The changing seasons, like the changing characteristics of matter, present dichotomies and the challenge in life is learning to find a successful balance.  Cultivating the right lighting design is all about a successful balance. Our outdoor lighting how-to guide will help you to establish and maintain a splendid outdoor oasis to be enjoyed year-round.

Capitol Lighting Respects the Night with Champion Illumination

The trend toward outdoor living continues with expanding decks and patios and customizing outdoor kitchens for outdoor entertainment.  Also, fireplaces, fire pits, and space heaters are being added to extend outdoor living well beyond the spring and summer months.  To make these areas as comfortable, safe, and maintenance-free as possible, great lighting is key.

Capitol Lighting’s Expert Advice for Lighting Up Outdoors

The conditions are perfect for outdoor lighting installations. Learn how-to customize the perfect outdoor lighting design and : Follow along with our

1.  Consider the areas to be illuminated:

•General lighting for decks, porches and patios.

•Accent lighting for gardens, fountains, statues and unique architectural elements.

•Security lighting for walkways and driveways.

•Decorative lighting for home entry zones.

2.  Choose your power supply and be sure that all outdoor and landscape lighting fixtures are compatible with the system.

3.  Choose landscape lighting fixtures more for their lighting effects rather than their aesthetic appeal.  The decorative features of landscape lights should be secondary to the objects they illuminate. With a good lighting design, landscape fixtures will provide understated elegance to the outdoor environment during the day, as well as at night.

4.  Decide which system works best for you:  Low voltage lighting provides softer more luxurious illumination, while LED is extremely energy-efficient, low-maintenance and most durable.  Incandescent bulbs typically last 1,000-2,000 hours; fluorescent bulbs may last 10,000-15,000 hours; and, LED bulbs may last 35,000-50,000 hours.

5.  Make sure to power your lighting with the appropriate transformers and wiring. If you are thinking about adding to your outside lighting system, choose power sources that will accommodate the additional fixtures.

6.  Automated timers and motion- or heat-sensitive controls make your home appear occupied during the night and save on energy costs. Locate timers and controls in areas where they are easily accessible.

7.  All outside lighting fixtures and accessories must be selected to withstand the elements, including sun, humidity, rain, ice and snow.  Check that all items are waterproof and UL-approved for outdoor use. Copper, brass and composite fixtures are excellent for homes near the seashore where salty air may be a factor.

8.  Think about landscape lighting as part of your planning and construction in a new home environment.  Outdoor lighting designers should coordinate with landscape architects and electricians.

9.  Traditional wall lights such as wall lanterns bracketing main entryway doors help you to identify visitors and ensure their safety.  They are also appropriate for rear and side entrances and over garage doors. Be sure to select post lanterns and wall brackets that are proportional to your home.  When in doubt, size up.  Fixtures appear smaller from curbside viewing than most people would imagine. * *

10.  Take care to avoid glare and pointing fixtures into your neighbor’s property. Curb “light pollution” with shielded fixtures that focus illumination downward.  Most outdoor fixtures may be easily focused to light the environment for safety, security and aesthetics while protecting other areas from unwanted glare and profuse light. * * *

**Rule of thumb for sizing outdoor wall lanterns:  The height of the lantern should be based on the height of the door.  If brackets are to be installed on either side of the door, they should measure about one-fourth the height of the door.  If using only one lantern, size up to about one-third the height of the door.

***“Dark Sky” Compliancy and light pollution:  A man-made culprit, due mainly to poor lighting design, is a phenomenon called “light pollution.”  Light pollution is any adverse effect of artificial light, including sky glow, glare, light trespass, light clutter, decreased visibility at night, and energy waste.  Many of Capitol Lighting’s trusted manufacturers offer “Dark Sky” versions of their outdoor lighting products, which “collar” the light bulb around its base to block superfluous upward emissions of light.

Capitol Lighting’s professional lighting consultants will help you in selecting everything from timers and outdoor hanging pendants to path lights and post lanterns.  Work with the experts to devise fabulous landscape lighting designs and prepare your outdoor environment with quality security lighting customized to enhance the beauty of your home.

What does CAN Bus mean?

CAN Bus means Controller Area Network Bus. This system monitors your vehicle and reports operating conditions. CAN Bus systems are commonly found in European vehicles such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Porsche, and in many American vehicles. While most late model American vehicles have CAN Bus systems, it is always good to check with your vehicle dealer to see which system your vehicle has before purchasing electrical products.

Will CAN Bus LED Bulbs Prevent “Bulb-Out” Indication?

Each vehicle has different requirements that the CAN Bus system is looking for, but in most cases CAN Bus LED bulbs should prevent a “bulb out” indication in areas such as tail, brake, and running lights. If you use a standard LED bulb that is not a CAN Bus application, you would consistently get a “bulb out” dashboard indicator because your system can’t communicate with a standard LED bulb.

Will CAN Bus LED Bulbs Prevent Hyper-Flashing?

CAN Bus bulbs will not prevent hyper-flashing of turn signals. These bulbs are communicating with the CAN Bus system, but the relay still needs an appropriate amount of load to operate correctly. Your electrical system could require load resistors or an electronic flashing relay to stop hyper-flashing. The factory relay causes the hyper-flash when it thinks there is not a bulb working. For more information, see our blog post here.

Love is in the air! Fall officially began last week, so we are in the throes of the autumn wedding season. Although the summer months have traditionally been the most popular for weddings, autumn weddings have steadily risen in popularity and nowadays, you’re just as likely to receive an orange maple leaf save-the-date as you are a frilly invite with a flower border.

But as we all (should have) learned in elementary school, when the seasons change, the angle of sunlight touching the earth changes as well, resulting in a different quality and duration of sunlight. While many people prefer the more “golden” tones of autumn afternoons (especially photographers!), it can certainly be challenging to keep your special day well-lit when the sun begins to set. But never fear! Here is a list of four ways lighting can save the day on your big day.

If you can, hire a lighting designer for your wedding. Great lighting can be the difference between a spectacular party and a “well, they tried hard.” Acclaimed lighting designer Extreme Productions) how glamorous professional wedding lighting can be. If you can afford to go all out, you won’t be sorry.

The reason lighting at a wedding is so important is it can really make or break a venue’s ambiance. Whether you want a romantic vibe, like in the picture, or more of a warm, casual family feel, lighting can make a huge difference on how successful you are in achieving the aura you desire. You will want to look into professional lighting design, especially if your wedding takes place outside. Many venues have pre-approved lighting designers familiar with their codes, so make sure to find out when venue-hunting.

But if hiring a lighting designer is these awesome DIY wedding lighting tips from the blog at Wedding Window.

It’s incredibly easy to forget about “minor details” like lighting while planning your wedding, but you can go nuts trying to come up with last-minute lighting solutions. Since lighting has such a big impact every part of the wedding, make it a priority!

3. Make a list early on of things that need to be well-lit, and plan accordingly.

Do you want your new monogram spotlighted on the wall at your reception? Or pinhole light above your wedding cake or centerpieces? Maybe fun, moving lights for the ceiling above the dance floor?

Research some of the lighting elements that have worked well at past weddings and make a list of everything you want at yours. It’s okay if you have to scrap some of your ideas, but the process of writing it out will help you make sure you don’t miss anything you’ll regret later.

If you’re doing your own lighting, this step is crucial to planning for what kinds of lights you want where, and what crafting you need to finish beforehand. Taking the time to plan ahead will save you all kinds of trouble at game time.

4. Crappy venues can’t defeat you!

Question:

I’m an electrical contractor in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In one of the earlier posts I’ve noticed that you offer a lifetime workmanship warranty. Could you explain to me how it works? As I am planning to implement something similar here. If you can share a copy of you warranty agreement – that would be ideal, but if you cannot I understand that. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Best, Fred Samson

Answer:

For over 30 years I have offered a Lifetime Guarantee on all my company’s work. Over the years, this has generated a lot of extra sales for our Los Angeles electrical contractor customers. The way our guarantee has been so successful for us is that we have a Lifetime Guarantee on all my company’s [B]work[/B], not the materials used.

We tell customers that we guarantee our own work for LIFE, but we can’t be responsible for materials that we didn’t build ourselves (light fixtures, smoke detectors, dimmers, circuit breakers, etc.). On materials, we back-up whatever the manufacturer’s warrantee is.

I’ll be happy to talk about this with you in more detail if you want. Feel free to call me during business hours M-F.

Good luck with your business.

Visit our company profile.

Large factories, refineries, and oil facilities are all industries that require special considerations for their electrical wiring. Heavy-duty applications and hazardous environments must use products built to resist corrosion. Chemicals, rain, snow, wind and other threats damage industrial wiring. As a result, good maintenance and repairs are imperative.

With a properly installed tray system, the next step includes teck cable. This armored cable with an exterior jacket, comes in nearly any combination of conductor sizes, voltages, and cores. Fiber optic, CAT6, and shielded twisted pair cables are available. These are usually color-coded based on their type. Teck cables can be pulled through cable tray, conduits, or buried underground. For buried cable, ensure that it is placed at the appropriate depth, protected by layers of sand, spaced properly, and that buried cable warning tape is conspicuous.

Some clients request protection for buried cables; therefore bricks, concrete slabs, or planks of wood are utilized. Where cables emerge from the ground, they should be protected by a PVC conduit sleeve. Teck cables must be secured to the rungs of the tray using approved Ty-wraps or cable clamps. This not only keeps cables neatly arranged, but reduces the chances of damage.

Once a teck cable has been fed to its destination, it is connected by use of a teck connector. These connectors serve two purposes. The threaded end puts tension on the cable by means of a rubber gasket, which holds the cable securely in place. In addition, a small metal star-ring inside the connector makes contact with the metal armor of the cable, bonding it to the connector. This is why, when preparing a cable for the connector, that 3-4 rings of cable armor are left exposed.

In locations with potentially hazardous or explosive gasses, explosion proof connectors must be used. They have a small internal chamber meant to hold an epoxy sealing compound. This seal contains an explosion in the event of a failure. In addition, it prevents gasses from traveling through the small gaps between wires to potentially non-hazardous locations where arcs and sparks cause harm.

Good working knowledge of industrial wiring applications is essential to ensure safe and reliable installation. Finally, with the use of heavy-duty materials, a facility can expect many years of problem-free service.