Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

And with the news, weather, and sports too. We've certainly come a long way from the days of getting up early in the cold, stumbling through the house, and lighting an oil lamp.

I write a lot about smart home lighting. I'm fond of the way I can (and do) automate the lighting in my own home. And I'll touch on that in this article. But automation isn't the only way to create a 'smarter' home or office.

If you’re an electrical contractor, you’ve likely developed a series of workarounds to help you handle business. Maybe you’ve got financial software to help you manage your checking account and invoicing. And maybe you’ve got apps to help track mileage and keep track of upcoming jobs and materials orders.

During a big remodeling project this spring, I became more familiar with the options available for electrical receptacles these days. These include new features, like adding USB charging ports that do away with the need to track down the right adapter for every phone, smart watch and earbud charger. And now there are smart outlets you can control remotely (so, if you’re afraid you left the iron on, you can double check from your phone).

Floor boxes are a great way to bring power and communications/data connections away from the walls and into the middle of a room. This could be to provide AV access for a presenter at a podium or needed kilowatts to a convention center floor.

"And for you, Frodo Baggins, I give you the light of Earendil, our most beloved star. May it be a light to you in dark places when all other lights go out." Lady Galadriel to Frodo in the movie adaptation of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.