4 Types of Electrical Motor Protection Functions
Electrical motors are designed to work within a designated range of electrical power rates. Add too much power or too little, and the motor can be damaged or broken beyond repair. This is a special concern for Florida residents and business people, since electrical surges and power outages are common occurrence, no matter what the season of year. The electrical protection of motors can be achieved by installing any number of devices and systems, each of which is designed to protect a certain type of circuit, machine, or building.
Read MoreWhat Does it Cost to Upgrade an Electrical Panel?
The electrical panel in your home or business is where the electricity to the building is controlled. Different panels are able to handle different amounts of electricity flowing through them, and older panels traditionally are rated for far less power than newer models. This type of electrical upgrade cost depends on a number of factors, from local labor costs to the state of your building’s wiring system. Compare the cost vs. the benefits to decide if an electrical upgrade is right for you.
Read More5 Tips for Installing a New Power Outlet in Your Home
As your family grows, along with your collection of electronic gear, your need for power will increase every year. You might rely on extension cords or power strips temporarily, but these can be a fire hazard if used for more than just a short time. One of the best methods of electrical protection is to increase the number of outlets in each room. Once you’ve filled up all the outlets and still have a need to plug in more items, it’s time to add a new power outlet in your home.
Read MoreUnderstanding the Electrical Components of Building a Custom Home
When planning your dream home you’ll probably draw up a portfolio showing new bedrooms, a dedicated outdoor kitchen, or even a fully finished apartment in the basement. Custom homes are exactly what you want them to be, with virtually no rules about what to include. The electrical components of your house plan might seem like the boring part of the project, but new construction electrical details determine how you’ll enjoy your new home throughout the year.
Backup Power
Power outages are a fact of life in southern Florida, between tropical storms, lightning strikes, and aging infrastructures. One of the smartest additions you can make to your custom home plans is elements for a backup power supply and protection from blackout damage. Sudden power outages can endanger computers and other delicate electronics, while prolonged blackouts can cause dangerous heat in the summer and loss of frozen food throughout the year. Some of the additions you may add to your plan are:
- A backup generator. If you’ll only need to power a refrigerator, air conditioner, and some lights, a portable generator may be all you need. For larger power needs such as medical machines and whole-house convenience, this is the time to build in a permanent backup generator.
- Dedicated circuits. With the computers in the house on a separate line, they’re less likely to be damaged from storm-related surges when the power goes out, and also when it comes back on.
- Surge suppressors are good for temporary power outages, preventing large surges of electricity from burning out delicate components.
A high-end circuit breaker is necessary for electronics safety, as are emergency lights for outdoor use during power outages.
Wiring New Construction Electrical Projects
The best time to put wiring into a home is before the walls have been built. You might be thinking of installing cable to multiple rooms in the house, but a fiber optic system will provide lightning fast data for not much more money. As a bonus, fiber optics keep working when the electricity goes out, unlike ordinary cable.
If you work at home, you may want to consider building an ethernet cable into the office or spare bedroom. The wiring for a computer network is also a good idea, even if you don’t think you’ll use it right away. It’s always harder to install residential electrical systems after the fact, and it will sit in the wall, passive, until you decide to start creating the network.
Entertainment
If you’re a movie buff, love your stereo equipment, or you have children, a dedicated entertainment room can be a serious choice. Gather all your equipment into one room that’s equipped with datacomm lines, extra electrical outlets for multiple pieces of equipment, lighting with dimmer switches, and even dedicated outlets for a small refrigerator and popcorn maker. New construction electrical systems don’t have to all be about technical details; sometimes they’re just about making your daily life better.
Lightning Protection
Lightning is a fact of life in Florida, the state that gets more lightning strikes than any other in the country. The odds are good that lightning is going to strike somewhere near your house sometime in the future. Installing lightning rods, or air terminals as they’re called today, is the best way to prevent fire and physical damage to your home when it happens. Today’s lightning protection is so small and subtle you probably won’t notice it when you see it, but it packs a large amount of protection in that little footprint. Most custom homes include elaborate landscaping features, and your new construction electrical contractor can add copper lighting diverter lines connecting the largest trees to the ground, leading dangerous lightning from your treetops to a safe spot away from your home.
Read MoreWhy You Need a Generator Maintenance Agreement
Between hurricanes, lightning strikes and tropical storms, power outages are always a worry in south Florida. Losing power is a concern for almost everyone in the area, but it can be a greater problem for some than for others. If you own a business or need electrical power for medical equipment, keeping the power on is crucial for your well-being. Installing a backup generator is the smart thing to do, but you can’t just put it in and forget about it until the next storm. Generator maintenance is something that has to be done on a regular basis if you want your power to stay on in an emergency.
What is Generator Maintenance?
Like a car or any other complicated piece of machinery, generators need servicing every now and again. Without this care metal might be worn or rusted, fuel can leak or get fouled, and the generator might not work when it’s most needed.
Among the tasks needed on a regular basis are:
- Cleaning the air filter
- Changing the oil
- Changing the spark plugs
- Sweeping off the outside intake vents
- Topping off fuel tanks
Finding a Contractor
The electrical contractor who installed your backup generator will probably be able to offer you a generator maintenance agreement. He’s the best choice to work with, because he’ll be intimately familiar with your particular generator brand and the way it was installed in your building. If your contractor doesn’t offer maintenance agreements, ask trusted friends for recommendations. Older companies may be a better choice, simply because a multi-year maintenance agreement counts on the reliability of the contractor. The bottom line is finding someone you trust to come back season after season.
If you’ve recently renovated your home or business, or you’re in the process of planning and creating a new building, your electrical contractor will probably offer you an electrical service contract. This includes monitoring all the electrical equipment in the building, from wiring to lighting. You can add generator maintenance to the service contract. It will be a simple matter for the contractor to check and maintain one more piece of equipment if he’s in your home or business, anyway.
Advantages of a Maintenance Agreement
You’ve got a busy life and, if you’re like most people, you have to prioritize the things in your life that take up your time. Backup generator maintenance may not even be on your weekly radar, much less high on the list of jobs you need to get done. If it’s not done on a regular, timely schedule, though, the odds are that one day, when you need it most, your power is going to go off and the generator won’t come on to replace it. A contractor who comes out once or twice a year makes sure your generator is in great shape and ready for any outage that might happen. You won’t have to remember to do it, and it won’t take hours out of your busy afternoons.
If you have medical issues that require a constant source of electricity or if you run a business in south Florida, having a generator maintenance agreement can pay for itself after one blackout. The peace of mind you’ll have knowing a professional has maintained your machine can be more valuable than the cost of any contract.
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