Economy settings have become a standard option on nearly all modern appliances. They purport to put the decision about energy conservation in the consumer's hands: Do you run the machine in its normal mode, or use the most economical setting to burn up less power and marginally reduce your contribution to carbon pollution and climate change? Eco-settings give manufacturers bragging rights that they are doing their part to produce more efficient electrical work. However, some people question whether economy settings really do anything to reduce our electricity consumption, and suspect they might even be counterproductive. Read on to learn why.

Economy vs. Standard Settings in Your Electrical Work

You see economy buttons on all kinds of electrical devices and appliances these days, from televisions to video game consoles to bigger-ticket items like washing machines and dishwashers. These settings offer energy savings of 10 percent or more, and generally are legitimate; although there have been isolated reports of manufacturers attempting to deceive energy testing measures, usually the economy settings are included in good faith, with companies preferring to avoid legal or reputational consequences if they are caught manipulating the tests.

However, eco-modes only save energy if people use them. And in many cases, people choose not to, for a variety of reasons. For one thing, the performance of various appliances under eco-settings might simply be unsatisfactory. For example, some people complain that reduced power settings on their television leave them barely able to see the screen. There are also reports of clothes dryers that don't dry clothes and dishwashers that don't wash dishes. Reduced power settings don't save any energy at all if you have to run the appliance twice.

Don't Be Fooled into Buying an Inefficient Device

That's not to say that all economy modes don't make the grade, but their overall reputation can suffer from a few bad apples. If consumers hear that the lowest power setting in a neighbor's dishwasher doesn't get the job done, they might be reluctant to try that option in their own unit, even if it's a different make or model.

What's more, the ratings system used by the federal Energy Star program takes into account the economy setting mode when making its decisions. That means you could purchase a piece of equipment that has the coveted Energy Star certification, only to find out that you don’t like the conservation settings and are less than satisfied with the purchase.

Finding the Most Efficiency in Your Electrical Work

One way to ensure that you are buying an appliance whose economy setting meets your needs is to read online reviews, in lieu of simply relying on the Energy Star rating. If you need help picking out high-efficiency appliances, or need help with any other electrical work, contact a trusted local electrician today.

However, choosing a ceiling fan can be a sometimes difficult endeavor. Knowing what size fan would fit your room, the ideal style, what type of lighting you’ll need, the features the fan contains and staying within your budget can all be a bit of a challenge. We understand that it can be a challenge, so 1800Lighting is here to help; this is the ultimate buyer’s guide for selecting the perfect ceiling fan for almost any need.

If you are planning on renovating or sprucing-up your kitchen, it’s probably a good idea to map out a detailed lighting plan as well. Most people find this a little strange as they feel that lighting in a kitchen isn’t something that needs too much of consideration or planning. It’s just a place where you cook and probably where you have an informal meal after all.

However, the fact is that it’s important to plan kitchen illumination well if you want to make optimal use of your kitchen spaces. Here, we would like to share some basic lighting ideas to create the right balance of functionality and aesthetics.

If you want to get a better idea about what type of lighting would work best for your kitchen, it’s vital to understand how your kitchen spaces relate to the different type of lighting. Let’s start off with understanding what type of bulbs you can use for the best effects:

These bulbs emit a yellowish light and you will now find many artistic versions of these on the market today.

These bulbs throw off a flat, cold light that has a bluish tinge, which lends a very harsh effect to the room.

These have a warm light that makes the place look very inviting and comfortable

These are the latest in light bulb technology and are available in a range of effects including white, cool daylight, warm light, yellow and a range of other colours and hues. Aside from this, LED bulbs are also 80% more energy-efficient than standard bulbs; and most property owners are now opting for these fixtures.

In addition to the types of bulbs used, the style of lighting or the lighting effects are what impact the ambience and appearance of a room. With this in view, here we discuss the different lighting effects that can be used in your kitchen:

This is one of the simplest ways to create the right lighting effect in your kitchen. This type of lighting is designed to help you move comfortably around the room. In most instances this type of lighting comes from grid-style can lighting, widely-spaced, wall and ceiling lamps, semi-translucent skylights or even the natural light that streams in through glass windows and doors. This is the base layer of any lighting plan.

In your kitchen, task lighting would be required to illuminate kitchen counters and food preparation spaces. Since you will be cooking in your kitchen every day, it’s important that the task lighting be planned and installed well. If you have only recessed lighting fixtures in your kitchen, you will feel the lack of focused light when you are cleaning, cooking or prepping in that space.

If you install one-dimensional lighting in the kitchen, it creates unsightly shadows in different areas of the room, while ceiling lighting is ineffective in illuminating spaces like sinks, under counter or cabinet areas etc. On the other hand, if you add special pendant lamps over the counters or even your kitchen island it can prove to be a more practical solution. Under-cabinet lighting can also help in illuminating the cabinets that are positioned there.

This effect doesn’t seem as necessary as ambient or task lighting does in a kitchen space, as the illumination it provides isn’t as functional as the first two. However, it can have a significant impact on the way your kitchen spaces look. If you want to enhance the appeal of your kitchen (regardless of whether you are getting it entirely renovated or are opting for a lighting upgrade), it’s important that you plan your accent lighting well.

If you’re dying to install your new instructions for how to install a light bar. These instructions include options for installations with or without a wire harness and for connecting to existing LED lights. Installation will vary based on the type of vehicle, existing lighting setup, and chosen wiring method, but these instructions can serve to give you a general idea of the process. Light bar mounting instructions are also available and are listed by WH-DTS10, WWH-DTD30; (ATP) WH-ATPD20, sdoptional mounting brackets; be sure not to overtighten the hardware (you will need to adjust it in step 7).

3. Route the lighting side of the wiring harness from the battery to the light in a safe, secure manner. Connect the harness to the light. Be sure to avoid heat sources and any moving parts while running your wires. Prolonged chafing of the wires may lead to a short in the circuit. Typically, following the vehicle manufacturer’s wiring harness is a safe path to follow. Some lights may not have DT or ATP connections on them, but the connectors can be added from the harness kit or purchased separately (ATP-FPT).

4. Continue to route the switch portion of the harness to the desired location of the switch. The switch may need to be unplugged from the harness to make routing of the harness easier. An optional remote-controlled switch (RS-x) are also available with different legends.

5. Connect the black (ground) wire with the large ring terminal from the harness to the negative battery terminal. Connect the red (power) wire with the large ring terminal from the harness to the positive battery terminal.

6. Secure the relay to a suitable location, and test the light to make sure the circuit works.

7. Finally, aim the light in the desired direction, and tighten all mounting hardware.

3. Connect the black ground wire of the new light to the ground wire of the old light with solder and heat shrink tubing (PSC-x). Connect the red power wire of the new light to the power wire of the old light.

4. If the new LED work light or off-road light bar has an ATP or DT connector that you wish to utilize, corresponding ATP (DT-MPT) pigtails are available.

5. Finally, aim the lights in the proper direction, and tighten all mounting hardware.

1. Find a suitable mounting location that will allow for running wires and mounting the LED light bar. Mark where your holes will be for the light bar brackets or mounting feet. Check behind drilling locations to ensure nothing will be damaged. Drill appropriate-sized holes.

2. Mount the lights with the provided hardware or with DT-MPT or RRS-SP, RRS-SPx, or RCS-RF25A) under your hood to speed up install time and avoid routing wires through your vehicle’s firewall. Route another run of red wire from the pigtail adapter (connected to the light) to the output terminal of the switch. Be sure to avoid heat sources and any moving parts while running your wires. Prolonged chafing of the wires may lead to a short in the circuit. Typically, following the vehicle manufacturer’s wire harness is a safe path to follow.

4. Be sure to double-check for all obstructions and proper clearance. Drill an appropriate sized hole for the switch, and mount it.

5. Connect your black wire to the negative battery terminal. Connect your red wire to the switch input terminal and to the positive battery terminal with an appropriate-sized fuse holder (MAF-x) installed within 18 inches of the battery. You will have to cut your section of red wire to allow for the fuse holder to be installed between the switch and battery. Connect your other run of red wire to the switch output terminal.

6. Finally, aim the lights in the proper direction and tighten all mounting hardware.