One of the least understood terms in LED Lighting is efficacy, or in simpler terms, how efficient is the light. It is typically measure in lumens/watt. Today, efficacy is becoming more and more important because efficacy varies greatly from product to product. What the consumer needs to be wary of is that you should not be mislead into thinking that just because you are switching from HID or fluorescent to LED that you are getting the best savings available. You also need to look at how efficient the LED product is to maximize the savings.

Here is an example of how this works. Let’s look at a two USA Made competitors LED Retrofit Kit compared to our 4th generation LED kit. All three units are designed to replace 400W HID

From this table, you can see that all products produce over 13,000 lumens, with the MyLEDLightingGuide product producing the most at 14,528 total lumens. It also consumes the least amount of energy of the three units at 105 watts, compared to 130 and 135 watts. For the record, all three products come with a 10 year warranty on the head and a 5 year warranty on the driver. MyLEDLightingGuide also offers a 10 year warranty on the driver as an optional upgrade.

But what does this all mean in terms of saving you $’s. Let’s take a typical scenario. Let’s say these retrofits are installed in MyLEDLightingGuide 105W retrofit kit. Multiply this number over 10 years and by the number of fixtures you have to replace, and this is real dollars. And let’s not forget the MyLEDLightingGuide retrofit kit is also much brighter than the competitors products.

So efficacy is important. It saves you money. But a well designed kit will also produce more light. Just think, without efficacy we wouldn’t have as great of savings, nor would we have more light production from the same amount of power.

Efficacy is huge in the world of lighting, and it is only going to get better year by year. Technology improves, lights improve, and thus; efficacy improves. In 10 years, lights that will be made are probably going to be 5x improved then they are today. And since they are already super efficient today, just imagine that times 5. Now that is efficacy!

Home fires devastate hundreds of thousands of families each year. In 2015 alone, there were 1,345,000 fires reported in the United States, resulting in over 3,000 deaths and 15,000 injuries. Among the most common causes of fires are kitchen stoves, faulty wiring, lighting, clothes dryers, and candles. Monday marked the beginning of National Fire Prevention Week, and because we’re committed to ensuring the safety and peace of mind of home homeowners, we’re going to spend this week helping you safeguard your home against a possible fire.

It’s essential to note that you can’t prevent 100 percent of fires; however, there are certain measures you can take to significantly reduce the possibility of one. The most important thing you can do as a homeowner is always be proactive and vigilant. We’ve put together what we believe to be the most important tips you can follow for fire prevention.

Electrical motors are wonderful devices that are used in a myriad of ways, making things easier in our daily lives as well as a wide range of industrial applications. When these gadgets fail, work often grinds to a halt till they’re back up and running, and the reasons for electrical motor failure can range from the commonplace to the bizarre.

While the list of possible causes can go on forever, we’ll take a look at some of the most common ones here:

Exposure to high heat is a top culprit for all kinds of equipment failure, and ranks as the number one reason for motor malfunctions and deterioration. Optimal running temperatures extend motor life, which is why they should be your first priority.

In fact, most of the other possible reasons for electrical motor malfunctions also lead to the generation of extra heat. A rise of even a few degrees can cause trouble over time, and if motor windings are exposed to an extra 10° C of heat, the life of their insulation drops by half!