A home battery can solve a lot of problems. With enough storage, you can buy electricity when it's cheapest, then dole it out when you need it. Plus, you'll be protected in case of a blackout. Until very recently, the technology for a practical home battery system wasn’t powerful enough to keep the average home humming. However, several companies are now producing or developing home batteries that can change the way we power our residential electrical work.

High Generating Costs at the Margins

Many areas of the country are shifting toward variable time-of-day pricing models for utilities, in which electricity typically costs more during the day and less at night. Utilities want to incentivize daytime conservation because they need to meet the demand at any given time or risk brownouts. Since demand is much higher during the day, utility companies needs to bring on extra generating equipment, which is expensive. The more they can smooth out demand so they can produce similar amounts of electricity around the clock, the lower the overall costs will be.

That's where batteries come in. There's no way around consuming more power during the day – that's when Americans typically use their electrical work to power air conditioning, televisions, computers and other appliances. However, with enough home storage capacity, you can purchase electricity at night and store it in your home battery until you need it. That way, you pay less, the utility can ameliorate its variable demand problem, and everybody wins.

Competition Hits the Market

Tesla Motors was one of the first companies in the home battery field with its Powerwall, but now other competitors are swiftly preparing to hit the market. Currently, LG Chem and Samsung SDI are working on their own battery models, with LG Chem's product projected to be available in North America before the end of the year.

Globally, the home battery market could grow nearly tenfold, from $388 million today to $3.2 billion by 2020, according to Business Korea. The home battery field is poised to grow hand-in-hand with that of batteries for electric cars, since the technologies have a lot of overlap – in fact, some experts project that electric cars themselves will soon serve a second function as an energy storage unit for your home. They won't be as practical as stand-alone batteries for many families, since the cars are liable to be away from home during the day when the electricity is needed, but they can add capacity in an emergency.

A Helping Hand for Your Storage Capacity

We're just at the start of what promises to be a revolution in home energy storage options. For more information about what home batteries are available in your area, or if you need any other residential electrical work, contact an expert electrician today.

This is the second year the United States is focusing its efforts to really bring energy conservation to the forefront of conversation. We have all heard about fossil fuels being depleted and the demand each house puts on the power grid. We are constantly told we have to be more frugal with electricity. It is for the benefit of the world as well as our bank accounts. Saving energy will ultimately save money on the electric bill and make each one of our carbon footprints just a little bit smaller. Your Burbank electrician and the team at The Electric Connection wants you to know about Energy Action Month, which is this October.

Right now, the government in the United States is taking action to reduce their own energy consumption. It starts at the top and by their good influence, hopefully citizens will follow suit. An electrician in Burbank has some ways that will help you take action this October and develop new habits that will ultimately lead to less energy usage, lower electric bills and a smaller demand on today’s power sources.

Things to do right now include;

*Turn up the AC a couple degrees or turn up the heater a couple of degrees *Switch out those old bulbs with LEDs (this may require a different light fixture)

Things to Schedule

*Get a ceiling fan installed by an electrician, Burbank homeowners can really save money on their heating and cooling costs with this one device

*Schedule an energy audit to get an idea where you use the most electricity and how you can cut back

These are 4 easy, actionable steps that will help you save money and do something great for the environment. Give The Electric Connection a call if you need a new light fixture or ceiling fan installed.

The certified experts at Kolb Electric are fresh from the new year and ready to impart some more great advice! Looking to set a resolution that is easy to keep, and puts cash directly back into your wallet? As electric specialists, we naturally know lots of ways to use energy, but we also know some cool ways to not use electricity too!

We’re not going to suggest anything as radical as a solar energy overhaul, and most of these resolutions are simple behavior changes or little fixes. So follow along, and you just may find yourself with a lower electric bill this month!

We don’t claim to have all of the answers, but you can be sure we do our best to know everything there is to know about electricity! If you’re interested in learning how the professionals at Kolb can assist you in reducing energy costs, contact us today!

At Kolb, our master electricians have been providing the very best in service, skill and technology for years. It is our endless goal to bring our consumers the highest quality solutions to meet their every energy need. For electrical services you can trust, call on Kolb!

Make sure that the voltage of your LED light is compatible with the truck’s operating voltage. For example, you wouldn’t want to use a 6-volt light with a 12-volt system. That bulb will burn out very quickly. Or say you use a 24-volt light on a 12-volt truck—if you get any light output at all, it wouldn’t be near what is possible from that light.

When you’re installing new LED truck lighting, lubricate sockets, terminals, or any associated electrical connections with dialectic grease to seal out moisture and prevent corrosion. Because the grease can dry up, you should check connections periodically. It’s important to keep connections lubricated to maintain the functionality of your light. However, too much grease can interfere with the terminal/socket connection and prevent a light from functioning.

Be sure to know and understand the rules set in place in the light’s warranty. Doing unauthorized repairs or disassembling the light will most likely void its warranty. A driver should also know the correct person to contact about their LED truck lighting in case of light malfunctioning. The point of contact could be the fleet’s parts department, the purchaser, or the company from which the light was purchased.

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.

When you need an electrician it can be difficult to scan through the listings online and pick just the right one. You just never know what you are getting. It’s not like there is an app for that. You need to have an idea of the qualifications you should look for before you hire somebody to come into your home and do work. Before you hire an electrician in Pasadena, follow these guidelines. You can always count on the team at The Electric Connection to meet each of these qualifications.

A licensed electrician is an absolute must. The company the electrician works for should also be licensed. A person who has gone through the licensing process gives means they have met certain knowledge requirements.

The company you hire should be bonded and insured. This protects you in case of an accident that damages your home or an accident the electrician suffers while on your property.

Reputation is very important when it comes to hiring an electrician. Pasadena homeowners will want to talk with others who have used the company’s services to find out if they were pleased with the work that was done. Electricians work hard to build up a solid reputation because they know how important it is to getting more work.

You will want a company that hires electricians who are reliable and will show up when they are scheduled. You have a busy life and need to be able to count on an electrician to be there on time and to complete the work in a reasonable amount of time.

A company that is trustworthy is also essential. Often times the work will be performed when you are not there. You need to know the electrician will finish the job without you looking over his or her shoulder.

If you are ready to hire an electrician, you can count on The Electric Connection to meet and exceed all these expectations.