Last night, thousands of walkers and hundreds of runners in Edinburgh kicked off the Courtesy of NVA.org.uk

A bunch of research went in to creating this light up gear to meet the NVA’s head designer James Johnson’s following standards:

For the runners, the design team wanted something dramatic, so they ended up going with concentrated point source LEDs, which looked great both close and at a distance. The LEDs allowed them to mix color and adjust intensity of the lights remotely. The runners themselves had to be in tip-top shape, able to run 10 miles at a 9-10 minute pace in all kinds of weather. Therefore, as to not hinder them in their physical feat, the design team fashioned a webbing suit out of the LEDs, complete with a radio and battery pack. Check them out:

The only shortcoming of these suits was that they couldn’t be powered by the runner’s motion. After attempting to harvest energy via knee braces, they determined any impediment to the runner’s motion dramatically affects his or her performance.

For the walkers, Johnson and his team wanted to build something subtler, to provide adequate safety lighting, but not to distract from the viewing experience. They decided to go with staffs/walking sticks illuminated by a combination of electroluminescent tape, fiber optic fabric, and diffused and non-diffused LEDs. Each staff housed a micro-computer that would synch up the flashing patterns with the Orchestra’s score, with changes triggered by movement and altitude. And here they are:

The research team was able to use motion to generate power in this instance, since walking is a more leisurely, steadier movement. To harness the power of movement, two LEDs, two high power Neodymium magnets, and a copper coil go in the top of the staff, then as the walker strides along, striking the stick against the ground, one of the magnets oscillates through the coil, creating a small electrical current. One LED lights up when the magnet travels down, and the other when the magnet travels up, producing a twinkly effect.

The runners also received a smaller version of this staff in the form of a baton.

Fluorescent ballasts are used in many industrial warehouses as they offer cheap and efficient lighting. These ballasts can last decades but depending on the type of environment (extreme cold/extreme heat), may be subject to a shorter lifespan. Check your ballast fixtures for these warning signs to see if it is time for a ballast replacement.

There are several signs that can indicate to you that it is time to replace your ballast these include:

If your ballast fixtures have any of these signs, it could mean that they are in need of replacement. Before scheduling and planning to have your ballasts replace, replace the bulbs with brand new bulbs. At times issues can relate to a specific bulb and not the ballast, giving off false symptoms.

For many handy people, they will feel confident in replacing a ballast themselves. If you are replacing a ballast yourself, please use the proper protective equipment and ensure that all power to the ballast is turned off to prevent electrocution. As part of the ballast replacement you will be required to cut and rewire the electrical wires. This can be technical and a mistake in the process can result in damage to the new fixture, bulbs, and possible electrocution. If you are not comfortable or knowledgeable with the process of ballast replacement, we would highly recommend that you contact a licenced electrician to complete the installation for you. This way you can be sure you will be left with a working ballast that is correctly installed and safe.

If your workplace, garage, or home is in need of ballast replacements, contact Expert Electric at 604-681-8338. One of our licensed electricians can help to diagnose the issues being experienced and bring everything back to working condition.