LED Tubes and LED Panels become the best solution for the office workplace environment. They are cost effective lighting solutions, provide good lighting quality, last longer and contain or emit no harmful compounds while leaving an ecological footprint in each building. This article is going to explain the difference between tube fixtures and panel fixtures. They are both different, but often times get mixed up when talked about. Let’s clarify any confusions you may have about the two fixtures…

LED Panels are installed in dropped paneled ceilings. perfect replacement for expensive shatterproof fluorescent lamps. MyLEDLightingGuide LED tubes do not contain glass and will not shatter if dropped. Fluorescent tubes contain mercury, some projects decide for LED versions because they want to remove mercury out of the building.

All LED tubes use drivers that power the LEDs. The ballast is converting the AC power from the utility company into LED’s DC power. Some manufacturers incorporate the drivers in the LED tubes. Some decide to use an external driver outside of the tube. There are some subtle differences between the two designs. Retrofitting to LED tubes with internal drivers involves removing the ballast and rewiring the line source. Retrofitting external driver tubes involves removing the ballast, the line source gets wired to the external LED driver that is connected to the tubes. More and more people ask for LED tubes that can be just installed as a plug and play version into existing fixtures without removing or rewiring the existing ballast. While the installation of these tubes is simple, they are compatible with most ballast, but not all ballasts. Contact the lighting experts at MyLEDLightingGuide.com to ensure the tubes will run properly.

Changing the light at work and in offices is easily done by LED tubes. They are readily set up and use considerably less power. LED tube light sources offer smooth, stable and clear lighting conditions.

One of the most devastating things that can happen to your business is an extended loss of power. Without power, you lose valuable business hours and revenue. Business interruptions of this nature are not necessary though, even if it’s the result of a strong snowstorm.

Being well-equipped with a quality commercial generator is essential to keeping your business running effectively and efficiently during a severe power outage. Understandably, you may have questions before purchasing such a system. We’ve tackled a couple of our most frequently asked below.

Every commercial property is different, and therefore your needs will be different as well. Your generator will be sized on the electrical load that it will be tasked with carrying. The actual square footage of your building does not play a factor in this, as it would for an HVAC system or commercial water heater.

Your new generator must meet your specific requirements so that it’s able to do its job without accumulating undue stress on the unit or damage to the devices connected to it. Accurate sizing involves a number of factors and considerations, which our service professionals are happy to assist you with.

If your commercial generator is well-maintained and used properly, then it will run as long as fuel is being supplied to it. How often it needs to be refueled will depend on what type of tank you have. Some commercial generators are supplied with a 24-hour fuel tank, although 48-72 hour fuel tanks are also available.

Additionally, unless your business or commercial space deals with food that could spoil, it’s recommended that you turn your generator off during non-business hours so that the engine can cool. This is particularly helpful during long power outages as it helps your system avoid unnecessary wear and tear.

Emergency power systems are vital for any business or IT operation to keep mission critical systems operational and avoid equipment damage during a power failure. Don Jennings, President of Network Computing Technologies discusses the value of emergency power systems in preventing the loss of electricity to data sources and other IT operations such as servers, point of sale systems, PC’s, routers, switches, telecommunications, and other equipment. The Indoor Generator offers IT professionals an affordable solution that provides hours of backup power at a fraction of the cost of current UPS products on the market. For more information on the Indoor Generator, visit the ElectricMan Inc. website at www.electricmaninc.com.

In some of our previous posts, you’ve likely seen our experts mention the presence of “ungrounded” outlets in homes and buildings. But what exactly makes an ungrounded outlet such a negative? Are they dangerous? Our certified electricians come to you today with answers to the real important questions regarding ungrounded outlets!

If you have ungrounded outlets and need an outlet upgrade, contact us today!

Ungrounded outlets are easily identified by simply taking a look at the face of the outlet (where you plug things in). On nearly all modern homes, there should be three holes. Two are the vertical slits, and one roundish one located underneath the pair of vertical ones. That’s a grounded outlet, which have been required by electrical safety standards for all structures since the mid-1960s.

Ungrounded outlets lack the third hole, the roundish one on the lower portion where the, somewhat obviously, ground plug goes.

To understand the why, you kind of have to understand what a grounded outlet does. The two vertical slots represent both a “hot” wire, and a “neutral” wire. The ground wire in a grounded outlet ties into the neutral vertical slot. Why the redundancy? Well, it acts like a failsafe. Should anything go awry with your outlet, such as a short, the renegade electricity simply travels safely along the ground wire back to the panel. Without the ground wire, that electricity can channel into materials, such as fabrics located close to the outlet, or a very unlucky person.

Is it dangerous in that it might jump out and bite you? No. Is it dangerous in that it dramatically increases personal and property risk? Yes, absolutely. Ungrounded outlets increase the chance of:

We’ve encountered a few arguments over the years about the safety of ungrounded outlets. Like how they were used just fine in the past, or how the home that has them hasn’t “burned down yet”, etc. Well, that’s just the thing. Yet.

We haven’t been hit by a car, but that doesn’t mean we should go walking down the center of a busy highway at midnight. Grounded outlets became a standard in electrical code for a reason. They prevent possible problems that homes consistently encountered in the past. It’s all about preparedness and prevention!

So to conclude, are ungrounded outlets dangerous? Yes, they represent a very real potential risk. Worried that you may have ungrounded outlets in your home or business? Contact the certified master electricians at Kolb Electric today! We’ve been bringing our consumers the very best in electrical advice and service for years, and your complete satisfaction and safety are always our top priority!

Over the past few years tropical storms and major weather have become much more common, and have put many Tampa area homeowners on guard. Which is very good—caution and preparation are the keys to a safe home, and at Hoffman Electrical we like to do all we can to help our clients be ready for anything.