Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

Got a call the other night about 1:00 o'clock in the morning. I had to go into the plant to troubleshoot an electrical problem. When I finally made it back home, I crashed on the couch, worn out, too tired to even take off my boots.

I lay there for a little bit, and finally fell asleep. Needing to get up at 6 the next day, I put my phone on the arm of the couch with the alarm clock set.

If you live in or near popular seasonal resort and vacation areas, you’ve likely noticed an uptick in the local residential real estate market – both for buyers and longer-term renters. Nationally, the second-home market is enjoying a boom, as higher-end homeowners are seeking escapes from more urban areas that have experienced higher rates of COVID-19 transmission.

About 15 years ago, a friend of mine and I remodeled a vending room area. It used to be full of snack machines and microwaves lined up around 3 walls. We turned that area into a nifty conference room. Ronnie did the carpentry work, building a very nice U shaped workspace around an open area where the speaker would stand.

I've designed and built control boxes on several occasions. The resulting component did the job, and I did my best to make it look professional. After all, that's kind of a trademark of mine. You don't just stuff things in a box and call it good. You need to take pride in your work!

Most of the time, it was just a box of electric and electronic controls. Cube relays, VFDs, and sometimes a PLC, placed in a stainless steel enclosure, often with the front window panel.

I'd not thought of this before until I came across some interesting lighting products. Using wireless lighting control indoors is almost second nature to me. I love the technology, to be honest. I can't remember the last time I touched a switch at home to turn lights on or off.

Okay … I haven't fully integrated the kitchen yet … but that's coming soon to a Maurer home near me. The lights I have in there aren't "smart" enough. And they cost me a good chunk of change, so I don't want to trash them.

It's kind of been a theme lately. Smart offices, smart buildings … and smart homes. Believe me, I'm all for it. It's not that I'm to lazy to turn off lights. It's just that, well, sometimes I forget.

Automation and voice control help overcome my forgetfulness.