Apr 05

Spring Safety Switch Checks Recommended

Master Electricians Australia is reaching out to recommend once again that people take a few moments to test the safety switches on their electrical boxes this month.  This is just as important as the biannual smoke detector inspections we already do with each daylight savings time change, as a faulty switch can be absolutely fatal.

A safety switch is required on any home built after 1992, but many homes before that lack this lifesaving feature, presenting a grave danger to the occupants of such households.  These regulate the electrical flow through the circuits, and automatically shut off when a faulty current presenting an electrocution risk is detected.

Mr Richards said home owners often underestimate the dangers electricity can present, as well as the life-saving ability of a safety switch.

“It is a worrying fact that more than 80 per cent of Australian home owners believe that they are well protected from electrical injury in their own homes,” he said.”

Merely having a safety switch doesn’t mean anything unless it gets tested regularly.  It just means people are relying on a false sense of security.

“Our research has showed that there is an electrical fault rate of around one in every five homes and these faults can sometimes be associated with deterioration of cables and electrical fittings, particularly in older homes.

A safety switch installed in every circuit in the home can easily prevent an unforseen and accidental electrical tragedy from occurring by detecting an electric shock and cutting the flow of power faster than the critical phase of a heartbeat.”

1 in 5 is a big number; just picture your neighborhood street.  Are you one in the five?  Wouldn’t you rather not wonder, for the sake of your family?  The safety switch test takes no longer than the smoke detector test, so why not perform one today?  There’s no reason to take a chance for something so simple.

Apr 05

LEDs – The Future of Lighting

156609360 LEDs The Future of Lighting LED (light emitting diode) lighting is still a relatively new technology for most people, however it’s actually been around for awhile. We’re only now grasping all the new ways its power can be harnessed is all. Someday, this LED lighting will make incandescent lights obsolete. The effectiveness, longevity and energy efficiency are just too high of a bar for any other currently available light source.

We all know LED lights most commonly from our other electronic devices – usually a small red or green light that indicates the power is on or battery is low, etc. Or maybe some would be more familiar with LED lights as the numbers on an alarm clock or flash on a cell phone. But since LEDs are actually quite small (1/4 in diameter), which means if enough of these are grouped together, the end result can be surprisingly brilliant. The sharp part is that it only needs 10 milliamps to run at one tenth of a watt, which means the the cost to run this type of lighting is unparalleled.

The part we’re most excited about is that this form of lighting is finally making its way into the residential market. This will provide a whole new avenue of energy savings for the average homeowner once they can get past the initial cost.  Right now LED light bulbs do cost more however the amount of time they last (sometimes more than 20 years) makes them every bit worth it.  Not only do they last vastly longer, they use a fraction of the energy previous pre-2010 incandescent light bulbs used.

To put this in perspective, it takes 5 Compact Florescent (CFL) bulbs to run the same 50,000 hours that 1 LED will go.  Even more astonishing, is that it takes 42 of the old incandescent bulbs to do the work of 1 LED.  That’s simply amazing.

Lastly, it’s important to note the reduced heat at which LEDs run, making them much safer than their counterparts – in particular the CFL bulbs which contain Mercury and can be downright hazardous if broken, not to mention toxic to the environment.  So between fire safety and keeping toxins out of a home, LED is clearly the leader there as well.  As time goes on, and people learn more about LED lighting, there will be no question where the future of lighting is going – not only for the ever popular area of accent lighting, but in the residential sector as well.

Mar 31

Advantages to Burying CAT5 Underground

When planning a new project, the question always emerges as to the best manner of running cable to your device(s). And while burying your wire can seem daunting, it’s usually the best way to handle a permanent set-up. Not only will you enjoy not having to see the wires everywhere, you’ll be protecting them better underground where they’ll be safer from things like lawnmowers, kids, birds and more drastic temperature changes. If you can use earth as the ultimate insulator, you’re better off.

The easiest way to do this is to run your cords through a standard PVC pipe. These are weather and moisture resistant, lightweight yet durable, rust-free and inexpensive. Be sure to get a diameter that will allow for easy pulling and maybe even some space for future projects to be added at a later time. The great thing about a PVC pipe is two-fold; you get better protection from not only the elements, but from breaks and tears from accidental digging.

It’s vital that when planning the amount of wiring and piping needed, that consideration be given not only to the raw distance underground, but the full run length. If you’re running CAT5 to your gazebo, you need to measure not just from your house to the gazebo, but from where the wiring begins (wherever that may be inside your house), all the way to its termination point (which could be up several feet depending on your setup. Always err on the side of caution and get a little more wiring than you think you’ll need, just in case. The last thing you’ll want is to run out due to having to make an unanticipated detour.

Also, be sure to check with your local codes to confirm you’re adhering to the standards put forth by regulations. The only thing worse than running out of wire is getting everything installed only to find out you did something against code. Call before you dig, and make sure everything right up to your termination point is safe and up to current standards.

Feel free to post any comments below.