ElectricSmarts Network

Conduit bending is a common task for commercial electricians, with many jobs requiring a combination of 90-degree, offset and saddle bends. IDEAL industries offers a selection of bender heads, hickeys and handles to help get the job done.

The place to start is in the selection of bender heads.

When I was young (which was, like, EONS ago) my brother and I were the energy control devices. Mom and Dad were the energy controllers. Yeah... you know what I mean.

"Turn off those doggone lights!" came the fervent instructions from the other room. "Do you think money grows on trees? You're running up the electric bill, you know."

I may be an old guy (hit 61 this year... I think), but I absolutely adore tech. I fired up my first computer in the 80s and love all things internet, Wi-Fi, and home-technology related.

Just last year, I was in the supermarket buying bagels and cream cheese and wandered upon a display hawking those Google Home Minis. Cream cheese could wait...

For decades, lighting control in commercial spaces amounted to either on or off. Easy, simple, but not very effective when it came to workplace productivity in offices, boardrooms, and classrooms.

Lighting control eventually evolved in the form of light sensors, motion sensors and electro-mechanical timers. It was better, as it helped cut lighting energy costs by automatically turning off lights when not needed. Even so, the technology was still limited to either on or off.

As a contractor, you have the ability to offer residential customers the same dimming strategies and lighting control available in commercial settings.

By offering smart lighting control, you can provide homeowners with the added benefits of convenience and peace of mind, and smart lighting adds to the value of the home when putting it on the market.

AFC Cable Systems, a division of Atkore International, offers new liquid-tight conduits for commercial and industrial lighting cable installation.

The company’s new “Liquid-Tuff” product is designed specifically for splash zones. Splash zones are areas that require regular washing, bleaching and disinfecting to prevent contamination and other hazards.