Over time, things can go wrong with any electrical system. It’s part of the nature of wiring:  wires deteriorate and connections can break down.  But what if the problem that develops is because of something that happened when the electrical system was installed, something you didn’t have any control over?

There’s nothing so treacherous to the safety of your home as faulty wiring. Mistakes in the initial wiring of your home can lead to serious safety hazards and property damage.

So what can you do about faulty wiring?  A licensed Dallas electrician can help you find the problem areas in your wiring and repair them, but we generally don’t get called in until the faulty wiring causes a serious problem.  Nobody really has the time or money to deal with these problems, so it’s better to not have to suffer through them in the first place. The best way to do that is to be aware of the electrical warning signs that your wiring might be faulty.

In our new 5th Wheel RV, we received some ceiling mounted 12VDC florescent fixtures. They were equipped with 2 each 18”, 15W tubes and electronic ballasts. The fixtures are a “Low Voltage RV Luminaire” from “Direct Sourcing Alliance” identified as “Type RVL 18RNB-W”, “2 x 15W”, “Input Rating: 12V DC, 30W”. Their performance has been dismal with operation limited to, initially 30-45 minutes before shutting down due to overheating of the ballast. The “on” time got progressively shorter over the next few weeks. The overheating was certainly not due to ambient temperatures which have been in the low 70s or cooler. On disassembly for conversion to LED operation it was discovered the ballasts have discolored due to high heat (see closest end of ballast in Picture 2).

During review of options for LED conversion I was looking for a natural light color temperature with equivalent lumen output to the two 15W florescent tubes. I settled on the SuperBrightLEDs part number RLBN-NW30*3SMD which is a 19.5 inch rigid strip with 30 each 3SMD modules. The advertised light output was 603 lumin at a color temperature of 5600K. The two 18”, 15W tubes were stated to produce 825 lumins each so I was a little concerned about light loss especially since I was going to have to cut 6 LED modules off each of the two strips to fit inside the existing fixture. I bought a 3rd strip but in the end did not use it as the light was ample.

I first started by removing the “guts” of the florescent leaving some length of the switched power wires for future use. See pictures 1, 2, and 3.

After cleaning the interior of the fixture with alcohol for acrylic tape adhesion I fitted the rigid LED strips and cut 6 LED modules from the length, then mounted the strips using 3M double sided acrylic tape. Finally, completed power connections to existing fixture switch circuit. See pictures 4 through 10.

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Imagine never having to go to the gas station again. While that may not happen just yet, you can certainly minimize the number of trips to the gas station to put fuel in your car if you have an electric car. However, some people who do have electric cars are finding they are looking for a station of another kind. An electric vehicle charging station. These stations are growing in popularity and are popping up all over, but it can still be a bit problematic for those that are on the go a lot. You need your own EV charging station install. Los Angeles homeowners who have an electric car and would prefer to charge it when they are at home and on their own time can give The Electric Connection a call.

The installation of an EV charging station can make your life a little easier. When you are at home, your car is charging. A charging station isn’t the same as the standard plug in option that comes with all electric cars. The stations charge the car at a much faster rate, which makes them so desirable in a world where we are constantly on the go. You don’t have to worry about leaving your car plugged in for a full 24 hours to get that full charge when you have your own charging station set up at your house.

The fast charging systems will need some electrical wiring, which is always best left to the professionals. You don’t want to risk electrocution or accidentally frying your new charging system. You also run the risk of putting your home in jeopardy of a wire shorting out, which can cause an electrical fire. It is best to have a certified electrician install the necessary wiring and the dedicated circuit needed to run the charger. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your electric car charging station installation.

knuckle-mount LED flood light is designed for subdivision sign lighting, billboard lighting, building facade lighting, architectural wall washing, outdoor displays, and security lighting. This energy-efficient LED light consumes 70 watts of power and replaces 320-watt metal-halide (MH) fixtures.

Using eight groups of nine LEDs behind individual projector lenses, the flood light fixture emits 6,800 lumens of natural white illumination in a focused 80-degree beam pattern. This dark bronze LED light is constructed of a durable die cast aluminum housing and a shatter-resistant polycarbonate outer lens. An adjustable knuckle-mount bracket allows for aimable illumination, and the weatherproof fixture can be easily installed in outdoor junction boxes that have 1/2-inch threaded hubs.