A burnout, in electrical terms, is a drop in voltage across an electricity supply system. It can be spontaneous (unintentional) caused by disturbances in the grid, or intentionally caused during emergencies when the load needs to be reduced in order to prevent blackouts. The lower voltage causes lights to dim, leading to the name “burn out”.

Spontaneous burnouts usually cause voltage to drop for only a short period, while the intentional ones can have effects lasting anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

A burnout can prevent some electrical devices from getting harmed by power loads, but others can actually get damaged severely. Here are some facts that you should be aware of:

One of the main stays in Industrial and Commercial Lighting has been the Metal Halide Bulb. It is common in Indoor Fixtures, such as High Bays, Canopy Lights, Garage Lights and Low Bays. It is

So you have a Metal Halide (or even High Pressure Sodium) light, and you want to convert to LED. You’ve done your research, you’ve been inundated with marketing materials that tell you what is the most important thing to consider (coincidentally it probably is something they think is important). And now you are left to make a decision. New or retrofit? What new versus retrofit. We sell both. Our retrofits perform as well if not better than new fixtures, but not all retrofit kits can make that claim. However, if your fixtures are old, leak, and have seen their better days, then by all means replace them. It does not make sense to buy a new fixture that includes a retrofit kit inside of it like some vendors will try and sell you. The engineering of some of the new fixtures are fantastic. However, the real reason you would want to consider retrofitting is because you have a significant investment in fixtures. Why not keep that investment? Retrofitting is extremely cost effective, especially our Look for the DLC Premium Symbol, it’s different than the DLC Standard symbol. And that gives you the quick notification that the light you are looking at is the most efficient.

And why does that matter. It’s simple. It will save you a lot more money. Let me do three comparisons for you. First a retrofit kit designed at 97 lumens per watt to replace a 400W Metal Halide bulb, a second at 102 lumens per watt and ours at 155 lumens per watt. Lets keep everything else the same. Cost of electricity, hours of use. The only thing different you will notice is the watts consumed and the lumens produced. For the record, our retrofit kit uses the least amount of energy in this test BUT also produces the most amount of light. We will use 12 hours a day operating time and .12 kw.h electricity cost

Calculation 1: 97 lumens per watt retrofit head, 135 watts, 13164 lumens

Savings per fixture per year over 400 watt Metal Halide: $170.82

Calculation 2: 102 lumens per watt retrofit head, 143 watts, 14600 lumens

Savings per fixture per year over 400 watt Metal Halide: $166.62

OK, so between the competitor options, you are neck and neck, the difference is so minimal you can make your decision based on whose website you like more

Calculation 3: 155 lumens per watt retrofit head, 100 watts, 15,776 lumens (this is our LED Retrofit Kit)

Savings per fixture per year over 400 watt Metal Halide: $189.22

So there is clearly a $18.40 savings over the first LED retrofit option and a $22.60 savings per fixture over the second LED Retrofit option. And, we produce more light!

We have 3 mini LED Retrofit Kits, 30W, 45W and 60W designed to replace up to 250W Metal Halide. We have 3 standard sized retrofit kits, 75W, 100W and 120W designed to replace from 250 Watt to 400 Watt Metal Halide. We have 2 Large Retrofit Kits, 150W and 200W, designed to provide more light than a 400W Metal Halide up to 750W Metal Halide. And we have 3 Extra Large retrofit kits, 280W, 320W and 350W, designed to replace 1000W Metal Halide.

During the Fall and Winter months, Expert Electric installs an increasing amount of outdoor parking lot lighting for all different types of commercial buildings including office buildings, retail businesses, restaurants and bars. As the days get shorter, many business and property owners begin to see the benefits of outdoor parking lot lighting as there is less daylight. Outdoor parking lot lighting is important all year round to prevent break-ins, vandalism and burglaries from occurring. Learn more about the different types of outdoor parking lot lighting installations that Expert Electric does.

Outdoor parking lot lighting is an important security measure in protecting the buildings, businesses and employees of office buildings. Not all office buildings have security guards and underground parking. Outdoor parking lot lighting can help protect office buildings from burglaries. It can also help protect vehicles from vandalism and break-ins. Employees will feel more comfortable when walking to their vehicles after work in a well-lit environment, especially in the Fall and Winter months. The licensed electricians at Expert Electric can install outdoor parking lot lighting for office buildings all throughout the Lower Mainland and Greater Vancouver area.

Outdoor parking lot lighting is very important for retail businesses for many of the same reasons as it is important for office buildings. Retail businesses have plenty of valuable inventory and assets on hand and are often targeted with burglaries. A well-lit parking lot can help prevent burglaries from occurring. Outdoor parking lot lighting is also important for retail shops to remain in business. Customers will not want to visit a store during the evening if it does not have sufficient outdoor parking lot lighting. Parking lot lights help keep customers secure, especially for retail locations that are open late at night. Expert Electric can install outdoor parking lot lighting in a variety of different types of retail stores including

Restaurants and bars are usually open later than most other businesses which makes their parking lots more vulnerable to crime. Hiring parking lot security can be expensive and installing security cameras does not necessarily prevent vandalism and burglaries from taking place. Installing parking lot lighting in restaurants and bars can significantly help reduce vehicle break-ins, vandalism and theft. Customers will feel more comfortable when walking to and from the building during evening hours when the parking lot is properly lit.

If you would like to learn more about outdoor parking lot lighting for commercial buildings or residential homes, please contact the licensed electricians at Expert Electric today. At Expert Electric, we offer a large variety of electrician services including standby generator installations, electrical transformers, hot tub wiring and more. Call us to schedule an appointment today at 604-681-8338. Our team will provide you with a written estimate, flexible service hours and follow up after 48 hours to ensure that you are completely satisfied with out work. Trust the experts at Expert Electric!