We all know or at least heard that converting from Metal Halide (High Intensity Discharge) to LED will save you money.

But how much? Are there any other reasons or difference you should know about?

In this article, we break down all the factors that you should be aware of before making a decision to convert from Metal Halide to LED. Here are the 9 reasons we think LED wins over Metal Halide.

Let’s take a look at the information on a typical 400 watt metal halide bulb. While specifications may vary, a visit to a popular online website that sells Metal Halide bulbs shows that a brand new bulb has the following specifications:

We have just as many customers wanting to convert to LED because of maintenance savings as they do for energy savings. Think about what we discussed, over the life of the LED retrofit kit, a customer would have to do 5-6 Metal Halide replacements. The higher the installation height, the higher the cost of replacement. And if you have a facility loaded with lights, this becomes a significant budget amount every year that you must take into consideration. Now, we know that reduced maintenance time on lights does not translate into dollars saved because it is highly unlikely that people will lose their jobs over the fact there is much less work to do. However, these people will have time to now work on things that matter, like fixing the machines that make the company money instead on replacing lights that cost the company money.

When you take a measurement of light with a light meter, it reads lumens. And this measurement of all the lights that contribute to the light at that location creates a measurement called foot candles. But let’s think about that light that is being measured. Metal Halide creates all sorts of light, in all spectrum’s, visible or otherwise. This includes UV and IR spectrum’s, visible to the measuring device but not visible to the human eye. LED, on the other hand, does not produce UV and IR. Therefore, its readings using the same light meter is only picking up visible spectrum’s.

So there is a fun little test you can do. Have 2 light sources, LED and Metal Halide. And first ask, which one is brighter? And if the right LED source was selected, they should say LED. And then use a light meter, and the light meter may say the Metal Halide area is producing more foot candles. And so now you know part of the reason, but wait, there’s 2 other pieces of information you need to know.

Click here to see our infographic on Retrofitting vs Replacing.

Conclusion

In one of our recent blog articles, we discussed Indoor Electrical Safety and the areas of your home you should be aware of in order to prevent a fire or potential injury.

In this article, we will be going over Outdoor Electrical Safety – safety measures that are just as important if not more important than indoor electrical safety measures. Being outdoors, your devices, tools, or cords are exposed to temperature change, weathering and tampering that could reduce the safety and security of your home.

Review and follow these basic safety rules when using electricity outdoors. If your outdoor activities do not abide by the safety guidelines discussed, consult an electrician and immediately resolve the issue.

Safety Rules:

For more indoor or outdoor safety rules and guidelines, contact Expert Electric. 604-681-8338.

Whether you are wiring for a new home, remodeling, or simply trying to consolidate the wires of your high-end electronics, it can be a daunting and frustrating task. It is important to prepare for the future during this process.

If you are building or remodeling your home, it is as important to consider future technologies, because you may still have a regular TV today, but tomorrow you’ll want the latest smart TV. There’s so much new technology on the horizon; simply look around to see which products might be future purchases, and then wire with that in mind. This is a great time to consider an integrated home network. This cuts down on the separate wires running through your walls to give you a centralized hub. The hub is then wired to each room where a modular outlet allows access to services. If you are not up for the task of wiring all of the rooms in your house, you can choose to simply set up an impressive family room for the time being.

While you can do these types of installations yourself with the help of the Internet and many hours of deciphering which cord goes where, it can be a difficult process that leaves you frustrated and your electronic devices not working. The trial and error aspect of this can end up costing you more time and money than you initially intended. If you are not among the electrically savvy, the best alternative is to hire a professional to do it. This can be costly upfront, but in the long run it will be a better and more efficient way to go. Hiring a qualified electrician like those at Hoffman Electrical can make a difficult job much easier, allowing you to use your electronics rather than twisting your wires.