As homeowners in the Tampa area, we’re always looking for ways to improve our overall home comfort and reduce energy use. This can present a particular challenge for Florida residents, as our summers are hot in ways other states only dream of! So is there a way to meet both of these needs—improving comfort while overall reducing energy costs? Yes there is!

When we talk about replacing commercial and industrial lighting, we always try to alleviate the current costs that old and inefficient lighting fixtures incur while keeping (if not improving) our current quality of light in place. This is done with the obvious options such as:

With any lighting technology, whether that be Metal Halide, HPS, Florescent, or LED, they all suffer from something we call lumen depreciation.

Lumen depreciation is the process in which the total output of lumens a fixture produces decreases during its life. The rate at which a fixtures lumens depreciate can depend on a multitude of factors which include (but are not limited to): the type of lighting technology used, total hours used, and various other factors.

Did you know that florescent and LED lighting are typically the lowest to depreciate it’s lumens, while technology like Metal Halide and HPS are typically the fastest to depreciate it’s lumen output?

While LED is the the winner overall, florescent lights aren’t too far behind and not nearly as bad as Metal Halide or HPS lights. Here at MyLEDLightingGuide, we would recommend you get an LED for a lot more reasons then just slower lumen depreciation. email us directly.

Lately, there has been a lot of buzz about 3D projection mapping. I first heard about it from an electronic music enthusiast who plans to acquire projection mapping software and add this extreme visual component to his live shows. But many people were introduced to projection mapping from the coverage of the Winter Olympics in Sochi this year or from the viral video of projection mapping shown below, a pre-game show on the court floor at a Cleveland Cavaliers game. Prepare to be astonished.

One of the most affordable and effective components of any home security system is motion detecting outdoor lighting. Installed by a professional electrician, these lights can give you years of reliable service and peace of mind.

But like any part of your household electrical system, problems can arise from time to time. If your outdoor security lights are staying on all the time, not coming on at all or otherwise performing poorly, you can try these simple DIY fixes before calling an electrician.

Most motion detecting light fixtures allow the motion detector to be aimed at a specific area. If your lights are coming on too often, it could be that the sensor is aimed at a nearby street or an area where wildlife roam around at night. If the lights aren't coming on at all, the sensor might be aimed directly at the ground or into the side of the house. Experiment with different sensor positions after dark and walk around in the areas you want to secure to fine-tune your aim.

Motion detectors also typically come equipped with sensitivity settings. Too sensitive, and something as small as a fly could set it off. Not sensitive enough, and a prowler could come within a few feet of the fixture before it lights up. Locate this setting and fine-tune it to your liking.

Another common setting for motion detector lights is a light duration time. This can be as long as 30 minutes, and if your lights are unwittingly set this way, it could give the impression that they stay on all night. A good duration for most security light applications is one to two minutes.

A dirty sensor can’t detect movement properly. If dirt and dust have accumulated on your motion detector, use a wet rag to wipe it clean, then re-test your lights.

Security lights can get off-kilter if there are interruptions in the electrical supply, such as power outages, power surges and accidentally flipping light switches or breakers. Sometimes this can result in lights that stay on or off all the time. To reset most motion detecting lights, shut off the power supply at the switch for at least 30 seconds, making sure there’s no motion in front of the sensor during this time. Then turn the light back on and test it to ensure proper function. If there was motion in front of the sensor while the power was off, this may need to be repeated.

Not all motion detector problems can be fixed this easily. If you have persistent problems, storm damage or faulty installation, it’s important to call in your local licensed electricians for a professional evaluation and repair.

Motion sensor LED stair lights let you safely and effectively navigate your steps while eliminating the need for any action. And because they turn off automatically, they also save power! We’ve recently installed these handy little LED stair lights and wanted to share the process with you.

wire that will be needed. It is best to order more than you need so that there’s slack in the line and enough to extend to where your power supply will be mounted.

It’s important to choose the correct wire gauge for the length of wire you need and amount of current that will be flowing through it. The key is to avoid voltage drop, which happens when the supplied energy of a power source is reduced as electric current flows through wire (or any other pieces of equipment that do not supply voltage on a circuit). The longer the run of wire, the lower the gauge of wire needed.

*If you need help determining the correct wire gauge, 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.

3. Using wiring from the

4. Use a run of wire to join the PIR sensor at the top of your steps with the power supply. You can wire both PIR sensors to the power supply using electrical tape or with

5. Connect your main line to the PIR sensor at the bottom of your steps, and begin connecting each step light with

7. Finally, connect to power.

LED stair lights and

4. Connect your main line to the PIR sensor at the bottom of your steps, and begin connecting each step light with

6. Finally, plug the power supply into your wall outlet.