The power that runs to our home is something we have come to rely on. There isn’t a part of our day that does not somehow use electricity. It is how we cook, tell the time, play and stay clean. When the power goes out, our lives are turned upside down. Fortunately, the power grid has been fairly stable. Unfortunately, it isn’t stable enough and the smallest thing can take it out. It is a good idea to be ready to deal with a power outage should one catch you off guard. An electrician in Burbank has some tips for putting together a power outage kit. If you have any questions about power outages or what to do, give The Electric Connection a call.

It is a good idea to put your supplies in a drawer or in a small tote stored in a cupboard in a hall closet. It needs to be easily accessed in the dark. Adding a glow in the dark sticker or two to the tote can help make it stand out.

*Talk with a Burbank electrician about having security lights installed in your home and outside. These lights will automatically turn on when the power is cut. Some of these plug into an outlet and will come on when the power goes out, providing you with instant light.

*Toss in a few emergency candles and matches along with candleholders.

*Some LED headlamps and/or flashlights is also a good idea.

*Have the number to the power company in the kit or somewhere you can easily find it.

*Keep a few cans of food on hand along with a manual can opener just in case the power outage extends into the meal periods.

You can avoid the problems created when the power goes out by having a standby generator installed by an electrician. Burbank homeowners will take comfort in having a backup source of power. Give The Electric Connection a call today and learn more about preparing for power outages.

Kenneth Crawford is a South Florida based interior designer and owner of Kenneth Crawford Interiors.  As the August Designer of the Month, he offers some professional lighting and decorative ideas.

Each element in a well-decorated room from paint color to the detail of each doorknob is important, and the right lighting is key to unlocking the true potential in your design. The space must be orchestrated perfectly, creating a cohesive flow through out.

I have over 20 years of experience with commercial and residential design, and whether you are building a new restaurant or renovating a 500 sq. foot dining room, the lighting fixtures themselves and the angle of illumination make a world of difference. That’s why I shop Capitol Lighting’s extensive database to find everything I need from unique ceiling pendants and elegant crystal chandeliers to simple bath vanity fixtures and top quality light bulbs.

The examples featured below show how the right lighting will create a custom finish and bring out the best in your decorative scheme:

Dining Room

When designing an interior space, you must look at the room as a whole. Light fixtures should blend harmoniously with the decor, adding color, texture and style to complete the design. The Philippe Stark fixture, purchased from Capitol Lighting, is more like a sculpture, making a stunning design statement and blending with the architecture without obstructing the view or overpowering the space.

Guest Bedroom

These nightstand lamps purchased from Capitol Lighting add the perfect finishing touch to this room. I wanted a metallic element to pull the silver embedded in the artwork and create a sparkling effect reminiscent of the Intercoastal on a clear day. 

Powder Bathroom

The Italian glass sconces were selected for their linear design, which adds to the architectural composition of the room.

Bedroom

Part of owning a home means you will always have something to do. There are always going to be things to fix, things to update and little improvements that need to be done to make the home work a little better for your family and its needs. It is a source of pride for many homeowners to take care of these little jobs themselves. It gives you a feeling of accomplishment when you finally stop that door from squeaking or the one stair from creaking. Then there are the big jobs. The jobs where you turn to your phone book or the internet to find help from a professional. Electrical issues are one of those things that you will want to call a professional electrician. Glendale homeowners can rely on the experience of the team at The Electric Connection to take care of any electrical problems that arise.

It doesn’t matter if your home was built last year or fifty years ago, there are always going to be little things that need adjusting and fixing. It is part of the joy of home ownership. The property is yours to do as you will and that includes any all of the electrical components. An electrician in Glendale can help you with some of the more common electrical problems a homeowner will face.

This is a small sampling of some of the more common problems homeowners will face with their electrical. Time and regular use tends to wear down anything and your electrical components in the home are not immune. You can rely on a Glendale electrician to take care of the repairs quickly and safely. Cross them off your list and stick with the items that are not dangerous. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your electrical repairs.

LED sign lighting provides years of illumination and low energy costs. sign modules that consume 50mA of power each. Required materials differ depending on sign size, module size, length of wire between modules, current draw, and lumen output.

Materials:

1. First, measure your sign. Although we recommend spacing module rows 3 inches apart, it’s ultimately up to you. If you want a brighter sign, place them closer together and vice versa for a dimmer sign. With the recommended 3-inch spacing, a 4-foot square sign would need 150 modules (15 rows of 10). Again, the quantity of modules needed  is based on many factors and can differ.

These LED sign modules are available in custom lengths of up to 20 modules per strand. Order 60 feet (4 feet x 15 rows) of stranded modules, and cut the strand after every 10 modules. Each strand can be cut to make two rows.

2. Next you’ll need to order a power supply that’s rated for the combined wattage of all sign modules. To ensure that you don’t overwork the power supply, confirm that the total wattage of your modules is at least 20 percent less than the power supply’s rated wattage.

An easy way to calculate this is to multiply the total wattage of your combined lighting by 1.2. In the 4-foot sign diagram, there are 150 modules with a current draw of 50 milliamps (mA) each. Since current draw is given in milliamps, multiply that number by voltage and move the decimal 3 places to the left to get wattage. This module consumes 50 mA and has 12 VDC operation, so it consumes 0.6 watts (50 x 12 = 600). Next, multiply 0.6 by 150 to get a combined wattage of 90 and multiply that number by 1.2 (90 x 1.2 = 108) to determine which power supply you’ll need. Since the result was 108, you will need at least a 120-watt power supply.

3. Next on the list is wire to connect all your sign module stands to the power supply. For a 4-foot sign, you’ll need 4 feet of 18-gauge two-conductor wire to serve as your main line plus enough to cover the distance between your power supply and where it will be wired into an electrical system. You’ll also need dual-channel T-tap wire splice connectors for an easy connection to your main line.

Before you begin working on your sign, turn off power to the area.

4. If there isn’t one already, drill a hole in the back of your sign as an exit point for your wire.

5. Use a tape measure or ruler to plot your row spacing. Leave space on one side of the sign for your module-to-main-line connections. Mount the sign modules using their double-sided adhesive and/or screw holes.

6. Insert the end wires of each sign module row into the T-tap splice connector, and clamp the other end of the connector onto the main line. The splice connectors eliminate the need to strip wire insulation.

7. Use double-sided foam tape to secure each T-tap splice connector to the inside of your sign.

8. Reattach your sign’s front cover.

9. Connect the main line to your power supply, wire the supply into your electrical system, and restore power to the area.

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.