We’ve begun installing chargers for electric cars in Los Angeles – thus my new interest in electric cars. Interest in electric cars (electric vehicles or EVs) is picking up because the Nissan Leaf just began deliveries in L.A. in December and the Chevy Volt is supposed to start deliveries early this year. Los Angeles buyers are starting to install electric chargers for these vehicles, and I’m starting to learn a lot more about EVs.

Of course, as someone who installs chargers for electric cars, I’m interested in how many will be sold in Los Angeles. Sorry folks, no one really knows. Forecasts are all over the board. Pike Research, a transportation analysis firm, just projected in early 2011 that in the next six years, between 2011 and 2017, over 96,000 electric vehicles will be sold in Los Angeles. It projects that Los Angeles purchases will be second highest in the country, trailing only New York City. Its overall projection is 366,000 EVs  sold nationwide by 2017.

Another study in 2009 by the University of California, Berkeley (Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology) projected that the U.S. will hit 1,000,000 EVs sold by 2017. This is still far lower than President Obama’s call for 1,000,000 by 2015, which many analysts consider realistic.

Why are the projections so different? The U.C. study explains. It mostly depends on the price of gasoline. For example, if gas prices continue at about $3.50 a gallon, U.C. forecasts only 18% of new car sales will be electric in 2020. But if gas prices rise to about $5.50 a gallon, the forecast rises to 45% of new car sales in 2020. Of course, experience tells us that gas prices move up and down very quickly and unexpectedly, often depending on events in the volatile Middle East.

The safest statement one can make about electric cars sales in Los Angeles is that they’re starting in a big way now and will continue to increase over the coming years. Another safe statement – buying an electric car and installing a charger is going to protect you from the wild ups and downs of gas prices, something no one can predict.

If you have bought or are thinking of buying a new electric car,  click her for more about what’s involved in installation of a charger for your EV.

Is your LED bulb blinking too fast? No worries—it’s an easy fix! LED lighting draws much less power and lasts way longer than standard incandescent lighting that comes stock with most vehicles. Although the reduced draw of LEDs has advantages, replacement of turn signal bulbs with LEDS will cause what is called hyperflashing. Hyperflashing is when the turn signals blink faster than your stock incandescent bulbs did. This happens because your new LED bulbs draw such little power that your turn signal relay sees the bulbs as being out.

Installing an ixing hyperflashing. These modules are economically priced and are usually simple to install. In most cases, these flasher units are little circular or square boxes with metal prongs sticking out one side that simply plug into where your stock flasher went. Our LED flashers function with both LED and incandescent bulbs, so even if you have LED turn signals in the back and incandescent bulbs still in the front, you can use our LED flasher modules with no problems. Before you order, compare the pin diagram of the stock flasher with the pin diagram of our flashers on our website.

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.

If our Rockville electricians asked you if your building was up to code, would you know what we’re talking about? Staying “in code” is often a phrase many business owners are aware of, but when it comes to actually understanding what code is, why it’s important, and which codes apply to them, most aren’t really familiar. This can be a pretty big ding against both the safety and reputation of your business!

When our local business owners need electrical code correction in Rockville, they turn to the certified electricians at Kolb Electric! We’ve been providing superior service since the day we started doing business, and we’ll continue to do so. Curious about what electrical code correction in Rockville actually entails? Let’s do some learning.

The NEC (National Electrical Code) is essentially a guideline for what electrical practices are considered safe and optimal. The rules are regionally adjusted, meaning what is “code” in say Maryland may not necessarily be exactly the same in other states. This is why understanding the code specific to our Rockville area is crucial!

To ensure that you stay within code, the assistance of a locally licensed and certified electrician is critical. You must stay within code to optimize safety, and to avoid potential legal issues and fees.

Our specialists are fully-trained to handle and correct all electrical code violations in our area. Some of our most common corrections (and codes you should be aware of!) include:

Our seasoned Rockville electricians carry all of the training and experience needed to ensure your business keeps up with the times! Staying in code is not only safer, it’s usually more efficient as well! Save your business stress and money by contacting a certified Kolb electrician for an electrical code correction in Rockville today!