Category: Electricians

LED lighting

LEDs or light-emitting diodes are semiconductor devices that produce visible light when an electrical current passes through them. LEDs are one of today’s most energy efficient and rapidly developing lighting technologies. LED lighting differs from incandescent and compact fluorescent lighting in several ways. LED light bulbs can last longer and are more durable and offer comparable or better light quality than other types of lighting. LEDs are small and provide unique lighting opportunities.

Keep these tips in mind if you’re considering retrofitting or replacing traditional lighting with LEDs.

Retrofitting existing recessed light fixtures with energy efficient LED retrofit kits should be done only where it can be confirmed in the manufacturer’s instructions that the LED retrofit kit is compatible with the existing recessed fixture assembly.

Replacing existing incandescent lamps with LED type lamps in lighting fixtures is a great way to save energy.  However if the existing lighting fixture is controlled by a dimmer be sure to purchase “dimmable” LED lamps.

When purchasing new LED lamps or retrofit kits look for the mark of a qualified electrical testing laboratory and read the instructions prior to installation.

A Light Bulb Guide and Bulb FAQ Cheat Sheet

Light Bulb Types

What are the different types of light bulbs?

The most common types of light bulbs are incandescent bulbs, halogen bulbs, CFL bulbs, and LED bulbs. For each of these types, the bulb light is produced by a different process. Light bulbs can also be distinguished by shape and base design. These differences do matter, as certain types of bulbs are recommended for certain types of fixtures.

What are the different light bulbs based on how they work?

Incandescent – passes an electric current through a metal filament to produce heat

Halogen – recycles halogen gas and tungsten within a quartz envelope

CFL (compact fluorescent light) – passes an electric current through a gaseous tube

LED (light emitting diode) – passes an electric current through a semi-conducting material, currently the most energy efficient type of bulb

What are the different light bulb shapes?

The most common light bulb shapes are:

Standard Household – denoted with an A

Candle – denoted with a C

Reflector – denoted with an R

Mini Reflector – denoted with MR

Parabolic Aluminized Reflector – denoted with PAR

Globe – denoted with G

Tubular – denoted with a T

The light bulb shape code will be listed on the packaging. The shape code consists of a letter that indicated the physical shape, followed by a number that indicates the size (measured in eighths of a diameter). For example, an “A19 bulb” means that that the bulb comes in a standard household shape and is 19/8 inches in size. A19 bulbs are the most common light bulb shape, so this is what you’ll see the most

What are the different light bulb bases?

The most common light bulb base types are:

Standard-medium – a regular sized screw-in base, usually denoted with an E26 or E27

Candelabra – a smaller screw-in base, denoted most often with an E12

Bi-pin – a pin-in base with two points of contact, often denoted by a G4 or GU24

GU10 – a twist-and-lock base

The letter indicates the shape of the base, while the number indicates the size. Always check your lighting fixture before purchasing bulbs. After all, you couldn’t screw in an E26 bulb into a candelabra socket size – it just isn’t possible! These are the basics on light bulb bases. Sizes and shapes do matter – so be mindful before purchasing a new bulb. If you need more about light bulb bases explained, be sure to ask a store associate before purchasing a bulb.

A Guide to Lighting

Installation of new lighting can be daunting because there are so many words flying about, so it’s hard to know what’s what. There are also many options to consider when installing lighting, so I’m going to explain to you the different types of lighting and help you come to a decision that is best for you.

General Household Lightbulbs

There are two types of lightbulbs that are widely available; LED and incandescent. By looking at the price tags of LED and incandescent bulbs, it may look like incandescent bulbs are cheaper, however, when considering the lifetime of the bulbs, incandescent bulbs actually turn out 6 times more expensive than LED bulbs.

Signs like these can really elevate your living room, but which to choose?  LED’s are more energy-efficient, but neon signs are considered better looking because of the soft glow it gives off. All in all, it comes down to personal preference. These signs can be bought and plugged into the wall, but it can look messy, and it is a good idea to have an electrician help you install one of these signs.

Feature Lighting

Feature lighting is when you use light to make parts of your home look nicer. It is done by strategically installing lights and light strips into particular areas to highlight parts of your home, or create an atmosphere. It can be done on your own, but it would be best to have a professional with experience to install it.

Swimming Pool Lighting

If you’re looking to replace in your swimming pool, the two options are incandescent bulbs and LED bulbs. As discussed above, you should choose LED bulbs. Unless you are 100% sure on how to change the lights, you should call your local electrician because it can be dangerous.

Security Lighting

The purpose of this type of lighting is to deter unwanted guests from your house. These lights turn on when there is motion in a set area, such as the driveway, or the front door.

The rule of thumb with installing security lighting is that the area illuminated should be visible by other people, so if someone was to do something suspicious, neighbours would be able to see. This can be an excellent deterrent for unwanted people.

Guide to LED Strip Lights

love LED strip lights, as they’re so versatile with unlimited designs and applications. You are able to let your imagination go free and create your dream space. In this blog, we will go through how to choose the best LED strip lights for your application, as they’re are many options to chose from.

One of the best things about shopping for strip lighting online with The Lighting Outlet, is that we can do all the hard work for you. Simply supply us with some information on the application, if available, a line drawing of the measurements, and we will select all the components you require to do the job correctly. For strip lighting, there is no job that is too small or too large.

Voltage 

Most are 12v or 24v. Choosing 12v is usually a better option as you have more options to choose for the strip itself and components. 24v should be used when you are running longer lengths of 10 meters +.

Different Wattage of LED Strip and Their Uses

Choosing the correct wattage is crucial to get the right brightness for the application. Most strip lighting applications are used to create an ambient, subtle touch. To achieve this you will need to use a low wattage. We would recommend nothing over 5 watts.

If the application needs to be more of a practical light such applications like, under a kitchen cabinet, behind a vanity mirror or bed head, then you should look to use a strip light around 10 watts.

The Complete Guide To Lighting

Lighting ballasts are a key feature of many fluorescent, HID and some LED lamps that allow current to be regulated to suit the lamp type. Without ballasts to control current flow at varying voltages, we’d never see these familiar fluorescents or HID luminaires jump into life – or stay lit for long before burning themselves out.

If you’ve ever walked by a standing light fixture or ceiling batten and heard a low humming or buzzing sound, it’s likely that what you were listening to was the ballast doing its job! But what exactly is a light ballast, and what is it doing while you use the light?

type of electrical resistor or reactance, fixed in-line with the circuits that supply mains power to a light bulb. The core role of a lighting ballast is to help control and regulate the supplied current during different operating phases (and voltages) for certain bulb types.

Both during their switch-on (peak power draw) phase and in prolonged use (lower, more tightly regulated current), some types of luminaire require an additional component to control the flow of power properly – in short, this additional component is the lighting

How do light work?

For a simplified overview of how a light ballast works as part of a series of in-fixture lighting connectors, think of it as being a two-job component. It gives a boost when we want to arc the light and power it on, then pulls back this initial high current flow to a more sedate level once lit. In a sense, it performs similarly to how a car’s engine works during ignition and subsequent idling.

Electrical

Power Up With All Things Electrical

comprehensive electrical department filled with all the supplies and tools you need to power up your home. From electrical wire and cable, wire connectors and fuses to home security systems, dimmers and switches,  your one-stop shop for everything electrical. also know that electrical projects can be a big undertaking, especially for those who don’t have a lot of experience.

Smart Home and Security

We understand that keeping your home and family safe is your top priority. That’s why have every home security essential to create a safe, comfortable home including carbon monoxide detectors, smart doorbells, cameras and home alarm kits.

Want to keep your appliances and gadgets safe from outages? Check out our selection of surge protectors to guard against unwanted and unsafe electrical voltages. Have small children in the home? Don’t forget about outlet covers to prevent kids from accidental injuries.

Home Entertainment Needs

There are plenty of ways to make your home more enjoyable with home audio and video devices including speakers, TV mounts, streaming devices and more. Whether you want to run speakers throughout your entire home or just a few in a media room

Alternative Energy Solutions

Need a portable generator on hand in case of storms and outages? have plenty of portable options to choose from that range in price and power to suit your needs. Considering powering your home with solar power? Check out selection of solar panels — some of which are designed for RV and camper use and others for the whole home.

Electrical Wiring

First, some background.  Understanding “hot” neutral and ground.  This from Schneider Electric helps explain the purpose and nature of each of the three conductors.

“Electrical power flows in the form of current, which must pass through the equipment and then return to the power source. Therefore, it is convenient to think of one wire to the load being the “source” wire and one being the “return” wire. This simple model is appropriate for DC systems but does not work for an AC system because the flow of the power is continually reversing direction with a frequency of 50 or 60 times per second. From the point of view of the equipment or the power source, the source and return wires are constantly being interchanged. In fact, no equipment can tell which wire is which! It is easily demonstrated that the two power wires to any piece of AC equipment can be interchanged without any effect on function. In fact, in Europe [and the Philippines], the plug on a piece of equipment can be plugged in either way! This fact of symmetry seems to be at odds with the distinct labeling of the AC power wires as “hot” and “neutral”. The reason that one of the power wires is named “neutral” is because it is connected directly to the building ground connection at the circuit breaker panel. Therefore it is connected directly to the grounding (third) wire. In essence, then, two of the three wires at the wall receptacle are actually grounded wires, one being used for power flow, and the other connected only to exposed metal parts on the equipment. The power wire that is grounded is called the “neutral” wire because it is not dangerous with respect to exposed metal parts or plumbing. The “hot” wire gets its name because it is dangerous. The grounding of the neutral wire is not related to the operation of electrical equipment but is required for reasons of safety.”

However, it is possible to wire in 120 VAC circuits and outlets by using only one of the load wires and a neutral.  These 120 V outlets are seen in hotels, some condos and other places which expect American visitors.   Visitors must keep in mind that the uses the same style of wall outlets as you see in America, but that the outlet is supplying 240 V, not 120 V.  Plugging a 120 V appliance into a 240 V outlet will generally destroy the appliance.

OUTSIDE OF BIG CITIES: Two wire 230V Systems  Areas outside of the old established cities were electrified later and use a different and more economical system using a two wire service drop to the residence.  This consists of one 230 VAC load wire and one neutral wire.  120 VAC cannot be supplied by this type of system unless the property owner, at his own expense and with the cooperation of the utility company, installs his own transformer at the utility pole, a transformer having a secondary winding which can supply 120 VAC.  This is not impossible as many utility transformers are recycled from the U.S., but it is expensive and in our view the 230 V systems are better unless the homeowner ships expensive appliances from the U.S.  It will be difficult to find parts and service for these imported 120 V appliances.

Electricity and electric currents

Electricity

Electricity carries electrical energy and, as you have seen, electrical energy can change into other forms of energy. Electrical energy can change into light energy when it flows through a lamp. It can change into heat energy in an electric toaster. It can also change into other forms of energy.

Materials that allow electricity to pass through them are called conductors. Copper wire is a good conductor. Materials that do not allow electricity to pass through them are called insulators. Plastic is a good insulator

What is an electric current?

To produce an electric current, three things are needed: a supply of electric charges (electrons) which are free to flow, some form of push to move the charges through the circuit and a pathway to carry the charges. The pathway to carry the charges is usually a copper wire.

The flow of electricity can be likened to a flow of water through a pipe. Water comes from the dam and is forced through a pipe by a pump or by gravity. The supply of water is the dam, the push is the pump or gravity and the pipe is the pathway.

What is a Circuit?

One of the first things you’ll encounter when learning about electronics is the concept of a circuit. This tutorial will explain what a circuit is, as well as discuss voltage in further detail.

Voltage and How it Works

You’ve probably heard that a battery or a wall outlet has a certain number of volts. This is a measurement of the electrical potential produced by the battery, or the utility grid connected to the wall outlet.

All those volts are sitting there waiting for you to use them, but there’s a catch: in order for electricity to do any work, it needs to be able to move. It’s kind of like a blown-up balloon; if you pinch it off, there is air in there that could do something if it’s released, but it won’t actually do anything until you let it out.

Unlike air coming out of a balloon, electricity can only flow through materials that can conduct electricity, such as copper wire. If you connect a wire to a battery or wall outlet (WARNING: the voltage in a wall outlet is dangerous, don’t do this!), you will be giving the electricity a path to follow. But if the wire isn’t connected to anything else, the electricity won’t have anywhere to go and still won’t move.

What makes electricity move? Electricity wants to flow from a higher voltage to a lower voltage. This is exactly like the balloon: the pressurized air in the balloon wants to flow from inside the balloon (higher pressure) to outside the balloon (lower pressure). If you create a conductive path between a higher voltage and a lower voltage, electricity will flow along that path. And if you insert something useful into that path like an LED, the flowing electricity will do some work for you, like lighting up that LED. Huzzah!

What Electrical Work Can I Do Myself?

electrical work are much stricter on DIYers than in most other countries, and for good reason. Electrical work is dangerous if you don’t know exactly what you are doing 100% of the time, and only a fully licensed, trained and experienced electrical tradesperson will fit that criteria. If you are a licensed tradie and you’re doing your own electrical work, not a problem, but the rules are entirely different for the average home handyperson. This article covers some of the things you are allowed to do as an amateur, as well as what the consequences might be if you are caught doing electrical work that you are not qualified for.

Can I Do These Simple Electrical Tasks?

Many everyday people around would be guilty of doing these seemingly more simple electrical tasks at some point in their lives, and may have performed some of these tasks without even knowing they have actually broken any laws.

These include things like:

Replacing a light switch or power point

Building your own extension lead

Repairing an electrical appliance

Installing a new light fitting

Attaching a new plug to the end of a lead

Replacing a lead on an appliance

Installing a ceiling fan

What are the Consequences of Doing Illegal Electrical Work?

The biggest consequence by far is that you, or someone else, could get electrocuted. Another is the possibility of a house fire. There are various fines in place for anyone caught out doing electrical work illegally, but by far the biggest penalty would be accidental electrocution. It’s just not worth it.

What Electrical Work Can I Legally Do Then?

Okay, so we’ve covered some of what you definitely can’t do and the potential penalties if you are caught, but what electrical work are you allowed to do yourself?