Among the more obvious pieces of electrical safety advice you may have encountered is to never saw the third prong off of an electrical plug in order to fit it into a two-prong outlet. But just because we can recognize that as a self-evidently bad idea doesn’t mean everyone knows why it’s dangerous.

Two-prong outlets have only two wires: a hot wire and a neutral wire. But a three-prong outlet also has a ground wire, which is a safe place for unexpected bursts of current to go when they occur. Without that connection between the ground wire and the plug, wild current can go anywhere: into your electrical device, where sensitive components can be destroyed, or worse, into your body. Shock and electrocution are more likely to occur when no ground wire is present.

Moving On Up

Three-prong outlets didn’t become standard in North American homes until the late 1960s, so while modern homes should be in good shape, there are plenty of homes out there with old two-prong outlets.

As a quick fix, you might be tempted to use adapters that convert two-prong outlets to fit three-prong plugs. You should resist the urge to use these so-called “cheater plugs”, however -- the ground wire is there for safety, and simply bypassing it creates a potentially serious hazard.

Instead, you should seriously consider upgrading the outlet if you need to regularly use three-prong plugs in that area. If you live in an older home where most of the outlets are two-prong, this is an upgrade you’ll need to do sooner or later.

When it comes to upgrading two-prong outlets, there are two basic options. The best choice is to have ground wires installed so that the outlets are fully up to the current standard. Unfortunately, this can involve several hours of electrical service and may require some cutting into walls, depending on how many outlets are being upgraded and how the home is configured. It may be a big undertaking, but it’s a quality investment in your home and safety.

A cheaper alternative is to upgrade to a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet, or GFCI. These outlets are capable of shutting themselves off if an electrical shock risk is present, but they won’t protect sensitive electronics from surge damage. The trade-off is that there’s no need to run a ground wire.

Out With the Old, In With the Old?

If you don’t like either of these options but you’re having trouble with a two-prong outlet, it’s technically not a violation of code to replace the outlet with another two-prong version. Just keep in mind that this arrangement leaves both people and electronics vulnerable, so use these outlets with care and consider making a plan to upgrade later.

Ready to upgrade those old outlets? Start the process today by scheduling a no-obligation consultation with your licensed, local electricians.

There’s no question that LED lights are the best option for fleet vehicles—or any vehicle for that matter. They consume 90 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last about 42 times longer. Because fleet vehicles are constantly in motion, long-lasting LED lights can be of extreme benefit to trucking companies. A longer life span means dramatically lower maintenance and replacement costs as well as a reduction in downtime.

We have LED lights for Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Volvo, International, Mack, and Western Star trucks as well as box trucks, tow trucks, dump trucks, and more. Options include LED tail lights, LED brake lights, LED marker lights, LED reverse lights, and LED clearance lights. These truck lights are available in a wide variety of styles, shapes, sizes, intensities, and connector types. Take a look through the categories below to see some of what’s available, and visit the links for complete product lists.

All of our LED truck lights meet DMV FMVSS 108 requirements and are protected by a lifetime warranty to guard against manufacturer defects and malfunctions. Mounting accessories are available under the accessories tab on each product page.

Options include multi-function combo boxes. Rear combination lights can be mounted vertically or horizontally on either side of box trucks, tow trucks, dump trucks, trailers, and flatbed trucks. The all-in-one lamps can be used as tail lights, brake lights, parking lights, turn signals, reverse lights, and running lights. Light heads can be rearranged for customized positioning.

Multi-function combo box lights have red and white LEDs and can be used as rear reflex reflectors, turn signal lights, hazard warning lights, reverse lights or backup lights, brake lights, and tail lights. Separate LEDs are positioned on the bottom of the box for license plate illumination.

We consider light pretty important over here at Pegasus. For hours, we could talk your ear off about LED innovations and fluorescent installations. Although choosing the right under cabinet light is important, and knowing how to place your recessed cans is essential, there is no light as vital to the human body as a little sunshine.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide Series. Last week we looked at great ideas for the custom bobble heads designed to look like the recipients are a fun gag gift that is guaranteed to be one-of-a-kind.

If your active grandparent hasn’t discovered the outrageously fun sport that I can only describe as a cross between tennis and ping pong, then gifting them with their own bluetooth tracking tag that hooks onto your keyring (or anything you find yourself losing often) solves the problem brilliantly. Use this little gadget to locate your phone with the push of a button. Or, locate your keys using an app on your smart phone. 

But what if your grandparent doesn’t have a smart phone or device? Get them one! My parents love to sit down with their tablet and look at photos of my children that we send them digitally. You can find tablets and e-readers for less than $100 these days.   

As we age, eyesight diminishes and adequate lighting becomes more important than ever. If your grandparent enjoys curling up with a good book, reading the morning newspaper, or knitting sweaters, a stylish night lights that match their decor or motion activated this one in the shape of a tree ring. There are a number of online resources that will help you uncover your ancestry. Once you’re finished, a battery operated Blurb.com or head down to your local drugstore to have your book made.

Do you have an epic entertainer in your family or circle of friends? Come back next week to get great ideas on holiday gifts for your favorite host or hostess.

*Prices and availability are subject to change.