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!

It is estimated that thousands of electric shock accidents take place each year, of which some are fatal ones. Aside from this, there are incidents of electrical fires caused by poorly-installed or ill-maintained wiring. It’s important to understand that most of these fires and accidents are avoidable. There are some simple things you can do to prevent an electrical fire from erupting on your property, including:

Never try to force plugs into the outlets and don’t remove the third prong which is the grounding pin, to fit it a plug into an outlet with 2 prongs. Do not plug in too many appliances into a multi-plug outlet.

Check whether there are any loose-fitting plugs as these can be a fire/shock hazard. If you notice that any of the wall plates are broken/missing, replace them without delay. So that the components and wiring aren’t exposed. If you have very young kids in your home, make sure that you cover all used outlets.

Check the cords for fraying or cracks. Pay special attention to ones that are placed in any high traffic areas or under rugs and carpets.

Make sure that the wattage of the bulbs is compatible with the fixture requirements. If you find any bulbs with a higher-than-recommended wattage rating, replace them immediately. It’s also important to ensure they don’t overheat and that they are screwed-in securely.

These should never be used on a permanent basis. Use ones that have safety enclosures to protect kids from burn injuries and shock.

There should be GFCIs installed in the kitchen, bathrooms, garage, basement and various other indoor and outdoor outlets in your home. Test these on a monthly basis to ensure they are working as required.

Only older properties have fuse boxes and these don’t have the capacity to withstand the heavy electrical loads required by modern-day equipment and appliances. It’s far better to get these older systems evaluated by a skilled electrician and replace them with modern circuit breakers.

Faulty or old wiring is one of the commonest causes of residential electrical fires in Australia. Get these checked periodically for loose connections, loose wall fixtures or wall receptacles. If you hear any hissing, sizzling or popping sounds behind walls or from sockets, call in your local electrician without delay to get these installations inspected and replaced. If you find that any switches or electrical fixtures are hot to the touch, get those checked as well. Flickering light bulbs are another indication of problems in the electrical wiring as well and it’s best to get a thorough check conducted.

If you find that a specific circuit breaker trips repeatedly, or you experience shock when you touch it, you should unplug it immediately and get it replaced or repaired. Check for damage or cracks in the connectors and wiring and install surge protectors to protect all your expensive electronics.

When you upgrade your home, make additions or add extensions like extra rooms or an extra storey etc., or even add a large number of new equipment or electrical appliances to your home, that can overburden the existing electrical installations. At this point you would have to increase the service capacity of your home’s electrical system.

We are a company that has been operating in this space for a number of years and have the skill, knowledge as well as the resources to install, maintain and upgrade all types of electrical installations on your residential or commercial premises. For more information, contact the Allround Electrical team at this number – 1300 169 263. Alternatively, you can write to us at our email address.

Thanks for reading,1300 169 263