Do you have a smart phone? What about a smart watch? Tablet? Laptop computer? Backup battery? Each of these devices needs frequent charging, which means the charger will take up a precious electrical outlet somewhere in your home for hours at a time, and could prevent you from having to plug in something else that you may need. What’s worse, what happens when you lose your charger and are left with nothing more than a typical USB cable? You can’t plug that into the wall, so what good will it do?

Well, that’s not exactly true anymore. In recent years, because the USB platform has become so popular for smartphone and other device charging, electrical component companies have begun to make wall sockets with USB plugs already built in! These combo outlets give you the best of both worlds, allowing you to plug in your devices with a regular USB cable while keeping your electrical sockets open for additional plugs.

A USB combo outlet is remarkably simple, and can be retrofitted to fit nearly any already-existing outlet. Essentially the two electrical outlets are exactly the same, but they also have two USB outlets squished right in between them. When the electricity is fed to the outlet, it also feeds directly into a step-down circuit, which brings the voltage down from 110 volts to about five, which is the standard for that particular plug technology.

The other benefit is you don’t have to worry about a large or bulky charger potentially blocking up the other outlet. While most manufacturers have gotten pretty good about keeping their wall chargers small, some larger units can take up a big chunk of space on your wall, potentially hindering access to the other charging unit. Getting rid of these units entirely and charging off a USB port keeps both plugs free and open for other uses.

Think something like this would be far too expensive? Think again. The average cost of a USB wall socket is generally anywhere between $10 and $25 each, making them remarkably cost-effective. When you consider you don’t usually need any more than three to four of these outlets, you can make this switch for at most about $100.

That is, provided your home can support these new devices. A wall outlet sits inside a small metal case that’s mounted inside your wall, known as a junction box. Most modern junction boxes are fairly large, and upgrading to these new outlets isn’t a big issue. But some older homes were built with smaller junction boxes that won’t be able to fit the increased size of a USB outlet, which is normally roughly twice as deep as a traditional standard outlet.

Your generator can literally be a lifesaver during an emergency, providing you with power, light, and heat when a disaster strikes or a blizzard renders your neighborhood powerless. However, in order for it to do its job effectively and efficiently, it has to be ready to go on a moment’s notice.

This means that it should be tested routinely, and repaired when needed. The good news is that if you do need repairs, we are here to help. But in what cases would you need this service? Keep reading for 3 reasons your generator may need repair.

The longer your generator lasts, the more likely it is to spring a leak from a hose, line, or storage pan. The leak may come in the form of oil or fuel depending on what type of generator you have. Or, it may even be the coolant, which is designed to keep the engine block from overheating. If you ever spot any puddles around your generator, give our professionals a call right away.

If generators sit too long without being used, the battery can become drained, and problems can develop with other components of the engine as well. If your generator struggles to start up or if it runs fitfully, then it is time to call for service.

When our technicians come to inspect your generator, we’ll take a close look at the wires, buttons, and other electrical components. If they show any sign of damage, the unit should be repaired. These signs can include frayed wires, loose connectors, buttons that stay stuck when you press them or even overloads that shut the generator down when you need it.

The best way to determine if your generator needs repairs is to schedule annual maintenance, but also to conduct a visual inspection yourself at least every few months. It’s also a good idea to run it for 15-30 minutes to listen and look for any trouble it may seem to have.

Modern day living is highly reliant on the use of electricity and the different appliances, equipment and fixtures it powers. Industries are even more reliant on electricity and their profitability is closely knit with how seamlessly their systems operate. They rely on electricity to such an extent that they rarely give it a second thought; well, at least not until something goes wrong such as:

Most of these problems can be attributed to poor power factor. Let’s understand a little more about what that is.

Power factor is essentially a measure of how effectively the incoming power is being used by the electrical equipment on your premises. It is expressed in terms of a numerical value in the range of 0-1. A higher power factor indicates that the electrical equipment is being used more effectively.

For instance, if the power factor is 0.8, it indicates that 80% of the power supply to the equipment is being utilised effectively and that 20% is being wasted. Regardless of what this ratio of effective usage Vs wastage is, the latter is an unnecessary expense. Typically, your power factor should be closer to 1; it indicates that your site is using energy in an efficient manner.

A number of businesses are currently being charged a kVA tariff and not a kilowatt tariff. This means, your service provider is probably charging you for the power they supply to you, rather than that you actually use. Simply put, you are paying for power that is being supplied to you, but which is being wasted. If your business has a low power factor, it means you pay even more for this waste. There is another aspect you should keep in view. As mentioned at the start, poor power factor has the potential to cause power drops and power losses; in turn, these lead to motor failure and overheating and failure of other equipment too.

Installation of Power Factor Correction equipment might just help avoid prohibitively expensive infrastructure upgrades; it does this by reducing the current electrical demand on your system & improving the efficiency stability. Based on which tariff you are on, power correction might just prove to be an excellent way for your business to deescalate its electricity costs.

The power factor can be improved by installing Capacitor Banks. These are PFC (Power Factor Correction) equipment and help correct the inefficiencies in the energy supply. Apart from this, they also reduce the peak demand on the power network. This is an effective and cost-effective solution to reduce your power bill as it helps lower the monthly demand and the capacity charges. Generally, the payback periods for PFC are between 1 and 3 years. Taking the life span of the PFC equipment into consideration & the potential savings, this investment can prove to be very worthwhile for you.

If you feel that you are paying too much for electricity, we at Allround Electrical can conduct a survey of the equipment used on your site and map their electrical consumption against the power your plant is using and is being charged for. We will then provide you a report of what your power factor is; and if it is low, how it can be corrected. For more information, call us at 1300 169 263. You can also drop us a line via email.

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The fuse box is a metal box installed somewhere on the inside or outside of the home. It is installed by an electrician and has a hinged cover to keep the fuses protected. Most homes built before 1960 will have a fuse box, those built after have a circuit breaker box.

This box controls the electrical flow to your home. In the event of an overload, the fuse attached to that circuit will blow. This will cut power to every device on that circuit in the house. Most boxes have a main switch that will control power to the entire house.

There are three important things that you need to know about your box. You need to know where it is, what type of fuses your box uses, and if your main switch works properly. You should test your main switch at least three times annually to make sure it works correctly.

The inside of your box has several threaded spaces that resemble light sockets. These are called Edison sockets, and your fuses screw into them. Some fuses have an adapter called a rejection base snapped inside of them. The rejection base will only allow an S type fuses to be placed in that spot, whereas the larger T type fuses are screwed into the non-adapted sockets.

The most common fuses in homes nowadays are fuse types SL and TL. The SL fuse is a fuse with a rejection base already installed. The TL type fuse is a fuse with a regular Edison base. These work well for home use because they are designed to handle momentary power overloads caused by turning on household appliances.

When you blow a fuse, you need to unplug everything connected to that circuit. Go to the box and place a dry rubber mat on the floor to stand on to create insulation for your body. Put on a pair of thick leather gloves to avoid possible electrocution, open the hinged door and turn off the main switch for the house.

Using a flashlight, examine the top of each fuse. The top is made of glass. A blown fuse will either have the metal wire broken in pieces inside the glass, or glass that appears cloudy so you can’t see in. Remove this fuse, being careful not to touch the metal parts with your bare hands. Replace this with a fuse of matching amps. Turn the main power switch back on.

If you don’t want to mess with fuses, you can install mini breakers into the box. These turn each fuse into its own circuit breaker with a button on top. When a fuse blows, push the button to reset it. Your other option is to have an electrician replace your box with a modern circuit breaker.

If you own a home in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC, you likely need the services of an electrician periodically. Maybe you’ve bought a new appliance and need a new outlet. Maybe you’re adding a new room to your home or you’ve purchased an older home that needs the wiring to be updated. Whatever your electrical needs, it’s important to find an experienced electrician who can complete the job safely and effectively.

Finding the best electrician possible is important to completing your job successfully, safely, and at a price you can afford. Start by eliminating anyone who is not licensed. To be licensed in Virginia, Maryland, and/or Washington, DC, an electrician needs to go through extensive training, work as an apprentice, and pass a licensing test. They also must keep current on the latest technology, code requirements, and procedures in order to keep their licenses.

However, not all licensed electricians are equal. You’ll want to ask for references from any electrician you’re considering hiring. Be wary of any companies that hesitate or refuse to offer references. You can likely eliminate those from the list of the best electricians immediately! For more information on finding a good electrician in the DC region, read our recent blog.

If you need an electrical contractor in the DC area, Kolb Electric is the best electrician for the job. All of our workers are licensed electricians, and we’ve been helping area home and commercial building owners like you with their electric needs for nearly 90 years. We are a full-service electrical contractor, and we are happy to tackle any electrical project, from installing a new outlet to rewiring an entire house. Plus, we offer our repair services 24/7 for any emergency.

To see how what makes Kolb Electric the best electrician for residential and commercial projects in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, check out or testimonials or call 877 287-1179 to schedule your appointment.