Spring is here and summer isn’t far behind. For Boston, MA residents, that means stifling heat and humidity, which requires a reliable air conditioning system to successfully fight. If you have an older or outdated system, now is the perfect time to have it replaced, before the mercury creeps up too high. Before you pull the trigger, however, you need to make sure you’ve picked the right air conditioner for your needs. Here are 3 things to look for when replacing your air conditioning system.

Sizing in this case refers to the power output of the air conditioner. It needs to be sized properly for your home: too powerful and it will cycle on and off rapidly, increasing strain and using unnecessary amounts of energy. Not powerful enough and it won’t do the job effectively. A good technician can make the proper measurements and select a system that is perfectly sized for your needs.

Air conditioners measure their efficiency with a SEER rating, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The higher the rating, the less energy the system wastes, and the lower your monthly bills will be. Look for a system with the highest SEER rating you can afford to maximize your system’s potentials.

Air conditioners are fairly straightforward, but there are a few bells and whistles you might want to consider. For instance, some models come equipped with UV lights and similar filters to improve the quality of your air, while others have multi-speed fans to let you better control the air flow. Any of all of these may help improve the quality of life in your home.

If you want to replace an outdated AC system with a new one, the professionals at FB Electrical Services, Inc. are standing by to help. Give us a call today!

5-pin SPDT (single pole, double throw) automotive relay.

Relays are essentially two parts in one package. The first part is an inductive coil (pins 85 and 86). This coil is the “trigger” function of the relay. By applying both a positive (+) and ground (-) to the contacts, current passes through the coil. When current passes through the coil, a magnetic field is generated and moves the switch (the arrow in the diagram). This is where the second part of the relay comes into play.

The second part of the relay is the “switch.” The switch has three interface contacts—common, normally closed, and normally open. “Normally” refers to the state of the relay not being energized.

While relays can be used for virtually any task, there are some very useful, simple applications for adding LED lighting to a vehicle. Please note that this wiring only pertains to the relay—not the wires in the vehicle. Before interfacing with a wire in a vehicle, always ensure you test the wire with a digital multimeter first to confirm circuit function.

Positive Switching

Positive switching is used for applications where the “trigger” for your switch or circuit is positive. This could be an ignition, brake, or reverse light wire for example.  This could be used for applications such as off-road light bars, work lights, additional brake lights, and other exterior lighting.

Negative Switching

Negative switching is used for applications where the “trigger” for your switch or circuit is negative. Negative triggers are often found in door, hatch, and trunk triggers as well as many interior switches. This could be used for applications such as footwell lighting, truck bed lighting, under-hood lighting, and other interior lighting.

Switch Activated With Ignition Override

This is useful for applications where you want to turn your light on or off with a switch but only want the light to remain on when the car is running or key is in the “ignition” position. The main advantage to this is—even if the switch is left on—the light (or output circuit) will shut off when the key is turned off so that the battery will not be run down.

For technical questions, don’t hesitate to call us toll free at 866-590-3533. Our customer service and technical support teams are available from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT Monday-Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT on Friday.

A good, reliable microwave can be an important part of any modern kitchen. But is your microwave working a little too well? If you’ve got a microwave that just won’t quit, even when the timer goes off, you’ve certainly got a bit of a problem on your hands. But not a problem that our Electricians in Laurel can’t fix! Here are the most common causes for a microwave that won’t stop, and what you should do about it.

Looking for appliance wiring services in your area? Our electricians in Laurel are always ready to help! Contact Kolb Electric any time online and a member of our team will be more than happy to help!

There’s some good news to be had here, and some quite likely bad news. The good news is that no matter what folks say, you are not going to be radiated to death by your microwave. They’re generally quite safe, even if they’re running with the door open. However having said that, there are certainly risks, and the problem should not be left alone.

The bad news? The odds are pretty strong that you’re going to need a new microwave, or that replacing your microwave is going to be faster, easier, and safer.

So what causes this problem? There are actually very few causes, which lets us narrow things down pretty quickly. It tends to depend on how and why:

In our honest opinion, you either call in a professional, or you get a new microwave. The door switch is a fairly cost-effective repair if you’ve got a pro, but the panel issue is more complex. And while there are lots of “DIY” solutions out there, videos, mostly, we can’t really in good conscience suggest repairing a microwave on your own. Why? Because a microwave carries a potentially lethal charge, even when unplugged. It’s just not worth the risk!

Looking for a certified electrician to suss out your microwave woes? If so, you can always count on Kolb! Reach out to our team today and we can have one of our professionals on the way and ready to help in no time!