Electrical transformers come in various sizes and shapes and there is a distinct possibility that you have seen one in the area your business is located in. The larger transformers are typically grouped together and are found in power plants and isolated and fenced-off areas.

While most people know that they shouldn’t get too close to these installations, most aren’t sure what the purpose of these transformers is and how they work. Here is some more information that will give you clarity about this.

These are essentially electrical devices that are used in transferring electricity from a higher voltage to a lower one and vice versa. Most of the electrical transformers are designed to serve the latter function. Without using too much of technical terminology, here is a short explanation of what they do – The process via which energy is transformed is called electromagnetic induction; this uses a magnetic field right through the process.

There are transformers of different types and they all serve different purposes, based on the scale of the project and output requirement. In household applications, they are used to power equipment and appliances as well as kid’s toys. The power that is generated from the large power plants is generally just too powerful for the application it is to be used in. This is where a transformer comes into the picture. It downsizes the electricity and turns it into the required voltage which then gets transferred via coils.

Apart from powering equipment and appliances in your home, electrical transformers also have a massive impact on our daily lives. Most homes and businesses aren’t situated close enough to a power plant. How then do these establishments and homes get the amount of energy they require to function correctly?

This is the point at which transformers come in use. The technology used to drive these transformers gives them the ability to transfer energy across long distances at quite an impressive speed.

Transformers are categorized in many different ways, based on their application, construction and purpose. The different types of transformers are:

Aside from these, the types of transformers used in residential and smaller commercial uses are:

Ceiling fans are your answer to staying cool this summer without costing you a small fortune. You have probably heard about the benefit of ceiling fans in the past, but there is truly a major benefit to having one installed. The energy savings are worth the initial investment, which is actually quite minimal. A Santa Monica electrician, like those at The Electric Connection, can take care of the install for you. All you need to do is pick out the perfect fan for your room. Here are a few facts that will help you truly understand the benefits to running a ceiling fan.

*A ceiling fan costs about 2 or 3 cents an hour to run. An air conditioner costs about 50 cents an hour. Do the math, to run your air conditioner all day, it will cost you $12. Not much, but when you calculate an average month, that is nearly $360! The fan will cost about $22 a month.

*An air conditioner uses about 3,500 watts when it is running versus 60 watts a ceiling fan uses.

*Fans can be installed in place of the light fixture in the room. Most fans are either equipped with lights or a light assembly can be added to a fan.

If you run your ceiling fan on high, spinning counterclockwise, you can crank up your air conditioner a few degrees and still feel comfortable. While your fan won’t produce cool air, the breeze the blades will create feels cool and you won’t be tempted to turn the AC down. You can discuss this more with your electrician. Santa Monica homeowners may even choose to install fans in bedrooms as well. This makes sleeping much more comfortable. The whir of the blades is soothing and the gentle breeze keeps you comfortable despite the heat. Take the first step to staying cool this summer and call The Electric Connection to have your ceiling fan installed.

The energy saving power of lighting has quickly grown over the years, and still is to this day. In the commercial and industrial lighting space, a lot of companies are making the switch over from older technology lighting fixtures like metal halide and other HID lights over to LED fixtures.

On top of the energy savings LED can bring over older types of lights, commercial dimmers can yield even great energy reduction and thus a greater reduction in your facilities utility bills month to month.

So what is a dimmer, do dimmers save energy, and should I use a dimmer switch? Let’s find out!

A dimmer switch for LED lights gives you the control through a simple panel to change the amount of light that a lighting fixture (or fixtures) produces. You can dim lights as low as you so desire or as high as your light was designed to allow.

By having a commercial dimmer switch at your disposal, you can change the lights to match the mood, atmosphere, or even time of day to your needs and facilities guidelines.

Now onto the question you’ve all been waiting for, do commercial dimmer switches save energy?

The short answer is yes, dimmer switches do save you energy. But let’s discuss the history of dimmer switches and how far they have came.

Back in the day LED dimmer switches did not reduce energy because of the way they worked. Instead of reducing the amount of energy being used, they simply converted the energy not being used into heat instead of full illumination capability of the light bulb. Nowadays, dimmer switches for LED lights work by actually reducing energy used and only uses enough energy that it needs to power the light bulb at the setting of your dimmer.

Some of today’s dimmer switches use something called a “Triac Switch.” This Triac Switch works by cutting off power to the light fixture up to 120 times (variable) per second. Thus, the human eyes cannot detect a flickering and just see’s a constant flow of light. But while triac switches are used for smaller bulbs, bigger lighting fixtures use something called a send us a message and we will for sure help you out with that decision!

New home construction is a dream many families have. There is a great deal of satisfaction to picking and choosing the layout of your home and adding elements that are specific to your family’s needs as well as your own decorative tastes. There are plenty of contractors who will give you the freedom to have a say in the planning stages, including what electrician company is hired to complete the work. Home construction has many elements. You will need plumbers, electricians, framers, painters and landscapers. Having a say in the hiring decision ensure you are getting the chance to choose the best company possible. At The Electric Connection, we understand your desire to check references and see our work. Some of the things that an electrician will be required to do for your new home construction are as follows;

*Install the electric panel. This is the hub of the electricity to your house. The electrician will ensure it is adequate for your home.

*Install the proper wiring for large appliances like the refrigerator, washer and dryer.

*Complete the wiring needed for outlets and switches. Wiring will need to be properly installed to pass inspection. The electrician will ensure the wiring is tight and secure to each of your outlets and switches.

*If you are having a standby generator installed, the electrician will take care of that as well.

*If landscaping is a part of your new home construction, your electrician can take care of installing and hooking up your outdoor lighting as well.

These elements may not look like much on paper, but the electrical wiring in a home is one of the most crucial elements. It is absolutely essential the work is completed by a competent and experienced electrical contractor to ensure the home is safe. This will also reduce the risk for future service calls. Give The Electric Connection a call today and see what we can do to help you fulfill your dream of new home construction.

Security lighting is a great way to protect your home from intruders at night—but only when it’s working properly! Malfunctioning security lights may stay on longer than they’re supposed to, not turn on when they should turn on, or face a number of other problems that prevent them from working effectively. The following is a guide to troubleshooting security lights for some of the most common issues people face. Here’s what to do if you have the same problems!

Motion sensor lights are designed to come on when they detect movement and shut off after a few minutes when everything stops. But sometimes, motion stops and the lights stay on—usually as a result of a spike in current.

The first step in troubleshooting security lights with motion sensors that won’t shut off is to check if the time interval has been changed. Most motion sensors allow you to set a length of time for the light to stay on, usually anywhere between 30 seconds to 10 minutes. If the interval has been changed and the lights are staying on for too long, change it back to the time you want.

If that doesn’t work, go outside during the day and see if there’s anything in range of the motion detector that might be constantly moving, like a flag or even an animal nest (you might even look outside at night and see if you can see anything). If you don’t see anything, try shutting the lights off at the breaker, then restarting them.

Lights that won’t shut off are bad enough, but what about lights that won’t turn on? One common reason this happens is that artificial light is coming in from another source and is mimicking daylight, preventing the sensor from activating properly. Try to find where the light is coming from, and cover or change the direction of the sensor to avoid the light.

The underlying issue behind constantly flickering lights may vary depending on a number of factors, including whether the problem is only occurring with a single bulb or more than one at a time. If it’s only a single bulb, carefully check it to see if it’s secure in its fitting. If it is, try replacing it with a new bulb. If that doesn’t work, call an electrician for a security light repair.

This one isn’t as common as the others on our list, but in the past we’ve had customers whose security lights have been faulty when the weather was damp, rainy, or snowy. This is usually the result of low quality motion sensors, which can be temperamental in very hot or very cold weather. The certified, DC-area electricians at Kolb Electric recommend spending a little more upfront to get a quality product that you’ll be able to rely on for years with little need for security light repair.