1. LED Channel Rays

light boxes. They come in multiple colors and can be used indoors or outdoors. Of course the rated life is generally very high and energy consumption very low. A great new product you should definitely know about!

2. Solar Reading Lights

You’ve heard of LED tape, and you’ve heard of LED rope, but have you heard of their well-balanced offspring, the LED tape/rope hybrid? This product is really neat because it combines the versatility of LED rope with the flat shape of LED tape to create a product that can do all kinds of things in all kinds of conditions. You can use LED tape rope in the kitchen for energy-efficient under or over cabinet lighting; you can wrap your deck with it; you can slide into coves or under kick boards for indirect lighting, or you can use it in the yard for eye-catching landscape lighting. Efficient and inexpensive, this is a product you should know about.

4. Battery Operated LED Spotlight

LED fixtures, such as

With energy consumption that is less than half of what 150-watt LED parking lot light that is a direct replacement for 400-watt metal-halide (MH) fixtures. That’s 250 watts less for the same amount of light!

The average price of electricity per kilowatt-hour (kWh) is 12 cents. To figure out the monthly cost of running 25 LED parking lot lights for 11 hours per day, use this formula: (combined wattage x monthly hours of use)/1,000 x price per kWh. For 25 LED lights, (3,750 x 330)/1,000 x .12) the total would be $148.50 per month or $1,782 per year.

When the same formula is used for 400-watt MH fixtures, the monthly cost is $396, and yearly cost would be $4,752. So, in this situation, switching to LED fixtures would save approximately $3,000 per year. When coupled with the savings on maintenance, LED fixtures can save $6,470 per year. At that rate, the cost of 25 $340 LED fixtures would be recouped within two years.

Left: LED wall packs; Right: HID wall packs

Unlike LED fixtures that light up instantly, HID parking lot lights require a warmup period of up to 10 minutes before they reach full brightness. They also can’t be turned immediately back on after being switched off; this is called restrike time, and it can take up to 15 minutes before they can be turned on again. Attempting to power on the lights before the bulbs have cooled can damage a fixture’s components and cause the HID bulb to fail sooner.

HID lamps consist of a ballast and a quartz tube that contains gas, metal salts, and two tungsten electrodes. In order to create light, an electric arc passes from one electrode to the other through a gas (most commonly mercury, metal halide, or sodium). The mercury used in this process is dangerous if enough is inhaled or released into the environment. If an HID bulb bursts, all contents should be put into a sealed container or sealed bag and taken to a recycling center or hazardous waste facility. If HID fixtures are used indoors, wall packs and canopy lights, are used indoors, the possibility of ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure should be taken into consideration. HID bulbs emit a substantial amount of UV radiation, but an outer glass envelope prevents the radiation from escaping. However—according to the FDA—”If the outer bulb breaks and the inner tube continues to operate unshielded, intense UV radiation is emitted. UV exposure at this level can cause eye and skin burns, as well as blurred or double vision, headaches, and nausea.” The UV light from an HID bulb with a broken envelope can also lead to discoloration of items and fabric. LEDs emit little to no UV radiation.

In short, LED lights are a better alternative to HID parking lot lights. They offer a great deal in the way of savings, longevity, maintenance reduction, brightness, color, and safety. While it may take a short amount of time to recoup the price of switching to LEDs, all of their qualities make it easy to see why so many businesses have started the process.

For technical questions, don’t hesitate to call us toll free at 866-590-3533. Our customer service and technical support teams are available from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT Monday-Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT on Friday.

How much electricity is your household using? Chances are, you skim over your electric bill each month and if the price doesn’t seem out of the ordinary, you move on. This is what most of us do. It’s become the norm. But have you ever thought about what electrical usage and energy bills are like in other states and countries?

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that the national average is 909 kilowatt hours (kWh)/month, with monthly electric costs of $110.20. The EIA also breaks down the average electric usage by state. You can download the full spreadsheet with all state data here.

Keep in mind that the number of kilowatt hours (kWh) doesn’t necessarily dictate the costs, so the state paying the most may not be the state actually using the most electricity. Electric costs vary state-by-state. The average monthly price tag that emerges from your electrical usage depends on how hot/cold and urban/rural your home state is, as well as what the area costs are. For instance, even though Louisiana has the highest monthly consumption (1,273 kWh), Hawaii, (the state that uses the second-least amount of electricity) pays the most at $203 per month. Furthermore, Maine, the state that uses the least amount of electricity each month (531 kWh), still pays more on average for electric than New Mexico ($75 per month). However, Maine does pay a similar average price ($77.77), so their low energy conservation plays to their benefit.

Wondering where our home state of Texas fits in? Well, we are the 5th highest electric consumers in the country, using 1,174 kWh/month and paying around $133.33 on our monthly electric bills. Nationally, that puts Texas just above average in our electric use.

In terms of our country’s impact globally, overall the United States has the second highest household energy consumption in the world, with homes using over 11,698 kWh per year. This is two to three times more than European households and about twenty times more than Nigerian homes. Moreover, each American individually uses about 4,500 kWh each year, which is about five times the average for all people who have electricity in their homes around the world. But of course, these disparities are affected by differences in physical house size, local electricity prices, appliances, the amount of sunshine, and access to alternative fuels for heating and cooking.

This month, it could be an interesting experiment to compare your energy bill to the averages to see how you stack up! If you’re paying way above the average for your state/country, it might be a good idea to see how you can save more energy throughout the year. Luckily, our site is filled with blogs with tips and tricks for spending less on electric!

Sources:

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Shrink That Footprint

Many Pittsburgh natives fondly recall the weather beacon atop the Gulf Tower with its flashing neon lights that indicated the weather forecast. The security guard in the building’s lobby would read the weather report in the local paper and switch the lights to red or blue, solid or blinking.

However, this six story pyramid’s neon display used as much energy as 24 homes, and during the energy crisis in the ‘70s, Gulf Oil decided to turn off the lights. When the crisis was over, the lights no longer worked.

Fast-forward a few decades: the building’s owners, inspired by the Empire State Building’s LED displays, decided to reignite the much adored landmark. With new LED technology, the award-winning lighting duo Chris Popowich and Cindy Limauro have enhanced the tower’s former glory with 730 foot-long strips of LEDs that can dazzle in a rainbow of colors.

The newly named KDKA-TV Weather Beacon usually provides a detailed weather display of Pittsburgh’s current conditions including temperature, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed: