Burbank Electrician – AC / DC What’s The Difference?

Posted on January 30, 2013 | by K Hopkins

Almost everything that we use on a daily basis operates on electricity. Every modern convenience that we have become used to relies on this fundamental utility. Without having a constant and reliable supply of this incredible technology, the world as we know it would grind to a screeching halt. In order to provide this powerful utility to our devices, two different forms of electricity have arisen: AC and DC.

AC means alternating current. This is the type of electricity that is used most frequently in devices that require a lot of power to operate. DC means Direct Current. It is most frequently found in devices that do not require a large amount of electricity to operate.

What’s The Difference?

DC was the original form of electricity that was generated by Thomas Edison. This form of electricity will send its current in a single direction only. This forms a direct loop. In most cases, DC current is only used in devices that use batteries. This means that any device that you have in your home that uses batteries operates on a DC system. When we charge these batteries, they transform the AC current from your wall into DC current.

AC power is the most common type of electricity, and is the form that your electrician in Burbank works with most frequently. The way that alternating current has been designed, it can move in both directions at the same time. This means that current will be present at every single point on the grid at any given time. If you use electricity from the power grid, then you plug into AC current every single day.

While you may not always think about it, having this reliable AC current is paramount to our everyday lives. For any further questions, or for help with any electrical issues that you have, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a technician at The Electric Connection. We also have a variety of additional resources available in our website at www.theelectricconnection.com.

Burbank Electrician – What Exactly Does an Electrical Contractor Do?

Posted on January 12, 2013 | by K Hopkins | 4 Comments

An electrician is someone who is able to fix and install electrical components, while an electrical contractor is a company or individual that employs a team of electricians to take on a variety of electrical tasks. These groups of tradesmen are responsible for performing all types of electrical work, including installing, removing and repairing electrical wiring. For a new construction electrical job, an electrical contractor will review the building’s blueprint, put together a basic plan for its electrical system and place a bid for the project.

In general, each electrical contractor will specialize in one or more types of electrical work. Each different electrical specialty has its own rules, regulations and techniques that an electrician in Burbank must follow. Here are some common specialties for electrical contractors:

Electrician Contractor

Electrician contractors do electrical work on residential and commercial properties. This includes installing fixtures, switches and outlets, electrical service installation and upgrades and other common electrical tasks. These contractors must pass a special certification test and meet state licensure requirements. Each electrician reports to and works in conjunction with an electrical contractor who will inspect and certify the work that they do.

Low Voltage Contractor

A low voltage contractor does electric work less than 600 VAC. This includes alarm installers, computer network engineers and alarm installers who deal with telephone, computer use and other nominal voltage systems.

Outside Plant Contractor

Outside plant electrical contractors are responsible for maintaining and installing the high voltage transmission lines that run between electric company facilities. This type of electrical contractor must not only be licensed, but also heavily trained in this specialized type of wiring. Because of the dangerous nature of this type of electrical work, only highly specialized and experienced contractors may participate in this type of electrical work.

While many electrical contractors specialize in a particular type of work, there are many who have compiled teams that can tackle a very wide variety of tasks. For your next project, don’t hesitate to give us a call or visit The Electric Connection website.

Electrician Burbank – When You Need an Emergency Electrician

Posted on December 17, 2012 | by K Hopkins

Whenever you have an electrical issue that needs to be addressed immediately, then you may need to call an emergency electrician in Burbank. When confronted with this type of issue, it is always best to call right away. Waiting to deal with electrical emergencies can lead to worse problems and dangerous situations. To account for this type of electrical issues, most electricians provide emergency service at all times to ensure that your problem can be quickly and professionally taken care of. It is important that our electrical systems function safely and properly, making it necessary to provide 24 hour service.

Is It Really an Emergency?

One important difference between an electrician’s standard service and their emergency service is the rate. Emergency service typically costs a significant amount more than standard service, because it is outside of their normal hours. Before you pick up the phone to call an electrician Burbank after hours, think about whether or not your problem is an emergency. An example of an emergency would be losing power at your business such as a restaurant. Because the loss of power can lead to extensive inventory and business loss, it makes sense to have someone come out right away. Another example of an emergency situation would be any electrical issue that poses a danger to you or someone else.

After one of the technicians at The Electric Connection is on the way, all you will need to do is wait. Try to avoid messing around with the electrical issue on your own, because it could be potentially dangerous. Your best course of action is to get as comfortable as possible and wait for one of our electricians to arrive. This will save you from any unnecessary injuries, and ensure that you are ready to direct us to where we need to go upon arrival.

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Burbank Electrician – Signs You May Need an Electrician

Posted on November 19, 2012 | by K Hopkins | 3 Comments

If you are a fairly handy person, then there may be a handful of small home electrical repairs that you want to take care of yourself. If you are not a skilled electrical professional, however, you should not put your life at risk. Always place your trust in an experienced electrician in Burbank. Although some tasks may seem safe enough to handle on your own, you should not even think about it unless you have been properly trained to do it. Regardless of how old your home is, you will encounter electrical problems every now and then. If you know what to look for, then you will know when it’s time to give The Electric Connection a call.

If your plug sockets feel hot to the touch, do not use them. Electrical shocks can be life threatening, and you do not want to expose yourself or your family to the possibility of them. If you find yourself experiencing this, call your electrician right away. Hot wires can overheat, leading to electrical fires that can be very hard to control.

If your breakers are tripping frequently or you blow fuses often, then you may want to have an electrician come take a look. Although it is normal for this to happen every now and then, it can signal a much more serious problem if it happens to frequently. If you have to pick and choose which appliances to run at any given time, then you need to have an electrician come and check things out.

As a rule, you should never hesitate in contacting a Burbank electrician whenever you suspect that you may have electrical issues that need attention. Although the cost may deter some, it will cost much less than if it is left unchecked. For more information about electrical issues, or to get in touch with us, visit our website at www.theelectricconnection.com.

Electrician in Los Angele Explains: Amps and Volts – What’s The Difference?

Posted on November 9, 2012 | by K Hopkins

Whenever looking at electrical devices or equipment, many people are confused by the difference between amps and volts, making it difficult for them to understand the purpose of each. By learning what each of these important electrical terms means, you can better use your electrical devices in a safe manner, which will help you avoid any electrical shocks, tripped breakers or other electrical mishaps.

Amps

One of the easiest ways to understand the difference between these electrical terms is to look at them from a more physical viewpoint. In order to do this, we will compare each with its plumbing equivalent. Imagine water running through a hose. Simply put, amps are just like the water that is flowing through the hose.

Volts

The amount of water running through a hose depends largely on the pressure that is forcing the water through the hose. In electrical terms, the amount of pressure forcing electricity through the wire is referred to as Volts. Whenever you combine the two, and multiply Amps x Volts, you get Watts. Watts would be the equivalent of the amount of electricity that is coming out of the wire at any given moment (Amps) and the amount of pressure pushing the electricity through the wire (Volts).

One of the most important reasons to understand these terms is to keep them in mind when using several different devices and appliances on a single circuit in your home. Each circuit in your home is protected by a circuit breaker that is designed to shut off the flow of power if the circuit becomes overloaded. By understanding how much electricity each appliance is designed to draw, you can more safely and effectively spread your appliances across your circuits.

If you notice that you have a circuit that is frequently tripping, or showing other signs of power drain, call an electrician right away. This could be a sign of deeper issues. If you are interested in more information about this or other electrical topics, our team at The Electric Connection has put together a solid list of related tips and articles in our website.

Ask an Electrician Burbank – What is an Electrical Short?

Posted on October 19, 2012 | by K Hopkins | 1 Comment

Whenever you have a short circuit, it means that there was an accidental path created in your existing circuit, which generated a connection that was not there before the short occurred. Electricity will always follow the path of least resistance, which means that it will almost always follow this new path, rather than its intended path. This typically results in an abnormally high level of electrical current. The most common type of short is when two bare wires cross, such as when old insulation deteriorates, causing a loose connection which allows two wires to touch.

An electrical short is not something to take lightly. This increased current generates a great amount of heat, which can lead to sparks and fire. One way to identify an electrical short is by hearing a popping sound whenever that particular circuit is turned on. This is the sound of the electricity taking the path along the new connection that it has found, causing the circuit to experience a sudden overload. Smoke, flames and melting fixtures can follow, leading to larger fires and risk of shock in the immediate vicinity.

Another common source of electrical shorts is improper wiring. This can occur if the metal lining of a particular switch or outlet touches one of the wires. An electrician in Burbank must always find and fix shorts caused by damage, such as storm damage.

The most important thing to do whenever you have a short is to address it immediately. Because of the potential severity of this situation, call an electrician right away to have them inspect and fix the problem for you. A short left unrepaired can lead to more extensive damage, resulting in a much higher cost than if you had fixed the problem whenever it was first detected. For more information on electrical troubleshooting and our services, visit our main page (Click Here).

Electrician in Burbank Advises – Avoiding Electrical Faults and Fires

Posted on October 2, 2012 | by K Hopkins | 3 Comments

Although you may not think that an electrical malfunction is liable to happen to you, studies have shown that the majority of all house fires result from some sort of electrical malfunction. Furthermore, many of the homeowners affected by these fires reported that something seemed somewhat wrong, but unimportant. As a result, the issue was ignored, leading to a catastrophic fire. Because of this, it is very important to address any electrical odors or other issues that could eventually lead to dangerous shock or fire. Never underestimate the power of your electrical system, and be familiar with the signs and symptoms below that could signal a dangerous electrical problem.

Frequently Tripped Circuit Breakers

If a circuit breaker in your home trips constantly, you should treat this as a potentially serious electrical issue. Whenever this happens, there are a variety of things that you can do. You should, however, start by calling an electrician in Burbank to discuss the problem. Your circuit breaker is designed to stop the flow of electricity into your home whenever dangerous or inconsistent levels of electricity are detected. This could happen because of an overloaded circuit, short circuit or ground fault. Check to see if your circuit is overloaded, and then call your electrician. This could be much more than a minor annoyance.

Outdated Electrical Systems (Fuse Boxes)

If your home is still equipped with an older fuse box, you should call your Burbank electrician to have them perform an electrical service upgrade. Because these systems were not designed to handle the electrical load that we require today, fuses blow frequently and can result in dangerous situations.

Other Warning Signs:

Burning smell when operating an appliance
Warm, discolored or sparking electrical outlets
Being shocked by an appliance
Constantly flickering or dim lights

You owe it to yourself to keep your electrical system as safe as possible. If you experience any of these signs and symptoms, or just feel like something might be wrong, call The Electric Connection today.

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Glendale Electrician – Why You Should Leave Electrical Repairs to Professionals

Posted on September 14, 2012 | by K Hopkins | 3 Comments

When faced with home electrical issues, many homeowners are tempted to try and tackle the problem themselves. Even if you believe that you have the skills and knowledge to take care of the problem, you should always allow a professional to handle any electrical repairs. By attempting to fix it yourself, you are at risk of worsening a problem, leading to more extensive (and expensive) repairs later down the road. Furthermore, working with electrical components can be very dangerous, and there is no reason that you should risk your life to fix an electrical component in your home.

Rather than jumping at the chance to fix an electrical problem yourself, find a high quality electrician in Glendale to take care of the job for you. They will ensure that the job is completed safely, completely and to the satisfaction of all codes and regulations. While doing it yourself may save you a bit of money, it is never worth endangering your life.

If you are worried about the cost of hiring an electrician, think about how much it could cost if you end up making an error that puts you and your family at risk on down the line. Repairs after an electrical mishap can be extensive, expensive and inconvenient. If your repairs or electrical jobs are minor, consider compiling a list before giving your Glendale Electrician a call. This gives you the opportunity to bundle your tasks together, thereby making better use of your electrician’s time. This will typically result in a lower overall cost, because you do not have to call your electrician out multiple times.

Whether you call your electrician out for each job, or keep a running list of tasks for your electrician, the most important thing is to stay safe. For help with any electrical task or problem, give us a call at The Electric Connection. It’s our pleasure to help.

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Burbank Electrician Evaluating Your Electrical System – A Smart First Step

Posted on July 14, 2012 | by K Hopkins

Creating that relaxing and efficient bathroom you’ve been dreaming of is a great project. Finally getting to pick out that perfect whirlpool tub or that delicate sconce lighting that you’ve always wanted can be fun and exciting, and it can also be the beginning of the end of years worth of wishful thinking and making do. But, don’t get too carried away with all that planning before the practical matters have been considered, such whether your electrical system is equipped to handle the changes you have in mind. Consulting an electrician to evaluate your system and your remodeling plans is an important first step.

Replacing older bathroom lighting fixtures with new, modern ones is a job that can be a bit more complicated than it may seem at first glance. Newer fixtures, like whirlpool tubs or modern lighting options are designed for new homes with modern electrical systems. Installing them in an older home can present some challenges as far as your wiring system is concerned, making it necessary for your to do some wiring or electrical panel upgrades. Or, you may need additional switches or outlets installed to make everything work. Knowing these details ahead of time can make your project a lot less complicated, so it makes sense to have your electrician Burbank specialist look over the situation before you begin.

No electrician will be more skillful and professional in evaluating the electrical needs of your remodeling project than The Electric Connection. Our well trained and dedicated staff places a high priority on exceptional customer service, which combined with their reputation for high quality work, has made them the highest rated electrician in the area. The Electric Connection can help you determine whether you’ll need electrical upgrades to make your remodeling plans practical.

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