Wouldn’t it be nice to really step up your game this holiday season? This is the time of year when friends and family are sure to visit your home. Maybe it will be for an evening of fun and entertainment or maybe it will be for a lovely dinner. No matter what your plans are for the holidays, wouldn’t it be nice to have a little something extra to help set the scene in your home? A new chandelier is the perfect, functional idea. An electrician in Burbank, like those at The Electric Connection can get your new chandelier installed just in time for holiday entertaining.

Gathering in the sitting room for cocktails, games or good conversation is a great way to reconnect with old friends and family you haven’t been able to spend quite as much time as you would like with. Having the right lighting can help set the mood. Bright and festive or dim and intimate can all be achieved with a new chandelier complete with a dimmer switch installed by an electrician. Burbank homeowners who want to be able to set the mood with the flick of the switch will love the beauty and flexibility a new chandelier gives them.

Many of the new chandeliers available on the market today are equipped to use energy-saving lightbulbs, which can ultimately save you money in the long run. LEDs are the perfect way to brighten up a room by using just a few bulbs. The look and feel of a room can be completely transformed with the installation of a new chandelier by a Burbank electrician. Chandeliers offer unique lighting options for a foyer, dining room or a den. Have fun and shop around for the perfect fixture. Give The Electric Connection a call today and get your appointment scheduled before your next big gathering.

Here in Massachusetts, our electricians are used to handling all type of electrical systems and services. We also have our share of older homes, and with older homes come aging electrical systems. An expert upgrade provided by a trustworthy electrical contractor can offer your home various benefits.

If you’ve experienced issues with your electrical system recently, or even if your electrical system is functioning fine but depends on older technology, it could be time to seriously consider an electrical panel upgrade/ replacement. But what are the benefits of such an upgrade? We’ve shared a few advantages below.

You may not know it, but upgrading your electrical system might actually be legally necessary. This is because many older models no longer adhere to modern statutes and codes. Typically, if your panel still uses fuses and other outdated equipment, it probably isn’t up to code and will require a replacement.

Even more important than upgrading to legal building codes is protecting the safety of your home and your family. Old or worn electrical panels can cause an overload. This can short out your electricity and potentially even cause a fire. A newer electrical panel can provide increased safety for your home.

Today’s homes have an increasing amount of appliances and electronic devices in them. From plasma screen TVs to high-end computers and similar devices, our electrical systems play a larger role in our lives than ever before. As such, an improper electrical panel, you won’t be able to support the kinds of appliances you need to stay connected.

What you need is an up-to-date electrical panel that meets all of your electrical needs while keeping your home up to code and your family safe. Remember, electrical work can be dangerous, so don’t leave such an important project in the hands of amateurs. Also, do not be tempted to take this on as a “DIY” project, as this can do more harm than good.

LED fixtures, such as

With energy consumption that is less than half of what 150-watt LED parking lot light that is a direct replacement for 400-watt metal-halide (MH) fixtures. That’s 250 watts less for the same amount of light!

The average price of electricity per kilowatt-hour (kWh) is 12 cents. To figure out the monthly cost of running 25 LED parking lot lights for 11 hours per day, use this formula: (combined wattage x monthly hours of use)/1,000 x price per kWh. For 25 LED lights, (3,750 x 330)/1,000 x .12) the total would be $148.50 per month or $1,782 per year.

When the same formula is used for 400-watt MH fixtures, the monthly cost is $396, and yearly cost would be $4,752. So, in this situation, switching to LED fixtures would save approximately $3,000 per year. When coupled with the savings on maintenance, LED fixtures can save $6,470 per year. At that rate, the cost of 25 $340 LED fixtures would be recouped within two years.

Left: LED wall packs; Right: HID wall packs

Unlike LED fixtures that light up instantly, HID parking lot lights require a warmup period of up to 10 minutes before they reach full brightness. They also can’t be turned immediately back on after being switched off; this is called restrike time, and it can take up to 15 minutes before they can be turned on again. Attempting to power on the lights before the bulbs have cooled can damage a fixture’s components and cause the HID bulb to fail sooner.

HID lamps consist of a ballast and a quartz tube that contains gas, metal salts, and two tungsten electrodes. In order to create light, an electric arc passes from one electrode to the other through a gas (most commonly mercury, metal halide, or sodium). The mercury used in this process is dangerous if enough is inhaled or released into the environment. If an HID bulb bursts, all contents should be put into a sealed container or sealed bag and taken to a recycling center or hazardous waste facility. If HID fixtures are used indoors, wall packs and canopy lights, are used indoors, the possibility of ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure should be taken into consideration. HID bulbs emit a substantial amount of UV radiation, but an outer glass envelope prevents the radiation from escaping. However—according to the FDA—”If the outer bulb breaks and the inner tube continues to operate unshielded, intense UV radiation is emitted. UV exposure at this level can cause eye and skin burns, as well as blurred or double vision, headaches, and nausea.” The UV light from an HID bulb with a broken envelope can also lead to discoloration of items and fabric. LEDs emit little to no UV radiation.

In short, LED lights are a better alternative to HID parking lot lights. They offer a great deal in the way of savings, longevity, maintenance reduction, brightness, color, and safety. While it may take a short amount of time to recoup the price of switching to LEDs, all of their qualities make it easy to see why so many businesses have started the process.

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.

In general, if you have a mechanical aptitude you can perform some minor electrical work as do-it-yourself projects. At the very least, you can remove the covers on your switches and outlets to paint, and you know how to check your circuit breakers when power goes out. However, most homeowners are going to need a licensed electrician on occasion for a number of reasons.

By: Jason Lee

Ever look at old family photos? You remember, the faded picture with the brown couch, wood panel walls and yellow(ish) shag carpet. Most people look at the photo and see these things and the smiling faces of the family. We look at these photos and are taken back to a time when another generation set the rules.

But looking a little more closely at the photo of years gone by, you might notice something that is still around the old house and room today. Hidden in the photo, but still prominent in the room where the photo was taken, is that old, painted over two prong outlet. You know the one. It had the gaudy horse-carved table lamp plugged into it. At one time it was white but it was painted to match the wall color when the paneling came down and the sheet rock went up. You changed the entire look and feel of the living room over the years but that outlet stayed the same. And, why not? It only served one function and how often does technology change, right?

The two prong outlets had been the norm for so long and years of remodeling and redecorating never seemed to affect the outlets. No upgrades were required. Just slap a new cover on it and it was good to go. When “new technology” came about, we were ready with the “cheater” outlet that still enabled us to use three prong electronics with the old two prong outlets.

But soon everything seemed to require three prong outlets and that left us having an abundance of those grey three-to-two prong adaptors in our junk drawer.

Old photos are great to look at and reminisce about past times. But, we are constantly changing and our technology is expanding at a rapid rate. Modern times call for modern outlets. Two prong outlets had a good run and they served a valuable purpose, but there comes a day when the grandfather, who led the head of the family for years, has to retire and give way to change and a new way of doing things.

Outlet changes should be made because today’s outlets give us piece of mind, safety and convenience. Safety has been a top priority for new outlet designs. All modern homes, those built after 2008, should have child-proof outlets installed.

Today’s modern three prong outlets come with a variety of features for convenience and safety. Although the days of the two-prong outlet are numbered, modern GFCI, child-proof and combination outlets will never forget their roots.