver lights, and malibu lights that have weatherproof housings.

Numbers in each code refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch.

MR11 bulb: 11/8 = 1-3/8″ diameter

MR16 bulb: 16/8 = 2″ diameter

Most common base types:

Tubular (T) bulbs come in a variety of lengths and widths. Depending on their size, these bulbs can be used in applications ranging from chandeliers, wall sconces, and pendant lights to basement and garage troffer light fixtures.

Numbers in each code refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch.

T7 bulb: 7/8 = 7/8″ diameter

T8 bulb: 8/8 = 1″ diameter

T10 bulb: 10/8 = 1-1/4″ diameter

T14 bulb: 14/8 = 1-3/4″ diameter

Most common base types: