Sometimes, life is funny and throws you a little curve ball now and again. One of the things we have come to rely on in life is electricity. When it doesn’t work as expected or it doesn’t work at all, it can be extremely frustrating. You want electricity when you want it and not after you have had to flip breakers, unplug things and wiggle wires. It is actually very dangerous to mess with switches, outlets and appliances that are not working as they should. It is best to leave it up to a professional electrician in Pasadena to handle any kind of electrical problems. The crew at The Electric Connection can get your home’s electrical fixed and working properly again.

It is important you recognize the signs of an electrical problem that can lead to something as dangerous as an electrical fire that threatens the safety of the home’s residents. Your Pasadena electrician wants you to watch out for the following;

*A popping or snapping sound coming from an outlet or light switch *The switchplate, outlet or wall around the area feels warm or hot to the touch

These are all signs you have a problem that needs some attention from an electrician. Pasadena homeowners should call at the first sign of any of these problems and avoid using the outlet or switch until it can be looked at. If you can shut off the breaker that feeds the problematic switches and outlets, it would be safer. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your electrical repair.

Cleaning a crystal chandelier isn’t as daunting as it may appear. These precious fixtures require a little more love and care than a desk lamp, but you can restore and maintain your crystal’s shine with common household products and a little know-how.

Everyday Care

If your chandelier is still sparkling clean, simply dust the fixture with a lambswool or feather duster every few weeks. Keep your strokes light, since leaded crystal is softer than glass—even dust can scratch it. Be sure to walk around the fixture as you dust, rather than spinning it towards you. Twisting the fixture can strain the wiring or loosen its support.

Spring Cleaning

Eventually, the fixture will need a more thorough cleaning, especially if it’s in a high-traffic area or kitchen. Mid-size chandeliers are still manageable at this stage, provided you have some clean, lint-free rags, isopropyl alcohol, and a little elbow grease.

Before touching the chandelier, follow rule number one: turn off the power to the room when dealing with a ceiling fixture. At least flip the light switch off and tape it so no one will accidentally turn the light on while you’re working. Set up an alternative light source to aid the cleaning. Once the chandelier bulbs have cooled, cover them with plastic snack bags and secure with a rubber band.

Fill a spray bottle with one part isopropyl alcohol and three parts distilled water. Spray on one section of the chandelier at a time, then wipe off with a white cotton glove or lint-free cloth, making sure you dry the frame as well as the crystal. This solution will clarify the crystal and help remove the haze, but is gentler than ammonia on crystal with a design or edge finish. Even so, gently wipe away after spraying and don’t allow the fixture to drip dry. This will help preserve the frame.

Try cleaning your chandelier every two to six months with the alcohol solution, depending on whether the fixture is in a high-traffic area or not.

Heavy Restoration

If your fixture hasn’t been cleaned in a long time (or just needs extra attention), you can go an extra step before calling a professional. This is where a digital camera comes in handy, as you’ll need to remove individual pendants for a more thorough washing. Take pictures of the connections for reference later, then carefully remove the pendants. You may need a pair of needle-nose pliers to help disengage the pendants from the fixture.

Fill a sink with warm water and some gentle dish soap. Carefully wash each crystal piece and rinse in warm water to avoid any drastic temperature shifts. Set the pendants on a clean cloth to dry. Then simply rehang the pendants and enjoy your sparkling fixture!

The pool at your Tampa home is an excellent place to enjoy recreation, to relax, or even to host events and parties. But are you getting the most out of your pool design? The use of light can add not only dynamic appeal to your space, but provides a greater level of safety. Not to mention the fun of a nighttime pool party!

A safety switch is essentially a device that very quickly switches-off the electricity in case any electrical fault is detected. In effect, it reduces the risk of injury & death caused by contact with electricity. Current day safety switches are very different from the ones used even up until a decade ago. Today, it’s mandatory to have these installed in buildings where any kind of electrical addition or upgrade has taken place.

Apart from this, safety switches are also needed for power outlets that that supply electricity to mobile homes like caravans etc. It’s not mandatory to have these safety switches in older homes; however, the recommendation is that you should consider getting them installed. It is one of the most effective ways to protect your family & yourself from electric shock.

ELCBs or Earth-leakage circuit breakers are safety devices used to prevent shock in electrical fixtures which have high Earth impedance. The current installations use the circuit breakers that directly detect leakage in current. Here are some features of an ELCB:

RCDs or RCCBs are essentially modern electrical wiring devices which quickly disconnect a circuit if they detect that there is an imbalance in the current between the energized conductor/s & the return conductor. They are designed to immediately switch-off the electricity supply when the electricity leaking to earth is detected to be at harmful levels. These devices offer very high levels of protection from electric shock.

Voltage Earth-leakage circuit breakers were first introduced around 60 years ago, while the current ELCBs were launched only around 40 years ago. For a very long time, voltage-operated ELCBs & differential current-operated ELCBs were both called ELCBs; this was because it was a far easier term to remember. However, as expected, this common name caused a significant amount of confusion within the electrical industry.

If someone accidently used the wrong one in a particular application, the installations may not get the kind of protection it needed. It was to eliminate this confusion that the International Electrotechnical Commission decided that the differential current-operated ELCBs will be termed as RCD (residual current devices). Any current that’s over & above the load current is referred to as the residual current.

ELCBs have a number of disadvantages such as:

Today the RCD is preferred means of providing effective shock protection. The term is also most widely used across the globe.

For more information about RCDs and the best electrical solutions, call Allround Electrical at 1300 169 263. You can also write to us at this email address. You may also reach us through this online contact form.

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