In many parts of the country, like Los Angeles where I do electrical work, electric vehicles (EVs) are being delivered to anxiously waiting customers. Deliveries are also starting in other West Coast cities as well as cities along the Eastern Seaboard. In the center of the country, not so much. In many cases, these areas will start receiving deliveries towards the end of 2011.

Let’s say electric car deliveries have already started in your area and you own of these new-fangled vehicles — a Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt. How do you recharge the battery? In my last post, I talked about the simple and inexpensive option, Level 1 charging. This is using a charging cord that comes as standard equipment with your electric vehicle, similar to the one your cell phone comes with. You’ll need an electrician to make sure that you’ve got the right kind of outlet in your garage or carport (GFI outlet on a dedicated circuit). Your electrician will also need to check whether your electrical panel needs upgrading for sufficient capacity. Once it’s a go, plug your charging cord into the outlet and wait … a long time. For the Chevy Volt, 10 hours, and the Nissan Leaf, 20 hours — empty to full.

Even though Level 1 charging is slow, drivers who have short commutes may be satisfied with it because, if they work it right, they won’t start at empty. They’ll have charge left in their batteries and will simply top off at night.

Here’s how it can work. The range of the Nissan Leaf is about 100 miles. Americans drive an average of 33 miles a day. Drivers who drive the average 33 miles will use only one-third of the battery in a day. If they religiously plug in when arriving home, they will be able to top off at night in about seven hours and leave with a full charge in the morning.

In addition, the pressure to be fully charged when leaving home will ease as chargers are increasingly installed in public places. Chargers are already available in Los Angeles train stations, the main airport (L.A.X.), the L.A. Convention Center, and other public places. One can easily find the network of existing public chargers on-line. In addition, malls will begin installing chargers as an inducement for shoppers and workplaces as an employment benefit. In time, you’ll be able to recharge your battery while you shop or work. But we’re not there yet.

For hybrids, like the Chevy Volt, the issue of leaving home fully charged is less pressing. The Chevy Volt can drive for about 35 miles on a fully-charged battery. Once the battery hits empty, it, like other hybrids, the Volt turns to burning gas in a conventional internal combustion engine. This isn’t good for gas usage, but on the other hand, the driver may suffer less from “range anxiety.”

While you may be able to make Level 1 charging work, you also have the option of faster charging by installing a special Level 2 charger in your garage or carport. More on Level 2 Charging in later posts or find out more by clicking here.

For more about my company, The Electric Connection — all the stuff you wanted to know but were afraid to ask — . If you’re interested coupons for electrical work, for example, $50 off installation of a Whole House Surge Protector in the L.A. area, click on our coupon page.

What is Valentine’s Day –  Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine, but the legend of St. Valentine is shrouded in mystery.    One legend is that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome.  The Romans were at war, and the Roman Emperor at the time decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families.  The Emperor forbade men to marry.  Valentine realized this was an injustice and continued to perform marriages.  Another legend states an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “Valentine” greeting to a young girl from a jail cell.  A common thread is that most St. Valentine stories suggest he was a heroic and romantic figure.

Why Valentine’s Day?At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine’s Day, but it was not until the Middle Ages, that it was considered a day for romance.  Sending Valentine greetings was made popular in the Middle Ages as well, although written Valentine’s didn’t begin to appear until after 1400.

Valentine’s Day cardsValentine’s Day is celebrated in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.   By the early 1900’s printed Valentine’s Day cards began to replace hand written romantic Valentine’s notes.

Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America. Howland, is known as the “Mother of the Valentine.”  In 1847, she received an English Valentine and became fascinated with the idea of making similar Valentine’s.  She began taking orders for Valentine’s and soon the demand outweighed the amount she could make, so a company was born.  It is estimated she made more than $100,000 annually selling Valentine’s cards.

Fun Valentine Facts:

Smoke detectors are very crucial pieces of safety equipment in your home and it is now also mandatory in NSW that residential properties have at least one smoke alarm on every storey. Not many people are aware of this, but a large percentage of fires in homes cause massive destruction because the smoke detectors didn’t function the way they should have.

The unfortunate fact is that we almost always take these fixtures for granted; we get them installed and rarely even notice they are there on the ceiling until they get set off accidently or when their batteries go dead. Improperly installed smoke detectors or even poorly-maintained ones will only end up letting you down exactly when you need them.

It’s important that you make smoke detector maintenance a part and parcel of your regular home maintenance routine. There two main types of smoke alarms used on residential properties:

These have minuscule quantities of radioactive material that reacts to the particles that are emitted when a fire breaks out, and that sets-off the alarm. These alarms are extremely effective in the detection of fast-flaming fires in which there isn’t too much of visible smoke.

These have photocells with a light beam that shines away from the cell. If smoke enters its test chamber, the smoke particles scatter some of the light; this hits the cell and triggers the alarm. These types of smoke detectors are ideal for detecting smouldering/smoky fires, which is how residential fires typically are.

Regardless of the types of alarms installed on your property, it doesn’t take more than a few minutes annually to ensure that these devices are in a working order at all times. The few steps you should take are:

Aside from the regular maintenance, it’s also very important that you consider how many smoke detectors you have and how they are powered. The best way to increase the effectiveness and safety of these devices is to upgrade your home’s smoke detection setup. The things to focus on are:

We can install and maintain smoke detectors on your residential or commercial premises. For more information, contact the Allround Electricals team at this number – 1300 169 263. Alternatively, you can also write to us at this email address.

Thanks for reading,1300 169 263

Whether you have a scheduled lighting project or an emergency on your hands, there are plenty of situations when it’s appropriate to call in a local electrician. For your safety and sanity use a certified electrician that can provide quality work and can be counted on for years to come.

Repairing a Wire Damaged from Drilling a Hole in the WallWhether you’re hanging pictures, shelves or a TV mounting bracket—or any other reason you might be drilling into a wall—there’s always the possibility that you’ll hit and damage a wire. This is definitely a fix you want to leave in the capable hands of a certified electrician.

To prevent the problem from happening again, use a stud finder and aim for the center of the stud. Before drilling, use a small tipped screw driver to verify you are hitting the stud and not the side. Once you have verified, feel free to drill away.

To work with a licensed qualified professional for your next electrical project, please contact a certified electrician at ElectricMan today. ElectricMan is a trusted, local electrician with 27 years of experience. For more information visit the ElectricMan website, and don’t forget to also ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.