Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

If you think you’re seeing solar panels on more of your neighbors’ houses lately, there’s a good reason: solar power is getting cheaper. Even as federal tax credits are being reduced, installed costs continue to fall. This is thanks to both less expensive – and more efficient – panels and inverters, along with money- and time-saving improvements to all the ancillary hardware required to put systems in place.

I get that all the time when calling the bank or the credit union or any business these days. Once connected, a voice on the other end warns me:

"Please listen carefully. Our menu options have changed."

Most of the time they haven't, at least not for some time. But the reminder is still there, enjoining me to practice careful listening.

In another article, we talked a bit about some of the new products that have changed how we design and work with control panels. We discussed many of the electronic components that took the place of old analog and magnetic mechanisms that were common in days gone by.

Of course, many old school components are still used when the need for electronics isn't pressing.
But one thing will always remain necessary in one form or fashion: conductors.

When you’re on a project, you don’t want any surprises. For lighting control, that means selecting a solution that saves time and money, installs quickly and simply, is easy to program, available when you need it and, of course, meets code.

Vive by Lutron is a simple, scalable, wireless lighting control that makes meeting code easier than ever. View video

Crimping is an everyday chore for electrical contractors, but some might not understand the importance of the right tool for ensuring long-term durability and safety of electrical connections. There’s a lot more precision required to create a secure crimp than might appear on the surface, and the best results depend on using just the right pressure – not too little or too much – based on the job’s requirements.

“Ergonomics” might seem to be a modern term, but the ideas behind this science are likely as old as humanity. We humans have been adapting tools to fit specific tasks since the days of selecting just the right stone to bang a piece of flint into an arrowhead. More formal study of ergonomics has an interesting origin, though, in the ways airplane controls were adapted during the course of World War II.