ElectricSmarts Network

This is part one of a two-part miniseries on energy efficient lighting. In this article, we're going to look at the lamps. In the second article, we'll explore some options for controlling those lights, aka, lighting systems.

But, you've got to start with the source of illumination... the lamp or bulb.

While most of us are used to shin-high or lower electrical outlets, industrial plants often use ceiling- or wall-mounted buses for power distribution. These systems can keep power connections flexible as manufacturing floors are rearranged, but they also can add stress to power cables if their connection to an overhead outlet is the only thing holding them in place. Cord support grips address this problem by taking stress off the cable and helping to maximize uptime and minimize equipment damage.

In a previous article, we talked about energy efficient lighting with regards to incandescents and other sources of illumination. Even though they cost a little more to acquire, LEDs are more energy efficient. And, that means saving money on utility bills as well.

But, the type of lamp or fixture isn't the only factor when it comes to energy efficient lighting. It's not just what you use, but how you use it. Lighting automation, often integrated into a so-called "smart" building, can save even more energy.

There was a time when lighting and other switched electrical equipment was designed for simple on/off operation, making wiring a simple affair. Contractors only needed to install a single run of power cabling to meet operational needs. Today, though, both clients and ambitious energy standards are requiring greater control over building systems, specifying products like dimmable lighting and variable-speed fans, and the need for additional runs of control/signal cable can make installation a much more complicated task.

Often the locations most in need of both audible and visible warning lights and signals is also a noisy, not always perfectly lit space — for instance at mining, construction and demolition sites, not to mention offshore oil rights and petrochemical plants.

Edwards Signalings’ 58 Series AdaptaBeacon rotating beacon is meant exactly for such locations.

While many know of the travails suffered by the owners of buildings wired with aluminum conductors back in the 1950s and 1960s, far fewer understand just how much improved today’s aluminum wiring products are from those used five decades ago. While the older offerings were not designed for building applications, today’s aluminum wire features alloys designed specifically for use in local distribution systems. In fact, in some cases aluminum wire can be a better option than traditional copper conductors in both cost and performance.