You may not have thought about the Advantages To Wind Energy lately, but every month when you get your electric bill in the mail, you may find yourself asking, “Isn’t there a better way?”, or “How can I have Plano Electrician, ElectricMan Inc. is now offering something that will definitely spark your interest!

The Advantages To Wind Energy can now be felt by homeowners and business owners through more efficient, highly cost effective, and easily installed wind power generators.  Standing only five feet tall, with the capability of harnessing even a slight breeze coming from any direction, these new wind generators are a drastic improvement on the standard “Propeller Style” wind power generators that most people are familiar with.  Now you don’t need an open field or even a very windy area in order to start declaring your independence from the high costs that electric companies place on the electricity that they provide to you.

Partnered with a system like the Indoor Generator, which allows you to program the system to use stored electricity when it is most efficient for you, you can do two major things.  First, at times when you are creating more energy than you need, that energy can be funneled into a battery system and stored for your higher usage time, avoiding those peak usage premiums that power companies have put in place to raise profits and revenue. Secondly, once your stored supply of electricity is at full capacity, you can actually sell your surplus electricity back to the power company, offering you the possibility of income without any labor on your part!

Everyone is looking for a way to save money these days, so here is one more incredible Advantage To Wind Energy.  If you install a renewable energy system for your home or business before the end of 2016, your entire system is eligible for a 30% federal tax credit!

To see this amazing product in action, visit www.electricmaninc.com!

Large factories, refineries, and oil facilities are all industries that require special considerations for their electrical wiring. Heavy-duty applications and hazardous environments must use products built to resist corrosion. Chemicals, rain, snow, wind and other threats damage industrial wiring. As a result, good maintenance and repairs are imperative.

With a properly installed tray system, the next step includes teck cable. This armored cable with an exterior jacket, comes in nearly any combination of conductor sizes, voltages, and cores. Fiber optic, CAT6, and shielded twisted pair cables are available. These are usually color-coded based on their type. Teck cables can be pulled through cable tray, conduits, or buried underground. For buried cable, ensure that it is placed at the appropriate depth, protected by layers of sand, spaced properly, and that buried cable warning tape is conspicuous.

Some clients request protection for buried cables; therefore bricks, concrete slabs, or planks of wood are utilized. Where cables emerge from the ground, they should be protected by a PVC conduit sleeve. Teck cables must be secured to the rungs of the tray using approved Ty-wraps or cable clamps. This not only keeps cables neatly arranged, but reduces the chances of damage.

Once a teck cable has been fed to its destination, it is connected by use of a teck connector. These connectors serve two purposes. The threaded end puts tension on the cable by means of a rubber gasket, which holds the cable securely in place. In addition, a small metal star-ring inside the connector makes contact with the metal armor of the cable, bonding it to the connector. This is why, when preparing a cable for the connector, that 3-4 rings of cable armor are left exposed.

In locations with potentially hazardous or explosive gasses, explosion proof connectors must be used. They have a small internal chamber meant to hold an epoxy sealing compound. This seal contains an explosion in the event of a failure. In addition, it prevents gasses from traveling through the small gaps between wires to potentially non-hazardous locations where arcs and sparks cause harm.

Good working knowledge of industrial wiring applications is essential to ensure safe and reliable installation. Finally, with the use of heavy-duty materials, a facility can expect many years of problem-free service.

We are all quite aware that ever since B. Franklin decided to go outside with his kite in the midst of a thunderstorm, this thing called electricity pretty much rules our life. To understand this, you must recall what it felt like that one time your power went out for the entire day. This meant nothing worked, no computer, no refrigerator, no television and not to mention no Wi-Fi!

We know that electricity plays an important role in people’s lives from the moment they wake up to the time they go to sleep. Since electricity is always available, people usually don’t think twice about how important it is in terms of complementing their lives. Electricity makes our lives comfortable. People are so accustomed to using electricity in a range of activities. When at home, electricity is used for lighting, air conditioning, , cooking food, using computers, watching TV, and operating other appliances and devices. With the help of electricity, people function better at night because electricity has enabled them to see even through the dark. Gee, thanks Benjamin Franklin!

However, there might come times when you should find yourself encountering problems with the wiring or any other electrical work. Often, homeowners decide to feed their ego when they think these are problems they can easily fix on their own, which is highly untrue. Whenever someone who lacks knowledge, experience and training to deal with electrical issues deals with electrical issues, it has catastrophic results.

Before you decide to put your hand inside the fuse box, you must know how power works, how it moves and what could happen should you be electrocuted. I am guessing these are things you didn’t think about as you didn’t even consider the possibility of something going wrong. Don’t fret, as you can easily call in a certified electrician.

Underrated as they may be, they are the reason the wiring in your house doesn’t go bonkers and burns your house. Certified electricians not only know their work inside out but they also adhere to the best practices and follow the guidelines and rules laid down by the state. You can rest assured they will deliver a level of service that ensures peace of mind for you.

Remember José from two blocks down? He hired an electrician who wasn’t certified and he had to get whole new electrical wiring done for his house at a great cost. Do you want to be that guy?

To conclude, there are numerous benefits of hiring a certified electrician for any electrical work you have around the house. Even the government trusts their capability, so why shouldn’t you! So, before you call the first electrician you find in the directory, ask whether or not they are licensed.

Now when most people would be shy asking, and most electricians offended when asked for a licence, you should know it is within your rights to ask for it. Should something go wrong, you are liable legally while certified and licensed electricians take full responsibility for their work and the leading ones guarantee the quality of their work. Now, think about that the next time you feel shy or reserved asking for a licence when hiring an electrician for electrical work. It will go a long way, my friend.

Perhaps you've always wondered what's in the mysterious metal box on the basement wall. It's a circuit breaker box, and without it your whole home electric system would be unsafe, leaving you in danger.

Circuit box repairs or upgrades require an expert, but you don't need to be a master electrician to understand the basics of how it functions. The most common problem is a tripped circuit, and you can usually reset it yourself.

What's in the Box?

The circuit box is frequently found in the basement, although it could also be in a garage, closet, utility room or even outside. All the electricity coming into your house flows through the box.

If you open the metal door, you see a bank of switches. Each one corresponds roughly to a room in the house, while certain outlets for major appliances like the washer or furnace probably have their own switch. They should be labeled.

There also may be a main disconnect breaker, usually at the top of the box, which allows you to cut off power to the entire house. In many newer homes the main disconnect may be outside near the electric meter. Some homes do not even have one. This is useful if you are doing electrical work in your house, or in the circuit box itself. The switch should be labeled “main” or something similar.

How It Works

Why do you need a circuit box? When an electrical device malfunctions, such as the motor in your freezer overheating, wires can get crossed, creating a huge spike in electric charge. That puts you at risk of overloading your electrical system, and unchecked overloads can cause lead excess heat stress on wires, or worse.

Fortunately, your circuit breakers are on the job. There is an electromagnet or bimetallic strip inside each breaker. If the current moving through the circuit gets too high the device flips a switch, disconnecting the circuit. No more electricity can flow to the part of your home where the problem is, so the danger is averted.

So if the power goes off in one part of your house but still works in the rest, a tripped circuit breaker is the most likely culprit. The switches in your electrical panel should be labeled; if not you can still tell which one got tripped, because it will be flipped part way toward the off position. Some switches also show red when they've been tripped.

How Do I Fix It?

All you have to do to restore power is flip the switch all the way to the off position, then back to on. If flipping the circuit back on doesn't solve the problem, it might be something more serious. In that case, it's time to call a licensed electrician.

Some newer circuit breakers have advanced features, such as the ability to detect when a person makes contact with a live wire and automatically cut off the current, potentially preventing injury or death by electrocution.

If you live in an older home you may still have a fuse box. It operates on the same principle as a circuit box, with one major difference -- the wire inside the fuse actually burns up if too much current passes through it, so if the fuse blows, you need to replace it. Most fuse-style panel are maxed out, so if you have one it would be a good idea to consult your electrician and see if it’s time to consider a replacement.

Need Some Professional Guidance?

Your local Mister Sparky® electricians are always here to help. If you're having problems with your circuit breakers or fuse box, give us a call.

When you’ve got a camera, and you’ve got action, but you’re missing the lights, you’re at an extreme disadvantage as a videographer. Or a photographer, for that matter. Don’t worry. I’ve been there. In fact, until yesterday, I was just like you. Not anymore. Now I have lights! Check out this video to see how I made a DIY lighting kit on a budget.

As you can see, it doesn’t take much to improve the lighting so you can shoot great-looking video. If, like me, you’re on a mission to make professional videos in an apartment or at home, this simple project will give your media game a boost. Yep, with a DIY video lighting set up, you can take your photography or videography to the next level, even if you’re just seeking the best lighting for iphone photography.

Hey professional videographers out there! What else should I add to my DIY photo lighting set up?