http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/Hovey Electric "POWER" Blog60http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/113939/Changes-For-The-New-Year-At-Hovey-Electric-Check-It-Out#Comments253Changes For The New Year At Hovey Electric....Check It Out...http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/113939/Changes-For-The-New-Year-At-Hovey-Electric-Check-It-Out<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>2015 Brings Positive Changes To Hovey Electric....</h1> <p>There have been some changes coming for Hovey Electric for several months now. &nbsp;As of January 2nd, they are all now official. &nbsp;2 major changes that took place.....</p> <ol> <li>Hovey Electric was sold to Windemuller Electric. &nbsp;</li> <li>Energy Efficient Lighting sales and service will become Hovey Lighting owned by my wife and I (Jimmy Hovey). &nbsp;</li> </ol> <h2>So What is Changing?</h2> <p>Windemuller acquired Hovey Electric with the focus on the electrical work and the ability to provide value added services to the Hovey Electric customer base. &nbsp;</p> <p>Hovey Electric has been performing work in Dow Chemical and other industrial sites for over 34 years and Windemuller was interested in having a presence on the east side of the state. Hovey Electric matched up what they were looking for, so the process began. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>What Happened To The Employees?</h2> <p>All but a few of the employees are transferring over to Windemuller including my Dad, Jim Hovey and my sister Jeannine Hovey. &nbsp;The day to day financial management of Windemuller is already in place, so my Mom, Rita Hovey was able to FINALLY retire. &nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <h3>Here is the official Windemuller news release....</h3> <p><strong><em>“As of January 2, 2015, Windemuller is pleased to announce the acquisition of Hovey Electric. We are very excited to welcome them into the Windemuller family and believe the efforts of our combined teams will bring added value and greater opportunities to our customers. Windemuller is honored to have the opportunity to now serve the Midland area and the loyal customers that have supported Hovey Electric over 34 years of business. Click here to learn more about Windemuller and the services we offer.”</em></strong></p> <h2><strong><em></em></strong>What Does Windemuller Offer?</h2> <p>The obvious....<a href="http://www.windemuller.us/electrical" title="Electrical Contracting" target="_self">Electrical Contracting</a>....but Windemuller also offers <a href="http://www.windemuller.us/automation" title="Automation" target="_self">Automation</a>, <a href="http://www.windemuller.us/automation" title="Comunications and IT" target="_self">Comunications and IT</a>, <a href="http://www.windemuller.us/outdoor-utilities" title="Outdoor Utilities" target="_self">Outdoor Utilities</a> and <a href="http://www.windemuller.us/renewable-energy" title="Renewable Energy" target="_self">Renewable Energy</a>. &nbsp;This will bring a lot of additional capabilities to Hovey Electric customers. &nbsp;</p> <p>So if you would like to learn more about Windemuller, <a href="http://www.windemuller.us/renewable-energy" title="click here" target="_self">click here</a>.&nbsp;</p> <h2>What About Me (Jimmy Hovey)? &nbsp;</h2> <p>Well some of you may know, and some may not know, but my wife and I started a <a href="http://www.reclaimedwoodinc.com" title="reclaimed wood business" target="_self">reclaimed wood business</a> a little over a year ago called Reclaimed Wood, Inc. I have transitioned from being part time, to 1/4 time and about 8 months ago, I went full time. &nbsp;We recently moved 2,000 sq ft shop at Hovey Electric to our new 14,000 sq ft shop to Clare, MI. We now employ 4 full-time workers and looking to add more very soon. &nbsp;The business has been doing very well. &nbsp;</p> <p>All along though, I still kept a hand in the lighting business. &nbsp;The reclaimed wood business and energy efficient lighting business are both "Green" businesses. &nbsp;I put 4 years of hard work into this website and blog so we decided to continue on. &nbsp;</p> <p>We now see over 50,000 visitors per month and have over 300 leads a month. &nbsp;The deal with Windemuller has been brewing for several months and we let things go sort of idle for awhile until everything was settled. &nbsp;Windemuller was not interested in the existing Hovey lighting business....so...</p> <p>My wife and I have started a new company, called Hovey Lighting.....</p> <p><img id="img-1420845228658" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hovey-lighting-led-and-fluorescent-lighting.jpg.jpg" border="0" alt="hovey-led-lighting-fluorescent-lighting"></p> <h2>What Does Hovey Lighting Offer?</h2> <p>We are a nationwide service provider specializing in energy efficient lighting.&nbsp; We help building owners across the country identify the ideal type of lighting for their application.&nbsp; We don’t just sell lighting fixtures, we help building owners make a good, sound business decisions about their lighting.&nbsp; There are so many options, it is often confusing.&nbsp; We provide;</p> <ul> <li>Photometric layouts</li> <li>Lighting fixture selection</li> <li>Lighting fixtures and lamps</li> <li>Calculations for your facility for project feasibility</li> <li>We find utility rebates that apply for your area</li> <li>Financial analysis</li> <li>We help find financing, if necessary</li> </ul> <p>Typically we can offer these free assuming that we get an opportunity to at least sell you the lighting fixtures you need for your project.&nbsp;</p> <p>For a fee, we can provide&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>A turnkey solution from design, to installation, project management and rebate submittal</li> <li>We can manage the project for you with an onsite Project Manager if you already have a local service provider.&nbsp;</li> <li>Consult remotely to you the Owner to make sure you get exactly the right type of lighting for your facility</li> </ul> <p>I am really proud of my parents and all they have accomplished throughout the past 34 years. &nbsp;While it is a bit hard knowing that the Hovey Electric name that has been around for so many years will fade away into another, it is a positive transition for all involved. &nbsp;</p> <p>I maintained the "H" in our new lighting logo as a link to the past that has brought us to the future. &nbsp;Thanks Mom and Dad!!</p> <h2>So, Back To Business...</h2> <p>If you are looking for electrical work along the lines of automation, communications, outdoor utilities, and renewable energy, click here to go to the Widemuller website. &nbsp;</p> <p>If you have a lighting project in the works or just want to learn more about energy efficient lighting, you have come to the right place. &nbsp;You can download my ebook......</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" alt="jimmy-hovey-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficient-lighting" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p> <p>If you are interested in learning more about what Hovey Lighting offers, <a href="/contact-hovey-companies/" title="click here to contact us " target="_self">click here to contact us </a>and we will get back to you asap. &nbsp;</p> <p></p> <p>Thanks for reading, Jimmy Hovey, MBA</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/113939/Changes-For-The-New-Year-At-Hovey-Electric-Check-It-Out&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 09 Jan 2015 22:53:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:113939http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/112592/How-Do-LED-Lights-Work-and-Why-Are-They-Better#Comments469How Do LED Lights Work and Why Are They Better?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/112592/How-Do-LED-Lights-Work-and-Why-Are-They-Better<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Ever Wonder What Makes LED Lights So Popular?</h1> <p>LED technology has been around for quite some time now but is just coming of age as it <img id="img-1408188971656" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/led-a-type-lamps-main-A_style_Lamps.Over-resized-600.jpg" alt="hovey-lighting-how-do-led-lights-work" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" border="0" height="279" width="297">makes its presence more known in business and residential applications. This is a rapidly moving technology that’s developing at lightning speed.</p> <p>As an example, just a few short years ago it was difficult to find a flashlight that featured LED bulbs. Today, it’s nearly impossible to find one that doesn’t. The many advantages LEDs have over other types of light sources currently in use are remarkable.</p> <h2><b>Intro to LED Technology</b></h2> <p>LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, are based on semiconductor technology and were initially used as red-colored, low-intensity indicator lamps on electronic equipment and appliances starting back in the early 1960s.</p> <p>Modern LEDs are still used as indicators, but many more applications now exist for their use as high-intensity, bright lighting available across the entire color spectrum, as well as on infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths.</p> <p>Unlike incandescent lighting, which produces its light in a vacuum or fluorescent lighting that emits its light energy in a gas, an LED produces its light from a solid piece of material called a semiconductor.</p> <p>Because of this, it’s known as solid-state lighting. This solid-state configuration is also what allows LED bulbs to be more robust (less delicate) and more durable than incandescent/fluorescent bulbs.</p> <p>LEDs produce light when excited electrons careen around within the solid structure of a semiconductor. That semiconductor is made of two components – one positive part and one negative part.</p> <p>The positive layer contains openings through which electrons are able to travel. The negative portion contains innumerable free electrons that, when acted on by introduction of an electrical charge, find themselves traveling from the negative layer to the positive layer of the semiconductor through the holes, causing these electrons to emit light.</p> <p>They contain no filament to burn out and they don’t get particularly hot, making them much more efficient and durable than other types of lighting.</p> <h2><b>What Can They Do?</b></h2> <p>LEDs are basically tiny light bulbs that can easily be connected to an electrical circuit. For decades they have been used for numerous tasks, including</p> <ul> <li>Forming the numbers on digital clocks and lighting up digital watches</li> <li>Indicating when electrical equipment or an electrical appliance is operating</li> <li>Transmitting remote control signals</li> <li>Backlighting cell phones, tablets, PC monitors and televisions</li> <li>Providing Christmas lighting</li> <li>Providing illumination for flashlights, traffic lights, car lights and much, much more</li> </ul> <p>LED technology has been called “almost perfect” because of the so many advantages LEDs have over previously-used, conventional lighting. Until recently, the only two downsides of LEDs preventing total dominance in the marketplace has been its inability to provide pure white light for use in home lighting, task lighting, etc., and the much higher cost of producing LEDs compared to traditional types of light bulbs.</p> <p>These two disadvantages, color and cost, have since been overcome and LED bulbs can now be produced much less expensively than ever before and with a capability to provide clear, pure white light.</p> <h2><b>Advantages to LEDs</b></h2> <p>Advantages to LED lighting compared to incandescent or fluorescent lighting are numerous.</p> <p>Arrays of many LEDs together are now being used for high-powered, intensive lighting applications everywhere from traffic and street lights to car headlights and taillights and even in medical and hospital environments for facility lighting as well as lights used in examination rooms and surgeries.</p> <p>LEDs burn cool, use as much as 80% or less electricity than their incandescent counterparts and can last for as long as 50,000 hours or more before replacement is required. They also work better in places where vibration, temperature or accessibility are concerns.</p> <h2>Interested In Learning More?</h2> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-035000c0-4518-44bd-a174-bc9942b76fe9"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-035000c0-4518-44bd-a174-bc9942b76fe9" id="hs-cta-035000c0-4518-44bd-a174-bc9942b76fe9"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/035000c0-4518-44bd-a174-bc9942b76fe9"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-035000c0-4518-44bd-a174-bc9942b76fe9" alt="free-energy-efficient-lighting-ebook-t8-lighting" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/035000c0-4518-44bd-a174-bc9942b76fe9.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-035000c0-4518-44bd-a174-bc9942b76fe9"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=035000c0-4518-44bd-a174-bc9942b76fe9&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/112592/How-Do-LED-Lights-Work-and-Why-Are-They-Better&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveySat, 16 Aug 2014 11:13:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:112592http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103540/LED-Lights-MaxLite-Wall-Packs-Replace-100-250-Watt-Metal-Halide#Comments500LED Lights: MaxLite Wall Packs Replace 100-250 Watt Metal Halidehttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103540/LED-Lights-MaxLite-Wall-Packs-Replace-100-250-Watt-Metal-Halide<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2><strong>Looking To Replace Outdoor Lighting?</strong></h2> <p>There's plenty to read about LED (light emitting diodes) lighting these days, with this type of illumination existing as the backbone to many ongoing "green," environment-saving efforts both in homes and businesses.</p> <p>LED lights can now be found in flashlights, traffic lights, vehicle lights, Christmas lights, interior home and commercial lighting and even medical emergency and surgical room lighting.</p> <p>One area where LED lights are now becoming more prevalent is in outdoor lighting for commercial buildings, garages, hospitals, public areas, governmental and educational facilities.</p> <p>They are quickly finding great favor in replacing traditional sources of outdoor illumination such as incandescent, fluorescent, metal halide and sodium vapor lights.</p> <h2><b>What's So Attractive About LED Lights?</b></h2> <p>There's a great deal more to the attraction of LED lights other than the fact that they just look cool. They not only&nbsp;<b><em>look</em></b>&nbsp;cool, they literally&nbsp;<b><em>are</em></b>&nbsp;cool.</p> <p>Whereas traditional lighting works on an approximate 20/80 principle, with 20% of the energy used to operate the bulb being transferred to light while a whopping 80% is turned into heat, with LEDs the percentages are reversed – 80% for light and only 20% lost to heat.</p> <p>This is one reason why a 70-watt LED can easily replace a 250-watt metal halide light and still provide better illumination, which brings us to another big advantage of going with LED lighting – it consumes just a small fraction of the energy. This is better for the environment and better for the budget.</p> <h3><b>A few other reasons LED lights offer such an attractive option to traditional lighting include:</b></h3> <ul> <li>Ecologically friendly, containing no toxic chemicals such as the mercury found in fluorescent lights</li> <li>Ruggedly durable and long-lasting</li> <li>Very few IR and next to zero UV emissions</li> <li>Ideal in diverse, hot or cold temperature conditions</li> <li>Low voltage</li> <li>High-level, focused light dispersement</li> </ul> <h2><b>These Lights Were Made For Outdoor Use</b></h2> <p>These LED lights are ideal for just about any possible outdoor use. Their durable, rugged design is not susceptible to vibration and shock like traditional outdoor lighting, making them especially valuable in sports areas or places where vandalism is a problem. They work well under all different outdoor temperatures, hot or cold, and direct light only where needed, not up into the sky!</p> <p>These Wall Packs are extremely economical to operate, with average energy consumption of about one-third of other types of outdoor illumination.</p> <p>Not only are they virtually maintenance free, but the bulbs have a life expectancy of 50,000 hours which, if operated an average of eight hours per day, is about 17 years.</p> <p>They have built-in temperature control, ensuring long life, and are compatible with dusk to dawn sensors and most building controls. They operate on voltages anywhere between 120 and 277.</p> <h2><strong>MaxLite Full Cutoff LED Wall Packs</strong></h2> <p><span>The full-cutoff MaxLED® Wall Packs from MaxLite are now available on our energy efficient lighting store, <a href="http://www.hoveyledlights.com/category-s/1908.htm" title="www.hoveyledlights.com" target="_self">www.hoveyledlights.com</a>.&nbsp; The MaxLite full cutoff LED's are perfect for providing outdoor lighting in a wide range of different scenarios and are fully dark sky compliant.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>They come in the following wattage ratings: 20, 30, 40 and 70. These four wattage-rated systems are designed to replace metal halide lights with wattage ratings of 100, 150, 175 and 250, respectively.</span></p> <p><img id="img-1389128716151" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hovey-led-lights-dot-com-maxlite-full-cutoff-led-wall-packs-resized-600.jpg" alt="hovey led lights dot com maxlite full cutoff led wall packs resized 600" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="0"></p> <p><span>The led fixture consists of a heavy-duty, one piece cast aluminum housing that's designed and built to resist dirt, corrosion, rust, weather and insects. </span></p> <p><span>The lens is made of tempered glass and has special optics to reduce shadows and increase lighting output.</span></p> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hovey-led-lights-dot-com-full-cutoff-led-wall-packs-interior-application-resized-600.jpg" alt="hovey led lights dot com full cutoff led wall packs interior application resized 600" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="0"></p> <p>All full cutoff LED Wall Packs are available in 5000K (daylight) correlated color temperature (CCT) and maximize brightness.</p> <h2><strong>Which MaxLite Wall Pack Will Replace Yours?</strong></h2> <h3>Metal Halide To LED Wattage Conversion</h3> <ul> <li>100 Watt Metal Halide = 20 Watt LED</li> <li>150 Watt Metal Halide = 30 Watt LED</li> <li>175 Watt Metal Halide = 40 Watt LED</li> <li>250 Watt Metal Halide = 70 Watt LED</li> </ul> <p>Here is a complete lineup of the MaxLite Full cutoff wall pack.....</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;">20 Watt Full Cutoff Wall Pack</h2> <p><img id="img-1389129524983" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hovey-led-leights-full-Cutoff-LED-Wall-Packs-20-watt-resized-600.jpg" alt="hovey led leights full Cutoff LED Wall Packs 20 watt resized 600" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="0"></p> <h2 style="text-align: center;">30 Watt Full Cutoff Wall Pack</h2> <p><img id="img-1389129099344" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hovey-led-lights-Full-Cutoff-LED-Wall-Packs-30-watt-white-resized-600.jpg" alt="hovey led lights Full Cutoff LED Wall Packs 30 watt white resized 600" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="0"></p> <h2 style="text-align: center;">40 Watt Full Cutoff Wall Pack</h2> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hovey-led-lights-Full-Cutoff-LED-Wall-Packs-40-watt--resized-600.jpg" alt="hovey led lights Full Cutoff LED Wall Packs 40 watt resized 600" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="0"></p> <h2 style="text-align: center;">70 Watt Full Cutoff Wall Pack</h2> <h2><img id="img-1389129258081" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hovey-led-lights-maxlite-Full-Cutoff-LED-Wall-Packs-70-watt.jpg" alt="hovey led lights maxlite Full Cutoff LED Wall Packs 70 watt" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="0"></h2> <span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b26b549d-77c7-4c5f-bf02-810d8f148987"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b26b549d-77c7-4c5f-bf02-810d8f148987" id="hs-cta-b26b549d-77c7-4c5f-bf02-810d8f148987"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/b26b549d-77c7-4c5f-bf02-810d8f148987"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b26b549d-77c7-4c5f-bf02-810d8f148987" alt="Click Here If You Would Like To PriceOur MaxLite Full Cutoff Wall Packs...." style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/b26b549d-77c7-4c5f-bf02-810d8f148987.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b26b549d-77c7-4c5f-bf02-810d8f148987"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b26b549d-77c7-4c5f-bf02-810d8f148987&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span><br><br title="Click here to purchase Full Cutoff LED Wall Packs"> <h2><strong>Not Sure Yet What You Need?</strong></h2> <p>Buying and installing the fixtures is actually the easiest part of upgrading your lighting system.&nbsp; The difficult part is figuring out what you need.&nbsp; Depending on the size of your facility, you may need a photometric layout.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>If your project requires a layout, we can help you out, just click the button below and we can help you.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6" id="hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6" alt="Interested In A FREE Lighting Layout? Click Here.." style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p> <p><span><br></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103540/LED-Lights-MaxLite-Wall-Packs-Replace-100-250-Watt-Metal-Halide&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 07 Mar 2014 11:48:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:103540http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103490/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-What-Are-Light-Distribution-Patterns#Comments287Energy Efficient Lighting: What Are Light Distribution Patterns?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103490/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-What-Are-Light-Distribution-Patterns<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves></w> <w:TrackFormatting></w> <w:PunctuationKerning></w> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas></w> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF></w> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables></w> <w:SnapToGridInCell></w> <w:WrapTextWithPunct></w> <w:UseAsianBreakRules></w> <w:DontGrowAutofit></w> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark></w> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp></w> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables></w> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx></w> <w:Word11KerningPairs></w> <w:CachedColBalance></w> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"></m> <m:brkBin m:val="before"></m> <m:brkBinSub m:val="&#45;-"></m> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"></m> <m:dispDef></m> <m:lMargin m:val="0"></m> <m:rMargin m:val="0"></m> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"></m> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"></m> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"></m> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"></m> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Why Do You Need To Know This Stuff?</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It's simple, you want to get the right type of lighting, period.&nbsp; As a building owner you don't want to spend money and not get results, so getting a better understanding of the technical aspects behind your lighting project is in your best interest.&nbsp; </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">That way, no one can trick you into spending money on something that will not accomplish your goals.&nbsp; When looking at outdoor lighting, it is very important to understand the concept behind light distribution.&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If the light is not distributed correctly, it can't be changed without re-doing the project.&nbsp; Do it right the first time and get a better understanding of lighting distribution patterns. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">All About Lighting Distribution Patterns </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Outdoor luminaires produce lighting patterns that can be identified first by their reach in front of a single fixture location and second by their reach on each side of that location.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“Distribution types” describe the reach of the luminaires light pattern forward of each fixture, while “distribution ranges” define the reach to either side.</span></p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true" DefSemiHidden="true" 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mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p><b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Distribution Types</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The term “distribution type” defines how far forward of the luminaire (i.e., on the street side) the effective output reaches.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The specific classification of distribution types is based on locating the luminaires effective major output pattern on a grid representing distances in units of Mounting Height (MH) from the luminaire.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This pattern is defined by tracing an area representing light distribution at 50% of maximum candela. By measuring where the bulk of this pattern falls on the grid, a luminaire can be classified as follows and as shown in this illustration below.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><img id="img-1389030457761" src="http://university.maxlite.com/wordpress/Terms/imgs/LightDis.gif" alt="Light Distribution Patterns"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">(Note that in some cases, minor deviations in a beam pattern may cross the boundary from one type into another. While this has a nominal effect on applied performance, it should not be considered for classification purposes):</span></p> <ul type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Type II defines shallow reaches, when the 50% maximum candela trace lies within1.75 MH on the street side of the reference line.4</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Type III is a mid-range, when the 50% maximum candela trace lies within 2.75 MH on the street side of the reference line.4</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Type IV identifies luminaires with a definite forward-throw distribution, when the 50% maximum candela trace lies beyond 2.75 MH on the street side of the reference line.4</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Distribution is classified as Type V Square for horizontal lamp luminaires when the 50% maximum candela trace is symmetric in four quadrants. This distribution is characterized by four candela peaks, diagonal to the reference line.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Asymmetric5,6 Distribution (similar to Type III): This distribution is for vertical lamp luminaires when the 50% maximum candela trace lies beyond 1.0 MH on the street side of the reference line, and inside 1.0 MH on the house side of the reference line. Narrow range distribution is identified when the point of maximum candela falls inside of 2.25 MH; wide range is identified when the point of maximum candela falls beyond 2.25 MH.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Symmetric5,6 Square Distribution (similar to Type V Square): Distribution is classified as symmetric square for vertical lamp luminaires when the 50% maximum candela trace is symmetric in four quadrants on both street and house side of the reference line. Narrow range distribution is identified when the candela peaks fall inside of 2.25 MH along the reference line; wide range is identified when the candela peaks fall beyond 2.25 MH.</span></li> </ul> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">(Source: <a href="http://www.maxlite.com" title="www.maxlite.com" target="_self">www.maxlite.com</a>)</span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A Bit Too Technical?</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Easy to get lost in symmetrics, asymmetrics, type this type that....but if your confused, no worries, we can help you out.&nbsp; By taking the dimensions of the outdoor area you want to re-light, we can help you get the correct distribution pattern by developing a photometric layout of your area.&nbsp; </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A photometric layout is the only way to insure you are getting the light distribution you need from either your existing fixtures or new fixtures you may be considering.&nbsp; Just click below and we will provide a FREE consultation regarding your energy efficient lighting project....</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6" id="hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6" alt="Interested In A FREE Lighting Layout? Click Here.." style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span><br></span></p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true" DefSemiHidden="true" 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mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]-->Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103490/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-What-Are-Light-Distribution-Patterns&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 20 Jan 2014 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:103490http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103491/Why-Lumens-Are-Important-To-Your-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Analysis#Comments981Why "Lumens" Are Important To Your Energy Efficient Lighting Analysishttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103491/Why-Lumens-Are-Important-To-Your-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Analysis<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><p><strong>LUMENS</strong> – A unit of luminous flux; overall light output; quantity of light, expressed in lumens.</p> <p>The lumen can be thought of as a means to measure of the total "amount" of visible light in a defined beam or angle as it is emitted from a lighting source.&nbsp;</p> <p>According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumen_%28unit%29" title="Wikipedia" target="_self">Wikipedia</a>, the <b>lumen</b> (symbol: <b>lm</b>) is the derived unit of luminous flux, a measure of the total "amount" of <span class="mw-redirect">visible light</span> emitted by a source.</p> <p>Luminous flux differs from power (<em>radiant flux</em>) in that luminous flux measurements reflect the varying sensitivity of the human eye to different wavelengths of light.&nbsp;</p> <p>Radiant flux measurements indicate the total power of all electromagnetic waves emitted, independent of the eye's ability to perceive it (See also our article called <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73956/Scotopic-vs-Photopic-Vision-How-Your-Eyes-Perceive-Light-Quality" title="Scotopic vs Photopic Vision: How Your Eyes Perceive Light Quality">Scotopic vs Photopic Vision: How Your Eyes Perceive Light Quality).</a></p> <h2>Terms Commonly Used When Referring to Lumens</h2> <p>There are always terms relative to the industry that don't make much sense to the typical property owner, so I thought I would give you some of the more common terms related to Lumens.&nbsp; Here you go....</p> <p><strong>LPW</strong> – Lumens Per Watt. The number of lumens produced by a light source for each watt of electrical power supplied to the light source. <a href="http://university.maxlite.com/wordpress/?page_id=6#jumptotop"><span></span></a></p> <p><strong>LUMEN DEPRECIATION</strong> – The decrease in lumen output of a light source over time; every lamp type has a unique lumen depreciation curve (sometimes called a lumen maintenance curve) depicting the pattern of decreasing light output.</p> <p>For instance, a 400 watt metal halide depreciates nearly 70% in the first 3 years vs a comparable LED High bay fixture which depreciates 30% over 50,000 hours, one of the distinct advantages of LED lighting.</p> <p><strong>LUMEN MAINTENANCE</strong> – The deterioration in the amount of light that is emitted from a lamp over time. A lamp with a good lumen maintenance will emit a consistent amount of light over its lifetime, emitting as much as 90% of its original capability at the end of its lifespan.</p> <p>A lamp with poor lumen maintenance will lose as much as 50% of its ability to emit light over time. The chart below shows the most common lighting sources and you can see how induction and LED have a much longer depreciation curve.&nbsp;</p> <p><br> <img id="img-1389034056280" src="http://university.maxlite.com/wordpress/Terms/imgs/LumenMaintenanceChart.jpg" border="0" alt="hovey-led-lights-maxlite-lumen-maintenance-curves-for-commerical-lighting"></p> <p><strong>LUMINAIRE</strong> – A complete lighting unit which contains a lamp, housing, ballast, sockets and any other necessary components.</p> <p><strong>LUMINAIRE EFFICIENCY</strong> – The ratio of lumens emitted by a luminaire to the total lumens emitted from the light source within the luminaire.</p> <p><strong>LUX</strong> – A unit of illuminance equal to 1 lumen per square meter.</p> <p><strong>MEAN LUMENS</strong> – The average lumen output of a lamp over its rated life. Mean lumen values for fluorescent and HID lamps are typically measured at 40% of their rated lives.</p> <p><strong>INITIAL LUMENS</strong> – The lumens produced by a lamp after an initial burn in period (usually 100 hours).</p> <pre>(Source: <a href="http://www.maxlite.com" title="www.maxlite.com" target="_self">www.maxlite.com</a>)</pre> <h2>How To Find The Lumen Output Of Your Existing or New Lighting</h2> <p>The only way to make sure that you will get the correct amount of light for the area that you intend to light is through a lighting layout.&nbsp;</p> <p>A lighting layout will define the lumen output of your old fixtures and help to analyze new possibilities that give you the maximum amount of light while also saving money with your electricity bill.&nbsp;</p> <p>We provide a FREE lighting layout and consulting (depending on the project) based on the opportunity to either supply or supply and install your new energy efficient lighting.</p> <h2>Are You Considering A Project?</h2> <p>While we are Energy Efficient Lighting Consultants, Contractors and Product sales, we never push a particular product or technology to benefit our company.&nbsp; We simply analyze all the available options, then give you recommendations to help you make a educated business decision regarding the lighting for your facility.&nbsp;</p> <p>We will even tell you if a upgrade doesn't make sense.&nbsp; Ready to talk about your project?&nbsp; Just click the button below....</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6" id="hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6" alt="Interested In A FREE Lighting Layout? Click Here.." style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103491/Why-Lumens-Are-Important-To-Your-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Analysis&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 13 Jan 2014 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:103491http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103482/Highbay-Options-T5-vs-T8-vs-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-LED-Highbay#Comments843Highbay Options: T5 vs T8 vs 400 Watt Metal Halide vs LED Highbayhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103482/Highbay-Options-T5-vs-T8-vs-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-LED-Highbay<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>So Many Fixture Options, But What Is The Right One?</h2> <p>Should you keep your old 400 watt metal halide or replace with T5 or T8 and what about those new LED Highbays?&nbsp;</p> <p>The only way to really determine what is the best lighting source for replacing your old, inefficient fixtures is to do a lighting layout.&nbsp; If you simply replace your existing lighting fixtures without analyzing layouts and the financial benefits, you may simply be throwing away money.&nbsp;</p> <p>There really is no one solution for every application, so you need to look at several.&nbsp;</p> <p>This video from <a href="http://www.maxlite.com" title="MaxLite" target="_self">MaxLite</a> sets out to prove that you can't use one light source for every application.&nbsp; They go through several scenarios looking at light source vs light source and look at photometrics of current lighting vs replacement lighting.&nbsp;</p> <p>Then, each scenario is analyzed to maximize light output, while also maximizing return on investment to the end user.&nbsp;&nbsp; Check it out....</p> <iframe id="img-1389021737050" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Z0LdDfcU_ag?feature=player_embedded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe> <h2>Ready To Analyze Your Facility?</h2> <p>Did you know Hovey Electric provides lighting consulting to help you determine the best lighting source for your facility?</p> <p>A one for one swap of your old fixture with a new fixture may not be the best application for your facility.&nbsp; A <strong>lighting layout</strong> is the only way to determine the correct number of fixtures, lighting levels and what makes the most "financial sense" for your business. In most cases, we can provide that for FREE....</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6" id="hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6" alt="Interested In A FREE Lighting Layout? Click Here.." style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=83006d4a-0bac-42c2-8b46-32f49cd2e0f6&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/103482/Highbay-Options-T5-vs-T8-vs-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-LED-Highbay&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 06 Jan 2014 14:40:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:103482http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/102802/4-Major-Advantages-to-Buying-C9-LED-Christmas-Lighting#Comments1834 Major Advantages to Buying C9 LED Christmas Lighting http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/102802/4-Major-Advantages-to-Buying-C9-LED-Christmas-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><p>Give yourself the gift that keeps on giving this holiday season by replacing those old, substandard&nbsp;incandescent Christmas lights with C9 LED Christmas lights. Instead of digging out boxes of tangled wires this year, meticulously changing out bulbs that no longer work, consider purchasing some LED lights instead.</p> <p>There are a myriad of reasons to buy C9 LED Christmas lights, but 4 attributes of these particular LED lights make this purchase more of a valuable investment than a simple seasonal decoration. Save yourself a great deal of frustration and money by switching over to LED lights this year.</p> <p><b>1. Improved Fire Safety</b></p> <p>LED lights produce a fraction of the heat that incandescent bulbs create, so the risk of a fire breaking out is greatly reduced. Also, since LED lights manage to stay so cool when turned on, you are losing much less energy than you would with traditional bulbs that emit a great deal of ambient heat. Reduce the risk of an electrical fire or undesired heat build up in your home by purchasing LED Christmas lights. You'll sleep sounder knowing your home is protected.</p> <p><b>2. Reliability &amp; Durability</b></p> <p>While LED lights are estimated to last 10 times longer than traditional light bulbs, C9 LED Christmas Lights are guaranteed to last a lifetime. This means no more buying replacement bulbs or new strings of lights every year.</p> <p>Since C9 LED Christmas lights don't contain filaments like traditional bulbs, LED bulbs are less likely to stop working if they are tossed around or dropped.</p> <p>So instead of spending tons of cash on replacement bulbs and painstakingly replacing every other light, simply buy a few strings of C9 LED Christmas lights.</p> <p>Chances are you won't have to buy new bulbs again. Once you see just how rugged LED lights are when compared to incandescent lights, you may wonder why you've tolerated dealing with sensitive incandescent bulbs for so long.</p> <p><b>3. Environmentally Friendly</b></p> <p>C9 LED Christmas lights contain no mercury, making them a greener, more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional Christmas lights. Also, if you accidentally break a few bulbs, it will not pose a potential health hazard to family or household pets.</p> <p>If and when you decide to replace your LED Christmas lights with newer models, you can easily dispose of your lights without a thought.</p> <p>Also, since C9 LED Christmas lights are so efficient, you're helping lower your carbon footprint for the duration they are used. LED lights are the perfect choice for families interested in helping improve the environment and saving money doing it.</p> <p>Buy some LED Christmas lights today to make both your wallet and mother nature much happier.</p> <p><b>4. Saves You Money</b></p> <p>LED Christmas lights use only a third of the electricity consumed by conventional light bulbs, putting money back in your pocket. This is especially true during the holidays when the lights and decorations go up.</p> <p>Using&nbsp;LED Christmas lights this year is a great way to reduce money on the utility bill this holiday season. Considering the amount of time Christmas lights and other decorations are turned on, the possible money savings can be significant.</p> <p>C9 LED Christmas lights are certainly the best option if you're looking to purchase light strings that will last a lifetime, help the environment, reduce safety hazards, and save you money.</p> <p>As homeowners continue to become more interested in energy conservation, LED lights are fast becoming the new standard for holiday decorations. Forget about buying replacement bulbs or another set of unreliable incandescent lights.</p> <p>Get some LED Christmas lights this year instead and alleviate many of the headaches that go along with outdated incandescent bulbs.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1" id="hs-cta-d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1" alt="Click Here To Visit Our Christmas Lighting Store" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/102802/4-Major-Advantages-to-Buying-C9-LED-Christmas-Lighting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 05 Dec 2013 16:19:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:102802http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/102803/7-Reasons-to-Choose-LED-Christmas-Lights-This-Holiday-Season#Comments1,5107 Reasons to Choose LED Christmas Lights This Holiday Seasonhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/102803/7-Reasons-to-Choose-LED-Christmas-Lights-This-Holiday-Season<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><p><b><img id="img-1386098956328" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/5228081084_0884cf8acf_o1.jpg" border="0" alt="Christmas LED Lights" class="alignRight" style="float: right;">7 Reasons to Choose LED Christmas Lights This Holiday</b></p> <p>Being both environmentally and economically conscious doesn’t mean you have to skimp on the holiday lights – or worse, not put any up at all. If you want to decorate your home or your business for the holidays while saving energy in the process, LED Christmas lights are an excellent option.&nbsp; If you are tired of buying new Christmas lights ever season, investing in LED lights instead will hold you over for several years (unless, like many Holiday decorating enthusiasts, you like to add to your lighting displays and designs each year).</p> <p>Here are some advantages for choosing LED Christmas lights this year:</p> <p><b>1. They are efficient.</b></p> <p>LED Christmas lights use 90% less energy than traditional Christmas lights. For that reason alone – LED lights are a great choice.</p> <p>By celebrating the holidays with LED decorative lights you are simultaneously reducing your “footprint” on the environment.</p> <p><b>2. They last long.</b></p> <p>LED lights can last for up to hundreds of thousands of hours. If you kept them on twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, you could enjoy them for years!</p> <p>So, imagine how long they’ll last if you only have them on for a few months during the winter season?&nbsp;</p> <p><b>3. They are durable.</b></p> <p>LED lights use light emitting diodes in order to produce their luminescence.&nbsp; Consequently, it is not possible to burn out the filaments and there are no bulbs to replace.&nbsp; LED Christmas lights are user-ready.&nbsp;</p> <p>Furthermore, LED Christmas lights are made of plastic instead of glass.&nbsp; As a result, those who use them to decorate do not have to fear that they will break, and since these types of lights are less fragile than traditional Christmas lights, they are also easier to store until next season without having to worry about finding them broken.</p> <p><b>4. They can be customized.</b></p> <p>Whether you buy strands already in place or prefer to the freedom to place each bulb in the strand yourself to coordinate your desired color scheme, LED Christmas lights are easy to customize. Available in a variety of shapes, sizes, forms, and colors, how you choose to design the lights in your yard or the trimming along your property is limitless.</p> <p>From forms in the shape of snowflakes, bushes, icicle strands, and garlands to rope lighting and everything in between, LED Christmas lights are available per bulb or per predesigned form.</p> <p><b>5. They are cost-efficient.</b></p> <p>For the frugal spender, LEDs are an ideal choice.&nbsp; Although they might be a little more expense at check-out than traditional incandescent light bulbs, they’ll last much longer and won’t have to be replaced as quickly.</p> <p>How many times have you had to go back to the store to replace incandescent lights in the middle of the Holiday season?</p> <p>That won’t happen with LED lights.</p> <p><b>6. They are safe.</b></p> <p>Traditional incandescent Christmas lights can get very hot, very quickly. Ornaments and dry Christmas trees can easily catch fire if exposed to an over-heated incandescent bulb for an extended period of time.</p> <p><b>7. They are accessible.</b></p> <p>Although you can purchase LED Christmas lights in typical brick-and-mortar retail stores, you have more options and more choices if you shop online (plus it’s a lot easier and more convenient).</p> <p>Whether you trim your home or business every holiday season or are considering doing it this year for the first time, do some research and look at the different bulbs and lights available.</p> <p>If you plan your design and color scheme <em>before </em>you shop (vs <em>while</em> shopping) you’ll avoid buying too many lights you won’t use or not enough lights to finish the project.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1" id="hs-cta-d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1" alt="Click Here To Visit Our Christmas Lighting Store" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=d7c99b20-dda5-44e4-bc38-281623f61dc1&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/102803/7-Reasons-to-Choose-LED-Christmas-Lights-This-Holiday-Season&bvt=rss">Lorien StrydomWed, 04 Dec 2013 16:15:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:102803http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/102804/Everything-You-Ever-Wanted-to-Know-About-C7-LED-Christmas-Lights#Comments1,529Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About C7 LED Christmas Lights...http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/102804/Everything-You-Ever-Wanted-to-Know-About-C7-LED-Christmas-Lights<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><p><b><img id="img-1386098314800" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/4196760990_b8777fda4f_o.jpg" border="0" alt="LED Christmas Lights" class="alignRight" style="float: right;">Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About C7 LED Christmas Lights, But Were Afraid to Ask</b></p> <p>It’s that wondrous time of year again to trim&nbsp; your home , your Christmas trees, and your commercial business with your Led Christmas lights!&nbsp;</p> <p>If you haven’t converted all your lights over to LEDs yet, you’ll want to do that this season to save money, help the environment, and &nbsp;eliminate the stress of worrying if a whole strand of lights in your display has suddenly burned out.</p> <p>Whether you have a commercial building to decorate, an entire house, long driveway, and garage, or a big apartment window, you’ll want to consider the C7 LED Christmas lights this year.</p> <p><b>What does C7 LED mean?</b></p> <p>C7 refers to the size of the base of the bulb; from base to tip the C7 bulb is a little over two inches high. C7 Christmas light bulbs have an E12 base (the same size base as the bulb you use for a traditional night light).</p> <p>The letters LED stand for Light Emitting Diode. LED C7 lights offer energy savings and the bulbs are virtually unbreakable with normal use and handling.</p> <p><b>Are C7 Christmas bulbs new?</b></p> <p>General Electric first introduced C7 lights back in 1934. They were considered high-end and the top-of-the-line; they were very pricey and only the very wealthy could afford them. Today, C7 bulbs&nbsp;are an affordable and popular option for all Holiday decorators!</p> <p><b>How are C7s typically used?</b></p> <p>C7s are commonly the Christmas light bulb of choice used in &nbsp;traditional outdoor holiday trimming projects. They are perfect for outlining walkways, driveways, fences, and roof lines. Because of their unique size compared to many little lights on the market today, the C7s are often used to decorate historic buildings, Victorian-style homes, and centers of towns.</p> <p>When purchased in Christmas lighting strings, they’re great for hugging the trunks of large outdoor trees or throughout evergreens. Since the bulbs brilliant and big, they are large enough to be enjoyed from a distance.</p> <p><b>Why are C7s the bulb of choice for many installers?</b></p> <p>Simple. These bulbs are easy to screw in place and maintain throughout the season. &nbsp;Where bigger lighting projects are involved, ease of use and minimal maintenance save a lot of time, money, and hassle.</p> <p><b>Do C7 LEDs offer any options in their appearance?</b></p> <p>Yes. C7s are available in an array of vibrant holiday colors with a triple-dipped dye patch. In addition, you can choose from steady glow or twinkling lights, and between transparent coatings or frosted coatings. &nbsp;</p> <p>Further choices include C7 bulbs that change color, illuminate like strobe lights, and come in cascading LED tubes or falling icicles. If you prefer to customize the color patterns and the wire lengths of your strings of bulbs, you’ll want to buy stringers vs. pre-lamped strings (where the bulbs are already screwed into the wire and don’t give you the freedom to change the color pattern ).</p> <p>Although you have to purchase the bulbs separately with this option, the bulbs have nickel bases to protect from corrosion, are triple dipped, and allow for that customization of light themes that you seek. Further, the stringers are able to drain water from their sockets from their strategically-placed weep holes.</p> <p>However, if you getting a late start in trimming your property and time is a factor, pre-lamped lights come in a variety of different colors and are ready to hang instantly.</p> <p>Meticulously-designed Christmas light trimmings make a lasting impression all year long; neighbors, visitors, and even those out for a late-night stroll or drive will appreciate, admire, and remember your Christmas stunning lights year after year. &nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-0f514c70-d26d-4d7a-9284-d9c0caf55bc3"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-0f514c70-d26d-4d7a-9284-d9c0caf55bc3" id="hs-cta-0f514c70-d26d-4d7a-9284-d9c0caf55bc3"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/0f514c70-d26d-4d7a-9284-d9c0caf55bc3"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-0f514c70-d26d-4d7a-9284-d9c0caf55bc3" alt="Did You Know We Sell C7 LED Christmas Lights?" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/0f514c70-d26d-4d7a-9284-d9c0caf55bc3.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-0f514c70-d26d-4d7a-9284-d9c0caf55bc3"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=0f514c70-d26d-4d7a-9284-d9c0caf55bc3&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/102804/Everything-You-Ever-Wanted-to-Know-About-C7-LED-Christmas-Lights&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 03 Dec 2013 16:07:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:102804http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73956/Scotopic-vs-Photopic-Vision-How-Your-Eyes-Perceive-Light-Quality#Comments1,025Scotopic vs Photopic Vision: How Your Eyes Perceive Light Qualityhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73956/Scotopic-vs-Photopic-Vision-How-Your-Eyes-Perceive-Light-Quality<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Scotopic vs Photopic Vision....How to Interpret What Your Eyes are Telling You</h1> <h2>What's lighting quality?</h2> <p>Lighting quality is not as simple as taking a light meter and getting high foot candle readings. Unfortunately high foot candles do not mean the lighting is right. You can have lower foot candle(we'll call them FC) readings than before a project and actually have better light.</p> <h2>Photopic vs Scotopic<img id="img-1318974633504" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/eye multi color.jpg" border="0" alt="scotopic-vs-photopic-how-your-eye-percieves-light-quality" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"></h2> <p>How the human eye percieves lighting is far different than how a light meter percieves it.<a href="http://www.ruudled.net/education/photopicvsscotopic.php" rel="nofollow" title=" BETA" target="_blank"> BETA</a>, a manufacturer of LED lighting has done a fantastice job of summarizing what it means.</p> <h2><span class="titolo">What Is The Difference Between Scotopic and Photopic?<br></span></h2> <p>An important factor in measuring LED effectiveness is understanding the difference between Scotopic and Photopic vision in relationship to how the eye perceives light. <a href="http://www.ruudled.net/education/photopic2.php" title="(What is Scotopic and Photopic Vision?)" target="_blank">(What is Scotopic and Photopic Vision?)</a><br><br>Seeing is believing: A recent study comparing the public’s perception of 100-watt HPS lighting vs. 75-watt LED lighting dramatically demonstrates the superiority of scotopic luminance.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ruudled.net/education/photopic3.php">Scotopic vs. Photopic in Action: The Cree Garage Lighting Survey</a></p> <h2>Intel Tests Scotopic vs Photopic Vision</h2> <p>An experiment at the Intel Corporation’s multi-building campus in Hillsboro, Oregon, proved the scotopic-photopic theory. Described in Dr. Sam Berman’s article “The Coming Revolution in Lighting Practice,” Intel facilities staff observed during the study that one could see better under the scotopically rich lighting, and that this lighting was actually perceived as brighter even though a traditional light meter would indicate the opposite.<br><br>Intel realized they would achieve larger energy savings by reducing the number of lamps needed while at the same time improving overall lighting perception and effectiveness. In the campus’s eight buildings, scotopically enhanced lamps have yielded annual lighting energy savings of slightly larger than eight million kilowatt hours.</p> <h2>Footcandle Readings No Longer Enough</h2> <p>Light meters see light as photopic, however with the color rendering of todays newer lighting technology that is not always enough. That is how we can have a lower FC reading on a meter and yet to the human eye, the area is significantly brighter. The human eye is a far better "light meter" than any little gadget.</p> <h2>We Have Seen "The Light"</h2> <p>We have witnessed this first hand on one of our projects. We replaced 1000W metal halide fixtures with 250W Inductive fixtures.</p> <p>The results?</p> <p>The light meter said that there was less light. The human eye said not only is there more light, but the colors look more accurate as well.</p> <h2>How Does Scotopic vs Photopic Relate to Energy Efficiency?</h2> <p>This topic is relevent to energy efficiency because when you are re-designing a facility for new lighting, you may be able to reduce the wattage of your fixtures even further.&nbsp; You should demand the lowest wattage fixture as possible.&nbsp; If you understand the relationship between Scotopic and Photopic, you may be able to reduce your energy costs even further.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>Scotopic and Photopic vision are just 2 aspects of energy efficient technologies you must take into consideration.&nbsp; To help you understand energy efficiency even further, download our FREE e-book, <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="&quot;Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency - Lighting Solutions&quot;." target="_self">"Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency - Lighting Solutions".</a>&nbsp; You can click on the link here or the button below to get your copy.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73956/Scotopic-vs-Photopic-Vision-How-Your-Eyes-Perceive-Light-Quality&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 24 Oct 2013 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:73956http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/100382/What-Does-Color-Temperature-Have-To-Do-With-LED-Lighting#Comments1,131What Does Color Temperature Have To Do With LED Lighting?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/100382/What-Does-Color-Temperature-Have-To-Do-With-LED-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>What Is Color Temperature?</h2> <p>Color Temperature is a measurement in Degrees Kelvin that indicates the hue of a specific type of light source.&nbsp;</p> <p>In General, color preferences tend to be subjective and a matter of personal preference. Geographic’s&nbsp;and climate factors can also come into play. For instance. Asia, including Japan prefers cool white for interior applications.</p> <h2>Do You Like Warmer Lighting Or Cooler Lighting?</h2> <p>We American’s prefer warm white. Why is that?</p> <p>Partly because we grew up with the incandescent bulb at 2700k and it makes our skin tone look healthier. Ironically, those in cooler northern climates also prefer warmer colors. Those in warmer southern climates prefer cooler colors.</p> <p><span>Here is a complete color scale and items that you can commonly refer to to give you a place of reference:&nbsp;</span><br><br><img id="img-1377723988223" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/led-and-color-temperature-chart-resized-600.png" border="0" alt="led and color temperature chart resized 600" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p> <h2>LED Interior Color Temperatures</h2> <p>LED interior products are offered in a range from warm white, neutral to daylight white. Anything warmer, e.g. 2700k, gives off yellowish hues and that may be good for skin tones, but not good for commercial retail applications and the illumination of fabrics, food, etc., where rich saturated colors such as red, orange and purples are present.</p> <ul> <li>The LED Troffers we sell are offered at 3500k, 4000k, and 5000k.</li> <li>6” recessed downlights are offered in 3000k, 4000k, 5000k.</li> </ul> <h2>LED Exterior Color Temperatures</h2> <p>Typically, exterior products are offered in the daylight white range. Anything cooler gives off a blue hue and&nbsp;can also distort color perception.</p> <ul> <li>Parking area lighting is offered at 5200k.</li> <li>Exterior wallpacks are offered in 5000k and 5700k.</li> </ul> <p><img id="img-1377724725222" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/lighting-sources-color-temperature-led-lighting-hid-incandescent-resized-600.png" border="0" alt="comparing-led-hid-incandescent" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p> <h2>The Incandescent Bulb</h2> <p>If you start with a yellowish light–like a typical incandescent bulb–you start with a high proportion of&nbsp;light in the red and green range compared to the number in the blue range.</p> <p>That’s why an incandescent light bulb itself looks yellowish, and it’s also why an incandescent bulb brings out the so-called warmer colors in objects–there’s more red and green available in the light itself to bounce off the object and reach your eye.</p> <h2>The Fluorescent Bulb</h2> <p>If you start with a typical fluorescent bulb, on the other hand, there’s much a much higher percentage of blue available to bounce off the object, and the additional blue brings out the so-called cooler colors in objects where the light bounces.</p> <h2>What Light Makes Me Look Better?</h2> <p>These differences in the light sources explain the common observation that incandescent light is more flattering to people than fluorescent light.</p> <p>Much the same comment applies to produce, which is why grocery stores avoid standard fluorescent bulbs near fruits and vegetables.</p> <h2>Different Light Source = Different Look</h2> <p>More generally, differences in light sources explain why colors change when you change the light source or color temperature.</p> <p>Things actually have a different color under daylight than under incandescent light, and a different color still under fluorescent light. In fact, things will have different colors in daylight at different times of day.</p> <h2>Color And Light Sources</h2> <p>By using LED light sources we are able to “dial up” any color of white within the white light range.</p> <p>The ability of a light source to render or display color depends on the amount of power it radiates or emits in the various regions of the color spectrum.</p> <h2>LED..A "Full Color Spectrum" Light Source</h2> <p>LED is marketed as a “full color spectrum” light source. Other common terms found in the market is “spectrally enhanced lighting” or “scotopically” enhanced.&nbsp;</p> <p>Good quality LED light sources, fixtures or luminaires radiate or emit a wavelength of light that is more representative of what we see in natural sunlight where the full color spectrum is present.<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/led-sunlight-cfl-incandescent-light-color-temperature-comparison-resized-600.png" border="0" alt="led sunlight cfl incandescent light color temperature comparison resized 600"></p> <h2>Light Can Actually Be Brighter Than What Is Measured</h2> <p>Keep in mind though that the color of light has inherent qualities that have not been completely understood, see our article "<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73956/Scotopic-vs-Photopic-Vision-How-Your-Eyes-Perceive-Light-Quality" title="Scotopic vs Photopic Vision: How Your Eyes Perceive Light Quality">Scotopic vs Photopic Vision: How Your Eyes Perceive Light Quality</a>".&nbsp;</p> <p>Recent discoveries in vision science tells us there is more to light than what can be measured and we are beginning to recognize the benefits using LED to generate a full color spectrum of light.</p> <h2>Full Color Spectrum Good For Circadian Rhythm</h2> <p>Using a full color light source like LED with spectra more like daylight improves visual acuity or <br>sharpness even at lower light levels, has positive effects on the body’s internal clock, (Circadian Rhythm) and generally makes for a better lighting environment.</p> <h2>Want To Learn More?</h2> <p>Check out our FREE ebook, just click on the book below;&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" alt="jimmy\u002Dhovey\u002Dbusiness\u002Downers\u002Dguide\u002Dto\u002Denergy\u002Defficient\u002Dlighting" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/100382/What-Does-Color-Temperature-Have-To-Do-With-LED-Lighting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 18 Sep 2013 11:44:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:100382http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/100379/LED-vs-Fluorescent-10-Problems-To-Consider-With-Fluorescent-Lighting#Comments1,439LED vs Fluorescent: 10 Problems To Consider With Fluorescent Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/100379/LED-vs-Fluorescent-10-Problems-To-Consider-With-Fluorescent-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Which Way To Go...LED vs Fluorescent</h1> <p>Fluorescent is still an inexpensive option for retrofitting old T12 fixtures, but Fluorescent lighting does have it's drawbacks. &nbsp;Here are 10 problems that people run into with Fluorescent Lighting:&nbsp;<img id="img-1377722202575" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/sally 2325 a after.jpg" alt="7-reasons-to-consider-led-vs-fluorescent" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" border="0" height="545" width="408"></p> <h2>1. Frequent Switching Causes Early Failures</h2> <p>If the lamp is installed where it is frequently switched on and off, it will age rapidly.</p> <p>Under extreme conditions, its lifespan may be much shorter than a cheap incandescent lamp.</p> <p>Each start cycle slightly erodes the electron-emitting surface of the cathodes; when all the emission material is gone, the lamp cannot start with the available ballast voltage.</p> <p>Fixtures intended for flashing of lights (such as for advertising) will use a ballast that maintains cathode temperature when the arc is off, preserving the life of the lamp.</p> <p>The extra energy used to start a fluorescent lamp is equivalent to a few seconds of normal operation; it is more energy-efficient to switch off lamps when not required for several minutes.&nbsp;</p> <h2>2. Fluorescent Bulbs Contain Mercury</h2> <p>If a fluorescent lamp is broken, a very small amount of mercury can contaminate the surrounding&nbsp;environment. About 99% of the mercury is typically contained in the phosphor, especially on lamps that are near the end of their life.</p> <p>The broken glass is usually considered a greater hazard than the small amount of spilled mercury.The EPA recommends airing out the location of a fluorescent tube break and using wet paper towels to help pick up the broken glass and fine particles.</p> <p>Any glass and used towels should be disposed of in a sealed plastic bag. Vacuum cleaners can cause the particles to become airborne, and should not be used.</p> <h2>3. Fluorescent Lights Give Off Ultraviolet Light</h2> <p>Ultraviolet emission&nbsp;Fluorescent lamps emit a small amount of ultraviolet (UV) light. A 1993 study in the US found that ultraviolet exposure from sitting under fluorescent lights for eight hours is equivalent to only&nbsp;one minute of sun exposure.</p> <p>Very sensitive individuals may experience a variety of health problems relating to light sensitivity that is aggravated by artificial lighting.&nbsp;</p> <p>Ultraviolet light can affect sensitive paintings, especially watercolors and many textiles. Valuable&nbsp;art work must be protected from light by additional glass or transparent acrylic sheets put between the fluorescent&nbsp;lamp(s) and the painting.</p> <h2>4. The "Buzz" On the Fluorescent Ballast</h2> <p>Magnetic single-lamp ballasts have a low power factor.&nbsp;Fluorescent lamps require a ballast to stabilize the current through the lamp, and to provide the initial striking voltage required to start the arc discharge.</p> <p>This increases the cost of fluorescent light fixtures, though often one ballast is shared between two or more lamps. &nbsp;Electromagnetic ballasts with a minor fault can produce an audible humming or buzzing noise.</p> <p>Magnetic ballasts are usually filled with a tar-like potting compound to reduce emitted noise. Hum is eliminated in lamps with a high-frequency electronic ballast. Energy lost in magnetic ballasts can be significant, on the order of 10% of lamp input power.</p> <p>Electronic ballasts reduce this loss. Small lamps may use an incandescent lamp as a ballast if the supply voltage is high enough to allow the&nbsp;lamp to start.</p> <h2>5. Power Quality and Radio Interference</h2> <p>Inductive ballasts include power factor correction capacitors. Simple electronic ballasts may also have low power factor due to their rectifier input stage.&nbsp;</p> <p>Fluorescent lamps are a non-linear load and generate harmonic currents in the electrical power supply. The arc within the lamp may generate radio frequency noise, which can be conducted through power wiring. Suppression of radio interference is possible.</p> <p>Good suppression is possible, but adds to the cost of the fluorescent fixtures.</p> <h2>6. Not As Efficient At High and Low Temperatures</h2> <p>Fluorescent lamps operate best around room temperature. At much lower or higher temperatures,&nbsp;efficiency decreases.</p> <p>At below-freezing temperatures standard lamps may not start. Special lamps may be needed for reliable service outdoors in cold weather.</p> <p>In applications such as road and railway signaling, fluorescent lamps which do not generate as much heat as incandescent lamps may not melt snow and ice build up around the lamp, leading to reduced visibility.</p> <h2>7. Fluorescent Lamp Shape Cause Retrofit Problems</h2> <p>Fluorescent tubes are long, low-luminance sources compared with high pressure arc lamps and <br>incandescent lamps. However, low luminous intensity of the emitting surface is useful because it reduces glare.</p> <p>Lamp fixture design must control light from a long tube instead of a compact <br>globe.&nbsp;The compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) replaces regular incandescent bulbs.</p> <p>However, some CFLs will not fit some lamps, because the harp (heavy wire shade support bracket) is shaped for the narrow neck of an incandescent lamp, while CFLs tend to have a wide housing for their electronic ballast close to the lamp's base.</p> <h2>8. Most Fluorescents Are Not Able To Be Dimmed</h2> <p>Fluorescent light fixtures cannot be connected to dimmer switches intended for incandescent <br>lamps.</p> <p>Two effects are responsible for this:</p> <p><em>1. The waveform of the voltage emitted by a standard phase-control dimmer interacts badly with many ballasts.</em></p> <p><em>2. It becomes difficult to sustain an arc in the fluorescent tube at low power levels.</em></p> <p>Dimming installations require a compatible dimming ballast. These systems keep the cathodes of the fluorescent tube fully heated even as the arc current is reduced, promoting easy thermionic emission of electrons into the arc stream.</p> <p>Now, before you go off and write me a note telling me I am wrong, here is the exception...</p> <p><strong><em>This would not apply to some CFLs as they are available to be used with with suitable dimmers.</em></strong></p> <h2>9. Contaminants Cause Disposal and Recycling Issues</h2> <p>The disposal of phosphor and particularly the toxic mercury in the tubes is an environmental issue.</p> <p>Governmental regulations in many areas require special disposal of fluorescent lamps separate from general and household wastes.</p> <p>For large commercial or industrial users of fluorescent lights, recycling services are available in many nations, and may be required by regulation. In some areas, recycling is also available to consumers.</p> <p>But even though recycling is available, it can be expensive which leads to a bigger issue. &nbsp;If it is too expensive to dispose of the lamps, people are not encouraged to recycle and dispose of the lamps in ways that are harmful to our environment.&nbsp;</p> <h2>10. Light From Fluorescent Bulb Is Non-Directional</h2> <p>The Light from fluorescent bulbs is non-directional light source. When a fluorescent bulb is lit, it gives off lighting all the way around the bulb or otherwise 360 degrees. &nbsp;</p> <p>This means that only about 60-70% of the actual light being given off by the fluorescent lamps is being used. &nbsp;The other 30-40% is wasted. &nbsp;</p> <p>This wasted light tends to lead to over lighting certain areas, especially offices. &nbsp;Most offices we go into will not qualify for The Energy Policy Act of 2005 because the wattage per square foot is too high. &nbsp;</p> <h2>What About Considering T8 LED Bulbs?</h2> <p>In the article above, LED is the best replacement to solve most of those problems that are listed, but they can be a little pricey. &nbsp;Because of the reach of our blog, we have set up a special direct relationship with a LED manufacturer and now have LED T8 Bulbs, LED Parking Fixtures, LED Wall Packs and LED Troffers. &nbsp;</p> <p>If you are looking for a better alternative to Fluorscent lighting, then check out our deal on T8 LED bulbs, just click on the blue box below. &nbsp;Thanks, Jimmy</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b" id="hs-cta-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b" alt="Click Here To Learn More About T8 LED Bulbs" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></div>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/100379/LED-vs-Fluorescent-10-Problems-To-Consider-With-Fluorescent-Lighting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 09 Sep 2013 20:03:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:100379http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/100373/How-To-Find-Rebates-and-Financing-For-LED-Lighting-Projects#Comments780How To Find Rebates and Financing For LED Lighting Projectshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/100373/How-To-Find-Rebates-and-Financing-For-LED-Lighting-Projects<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Rebates, Rebates, Rebates.....<img id="img-1377711559726" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/how-to-save-money-with-led-lighting-rebates-and-financing.jpg" border="0" alt="how to save money with led lighting rebates and financing" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"></h2> <p>One of the most common questions we get on our blog, "Are there rebates available for my project?". &nbsp;This article will focus on the types available and hopefully point you in the right direction so you can see if your project will qualify. &nbsp;</p> <p>States, utilities and a few local governments offer rebates to promote the installation of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Most rebate programs that support energy efficiency are administered by utilities. Rebate levels typically vary by technology.</p> <p>Green buildings are designed and constructed using practices and materials that minimize the impacts of the building on the environment and human health. Many cities and counties also offer financial incentives to promote green building.</p> <h2>Personal Tax Incentives</h2> <p>Personal tax incentives for installing energy efficient lighting include income tax credits and deductions. Many states offer these incentives to reduce the expense of purchasing and installing renewable energy or energy efficiency systems and equipment.</p> <p>The percentage of the credit or deduction varies by state, and in most cases, there is a maximum limit on the dollar amount of the credit or deduction. An allowable credit may include carryover provisions, or it may be structured so that the credit is spread out over a certain number of years.</p> <p>Eligible technologies vary widely by state. In recent years, the federal government has offered personal tax credits for renewables and energy efficiency.</p> <h2>Property Tax Incentives</h2> <p>Property tax incentives include exemptions, exclusions, abatements and credits. Most property tax incentives provide that the added value of a renewable energy system is excluded from the valuation of the property for taxation purposes.</p> <p>In a few cases, property tax incentives apply to the additional cost of a green building. Because property taxes are collected locally, some states have granted local taxing authorities the option of allowing a property tax incentive for renewables.</p> <h2>Corporate Tax Incentives</h2> <p>Corporate tax incentives for installing energy efficient lighting include tax credits, deductions and exemptions.</p> <p>These incentives are available in some states to corporations that purchase and install eligible renewable energy or energy efficiency equipment, or to construct green buildings. In a few cases, the incentive is based on the amount of energy produced by an eligible facility.</p> <p>Some states allow the tax credit only if a corporation has invested a minimum amount in an eligible project. Typically, there is a maximum limit on the dollar amount of the credit or deduction.</p> <p>In recent years, the federal government has offered corporate tax incentives for renewables and energy efficiency.</p> <h2>Loan Programs To Finance Improvements</h2> <p>Loan programs provide financing for the purchase of renewable energy or energy efficiency systems or equipment. Low-interest or zero-interest loans for energy efficiency projects are a common demand-side management (DSM) practice for electric utilities.</p> <p>State governments also offer low-interest loans for a broad range of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. These programs are commonly available to the residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, public and/or non-profit sectors.</p> <p>Loan rates and terms vary by program; in some cases, they are determined on an individual project basis. Loan terms are generally 10 years or less.</p> <p>In recent years, the federal government has offered loans and/or loan guarantees for renewables and energy efficiency projects.</p> <h2>What About Leasing?</h2> <p><span>Most business owners work to save as much money as possible during the startup of their business.&nbsp;</span>Financing your lighting projects though our leasing partners is also available.</p> <p>Leasing allows businesses to recognize the immediate energy savings without having to pay the full cost upfront. By leasing your LED lighting package you will endure less initial costs than if you were to make full purchases but still get the products you need.</p> <p>Although not right for everyone, leasing to own is a good alternative. Payments are often offset by the energy and maintenance savings and the full cost of leasing lighting is generally deductible from taxable income.</p> <p>You can <a href="https://vendor.directcapital.com/Application.aspx?Vendor=AdArt" title="apply for leasing credit online and have a decision within 24 hours by clicking here:" target="_self">apply for leasing credit online and have a decision within 24 hours by clicking here</a>. This is an application for leasing available through our manufacturer, Genesis Lighting Solutions.&nbsp;</p> <p>It is best to consult your Accountant, Tax adviser and most importantly your local energy company to review potential lighting rebates or tax incentives, for your business, prior to fixture installation.</p> <h2>Information You Will Need To Apply For Rebates and Financing</h2> <p>Don't overlook the fact that you have to have a real project. &nbsp;The entities providing the funding want to know you have a legitimate project.&nbsp;</p> <p>When applying for rebates most energy providers require pre-authorization and approval of the project. Coordinating your lighting requirements through Hovey Electric will ensure that you are prepared well in advance and have the below information ready to submit to your energy provider or tax adviser.</p> <h3>A. Location information:</h3> <ol> <li>Owners name &amp; store/facility number</li> <li>Facility address with zip code</li> <li>Electric utility provider and kWh rate including the miscellaneous transmission charges</li> <li>Square footage of facility</li> <li>Operating hours</li> </ol> <h3>B. Project information:</h3> <ol> <li>Estimated construction start and end dates</li> <li>Details of existing lighting system conditions</li> <li>System size, lighting fixtures, type, quantity, # of bulbs, wattage of bulbs, etc.</li> <li>Kilowatt hour or watt demand</li> <li>System run time</li> <li>Details of proposed system</li> <li>System size, lighting fixtures, type, model numbers and quantity</li> <li>Equipment cut sheets or technical data sheets</li> <li>Anticipated kilowatt or watt demand</li> <li>System run time</li> <li>Detailed energy savings calculations</li> </ol> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting?</h2> <p>Check out our FREE ebook, you can download it for FREE by clicking on the book below:&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/100373/How-To-Find-Rebates-and-Financing-For-LED-Lighting-Projects&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 28 Aug 2013 16:06:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:100373http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/99307/15-Must-Have-Formulas-For-Calculating-ROI-For-LED-Lighting-Retrofit#Comments94415 Must Have Formulas For Calculating ROI For LED Lighting Retrofithttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/99307/15-Must-Have-Formulas-For-Calculating-ROI-For-LED-Lighting-Retrofit<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>How to Calculate a Basic LED Retrofit ROI Manually</h1> <p>While technology is a great thing to have, it often can be too complicated to really be of any value. &nbsp;Calculating the financial benefits of updating to LED or even Fluorescent lighting can seem like a daunting task. &nbsp;For basic retrofits, you really don't need a computer. &nbsp;You can do all you need with a simple calculator and a basic sheet of paper. &nbsp;</p> <h2>"Get out the pencil and paper"<img id="img-1374859485149" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Pencil and paper.jpg" border="0" alt="16-must-have-formulas-to-calculate-led-roi" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"></h2> <p>This article made me think of a Gentleman I used to work for who didn't really even know how to turn on a computer let alone run one. &nbsp;Whenever the server would go down or software would cause problems, he would always threaten to "get out the pencils and paper", back to the way they used to do things. &nbsp;</p> <p>While I can't imagine doing the accounting functions for a business without a calculator, I do often do a quick, 5 minute series of calculations to see if a retrofit is really worth considering. Afterall, why spend hours and hours of your time trying to figure it out if it's not worth it. &nbsp;</p> <p>So if you are wondering if a lighting upgrade is a good move for your place of business, we put together the 16 must have formulas to help you figure it out. &nbsp;If it looks like sense on paper, then it may be worth spending a little more time finalizing and calculating further. &nbsp;</p> <p>But first, there are 9 pieces of information you should assemble in order to make this a quick simple task.&nbsp;</p> <ol> <li><em><strong>Hours per day lights are lit.</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Number of days per week they are lit.&nbsp;</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Number of existing fixtures or lamps.&nbsp;</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Wattage of existing lamps.&nbsp;</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Ballast factor of existing lamps.&nbsp;</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Your current kWh rate.&nbsp;</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Estimated cost of yearly maintenance and upkeep.&nbsp;</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Proposed new fixtures or lamp quantity.&nbsp;</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Installation cost of new fixtures.&nbsp;</strong></em></li> </ol> <h1>16 Formulas you need to know:</h1> <h2>Calculations for Retrofit and New applications</h2> <p>This set of formulas will allow you to calculate ROI for either Retrofit or New installations.</p> <p>***Note-If you are calculating NEW installation, follow all the way through, adjustment for NEW application are within the last 2 formulas. &nbsp;</p> <p>Here we go....</p> <h2>1. Finding fixture hours per year:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Hours per day x days per week x 52.143 weeks = hours per year</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">You don't have to be perfect here, this is just an estimate. &nbsp;If you work 8 hour shifts, don't forget to add an hour at the end and a hour at the beginning of the day. &nbsp;We often find that there is usually someone there early and late, so you want to take all factors into consideration.&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">2. Estimating total fixture wattage:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Number of lamps x wattage of lamps x ballast factor = fixture wattage</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Number of lamps should be relatively easy to count. &nbsp;To locate wattage of lamps, you can either go up and look at what you have or find the box of replacement bulbs on the shelf and you can find it there. &nbsp;Ballast factor, you would have to take a look at the existing fixture.&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Analyzing Your Existing System:</h2> <h2 style="text-align: left;">3. Calculate existing energy use (kWh):</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Existing fixture quantity x fixture wattage x hours per year = kWh</span><br><span style="text-decoration: underline;">1000</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">4. Calculate existing total energy cost per year:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">kWh x utility rate = yearly energy cost (in dollars)</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/how-to-calculate-savings-from-led-lighting.jpg" border="0" alt="how to calculate savings from led lighting" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">5. Establish maintenance cost:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Total number of lamps x $6 (estimated industry average) = yearly maintenance cost</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Having a good handle on the cost to maintain your system is very important if you are comparing a fluorescent system to a LED system. &nbsp;LED will always cost more upfront for the fixture vs fluorescent, but long term LED will cost you next to nothing for maintenance.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">If you are not sure, use the $6 per bulb figure listed in the formula above. &nbsp;That is an established industry average. &nbsp;While you may think it costs nothing, if you really sit down and do a talley of bulbs, ballasts, down time, lift rental, safety, and labor, you will find the $6 figure a pretty close average. &nbsp;</p> <h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Proposed System:</span></h1> <h2 style="text-align: left;">6. Calculate proposed energy use (kWh):</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Proposed fixture quantity x LED fixture wattage (no ballast factor) x hours per year = kWh</span><br><span style="text-decoration: underline;">1000</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">7. Calculate proposed total energy cost per year:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">kWh x utility rate = yearly energy cost (in dollars)</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Keep in mind that you are calculating costs of the existing system and proposed system in TODAY's dollars and utility rates. &nbsp;If you really watch your utility bill closely, you will find out that the rates creep up a little bit each year. &nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">In 5 years if you start to think "why am I not saving the amount per month I estimated 5 years ago", you might want to break down your rates month by month (might need the computer for that). &nbsp;You will likely find a significant increase in your rate over time even though you did not notice the slight changes on the face of your bill. &nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">At a dealership we did 3 years ago, their rate has increased nearly 40%, so I am talking from experience. &nbsp;Just something to keep in mind.&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">8. Establish installation cost:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Proposed fixture quantity x installation cost per fixture = total installation cost</span><span style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</span></p> <h2>9. Establish fixture cost:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Proposed fixture quantity x proposed fixture cost = total fixture cost</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">10. Total cost for proposed system:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Total installation cost + total fixture cost = total cost of proposed system</span></p> <h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Determining simple payback (in years):</span></h1> <h2 style="text-align: left;">11. Calculate yearly energy savings:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">(Existing kWh – Proposed kWh) x utility rate = yearly energy savings (in dollars)</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">12. Calculate yearly savings:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">(Proposed total energy cost + proposed total maintenance cost) - (Existing total energy</span><br><span style="text-decoration: underline;">cost + existing total maintenance cost) = annual savings (in dollars)</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">13. Simple payback formula:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Total cost of proposed system = simple payback (in years)</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><span style="text-align: left;">Annual Savings (in dollars)</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">What about NEW installations?</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">For new construction ROI calculations, you will need to subtract the cost of the existing&nbsp;system total from the total cost of the proposed system.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">This number will be your new total for&nbsp;proposed system as shown below.</p> <h1 style="text-align: left;">New Build formulas:</h1> <h2 style="text-align: left;">14. Establish additional proposed cost:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">(Proposed fixture cost + Proposed installation cost) - (existing fixture cost + existing</span><br><span style="text-decoration: underline;">installation cost) = adjusted proposed system cost</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">15. New build simple payback formula:</h2> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Adjusted proposed system cost = new build simple payback (in years)</span><br><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Annual Savings (in dollars)</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 36px;">Learn More...</span></h2> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span>&nbsp;</p> <p>Related Articles:&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95246/How-Much-Savings-From-Retrofitting-T-12-vs-T-8-Lighting" title="How Much Savings From Retrofitting T-12 vs T-8 Lighting?">How Much Savings From Retrofitting T-12 vs T-8 Lighting?</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55242/How-To-Calculate-Watts-For-Analyzing-Energy-Efficiency-Projects" title="How To Calculate Watts For Analyzing Energy Efficiency Projects">How To Calculate Watts For Analyzing Energy Efficiency Projects</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73860/How-to-Calculate-the-ROI-For-Energy-Efficient-Solutions" title="How to Calculate the ROI For Energy Efficient Solutions">How to Calculate the ROI For Energy Efficient Solutions</a></h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/99307/15-Must-Have-Formulas-For-Calculating-ROI-For-LED-Lighting-Retrofit&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 26 Jul 2013 17:10:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:99307http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/99038/8-Reasons-To-Consider-LED-Replacement-Bulbs-vs-T8-Fluorescent-Bulbs#Comments1,0138 Reasons To Consider LED Replacement Bulbs vs. T8 Fluorescent Bulbshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/99038/8-Reasons-To-Consider-LED-Replacement-Bulbs-vs-T8-Fluorescent-Bulbs<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Who Wins...Fluorescent Bulbs vs LED Bulbs</h2> <p>For the last 3 years we have been touting the benefits of T8 lighting. &nbsp;T8 has been one of the cheapest options out there for high bay and office lighting retrofits. &nbsp;LED technology has just been too expensive to purchase and installation was a significant cost as well. &nbsp;</p> <h3>Why LED now? &nbsp;</h3> <p>We now sell LED, because we have seen how the T8 bulbs that we warranted for 3 years are failing at 2.5 years. &nbsp;They were supposed to last 40,000 hours, well beyond 3 years, but we had several fail at 2.5 years. &nbsp;</p> <p>We recently went back to warranty some bulbs that had burned out, which were minimal but still a nuisance. We just happened to be 6 months past the warranty date. &nbsp;But when my installer got back and said the entire place needed a re-lamp, I about fell off my chair. &nbsp;How could that be?</p> <p>Now I know why they are warranted for only 2 years!</p> <p>We had already been getting more involved with LED because, as we have noted in other articles, LED technology has really come down in price and there are a lot more options. &nbsp;</p> <p>Plus you just cannot beat the lifetime of the LED fixtures, no matter how you compare to T8. We are just in the process of opening our NEW, ONLINE Energy Efficient Lighting Store <a href="http://www.hoveyledlights.com" title="(www.hoveyledlights.com)" target="_self">(www.hoveyledlights.com)</a>. &nbsp;ALL of our lighting is energy efficient, or we just won't carry it. &nbsp;<em>By the way, pardon the mess if you happen to go there, we are still "stocking" the shelves!</em></p> <p><em></em>One of the products we have decided to carry is a LED Replacement Bulb (4' tube) that replaces existing T8 bulbs in existing T8 fluorscent fixtures. &nbsp;It's a direct replacement meaning you don't have to changeout the ballast (as long as it is an instant start ballast) or provide an additional power source!</p> <p>The Hovey LED Replacement Bulbs are:<img id="img-1373922486097" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/22w_led_t8_direct_replacement.png" alt="hovey-electric-t8-led-replacement-bulbs" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" border="0"></p> <ul> <li><strong>A DIRECT Replacement for existing T8 Fixtures</strong></li> <li><strong>Does not affect the original UL listing for the T8 Fixture&nbsp;</strong></li> <li><strong>Carry a REAL, 5 Year Warranty</strong></li> </ul> <p>We may be biased, but here are 8 solid, fact based reasons why you should consider DIRECT Replacement LED Bulbs over T8.... &nbsp;</p> <h2>1. LED Replacement Bulbs are 30% More Efficient</h2> <p>So not only do you get more light from a LED replacement bulb, they use less wattage. &nbsp;Our LED replacement bulbs only use 22 watts vs 28-32 watts with T8 making the LED 30% more efficient. &nbsp;</p> <h2>2. LED Is A Directional Light Source</h2> <p>The LED replacement bulbs emits light at a 110 degree pattern vs the 360 degree pattern given off by T8 fluorescent bulbs. &nbsp;In this case, only 30% of the light given off by the t8 fluorescent is actually hitting the intended target. &nbsp;</p> <p>This means you are not using all available light because the fluorescent bulb is also lighting the fixture. &nbsp;That's why fluorescent fixtures are brighter with reflectors.&nbsp;</p> <h2>3. LED Transfer Light vs. Heat</h2> <p>A LED fixture uses its energy to produce light. &nbsp;Most lighting sources including fluorescent use heat to generate light which is why traditional incandescent, metal halide and fluorescent are losing favor with property owners. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>4. LED Still Give Off Light At End-Of-Life&nbsp;</h2> <p><span>A fluorescent bulb at the end of its life is very simple to spot, because it is DEAD, nothing left. A T8 bulb is considered end-of-life at 60% of its light output, which equates to roughly 14,400 hours. &nbsp;</span></p> <p>LED replacement bulbs on the other hand, calculate the end of life at 70% which is approximately 50,000 hours. &nbsp;</p> <p>In order to keep up with LED, you will have to replace the T8 bulbs 3.5 times</p> <h2>5. LED Replacement Bulbs Have No Mercury</h2> <p>One of the most important differences lies in the fact that there is no Mercury or Glass Content with LED lighting. &nbsp;</p> <p>In the State of Washington alone, over 10 Million lamps are disposed of in landfills each year. &nbsp;Those 10 Million lamps hold roughly 400 lbs of toxic Mercury waste that gets deposited each year. &nbsp;</p> <p>Washington State estimates that only 2 out of 10 bulbs are effectively recycled. &nbsp;</p> <h2>6. LED Does Not Give Off UV</h2> <p>LED replacement bulbs does not emit any light in the non-visible light spectrum (UV). &nbsp;UV/IR light causes colors to fade in fabrics, signage, while also being the leading cause for eye strain and eye fatigue. &nbsp;</p> <p>Fluorescent T8 bulbs emit UV/IR light.&nbsp;</p> <h2>7. LED Makes Air Conditioning More Efficient</h2> <p>LED fixtures contribute little to none in regards to heat gain in a room or air conditioned space. &nbsp;The LED generate less heat. &nbsp;Less heat means that the Air Conditioning system does not have to work as hard. &nbsp;</p> <p>This is vitally important if you are doing a new build or upgrade as you may be able to utilize smaller A/C systems to heat the same area. &nbsp;</p> <h2><span>8. LED Provides 70% More Light</span></h2> <p><span>The beam angle of the LED replacement bulb is 110 degrees. &nbsp;This means that all of the light generated by the LED bulb is focused in the 110 degree area. &nbsp;</span></p> <p><span>The T8 bulb on the other has a beam angle of 360 degrees. &nbsp;That means the majority of the light generated by the T8 bulb is going out the sides and top of bulb, which does not benefit the intended target. &nbsp;</span></p> <h2><span>What Do You Think?</span></h2> <p><span>Tell us your opinions in the comment section below. &nbsp;Is it worth it? &nbsp;Are you going to try it? &nbsp;Let us know, we would be interested to learn more about your thoughts.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b" id="hs-cta-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Related Articles About LED Lighting and LED Replacement Bulbs:&nbsp;</h2> <h4><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/99035/DIY-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Upgrades-LED-Replacement-Bulbs-For-T8" title="DIY Energy Efficient Lighting Upgrades: LED Replacement Bulbs For T8">DIY Energy Efficient Lighting Upgrades: LED Replacement Bulbs For T8</a></h4> <h4><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/98479/10-Reasons-To-Consider-LED-Lighting-Beyond-Energy-Savings" title="10 Reasons To Consider LED Lighting Beyond Energy Savings">10 Reasons To Consider LED Lighting Beyond Energy Savings</a></h4> <h4><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/97443/LED-Light-Applications-LED-vs-T8-Fluorescent-In-Parking-Garage" title="LED Light Applications:LED vs. T8 Fluorescent In Parking Garage?">LED Light Applications:LED vs. T8 Fluorescent In Parking Garage?</a></h4> <h4><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95319/How-Does-LED-Lighting-Impact-Building-Heat-Gain-and-Power-Quality" title="How Does LED Lighting Impact Building Heat Gain and Power Quality?">How Does LED Lighting Impact Building Heat Gain and Power Quality?</a></h4> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/99038/8-Reasons-To-Consider-LED-Replacement-Bulbs-vs-T8-Fluorescent-Bulbs&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 19 Jul 2013 11:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:99038http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/99035/DIY-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Upgrades-LED-Replacement-Bulbs-For-T8#Comments666DIY Energy Efficient Lighting Upgrades: LED Replacement Bulbs For T8http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/99035/DIY-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Upgrades-LED-Replacement-Bulbs-For-T8<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>How Much Energy Does US Lighting Market Consume?</h2> <p>In a report published by the Department of Energy in 2012, it was found that in 2010, lighting accounted for 700 terawatt-hours (TWh), or roughly 19 percent of total U.S. Energy use. That is quite a lot of energy usage just for lighting.&nbsp;</p> <p>If we could reduce that energy even by a few percentage points, we would not need any additional power plants and also reduce our carbon footprint.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Large Percentage Consumed By Commercial Buildings</h2> <p>Nearly 50% of the energy use resides in the commercial market sector. This market sector is dominated by fluorescent lighting which is used, on average, of 11 hours per day in each of the 5.9 million commercial buildings in the U.S.</p> <p><span>Below is a breakdown on the inventory of lamps in use within each market sector:</span></p> <p><img id="img-1373658439058" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Amount of T8 Fluorescent Bulbs-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="Amount of T8 Fluorescent Bulbs resized 600" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p> <h2>T8's Are Taking Over...</h2> <p>Trends in lighting within the commercial market sector are seen by the migration from T12 fluorescent&nbsp;lamps to T8, T5 type linear fluorescent bulbs and now T8 LED bulbs.</p> <p>The most recent 2013 market share numbers posted by NEMA indicates that T8 lamps continue to increase in market share now reaching 75%.</p> <h2>Are T8's Really The Answer?</h2> <p>Because of linear fluorescent lamp technology’s long stature, (70+ years), in the market, almost every lighting manufacture globally has designed fixtures and systems around it, and most of these lighting systems are completely interchangeable.</p> <p>As a result, interchangeable replacement components are readily available with little need to consider the differences between the manufacturer. This sizable market at some point will need to replace those bulbs. &nbsp;This is where LED comes in. &nbsp; value proposition to manufactures of energy and maintenance saving light-emitting diode (LED) lighting products and technologies.</p> <h2>How To Make A T8 Fixture Even Better...LED Replacement Bulbs</h2> <p>Introducing a direct, 1 for 1 T8 LED fluorescent replacement lamp that empowers our customers with the benefit of long-life, energy and maintenance saving, environmentally friendly mercury free lighting, with no infra-red or ultra-violet radiation. &nbsp;Now that's a mouthful! &nbsp;</p> <p>But it is not meant to be complicated, in fact the number of fluorescent bulbs presents a perfect opportunity for commercial property owners to do simple energy efficient upgrades either themselves or with existing maintenance staff. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>DIY Energy Efficient Lighting Upgrades?</h2> <p>Can you change a bulb?</p> <p><strong>LED replacement bulbs</strong> offer the opportunity to simply re-purpose the existing fluorescent lighting system by changing the light bulb with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>NO</strong> re-wiring</span>&nbsp;(<em>assuming you already have a instant start ballast</em>) of the existing fixture.</p> <p>Our LED T8 bulb is 100% compatible with instant-start fluorescent ballasts and is perfect for any commercial or industrial general lighting application including merchandise displays, offices, etc.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b" id="hs-cta-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=60f2555e-bb3b-4cc2-92c6-d9d9f16eab9b&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p> <h2>Or To Learn More About Energy Efficiency...</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></div>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/99035/DIY-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Upgrades-LED-Replacement-Bulbs-For-T8&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 12 Jul 2013 20:15:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:99035http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/98479/10-Reasons-To-Consider-LED-Lighting-Beyond-Energy-Savings#Comments2,46010 Reasons To Consider LED Lighting Beyond Energy Savingshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/98479/10-Reasons-To-Consider-LED-Lighting-Beyond-Energy-Savings<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Energy Savings Is Important, But Not The Only Reason...</h2> <p>In addition to energy savings, LED products offer other advantages over conventional lighting products.</p> <p>These advantages include:</p> <ol> <li><strong>long operating life<br></strong></li> <li><strong>reduced radiated heat</strong></li> <li><strong>minimal light loss</strong></li> <li><strong>dimmability and controllability</strong></li> <li><strong>durability</strong></li> <li><strong>safety improvements</strong></li> <li><strong style="font-size: 1em;">mercury and glass reduction</strong></li> <li><strong>enhanced product appearance</strong></li> <li><strong>improved color rendition</strong></li> <li><b>good for our bodies</b></li> </ol> <p>These benefits of each are further discussed below.</p> <h2>1. Long Operating Life<span style="font-size: 1.5em;"></span></h2> <img id="img-1372192707246" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Blue water 2x2 install 5_2012.jpg" border="0" alt="led-lighting-retrofit-michigan" width="355" height="319" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"> <p>Commercial consumers are generally interested in using a light source that is reliable and lasts a long time. Frequent lamp replacements can be costly from a maintenance perspective and failed lamps can expose businesses to liabilities.</p> <p>In fact, maintenance savings is one of the primary drivers of market adoption of LED’s in several markets. Presently, LED technology offers operating lives that are over 100 times longer than those of incandescent sources and 20 times longer than that of fluorescent sources.</p> <h2>2. Reduced Radiated Heat</h2> <p>LED conversion efficiency (i.e. efficacy or the LED’s ability to convert more energy to light than heat) has improved dramatically over the last 3 years and will continue to evolve. As a higher proportion of electricity is converted into visible light, a smaller proportion generates waste heat, or what is commonly referred to as “heat gain” in a building.</p> <p>The reduction in heat radiated into an air conditioned space will reduce the air-conditioning load, providing a commercial user up to 20% more energy savings than what has been calculated in your proposal.</p> <p>Lower radiated heat equals lower A/C load, equals greater energy savings. Traditional light sources convert most of the power they use into infrared (IR) radiation which also is a source of radiated heat. LED’s do not emit any IR or ultra-violet (UV) light.</p> <h2>3. Minimal Light Loss</h2> <p>LED is a directional light source with superior optical control. We can put the light where it is needed. Conventional light sources generally have uniform emission in all directions, which will results in lower fixtures efficiencies due to the light that is lost, as the light is absorbed or photons/light rays bounce around in the back of the fixture, scattering and never really hit the intended target.</p> <p>In most applications 40% up to 60% of the light emitted from a fluorescent tube is lost within the fixture and diffuser before it is ever exits the fixture. This is why when the industry simply compares lumens or light output between traditional light sources and LED, it’s not a fair comparison.</p> <p>LED can more effectively illuminate the space with generally less light. Light emitted from LED light sources is more directional and controlled, meaning fewer photons are trapped within the lighting fixtures and through superior lighting design can direct the light towards its intended target.</p> <h2>4. Dimmability and Controllability</h2> <p>Your fixtures come dimming enabled. All that is needed is a separate dimming circuit to control the fixtures ability to seamlessly dim. LED fixture compatible dimmers must be used. Contact Genesis for a&nbsp;list of compatible dimmers.</p> <p>These controls can reduce the annual operating hours of the LED system and lead to greater energy savings. Traditional dimmers used in incandescent, halogen or fluorescent systems are not compatible with LED dimmers or dimming systems.</p> <h2>5. Durability</h2> <p>Inherent in our solid state lighting fixtures is the ability of the LED light source to resist vibration and impact. There is also no glass present in our fixture design.</p> <p>The unit is completely sealed. No dust or unwanted pests will penetrate the fixture. The fixtures light panel is easily cleaned by a damp cloth.</p> <h2>6.Safety Improvements</h2> <p>Your fixtures are UL approved, have power surge circuit protection resistance built-in and are less likely to fail, leading to less downtime. A separate optional emergency battery back-up power supply can also be purchased that guarantees 90 minutes of continuous light just in case of a power outage.</p> <p>No lead based solder or toxic waste elements are used during manufacturing. LED light sources have been proven to generate less glare, reduce eye strain and increase visual acuity, perception and contrast.</p> <h2>7. Mercury Reduction</h2> <p>LED’s contain no mercury and requires no special handling for disposal. LED fixtures eliminate the need to re-cycle.</p> <p>Fluorescent and CFL lamps contain mercury, a toxic substance that requires special handling for disposal and pollutes our environment.</p> <p>CFL’s contain an average of 4 milligrams (mg) of mercury.</p> <h2>8. Enhanced Product Appearance</h2> <p>The light emitted from an LED source has been commonly referred to as “full color spectrum” lighting or usable light. Visible, vibrant light our eyes see and use to enrich our perception of our interior and exterior environments.</p> <p>As mentioned above, LED does not emit any light in the (IR) infrared or (UV) ultraviolet spectrum. LED will not fade your fabrics, paints, vinyl, signage, etc.</p> <h2>9. Improved Color Rendition</h2> <p>With the absence of UV &amp; IR in the lighting environment saturated colors like orange, purple, red, green, blue and yellow come alive as never before.</p> <p>LED light better represents sunlight. For instance, a 4000k color temperature specified for use represents what we see outside, on a sunny day, between the hours of 11am and 3pm.</p> <h2>10. Good For Our Bodies</h2> <p>Our bodies need light. Good quality light can positively impact moods, sleep patterns and have other biological and physiological effects.</p> <p>Poor quality, un-balanced, un-natural light is what we have endured the past 125 years. Research the effects of light and our bodies natural Circadian Rhythms.</p> <p>At the very least you’ll rest assured knowing you are saving money with every hour of operation and have “made the right choice” for a quality lighting environment.</p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting...</h2> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p> <h2>Related Articles:&nbsp;</h2> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/97443/LED-Light-Applications-LED-vs-T8-Fluorescent-In-Parking-Garage" title="LED Light Applications:LED vs. T8 Fluorescent In Parking Garage?">LED Light Applications:LED vs. T8 Fluorescent In Parking Garage?</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95319/How-Does-LED-Lighting-Impact-Building-Heat-Gain-and-Power-Quality" title="How Does LED Lighting Impact Building Heat Gain and Power Quality?">How Does LED Lighting Impact Building Heat Gain and Power Quality?</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95041/How-Does-A-Light-Emitting-Diode-LED-Make-Light" title="How Does A Light Emitting Diode (LED) Make Light?">How Does A Light Emitting Diode (LED) Make Light?</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95037/5-Articles-About-The-LED-Light-Bulb-That-Would-Make-Edison-Proud" title="5 Articles About The LED Light Bulb That Would Make Edison Proud!">5 Articles About The LED Light Bulb That Would Make Edison Proud!</a></h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/98479/10-Reasons-To-Consider-LED-Lighting-Beyond-Energy-Savings&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 25 Jun 2013 18:48:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:98479http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/97456/T8-Lighting-What-Is-The-Actual-Lumen-Output-For-T8-Fluorescent-Bulbs#Comments1,297T8 Lighting:What Is The Actual Lumen Output For T8 Fluorescent Bulbs?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/97456/T8-Lighting-What-Is-The-Actual-Lumen-Output-For-T8-Fluorescent-Bulbs<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Can You Really Determine The Correct Lumen Output?</h1> <p>Lumen outputs can vary per 4’ fluorescent bulb depending on the type, wattage and manufacture. In reality though, most people are looking for a cheap $2.50 bulb or even less.</p> <p>Average initial “new” lumens (out of the package) for a 32 watt bulb at 3500k color temperature is 2850.</p> <p>For 2’ bulbs at 17 watts and 3500k, you would get 1300 lumens.</p> <p>With that said, the answers are misleading depending on which fluorescent bulb or fixture manufacture you’re talking too.</p> <h2>Are All Bulbs Manufactured To The Same Lumen Output?</h2> <p>No, unfortunately they are not all the same....wouldn't that be nice?</p> <p>The amount of light generated by 32-watt T8 fluorescent lamps varies considerably from one lamp model to the next and from one manufacturer to another.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Figure 1</strong> shows the range of values for rated initial light output that are presently published for 121 lamp models by nine manufacturers for different <a href="http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/NLPIP/lightingAnswers/t8/02-t8-light-output.asp">correlated color temperatures (CCT)</a>.</p> <p>The number of available models for each rated initial light output is represented by the size of the bubble. As you can see, the values are ALL OVER the place. &nbsp;</p> <p><strong><em>For example:</em></strong></p> <p>At a CCT of 4100 K, there are nine models rated at 2950 initial lumens.</p> <div align="center"> <table style="width: 288px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p align="center"><b>Figure 1. Rated initial light output of T8 fluorescent lamps*</b></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p><img id="img-1369338027160" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Fluorescent Lumen Output Diagram.jpg" border="0" alt="Lumen-output-t8-bulb-fluorescent" width="607" height="368" style="height: 368px; width: 607px;"></p> <h2>Here’s The Catch…..What Is The True Output And Where Does That Light Go?</h2> <p>The fluorescent lamp is an omni-directional light source, shooting light in every direction, and only 1/3 of that light directly lights it’s intended surface. If the tube is mounted in a troffer and even larger portion is reflected within the fixture and really never leaves it.&nbsp;</p> <p>LED is a directional light source. It’s lumen output is measured outside the fixture or once the light actually exits the fixture. It’s usable light that is directed towards it’s intended surface vs. scattered and lost from the fluorescent source.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Other Factors That Contribute To Lumen Depreciation</h2> <p>Factor other lovely characteristics of Tesla’s invention that GE commercialized in the 1940’s such as 30-60% lumen depreciation from the fluorescent source (40% average light loss over it’s whopping 8,000 hour life), &nbsp;fixture dirt/dust depreciation factors of .9 or greater, 30% optical losses from fixture diffusers, lenses, etc., low ballast factors, etc. and the fluorescent lighting system on average produces 35% of the original total bulb lumen output on a good day.</p> <p><strong><em>For example:</em></strong></p> <p>Day 1 - You have a 4 bulb fluorescent fixture @ 2850 lumens per bulb netting 11,400 lumens. Factor in the real world lumen "robbers" from above, and you maybe see 7,410 lumens from that system on day 1.</p> <p>Day 120- In a typical retail environment we might see 5,000 lumens. In other words when you put up a LED fixture such as a 45w 2'x2' against a 3 bulb T8 fluorescent 2'x4', the LED will win every time.....and use a LED 74w 2'x2' up against 4 lamp fluorescent systems all day and win.</p> <h2>Can You Really Control The Light Pattern Produced By A T8 Fluorescent?</h2> <p>No, that's nearly impossible. &nbsp;</p> <p>The light pattern produced by a fluorescent fixture is an absolute mess to optically control. This in turn requires many more fluorescent fixtures in a typical lighting application to achieve the same lighting levels that you can get with the optically controlled LED fixture. &nbsp;That's one of the big reasons people are moving to LED. &nbsp;</p> <p>With the excellent optical control of a LED, you get much more uniform lighted environment, PLUS lower wattage, PLUS much longer life. &nbsp;</p> <h2>Like To Learn More? &nbsp;</h2> <p>Download our FREE e-book about energy efficient lighting. &nbsp;Just click on the book cover below....</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" style="border-width:0px;" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/97456/T8-Lighting-What-Is-The-Actual-Lumen-Output-For-T8-Fluorescent-Bulbs&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveySat, 25 May 2013 11:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:97456http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/97443/LED-Light-Applications-LED-vs-T8-Fluorescent-In-Parking-Garage#Comments696LED Light Applications:LED vs. T8 Fluorescent In Parking Garage?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/97443/LED-Light-Applications-LED-vs-T8-Fluorescent-In-Parking-Garage<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>What Should I Install In My Underground Parking Garage In Humid, Salty air?<img id="img-1369336421128" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Edgewater Gnd Flr Parking 3-1-13 010-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="Led-lighting-application-underground-parking-garage" width="438" height="328" class="alignRight" style="height: 328px; width: 438px; float: right;"></h1> <p>I recently got an email from a gentleman in Florida who was looking to replace lighting in an underground parking garage near the ocean. &nbsp;He was looking to explore T8 fixtures, but was concerned about the humid, salt air as the parking garage had some open exposure to the humidity. &nbsp;If he went with T8, then he was thinking they would have to be explosion proof. &nbsp;</p> <p>But, he wanted to know how LED would work in his situation. &nbsp;I put together an email, which is the body of this article, and sent it off to him for consideration. &nbsp;Shortly after I sent the email he responded back and said "Jimmy, You are great!". &nbsp;Never hurts to stroke the ego, but it got me thinking that maybe others had the same types of questions. &nbsp;</p> <h3>Here are his questions along with my answers.....</h3> <h2>1) Does The LED have a more pleasing, color-friendly light?</h2> <img id="img-1369336517257" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Edgewater Gnd Flr Parking 3-1-13 005.JPG" border="0" alt="parking-garage-lit-with-t-12-dark-dingy" width="400" height="300" class="alignRight" style="font-size: 13px; height: 300px; width: 400px; float: right;"> <div> <p>As to the color of light from the LED, yes, they do consistently perform very well and have a very crisp look to them.&nbsp; I can actually get you a higher CRI with T8 bulbs that will give the same lighting effect as the higher CRI LED fixtures.&nbsp;</p> <p>I have them in my office, they are 5900K with a CRI of 93, but they are nearly $10 each.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>I always think of Parking Garages as being very dark, so the high Kelvin, high CRI values would be quite a change.&nbsp;</p> <p>Also the higher the values, the brighter the light seems to your eyes.&nbsp;</p> <p>Based on this picture, I don't think it would take much! YIKES!!!<br><br></p> <h2><span>2) Do LED's have a longer life?</span></h2> <p>LED do have a much longer life.&nbsp; The lifetime of the LED Canopy fixture I am recommending has a lifetime value of 143,000 hours.&nbsp; The best I have seen for fluorescent T8 is 42,000 hours.&nbsp;</p> <p>That means you will change out the t8 bulbs over 3 times to get the comparable lifetime.&nbsp; That doesn’t include ballast changes you might incur along the way, which with the conditions these are in, would be a possibility.&nbsp;</p> <h2><span>3) How much more efficient are LED fixtures vs. T8 fluorescent?</span></h2> <p>LED is much more energy efficient.&nbsp; Assuming 127-277 input voltage at 8’ high ceilings, you would only be using 58 watts.&nbsp;</p> <p>The T8’s are all over the place for rated wattage, but the best we have worked with is a 4 bulb T8 that is rated for around 78 watts.&nbsp; That means you will be burning nearly 20% less energy with the LED over the T8.&nbsp; When you consider the lifetime values, the higher upfront costs should easily outperform the T8 based on energy consumption.</p> <h2><span>4) My application is next to the ocean, will the humid, salty air cause arcing in the fixtures?</span></h2> <img id="img-1369336631223" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Edgewater Gnd Flr Parking 3-1-13 023.JPG" border="0" alt="LED-lighting-applications-humid-salty-air" width="400" height="300" class="alignLeft" style="font-size: 13px; height: 300px; width: 400px; float: left;"></div> <div> <p>As far as arcing and humidity, if the lights are wired properly you shouldn’t have issues with<br>arcing, but the salt water climate you are in may impact that more than I realize.&nbsp; We have the freshwater up this way.&nbsp;</p> <p>You can’t get away from the humidity, so LED would be a good option here as well.&nbsp; But, not all LED fixtures are rated for wet areas.&nbsp;</p> <p>I was originally going to recommend a 36 watt Troffer, but I notice those are for dry areas.&nbsp; The LED canopy light I am looking at is rated for wet areas.&nbsp;</p> <p>Wet areas are typically those areas that are exposed to direct exposure to moisture. &nbsp;Poor electrical work will never help the situation, and it appears as though you may have some issues there. &nbsp;</p> <h2>5) We are going to have to do some re-wiring, is it true that with the lower draw of current on LED mean fewer circuits and lower re-wiring costs?</h2> <p>Less wattage does indeed equate to less wiring and the ability to put more lights on a circuit.&nbsp; Your cost escalates quickly based on the amount of circuits you’re dealing with, because the home runs often use up the most wire.&nbsp;</p> <p>The fewer times you make a home run, the better as your costs will be lower for labor and material.&nbsp;</p> <p>If you did need new wiring, you could use conduit as you mentioned.&nbsp; Being a parking garage, I would think it would already have conduit there, but every jurisdiction is a little different.</p> <h2><span>6) Will LED qualify for a tax deduction? &nbsp;</span></h2> <p>There are a couple different types of incentives out there, cash incentives and tax deductions to encourage investment into energy saving technologies.&nbsp; You will have to check out your local utility for what types of incentives they have out there.&nbsp;</p> <p>They will either be based on wattage/kilowatt-hour reduction, or you may have a list already that pays out a fixed dollar amount based on the fixture you are using.&nbsp; For tax deductions, there is the Energy and Policy Act of 2005 that was renewed in 2008 when President Obama took office.&nbsp; It is set to expire at the end of 2013.&nbsp;</p> <p>So your time is a little limited in regards to that.&nbsp; But, if you were able to qualify, it would be good for up to a $.60 per square foot deduction.&nbsp; It’s not something automatic though, you have to have it certified by a qualified person.&nbsp; A Contractor or Engineer would be that type of person.&nbsp;</p> <h2>7-How does the LED compare in operating costs vs. t8?&nbsp;</h2> <p>The upfront cost of the LED will be higher than what a typical T8 fixture would run.&nbsp; To see, I have provided a comparison of T12 vs. T8 vs. LED Canopy Fixture:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Operating Cost Assumptions</span></b></p> <p><strong><em>We can assume the 2x4 T12 is using 178 watts approximately.</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>We will base it on a 12 hour day, assuming they are on at night only.</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>We will assume a rate of $.10 per k/hr.</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>You have 180 fixture</em></strong>s.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Existing T-12</span></b></p> <p>180 fixtures x 178 watts = 32,040 watts</p> <p>32,040 watts/1000 = 32.04 kw</p> <p>32.04 kw x 4,380 hours operations = 140,335 kwh</p> <p>140,335 kwh x $.10 kwh = <strong>$14,033.50 to operate your 2x4-T-12 annually</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Replacement T8 Fixtures</span></b></p> <p>180 fixtures x 73 watts = 13,140 watts</p> <p>13,140 watts/1000 = 13.14 kw</p> <p>13.14 kw x 4,380 hours operations = 57,553.2 kwh</p> <p>57,553.2 kwh x $.10 kwh = <strong>$5,755.32 to operate replacement&nbsp; 2x4-T-8</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Replacement LED Fixtures</span></b></p> <p>180 fixtures x 58 watts = 32,040 watts</p> <p>32,040 watts/1000 = 10.44 kw</p> <p>10.44 kw x 4,380 hours operations = 45,727 kwh</p> <p>45,727 kwh x $.10 kwh = <strong>$4,572.00 to operate replacement LED Lighting</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Lifetime</b></p> <p>T8 Replacement – <strong>36,000</strong> hours or <strong>8.2 years</strong> before replacement</p> <p>LED Replacement – <strong>143,000</strong> hours or <strong>32 years</strong> before replacement&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>If your incentives are based on kwh saved vs. existing T12, you will have saved; </b></p> <p>T8- 82,802 kwh saved</p> <p>LED-94,608 kwh saved</p> <h2>What Do You Think? &nbsp;&nbsp;</h2> <p>Need to learn more about energy efficient lighting? &nbsp;Download our FREE e-book and learn more about energy efficient lighting, just click on the cover below:&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" style="border-width:0px;" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p> </div>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/97443/LED-Light-Applications-LED-vs-T8-Fluorescent-In-Parking-Garage&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 23 May 2013 18:58:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:97443http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95319/How-Does-LED-Lighting-Impact-Building-Heat-Gain-and-Power-Quality#Comments411How Does LED Lighting Impact Building Heat Gain and Power Quality?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95319/How-Does-LED-Lighting-Impact-Building-Heat-Gain-and-Power-Quality<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Are There Other Important Factors When Considering LED Lighting?</h1> <p>Yes, there is actually. &nbsp;Although the most common question we get when considering an upgrade is the question about savings. &nbsp;But while savings is an easy quantifiable calculation, there is often other factors that support the annual savings in tangible as well as non-tangible ways. &nbsp;</p> <p>While we will still talk a little about how to save electricity by lowering our monthly bill, this article is intended to point out some of the other reasons you should be considering a energy efficient <strong>LED lighting</strong> system. &nbsp;</p> <h2><span style="font-size: 1.5em;">Did You Know.....</span></h2> <p>Traditional lighting technologies consume over 18% of the electricity generated in the US. &nbsp;5% of the 18% actually goes to remove the wasted heat energy that is generated by traditional lighting systems. &nbsp;</p> <p>Breaking down the 18% total consumption even further, close to 71% of all the <strong>lighting</strong> energy consumed goes to Commercial structures. &nbsp;The awareness of how this total amount of lighting energy consumed is becoming more evident, but we still have a long way to go. &nbsp;</p> <p>Business Owners, Managers, Engineers, Architects and Building Planners are still skeptical that with a properly designed <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> system can achieve savings of 50% to 70% reductions in lighting energy consumption. &nbsp;This can be achieved with today's <strong>LED lighting</strong> technologies. &nbsp;</p> <p>While some would think the only way you could possibly do reduce that amount of consumption would be to reduce the amount of light and quality of light. &nbsp;</p> <p>But in fact, those reductions are very possible WITH a increase in the amount of light and a increase in quality of light. &nbsp;But this is only possible with a properly designed <strong>LED lighting</strong> plan. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>Lighting Should Be First On Your List Because....</h2> <p>As we mentioned above, traditional lighting has been a significant expense to commercial buildings for years. &nbsp;Lighting is the largest cost component of a commercial building's electricity bill and a very large portion of the total energy use.&nbsp;</p> <p>When considering how to save electricity for your business, a lighting upgrade should come early in the process. &nbsp;The reason for this is that a properly designed <strong>LED lighting</strong> system can impact heating and cooling loads as well as power quality. &nbsp;</p> <p>While cost savings can be immediately identifiable, if you don't consider the technical aspects of an improved lighting system, you may miss out on the potential savings related to other specifications of related building systems. &nbsp;</p> <h2>Don't Get Burnt With Heat Gain....<img id="img-1363874848384" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/how-to-reduce-heat-gain-with-led-lighting-systems.png" border="0" alt="how to reduce heat gain with led lighting systems" class="alignCenter" style="font-size: 1.5em; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></h2> <p>Traditional lighting systems produce large amounts of radiated heat as well as light.&nbsp; Traditional lighting is typically the largest source of waste heat, often referred to as "heat gain" inside Commercial Buildings. &nbsp;</p> <p>While the heat from these systems maybe welcomed in the cold Winter months when heating is at a premium, it becomes counter productive in the months that require cooling. &nbsp;The impact of heat gain can obviously have different impacts based on the climate that you live in. &nbsp;</p> <p>While <strong>LED lighting</strong> systems still produce heat, a properly designed LED lighting system adds less heat to a space per unit of light output versus traditional lighting systems. &nbsp;</p> <p>Based on that fact, a <strong>LED lighting</strong> system can potentially reduce a buildings cooling load requirements. &nbsp;While the existing system may provide years of service, it too will have to be replaced in time. &nbsp;</p> <p>When the replacement occurs, smaller, less expensive cooling equipment can be utilized as the heat gain from a <strong>LED lighting</strong> system is much less than traditional lighting systems. Lower cooling load = smaller equipment which = BIG Savings!&nbsp;</p> <p>You can also see an article that I wrote another article about heat gain by going to&nbsp;<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82536/How-Can-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Reduce-Cooling-Loads-By-40" style="font-size: 1.17em;" title="How Can Energy Efficient Lighting Reduce Cooling Loads By 40%?">How Can Energy Efficient Lighting Reduce Cooling Loads By 40%?</a></p> <h2>What You Can't See That Costs You Big Time...Power Quality</h2> <p>Most people never consider the impact that power quality can have on your electric bill. &nbsp;Lighting can have a significant impact on the power quality of a buildings electrical distribution system. &nbsp;</p> <h3>Why should you care about Power Quality? &nbsp;</h3> <p>Poor power quality should be evaluated because it;&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>wastes energy</li> <li>reduces the buildings electrical capacity</li> <li>can be harmful to equipment&nbsp;</li> <li>can be disruptive to the entire electrical distribution system</li> <li>costs more each month</li> </ul> <p>Upgrading old traditional lighting with <strong>LED lighting</strong> will "clean up" your overall building power quality. &nbsp;This can have a major impact on the buildings entire electrical distribution system which in turn can positively affect the amount of your power bill each month.</p> <p>By upgrading with highly efficient, high power factor lighting equipment, such as LED, you can potentially free up valuable electrical capacity. &nbsp;This factor alone may go well beyond just the annual savings from the electrical system itself. &nbsp;Increasing the power quality can have a residual effect on the cost of operating motors or other electrical equipment. &nbsp;</p> <p>I wrote another article specifically about this topic called &nbsp;<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82539/How-To-Clean-Up-Your-Dirty-Power-With-Energy-Efficient-Lighting" style="font-size: 1.17em;" title="How To Clean Up Your &quot;Dirty&quot; Power With Energy Efficient Lighting">How To Clean Up Your "Dirty" Power With Energy Efficient Lighting</a>, check it out. &nbsp;</p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting?&nbsp;</h2> <p>If you want to learn more about how energy efficient lighting can impact your business, please download a FREE copy of our eBook, The Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficient Lighting. You can get it now by clicking on the book cover below....</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></div>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95319/How-Does-LED-Lighting-Impact-Building-Heat-Gain-and-Power-Quality&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 21 Mar 2013 15:50:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:95319http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95246/How-Much-Savings-From-Retrofitting-T-12-vs-T-8-Lighting#Comments182How Much Savings From Retrofitting T-12 vs T-8 Lighting?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95246/How-Much-Savings-From-Retrofitting-T-12-vs-T-8-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Considering A Retrofit For Your 2 Bulb 8' T-12?</h1> <img id="img-1363710512551" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/8' strip conversion pdfcropped.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-savings-from-retrofitting-t-12-to-t-8" class="alignRight" style="font-size: 13px; float: right;"> <p>Check out our worksheet that we made up as a quick cheat sheet that we use on sales calls to help show a business Owner or Manager how much they could potentially save if they were to do an energy efficient lighting upgrade. &nbsp;This one is a bit small here, but you can download down below. &nbsp;</p> <h2>Haven't Considered A Retrofit Yet?</h2> <p>T-12 fixtures are real drag on your electricity bill. &nbsp;The T12 technology is outdated, so the bulbs are no longer manufactured. &nbsp;So at some point, you are going to have to do something about it. &nbsp;</p> <p>One option you can surely consider is to actually retrofit your existing fixtures to the new T-8 technology. &nbsp;We have done this on a few projects with excellent results. &nbsp;</p> <p>But, sometimes the calculations can be a bit overwhelming, so we created this quick spreadsheet which can help you identify if this is something you should be considering or not. For this sheet, we used incentives that we have in Michigan at the moment, so yours may be different. &nbsp;If you just analyze energy savings, that should tell you quite a lot. &nbsp;</p> <h2>Video Explaining How To Use The Cheat Sheet</h2> <p>This cheat sheet is pretty much explains itself. &nbsp;But sometimes things just don't make sense, so check out our video explaining how to use the sheet....Check it out below.....</p> <p><iframe frameborder="0" height="349" id="img-1363710258151" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1Ji_2B-YmII" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-4f929a59-1da9-4529-a18c-d3341f2950d3"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4f929a59-1da9-4529-a18c-d3341f2950d3" id="hs-cta-4f929a59-1da9-4529-a18c-d3341f2950d3"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/4f929a59-1da9-4529-a18c-d3341f2950d3" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-4f929a59-1da9-4529-a18c-d3341f2950d3" style="border-width:0px;" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/4f929a59-1da9-4529-a18c-d3341f2950d3.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-4f929a59-1da9-4529-a18c-d3341f2950d3"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=4f929a59-1da9-4529-a18c-d3341f2950d3&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></div> </div> <div><br> <h2><span style="font-size: 1.5em;">No Time For The Video?</span></h2> <p>Here are some quick instructions to get you going....</p> <ol> <li>Find the Quantity of T-12's you have in your facility.</li> <li>Round up the quantity to the nearest 10.</li> <li>Locate the number of fixtures in the white column.</li> <li>Under the column "Annual Savings Over the Life of Fixture" is the total energy <br>savings that you would expect over the lifetime of the fixture being installed.&nbsp;</li> <li>The gold, blue and yellow columns represent the total incentive that would be available in the Michigan area (for estimating purposes only) from your utility.</li> <li>The light green column indicates the amount of Kilowatt/hours you would be saving by doing a conversion from T-12 to T-8 style of fixture.</li> <li>The pink column indicates the annual savings expected if you were to retrofit that quantity of T-12's to T-8 fixtures.&nbsp;</li> </ol> <p>Just keep in mind, these figures are only estimates to show you that energy savings is a very real option if you are considering an energy efficient lighting upgrade.</p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting?</h2> <p>If so, check out our Energy Efficient Lighting eBook, it's FREE...just click on the book below...</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Related T-12 and T-8 Lighting Articles:&nbsp;</h2> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73754/T5-vs-T8-vs-LED-The-Best-Options-For-Replacing-Aging-T-12-Fixtures" title="T5 vs T8 vs LED: The Best Options For Replacing Aging T-12 Fixtures">T5 vs T8 vs LED: The Best Options For Replacing Aging T-12 Fixtures</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81949/T8-Lighting-Energy-Efficient-Applications-And-Uses-For-T8-Fixtures" title="T8 Lighting: Energy Efficient Applications And Uses For T8 Fixtures">T8 Lighting: Energy Efficient Applications And Uses For T8 Fixtures</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81721/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-How-To-Transform-Existing-T12-To-T8" title="Energy Efficient Solutions: How To Transform Existing T12 To T8">Energy Efficient Solutions: How To Transform Existing T12 To T8</a></h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95246/How-Much-Savings-From-Retrofitting-T-12-vs-T-8-Lighting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 19 Mar 2013 17:18:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:95246http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95041/How-Does-A-Light-Emitting-Diode-LED-Make-Light#Comments1,432How Does A Light Emitting Diode (LED) Make Light?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95041/How-Does-A-Light-Emitting-Diode-LED-Make-Light<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Understanding What's Makes A Light Emitting Diode (LED) Light...</h1> <p>It's not all that often that you find a great technical explanation that you can understand without being technical yourself. &nbsp;That has been the theory behind our blog, explain things that people who aren't in the business can understand. &nbsp;</p> <p>I came across this article yesterday that was written in January and I think it does an excellent job of explaining the very technical aspects of LED lighting and how it works.</p> <p>Normally, you would not insert an entire article within the text of my own article, but, in this case, they just do a really good job of explaining the technical aspects of a <strong>diode</strong>, the heart of an LED light source. &nbsp;I didn't think I could do it any better myself, so I decided to take a part of their article and insert it here to share with you. &nbsp;</p> <p>The source for this article is&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.howstuffworks.com/led.htm">HowStuffWorks "How&nbsp;<b>Light Emitting Diodes</b>&nbsp;Work"</a>,&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://www.howstuffworks.com/led.htm">http://www.howstuffworks.com</a></p> <p>Here's a portion of the article:&nbsp;</p> <div><span style="font-size: 2em;">What is a Diode?</span></div> <div> <p><em>A <strong>diode</strong> is the simplest sort of&nbsp;<a href="http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/diode.htm">semiconductor</a>&nbsp;device. Broadly speaking, a semiconductor is a material with a varying ability to conduct electrical current. Most semiconductors are made of a poor conductor that has had impurities (<a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/atom.htm">atoms</a>&nbsp;of another material) added to it. The process of adding impurities is called doping.</em></p> <p><em>In the case of LEDs, the conductor material is typically aluminum-gallium-arsenide (AlGaAs). In pure aluminum-gallium-arsenide, all of the atoms bond perfectly to their neighbors, leaving no free electrons (negatively charged particles) to conduct electric current. In doped material, additional atoms change the balance, either adding free electrons or creating holes where electrons can go. Either of these alterations make the material more conductive.</em></p> <p><em>A semiconductor with extra electrons is called N-type material, since it has extra negatively charged particles. In N-type material, free electrons move from a negatively charged area to a positively charged area.</em></p> <p><em>A semiconductor with extra holes is called P-type material, since it effectively has extra positively charged particles. Electrons can jump from hole to hole, moving from a negatively charged area to a positively charged area. As a result, the holes themselves appear to move from a positively charged area to a negatively charged area.</em></p> <p><em>A <strong>diode</strong> consists of a section of N-type material bonded to a section of P-type material, with electrodes on each end. This arrangement conducts electricity in only one direction. When no voltage is applied to the <strong>diode</strong>, electrons from the N-type material fill holes from the P-type material along the junction between the layers, forming a depletion zone. In a depletion zone, the semiconductor material is returned to its original insulating state -- all of the holes are filled, so there are no free electrons or empty spaces for electrons, and charge can't flow.</em></p> <p><em>To get rid of the depletion zone, you have to get electrons moving from the N-type area to the P-type area and holes moving in the reverse direction. To do this, you connect the N-type side of the <strong>diode</strong> to the negative end of a circuit and the P-type side to the positive end. The free electrons in the N-type material are repelled by the negative electrode and drawn to the positive electrode. The holes in the P-type material move the other way. When the voltage difference between the electrodes is high enough, the electrons in the depletion zone are boosted out of their holes and begin moving freely again. The depletion zone disappears, and charge moves across the <strong>diode</strong>.</em></p> <p><em>If you try to run current the other way, with the P-type side connected to the negative end of the circuit and the N-type side connected to the positive end, current will not flow. The negative electrons in the N-type material are attracted to the positive electrode. The positive holes in the P-type material are attracted to the negative electrode. No current flows across the junction because the holes and the electrons are each moving in the wrong direction. The depletion zone increases. (See&nbsp;<a href="http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/diode.htm">How Semiconductors Work</a>&nbsp;for more information on the entire process.)</em></p> <h3><em>The interaction between electrons and holes in this setup has an interesting side effect -- <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">it generates light!&nbsp;</span></strong></em></h3> <h2>OK, Did That Make Sense?</h2> <p>I didn't do so well in Chemistry and Physics, so I may still have to read this a few times to really get the hang of it. &nbsp;All I know is that this is a really great lighting source that has come down considerably in price over the past 2-3 years. &nbsp;It's not terribly important that you understand all the technical detail, but all you should remember is these things use very little energy, and last a very long time. &nbsp;</p> <p>In case that didn't make sense above, take a look at these graphics that <a href="http://www.howstuffworks.com" title="www.howstuffworks.com" target="_self">www.howstuffworks.com</a> created. &nbsp;I think that helps too, check it out.....&nbsp;</p> <h2 class="caption">Light Emitting Diode Diagrams</h2> <p class="caption"><em>Diagram 1- At the junction, free electrons from the N-type material fill holes from the P-type material. This creates an insulating layer in the middle of the diode called the depletion zone.</em></p> <p><em><br></em></p> <p><span class="img"><img id="img-1363198135029" src="http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/led-rev-2.jpg" border="0" alt="how-light-emitting-diode-works" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></span></p> <p><em>Diagram 2-When the negative end of the circuit is hooked up to the N-type layer and the positive end is hooked up to P-type layer, electrons and holes start moving and the depletion zone disappears.</em></p> </div> <div> <div class="module structured articleBody moduleHeader2 marginClearBottom" id="ArticleWell"> <div class="inner"> <div class="bd"> <div class="line pageBreak"> <div class="content"> <div class="media mediaVertical left mediaStroke"><span class="img"><img id="img-1363190378981" src="http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/led-rev-3.jpg" border="0" alt="diagram-of-what-is-a-diode" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></span> <div class="bd"> <p class="caption"><em>Diagram 3-When the positive end of the circuit is hooked up to the N-type layer and the negative end is hooked up to the P-type layer, free electrons collect on one end of the diode and holes collect on the other. The depletion zone gets bigger.</em></p> <p class="credit marginClearTop">&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> <div class="media mediaVertical left mediaStroke"><span class="img"><img id="img-1363191491538" src="http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/led-rev-4.jpg" border="0" alt="understanding-how-diode-works" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></span> <div class="bd"> <p class="caption">&nbsp;</p> <h2 class="credit marginClearTop">More LED Articles To Come</h2> <p class="credit marginClearTop">This is just one part of a series of posts put out by these folks at www.howstuffworks.com. &nbsp;Be on the lookout for more articles like these in the coming days. &nbsp;Oh, and since you likely won't remember, we will send you regular blog articles like these to you inbox, IF you give us your email address....and we will NOT spam you. &nbsp;Just go over to the right column and give us your email, you'll be glad you did. &nbsp;</p> <p class="credit marginClearTop">However, if you are looking to learn more about energy efficient lighting, download our FREE eBook, full of useful information that should help you along your energy efficient lighting journey. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> <p style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span>&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Here Are Some Other Articles We Have Written About LED:</h2> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90881/How-To-Save-Electricity-Energy-Efficient-LED-Can-Lighting-Upgrade" title="How To Save Electricity: Energy Efficient LED Can Lighting Upgrade">How To Save Electricity: Energy Efficient LED Can Lighting Upgrade</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90835/400-Watt-Metal-Halide-Replacements-LED-Highbay-vs-T5-Highbay" title="400 Watt Metal Halide Replacements: LED Highbay vs. T5 Highbay">400 Watt Metal Halide Replacements: LED Highbay vs. T5 Highbay</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89186/LED-Light-Bulbs-Everything-You-Ever-Wanted-To-Know-About-LED" title="LED Light Bulbs: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About LED">LED Light Bulbs: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About LED</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69637/LED-Industrial-Lighting-New-Energy-Efficient-Hazardous-Area-Lighting" title="LED Industrial Lighting:New Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lighting">LED Industrial Lighting:New Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lighting</a></h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95041/How-Does-A-Light-Emitting-Diode-LED-Make-Light&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 13 Mar 2013 18:20:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:95041http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95037/5-Articles-About-The-LED-Light-Bulb-That-Would-Make-Edison-Proud#Comments8215 Articles About The LED Light Bulb That Would Make Edison Proud!http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95037/5-Articles-About-The-LED-Light-Bulb-That-Would-Make-Edison-Proud<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>All About LED Light Bulbs<img id="img-1363115366565" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/closeup-led-bulb.png.png" border="0" alt="led-light-bulbs-clarksville-tennessee" width="288" height="259" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;"></h1> <p>We do a ton of research and writing for this website, so we are always reading other peoples work. &nbsp;Here are 5 articles all about LED that are informative, fun, and educational all wrapped up into one place for you. &nbsp;We do the research, so you don't have to. &nbsp;</p> <h2>LED Articles for the week of March 13th;&nbsp;</h2> <p>Take a look at this article,&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.howstuffworks.com/led.htm">HowStuffWorks "How <b>Light Emitting Diodes</b> Work"</a>. </strong>This is a great detailed explanation of how the LED light bulbs work. &nbsp;It's even written so you can understand it.....Even better! &nbsp;Find out how LED's work...Check it out. &nbsp;</p> <pre>[source:<a href="http://www.howstuffworks.com/led.htm">www.howstuffworks.com</a>]</pre> <p>Wow, this is really cool. &nbsp;The Golden Gate Bridge has been retrofitted with LED bulbs. &nbsp;It must have taken a bunch of them, actually right around 25,000 of them. &nbsp;Take a look at how an artist is using the flexibility of the LED light bulb to create a living work of art in this article,&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/11/san-franciscos-bay-bridge-gets-the-led-treatment/">San Francisco's Bay Bridge lights up with 25,000 computer <b>...</b></a></strong></p> <pre><strong><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/11/san-franciscos-bay-bridge-gets-the-led-treatment/"><b></b></a></strong>[source:<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/11/san-franciscos-bay-bridge-gets-the-led-treatment/">www.engadget.com</a>]</pre> <p>Here is a story about one of the early uses of LED lighting technology, Score boards. &nbsp;Daktronics is a leader in this field and has been for a long time. &nbsp;This article covers some of the recent score board changes at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, GA...Have a look...<strong><a href="http://sportsvideo.org/main/blog/2013/03/12/gwinnett-center-upgrades-led-scoring-system-with-daktronics/">Gwinnett Center Upgrades <b>LED</b>, Scoring System with Daktronics <b>...</b></a></strong></p> <pre><strong><a href="http://sportsvideo.org/main/blog/2013/03/12/gwinnett-center-upgrades-led-scoring-system-with-daktronics/"><b></b></a></strong>[source:<a href="http://sportsvideo.org/main/blog/2013/03/12/gwinnett-center-upgrades-led-scoring-system-with-daktronics/">sportsvideo.org</a>]</pre> <p>This article is fun to read, especially if you are a photographer. &nbsp;I know just enough about photography to know that equipment is pretty important. &nbsp;Here is a simple DIY LED ring that can be built even by someone with average DIY skills. &nbsp;This shows the flexibility and usefulness of this amazing light source....<strong><a href="http://www.diyphotography.net/how-to-build-a-varying-power-led-ring-light">How To Build A Varying Power <b>LED</b> Ring Light | DIYPhotography.ne</a></strong></p> <pre><strong><a href="http://www.diyphotography.net/how-to-build-a-varying-power-led-ring-light"></a></strong>[source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.diyphotography.net/how-to-build-a-varying-power-led-ring-light">www.diyphotography.ne</a>t]</pre> <p>I just like the title of this one and borrowed a little bit in the title of this article. &nbsp;One shift we have really noticed from when we started 3 years ago, the prices of LED are coming down. Fixtures that were once $2500 can be purchased for $600-1000. &nbsp;Cree is a great manufacturer, so check out this article....<strong><a href="http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/from-cree-a-budget-led-that-wont-make-edison-roll-over-in-his-grave">From Cree, a budget <b>LED</b> that won't make Edison roll over in his grave</a></strong></p> <pre><strong><a href="http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/from-cree-a-budget-led-that-wont-make-edison-roll-over-in-his-grave"></a></strong>[source:<a href="http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/from-cree-a-budget-led-that-wont-make-edison-roll-over-in-his-grave">www.mnn.com</a>]</pre> <h2>What Did You Think of The Articles?</h2> <p>We always enjoy talking with other people, so let us know what you think about these articles and make suggestions for future articles in the comments section below....and, if you did like it, will you share this article with your friends...its easy, just click one of the social media icons at the top of this page. &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Related LED Light Bulb Articles:&nbsp;</h2> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90881/How-To-Save-Electricity-Energy-Efficient-LED-Can-Lighting-Upgrade" title="How To Save Electricity: Energy Efficient LED Can Lighting Upgrade">How To Save Electricity: Energy Efficient LED Can Lighting Upgrade</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90835/400-Watt-Metal-Halide-Replacements-LED-Highbay-vs-T5-Highbay" title="400 Watt Metal Halide Replacements: LED Highbay vs. T5 Highbay">400 Watt Metal Halide Replacements: LED Highbay vs. T5 Highbay</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89186/LED-Light-Bulbs-Everything-You-Ever-Wanted-To-Know-About-LED" title="LED Light Bulbs: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About LED">LED Light Bulbs: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About LED</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69637/LED-Industrial-Lighting-New-Energy-Efficient-Hazardous-Area-Lighting" title="LED Industrial Lighting:New Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lighting">LED Industrial Lighting:New Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lighting</a></h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/95037/5-Articles-About-The-LED-Light-Bulb-That-Would-Make-Edison-Proud&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 12 Mar 2013 18:33:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:95037http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55242/How-To-Calculate-Watts-For-Analyzing-Energy-Efficiency-Projects#Comments1,002How To Calculate Watts For Analyzing Energy Efficiency Projectshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55242/How-To-Calculate-Watts-For-Analyzing-Energy-Efficiency-Projects<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>In Order To Learn How To Calculate Watts, You First Need To Understand "Watt's" a Watt?&nbsp;</h1> <p>Yes, I know I spelled What wrong above.&nbsp; I will likely get in trouble for the spelling from my wife, the teacher.&nbsp; But it is for a good reason, energy efficiency.&nbsp;&nbsp;First let's define a watt.....</p> <h2>Official Definition of a Watt</h2> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="orth">watt</span><span class="pron"> (<span class="symb">wät</span>)</span></span></p> <div class="entry dict"> <div class="sense">The basic unit of electric, mechanical, or thermal power in the SI and MKS systems, equal to one joule per second or 10 ergs per second ( of a horsepower): for electric power it is equal to one volt-ampere.</div> </div> <p>OK, that's the official definiton, now let's focus on defining this in a way that makes sense to you.&nbsp; The watt is the starting point for how you are charged for energy, so a watt is tied directly to your wallet.</p> <h2>Lowering Wattage is Key To Improve Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>Taking a few minutes to learn about how watts relate to energy efficiency is an important exercise for those who don't understand electricity.&nbsp;&nbsp;Counting watts is the key to lowering the cost of energy in your home or place of business.</p> <h2>How to Save?&nbsp; It's Simple Math.....Let's Take A Look At How To Calculate Watts...</h2> <p>Most people don't realize that in order to improve energy efficiency, you must how to calculate wattage reduction.&nbsp; This is as simple as a mathematical subtraction problem.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Determining the difference in wattage can have a significant impact.&nbsp; Understanding this concept will help you make more informed buying decisions when purchasing products that use electricity in your home or business.</p> <h2>The 100 Watt Incandescent Bulb vs. The 23 Watt CFL Equivalent</h2> <p>For an example, we are going to compare two bulbs.&nbsp; The images below show a 100 Watt standard incandecent bulb on the left and a 23 Watt compact fluorescent bulb on the right.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;<a></a><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/ge 100 watt lightbulb-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="Learn-how-watts-can-improve-energy-efficiency-whats-a-watt" width="225" height="191"><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/bulb-ge daylight energy smart t-3 23watt-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="How-to-increase-energy-efficiency-by-calculating-wattage-difference" width="251" height="196"></p> <p>Both of the bulbs&nbsp;above are suitable replacements and can be utilized for the same application.&nbsp; While the old style 100 Watt bulb will likely be cheaper to purchase upfront, over time the compact fluorescent will save you money.&nbsp;&nbsp;How much difference?&nbsp;</p> <h2>Finding the Difference in Wattage</h2> <p>This is where the simple subtraction problem comes in.&nbsp;&nbsp;Using the two bulbs above, we utilize the wattages to do a simple mathematical problem.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Take the 100 Watt incandescent and Subtract the 23 Watt Compact Fluorescent and you find a difference of 77 Watts</p> <p>(100 Watts - 23 Watts = 77 Watts Difference).&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>With this information we can now determine how much each of the bulbs will cost us annually.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>Calculating Kwh</h2> <p>Your likely saying to yourself "but my energy company charges me per kilowatt hour (kwh)".&nbsp; Now the math gets a little more complicated, but still manageable.&nbsp; In order to determine the cost difference between the two, we utilize the wattages to determine the kwh.&nbsp; We do this with the following equation:</p> <p><strong>Fixture Quantity x Fixture Wattage = Total Watts</strong></p> <p><strong>Total Watts / 1000 = Kilowatts</strong></p> <p><strong>Kilowatts x (Hours of Usage) = Kilowatt/Hr</strong></p> <p><strong>Kilowatt/Hr x (Cost of Energy) = Annual Cost</strong></p> <h2>It Costs How Much?<strong><br></strong></h2> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Let's assume you have the following:</em></span></p> <p>10 Lights (Fixture Quantity)</p> <p>100 Watt Bulbs (Fixture Wattage for Each) - or -</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 23 Watt Bulbs (Fixture Wattage for Each)</p> <p>2000 Hours (Hours of Usage)</p> <p>$.10 Per Kilowatt/Hr (Average Energy Rate Charged)</p> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>How much does it cost annually for 10 - 100 Watt Bulbs?</h2> <p>10 (Fixtures) x 100 (Watts Each) = 1000 Watts</p> <p>1,000 Watts / 1000 = 1 kw</p> <p>1 kw x 2000 hrs per year = 2000 kwh (Kilowatt)</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">2000 kwh x .10 = $200 to operate 10 lamps with 100 Watt Bulbs</span></h3> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>How much does it cost annually to operate 10 - 23 Watt Bulbs?</h2> <p>10(Fixtures) x 23 (Watts Each) = 230 Watts</p> <p>230 Watts / 1,000 = .23 Kw (Kilowatt)</p> <p>.23 Kw x 2000 hrs per year = 460 kwh (Kilowatt Hour)</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">460 kwh x .10 = $46 to operate 10 lamps with 23 Watt Bulbs</span></h3> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>"Watt's" the difference? $154 Annual Savings</h2> <p>100 Watts - 23 Watts = 77 Watts</p> <p>-Or-</p> <p>$200 - $ 46 = $154 Annual Savings</p> <p>$154 / 10 Bulbs = $15.40 per bulb</p> <h2>Good Return On Investment?</h2> <p>You could spend up to $15.40 per bulb and get 100% payback in the first year.&nbsp;</p> <p>Many of the bulbs last up to 4 years.&nbsp; If the bulbs pay for themselves in year 1, that gives you 3 more years of savings, or $462 of savings from years 2, 3 and 4.&nbsp;</p> <p>You invest $154 and in 4 years you get $462 in return.&nbsp; That is a 300% return on your money.&nbsp;</p> <p>How much would you have in a bank account if you placed it in a regular savings account?</p> <p>I can guarantee you it won't return 300%, maybe 3%.&nbsp;</p> <p>"Watt" are you going to buy next time?&nbsp;</p> <h2>Want To Learn More?</h2> <p>Check out our FREE eBook that takes a much more indepth look at how energy efficiency makes sense for most business owners. &nbsp;Just click on the book below....</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"><!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --><span id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"><a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-img" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" src="http://d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;" data-mce-src="http://d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" mce_noresize="1"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script> <!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --><!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></div>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55242/How-To-Calculate-Watts-For-Analyzing-Energy-Efficiency-Projects&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveySun, 17 Feb 2013 22:34:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:55242http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90881/How-To-Save-Electricity-Energy-Efficient-LED-Can-Lighting-Upgrade#Comments140How To Save Electricity: Energy Efficient LED Can Lighting Upgradehttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90881/How-To-Save-Electricity-Energy-Efficient-LED-Can-Lighting-Upgrade<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h3 dir="ltr">Say Goodbye to CFL and Incandescent:</h3> <p dir="ltr">Cooper Lighting has introduced the Halo RL56 LED Retrofit Baffle Trim. Capable of being used in both 5-inch and 6-inch compatible housings, the recessed baffle trim with an integrated LED module consumes a minuscule 9.4 watts while delivering over 600 lumens, which is comparable to a 65W<img id="img-1359134670534" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/cooperltg_halorl56wh_sn-300x225.jpg" border="0" alt="how-to-save-electricity-energy-efficient-can-lighting" class="alignRight" style="float: right;">&nbsp;BR30 lamp you would find in most recessed downlights. By changing an existing incandescent style trim out with this new LED offering a business could run this light six hours a day an entire year and still be under $3.00 for annual operating cost.(based on .10kwh)</p> <h3 dir="ltr">Energy Efficiency for New or Existing Fixtures</h3> <p dir="ltr">Designed for new construction, remodel and retrofit installation, the Halo insert is designed to be used in both 5 and 6 inch halo cans(H5 and H7 series), as well as similar 5-inch or 6-inch compatible recessed down light housings offered by other manufacturers. Color rendering is excellent at 83 CRI and a warm, white color temperature of 3000K, the Halo LED RL56 Retrofit Baffle Trim features a convex lens that provides even illumination .</p> <h3 dir="ltr">Energy Efficiency That Looks Good!</h3> <p dir="ltr">The <a href="http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/dam/public/lighting/resources/library/literature/Halo/120780%20-%20RL56%20brochure.pdf" rel="nofollow" title="Halo RL56 series" target="_self">Halo RL56 series</a> is available in either Matte White or popular designer Satin Nickel. The integral LED driver offers 120 volt dimming capability which allows it to be dimmed down to 15 percent with standard dimmers and 5 percent with select dimmers. The Halo RL56 series is designed for a long life of use with greater than 70 percent of initial lumens at 50,000 hours.</p> <p dir="ltr">Installation could not be simpler with included adapter and torsion springs or optional 5-inch and 6-inch friction blades.</p> <p dir="ltr">Several other key features make this a great upgrade to any recessed lighting application. The trim is ENERGY STAR qualified for use in both residential and commercial applications. The die-cast housing cons</p> <h2><strong>Need Help?</strong></h2> <p>Hovey Electric looks for the best lighting applications to satisfy the needs of our clients.&nbsp; Each facility is a little different than the last.&nbsp;</p> <p>Typcially we need to see the inside of your facility first hand to determine what type of lighting you have now and to measure the lighting levels.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hovey Electric can perform a complete audit of your facility to determine what is right for you, for FREE.&nbsp; L<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Let's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required." target="_self">et's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting?<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Let's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required." target="_self"></a></h2> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Let's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required." target="_self"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> </span></span></a><a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c.png" alt="" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width: 0px;"></a> <script type="text/javascript">// <![CDATA[ (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); // ]]></script> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90881/How-To-Save-Electricity-Energy-Efficient-LED-Can-Lighting-Upgrade&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolFri, 25 Jan 2013 17:15:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:90881http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/91231/LED-Light-Applications-Municipality-Embraces-LED-Lighting#Comments172LED Light Applications: Municipality Embraces LED Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/91231/LED-Light-Applications-Municipality-Embraces-LED-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h3>LED Lighting is Big Savings</h3> <p>With LED lighting being the "buzz" word in energy efficiency I am really surprised that more counties, cities, and townships have not made the leap. If you look at the applications and opportunities that these places have for energy saving LED lighting installations it's simply mind boggling.</p> <h3>Big Money, Big Savings<img id="img-1352221449785" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/ways-to-improve-energy-efficiency-michigan.jpg" border="0" alt="led-lighting-applications-save-municipalities-big-money" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"></h3> <p>While it's undeniable that LED requires a larger upfront investment cost to get rolling, it's also undeniable that the potential for substantial energy savings is achievable.</p> <p>One hurdle faced by all customers IS the upfront costs. Let's face it, energy savings is a "you get what you pay for" type of game.</p> <p>To get minimal maintenance and energy usage from a lighting solution costs manufacturers a lot of money in R&amp;D.</p> <p>However, there are programs available that will actually loan you capitol to complete your energy efficiency upgrade and base the payback of that loan off of energy savings and incentives offered by your energy provider.</p> <h3>Money from Thin Air</h3> <p>These money lending programs are a saving grace to not just cash strapped local counties and cities but also to those who own businesses in the private sectors as well. Let's face some very real facts.</p> <ol> <li>You need light.</li> <li>Your going to pay for that light.</li> <li>The cost of electricity is not going down.</li> </ol> <p>These are undeniable facts for any business. The only thing that's really in your control is how much your going to pay for that light. Here's a link to an article &nbsp;showing how one city is fighting back against the ever climbing rates of electricity.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.mountainx.com/article/46642/City-rolling-out-LED-lights-Nov.-12" rel="nofollow" title="City rolling out LED lights Nov. 12th&nbsp;" target="_self">City rolling out LED lights Nov. 12th&nbsp;</a></strong>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Is LED Right for You?</h3> <p>Unsure whether or not LED makes sense for your application? Check out some of our other articles showing the benefits and applications where LED makes sense.</p> <p><strong><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89939/5-Recent-Articles-About-The-Technology-Behind-The-LED-Light-Bulb" rel="nofollow" title="Technology behind LED" target="_self">Technology behind LED</a></strong>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69637/LED-Industrial-Lighting-New-Energy-Efficient-Hazardous-Area-Lighting" rel="nofollow" title="LED in Hazordous Areas" target="_self"><strong>LED in Hazordous Areas</strong></a>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81998/Insights-Into-The-Versatility-And-Applications-Of-LED-Lighting" rel="nofollow" title="Applications and Versatility of LED" target="_self"><strong>Applications and Versatility of LED</strong></a></p> <h2>Want To Learn More?&nbsp;</h2> <p>&nbsp;Check out our FREE eBook, available by download...just click on the book below.&nbsp;</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/91231/LED-Light-Applications-Municipality-Embraces-LED-Lighting&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolFri, 21 Dec 2012 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:91231http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90835/400-Watt-Metal-Halide-Replacements-LED-Highbay-vs-T5-Highbay#Comments1,117400 Watt Metal Halide Replacements: LED Highbay vs. T5 Highbayhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90835/400-Watt-Metal-Halide-Replacements-LED-Highbay-vs-T5-Highbay<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2><strong>LED vs. T5, the Highbay&nbsp;Heavy Hitters</strong></h2> <p>When it comes to highbay lighting, metal halide is a thing of the past. Way to costly to run and maintain. Today, most people rely on T5 highbay's to fill that lighting application. It's&nbsp;inexpensive for the initial purchase, and is very cheap to maintain and run.</p> <h2><strong>LED Highbays</strong><img id="img-1351090894222" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/1326851390_40875.png" border="0" alt="LED highbay" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"></h2> <p>Now enter the LED highbay. Just a few years ago LED technology could not produce a reliable&nbsp;LED configuration to compete with T5 or 400 watt Metal Halide output. Those days are gone!</p> <p>Lithonia has a new PROTEON LED highbay offering that boasts some very impressive numbers when it comes to lumen output.</p> <p>A typical 400 watt highbay produces 20,000 lumens with a brand new lamp. However, that number quickly decreases due to the poor life of metal halide. so lets assume the lamp is running at 70% output(most places I have been are far wore than that). That takes us down to 14,000 lumens, all while consuming 456W of electricity.</p> <p>The LED fixture produces 18,000 Lumens while consuming a paltry 213W....thats a 54% reduction in operating costs!!! Not to mention that the LED fixture maintains 92% of it's output at 60,000 hrs. and has a rated life of 100,000 hrs!</p> <p>By the way, you can also do motion sensors on LED. Cutting costs even more!&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>LED Highbay Pros and Cons</strong></h2> <p>I'm not going to sugar coat it, the initial investment into LED is more expensive than T5 fluorescent. Is the cost worth it?</p> <p>If your looking to replace 10-15 metal halide highbays, than no,LED does not make sense.</p> <p>If however, you have fixtures that are very hard to get too or you have fixtures over high demand equipment that can not be shut down to change a lamp....than LED is a great solution due to it's very long life expectancy.</p> <h2><strong>T5 and LED Cost, the Nitty Gritty</strong></h2> <p>A typical T5 4 lamp consumes roughly 232 watts and costs in the $160 dollar range(lamps included).<strong> So at 100 fixtures thats 232,000 watts and a $16,000</strong> total fixture cost.</p> <p>This particular LED is 213 watts and costs roughly $650. Thats <strong>138,450 watts and $65,000 per</strong> <strong>100 fixtures</strong>. Your probably thinking "holy cow thats a big difference". Well lets look at other factors.</p> <p>The LED has 100,000 hours of life at a minimum. T5 lamps have a life of around 36,000 hrs. To have an electrical contractor come in and re lamp your fixtures 3 times and add in at least one ballast change your looking at easily an additional $25,000 in maintenance costs. Factor in the energy savings the LED fixture has over the T5 fixture and your numbers are very close.</p> <p><strong>$16,000</strong>(fixt. cost) + <strong>$25,000</strong>(maintenance cost of T5 over 100,000 hr.) + <strong>$19,000</strong>(energy savings using LED over 100,000 hrs.) = <strong>$60,000.</strong></p> <p>The numbers are pretty much a wash. Go LED and have worry free lighting for the next 100,000 hrs, or go T5 and set aside a budget to do maintenance for the next 100,000 hrs.</p> <p>In an area that is costly for a company to shut down to do maintenance LED makes a whole lot of sense. Don't get me wrong....I still love T5 fluorescent. It's just a matter of whats the right fixture for the job and what's most important to the customer.</p> <h2><strong>Need Help?</strong></h2> <p>Hovey Electric looks for the best lighting applications to satisfy the needs of our clients.&nbsp; Each facility is a little different than the last.&nbsp;</p> <p>Typcially we need to see the inside of your facility first hand to determine what type of lighting you have now and to measure the lighting levels.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hovey Electric can perform a complete audit of your facility to determine what is right for you, for FREE.&nbsp; L<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Let's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required." target="_self">et's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required</a>&nbsp;or learn more about energy efficiency by downloading our FREE guide...just click on the banner below.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Let's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required." target="_self"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> </span></span></a><a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e.png" alt="" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width: 0px;"></a> <script type="text/javascript">// <![CDATA[ (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); // ]]></script> </div> <h2>Related Articles:</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85127/How-To-Calculate-Lighting-Costs-For-Metal-Halide-Fixtures" title="How To Calculate Lighting Costs For Metal Halide Fixtures">How To Calculate Lighting Costs For Metal Halide Fixtures</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69637/LED-Industrial-Lighting-New-Energy-Efficient-Hazardous-Area-Lighting" title="LED Industrial Lighting:New Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lighting">LED Industrial Lighting:New Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lighting</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84036/T5-Lighting-5-Reasons-Why-T5-Lighting-Puts-T12-Lighting-In-The-Dark" title="T5 Lighting: 5 Reasons Why T5 Lighting Puts T12 Lighting In The Dark">T5 Lighting: 5 Reasons Why T5 Lighting Puts T12 Lighting In The Dark</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/How-To-Calculate-Watts-400-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay-Fluorescent" title="How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescent">How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescent</a></p> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90835/400-Watt-Metal-Halide-Replacements-LED-Highbay-vs-T5-Highbay&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolWed, 19 Dec 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:90835http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84918/T12-vs-T8-vs-T5-T-12-As-Outdated-As-Your-Granparents-Bingo-Game#Comments2,161T12 vs T8 vs T5: "T-12"...As Outdated As Your Granparents Bingo Game?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84918/T12-vs-T8-vs-T5-T-12-As-Outdated-As-Your-Granparents-Bingo-Game<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2><b>T12 vs T8 vs T5 ...&nbsp; Are We Playing Bingo?<img id="img-1337270884938" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/t12-vs-t8-vs-t5-is-this-our-grandparents-bingo.jpg" alt="t12 vs t8 vs t5 is this our grandparents bingo" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" border="0"></b></h2> <p>But of Course, Bingo doesn't have the T, so we must be talking about lighting.</p> <p>While the T has no place on bingo night with our grandparents, the old T12 lighting will have no part in the discussion of energy efficiency or even fluorescent lighting in general.&nbsp;</p> <p>The old T12 technology is likely what it lighting the bingo hall right now!&nbsp; (.....someone needs to talk to them about efficiency!)&nbsp;</p> <p>But just like the old bingo halls, T-12's are disappearing.&nbsp; After 2012, they will no longer be manufactured.&nbsp; In fact, most of the utility rebate programs are eliminating the incentives for T-12 replacement very soon.&nbsp; So....what do you do now?</p> <h2>Understanding The "T"?</h2> <p>Quite simply, "T" is the diameter of the tube in the lamp.&nbsp; A T12 bulb will have a diameter of 12/8". (1 1/2" for those of you who prefer the simplest form)&nbsp; That would then make the T8 smaller, and the T5 smaller yet.&nbsp; Typically the more narrow the lamp, the more efficient it will be.</p> <h3>So We have:</h3> <ul> <li>T12 = old and inefficient</li> <li>T8 = higher efficiency</li> <li>T5 = highest</li> </ul> <h2>Is There A Cost Difference Between T5 vs. T8?</h2> <p>Here is the cost breakdown between T5 and T8 assuming we are talking about the standard 4 foot lamp:</p> <ul> <li>T8 = $3.00 - $5.00</li> <li>T5 = $5.50 - $12.00</li> </ul> <p>All lamps have a general life expectancy of around 36,000 hrs. at 12 hrs. per day burn time.</p> <p>T5 costs significantly more than T8 but does not outperform it by the same margin. In fact, in many low level interior applications, the performance differences are negligible.</p> <h3>In Comparison to the T12:</h3> <p>This isn't really relevant unless you are stocking up on the old T-12 bulbs, you may want to take the cost comparison into consideration. As the manufacturing of the bulbs cease, the cost of T12 bulbs will continue to increase due to declining supply.</p> <ul> <li><b><em>T8 = roughly 20% more expensive than T12</em></b></li> <li><b><em>T5 = 2-3 times the cost of T8</em></b></li> </ul> <h2>Comparing "Brightness"&nbsp; T8 vs. T5</h2> <p>The Department of Energy calls it "Brightness" (as does my 6 year old) but it is actually lumen output.&nbsp; This, among other factors is an important part of determining different levels of efficiency.&nbsp;</p> <p>Two characteristics of light that we like to look at are <strong>Quality and Quantity</strong>.&nbsp; They are measured as follows:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Quality</strong>:&nbsp; CRI = Color Rendering Index</li> <li><strong>Quantity</strong>:&nbsp; LPW = Lumen's per Watt</li> </ul> <h2>So, what is the best light to use if the ceiling is lower than 12'?</h2> <p>Here's an average scenario:</p> <h3>CRI Levels:</h3> <p>T12=62 CRI</p> <p>T8=85 CRI</p> <p>T5=85 CRI</p> <h3>LPW Levels:</h3> <p>T12=78 LPW</p> <p>T8=90 LPW</p> <p>T5=99 LPW</p> <p>&nbsp;In this scenario, the T5 would be the exact same quality and the increase in quantity would be insignificant.&nbsp; It would not be worth the money to invest in the T5 lighting when you consider having to replace the fixture, lamp and ballast.</p> <h2>Where SHOULD We Use The T5 Then?</h2> <p>As you can see in the above scenario, it is not always recommended that you switch from T8 to T5, but if you have the old T12 and must replace them with something, it would be best to go with the T5.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficient Solutions For Your Business</h2> <p>Knowing what energy efficient technology makes the most sense for your facility can be an overwhelming task to figure out.&nbsp; You may think, "but it's just not worth it!".&nbsp;</p> <p>You may be right, but how will you ever know without doing some research and planning?</p> <p>We created a FREE ebook to help you understand the benefits of an energy efficient solution for your business.&nbsp; Download by clicking on the book cover below, it's FREE:</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Other Articles Related To Fluorescent Lighting You Might Like:</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84036/T5-Lighting-5-Reasons-Why-T5-Lighting-Puts-T12-Lighting-In-The-Dark" title="T5 Lighting: 5 Reasons Why T5 Lighting Puts T12 Lighting In The Dark">T5 Lighting: 5 Reasons Why T5 Lighting Puts T12 Lighting In The Dark</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83731/T5-vs-T8-How-Do-You-Know-If-You-Really-Need-T5-Lighting" title="T5 vs. T8: How Do You Know If You Really Need T5 Lighting?">T5 vs. T8: How Do You Know If You Really Need T5 Lighting?</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82148/T8-vs-T5-How-To-Determine-Which-Light-Is-The-Right-Light" title="T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light">T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81949/T8-Lighting-Energy-Efficient-Applications-And-Uses-For-T8-Fixtures" title="T8 Lighting: Energy Efficient Applications And Uses For T8 Fixtures">T8 Lighting: Energy Efficient Applications And Uses For T8 Fixtures</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81721/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-How-To-Transform-Existing-T12-To-T8" title="Energy Efficient Solutions: How To Transform Existing T12 To T8">Energy Efficient Solutions: How To Transform Existing T12 To T8</a></p> <br> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84918/T12-vs-T8-vs-T5-T-12-As-Outdated-As-Your-Granparents-Bingo-Game&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 18 Dec 2012 17:08:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:84918http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90845/How-To-Calculate-T5-vs-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-High-Bay-Wattage#Comments130How To Calculate T5 vs 400 Watt Metal Halide High Bay Wattagehttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90845/How-To-Calculate-T5-vs-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-High-Bay-Wattage<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2><strong>Difference in Wattage: 400 Watt MH to T-5 High Bay</strong></h2> <p>Calculating the cost benefits between a 400 Watt MH compared to a T-5 High Bay Fluorescent is a relatively simple calculation.&nbsp; Calculating energy efficiency is actually simple subtraction problem.&nbsp;</p> <p>Looking at the 2 different fixtures above, we have to find the rated wattage of each fixture.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>A 400 Watt Metal Halide is rated at 456 Watts.</p> <p>A 4 lamp T-5 High Bay (Depending On Manufacturer) is right around 200 Watts.<img id="img-1351098234117" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/mh.jpg" border="0" alt="fluorescent-t5-vs-400-watt-metal-halide" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"></p> <p>Now that we have that, we can do the math.</p> <p><span><em>456 Watts - 200 Watts = 256 Watts Difference</em></span>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<strong>56% Less Watts.&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>With this information we can now determine how much each of the fixtures will cost us annually.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>How To Calculate Kilowatt Hour (kwh)</strong></h2> <p>A watt is only part of the calculation when figuring out how much your fixture is costing you.&nbsp; But in order to show you how a watt fits in, we have to do a little more complicated math.&nbsp;</p> <p>By utilizing the wattages between the 2 fixtures, we can determine the cost difference between the 400 Watt MH and the T-5.&nbsp; This will help you to understand how to determine the kwh.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here is the equation we need to use in order to do the math:</p> <p><strong>Fixture Quantity x Fixture Wattage = Total Watts.</strong></p> <p><strong>Total Watts / 1000 = Kilowatts.</strong></p> <p><strong>Kilowatts x (Hours of Usage) = Kilowatt/Hr.</strong></p> <p><strong>Kilowatt/Hr x (Cost of Energy) = Annual Cost.</strong></p> <h2><strong>How Much Does It Cost?<br></strong></h2> <p><span><em>Let's assume you have the following:</em></span></p> <p>We are going use just 10 fixtures for this example (Fixture Quantity)</p> <p>456 Watt Fixture (Fixture Wattage for Each) - or -</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 200 Watt Fixture (Fixture Wattage for Each)</p> <p>2000 Hours (Hours of Usage)</p> <p>$.10 Per Kilowatt/Hr (Average Energy Rate Charged)</p> <h2><strong>Annual Cost of the 400 Watt MH cost?</strong></h2> <p>10(Fixtures) x 456 (Watts Each) = 4560 Watts.</p> <p>4560 Watts / 1000 = 4.56 kw.</p> <p>4.56 kw x 2000 hrs per year = 9120 kwh (Kilowatt) Annually.</p> <h3><span>9120 kwh x .10 = $912.00 to operate 10, 400 Watt Metal Halide for 1 Year</span></h3> <h2><strong>Annual Cost of the T5?</strong></h2> <p>10 (Fixtures) x 200 (Watts Each) = 2000 Watts.</p> <p>2000 Watts / 1,000 = 2.0 Kw (Kilowatt).</p> <p>2.0 Kw x 2000 hrs per year = 4000 kwh (Kilowatt Hour).</p> <h3><span>4000 kwh x .10 = $400 to operate 10 T-5 High Bay Fluorescent</span></h3> <h2><strong>What's the Difference? </strong></h2> <h3><strong>$51.60 Per Fixture Annual Savings</strong></h3> <p>456 Watts - 200 Watts = 256 Watts.</p> <p>-Or-</p> <p><em><span>$912 - $ 400 = <strong>$512</strong> In Annual Savings</span></em>&nbsp;(PER FIXTURE) or&nbsp;<strong>56% Savings.</strong></p> <h2><strong>Looking For Energy Efficient T5 Fixtures...Here's A Special Offer...</strong></h2> <p>We often get the question on our blog, "What is the cheapest, energy efficient T5 fixture". We did some research and well, the online stores are way to confusing. &nbsp;</p> <p>So we went to our suppliers and they came up with a great deal for us to pass along to you.</p> <p>So if your looking for a very reasonable T5 fluorescent fixture, click below to check out our deal, but hurry, we can only honor it until December 31st.&nbsp;</p> <h2><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-6c088864-f634-4057-8a14-d323a1bf2b4c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6c088864-f634-4057-8a14-d323a1bf2b4c" id="hs-cta-6c088864-f634-4057-8a14-d323a1bf2b4c"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/6c088864-f634-4057-8a14-d323a1bf2b4c" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-6c088864-f634-4057-8a14-d323a1bf2b4c" style="border-width:0px;" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/6c088864-f634-4057-8a14-d323a1bf2b4c.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-6c088864-f634-4057-8a14-d323a1bf2b4c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=6c088864-f634-4057-8a14-d323a1bf2b4c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></h2> <h2><strong>Need Help?</strong></h2> <p>Hovey Electric looks for the best lighting applications to satisfy the needs of our clients.&nbsp; Each facility is a little different than the last.&nbsp;</p> <p>Typcially we need to see the inside of your facility first hand to determine what type of lighting you have now and to measure the lighting levels.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hovey Electric can perform a complete audit of your facility to determine what is right for you, for FREE.&nbsp; L<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Let's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required." target="_self">et's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required.</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/90845/How-To-Calculate-T5-vs-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-High-Bay-Wattage&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolWed, 12 Dec 2012 15:49:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:90845http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73754/T5-vs-T8-vs-LED-The-Best-Options-For-Replacing-Aging-T-12-Fixtures#Comments1,398T5 vs T8 vs LED: The Best Options For Replacing Aging T-12 Fixtureshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73754/T5-vs-T8-vs-LED-The-Best-Options-For-Replacing-Aging-T-12-Fixtures<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>You Want To Be Energy Efficient....So What Are Your Options For Linear Fluorescent?</h1> <p><span>Older T12 linear fluorescent lamps are not exactly what many would consider inefficient, but by todays standards they are. Most business owners don't even realize what they have been using over the years.&nbsp; One thing is for sure, they are now OLD technology. <br></span></p> <h3><span>T12: What Are My Options?<img id="img-1323287091703" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/t12-to-t8.jpg" border="0" alt="Energy-efficient-lighting-replacements-t12-vs-t-8" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"><br></span></h3> <p><span>Linear fluorescent T12 lamps are best described as the "fat" lamps. If you look at the end of them they are roughly 1.5" across. They have an average life of roughly 18-20,000 hrs.</span></p> <h3>Replace With Energy Efficient T-8</h3> <p><span>The most direct replacement for them is the T8 lamp, which if viewed from the end has a width of 1" or about the size of a quarter. </span></p> <h3>Better Life Expectancy</h3> <p><span>The good news is that the replacement lamps are cheaper and have a life expectency between 36-42,000 hrs. </span></p> <h3>Use The Same Light Socket</h3> <p><span>The sockets where the lamps plug into can be reused. The bad news is that a ballast change will be required. </span></p> <h3>You Will Need A New Energy Efficient Ballast</h3> <p><span>While changing the ballast is not a big ordeal it should be done by a qualified electrician. T8 lamps are offered in the same "color" or "kelvin" as the lamps they are replacing. One very nice feature of going with T8 lamps is you can actually get a 28W or 25W "reduced wattage" lamp that will save even more money than the standard 32W lamp.</span></p> <p><span>While most T12 lamps are 4' long, there are a good portion of 8' lamps out there in strip style fixtures. Luckily there is a direct T8 replacement for it, also requiring a ballast change. </span></p> <h3>Conversion Kits Are Available</h3> <p><span>For those looking to standardize inventories you can also get conversion kits which will use two 4' T8 lamps to replace an existing 8' T12 lamp. Again, this kit and ballast should be installed by a qualified electrician.</span></p> <h2>LED:That's right, they work here too.</h2> <h3>LED Tubes Are A Good Way To Go</h3> <p>LED tubes are a more recent introduction into the market. It is nothing more than a strip of LED assembled into a 4' tube.</p> <p>Caution should be used when selecting this option as there are a lot of "junk" on the market. Be sure to use a trusted brand.</p> <h3>Beneftis Of LED Tubes Include:<img id="img-1322748799905" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/led-lights.jpg" border="0" alt="Energy-efficient-led-lighting-tennessee-kentucky" width="278" height="279" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"></h3> <ul> <li>Startup in any temperature</li> <li>Over 50,000 hr lamp life</li> <li>15 watts energy use for a 4' tube</li> </ul> <p>All the benefits are very appealing as they have overcome most of the drawbacks of fluorescent lighting.The ballast is not used for the LED tubes so minor wiring will be required inside of the existing fixture, be sure to use a qualified electrician for your installation.</p> <p>I really like what I am seeing both in fluorescent options and LED. The choice of what to use boils down to what you need from your lighting, and the environment it's in.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Other Options:Retrofit To T-5 Fluorescent</h3> <p>T5 lamps are an alternative I have seen used in &nbsp;2X4 fixtures. I have seen kits that retrofit an existing 4 lamp fixture into a 2 lamp T5 fixture.</p> <p>Going to a two lamp T5 actually reduces the wattage and results in MORE light.</p> <p>Normal T12's last around 18-20,000 hours where as the T5 has a rating of 30,000 hours.</p> <h3>What About 2'x2' Fixtures?</h3> <p>For 2x2 fixtures that use the U shaped lamps the best option is to do a ballast change and use T8 style U lamps. The only thing you need to make sure of is measure between the lamp sockets. There are 2 different widths of lamp so you will need to know that when ordering the T8 replacements.</p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting?</h2> <p>Learn more about energy efficiency and the benefits that energy efficient lighting can have on your business.&nbsp;</p> <p>We created a special e-book to teach business owners about energy efficiency strategies for their business.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Click the button below....or Contact us in the comments section and let Hovey Electric show you the benefits and savings of energy efficient lighting.</p> <p>&nbsp;<span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span><br></span></p> <p><span><br></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73754/T5-vs-T8-vs-LED-The-Best-Options-For-Replacing-Aging-T-12-Fixtures&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolSat, 08 Dec 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:73754http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83731/T5-vs-T8-How-Do-You-Know-If-You-Really-Need-T5-Lighting#Comments689T5 vs. T8: How Do You Know If You Really Need T5 Lighting?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83731/T5-vs-T8-How-Do-You-Know-If-You-Really-Need-T5-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Do You Really Need T5 Lighting and Does It Matter?</h1> <p>Let's take a look at the differences between <strong>T8 and T5</strong> fluorescent technology and see how they stack up. This is important because the T5 lighting could cost you 2x more than T8 Lighting.&nbsp; Here's why.&nbsp;</p> <h2><b>What Is The "T"?<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/t5-vs-t8-fluorescent-lighting-what-does-the-t-mean.png" border="0" alt="t5 vs t8 fluorescent lighting what does the t mean" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"><br></b></h2> <p>The "T" is just simply a code that is used to identify the size of fluorescent bulbs.&nbsp; As focus on energy saving technologies has grown and become popularized, these codes have come to designate levels of energy efficiency, as well as indicate lamp tube diameter.</p> <h2><b>Size Of The Bulbs</b></h2> <p>A<strong> T5 bulb</strong> is roughly the same diameter as a $.10 dime.&nbsp; A T8 bulb is closer to the size of a $.05 Nickel.&nbsp; The T5 is the smaller of the 2.</p> <h2><b>Which Bulb Has The Highest Efficiency</b></h2> <p>T8 = higher efficiency</p> <p>T5 = highest efficiency</p> <p>While the chart above is generally true, it is important to evaluate the application and determine the cost benefit of T5 over T8.&nbsp; By doing so, you will be able to determine if the increased efficiency of T5 justifies the increase in initial and long term maintenance costs.</p> <h2><b>Do T5 and T8 Bulbs Cost The Same?<br></b></h2> <p>A standard 4 foot <strong>T8 lamp</strong> costs between $3.00 and $5.00, and a standard <strong>T5 lamp</strong> costs between $5.50 and $12.00. That is why you must carefully consider what is the best application so that you aren't spending 2x more than you have to.</p> <p>The<strong> T5</strong> does cost nearly 2x more, but that same margin cannot be applied to performance.&nbsp; The <strong>T5</strong> does not outperform the <strong>T8</strong> by the same margin. In fact, in many low level interior applications, the performance differences are negligible.</p> <p>Both the <strong>T5 and T8 lamps</strong> have a general life expectancy of around 36,000 hrs. at 12 hrs. per day burn time.</p> <h2><b>Brightness Levels T8 vs. T5</b></h2> <p>There are several different factors that determine levels of efficiency. The quality of light, often referred to as lumen output(also called "brightness" by the Department of Energy) is an important factor to consider.&nbsp;</p> <p>Quality of light measured is measured in <a href="energy-efficiency-services/-cri-color-rendering-index/" title="CRI (Color Rendering Index)" target="_self">CRI (Color Rendering Index)</a>, and quantity of light measured in LPW (Lumens per Watt).</p> <h2><b>Can I Use A T5 Fixture In Area Where The Ceiling Height Is Less Than 12'? </b></h2> <p>You can use T5 in this situation, but you have to remember the extra cost involved with the T5 fluorescent bulbs.&nbsp; But cost shouldn't be your only factor, so you have to explore the technical aspects to understand why the T5 may not be the best fit. <b><br></b></p> <p>Here is an average comparison of the T5 and T8.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Comparing Color Rendering Index&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br></b></p> <p>T8 = 85CRI &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <br> T5 = 85CRI &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p><b>Comparing Lumens Per Watt (LPW)</b></p> <p>T8 = 90LPW&nbsp;<br> T5 = 99LPW</p> <p>As you can see, as far as performance, the<strong> T5</strong> in this setting barely beats <strong>T8</strong> as far as CRI and LPW values.&nbsp; If you didn't understand the numbers and compare all of the variables, you could get stuck with lighting that costs much more....even though you are not getting any better lighting.</p> <p>With the numbers being this close, you could never justify the substantial increase in fixture, lamp and ballast costs which is what you would get with the <strong>T5</strong> in this case.</p> <h2><b>Where Is T5 A Better Fit?</b></h2> <p>In this situation, you couldn't justify the extra expense of using the <strong>T5 technolgy</strong>.&nbsp; While it obviously isn't a good idea to switch from <strong>T8 to T5</strong> in the above scenario, it would be very good if it were a switch from T12 to T5 standard output lighting.</p> <p><strong>T5 standard output lamps</strong> have their place, it's just understanding the applications and the desired results. <strong>T5 lighting</strong> tubes produce best at an ambient temp of 35C(95F) which would make one think that they don't do well in the cold. That's not completely true, see the ambient temperature rating that manufacturers use is that of the air against the bulb.</p> <p>The temperature that<strong> T5 lighting</strong> works in depends greatly on fixture design. Be sure to do your homework before you choose.</p> <h2>If You Don't Have Time To Do The Homework, Hire A Professional</h2> <p>We recommend always using a qualified lighting consultant or designer.&nbsp; Guessing on the wrong&nbsp; kind of fixture can cost you dearly.&nbsp; In this case, it would cost you nearly 2-3 times more just for the<strong> t5 fluorescent tubes.</strong>&nbsp;</p> <p>By using a lighting designer versed in energy efficiency, you can get help with lighting layout, application, and finding those pesky incentives and tax deductions your business will qualify for.</p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>You can download our Free Ebook: A Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency to learn more about the benefits of upgrading to fluorescent lighting technologies.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;<span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Related Articles About T5 and T8 Fluorescent Technology:</h2> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82148/T8-vs-T5-How-To-Determine-Which-Light-Is-The-Right-Light" title="T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light">T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81949/T8-Lighting-Energy-Efficient-Applications-And-Uses-For-T8-Fixtures" title="T8 Lighting: Energy Efficient Applications And Uses For T8 Fixtures">T8 Lighting: Energy Efficient Applications And Uses For T8 Fixtures</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81721/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-How-To-Transform-Existing-T12-To-T8" title="Energy Efficient Solutions: How To Transform Existing T12 To T8">Energy Efficient Solutions: How To Transform Existing T12 To T8</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80082/5-Reasons-Why-You-Will-Fall-In-Love-With-Fluorescent-T5-Lighting" title="5 Reasons Why You Will Fall In Love With Fluorescent T5 Lighting">5 Reasons Why You Will Fall In Love With Fluorescent T5 Lighting</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83731/T5-vs-T8-How-Do-You-Know-If-You-Really-Need-T5-Lighting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 03 Dec 2012 21:32:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:83731http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62067/How-to-Find-Energy-Efficiency-Savings-from-Occupancy-Sensors#Comments919How to Find Energy Efficiency Savings from Occupancy Sensorshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62067/How-to-Find-Energy-Efficiency-Savings-from-Occupancy-Sensors<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Occupancy sensor; What do they do?</h2> <p>Occupancy sensor, Occ sensor, motion sensor. They have various names but they all do basically the same function.</p> <p>They monitor a certain area for activity, if there's no activity they shut the lighting in that area off until needed. If no one is in the area, and lighting is not required, Occupancy sensors save you money.&nbsp;</p> <p>They shut the lights off automatically saving you money.</p> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/occ sens.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficiency-savings-from-occupancy-sensors" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;"></p> <h2>Types of Occupancy Sensors:</h2> <h2>Old Technology-Single function</h2> <p>Years ago when these sensors hit the market they were basically a single technology motion sensor, similar to a security light on the outside of your house. Todays sensors are huge improvements over the old design, incorporating both (PIR)infra-red, and ultra-sonic technologies.</p> <h3>Infra-red</h3> <p>Infra-red (PIR)sensors&nbsp;sense the difference in heat emitted by humans in motion from that of the background space.</p> <h3>Ultra-sonic</h3> <p>Ultra-sonic&nbsp;sensors detect occupancy through emitting an ultrasonic high-frequency signal throughout a space, sense the frequency of the reflected signal, and interpret change in frequency as motion in the space.</p> <h2>New Technology-Dual Function</h2> <p>Dual technology sensors use&nbsp;both PIR and ultrasonic technologies. It only activates the lights only when both technologies detect the presence of people.&nbsp;</p> <p>This virtually eliminates the possibility of false-on, and requiring either one of the two technologies to hold the lights on. This&nbsp; significantly reduces the possibility of false-off.</p> <h3>Applications for occupancy Sensors:</h3> <p>Occupancy sensors have a broad range of applications;</p> <ul> <li>They can be designed into new installations</li> <li>They can be added to existing installations to capitalize on energy savings.</li> </ul> <p>They work great anywhere you have any light technology that utilizes instant on/off lamps.</p> <p>From large warehouses to smaller confined areas, occupancy sensors should be a part of any lighting system.</p> <h2>How Much Do They Save?</h2> <p>The amount of savings you can expect from an occupancy sensor depends on an estimate of how much the space is occupied.&nbsp;</p> <p>If the space is occupied 20% of the day, then you have the potential to save 80% of the energy consumption for that day.&nbsp;</p> <p>The results of your savings will be determined by the application and by individual location.&nbsp;</p> <h2>FREE Energy Analysis</h2> <p>The best way to determine the savings from energy efficiency is through a complete analysis of your facility. <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Click here for a No Obligation FREE walkthrough analysis of your facility to show you where occupancy sensors can save you money." target="_self">Click here for a No Obligation FREE walk through analysis of your facility to show you where occupancy sensors can save you money.</a>&nbsp;</p> <p>Already using occupancy sensors in your facility?&nbsp; Comment below on the amount of savings you are experiencing.&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62067/How-to-Find-Energy-Efficiency-Savings-from-Occupancy-Sensors&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolMon, 19 Nov 2012 13:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:62067http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74572/5-Easy-Energy-Efficient-Solutions-For-Your-Business#Comments135 Easy, Energy Efficient Solutions For Your Businesshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74572/5-Easy-Energy-Efficient-Solutions-For-Your-Business<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><p>Energy efficient businesses save themselves significant dollars while at the same time improve<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/iStock_000019298159XSmall.jpg" border="0" alt="easy-ways-to-be-energy-efficient" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"><br> a world that continues to struggle under increasing energy demands. And, the effort and money it takes to become an energy efficient businesses is surprisingly little.&nbsp; Simple upgrades can quickly transform any business into an energy efficient one.</p> <h2>1- Replace Old Refrigerators and Freezers</h2> <p>Old refrigerators and freezers are some of the biggest energy hogs. The best way to reduce your monthly electric bill, replace old refrigerators and freezers with new, energy efficient, models. Many cities even offer incentive programs for those who want to trade old for new. Still, it can cost a lot to buy a new refrigerator/freezer, even with incentive programs. If you’re not in the position to make a big purchase you can replace the magnetic gasket lining the door. Over time, gaskets sag, creating gaps through which cold air will leak, reducing energy efficiency. New gaskets are inexpensive and easy to install.</p> <h2>2-Clean Up Those Dust Bunnies Around Your Appliances</h2> <p>Clean electrical appliances are always the most efficient. Keep your appliances clean and improve your energy efficiency. Keep fans, air conditioner filters and refrigerator/freezer coils clean. It’s not time consuming or expensive to keep your appliances clean.&nbsp; For example, you can clear dust and lint from freezer/refrigerator coils just using a vacuum attachment.</p> <h2>3- Keep The Doors Closed</h2> <p>The less outside air temperature influences inside air temperature the better. And, most businesses require air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter. This can cause a huge amount of expansion of energy. To avoid this, try to keep all exterior doors closed as much as possible. If doors have gaps between the door and frame, install weather stripping, which is easy, inexpensive and will save considerable energy. As always, try to maintain a moderate temperature in your business to save more energy.</p> <h2>4- Washer and Dryer?</h2> <p>Businesses that use washing machines, driers and/or dishwashers also consume considerable amounts of electricity. Be sure each appliance is as full as safely possible before running. Avoid using hot water in the washer and dishwasher and opt instead for warm; heating water requires energy. Use warm air in the clothes drier and remove the clothes when still damp. This saves energy, and also reduces wrinkles if you hang the clothes promptly.</p> <h2>5- Change Your Screen Saver Settings</h2> <p>Virtually every business has at least one computer, but many forget to set the Power Saver. When you're away from the computer, it will go into low-power mode, saving considerable energy, and will power back up as soon as you're ready to use it again.</p> <p>These are just some of the easy ways your business can have a positive affect on our environment and save money!</p> <h2>Click On The Book Below To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting......</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><br><br></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74572/5-Easy-Energy-Efficient-Solutions-For-Your-Business&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 01 Nov 2012 18:05:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:74572http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89939/5-Recent-Articles-About-The-Technology-Behind-The-LED-Light-Bulb#Comments3335 Recent Articles About The Technology Behind The LED Light Bulbhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89939/5-Recent-Articles-About-The-Technology-Behind-The-LED-Light-Bulb<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Things To Consider When Considering LED</h2> <img id="img-1349283100533" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/DSC_0817.JPG" border="0" alt="led-lighting-hovey-electric-michigan" width="313" height="471" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"> <p>I recently had a conversation with one of our employees about the difference between led technology and Induction Fluorescent technology. &nbsp;The higher cost of LED fixtures has led us to recommend that our customers go to <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50991/Reasons-Why-Induction-Lighting-provide-Greater-Savings-than-LEDs" title="inductive fluorescent technology" target="_self">inductive fluorescent technology</a> because the benefits were equal to LED. &nbsp;The one downside has been the price of LED.&nbsp;</p> <p>When we show up to do an energy efficient lighting audit, we often are asked about LED. LED is better known as the energy efficient technology. &nbsp;Even though the induction technology has been around more than 100+ years, it is relatively unknown when you bring up the technology to clients. &nbsp;</p> <p>LED is much better known. &nbsp;I think that is due to the introduction to LED Christmas lights over the past 5-7 years. Because of the Christmas lights, everyone knows that LED are EFFICIENT. &nbsp;</p> <p>So when someone asks us.."what do you do..", we say "<em>energy efficient lighting</em>" and they most often respond..."oh, you mean LED lighting?" We have to explain that we utilize the best lighting application that meets their needs that allows for the quickest payback for the business. &nbsp;We want to help the business owner reduce costs, not increase them with technologies that are not needed.&nbsp;</p> <p>I am constantly researching new technologies and news related to energy efficient lighting, here are some of the articles that I found most interesting this week:</p> <h2>Do Utility Rebates Have Any Kind of Impact On The Growth Of The LED Market?</h2> <p>Utilities across the country are spending billions of dollars on energy efficiency incentives. &nbsp;The obvious goal of an incentive program is to encourage efficiency. &nbsp;In this article by Greentech Media, they show how utilities in the Northeast are offering very progressive prescriptive rebates which in turn is driving the LED lighting market. &nbsp;</p> <p>Read more....<strong><a href="http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/A-Boom-in-Utility-Rebates-Drives-LED-Lighting">A Boom in Utility Rebates Drives <b>LED Lighting</b> : Greentech Media</a></strong></p> <h2><b>LED's Can Fail Too?</b></h2> <p>Most people don' t know that just like regular lighting, LED lighting systems can fail just like the others. &nbsp;The LED's nemesis is heat. &nbsp;Manage the heat, you will extend the life of the system. &nbsp;Here is an article that is a bit technical, but I included it because it shows how innovative thermal management is helping to extend the life of LED lighting systems.&nbsp;</p> <p>Learn more....<strong><a href="http://www.edn.com/design/led/4396842/Extend-the-life-of-LED-lighting-systems-with-thermal-management">Extend the life of <b>LED lighting</b> systems with thermal management <b>...</b></a></strong></p> <h2><b>Will New Technology Reduce The Cost Of LED?</b></h2> <p>In an earlier article, we wrote how the LED technologies are continually driving down the cost of LED fixtures and lighting. &nbsp;Texas Instruments recently created the industry's first wide-input LED driver so you have multiple dimming control options. &nbsp;This new technology will reduce the complexity of LED lighting in many applications. &nbsp;</p> <p>Read about it here....<strong><a href="http://embedded-computing.com/news/ti-dimming-control-modes/">TI introduces the first wide-input voltage, high-power <b>LED</b> driver with <b>...</b></a></strong></p> <h2><b>Does LED Lighting Make Sense For Every Application?</b></h2> <p>I like this article because it takes a practical look at the cost benefit of LED vs Fluorescent. &nbsp;As I mentioned in the opening paragraphs, we have come across this multiple times in the past few years. &nbsp;We will get an Owner who is adamant about using LED, but when we show them the cost benefit, they quickly see that it is just not worth the additional expense. &nbsp;This article has a very simple example to explaining the point.&nbsp;</p> <p>Check it out....<strong><a href="http://toolmonger.com/2012/09/26/led-options-for-fluorescent-shop-lighting/"><b>LED</b> Options For Fluorescent Shop <b>Lighting</b></a>...</strong></p> <h2><b>Will The LED Market Continue To Grow?</b></h2> <p>The&nbsp;soft economy has industry experts questioning if the growth in the LED market will be able to hold true into the future. &nbsp;With the improved technologies driving down pricing and numerous utility programs pushing FREE money out there for incentives, the LED market continued to grow in 2012. &nbsp;What will the future hold?</p> <p>Take a look....<strong><a href="http://olinet.com/light-measurement-education/?p=909">LEDs Magazine: <b>LED lighting</b> market holds steady in 2012 <b>...</b></a></strong></p> <h2><b>Interested In Finding Out If LED Will Work For You?</b></h2> <p>How do you find out if energy efficient lighting is a fit for you? &nbsp;The best way is education. We suggest that you first learn about the benefits of energy efficiency for your business. &nbsp;To help you with that, we created a guide to help you better understand if energy efficient lighting is right for you. Check it out..just click on the book below.&nbsp;</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;width:px;height:px;" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:(function(){var c='0123456789abcdef',s=[],i=0;for(i=0;i<32;i++)s[i]=c[Math.floor(Math.random()*0x10)];return s.join('');})()),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></div> <h2>Other LED Lighting Articles:&nbsp;</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68555/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Applications-LED-Inductive-Fluorescent" title="Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED ,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent">Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED ,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75301/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-CREE-LED-More-Efficient-Than-Fluorescent" title="Energy Efficient Lighting: CREE LED More Efficient Than Fluorescent?">Energy Efficient Lighting: CREE LED More Efficient Than Fluorescent?</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81576/How-To-Calculate-Watts-Savings-CREE-LED-vs-65-Watt-Incandescent" title="How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED vs 65 Watt Incandescent">How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED vs 65 Watt Incandescent</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81794/Is-It-Possible-For-LED-Lighting-To-Get-More-Efficient-and-Cheaper" title="Is It Possible For LED Lighting To Get More Efficient and Cheaper?">Is It Possible For LED Lighting To Get More Efficient and Cheaper?</a></p> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>&nbsp;</h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89939/5-Recent-Articles-About-The-Technology-Behind-The-LED-Light-Bulb&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 03 Oct 2012 16:34:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:89939http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/88427/14-Ways-To-Save-Energy-For-Michigan-Small-Businesses#Comments41414 Ways To Save Energy For Michigan Small Businesseshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/88427/14-Ways-To-Save-Energy-For-Michigan-Small-Businesses<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><p>From occupancy sensors for lighting to HVAC improvements, there are a many ways for small<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/14-ways-businesses-have-to-save-energy-michigan.jpg" border="0" alt="14 ways businesses have to save energy michigan" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"> businesses to reduce their energy consumption. Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&amp;G) recently comprised a list of easy to implement tips for small business owners looking to reduce their energy foot print. Here are 14 of our favorite tips for your business:</p> <p>1. Install occupancy sensors to control such things as bathroom lighting and fans, lighting in offices, conference rooms, break rooms and copier/printer rooms.&nbsp; According to a recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study, occupancy sensors can reduce energy waste by up to 68 percent and can increase energy savings by as much as 60 percent.</p> <p>2. Upgrade general area lighting to task lighting. Lighting is responsible for nearly half the energy consumed by commercial buildings. Task lighting can help reduce consumption of energy.</p> <p>3. Replace incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent fixtures. This is an easy step and one that will surely have a significant impact.</p> <p>4. Replace or retrofit all outdated T-12 fluorescent fixtures.</p> <p>5. Upgrade old water heaters with on-demand, tankless systems.</p> <p>6. Repair leaking water faucets. Keep in mind energy is used to heat and cool, as well as, to purify and pump water. Leaky faucets can be a source of high energy consumption.</p> <p>7. Upgrade old industrial unit heaters to gas-fired infrared heaters.</p> <p>8. Use a setback thermostat to save energy during the off-hours. PSE&amp;G recommends setting it to 8 degrees above occupied cooling temperature and 8 degrees below occupied heating temperature during off hours.</p> <p>9. Instal Vending Misers on refrigerated beverage vending machines.</p> <p>10. Turn off lights whenever leaving a room.</p> <p>11. Dim, or even turn off, lights in areas illuminated by natural light.</p> <p>12. Turn off all computers at the end of each day.</p> <p>13. Use printer and copier energy saving modes.</p> <p>14. Decrease occupied heat settings to 68 degrees and cooling settings to 74 degrees.<br><br>These are just a few simple ways business owners can decrease their carbon foot print and save money.</p> <h2>Learn More About The Benefits Of Energy Efficiency For Your Michigan Business</h2> <p>While these are some simple strategies you can implement right away in your business, understanding the overall benefits of adopting an energy efficient strategy is another thing. We put together a special e-Book so you can learn everything you need to know about the benefits of energy efficiency...download a copy today, just click on the book below....</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;width:px;height:px;" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:(function(){var c='0123456789abcdef',s=[],i=0;for(i=0;i<32;i++)s[i]=c[Math.floor(Math.random()*0x10)];return s.join('');})()),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85421/8-Things-You-Should-Expect-From-A-Business-Energy-Audit" title="8 Things You Should Expect From A Business Energy Audit">8 Things You Should Expect From A Business Energy Audit</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73860/How-to-Calculate-the-ROI-For-Energy-Efficient-Solutions" title="How to Calculate the ROI For Energy Efficient Solutions">How to Calculate the ROI For Energy Efficient Solutions</a></h3> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75630/Why-Is-Energy-Efficiency-Important-To-Employee-Productivity" title="Why Is Energy Efficiency Important To Employee Productivity? ">Why Is Energy Efficiency Important To Employee Productivity?</a></h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/88427/14-Ways-To-Save-Energy-For-Michigan-Small-Businesses&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 28 Sep 2012 15:48:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:88427http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89186/LED-Light-Bulbs-Everything-You-Ever-Wanted-To-Know-About-LED#Comments246LED Light Bulbs: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About LEDhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89186/LED-Light-Bulbs-Everything-You-Ever-Wanted-To-Know-About-LED<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>LED Lighting Is Gaining Ground<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/led-light-bulbs-hovey-electric.jpg" border="0" alt="led light bulbs hovey electric" class="alignRight" style="float: right;">&nbsp;</h2> <p>LED lighting has been becoming more and more popular. &nbsp;In fact if you go to the Google Keyword Tool, you will find the following number of global searches on the typical types of lighting:</p> <ul> <li>LED Lighting - 1,500,000 Global searches</li> <li>Metal Halide - 18,100 Global searches</li> <li>Induction Fluorescent - 9,900 Global searches</li> <li>Fluorescent - 165,000 Global searches</li> </ul> <p>The number of searches is an indication of the number of searches being done. &nbsp;You can clearly see that LED is the winner. &nbsp;So you could say that LED lighting is much more than just a buzz word, it is the most popular term. &nbsp;</p> <p>This article explains how the general lighting market is impacting the growth of the LED lighting market.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/led-lights/2012/08/led-surge-driven-by-general-lighting-applications---yole.html"><b>LED</b>&nbsp;surge driven by general&nbsp;<b>lighting applications</b>&nbsp;- Yole -&nbsp;<b>LED</b>&nbsp;<b>...</b></a></strong></p> <p>"In 2012, most companies have moved to the new "El Dorado" of&nbsp;<em>LED</em>&nbsp;business: general<em>lighting</em>, which represents the next killer&nbsp;<em>application</em>&nbsp;for LEDs. But enabling massive adoption of the technology for such an&nbsp;<em>application</em>&nbsp;<b>...</b></p> <h2>Technology Advancing Daily</h2> <p>When we started working with energy efficiency 4 years ago, the technology just wasn't quite there yet and the fixtures were 2-4 times more expensive than other technologies. &nbsp;Nearly everyday I see companies announcing new advancements in technology. &nbsp;Here is an article announcing a new product:&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.lightsmanufacturer.com/2012/09/lede-releases-double-sided-hanging-led-panel-light.html">LEDE releases double-sided hanging&nbsp;<b>LED</b>&nbsp;panel light |&nbsp;<b>Lights</b>&nbsp;<b>...</b></a></strong></p> <p>The color temperature has three choices: 2700K-3500K, 4000K-5000K, 6000-6500K.<em>Applications</em>&nbsp;include office&nbsp;<em>lighting</em>, restaurant&nbsp;<em>lighting</em>&nbsp;and other commercial&nbsp;<em>lighting</em>.&nbsp;<b>...</b>&nbsp;This<em>LED</em>&nbsp;panel&nbsp;<em>lights</em>&nbsp;are hanging celling with wirerope, the smooth profile of the&nbsp;<em>LED</em>&nbsp;Live panel can add sophistication and style to any commercial space, reducing glare and giving an optical illusion of natural light. Advantages : All-round, multi-angle luminous, dimmable, soft light effects and&nbsp;<b>...</b></p> <h3>Here is an article that I wrote back in February talking about another new generation LED....</h3> <p><strong><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81794/Is-It-Possible-For-LED-Lighting-To-Get-More-Efficient-and-Cheaper" title="Is It Possible For LED Lighting To Get More Efficient and Cheaper?">Is It Possible For LED Lighting To Get More Efficient and Cheaper?</a></strong></p> <h2>So Is LED really worth it?</h2> <p>Here is great article that has an entire breakdown about LED lighting. &nbsp;It's a long article, but if you have a few minutes, it is a great read. &nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.lightsmanufacturer.com/2012/09/is-all-the-hype-surrounding-led-justified.html">Is all the hype surrounding&nbsp;<b>LED</b>&nbsp;justified? |&nbsp;<b>Lights</b>&nbsp;Manufacturer</a></strong></p> <p><em>LED</em>&nbsp;can be designed into virtually all&nbsp;<em>lighting applications</em>&nbsp;including hotel and leisure, retail outlets, museums and art galleries, the health sector, education establishments and commercial premises of all types. It is also an&nbsp;<b>...</b></p> <h2>What Is An LED Anyhow?</h2> <p>Here I decided not to reinvent the wheel and let the folks to manufacture these things, describe what an LED really is...Lithonia did a really nice job on the video. They are a bit salesy, but they do a good job of answering many of the most common questions. Take a look;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9CrPBlPMWM&amp;feature=youtube_gdata">LED Lighting Part 1: LED Basics</a></strong></p> <p>LED Basics -- A general overview of LED lighting technology</p> <p><object id="img-1346896434252" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" height="360" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/y9CrPBlPMWM?version=3&amp;f=videos&amp;app=youtube_gdata"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><embed id="img-1346896434252" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" height="360" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y9CrPBlPMWM?version=3&amp;f=videos&amp;app=youtube_gdata" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></object></p> <h2>Applications For LED</h2> <p>Well once again, I am going back to Lithonia. &nbsp;This video discusses the the indoor applications for LED lighting. &nbsp;Just keep in mind, these applications apply to any type of LED lighting.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8Xnn2XlORM&amp;feature=youtube_gdata">LED Lighting Part 3: Customers &amp; Applications</a></strong></p> <p>LED Customers and Applications -- Identifies customers and applications that benefit most from LED technology</p> <p><object id="img-1346896675298" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" height="360" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/R8Xnn2XlORM?version=3&amp;f=videos&amp;app=youtube_gdata"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><embed id="img-1346896675298" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" height="360" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/R8Xnn2XlORM?version=3&amp;f=videos&amp;app=youtube_gdata" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></object></p> <h2>Is LED For You?</h2> <p>What do you think? &nbsp;Are you sold on LED? &nbsp;Cost can still be an issue and there are several other factors that will determine if this is the right fit for your application. To really mess with your mind, let's compare LED Lighting to one of my other most favorite technologies, Induction Lighting.&nbsp;</p> <h2>LED Lighting vs Induction Lighting&nbsp;</h2> <p><strong><a href="http://ledtube.canalblog.com/archives/2012/09/05/25037430.html">Which one do you decide to choose - <b>LED</b> tube <b>lights</b> or Induction <b>...</b></a></strong></p> <p>Perfect when you want to provide secondary <em>lighting</em> to walls, ceiling as induction is a 360 degree light source. What product works best for your <em>application</em>? <em>LED</em> and induction both have good efficiencies and <em>applications</em>.</p> <h2>It's Not Just About Individual Technologies, There Are Many Other Benefits To Energy Efficiency....</h2> <p>A blog post is not nearly enough space to give justice to all the benefits that energy efficiency can provide to a business owner, and we know that. &nbsp;So to help you out, we created an guide to help you sort through the BS and get right to what matters most, how is this going to save me money. That's what it's all about, right?</p> <p>Check out our FREE e-Book. &nbsp;I am working on a new updated version that will be available through Amazon, so you better get it while it's FREE, just click on the book cover below;&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;width:px;height:px;" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:(function(){var c='0123456789abcdef',s=[],i=0;for(i=0;i<32;i++)s[i]=c[Math.floor(Math.random()*0x10)];return s.join('');})()),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></div>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89186/LED-Light-Bulbs-Everything-You-Ever-Wanted-To-Know-About-LED&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 05 Sep 2012 21:39:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:89186http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89128/4-Municipalities-Find-Ways-To-Improve-Energy-Efficiency#Comments184 Municipalities Find Ways To Improve Energy Efficiencyhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89128/4-Municipalities-Find-Ways-To-Improve-Energy-Efficiency<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Energy Efficiency Is Saving<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/ways-to-improve-energy-efficiency-michigan.jpg" border="0" alt="ways to improve energy efficiency michigan" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"> Municipalities Millions Of Dollars</h1> <p>Below are some recent articles on the topic of ways to improve energy efficiency. There are 4 examples of how cities and schools are saving real money by upgrading energy efficient technology. <strong>&nbsp;</strong></p> <h2>Michigan City Adopts Energy Efficiency Culture</h2> <p>Have you flown on a clear night lately? &nbsp;Did you notice an orange glow coming up from the cities below? &nbsp;The orange glow is from the outdated, inefficient High Pressure Sodium lighting fixtures from below. &nbsp;</p> <p>Each time I fly, it troubles me to see this orange glow across the country. &nbsp;It tells me that municipalities aren't getting it, and that ticks me off, because I know as a taxpayer, we are paying for that inefficiency one way or the other. Grand Rapids Michigan is an exception to that though. &nbsp;</p> <p>I found a recent article that highlights all the city has been doing to reduce energy costs. I like the fact that there are some municipalities that "get it" and Grand Rapids is one of those. The one thing that stands out in this article for me is they have adopted a energy efficiency culture from top to bottom. &nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Read About&nbsp;<a href="http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/08/energy-efficiency-strategy-pays-grand-rapids/">How&nbsp;<b>Energy Efficiency</b>&nbsp;Strategy Pays Off in Grand Rapids</a></strong></h3> <h2>Did You Drop Your Kids Off To School Today?</h2> <p>I didn't have the honor of taking my kids to school today, but I imagine there are millions of parents who did. &nbsp;While they were likely focused on getting the kids back to school and making sure they had all their "stuff", they probably didn't notice the inefficient lights in the parking lot or the flickering T-12 fluorescent's in the hallways of their kids schools. &nbsp;Our public school system is ripe for change in this regard.&nbsp;</p> <p>I chose this next article because I think it is sad that it takes 2 floods or a tornado to wipe out a city for school officials to embrace energy efficiency and sustainability. &nbsp;I am glad as these new facilities are built, that they are using the latest technlogies. &nbsp;</p> <h3>Read about this Oregon&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dvirc.org/school-district-looks-to-energy-efficient-buildings-upgrades-to-save-ailing-system" style="font-weight: bold;">School district that looks to <b>energy efficient</b> buildings upgrades to save <b>...</b></a></h3> <h2>Florida City Axes Metal Halide, Replaces With LED Saving 253,000 kwh</h2> <p><span>When Lake Nona pursued a vision to line its Southeast Orlando streets with new lighting, the 7000-acre, master-planned community needed to match exacting aesthetic guidelines to leading-edge technology. Community&nbsp;</span><b>...</b></p> <h3><strong>Check Out This Florida&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ledinside.com/news/2012/8/master_planned_community_ge_20120829">Master-Planned Community Masters <b>Energy</b>-<b>Saving</b> Street Lighting <b>...</b></a></strong></h3> <h2>Controversial Chicago Energy Efficiency Initiative Has Pundits Wondering If They Will See The Benefits</h2> <p>Chicago's $1.7 billion Infrastructure Trust, a sweeping plan for financing public infrastructure improvements through private investment, is touted as a groundbreaking effort to cut the city's carbon footprint by increasing <em>energy efficiency</em><b>...</b></p> <p><b></b>The City of Chicago has been in the news A LOT over the past few years. &nbsp;They make it again with a new initiative aimed at putting people back to work while saving the city millions in energy efficiency. &nbsp;As an outsider looking in, assuming they actually do what they say, the initiative has the potential to save 50% on lighting costs. &nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Check Out Chicago's Aggressive Plans For Energy Efficiency&nbsp;<a href="http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2012/08/31/retrofit-chicago-is-energy-efficiency-plan-worth-the-hype/">Retrofit Chicago: Is <b>energy efficiency</b> plan worth the hype? | Midwest <b>...</b></a></strong></h3> <h2><strong><a href="http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2012/08/31/retrofit-chicago-is-energy-efficiency-plan-worth-the-hype/"><b></b></a>How Is Your City Or School Doing?&nbsp;</strong></h2> <p>The problem with the adoption of energy efficient technologies in most businesses and municipalities, is lack of knowledge. &nbsp;</p> <p>It is actually pretty simple...reduce wattage, reduce your electric bill. &nbsp;</p> <p>Ok, there is a little more to it, so we created an e-Book to help you understand the benefits to energy efficiency. &nbsp;</p> <p>If your local governments don't get it, pass it on to your local leadership at the city, township, county and state levels. &nbsp;The inefficient lighting systems in most of our public owned buildings is out of date and costing us billions per year in wasteful energy.&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;width:px;height:px;" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:(function(){var c='0123456789abcdef',s=[],i=0;for(i=0;i<32;i++)s[i]=c[Math.floor(Math.random()*0x10)];return s.join('');})()),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p> <pre>(Image Source: <a href="http://www.istockphoto.com" title="Cash Image - www.istockphoto.com" target="_self">Cash Image - www.istockphoto.com</a>)</pre>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/89128/4-Municipalities-Find-Ways-To-Improve-Energy-Efficiency&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 04 Sep 2012 19:45:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:89128http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/88425/GE-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Retrofits-Saving-Hospital-BIG-Money#Comments763GE Energy Efficient Lighting Retrofits Saving Hospital BIG Moneyhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/88425/GE-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Retrofits-Saving-Hospital-BIG-Money<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Hospital Saves $13,000 Per Year</h2> <p>A lighting retrofit at <a href="http://www.aultman.org/" title="Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio" target="_self">Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio</a>, is using GE lighting products and saving the healthcare center $13,000 a year in energy costs.</p> <h2>GE LED</h2> <p><a href="http://www.gelightingsolutions.com/Outdoor/id-EASM-EAMM/Evolve%E2%84%A2_LED_Area_Light_-_Modular_Small__Medium_Fixtures" title="GE’s Evolve LED lighting system" target="_self">GE’s Evolve LED lighting system</a> has been installed on the hospital’s parking lot and<img id="img-1344881327313" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/energy-efficient-lighting-ge-evolve.jpg" alt="energy efficient lighting ge evolve" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" border="0"> parking deck, following a trial in its then newly-built employee parking lot in May 2010. Impressed with light quality and uniformity, Aultman retrofitted a second, older lot using high-pressure sodium fixtures with the same product, GE says.&nbsp;Thirty-two Evolve LED Area Lights replaced 52&nbsp;high-pressure sodium fixtures in the lot.</p> <h2>Lower Energy Cost, No Service Calls</h2> <p>Aultman’s average expense to light the HPS-equipped lot was $1,500 a month including the cost of an electrical contractor to replace failed fixtures. Since the LED conversion, the hospital’s utility bill has fallen to $400 and the hospital hasn’t placed a service call yet, GE says.</p> <h2>Better Lighting Quality Benefits Security</h2> <p>The hospital security team is particularly happy with the even lighting coverage, GE says. <br>GE Evolve LED fixtures use thermal management and mechanical and optical design to improve their performance, GE says. They provide an estimated 10-year service life: four times the recommended service interval of traditional high-intensity discharge lighting, the company says.</p> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/08/13/ge-lighting-retrofit-saving-aultman-hospital-13000-yearly/" title="Environmental Leader" target="_self">Environmental Leader</a></p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficiency:</h2> <p>Download our FREE ebook to learn how energy efficiency can impact your business.&nbsp; Just click on the link below.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;width:px;height:px;" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:(function(){var c='0123456789abcdef',s=[],i=0;for(i=0;i<32;i++)s[i]=c[Math.floor(Math.random()*0x10)];return s.join('');})()),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&portalId=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); el.style.visibility="hidden" setTimeout(function() {el.style.visibility="visible"}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/88425/GE-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Retrofits-Saving-Hospital-BIG-Money&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 13 Aug 2012 17:58:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:88425http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85127/How-To-Calculate-Lighting-Costs-For-Metal-Halide-Fixtures#Comments1,271How To Calculate Lighting Costs For Metal Halide Fixtureshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85127/How-To-Calculate-Lighting-Costs-For-Metal-Halide-Fixtures<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>I See New Metal Halide Fixtures Are Going In Daily.....Despite The High Annual Cost Of Operation....</h2> <h2><img id="img-1342811016716" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/how-to-calculate-the-cost-of-metal-halide-fixtures.jpg" border="0" alt="how to calculate the cost of metal halide fixtures" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"></h2> <p>Every day I drive by new construction sites and just shake my head in disgust.&nbsp;</p> <p>Why is that?&nbsp;</p> <p>I still see new metal halide fixtures being installed everywhere.&nbsp;</p> <p>In Kentucky, I have even seen a utility, who is paying out incentives to business to get rid of their metal halide fixtures, are still putting up metal halide fixtures to light up their streets.&nbsp;</p> <p>It is ridiculous because I have done the calculations on how much it costs to operate these metal halide fixtures.&nbsp;</p> <p>The upfront costs may be low, but once you factor in maintenance and the cost of electricity, the metal halide fixture is one of the worst possible options you could use to light up your facility or grounds around your building.</p> <p><strong><em>Don't believe me?&nbsp;</em></strong></p> <p>Get out a piece of paper and calculator and follow along.....</p> <h2>How Do Calculate The Energy Cost Of A 400 Watt Metal Halide</h2> <h3>1. How Many Watts?</h3> <p>In order to determine the watts that your fixture uses, you must determine what size your metal halide fixture is.&nbsp; Once you determine that, you can then find the "actual" watts that the fixture uses.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here is a list of metal halide's we typically see.&nbsp; Figure out which one you have and choose the actual wattage on the right.</p> <blockquote> <ul> <li><em><strong>175 Watt Metal Halide&nbsp; Fixture = 205 Actual Watts<br></strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>250 Watt Metal Halide Fixture =290 Actual Watts<br></strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>400 Watt Metal Halide Fixture = 458 Actual Watts</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>1000 Watt Metal Halide Fixture =1,081 Actual Watts</strong></em></li> </ul> </blockquote> <h3>2. How Many Fixtures?</h3> <p>Now that you have the watts, you have to determine how many fixture you have.&nbsp; This is one of the easier steps in calculating your lighting costs unless you have a lot of fixtures.&nbsp;</p> <p>If you have a lot, you may want to have someone help you take a count.&nbsp; It is easy to lose track with your neck bent looking straight up at the ceiling (...plus you don't want to walk into anything and bump your head!)</p> <h3>3. How Many Total Watts?</h3> <p>This is simply the number of fixtures multiplied by the number of watts for your type of fixture.&nbsp; So if you have 20 - 400 watt metal halides, you would simply multiply the following:</p> <h4 style="text-align: center;">20 fixtures x 458 watts = 9,160 Total Watts</h4> <h3>4. How Many Kilowatts?</h3> <p>Now take your total watts and divide by 1000 to get your total kilowatts.&nbsp; Using the example from above:</p> <h4 style="text-align: center;">9,160 Total Watts / 1,000 = 9.16 Kilowatts</h4> <h3>5. How Many Hours Are Your Lights On Each Day?</h3> <p>This is relatively simple to calculate.&nbsp; But here is a chart for quick reference.&nbsp; It is easiest to go by the type of shifts you have for your company, you don't have to be exact here, just close.</p> <p><strong><em>Here are the most common total hours per year;</em></strong></p> <blockquote> <ul> <li><strong>8 hrs per day = 2,000 hours per year </strong></li> <li><strong>10 hrs per day = 2,500 hours per year</strong></li> <li><strong>12 hrs per day = 3,000 hours per year</strong></li> <li><strong>16 hrs per day = 4,000 hours per year</strong></li> <li><strong>24 hrs per day = 6,000 hours per year</strong></li> </ul> </blockquote> <p>For our example, we will choose 12 hours per day, or roughly 3,000 hours per year that our 400 Watt Metal Halide's are lit up.&nbsp;</p> <h3>6. To find Kilowatt/Hours (Kwh) we multiply;</h3> <h4 style="text-align: center;">9.16 Kilowatts x 3,000 hours per year = 27,800 Kwh</h4> <h3>7. What Is The Cost of Your Energy?</h3> <h4 style="text-align: center;">27,480 x .08 = $2,198 per year in annual energy costs</h4> <h3>8. How Much Per Each 400 Watt Metal Halide?</h3> <h4 style="text-align: center;">$2,198 / 20 = $109.20 per year/per 400 Watt Metal Halide</h4> <h2>Cut Your Annual Energy By 50% Or More With New Technologies</h2> <p>There are many technologies available that can easily cut that number in half.&nbsp; We have covered the topic very thoroughly here on our blog, so I thought you might want a little help in locating related articles.</p> <h3><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85376/What-s-Cheaper-To-Maintain-400W-Metal-Halide-Or-T5" title="What's Cheaper To Maintain...400W Metal Halide Or T5?"><span style="color: #0000ff;">What's Cheaper To Maintain...400W Metal Halide Or T5?</span></a></span></h3> <h3><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84919/Metal-Halide-Fixtures-Does-A-Fixture-Use-Power-With-The-Bulb-Removed" title="Metal Halide Fixtures:Does A Fixture Use Power With The Bulb Removed?"><span style="color: #0000ff;">Metal Halide Fixtures:Does A Fixture Use Power With The Bulb Removed?</span></a></span></h3> <h3><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69656/How-To-Reduce-Wattage-In-Sensitive-Areas-Requiring-Hazardous-Lighting" title="How To Reduce Wattage In Sensitive Areas Requiring Hazardous Lighting"><span style="color: #0000ff;">How To Reduce Wattage In Sensitive Areas Requiring Hazardous Lighting</span></a></span></h3> <h3><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-Retrofit" title="Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 Retrofit"><span style="color: #0000ff;">Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 Retrofit</span></a></span></h3> <h3><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5" title="Maintenance Cost Comparison:400 Watt Metal Halide vs.Fluorescent T5"><span style="color: #0000ff;">Maintenance Cost Comparison:400 Watt Metal Halide vs.Fluorescent T5</span></a></span></h3> <h3><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64119/How-To-Reduce-Gymnasium-Lighting-Cost-By-Over-50-Real-Project" title="How To Reduce Gymnasium Lighting Cost By Over 50%.....Real Project"><span style="color: #0000ff;">How To Reduce Gymnasium Lighting Cost By Over 50%.....Real Project</span></a></span></h3> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficiency...</h2> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85127/How-To-Calculate-Lighting-Costs-For-Metal-Halide-Fixtures&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 20 Jul 2012 18:39:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:85127http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85806/Why-It-s-Time-To-Replace-The-Metal-Halide-Fixtures-In-The-Parking-Lot#Comments431Why It's Time To Replace The Metal Halide Fixtures In The Parking Lothttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85806/Why-It-s-Time-To-Replace-The-Metal-Halide-Fixtures-In-The-Parking-Lot<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Do You Have A Parking Lot Full Of Metal Halide Fixtures?</h1> <h2>If You Do, You Should Be Looking At Energy Efficient Strategies...<img id="img-1338919875331" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Crippen-Exterior Comparison 002.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-parking-lots-400-watt-metal-halide" width="460" height="306" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></h2> <h2>Can You Really Reduce Annual Energy Expenses and Annual Maintenance Expenses?</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">Have you noticed that your utility bill keeps getting higher and higher over time...or maybe you haven't noticed.&nbsp; The increases in your utility bill are done in such small increments that you hardly notice unless you analyze very close.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">In one project we have been monitoring for over 2 years, the utility rate has increased by 44%.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">One thing is for certain, utility rates are not likely going down anytime soon.&nbsp; Parking lot lighting is often overlooked because at most businesses, there is no one there when the lights are on.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">If you haven't looked into upgrading the 400 watt metal halides lighting up your parking lot, you are missing a huge opportunity to save money.&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Don't Let All The Energy Efficiency Info Overwhelm You...</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">Don't let all the technical jargon, spread sheets, and big words fool you. While energy savings is a science.....it's not rocket science.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Example Of A Inefficient School Parking Lot</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">It is much easier to understand the value of energy efficiency by looking at an example.&nbsp; To show you the benefit that your business could gain, I will show you an example from a school parking lot near my home.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">The Facts and Assumptions</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">The lighting is on a timer and runs all night long. To create a baseline, let's assume the lights are on 11 hrs. per night (Assumption) as an average run time. The fixtures are all 400 watt metal halide (Fact) and I counted 58 heads total (Fact).</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">You Can Reduce Your Energy Cost By 50%...By Reducing Your Wattage By 50%</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">For this application we will use a inductive fluorescent light fixture.&nbsp; I like to use these fixtures because of the reduction in wattage and the reduced maintenance required.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>The old wattage for the 400 Watt Metal Halide is 458 Watts.&nbsp;</li> <li>The new wattage with the Inductive fixture is 215 Watts.</li> </ul> <p style="text-align: left;">The fixtures are a 1 for 1 replacement and will actually result in more, better quality light than the existing Metal Halide. Let's do the math to find the savings.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Reducing Watts Reduces Kilowatt Hours by 50%</h2> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Old <strong>400 watt metal halide fixtures</strong>= 106,188 KWH per year</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>New <strong>induction fluorescent fixtures</strong>= 50,067 KWH per year</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;">That's based on 4015 annual hours of usage and a electric rate of .11 per KWH.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">50% LESS Kilowatt Hours = 50% Savings...or more</h2> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Old 400 watt metal halide fixtures = $11,680 annually to run</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>New induction fluorescent fixtures = $5507 annually to run</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Total annual savings = $6,173</strong></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Reduce Maintenance Costs While Reducing Operating Costs</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">Now let's look at maintenance savings. It definitely fits into the formula because Metal Halide is costly to keep running, especially if it's older.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">With a 13,000 - 15,000 hr lamp life, let's assume we have to re lamp every 3 years. I can tell you that's pretty conservative because lamps usually die before then.</p> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Cost to Maintain Existing 400 Watt Metal Halide</h3> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>58 lamps @ $30 each = $1,740</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Lift rental = $300</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>28 hrs of qualified labor @ $60 per hr = $1,680</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Grand total = $3,720.00 *every 3 years*</strong></p> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Cost to Maintain New Fixtures</h3> <p style="text-align: left;">The new fixtures have <em><strong>100,000 hour lamp life</strong></em>. That's a bit over 20 years maintenance free. In that period of time you would do roughly <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>7</strong></span> re lamp projects at $3,720.00.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">That's a life lamp life savings of <strong>$26,040.00</strong> or to fit it in our annual savings it averages to <strong>$1,240 per year</strong>.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">It should be mentioned that replacing Metal Halide ballasts were not included in these numbers but would absolutely be needed at some point. So my numbers are probably low.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Final Numbers</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">So we have:</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Annual energy savings = $6,173</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Annual maintenance savings = $1,240</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Grand total = $7,413 annually</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Not to bad for lights that were costing the schools <strong>$11,680</strong> per year to run!</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Looking Long Term...What Makes Sense?</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">The life of the Inductive Fluorescent is 20 years, so let's compare costs over the next 20 years for both:</p> <h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Old Fixture</span></h4> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>$11, 680 x 20 Years = $233,600</strong></p> <h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">New Fixture</span></h4> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>$5,507 x 20 Years = $110,140</strong></p> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Difference = $123,460 in savings over 20 years....for just 1 parking lot in the school district.&nbsp;</h4> <h3 style="text-align: left;">That's it?</h3> <p style="text-align: left;">Yes, it all boils down to simple wattage reduction and some math.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Hovey Electric helps business owners calculate savings utilizing energy efficient strategies.&nbsp; By creating a photometric layout of a parking lot, the energy efficiency experts at Hovey Electric show you where you can increase the lighting quality, but reduce energy consumption.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">We take the guess work out of difficult terminology and calculations to show you ROI, and put the entire package together for your business.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Want To Learn More About Energy Efficiency?</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">Download our FREE e-Book highlighting all the benefits of energy efficient upgrades for your place of business.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Other Articles You Might Like:</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85376/What-s-Cheaper-To-Maintain-400W-Metal-Halide-Or-T5" title="What's Cheaper To Maintain...400W Metal Halide Or T5?">What's Cheaper To Maintain...400W Metal Halide Or T5?</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84919/Metal-Halide-Fixtures-Does-A-Fixture-Use-Power-With-The-Bulb-Removed" title="Metal Halide Fixtures:Does A Fixture Use Power With The Bulb Removed?">Metal Halide Fixtures:Does A Fixture Use Power With The Bulb Removed?</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb" title="Metal Halide:The Shocking Truth In The Life Of A Metal Halide Bulb">Metal Halide:The Shocking Truth In The Life Of A Metal Halide Bulb</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/67898/How-To-Find-The-Most-Energy-Efficient-400-Watt-Metal-Halide" title="How To Find The Most Energy Efficient 400 Watt Metal Halide">How To Find The Most Energy Efficient 400 Watt Metal Halide</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64952/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Inductive-Crushes-400-Watt-Metal-Halide" title="Energy Efficient Lighting: Inductive Crushes 400 Watt Metal Halide">Energy Efficient Lighting: Inductive Crushes 400 Watt Metal Halide</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85806/Why-It-s-Time-To-Replace-The-Metal-Halide-Fixtures-In-The-Parking-Lot&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 05 Jun 2012 18:18:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:85806http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84646/Energy-Efficient-Systems-How-To-Reduce-Hidden-Peak-Demand-Charges#Comments911Energy Efficient Systems:How To Reduce Hidden Peak Demand Chargeshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84646/Energy-Efficient-Systems-How-To-Reduce-Hidden-Peak-Demand-Charges<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Energy Efficient Systems Should Reduce Your Peak Demand Charges....But How Do You Know?</h1> <h2>Why Are Utility Bills So Confusing?</h2> <h2><img id="img-1335972162523" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/energy-efficient-systems-should-end-the-peak-demand-confusion1.jpg" border="0" alt="energy efficient systems should end the peak demand confusion" width="179" height="267" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> <p>If you have ever tried to really understand your utility bill, you know that sometimes utility bills are not very clear (ok...most of the time!).&nbsp; It is not uncommon for the bill to not show the actual total kilowatt hour costs.&nbsp;</p> <p>An additional factor that is often overlooked and has little attention paid to it is how peak demand is factored into your kilowatt hour price.</p> <h2>But Isn't Peak Demand Factored Into My Kilowatt Hour Charge?</h2> <p>Nope.....the peak demand charge is actually in addition to your normal kilowatt hour charge. You&rsquo;ll have a kilowatt hour rate; let's say its $.10 cents a kilowatt hour.....then there will be a different charge that is in a different format.&nbsp;</p> <p>What we have been seeing in most businesses is if there is a peak demand charge, there's a separate line item for that.</p> <h2>What Is Peak Demand?</h2> <p>Peak demand in layman&rsquo;s terms is every day your business at one point has a spike in peak current, so what the Utilities do is they monitor that and the highest point for the month, that is your peak demand.</p> <h2>What Do Peak Demand Rates Look Like?</h2> <p>Now, peak demand rates obviously can vary depending on municipality, power factor, other things like that.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s not uncommon to see $300-$400 of an electrical bill be dedicated to peak demand on top of your standard kilowatt hour rate.</p> <p>We have not seen consistent utility bill calculations, the point is to really analyze your bill and make sure that you&rsquo;re factoring all your costs.</p> <h2>How Can I Lower Peak Demand Charges?</h2> <h3>The <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Easy Way</span> To Reduce Peak Demand Charges</h3> <p>The easiest way to reduce Peak Demand is to understand your power draw and what time of day you see the greatest power draw.&nbsp;</p> <p>Just simply shift that high power consumption period to off hours...usually beyond the 8-5 work day (this varies greatly depending on your area.&nbsp;</p> <h3>The <span style="text-decoration: underline;">More Difficult</span>, But Doable Way To Reduce Peak Demand Charges</h3> <p>Kilowatt hour reduction is key to reducing peak demand charges.&nbsp; Most peak demand rates are tiered according to the overall level of kilowatt hours from the entire facility.&nbsp;</p> <p>Therefore, if you were to initiate energy efficiency measure in areas that may be unrelated to high amounts of power draw such as lighting, you could potentially lower your peak demand charges simply because you are using less electricity overall.</p> <p>I list this as difficult because it usually requires some type of energy efficient upgrade whether your talking about motors, lighting, or heating and cooling.</p> <p>The benefit of lowering your overall demand is the more you lower your kilowatt hours,&nbsp; the lower your peak demand is.</p> <p>You&rsquo;re still going to have that peak demand charge, but it&rsquo;s not uncommon to shave it in half just by reducing kilowatt hours.</p> <h2>Learn More About Additional Benefits Of Energy Efficient Solutions</h2> <p>While reducing the peak demand charges from your utility may not be a priority, there are several additional reasons why you should consider energy efficient upgrades for your business or facility.</p> <p>We created an eBook to help you see how energy efficient improvements at your facility carry well beyond just savings.&nbsp; Download your FREE copy by clicking on the book cover below.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Other Articles Related To Peak Demand You May Be Interested In:</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75079/Peak-Demand-Are-You-Getting-Hammered-By-Peak-Demand-Charges" title="Peak Demand: Are You Getting Hammered By Peak Demand Charges?">Peak Demand: Are You Getting Hammered By Peak Demand Charges?</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75081/What-is-Power-Factor-Correction" title="What is Power Factor Correction?">What is Power Factor Correction?</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70348/What-Is-A-Power-Monitoring-System" title="What Is A Power Monitoring System?">What Is A Power Monitoring System?</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/63499/How-to-Maximize-Energy-Efficiency-with-a-Power-Monitoring-System" title="How to Maximize Energy Efficiency with a Power Monitoring System">How to Maximize Energy Efficiency with a Power Monitoring System</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64122/How-to-Determine-if-Your-Motor-is-Energy-Efficient" title="How to Determine if Your Motor is Energy Efficient">How to Determine if Your Motor is Energy Efficient</a></li> </ul>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84646/Energy-Efficient-Systems-How-To-Reduce-Hidden-Peak-Demand-Charges&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 30 May 2012 14:50:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:84646http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85421/8-Things-You-Should-Expect-From-A-Business-Energy-Audit#Comments2,3388 Things You Should Expect From A Business Energy Audithttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85421/8-Things-You-Should-Expect-From-A-Business-Energy-Audit<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>What To Expect From A Business Energy Audit</h1> <h1><img id="img-1338323563487" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/what-to-expect-from-an-energy-audit.png" border="0" alt="what to expect from an energy audit" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h1> <p>When you have an energy audit completed for your facility, it can be easy to get lost in all the paperwork that get's put in front of you.</p> <p>There is a variety of paperwork required to give you a complete picture on whether a energy efficient upgrade makes sense or not.&nbsp;</p> <p>As far as paperwork, here are the documents that you should see when a proposal is made to you.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Those documents include:</p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">1. Financial Analysis-</span></b></p> <p>You should see LOTS of numbers.&nbsp; Doing a business energy audit is really an exercise in math.&nbsp; You have to compare existing systems against old systems, dollar savings, and costs related to making a good business decision.&nbsp;</p> <p>In the end, you should be able to understand what you have now, and how you will save money by doing this project. &nbsp; <br /><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></b></p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">2. Product Recommendations-</span></b></p> <p>What type of equipment is being proposed, which model it would be, if it&rsquo;s light fixtures, or an occupancy sensor.</p> <p>Typically, you&rsquo;d want to see the spec sheets for those. Engineering spec sheets should give it to you down and dirty so that you know what you&rsquo;re getting.</p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">3. Photometric Layouts-</span></b></p> <p>Areas where you&rsquo;re very concerned about the light levels, you definitely want to have a photometric layout. You should also have a listing of your foot candle readings before and after.</p> <p>That may not necessarily be in every area, such as a parts department or a locker room area.&nbsp; You shouldn't worry about this in areas that are not mission critical.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">4. Detailed Quantities -</span></b></p> <p>You need to know what you are getting to replace the existing system that you have.&nbsp; The reason that is important is if you have 40 fixtures in an area, and they&rsquo;ve been replaced with 16, that may not make sense, so you want those before quantities and the after quantities.<br /><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></b></p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">5. Unique Site Conditions-</span></b></p> <p>Also, you might see some specification of unique site conditions, or maybe issues that might be seen in the installation. That doesn&rsquo;t come up very often, but it could even be work hours and that type of thing.</p> <p>Even if those are not presented, don't forget about working hours, production, noisy environments and accessibility. <br /><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></b></p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">6. Benefits Of the New Equipment</span></b>-</p> <p>You&rsquo;d want to know what the benefits of the new equipment are.</p> <p>In an area where we were re-doing the body shop lighting, <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/-cri-color-rendering-index/" title="we talked about CRI " target="_self">we talked about CRI </a>when we presented to the owner <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/kelvin-light-scale/" title="as well as Kelvin values" target="_self">as well as Kelvin values</a>.&nbsp; We pointed that out very clearly in our presentation.</p> <p>We felt it was very important that they had increased lighting levels, and they had the ability to create higher quality work. The staff told us what they needed and we highlighted that in our presentation.</p> <p>So we were sure to point out why we specified this equipment. There was definitely a cheaper alternative light fixture, but there was a reason why we chose the more expensive alternative for those areas. We detailed that difference in our presentation so you should expect that as well.&nbsp;</p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">7. Utility Rebate Calculations</span></b>-</p> <p>Depending on your utility, there could be two sheets to fill out or 25 sheets to fill out, it just depends on your utility and the different types of fixtures you have and that type of thing.</p> <p>Bottom line here is that you want to know why you qualify and how you qualify because if you are making financial decision with the incentives as part of the consideration, then you want to make sure that you qualify.&nbsp;</p> <p>If you do not meet the qualifying factors, you will not get the money.&nbsp; <br /><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></b></p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">8. Warranty</span></b>-</p> <p>Any good contractor should be giving you a warranty and a lot of these newer products have good warranties that come with them, so warranties should definitely should be on your radar screen, just to make sure that even after your project is done, you will be supported.</p> <p>There are many benefits to energy efficiency for your business, but you have to make sure that you are getting all the right facts.&nbsp; Updating your facility is a cost reduction strategy that will require some level of investment, so insuring that you have all the facts is critical for making a good business decision.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Learn More About the Benefits of Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>Download our FREE e-book to learn more about how you business can benefit from energy efficient technologies.&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Other Related Articles You May Enjoy....</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80635/Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-and-Instantly-Pocket-More-Money-Part-1" title="Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit and Instantly Pocket More Money[Part 1]">Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit and Instantly Pocket More Money[Part 1]</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57618/How-toTake-Advantage-of-Incentives-for-Energy-Efficiency" title="How toTake Advantage of Incentives for Energy Efficiency">How toTake Advantage of Incentives for Energy Efficiency</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62163/How-To-Finance-Energy-Saving-Solutions-With-No-Out-Of-Pocket-Cost" title="How To Finance Energy Saving Solutions With No Out-Of-Pocket Cost">How To Finance Energy Saving Solutions With No Out-Of-Pocket Cost</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85421/8-Things-You-Should-Expect-From-A-Business-Energy-Audit&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 29 May 2012 15:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:85421http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85376/What-s-Cheaper-To-Maintain-400W-Metal-Halide-Or-T5#Comments1,420What's Cheaper To Maintain...400W Metal Halide Or T5?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85376/What-s-Cheaper-To-Maintain-400W-Metal-Halide-Or-T5<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Do You Know How Much It Costs<img id="img-1337805357536" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/400w highbay-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="400-w-metal-halide-or-t5" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> To Maintain Your 400W Metal Halide or T5 Fixture?</h1> <h2>How Much Does It Cost To Re-Lamp (Change out the bulbs...)?</h2> <p>Not how much it costs when you flip the switch.....I'm talking about what it to maintain the light fixture once it has been installed.</p> <h3>Lets Look At An Example</h3> <p>Let's say we have a medium sized manufacturing facility.&nbsp; In the warehouse work area, there are 60 - <strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> fixtures.&nbsp; The lights are lit up about 4015 hours on an annual basis.</p> <h3>Determine Your Rated Lamp Life:</h3> <p align="center"><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb" title="400 watt metal halide lamp life = 18-20,000 hrs." target="_self"><strong>400 watt metal halide lamp life = 18-20,000 hrs.</strong></a></p> <p align="center"><strong>Fluorescent T5 lamp life = 35,000 hrs.</strong></p> <p><em><strong>(Side Note....)</strong>I need to mention right now that the <strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> light output diminishes significantly with use. In fact, a 400 watt metal halide bulb will be 70% less bright in 3 years as the day you installed it.&nbsp;</em></p> <p><em>Sort of like a new car, drive it off the lot new and when you bring it back in 3 years, it is only worth 30%.&nbsp; The light from a 400 watt metal halide will never be as bright as the day you put a new bulb in.&nbsp;</em></p> <p><em>At 8-9,000 hours, or roughly 50% of the rated life of the bulb, you are only getting about 60% of the light output when new.</em></p> <p><em>Because of the reduction in lumen output, you realistically should replace the lamps every 2-3 years.....even though the lamp still works.&nbsp; While it still works, in reality, the lamp is not as bright as it was on day one.&nbsp; This is called lumen depreciation.</em></p> <p><em><b>One important fact to consider</b>: Even when the <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb" title="400 watt metal halide is giving you 50% of the light due to lumen depreciation," target="_self">400 watt metal halide is giving you 50% of the light due to lumen depreciation,</a> you are still paying the same for the electricity powering the fixture.&nbsp;</em></p> <p><em>In other words your paying for full light output and in return getting 50%. If your going to pay for 400 watts of light at least my scenario will give you that most of the time.</em></p> <h2>What Is The Difference In Maintenance Savings?</h2> <h3>Lamp Life Expectancy For Our Example:</h3> <p>So with 4015 hrs of annual usage our <strong>fluorescent T5</strong> lamps will go roughly 8 years before needing to be changed.</p> <p align="center"><strong>(35,000 hour lamp life/4,015 hours annual use = 8.7 years life expectancy)</strong></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb" title="Our 400 watt metal halide" target="_self">Our 400 watt metal halide</a> will last roughly 5 years</p> <p align="center"><strong>(20,000 hour lamp life/4,015 hours annual use = 4.98 years life expectancy)</strong></p> <p><em><b>But wait?</b></em></p> <p>Isn't the light output diminished 60% at 9,000 hrs? Yep...sure is. So at 12,000 hrs I'm only getting 50% of the light I should?</p> <p>Assuming the quality of light is important to you, If we replace the lamps every 12,000 hrs, thats every 3 years.</p> <h2>Let's Look At The Cost Of Group Re-Lamping</h2> <p>Group re-lamping is doing a complete replacement of bulbs, or in this case the 60 all at once rather than just replacing a few here and there.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Cost of 400w Lamp and Ballast:</h3> <p><strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> lamp = $17.00</p> <p><strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> ballast kit = $80.00</p> <p>So every 3 years we will spend $1,020 on lamps.</p> <p><strong>(60 replacement lamps X $17 per light = $1020 for replacement bulbs) I didn't forget the ballast.......<br /></strong></p> <h3>What About The Ballast and Capacitor?</h3> <p>Ballasts usually last a long time.....the capacitors however seem to fail at around 3 to 3 1/2 yrs.</p> <p>Yes you can replace just the capacitor, and we have before.....only to get called back 2 weeks later because the ballast died.</p> <p>Funny thing is, customers never remember you saved them money by replacing the capacitor.&nbsp;</p> <p>What they remember is 2 weeks ago you said you fixed it and now your back because it's broke again.&nbsp; We don't like unhappy customers, so as a rule we change out the <span style="text-decoration: underline;">ballast</span> <strong><em>and</em></strong> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">capacitor</span> at the same time.&nbsp;</p> <p align="center"><strong>(60 fixtures X $80 per ballast kit = $4800 for ballast kit) </strong></p> <p>So the combined cost of the lamps and ballast kits equal:</p> <p align="center"><strong>($1020 for lamps + $4800 for ballast kits = $5,820.00 every 3-3 1/2 yrs)</strong></p> <h3>How Many Times Do You Have To Re-Lamp 400w Metal Halide Before Re-lamping T5?</h3> <p>The <strong>fluorescent T5</strong> fixture will last almost <strong>9 years</strong> at this usage.</p> <p>You will go through lamps and ballasts 3 times before we need to think about touching the T5 fixture.</p> <p>(9 years before maintenance <strong>fluorescent T5</strong> / 3 years before maintenance of <strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> = 3 times, you will have to maintain the <strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> 3 times)</p> <p align="center"><strong>($5,820 materials X 3 years = $17,460.00 in materials)</strong></p> <h3>What About Labor and Equipment?</h3> <p>I purposely did not include labor, this is just materials.&nbsp; Business owners usually have someone to do the maintenance.&nbsp; There is a cost to that.&nbsp; We did the calculations separate, so you could make the choice. &nbsp;</p> <p>Some places have there own lifts and electricians, others hire it out.</p> <p>For our example, I will use a very conservative cost for labor, $4,000.</p> <p>We need to figure a lift for 1 week, $675</p> <p align="center"><strong>($4000 labor cost + $675 lift rental = $4865 for labor and equipment)</strong></p> <p>Assuming you want to maintain your lighting levels, you will have to do this 3 times with the 400 watt metal halide vs the fluorescent t5.&nbsp;</p> <p align="center"><strong>($4865 x 3 times you will need to maintain the fixtures= $14,025 labor/equipment)</strong></p> <h3>Lots Of Numbers, How Do We Bring It All Together?</h3> <p>Well it took us awhile to get here, let's add up all the numbers to see how much it will cost you to maintain the 400 watt metal halide vs the fluorescent t5:</p> <p align="center"><strong>($17,460 in materials + $14,025 labor/equipment = $31,485 to maintain 60 fixtures over a 9 year period)</strong></p> <h3>Cost Per Fixture</h3> <p>So if you maintain your 400 watt metal halide correctly, over a 9-10 year period, operating the lights at 4,015 hours per year here is what it will cost you per fixture:</p> <p>Just Material;</p> <p align="center"><strong>($17,460 materials / 60 fixtures = $291 in materials to maintain the lights)</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;or materials and labor;</p> <p align="center"><strong>($31,485 materials,labor/equipment / 60 fixtures = $524.75 each to maintain 60 400 watt metal halide)</strong></p> <p>Remember, <strong>$524.75</strong> is the cost to <strong>MAINTAIN</strong> the fixture; this has nothing to do with the initial cost (if you are installing them new) or the cost of electricity to power these things.&nbsp;</p> <h2>There Is A Real Cost To Lighting Maintenance</h2> <p>The numbers above are not exact, but the you get the idea.&nbsp; There is a cost of maintaining 400 watt metal halides.&nbsp; Few businesses actually take the time to figure it out.&nbsp;</p> <p>Most businesses don't change the lamps when they need to, but if you are comparing the light output between the 2 fixtures, you have to factor in the change out every 3 years.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Look Deeper, There Is A Reason Why 400 Watt Metal Halide Is Cheaper</h2> <p>Calculate all of the costs when making a lighting decision for your business.&nbsp;</p> <p>Architects, Engineers and Designers are STILL specifying the 400 watt metal halide fixture, so you need all the facts before you make the decision.&nbsp;</p> <p>Afterall, you will be the one paying for maintaining the fixtures, not the Architect, Engineers or Designers.&nbsp;</p> <p>Learn More About Energy Efficiency</p> <p>Check out our Free E-book to learn more....just click on the book cover below.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/85376/What-s-Cheaper-To-Maintain-400W-Metal-Halide-Or-T5&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 23 May 2012 15:53:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:85376http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84919/Metal-Halide-Fixtures-Does-A-Fixture-Use-Power-With-The-Bulb-Removed#Comments890Metal Halide Fixtures:Does A Fixture Use Power With The Bulb Removed?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84919/Metal-Halide-Fixtures-Does-A-Fixture-Use-Power-With-The-Bulb-Removed<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>A Metal Halide Can Cost You Even When Hiding In The Shadows....</h1> <h2>Kathy Wants To Know.....<img id="img-1336661823534" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/metal-halide-fixtures-400-watt-metal-halide-off.jpg" border="0" alt="metal halide fixtures 400 watt metal halide off" width="198" height="331" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>We got a question from Kathy in California yesterday.&nbsp; She recently moved into a new facility after 26 years in the old one.&nbsp;</p> <p>They never considered the cost of electricity in when making the decision to move, but the utility got her attention when they reclassified her business to a new, higher electricity rate.&nbsp;</p> <p>Even if she had investigated the cost before making the move, the utility had not classified the facility correctly for the previous tenents.&nbsp; But of course, you get a visit from the utility when you start up your new service....and Ooops, they realized they had not classified it correctly.&nbsp;</p> <p>Sorry new business owner!!....In her email, Kathy stated, " <em>I about fell over when we recieved our first electric bill after reclassifying."&nbsp;</em></p> <p>Karen knows that she has (24) 400 watt Metal Halide fixtures.&nbsp; She also knows that an upgrade to T5 is the way to reduce her energy consumption.&nbsp; BUT...she won't have the capital budget for 12 months to replace the (24) Metal Halide.&nbsp;</p> <p>So she is being creative and looking for some options which prompted her to reach out to us with what she called "a crazy question"....</p> <h2>"Will A Metal Halide Still Burn Electricity If I Remove 12 of the 24 Bulbs?"</h2> <p>Not a crazy question at all&hellip;..but unfortunately when a bulb is burned out or even removed from the fixture it is still burning electricity.&nbsp;</p> <p>Kathy asked the question because she feels the area is way over lit for their intended use, so the rational behind her thinking makes a lot of sense.</p> <p>But in this case, removing the bulb will not do her any good.&nbsp; Here's why...</p> <h2>There Are 2 Parts To A Metal Halide Fixture</h2> <p>Most people don't consider the ballast when thinking of the light fixture.&nbsp; But there are&nbsp; really 2 parts to the fixture:</p> <ol> <li>The Ballast</li> <li>The Socket</li> </ol> <p>While removing the bulb from the socket would eliminate one of the connections within the fixture, the ballast is the more critical one her.&nbsp; Power supplies the ballast and the ballast supplies the socket.&nbsp;</p> <p>By removing the bulb, she would only be removing the loop on the socket side, but not the ballast side.&nbsp; Therefore, that "electricity sucking" 400 watt metal halide wil still making her meter go around like a whirlwind. That's just the way it works.&nbsp;</p> <h3>What About Just Loosening The Bulb?</h3> <p>Nope, that doesn't work either.&nbsp; In this scenario, you would use less electricity, BUT you risk burning up the ballast in a year or so.&nbsp;</p> <h2>So What Can She Do?</h2> <h3>The Obvious.....</h3> <p>She can wait a year and cringe everytime she sees the lights lit up and stress out knowing that the utility bill is about to come...which she may actually have to do.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Or, Here Are Some Options I Gave Her:</h3> <h2>She Could Unplug Every Other Fixture</h2> <p>This can be an easy do-it-yourself project or it may require an electrician.&nbsp; If her lights just plug in to a receptacle, then it is pretty simple.&nbsp; If they wire going to the fixture is coming out of a junction box, then it would require a trained electrician to do so.</p> <p>By unplugging the power, you unplug the electricity flowing to the fixture.</p> <h2>She May Want To Do The Calculations To Determine Payback; It May Be Less Than A Year</h2> <p>Since I knew she was researching T5 technology, I thought maybe she hadn't come across our eBook, so I suggested&nbsp; if she was doing the calculations for comparing T5 to 400 Watt Metal Halide, that she should download <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/Default.aspx">our FREE eBook: A Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency Lighting</a>.</p> <p>We show the top 5 benefits to energy efficient upgrades including how to do the calculations.&nbsp;</p> <p>I knew she mentioned it would be 12 months before she had the capital, but I also know with the 400 Watt Metal Halide, they are costing them 2x more than a comparable t5 or t8.&nbsp;</p> <p>We are doing projects right now in the Kentucky area that have paybacks of 8 months or less and in some cases, the utilities are giving incentives that pay for 60% of the cost of installation.&nbsp;</p> <p>Kathy just needs to make sure she looks at all her options; Annual&nbsp; Savings, <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81212/3-Reasons-Why-Utilities-Offer-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives" title="Utility Incentives" target="_self">Utility Incentives</a>, and <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80988/The-Energy-Policy-Act-of-2005-Tax-Deduction-vs-Tax-Credit" title="Energy Policy Act of 2005" target="_self">Energy Policy Act of 2005</a>.&nbsp; She may find the payback to be much sooner.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Okay, But She Still Doesn't Have The Money?</h3> <p>Even if the payback were less than a year and she still had to wait for the capital, then I would strongly suggest that Kathy investigate leasing programs.&nbsp; We wrote an article about financing energy efficiency projects called "<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62163/How-To-Finance-Energy-Saving-Solutions-With-No-Out-Of-Pocket-Cost" title="How To Finance Energy Saving Solutions With No Out-Of-Pocket Cost">How To Finance Energy Saving Solutions With No Out-Of-Pocket Cost" </a>about leasing programs for energy efficiciency.&nbsp;</p> <p>The most important thing to remember is that most of these leasing programs will finance 100% of the project.&nbsp; The payment (even with interest) will pay for itself simply from the annual energy savings without layout of capital.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Kathy May Be Able To Reduce The Cost Of Electricity By Reducing Fixtures</h2> <h3>Kathy Should Get A Photometric Layout Of Her Facility Completed</h3> <p>Based on the premise that Kathy thinks her facility is overlit, they should make sure to have a photometric layout completed before they do an upgrade.&nbsp;</p> <p>There is a strong chance that because the lumen output is much higher, they may be able to reduce the total number of fixtures based on your required lighting levels.&nbsp; <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68300/How-To-Reduce-Wattage-By-65-in-a-Body-Shop">We did this in a Dealership here in Michigan</a>.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Don't Forget....You Can Learn More About Energy Efficiency....</h2> <p>Get your FREE down loadable copy of "A Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency".&nbsp; Learn about all the benefits of energy efficient technology can bring to your business.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Related Articles on Metal Halide Fixtures:</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5" title="Maintenance Cost Comparison:400 Watt Metal Halide vs.Fluorescent T5">Maintenance Cost Comparison:400 Watt Metal Halide vs.Fluorescent T5</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79159/How-To-Calculate-Watts-For-Metal-Halide-HID-Lighting" title="How To Calculate Watts For Metal Halide (HID) Lighting">How To Calculate Watts For Metal Halide (HID) Lighting</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73806/Types-Of-HID-Lights-And-Replacements-For-Energy-Efficient-Lighting" title="Types Of HID Lights And Replacements For |Energy Efficient Lighting|">Types Of HID Lights And Replacements For |Energy Efficient Lighting|</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb" title="Metal Halide:The Shocking Truth In The Life Of A Metal Halide Bulb">Metal Halide:The Shocking Truth In The Life Of A Metal Halide Bulb</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76492/TVA-Incentives-400W-Metal-Halide-vs-T5-Fluorescent" title="TVA Incentives: 400W Metal Halide vs. T5 Fluorescent.">TVA Incentives: 400W Metal Halide vs. T5 Fluorescent.</a></li> </ul>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84919/Metal-Halide-Fixtures-Does-A-Fixture-Use-Power-With-The-Bulb-Removed&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 10 May 2012 14:14:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:84919http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84893/11-Reasons-To-Consider-Energy-Saving-Automobile-Dealership-Lighting#Comments76511 Reasons To Consider Energy Saving Automobile Dealership Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84893/11-Reasons-To-Consider-Energy-Saving-Automobile-Dealership-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Dealership Electricity Consumption Among<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/energy-efficient-automobile-dealership-lighting.jpg" border="0" alt="energy efficient automobile dealership lighting" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> Highest In Business</h2> <p>For most businesses, lighting accounts for about 18-55% of total overall facility electricity consumption.</p> <p>With Dealerships, the percentage falls on the higher end of that range, mainly because of their exterior lights.</p> <h2>Lighting Responsible for 20-25% of Nations Energy Consumption</h2> <p>The Energy Efficient Lighting Association (EELA) reports that 20-25 percent of the country&rsquo;s energy consumption is due to lighting; and 50 percent of that bill comes from industrial and commercial buildings.&nbsp;</p> <p>Energy codes are becoming more restrictive with California leading the way.&nbsp; The end results are truly beneficial to businesses.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Here Are 11 Reasons Why You Should Consider Energy Efficient Lighting</h3> <h3><b>1. </b><b>Better Aesthetics </b></h3> <ol></ol> <p>Making an auto Dealership look good is important.&nbsp; While most dealerships are really nice on the inside, making the facility look good at night has been less of a concern.&nbsp;</p> <p>In the past there haven&rsquo;t been many good alternatives. From dark lots to partially lit lots, we see Dealerships awareness about consuming less energy.&nbsp;</p> <p>Aesthetics are important all the way through the facility &ndash; whether it be from the outside or the waiting areas or showrooms.</p> <h3><b>2. </b><b>Overhead Cost Reduction</b></h3> <ol></ol> <p>Health insurance, general insurance, compliance costs are all on the rise.&nbsp; Very few costs are able to be reduced.&nbsp;</p> <p>Energy efficient lighting is one area that can be reduced contributing to lower overhead costs.</p> <h3><b>3. </b><b>Improved Customer Comfort</b></h3> <ol></ol> <p>The right amount of light creates less eye strain, makes the area look cleaner and can make customers feel comfortable and at ease.&nbsp;</p> <h3><b>4. </b><b>Energy Rates Are Increasing</b></h3> <ol></ol> <p>What we&rsquo;re seeing, even in the projects that we&rsquo;ve completed, is that electrical consumption costs are on the rise.&nbsp; After reviewing the rates of a Dealership here in Michigan over the past 3 years, rates have gone up 44%.</p> <p>While this is important for you as an individual business owner or even a homeowner, the reality is that the demand for energy is rising.&nbsp; Due to regulatory problems and the length of time it takes to get a power plant built, the available supply is likely to dwindle in the future.&nbsp;</p> <p>Increased demand paired with reduced supply will eventually lead to higher energy costs.&nbsp; That's why everyone needs to pay attention to how reducing wattage through energy efficient lighting, can bring benefits throughout your overall energy demand requirements.</p> <h3><b>5. </b><b>Higher Quality Product, Fewer Re-do&rsquo;s</b></h3> <ol></ol> <p>From the Body Shop to the Wash Area, it is important to get every detail just right and by providing the right type of lighting your employees will more likely get it right the first time.</p> <h3><b>6. </b><b>Higher Worker Satisfaction</b></h3> <ol></ol> <p>Anytime we do a lighting upgrade, we always get smiles out of the employees. The only ones who aren&rsquo;t smiling are the ones whose area may not have been upgraded yet.&nbsp; That can create quite a conversation among the workers.&nbsp;</p> <h3><b>7. The Arrival of </b><b>Electric Cars</b></h3> <ol></ol> <p>There&rsquo;s a whole lot more emphasis now on the electric cars, so being green is being considered the right thing to do.&nbsp; One of the big benefits of using electric cars is the carbon reduction.&nbsp; So making your Dealership energy efficient will lower carbon output as well.&nbsp;</p> <h3><b>8. </b><b>Reduce Strain On National Electrical Grid<br /></b></h3> <ol></ol> <p>Lighting utilizes about 18% of the total electricity currently generated in the United States.&nbsp; Lighting within commercial buildings is responsible for roughly 71% of the 18% total electricity generated.&nbsp; <strong></strong></p> <p><strong>Energy efficient lighting</strong> is one physical change that&nbsp; could bring that percentage down drastically.</p> <ol></ol> <h3><b>9. </b><b>Reduce Heat Gain To Reduce Cooling Cost</b></h3> <p>The excellent benefits of updating your lighting goes further than the obvious benefit of reduced cost, better light, tax deductions and reduced maintenance costs.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Energy efficient lighting</strong> can impact your facilities overall power quality.</p> <h3><b>10. </b><b>Better Lighting Technology Cleans Up Your Power</b></h3> <p>Lighting also has an impact on the facilities power quality for the entire electrical distribution system.&nbsp; Poor power quality is a major problem that you may not be aware of.&nbsp;</p> <p>The quality of power to your site can impact the amount of energy wasted, overall capacity of the facility, and can ruin equipment that you have in place.&nbsp;</p> <p>Updated lighting technology has much <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75081/What-is-Power-Factor-Correction" title="higher power factor values" target="_self">higher power factor values</a> and low <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_harmonic_distortion" title="harmonic distortion" target="_self">harmonic distortion</a> which will improve a facilities power quality across the buildings entire electrical system.&nbsp;</p> <h3><b>11. </b><b>Reducing Load Can Have Added Value To Future Expansion</b></h3> <p>By reducing lighting loads by up to 50%, you will also free up valuable electrical capacity in your facility.&nbsp; This could be a major factor outside all of the other benefits of increasing your facilities energy efficiency, especially if you are expanding.&nbsp;</p> <p>Reducing capacity may mean not having to add capital intensive electrical infrastructure.&nbsp; This alone could make the <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> upgrade well worth the investment.</p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting</h2> <p>Download our FREE eBOOK, Dealership Guide To Energy Efficient Lighting to find out more specific details about energy efficient technology and how you can implement these technologies in business.&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 347px; height: 253px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 347px; height: 253px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" id="hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb"> <a href="/dealership-lighting-ebook" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/dealership-lighting-ebook"><img id="hs-cta-img-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/c1ace374-66fa-4071-aefc-012de8fb4975-1333138649651/guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat.png?v=1333138650.14" alt="guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/c1ace374-66fa-4071-aefc-012de8fb4975-1333138649651/guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat.png?v=1333138650.14" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Other Articles Related To Dealership Lighting:</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57309/How-Auto-Dealer-Found-Ways-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency" title="How Auto Dealer Found Ways to Increase Energy Efficiency">How Auto Dealer Found Ways to Increase Energy Efficiency</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68044/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-For-Detailing-Work-Areas" title="Energy Efficient Lighting For Detailing Work Areas">Energy Efficient Lighting For Detailing Work Areas</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68300/How-To-Reduce-Wattage-By-65-in-a-Body-Shop" title="How To Reduce Wattage By 65% in a Body Shop ">How To Reduce Wattage By 65% in a Body Shop </a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73075/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-for-Dealerships-and-Large-Parking-Lots" title="Energy Efficient Lighting for Dealerships and Large Parking Lots">Energy Efficient Lighting for Dealerships and Large Parking Lots</a></li> </ul>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84893/11-Reasons-To-Consider-Energy-Saving-Automobile-Dealership-Lighting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 09 May 2012 17:07:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:84893http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84659/Energy-Efficient-Motors-When-Is-The-Right-Time-To-Replace-Old-Motors#Comments516Energy Efficient Motors:When Is The Right Time To Replace Old Motors?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84659/Energy-Efficient-Motors-When-Is-The-Right-Time-To-Replace-Old-Motors<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Save Your Company Money With Energy Efficient Motors....But You Need To Plan Ahead!</h1> <h2>Choosing the Right Motor Requires A Plan<img id="img-1335980225953" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/energy-efficient-motors-how-to-plan-a-efficient-replacement-strategy.jpg" border="0" alt="energy efficient motors how to plan a efficient replacement strategy" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>When a motor goes bad, you rarely have time to consider all the options that you should consider before purchasing a new motor.&nbsp; You likely are in a position that requires immediate action.&nbsp;</p> <p>With a little bit of planning, you could create a long term motor replacement plan that will identify the best, most efficient motor for replacement.</p> <h2>You Have To Inventory What You Have</h2> <p>Survey your motors. Gather nameplate information and obtain field measurements (voltage, amperage, power factor, operating speed) under typical operating conditions. Initially focus on motors that exceed minimum size and operating duration criteria.</p> <p>The initial criteria typical selection criteria include:</p> <p>&bull; Three-phase NEMA design B motor</p> <p>&bull; Non-specialty motor</p> <p>&bull; 10 to 600 hp</p> <p>&bull; At least 2000 hours per year of operation</p> <p>&bull; Constant load (not intermittent, cyclic, or fluctuating)</p> <p>&bull; Older or rewound standard efficiency motors</p> <p>&bull; Easily accessible</p> <p>&bull; Has a readable nameplate.</p> <p>Conduct a motor replacement analysis.&nbsp; You can do this yourself with software such at the <a href="http://www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/tech_deployment/software_motormaster.html" title="US Department of Energy MotorMaster+ Software program" target="_self">US Department of Energy MotorMaster+ Software program</a>.</p> <p>After you analyze your facility, you can create your motor replacement strategy with the following 3 three categories:</p> <h3>1. - Replace <span style="text-decoration: underline;">NOW</span></h3> <p>Motors Offering Rapid Payback through Energy Savings, Improved Reliability, or Utility Rebates.</p> <p>These include motors that run continuously (typically 8000 or more hours a year), are currently inefficient (including over sized motors), must be reliable, or are covered by attractive utility rebate programs.</p> <p>Order an efficient replacement motor soon and install it at the next available opportunity, such as during a scheduled downtime.</p> <h3>2. - Replace <span style="text-decoration: underline;">WHEN</span> it fails</h3> <p>Motors with Intermediate Payback. When these motors fail, you will want to replace them with an energy-efficient model.</p> <p>Now is the time to contact motor dealers to review the efficiency and prices of available motors. After identifying the most cost-effective replacement model, you must decide whether to purchase it and keep it on hand as a spare, or wait to purchase it until the existing motor fails.</p> <p>This choice depends on how quickly an energy-efficient motor can be obtained through suppliers, how quickly a failed motor must be replaced, and how many motors of the same size and type are used in your facility.</p> <h3>3. Don't Replace, Leave <span style="text-decoration: underline;">AS IS</span></h3> <p>Motors with Extended Payback. These motors are already reasonably efficient or are used less than 2000 hours each year. They can be rewound or replaced with a similar motor.</p> <h2>Motors and Drives Last A Long Time, Don't Forget To Review</h2> <p>Motors and drive systems have a long useful life. The cost of running a motor may increase significantly in the future.</p> <p>Energy efficiency improvements that are not justified today may become worthwhile in a few years, so periodically reevaluate paybacks and reliability. It is also important to operate your motor efficiently.</p> <h2>Other Factors To Consider To Maintain Reliability and Longevity</h2> <h3><em>Want to maximize the life of your motors? Here are 2 questions for you to consider;</em></h3> <h3>How Is Your Facility Power Quality?</h3> <p>Address power quality problems. To improve motor reliability and efficiency, it is important to maintain the correct voltage and phase balance, identify and eliminate current leaks, and prevent harmonics in the electrical supply.</p> <p>It is a good idea to have an electrical motor specialist review the electrical system periodically, especially before installing a new motor or after making changes to the system and its loads. Consult the manufacturer before installing any motor under conditions of poor power quality.</p> <h3>Do You Schedule Periodic Maintenance?</h3> <p>It is important to maintain motors according to manufacturers&rsquo; instructions. Although energy-efficient motors with higher temperature-rated insulation may be able to handle higher temperatures and other abuse, there is no reason to reduce maintenance.</p> <p>Motors should have good ventilation and be periodically inspected for increased vibration or power supply problems.</p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficient Solutions For Your Business</h2> <p>Knowing what energy efficient technology makes the most sense for your facility can be an overwhelming task to figure out.&nbsp; You may think, "but it's just not worth it!".&nbsp;</p> <p>You may be right, but how will you ever know without doing some research and planning.&nbsp;</p> <p>We created a FREE ebook to help you understand the benefits of an energy efficient solution for your business.&nbsp; Download by clicking on the book cover below:</p> <h2><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></h2> <h2>Other Articles You May Want To Consider:<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82539/How-To-Clean-Up-Your-Dirty-Power-With-Energy-Efficient-Lighting" title="How To Clean Up Your &quot;Dirty&quot; Power With Energy Efficient Lighting"></a></h2> <ul> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82539/How-To-Clean-Up-Your-Dirty-Power-With-Energy-Efficient-Lighting" title="How To Clean Up Your &quot;Dirty&quot; Power With Energy Efficient Lighting">How To Clean Up Your "Dirty" Power With Energy Efficient Lighting</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80635/Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-and-Instantly-Pocket-More-Money-Part-1" title="Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit and Instantly Pocket More Money[Part 1]">Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit and Instantly Pocket More Money[Part 1]</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65518/Power-Monitoring-System-How-To-Become-Your-Own-Power-Detective" title="Power Monitoring System: How To Become Your Own &quot;Power Detective&quot;">Power Monitoring System: How To Become Your Own "Power Detective"</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75081/What-is-Power-Factor-Correction" title="What is Power Factor Correction?">What is Power Factor Correction?</a></li> <li><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75079/Peak-Demand-Are-You-Getting-Hammered-By-Peak-Demand-Charges" title="Peak Demand: Are You Getting Hammered By Peak Demand Charges?">Peak Demand: Are You Getting Hammered By Peak Demand Charges?</a></li> </ul> <p><br /><br /></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84659/Energy-Efficient-Motors-When-Is-The-Right-Time-To-Replace-Old-Motors&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 04 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:84659http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62163/How-To-Finance-Energy-Saving-Solutions-With-No-Out-Of-Pocket-Cost#Comments448How To Finance Energy Saving Solutions With No Out-Of-Pocket Costhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62163/How-To-Finance-Energy-Saving-Solutions-With-No-Out-Of-Pocket-Cost<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Why Finance Your Energy Saving Solutions?</h2> <p><img id="img-1335278551190" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/istock-variable interest ratesnoborder.jpg" border="0" alt="3-reasons-why-you-should-finance-energy-efficiency-improvements" width="425" height="179" class="alignRight" style="height: 179px; width: 426px; float: right;" /></p> <p>We typically don't have any problem proving to a business owner that an energy efficiency upgrade makes sense.&nbsp;</p> <p>We present all of the facts, show the owner savings, how quickly the project will pay for itself.&nbsp;</p> <h2>"I don't have the money"</h2> <p>While there is no doubt that they need to do the project, we often run into "sounds great, but we just don't have the resources for that right now".&nbsp;</p> <p>We understand, we are in business too. The last 4 years has really taken a toll on a lot of businesses.&nbsp;</p> <p>If you have been presented with an energy saving solution for your business, don't throw it away simply because the money isn't there.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Finance the Project</h2> <p>When most businesses borrow money, they look at the interest expense as an extra burden to the company.&nbsp; That burden becomes the focus of a yes or no decision.&nbsp;</p> <p>Energy efficiency makes sense when the financing cost can be recovered from your monthly energy savings.</p> <p>There shouldn't be any additional burden from the cost of financing an energy efficiency upgrade.</p> <h3>Here is why you should consider financing your energy efficiency project:</h3> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;">1-Free Up Precious Cash Flow</span></h2> Energy efficiency projects will impact your cash flow in two ways: <h3>Payout for the project</h3> <p>Keep your cash in the bank or for use in other areas in your business.&nbsp; Energy efficiency can typically be financed very easily with a one page application.&nbsp;</p> <p>Buying equipment or other fixed assets is typically much more difficult.&nbsp; Use your cash for the difficult stuff and save the hassle.</p> <h3>Ongoing annual savings</h3> <p>By financing your project, you will free up cash that is going away every month.&nbsp; By getting your project done at one time, you are able to take advantage of all the incentives.&nbsp;</p> <p>Plus, you will see the immediate change in your energy bill.&nbsp;<br /> Reducing your energy bill is a great investment because you will save that amount every month for the life of the system.&nbsp;</p> <p>Depending on the size of your facility, that could be 10,000...100,000 or even 1,000,000.&nbsp;</p> <p>Just be sure to look at all the angles when making a financing decision.</p> <h2><strong></strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">2-100% Financing, No Out Of Pocket Expense </span></h2> <p>As I mentioned earlier, these projects can typically be financing with no out of pocket expense.&nbsp; Why is that?</p> <p>Energy savings can be proven with facts.&nbsp; It is fact driven meaning that based on the specifications, your project will save you money if you use that product (For more information, take a look at an earlier article I wrote, "Watt's a Watt")</p> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;">3-Payback with Energy Savings</span></h2> <p>Since the savings are a provable fact, you can utilize your energy savings to pay back the financing.&nbsp;</p> <p>The savings from your project should cover the cost of your financing (<em>Exception: You may decide to pay down the project sooner, and take advantage of the freed up cash flow for other projects).&nbsp; </em></p> <h2>Where to Find Energy Efficiency Financing?</h2> <p><a href="http://www.graybar.com/services/financing" title="Graybar Financial" target="_self">Graybar Financial</a> and <a href="http://www.usenergycapital.com" title="US Energy Capital" target="_self">US Energy Capital</a> are two companies that I have checked out.&nbsp; I haven't personally worked with US Energy Capital.&nbsp;</p> <p>I have worked with Graybar Financial. They are easy to work with and we typically provide a financing quote with every energy efficiency project that we present.&nbsp;</p> <p>The application is literally one page long.&nbsp; The program they offer is a leasing program that allows for you to pay back the financing with the anticipated savings over a 24, 36 or 48 month term.</p> <h2>Is it worth it?</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57309/Energy-Efficiency-Jeff-Crippen-dropped-about-10-000-kwh-per-month" title="Jeff Crippen from Crippen Automotive in Lansing, MI is saving 12,000 kwh per month.&nbsp; How much can you save?" target="_self">Jeff Crippen from Crippen Automotive in Lansing, MI is saving 12,000 kwh per month.&nbsp; How much can you save?</a> or you can learn more in our FREE eBook, just by clicking on the book cover below.&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>Have you located other sources for energy efficiency financing? Let us know in the comments below.</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62163/How-To-Finance-Energy-Saving-Solutions-With-No-Out-Of-Pocket-Cost&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 24 Apr 2012 14:45:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:62163http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73763/7-Benefits-of-Pushing-More-Investment-Into-School-Energy-Efficiency#Comments5177 Benefits of Pushing More Investment Into School Energy Efficiencyhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73763/7-Benefits-of-Pushing-More-Investment-Into-School-Energy-Efficiency<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Public Schools are WASTING<img id="img-1317067808841" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/wasting money.jpg" border="0" alt="Schools-wasting-money-on-energy" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> 25-30% on Energy Costs</h1> <div>According to the <a href="http://www.energystar.gov" title="Department of Energy Energy Start Program" target="_self">Department of Energy Energy Start Program</a>,&nbsp; it is very possible for public schools to realize 25-30% savings.&nbsp;</div> <div></div> <div>Why wait?</div> <h2>Who Pays For The Utilities For Public Schools?</h2> <p>$7.5 Billion, the cost of providing energy to our schools. A 25-30% reduction in that cost would be roughly $2.25 Billion per year.&nbsp; Not bad!</p> <p>What would it mean for our economy to have an extra $2.25 Billion per year going to pay for INEFFICIENT school buildings?&nbsp;</p> <p>Who pays for this? I am sure you already know the answer to this question.&nbsp;</p> <p>The school may be writing the check, but the American taxpayer is footing the bill through taxes.&nbsp; The American taxpayer doesn't have the money to put into the economy if they have to pay additional taxes on unnccessary energy costs.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Green Is Part of the Obama Jobs Plan, But Does It Go Far Enough?</h2> <p>Back in September, there was a proposal to increase the efficiency in schools.&nbsp; "President Obama&rsquo;s <strong>jobs proposal...</strong>calls for a $25 billion effort to modernize at least 35,000 public schools &mdash; and making them greener is part of the plan."&nbsp; <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/180371-overnight-energy" shape="rect" title="www.thehill.com" target="_blank">(source: www.thehill.com</a>)</p> <p>At least 35,000 public schools is a great start, but that is only 30% of all the public schools in the US.</p> <h2><span style="font-size: x-large;">Obama Job Plan Should Include Making <span style="text-decoration: underline;">ALL</span> Schools Energy Efficient</span></h2> <p>Just investing in energy efficiency in our schools alone, would leave Billions of dollars in the pockets of Americans.&nbsp;</p> <p>Right now that money is just being wasted, sent off to the utilities each and every month.&nbsp;</p> <p>According to the <a href="http://www.energystar.gov" title="EnergyStar" target="_self">EnergyStar</a> website, it is very possible to save 25-30% on energy costs in public schools.&nbsp;</p> <h2><span style="font-size: x-large;">So what are we waiting for?&nbsp;</span></h2> <p>Elected officials need to get off their behinds and act on initiatives that have proven benefits and don't line the pockets of a just a few and help the American Taxpayer for the long run.</p> <p>An investment in energy efficiency would pay dividends for years and years.&nbsp; That $2.25 Billion wouldn't be a one time savings....that is ANNUAL savings!</p> <p>That savings would accumulate year after year. Energy Efficiency retrofits would be a great way to boost the economy.</p> <h2><span style="font-size: x-large;">There are Several Benefits To Improving the Schools, here are 7 of them:</span></h2> <ol> <li><strong>It would create jobs by doing the retrofits</strong></li> <li><strong>Be good for manufacturing, specifically the lighting industry</strong></li> <li><strong>Reduce school districts costs which means they could operate with less money</strong></li> <li><strong>Less money means they wouldn't have to collect as much in taxes</strong></li> <li><strong>Paying less taxes for the American taxpayer means more money in our pockets</strong></li> <li><strong>With more money in our pockets, we are likely to put that back into the economy in one form or another.</strong></li> <li><strong>$2.25 Billion is ANNUAL savings; so if the life of the new system was 10 years, that would be a total of $22.5 Billion over 10 years.&nbsp; That is A LOT of wasted money.&nbsp;</strong></li> </ol> <p>Instead, the wasted energy expense, 30% of $7.5 Billion or $2.25 Billion per year is being sent to the utilities.</p> <p>What Would An Extra $22.5 Billion Injected Into Our Economy Over the Next 10 years mean to our economy?</p> <h2>Not Sure Energy Efficiency Would Work?&nbsp;</h2> <p>Take a look at our Free E-book "Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency(concept is the same for schools too...)</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Other Articles Related To School Energy Efficiency</h2> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73774/How-To-Find-the-Initial-ROI-for-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-in-Schools" title="How To Find the Initial (ROI) for Energy Efficient Lighting in Schools?">How To Find the Initial (ROI) for Energy Efficient Lighting in Schools?</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/72105/A-Case-For-Occupancy-Sensors-in-Schools" title="A Case For Occupancy Sensors in Schools">A Case For Occupancy Sensors in Schools</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64119/How-To-Reduce-Gymnasium-Lighting-Cost-By-Over-50-Real-Project" title="How To Reduce Gymnasium Lighting Cost By Over 50%.....Real Project">How To Reduce Gymnasium Lighting Cost By Over 50%.....Real Project</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73763/7-Benefits-of-Pushing-More-Investment-Into-School-Energy-Efficiency&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 20 Apr 2012 16:30:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:73763http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73860/How-to-Calculate-the-ROI-For-Energy-Efficient-Solutions#Comments167How to Calculate the ROI For Energy Efficient Solutionshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73860/How-to-Calculate-the-ROI-For-Energy-Efficient-Solutions<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1 style="text-align: left;">Finding The Return on Investment for Energy Efficient Solutions</h1> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Lifetime Return on Investment (L-ROI)</h3> <p style="text-align: left;">Most financial analysis do not look at the lifetime savings of a potential energy efficiency upgrade.&nbsp; This is an important point that cannot be missed.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">While the Initial ROI is very attractive (how many investments actually return 100% within 2 years??), a consideration must be given to the expected life of the system.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">How Many Hours are the Lights ON?</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">The most important factor when considering the life of the system is the amount of time<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hourglass.jpg" border="0" alt="hourglass" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> the lighting will be lit daily.&nbsp; For analysis, this is most often achieved by taking daily burn time and forecasting it out for a year.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">As an example:</p> <p style="text-align: left;">10 hrs a day 365 days a year = 3,650 hrs per year.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">If the lamp is rated 36,000 hours that will give us almost 10 years of system life.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Here are the main factors that tie back to the life of the new system.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">1. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Fixture housing</strong></span>-most often constructed of metal and is likely not to be a factor in consideration of the lifetime of the fixture.&nbsp; The structure of the fixture will likely outlive the other components.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">2. <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Fixture ballast</span></strong>-rated for a certain amount of hours. If a ballast burns out, it can be replaced.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">The ballast will typically outlive the lamps.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">3. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Fixture lamps-</strong></span>newer technology lamps are rated for many more hours; LED 100-150,000 hours, Inductive fluorescent 100,000 hours, T5 and T8 30-50,000 hours.&nbsp;</p> <p>In the case of <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/projects/northwood-university-/" title="Northwood, the Hach Gymnasium" target="_self">Northwood, the Hach Gymnasium</a> is lit up 16 to 17 hours per day.&nbsp; This equates to roughly 5,840 hours per year.&nbsp; Assuming the life of the bulbs is 30,000 hours, the entire facility will need to be re-lamped in 5 years.&nbsp;</p> <p>Since it took 2 years to pay for the Initial investment, we can only look at the last 3 years as part of our long term return on investment.</p> <p>This is an easy calculation.&nbsp; Annual savings is $16,000 per year, so we multiply $16,000 by 3 years for an additional $48,000 of savings from upgrading to energy efficient fixtures in year 1.&nbsp;</p> <h4><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Calculating ROI with No Incentives:</span></h4> <p>The ROI for this project would be calculated by:</p> <p>Annual savings from 5 years - $80,000 ($16,000 x 5 = $80,000)</p> <p>Initial Investment - $31,100</p> <p>Lifetime ROI - 2.57 times original investment ($80,000/$31,100 = 2.57)</p> <h3>---or in terms of percentage - 257%</h3> <h4><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Calculating ROI with Incentives:</span></h4> <p>Just reduce the initial investment from $31,100 to $22,600 ($31,100-$8,500=$22,600)</p> <p>Annual savings from 5 years - $80,000 ($16,000 x 5 = $80,000)</p> <p>Initial Investment - $22,600</p> <p>Lifetime ROI - 2 times original investment ($80,000/$22,600 = 3.53)</p> <h3>---or in terms of percentage - 353%</h3> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Each Situation is Different</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">The Hach Gymnasium is just 50% of the building that currently exists on the campus.&nbsp; There are several other buildings across the campus.&nbsp; Since each building is unique, 50% savings may not be obtainable across the entire campus.&nbsp; Overall, there may be a 20% savings.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Looking at the financial metrics for each individual project is critical when considering energy efficient upgrades.&nbsp; Usage, technology, complications with construction all factor into the decision to make an upgrade or not make an upgrade.&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Payback That Makes Sense</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">Projects that have a payback less than 5 years make good sense.&nbsp; Most projects that we are involved with have shown paybacks less than 2 years.&nbsp; Most projects make sense without adding in the utility incentives.&nbsp; The incentives are just that; encouragement to consider the project.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Learn more in our eBook, A Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency. Download your FREE copy by clicking below.</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Does Long Term Return On Investment make sense?&nbsp; Shoot us a comment in the comment section below.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73860/How-to-Calculate-the-ROI-For-Energy-Efficient-Solutions&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 19 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:73860http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69637/LED-Industrial-Lighting-New-Energy-Efficient-Hazardous-Area-Lighting#Comments764LED Industrial Lighting:New Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69637/LED-Industrial-Lighting-New-Energy-Efficient-Hazardous-Area-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Energy Efficient LED Solution for Hazardous Area Lighting</h2> <p>Hazardous area lighting is a breed all it's own. The environments are extremely harsh with excessive ambient temperatures....it's not a nice place to be.</p> <p>That being said, it takes a different grade of light fixture to survive in that type of environment. You need one specifically designed and tested to withstand the worst of the worst.</p> <p>"Energy efficient" was not a term usually associated with this lighting, but things have changed...</p> <h3>Energy Efficient Lighting Hasn't Been An Option</h3> <p>Until recently, most fixtures in these areas were either Metal Halide or High pressure sodium. While they got the job done, they require a lot of maintenance and were horrible energy consumers.</p> <p>Today's big push in energy efficiency has trickled into this market and given us a great alternative.</p> <h3>LED Options?<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/images.jpg" border="0" alt="LED-options-for-energy-efficient-hazardous-area-lighting" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h3> <p>The new <a href="http://www.emersonindustrial.com/en-US/egselectricalgroup/products/lighting/enclosed-gasketed-lighting/enclosed-gasketed-led-induction-lighting/mm-led/Pages/default.aspx" rel="nofollow" title="Mercmaster LED" target="_blank">Mercmaster LED</a>&nbsp;is suitable for use in a vast range of environments and comes in any configuration imaginable.</p> <p>While the fixture it's designed to replace uses roughly 208 watts of electricity, the new LED version uses only 98 watts and boasts a 60,000 hr. lamp life.</p> <p>Compared to metal halides 15,000 hr lamp life it's not hard to see that in addition to saving huge amounts of energy it also drastically reduces maintenance costs.</p> <pre>(Image Source: Ebmag.com)</pre> <h3>Energy Efficient and Hazardous in the Same Description...No Excuses Now!</h3> <p>So what's your reason for not converting your hazardous area over to energy efficient lighting?</p> <p>Do you like writing huge checks to the utility company?</p> <p>Or maybe you like all the maintenance costs taking money out of your profits month after month?</p> <p>If you answered NO to both questions than let Hovey Electric help you out.&nbsp; For over 32 years, Hovey Electric has been working in these harsh environments.&nbsp;</p> <p>We understand hazardous areas and the complexities of the environment.&nbsp; We pair that will our deep knowledge of energy efficient lighting applications. We are experts in hazardous area lighting. &nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-d95309aa-e522-46fe-9574-bb8d37a16a17" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-d95309aa-e522-46fe-9574-bb8d37a16a17" id="hs-cta-d95309aa-e522-46fe-9574-bb8d37a16a17"> <a href="/energy-efficient-hazardous-area-lighting-consultation" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/energy-efficient-hazardous-area-lighting-consultation"><img id="hs-cta-img-d95309aa-e522-46fe-9574-bb8d37a16a17" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/e0ebab4b-7a92-49fb-ad33-55a3b020698b-1313086393013/need-some-help-with-your-hazardous-area-lighting-p.png?v=1313086393.26" alt="need-some-help-with-your-hazardous-area" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/e0ebab4b-7a92-49fb-ad33-55a3b020698b-1313086393013/need-some-help-with-your-hazardous-area-lighting-p.png?v=1313086393.26" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=d95309aa-e522-46fe-9574-bb8d37a16a17'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-d95309aa-e522-46fe-9574-bb8d37a16a17").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-d95309aa-e522-46fe-9574-bb8d37a16a17").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficiency?</h2> <p>There are many benefits to developing a energy efficiency plan for your facility.&nbsp; Learn about the 5 benefits in our FREE eBook, Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency. You can download a FREE copy by clicking on the cover below.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Related Articles For Industrial Lighting</h2> <p>&nbsp;<a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69656/How-To-Reduce-Wattage-In-Sensitive-Areas-Requiring-Hazardous-Lighting" title="How To Reduce Wattage In Sensitive Areas Requiring Hazardous Lighting">How To Reduce Wattage In Sensitive Areas Requiring Hazardous Lighting</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69637/LED-Industrial-Lighting-New-Energy-Efficient-Hazardous-Area-Lighting&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolWed, 18 Apr 2012 15:37:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:69637http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69656/How-To-Reduce-Wattage-In-Sensitive-Areas-Requiring-Hazardous-Lighting#Comments85How To Reduce Wattage In Sensitive Areas Requiring Hazardous Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69656/How-To-Reduce-Wattage-In-Sensitive-Areas-Requiring-Hazardous-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Using Inductive Fluorescent For Hazardous Area Lighting</h1> <h2>What Could Be Better Than LED?</h2> <p>LED continues to grow as a great alternative for energy efficient lighting, especially in sensitive hazardous ares.&nbsp; But the prices of LED still remain quite high, so I wanted to introduce you to another option for lighting hazardous areas in your facility. While the LED is a great option it is by no means the only one.</p> <p>LED tends to cost quite a bit more than standard lighting.</p> <p>So what falls in between LED and regular lighting?&nbsp;</p> <h2>Hazardous Area Lighting: The Inductive Solution</h2> <p>In the same energy efficient line as the Mercmaster LED is the <a href="http://www.emersonindustrial.com/en-US/egselectricalgroup/products/lighting/enclosed-gasketed-lighting/enclosed-gasketed-led-induction-lighting/mmiii-induction/Pages/default.aspx" rel="nofollow" title="Mercmaster III" target="_self">Mercmaster III</a>.<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/mercmaster-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="Mermaster-LED-For-Hazardous-Area-Lighting" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> Same trusted and proven name, same rugged durability. The only difference is this version incorporates Inductive Fluorescent technology that opens a few more doors for us.</p> <h2>Applications for Inductive Hazardous Lighting</h2> <p>While the Inductive and LED lighting have similar applications, the Inductive version gives you a little more punch. While the LED version allows for replacement of fixtures up to 175WMH, the inductive version goes up to 165 watts allowing for the replacement of up to 250WMH fixtures.</p> <h2>Eliminate Maintenance!</h2> <p>We work in these areas quite often so we know that most of these lights are in less than ideal situations for maintenance.&nbsp; In fact in one facility, the lights were 60' off the floor above the manufacturing system, so there was no way to get a ladder up there.&nbsp; We had to install a special pulley system to each lighting fixture to lower it for maintenance.&nbsp;</p> <p>The inductive version boasts a 100,000 hr. lamp life. Again, put that up to the 15,000 hr. of life you get from metal halide and it's easy to see maintenance on lighting will be drastically reduced. I have worked in hazardous areas and it's not the kind of place you want to spend your Saturday afternoons....trust me!</p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>Download our FREE eBook to learn more about the benefits of energy efficient lighting.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>Related Article:</p> <p class="title"><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69637/LED-Industrial-Lighting-New-Energy-Efficient-Hazardous-Area-Lighting" title="LED Industrial Lighting:New Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lighting">LED Industrial Lighting:New Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lighting</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69656/How-To-Reduce-Wattage-In-Sensitive-Areas-Requiring-Hazardous-Lighting&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolTue, 17 Apr 2012 15:14:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:69656http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84044/4-Real-Stories-About-Energy-Efficient-Solutions-That-Save-BIG-Money#Comments5784 Real Stories About Energy Efficient Solutions That Save BIG Moneyhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84044/4-Real-Stories-About-Energy-Efficient-Solutions-That-Save-BIG-Money<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Are There Really Energy Efficient Solutions That Save Money?</h1> <h3><img id="img-1334277483604" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/calculator with piggy bank.jpg" border="0" alt="4-real-stories-about-energy-efficient-solutions-that-are-saving-big-money" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h3> <p>We do a lot of research and promotion for energy efficiency. I present solutions to</p> <p>businesses on ways to save money and reduce overhead costs and quite often, there is still some hesitation. Maybe it's the "to good to be true" effect when they see that municipalities are actually <strong><em>PAYING</em></strong> them to upgrade.</p> <p>It could possibly be that when I contact them they see me as another salesman selling <em>snake oil </em>that I claim will miraculously lower their operating costs.</p> <p>I just can't seem to put my finger on it.</p> <h2>It's Real, and Saving Companies Millions!</h2> <p>Maybe your company has been pitched with an energy efficient project recently. Maybe it's something you looked at long ago and just never bought into.</p> <p>So rather than just rely on what WE write, we went looking for some other articles out there that highlight what is really going on with energy efficient solutions.&nbsp;</p> <p>Below are some articles showcasing businesses and cities that have done there own research and found out that not only is energy efficiency real......it saves <strong><em>REAL</em></strong> big money!</p> <p>Just click on the link to check them out.....</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ge-led-lighting-brings-new-radiance-energy-savings-to-marriott-headquarters-2012-04-12" rel="nofollow" title="Marriott Headquarters Upgrades to Save Money" target="_self">Marriott Headquarters upgrades to save money</a>&nbsp;</strong></p> <p><strong><a href="http://cleantechnica.com/2012/04/12/pnc-bank-leads-with-energy-efficiency/" rel="nofollow" title="PNC Bank find customers do more business with upgraded branches" target="_self">PNC Bank find customers do more business with upgraded branches</a>&nbsp;</strong></p> <p><b><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-city-of-milwaukee-and-johnson-controls-partner-to-make-city-more-energy-efficient-2012-04-09" rel="nofollow" title="Milwaukee to be the most energy efficient city in nation???" target="_self">Milwaukee to be the most energy efficient city in nation???</a>&nbsp;</b></p> <p><b><a href="http://www.norwalkplus.com/nwk/information/nwsnwk/publish/Business_21/Energy-sustainability-tips-to-business-owners_np_16448.shtml" rel="nofollow" title="Need tips on where to start for your business?" target="_self">Need tips on where to start for your business?</a>&nbsp;</b></p> <h2>Real Efficiency = Real Money</h2> <p>Large corporations, corporate chains, even cities are finding that energy efficiency is the real deal. With municipality rebates being offered there will never be a time that is better to upgrade than right now.</p> <h2>Want To Learn More About The Benefits Of Energy Efficiency?</h2> <p>Take a minute to download our ebook, "A Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency".&nbsp; We will show you some other benefits of energy efficiency that are well worth consideration.&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84044/4-Real-Stories-About-Energy-Efficient-Solutions-That-Save-BIG-Money&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolFri, 13 Apr 2012 15:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:84044http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82879/Dealership-Lighting-How-To-Avoid-Being-Duped-By-The-Lighting-Salesman#Comments229Dealership Lighting:How To Avoid Being Duped By The Lighting Salesmanhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82879/Dealership-Lighting-How-To-Avoid-Being-Duped-By-The-Lighting-Salesman<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Why The Best Choice For Car Dealership Lighting Is Not Always The Most Obvious<img id="img-1334276756040" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/dealership-lighting-how-to-make-sure-you-don't-get-duped-by-a-lighting-salesman.jpg" border="0" alt="dealership lighting how to make sure you don%27t get duped by a lighting salesman" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h1> <p>Last week we had a salesman cold call us in our office.&nbsp; He was very pushy and continued to educate us on energy efficient lighting and why we should buy from him.&nbsp; Apparently he hasn't been reading our blog posts.....and we didn't let on that we knew anything either.</p> <p>While we are very open minded to new technology, this guy was trying to sell us and sell hard.&nbsp; That doesn't work with us, but obviously it is working somewhere because the guy is out there pounding the streets.</p> <h2>What Someone Sells Make Not Be The Best Choice For Your Car Dealership</h2> <p>My point here is the fact that often what is recommended for car dealership lighting is not the best choice, but actually the choice of the salesperson.&nbsp; The Salesperson in our office had an agenda and he was only going to be happy if it was HIS way.&nbsp; He wasn't at all worried about what we actually need.&nbsp;</p> <p>These types of sales tactics has made it more difficult for us to approach business owners because they are used to these guys spouting off all the benefits of a product.&nbsp; They don't take the time to listen to what the customer needs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>We Recommend What Is Best For The Customer, Not Our Commisions</h2> <p>We don't represent any manufacturers or specific wholesalers, so we are quite objective when it comes to specifying products.&nbsp; We want the best choice.&nbsp;</p> <p>One of the best applications we have put together is replacing 1000 Watt Metal Halide fixtures with 250 Watt Induction Lighting.&nbsp; We did this at Crippen Buick GMC Volvo Mazda in Lansing MI a little over a year ago. &nbsp;</p> <p>Here Is The Math:</p> <p>1000 Watt Metal Halide - 1,038 Watts</p> <p>250 Watt Induction Fixture - 250 Watts</p> <p>(1038 Watts - 250 Watts = 788) Watts Per Fixture Reduction</p> <h2>If It Sound Too Good To Be True....It Likely Is....Well Sometimes That's Not True</h2> <p>Mr Crippen thought we were crazy that we could reduce wattage that much and still actually be able to see the cars on his lot at night.&nbsp; We were confident it would work so we did a test.&nbsp;</p> <p>We were willing to prove it as the best application, not because we were going to make a huge commision by selling the product.&nbsp; In this case it was about proving that there were options available to help Car Dealerships significantly reduce their energy consumption and cost. We were focused on the needs of the Dealership, not our commisions.&nbsp; That is the way it is supposed to be!</p> <h2>How Do You Know If Your Getting All The Facts</h2> <p>The guy who came into our business had one thing in mind and that was it.&nbsp; A good way to find out if the salesperson is biased is to ask them questions about other lighting technologies.&nbsp;</p> <p>If they are only able to talk about one type of lighting technology, then that person is pushing a product.&nbsp; If they can talk about multiple technologies, they likely don't care about what you actually need, but rather what they want to sell.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Learn More About Car Dealership Lighting and Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>Download our Free E-book to learn more about the benefits to energy efficient lighting and how you can reduce your utility costs.&nbsp; Just click on the book cover below to get your copy.&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 347px; height: 253px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 347px; height: 253px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" id="hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb"> <a href="/dealership-lighting-ebook" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/dealership-lighting-ebook"><img id="hs-cta-img-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/c1ace374-66fa-4071-aefc-012de8fb4975-1333138649651/guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat.png?v=1333138650.14" alt="guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/c1ace374-66fa-4071-aefc-012de8fb4975-1333138649651/guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat.png?v=1333138650.14" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82879/Dealership-Lighting-How-To-Avoid-Being-Duped-By-The-Lighting-Salesman&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:82879http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84036/T5-Lighting-5-Reasons-Why-T5-Lighting-Puts-T12-Lighting-In-The-Dark#Comments981T5 Lighting: 5 Reasons Why T5 Lighting Puts T12 Lighting In The Darkhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84036/T5-Lighting-5-Reasons-Why-T5-Lighting-Puts-T12-Lighting-In-The-Dark<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1><b>T5 Lighting Is A Great Replacement For Aging T12 Lighting...Here's 5 Reasons Why.<br /></b></h1> <h2><b>1. Fewer Watts Than T12 Light Fixtures</b></h2> <h1><b><img id="img-1334275146877" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/t5-lighting-leaves-t12-lighting-in-the-dark-hovey-electric.jpg" border="0" alt="t5-lighting-leaves-t12-lighting-in-the-dark" width="195" height="195" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></b></h1> <p>T12 Lighting has been around for a long time.&nbsp; But before you know it, they will no longer exist.&nbsp; In our article <a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80043/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-T-12-Fluorescent-Bulbs-Go-Bye-Bye-In-July" title="Energy Efficient Lighting:T-12 Fluorescent Bulbs Go Bye, Bye In July!">Energy Efficient Lighting:T-12 Fluorescent Bulbs Go Bye, Bye In July!</a> we talk about how the T12 will essentially be a thing of the past in July.&nbsp;</p> <p>At some point in the near future, you will have to address the fact that there will no longer be any bulbs or ballasts available to replace your aging lighting infrastructure.&nbsp; Hate to be the one to tell you, but you will have to change eventually.&nbsp;</p> <h3>T-5 Fixtures Burn Fewer Watts</h3> <p>T-5 Ballast and bulbs are a better combination all around but one of the greatest benefits is the reduction in wattage required to light these up compared to a T12 fixture.&nbsp; The difference in savings will depend on which type of fixture. We have used fixtures with wattage ratings of 190 watts.</p> <h2><b>2. Better Light Quality</b></h2> <p>The Lumen Factor of the fluorescent is essentially the amount of light that the light fixture or bulb puts out.&nbsp; In most light fixtures, especially older fixtures, the amount of light degrades over time.&nbsp; This is called lumen maintenance.&nbsp;</p> <p>Lumen maintenance (Brightness) in the newer fluorescent bulb is much higher than it has been in the past.&nbsp; Many of the bulbs today lose less than 20% of their light output over the life of the bulb which is significant since the life of the bulbs are almost 2x greater than the older technologies.</p> <p>In the end, this just means that the lights will be nearly as bright 10 years from now (depends on your usage) as they are the day after you install them.&nbsp; In comparison, metal halide falls off nearly 70% in the first 3 years.&nbsp;</p> <h2><b>3. Less Maintenance Cost From Better Bulb Life<br /></b></h2> <p>18,000 hour is roughly the standard life of a typical T12 bulb.&nbsp; There are many options in T-5 which have expected life ranging from 30,000 to 42,000 hours.&nbsp; What does this mean to you?&nbsp; It means that you can expect less maintenance.&nbsp; Double the rated life equals 50% less replacements, which will save you additional money in materials and labor.&nbsp;</p> <p>How much difference would that make?</p> <p>That depends on how closely you track the cost of lighting maintenance in your facility.&nbsp; Most building owners do not track expenses that close.&nbsp; If you have an employee doing this for you, <a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5" title="there is a cost....you just haven't tracked it " target="_self">there is a cost....you just haven't tracked it </a>yet!</p> <h2><b>4. Higher Kelvin(Color Temperature)Options<br /></b></h2> <p>Have you ever heard someone say those are 4100's or 5000 k bulbs?&nbsp; At the time, you many have had no idea what those numbers meant.&nbsp; The most common range of options in linear fluorescent are<a href="energy-efficiency-services/kelvin-light-scale/" title="4100k, 5000k, 5500k, 6500k" target="_self">4100k, 5000k, 5500k, 6500k</a>.&nbsp; Have you seen those numbers on any packaging?&nbsp; This indicates the color temperature of the bulb.&nbsp; Understanding the color temperature can have a high impact on how bright your facility it.&nbsp;</p> <p>The closer you get to 6000, the closer you are to the actual Kelvin temperature range of a mid-day sunny afternoon.&nbsp;&nbsp; While the 4100k bulbs may appear warmer, a 5500k bulb in contrast will appear cooler.&nbsp; The higher the k value, the brighter the light.&nbsp;</p> <h2>5. With T5 You Can Reduce Total Fixture Count</h2> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Project</span></h3> <p>Back in 2010, we installed new lighting in several areas both inside and outside for the <a href="http://crippencars.com/" title="Crippen GMC-Buick-Mazda-Volvo Auto dealership in Lansing Michigan.&nbsp;" target="_self">Crippen GMC-Buick-Mazda-Volvo Auto dealership in Lansing Michigan.&nbsp;</a> In the <a href="http://crippencars.com/body-shop/" title="Paint area" target="_self">Paint area</a>, they had 56 T-12 HO existing fixtures.&nbsp;</p> <p>In our intial audit, we measured the footcandles (fc) in the area and were right around 30fc.&nbsp; We engineered a new photometric layout of the area and found that we could replace the 56 fixtures with 16 T-5 High Bay Fixtures.&nbsp; We estimated an increase of 20fc for a total fc</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Result</span></h3> <p>When we got done, we installed 16 <a href="http://www.ultraluxlight.com/commercial_lighting_fixtures_46_ctg.htm" title="T-5 High Bay Fixtures manufactured by Everlast, from Jackson, MI." target="_self">T-5 High Bay Fixtures manufactured by Everlast, from Jackson, MI.</a>&nbsp; which replaced all 56 of the T12 HO in the facility.&nbsp; We took foot-candle readings after the installation and we were ablt to raise the footcandle values from 30 fc to 60 fc.&nbsp;</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The 3 Advantages We Were Able To Explore Using T-5</span></h3> <ol> <li><strong><span style="color: #000000;">We used a lower wattage fixtures</span></strong></li> <li><strong><span style="color: #000000;">We reduced the number of fixtures</span></strong></li> <li><strong><span style="color: #000000;">By using higher kelvin and CRI, we were able to increase brightness</span></strong></li> </ol> <h2><span style="color: #000000;">Still Not Sure If A Lighting Upgrade Is In Order?<br /></span></h2> <p>T5 Lighting just one element you need to consider with energy efficient lighting.&nbsp; You may have other options.&nbsp; Plus, you are likely skeptical that energy efficient lighting can really save you money.&nbsp; If you are, take a look at our Free E-book download below.&nbsp; Within the e-book, you will find the many reasons why you should consider an energy efficiency strategy for your business.&nbsp; Just click on the cover below to get your FREE copy today.</p> <h2><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></h2> <h2>Other Related T5 Lighting Articles:</h2> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82148/T8-vs-T5-How-To-Determine-Which-Light-Is-The-Right-Light" title="T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light">T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81510/A-Few-Quick-Tips-to-Help-You-Find-the-Best-Applications-T8-vs-T5" title="A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Applications: T8 vs. T5">A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Applications: T8 vs. T5</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5" title="Maintenance Cost Comparison:400 Watt Metal Halide vs.Fluorescent T5">Maintenance Cost Comparison:400 Watt Metal Halide vs.Fluorescent T5</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68300/How-To-Reduce-Wattage-By-65-in-a-Body-Shop" title="How To Reduce Wattage By 65% in a Body Shop ">How To Reduce Wattage By 65% in a Body Shop </a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/84036/T5-Lighting-5-Reasons-Why-T5-Lighting-Puts-T12-Lighting-In-The-Dark&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 12 Apr 2012 23:59:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:84036http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83677/What-Is-The-EPAct-Tax-Credit-Energy-Policy-Act-of-2005#Comments111What Is The EPAct Tax Credit? (Energy Policy Act of 2005)http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83677/What-Is-The-EPAct-Tax-Credit-Energy-Policy-Act-of-2005<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="335" id="img-1333387831131" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BvvRxGqO0Bs" width="600"></iframe></p> <h2><b>Total EPAct Deduction $1.80 Per Square Foot<img id="img-1333388612394" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/wasting money1.jpg" border="0" alt="video-epact-tax-credit-2005-energy-efficient-lighting-upgrades" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></b></h2> <p>This original bill was passed in 2005, and it was renewed in 2008 by President Obama. And this currently goes through the end of 2013, so we have about a year and a half left. It allows $1.80 square foot tax deduction for areas that qualify. That&rsquo;s divided into three areas:</p> <p>1. Electrical or lighting.</p> <p>2. HVAC</p> <p>3. The building envelope, such as insulation, window.</p> <h2>EPAct Divided Into 3 Distinct Areas</h2> <p>Divide $1.80 by three and you&rsquo;ve got $0.60 per square foot in each of those areas. This bill was originally passed to give business owners the incentive to make energy efficiency investments into their facilities.</p> <h2>Your Facility MUST Qualify</h2> <p>The key is that your facility needs to qualify. For lighting that means that the area has be 50% below the ASHRAE standard for acceptable watts per square foot. ASHRAE is the standard for energy efficiency metrics.</p> <h2>You May Qualify For A Partial Tax Deduction</h2> <p>There is a sliding scale if your facility almost qualifies, so there is some flexibility. But in order to qualify for the deduction, the project must be certified by a licensed professional, such as an electrical contractor like us, or a lighting design professional, which we also count as a lighting design professional.</p> <h2>Lots Of Paperwork</h2> <p>There&rsquo;s very specific paperwork requirements that have to be met and you cannot go backward to get the deduction. So if you made an improvement in your facility last year, and now you're just learning about this, it&rsquo;s not going to do you any good at this point. It has to be in the year that the improvement was actually made.</p> <h2>Confirm The Benefits With Your Tax Professional</h2> <p>To really know how this impacts you, your best bet is to check with your accountant, or tax attorney, and you actually may have to do some self-eduction, because there doesn&rsquo;t seem to be a lot of knowledge out there about how the Energy and Policy Act actually works.</p> <h2>Learn More About The Benefits Of Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>Free eBook with loads of information about energy efficient lighting technology and why you should consider energy efficient upgrades for your facility.&nbsp; Just click on the book below to get your copy.....</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Other Related EPAct Article:</h2> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80988/The-Energy-Policy-Act-of-2005-Tax-Deduction-vs-Tax-Credit" title="The Energy Policy Act of 2005: Tax Deduction vs. Tax Credit">The Energy Policy Act of 2005: Tax Deduction vs. Tax Credit</a></h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83677/What-Is-The-EPAct-Tax-Credit-Energy-Policy-Act-of-2005&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 04 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:83677http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83678/What-Are-The-Two-Types-Of-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives#Comments296What Are The Two Types Of Energy Efficiency Incentives?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83678/What-Are-The-Two-Types-Of-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="335" id="img-1333386113804" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/smE3OvzqrfE" width="600"></iframe></p> <h2>2 Basic Types of Utility Incentives<img id="img-1333389139942" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/dangling carrot.jpg" border="0" alt="2-types-of-energy-efficiency-incentives-prescriptive-custom-hovey-electric" width="221" height="331" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>Most programs came out with an annual budget amount they are going to spend on incentives, and you have to fill out the paperwork correctly and make sure you meet all the criteria for the utility. There are two basic types of incentives. There&rsquo;s a prescriptive incentive, and a custom incentive.</p> <h2>Prescriptive Incentives-Simple</h2> <p>Prescriptive incentives are pretty simple. They are essentially a list of acceptable change-outs, or retrofits, or update and if you put in this type of fixture it&rsquo;s going to be this many dollars. They&rsquo;re pretty simple, they&rsquo;re cut and dry, and you can fill out your paperwork, do the project and you&rsquo;re done.</p> <h2>Custom Incentives-Can Be Tricky...</h2> <p>On the other hand, the custom programs are trickier. Most custom programs are based on a kilowatt hour reduction. The bigger the reduction, the bigger the incentives.</p> <p>Utilities are actually doing a better job of reducing the amount of custom programs that they have to deal with. Custom programs are time-intensive for them and they may have to come out to your site and check to make sure that your data is correct and that sort of thing.</p> <h2>Is It Worth The Research?</h2> <p>Keep in mind that you may have some extra time involved in waiting and having them come out to do that. Is it work it? It can be a big factor. The Crippen project that we talked about earlier, he qualified for a $17,000 incentive.</p> <p>That incentive went a long way toward the overall project. In the end it is well worth the time, effort and sometimes the headaches that are involved in sorting out these utility programs.</p> <h2>Learn More About The Benefits Of Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>Free eBook with loads of information about energy efficient lighting technology and why you should consider energy efficient upgrades for your facility.&nbsp; Just click on the book below to get your copy.....</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 347px; height: 253px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 347px; height: 253px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" id="hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb"> <a href="/dealership-lighting-ebook" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/dealership-lighting-ebook"><img id="hs-cta-img-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/c1ace374-66fa-4071-aefc-012de8fb4975-1333138649651/guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat.png?v=1333138650.14" alt="guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/c1ace374-66fa-4071-aefc-012de8fb4975-1333138649651/guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat.png?v=1333138650.14" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Related Energy Efficiency Incentives Articles</h2> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81212/3-Reasons-Why-Utilities-Offer-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives" title="3 Reasons Why Utilities Offer Energy Efficiency Incentives">3 Reasons Why Utilities Offer Energy Efficiency Incentives</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81203/The-Best-Kind-Of-State-Incentives-For-Energy-Efficiency-CASH" title="The Best Kind Of State Incentives For Energy Efficiency - CASH!">The Best Kind Of State Incentives For Energy Efficiency - CASH!</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76454/Energy-Efficiency-Incentives-What-Are-Prescriptive-Incentives" title="Energy Efficiency Incentives: What Are &quot;Prescriptive&quot; Incentives?">Energy Efficiency Incentives: What Are "Prescriptive" Incentives?</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76268/Energy-Efficiency-Incentives-TVA-Incentives-For-Custom-Lighting" title="Energy Efficiency Incentives: TVA Incentives For &quot;Custom&quot; Lighting">Energy Efficiency Incentives: TVA Incentives For "Custom" Lighting</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83678/What-Are-The-Two-Types-Of-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 02 Apr 2012 16:55:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:83678http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83442/Dealership-Lighting-Boost-Profits-With-Annual-Energy-Savings#Comments162Dealership Lighting:Boost Profits With Annual Energy Savings http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83442/Dealership-Lighting-Boost-Profits-With-Annual-Energy-Savings<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" id="img-1333132808721" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/g2nNjWxWQpM" width="560"></iframe></p> <h2><b>Annual Savings Can Save Dealerships BIG Money...<br /></b></h2> <p>Annual savings is one of the most obvious benefits to upgrading lighting infrastructure. Reducing wattage is the key, so the more reduced the wattage, the more annual savings will be available to you.</p> <p>So in this example above, as you can see, reduction of 50,000 kilowatt hours would effectively mean $5,000 savings annually. While that doesn&rsquo;t sound like much at the outset, adding the annual savings over the life of the system can add up to several thousand dollars of savings.&nbsp;</p> <p>For an overall savings on your utility bill, you can anticipate 20%-30% reduction. That is very possible with the technologies that we are going to be discussing. The goal in the end is to reduce kilowatt hours. Reducing wattage reduces kilowatt hours.</p> <p>Sometimes utility bills are not very clear, or the bill may not show the total kilowatt hour costs,</p> <h2>How Does Peak Demand Factor Into The kWh Price?</h2> <p>You&rsquo;ll have a kilowatt hour rate, let's say it&rsquo;s ten cents a kilowatt hour. What I&rsquo;ve seen on bills is if your business is getting hit with a peak demand charge, there's a separate line item for that.</p> <p>Peak demand in layman&rsquo;s terms is every day your business at one point has a spike in peak current, so what the municipalities do is they monitor that and the highest point for the month, that is your peak demand.</p> <p>Now, peak demand rates obviously can vary depending on municipality, power factor, other things like that, but I&rsquo;ve seen charges of $10.40 per &ndash; and it goes up a kilowatt rate as well, but it&rsquo;s not uncommon to see $300-$400 of an electrical bill be dedicated to peak demand on top of your standard kilowatt hour rate.</p> <h2>Every Utility Bill Is Different, Be Sure To Understand Yours</h2> <p>We have not seen consistent utility bill calculations, the point is to really analyze your bill and make sure that you&rsquo;re factoring all your costs.</p> <p>To piggyback on that, kilowatt hour reduction is key. One benefit of that is the more you lower your kilowatt hours, that monthly snapshot the municipality takes, obviously the lower your peak demand is.</p> <p>You&rsquo;re still going to have that peak demand charge, but it&rsquo;s not uncommon to shave it in half just by reducing kilowatt hours.</p> <h2>Learn More About Annual Savings and the Many Other Benefits of Energy Efficient Lighting</h2> <p>Download our FREE eBook to learn more about the additional benefits of energy efficiency beyond just annual savings....</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" id="hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb"> <a href="/dealership-lighting-ebook" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/dealership-lighting-ebook"><img id="hs-cta-img-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/c1ace374-66fa-4071-aefc-012de8fb4975-1333138649651/guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat.png?v=1333138650.14" alt="guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/c1ace374-66fa-4071-aefc-012de8fb4975-1333138649651/guide-to-energy-efficient-dealership-lighting-flat.png?v=1333138650.14" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-159d3e45-b726-4a74-8351-01ea66599dfb").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83442/Dealership-Lighting-Boost-Profits-With-Annual-Energy-Savings&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 30 Mar 2012 19:56:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:83442http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75630/Why-Is-Energy-Efficiency-Important-To-Employee-Productivity#Comments779Why Is Energy Efficiency Important To Employee Productivity? http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75630/Why-Is-Energy-Efficiency-Important-To-Employee-Productivity<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Can Lighting Impact Employee Productivity?</h1> <h2><b>Energy Efficient Lighting Is More Than A Brighter Business</b></h2> <p>In the past, the only considerations business organizations had in regards to interior lighting <img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/energy efficient compact fluorescent.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-and-employee-productivity" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />were to illuminate the space that is void of sufficient natural lighting.</p> <p>The fluorescent bulb dominated every industry and office space from the production line to the warehouse and even the boardroom.&nbsp;</p> <p>Today, there are many state-of-the-art lighting systems in the marketplace that help businesses effectively illuminate the workplace.</p> <p>The IESNA (Illuminating Engineering Society of North America) provides quality lighting solutions for various industries. They established quantitative lighting criteria in support of specific tasks and environments.&nbsp;</p> <p>For example, the correct light for working with paper documents is different than working on a computer. Employees who work face-to-face in teams have different tasks than detail work on an assembly line.</p> <h2><b>Lighting Tailored to Individual Workers<br /></b></h2> <p>Lighting is also becoming tailored to the worker with dimmer switches and task lighting that can be adjusted by each individual.&nbsp;</p> <p>Integrated lighting controls are also entering the construction and refurbishment of business offices.&nbsp; These controls automatically adjust the lighting according to various work tasks and environments.&nbsp;</p> <p>The controls are pre-programmed and function automatically via on-line with occupancy sensors that determine when to turn the lights off; this has been a major contribution in energy conservation.</p> <h2>Lighting Responsible for 20-25% of Nations Energy Consumption</h2> <p>The Energy Efficient Lighting Association (EELA) reports that 20-25 percent of the country&rsquo;s energy consumption is due to lighting; and 50 percent of that bill comes from industrial and commercial buildings.&nbsp;</p> <p>Energy codes are becoming more restrictive with California leading the way.&nbsp; The end results are truly beneficial to businesses.&nbsp;</p> <p>As more companies transform their workspace with energy efficient lights, they have discovered a direct correlation between an eco-friendly system, improved employee morale and productivity, lower energy bills and higher profits.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Why Haven't You Considered Energy Efficient Lighting?</h2> <p>Confused, not sure where to start? Many people think that "energy efficiency" and "going green" is just a fad.&nbsp;</p> <p>These trends are not going away.&nbsp; Much of the basis for the opinion is that many people are overwhelmed and don't understand energy efficient lighting.&nbsp;</p> <p>To help business owners better understand the basics of energy efficiency, we have created a FREE e-book called: "Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency-Lighting Solutions".&nbsp; Just click the button below.&nbsp; Let us know your questions in the comment section below.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p><em><strong>Key Takeaway: YES, lighting can impact employee productivity.&nbsp; After we complete lighting projects for customers, we always get rave reviews on how much better the lighting is.&nbsp;</strong></em></p> <h2><strong>Related Articles About Energy Efficiency and Employee Productivity</strong><em><strong><br /></strong></em></h2> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82533/10-Expert-Tips-For-Successful-Energy-Efficient-Light-Design" title="10 Expert Tips For Successful Energy Efficient Light Design">10 Expert Tips For Successful Energy Efficient Light Design</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82533/10-Expert-Tips-For-Successful-Energy-Efficient-Light-Design" title="10 Expert Tips For Successful Energy Efficient Light Design"></a><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82536/How-Can-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Reduce-Cooling-Loads-By-40" title="How Can Energy Efficient Lighting Reduce Cooling Loads By 40%?">How Can Energy Efficient Lighting Reduce Cooling Loads By 40%?</a><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82533/10-Expert-Tips-For-Successful-Energy-Efficient-Light-Design" title="10 Expert Tips For Successful Energy Efficient Light Design"></a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82542/Can-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Increase-Employee-Productivity" title="Can Energy Efficient Lighting Increase Employee Productivity?">Can Energy Efficient Lighting Increase Employee Productivity?</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73860/How-to-Calculate-the-Lifetime-Return-on-Energy-Efficient-Investments" title="How to Calculate the Lifetime Return on Energy Efficient Investments">How to Calculate the Lifetime Return on Energy Efficient Investments</a></p> <p><em><strong><br /></strong></em></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75630/Why-Is-Energy-Efficiency-Important-To-Employee-Productivity&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 29 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:75630http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83538/4-Ways-Department-Of-Defense-Could-Reduce-20-Billion-Energy-Bill#Comments424 Ways Department Of Defense Could Reduce $20 Billion Energy Billhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83538/4-Ways-Department-Of-Defense-Could-Reduce-20-Billion-Energy-Bill<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Could The DOD Actually Eliminate $20 Billion In Energy Cost Through Energy Efficiency?</h2> <p>It's not very often that I re-post nearly an entire article for posting in our blog post...that's not usually a good thing to do according to blog etiquette.&nbsp; But in this case, after I got back up in my chair from reading it, I thought, I have to share this with others.&nbsp;</p> <p>It's sort of ironic that our own government is one of the biggest consumers of electricity or energy in general.&nbsp; 300,000 buildings....I can hardly imagine that.&nbsp; A $20 billion dollar energy bill.....wow, a 30% savings is a lot of money.&nbsp; Take a look at the article.....I put some bold text around some of the numbers that floored me....</p> <h1 class="title" style="border-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 20px; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #000000; font-weight: bold;">Here's The Article.....</h1> <h1 class="title" style="border-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 20px; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #000000; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-a-environment/218785-making-the-defense-department-more-energy-efficient" title="Making the Defense Department more energy efficient" target="_self"><em>Making the Defense Department more energy efficient</em></a></h1> <div style="border-width: 0px; font-family: arial,tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;"><em><span class="author" style="border-width: 0px; font-family: arial,tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #111169;">By Judy Marks, president and CEO, Siemens Government Technologies </span>-<span class="date" style="border-width: 0px; font-family: arial,tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #717171;">03/28/12 02:01 PM ET</span></em></div> <div class="txt" id="el-article-div" style="border-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia ! important; font-size: 14px ! important; margin: 5px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5 ! important; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;"> <p style="border-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; margin: 15px 1px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"><em>In 2011, the <strong>Department of Defense (DOD)</strong> was not only the single largest energy consumer in the U.S., but the<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> largest in the world</span></strong>. The <strong>DOD spent roughly $20 billion on energy last year</strong>, including $4 billion at military installations. With multiple government initiatives introduced around energy consumption goals and policies in place like the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the DOD has very real targets to reach in improving energy efficiencies, utilization of cleaner power sources, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. With a focus on four aspects of energy effectiveness, the DOD has an opportunity to have a considerable impact on the energy landscape in the U.S.</em></p> <p style="border-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; margin: 15px 1px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"><em><strong>First, conserve and save</strong> - The <strong>DOD has over 300,000 buildings</strong> in the U.S., many of them examples of aging infrastructure. Simply by implementing readily available energy efficiency technologies and initiatives, the DOD can bend the curve on its $4 billion annual energy bill and yield large financial rewards.</em></p> <p style="border-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; margin: 15px 1px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"><em><strong>Second, generate and store</strong> &ndash; U.S. military installations offer the opportunity to implement a vast array of renewable energy sources including <strong>solar, wind and geothermal power</strong>. With advances in storage technologies, renewable energy can play a greater role in a diverse power generation mix.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Third, control and monitor</strong> - Automation takes the guesswork out of energy efficiency. The <strong>DOD is expanding its use of automation to meter power usage, control lighting, manage building climate and generate power on-demand.</strong> Building automation, lighting and water technologies are proven to <strong>save facilities anywhere from 30% to 50%</strong> of their energy consumption.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></em></p> <p style="border-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; margin: 15px 1px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"><em><strong>Fourth, implement microgrids</strong> - The DOD is now moving to the use of Microgrids, self-contained islands of power transmission, distribution and utilization that can function autonomously or be connected to a larger power grid. Microgrids offer the DOD the ability to drive efficiencies, lower costs and provide energy security for military bases. They will be a more reliable, secure solution to manage, distribute, measure, utilize and conserve electricity use. Microgrids can also serve as an integrator for multiple sources of energy, including renewables, improving the function and capacity of our national grid system overall.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></em></p> </div> <br /> <h2>Politicians Too Focused On Up-front Costs To Consider Advantages Of Long-term Benefits</h2> <p>Some staggering numbers to consider.&nbsp; Unfortunately everyone gets hung up on the upfront costs instead of focusing on the long term benefits of implementing this type of technology.&nbsp; If the DOD could truly move away from consuming energy&nbsp; to actually generating back to the grid, $20 Billion in savings over 10 years could bring a lot of construction work and jobs back into something positive for the future of our country.&nbsp; Something to think about for sure.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Maybe Your Not The Largest Energy Consumer, But The Four Energy Efficient Strategies Can Be Implemented In Your Business...Learn More</h2> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83538/4-Ways-Department-Of-Defense-Could-Reduce-20-Billion-Energy-Bill&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 29 Mar 2012 01:26:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:83538http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/60798/Ways-To-Save-Energy-3-Tips-To-Increase-Energy-Savings-In-Home-Or-Biz#Comments115Ways To Save Energy:3 Tips To Increase Energy Savings In Home Or Bizhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/60798/Ways-To-Save-Energy-3-Tips-To-Increase-Energy-Savings-In-Home-Or-Biz<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Simple, Practical Ways To Find Energy Savings for Homeowners and Small Businesses</h2> <p>These are some simple tips than anyone can implement for immediate energy savings.&nbsp; I know, because these are the very same things I did in my home.</p> <p>I am a Journeyman Electrician, but as you will see as we move through the tips that there is more to energy efficiency than electricity.</p> <p>This process has become a game for me.&nbsp; I constantly think of way that I can get my energy bills to go down.&nbsp; I hate writing that check every month when I know there are ways I could have saved energy.&nbsp;</p> <p>Let's take a look at this weeks tips,</p> <h2>3 Tips, 3 Hours Your "Homework"</h2> <p>Did you do your "Homework" last week?&nbsp; <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59818/Simple-1-Hour-Energy-Saving-Tips-For-Homeowners-Tips-1-3" title="Did you forget? Here is the link to last weeks tips 1-3." target="_self">Did you forget? Here is the link to last weeks tips 1-3.</a>&nbsp; No problem if you didn't, but the sooner you make the changes, the sooner you put money in your pocket.&nbsp;</p> <p>Each one of the 9 Tips (3 per week for 3 weeks) should take you about an hour to implement...or about 9 hours.&nbsp; Maybe you just do 1 per week and it takes you 9 weeks...it doesn't matter as long as you have a plan.</p> <p>The energy efficiency solutions I implemented took me about an hour to do each one.&nbsp; It may take you a little more time, but don't worry, your saving money when you are saving energy.&nbsp;</p> <h2>&nbsp;Tip # 4 Change Your Light Bulbs &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</h2> <p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/bulb-ge daylight energy smart t-3 23watt-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="CFL" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></p> <p>Now that you have your plan put together, you can do one of the easiest retrofits of all: The light bulbs.</p> <p>The first and easiest thing to do is change out all your interior lighting to CFL.</p> <p>There is no reason to have a 100W incandescent lamp anywhere in your house, CFL's today come in all shapes and sizes to fit any fixtures you may have.</p> <h2>Tip #5 Buy Quality, It is worth it!</h2> <p>Use trusted names like GE, or Sylvania.When you do go to buy them you will see a lot of "no name" CFL's on the shelf, I tried them and they do not last as long.</p> <p>I use GE in my home and have not changed a bulb in years.</p> <h2>Tip #6 - Got Kids?....Get Motion Sensors!!</h2> <p>The next step I did was address the "light switch" issue with my teenage children.</p> <p>Anyone who has teenagers understands this. They seem to think that light switches only work in one direction and that's "ON".</p> <p>I installed occupancy sensors in both of there bedrooms and it has worked beautifully.&nbsp;</p> <p>I recommend a dual technology sensor, this will activate with not only motion but sound as well.</p> <p>I used the 3 minute setting on it and have had no complaints.</p> <h2>Here's Your Homework:</h2> <ol> <li> <h4>Change out all of your incandescent bulbs to CFL</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Buy Quality name brand electrical equipment</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Install motion sensors in all rooms....especially IF you have kids!</h4> </li> </ol> <p>3 Tips, 3 Hours, How Long Did It Take You? Let us know in the comments below if our 1 hour per tip is accurate.&nbsp;</p> <p>Don't forget to be safe, use ladders the right way and be smart around electricity.</p> <p>Still trying to figure out Energy Efficiency?&nbsp; <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55242/Watt-s-a-Watt-How-to-calculate-watts-for-energy-efficiency" title="Take a look at this article written by Jimmy Hovey, &quot;What's a Watt?&quot;" target="_self">Take a look at this article written by Jimmy Hovey, "What's a Watt?"</a></p> <p><a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Interested in a FREE Energy Audit of your facility?&nbsp; Hovey Electric specializes in analyzing facilities with at least 10,000 square feet and at least 5 years old. Schedule your FREE visit today. Offered in Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee.&nbsp;" target="_self">Interested in a FREE Energy Audit of your facility?&nbsp; Hovey Electric provides energy efficiency services and specializes in analyzing facilities with at least 10,000 square feet and at least 5 years old. Schedule your FREE visit today. Offered in Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee.&nbsp;</a></p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee" id="hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee"> <a href="/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis"><img id="hs-cta-img-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/7cef72a3-00a3-4116-acc0-60105177d88a/click-here-for-a-free-energy-efficiency-analysis.png" alt="Click Here for a FREE Energy Efficiency " class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width: 0px;" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/7cef72a3-00a3-4116-acc0-60105177d88a/click-here-for-a-free-energy-efficiency-analysis.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;" height="55" width="558"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"><!-- (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); // --></script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>We will show you how to reduce your energy costs, take advantage of tax incentives, and get cash for your improvements.&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/60798/Ways-To-Save-Energy-3-Tips-To-Increase-Energy-Savings-In-Home-Or-Biz&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolTue, 27 Mar 2012 19:50:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:60798http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83247/5-Steps-To-Calculate-Total-Fixture-Wattage-For-Metal-Halide-Fixtures#Comments1,4515 Steps To Calculate Total Fixture Wattage For Metal Halide Fixtureshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83247/5-Steps-To-Calculate-Total-Fixture-Wattage-For-Metal-Halide-Fixtures<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Metal Halide Fixtures Are Some Of The Most INEFFICIENT Lighting Options Available....Do You Have Some?</h1> <p>Metal halide fixtures are still being specified into projects even though they are one of the worse possible options when considering upgrading your lighting.</p> <p>I am not sure why the Contractors, Utilities, Engineers and Lighting designers can't get together, but just in case you are considering a project with Metal Halide, you will be want to compare your total fixture wattage against some other options.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Your goal should be to get the best possible lighting for your application for the lowest cost of operation and maintenance over the life of the lighting system.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Step 1 - Determine If You Have Metal Halide<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/400 w metal halide bulb.jpg" border="0" alt="metal-halide-fixtures-400-watt-metal-halide-bulb" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> Fixtures</h2> <p>In order to calculate your total fixture wattage, you need to know what kind of fixture you have.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>There are numerous variables, but typically we see a lot of 400 watt metal halides in the facilities we are in.&nbsp; That is most common in warehouses, retail stores, and gymnasiums.&nbsp;</p> <p>We have even seen the 1000 watt metal halides in interior applications.&nbsp;</p> <p>On the exterior, expect to find 250 watt and 175 watt metal halides as the most prevalent.&nbsp; As you can see from the extensive range of options, it is important to know what your wattage is to get accurate calculations.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Step 2 - Identify The Type Of Fixture You Have</h2> <p>There are primarily 4 types of metal halide fixtures;<img id="img-1332291955183" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/400wmh off.jpg" border="0" alt="400-watt-metal-halide-fixtures-hovey-electric" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></p> <p>They are:</p> <ul> <li>High-bay</li> <li>Low-bay</li> <li>Shoe box</li> <li>Wall packs</li> </ul> <em><strong></strong></em>The type of fixture is usually a good indicator of the type of wattage.&nbsp; Higher wattage fixture are used where you need ALOT of light; think of baseball fields.&nbsp; Lower wattages are used in parking lots and building perimeters.&nbsp; <br /> <h2>Step 3 - You Need To Know How Many Fixtures You Have</h2> <p>Once you have identified the type of fixture you have in your facility(you may have many types) total up the number of each type in each area.&nbsp;</p> <p>If you have a lot of fixtures to count, get some help. You can easily get lost in your count walking around looking up in the ceiling (oh ya, don't trip on anything either!)</p> <p>Now that you have your fixture count, you are ready to calculate your total wattage.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Step 4 - Identify the Wattage for Each Type of Metal Halide Fixtures</h2> <p>There are basic a couple of different ways to figure out the wattage of the fixtures in your facility.&nbsp; One is complicated and the other is not so complicated.&nbsp;</p> <p>You don't have to be exact when determining your fixture wattage.&nbsp; You should be able to determine from a distance what the type of fixture is and then determine the wattage. From there you can use averages like the ones that we use when doing an energy efficiency assessment.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here are the fixture wattages that we typically use:</p> <ul> <li> <h3><strong>1000 Watt Metal Halide is rated for 1081 Watts<br /></strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>400 Watt Metal Halide is rated for 458 Watts<br /></strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>250 Watt Metal Halide is rated for 290 Watts<br /></strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>175 Watt Metal Halide is rated for 205 Watts<br /></strong></h3> </li> </ul> <p>By using the averages, we are able to get a good comparison against newer technologies with lower fixture wattages.</p> <h2>Step 5 - Multiply Your Quantity of Fixtures by the Wattage of Your Existing Fixture.</h2> <p>Just take the information from each step above and list out the data that you have.&nbsp; That way the final step is pretty easy.&nbsp; You can do this by hand, but if you have a lot of different types of fixtures I would suggest using a spreadsheet.&nbsp;</p> <p>So let's look at an example project and assume you found the following in each of the steps;</p> <p>Step 1 - You have Metal Halide</p> <p>Step 2 - You have 1000 watt high bays</p> <p>Step 3 - There are 100 fixtures</p> <p>Step 4 - Your wattage is 1081 watts per fixture</p> <p>Step 5 - (This step....)</p> <p><em><strong>Simple math....</strong></em></p> <h4><strong>Take 100 fixtures x 1038 watts = 103,800 Total Fixture Wattage</strong></h4> <p>If you have more than one type of fixture, you just simply repeat Steps 1 - 5 to get the total wattage of your entire facility.</p> <p><strong><em>Note: You can easily replace a 1000 watt metal halide with an<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82015/Induction-Lighting-An-Amazing-Breakthrough-In-Fluorescent-Lighting" title=" inductive lighting option that is 250 watts" target="_self"> inductive lighting option that is 250 watts</a>.&nbsp; So in this example, your total fixture wattage would be 25,000 watts instead of 103,800.&nbsp; We know it works, <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57309/How-Auto-Dealer-Found-Ways-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency" title="we have replaced 1000 watt metal halide fixtures with 250 watt induction lighting. " target="_self">we have replaced 1000 watt metal halide fixtures with 250 watt induction lighting.</a></em></strong><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57309/How-Auto-Dealer-Found-Ways-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency" title="we have replaced 1000 watt metal halide fixtures with 250 watt induction lighting. " target="_self"><strong><em></em></strong></a></p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting Options</h2> <p>If you would like to learn more about the benefits of energy efficiency for your business, just download our e book, by clicking on the book below.&nbsp; It's<strong><em> FREE</em></strong> and available right away, get your copy....</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="visibility: visible;" data-mce-style="visibility: visible;"><a href="http://cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/click-cta/?&amp;cta_guid=089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7&amp;placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&amp;portal_id=47330&amp;redirect_url=6mzyPR3yMMYpFMw0jMZi0AsPOKaC5HGS9YhA7JS/TTywUFfqh/Nq2zbo4wNvlBbWbWMGnCjyNOAmPB3W0tGaNyTck5s5sL/sLlzZd3iOD/HfUUjuhwdeMNijS%2B/G1Phf24%2B32LM1zI7Jdl/ie9y72g%3D%3D&amp;iv=ZepjkAo%2BOFA%3D" data-mce-href="http://cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/click-cta/?&amp;cta_guid=089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7&amp;placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&amp;portal_id=47330&amp;redirect_url=6mzyPR3yMMYpFMw0jMZi0AsPOKaC5HGS9YhA7JS/TTywUFfqh/Nq2zbo4wNvlBbWbWMGnCjyNOAmPB3W0tGaNyTck5s5sL/sLlzZd3iOD/HfUUjuhwdeMNijS%2B/G1Phf24%2B32LM1zI7Jdl/ie9y72g%3D%3D&amp;iv=ZepjkAo%2BOFA%3D"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="http://d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width: 0px;" data-mce-src="http://d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a></span> </span></p> <h2>Related Articles:</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-Retrofit" title="Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 Retrofit" target="_self">Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 Retrofit</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5" title="Maintenance Cost Comparison:400 Watt Metal Halide vs.Fluorescent T5" target="_self">Maintenance Cost Comparison:400 Watt Metal Halide vs.Fluorescent T5</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79159/How-To-Calculate-Watts-For-Metal-Halide-HID-Lighting" title="How To Calculate Watts For Metal Halide (HID) Lighting" target="_self">How To Calculate Watts For Metal Halide (HID) Lighting</a></p> <br title="How To Choose The Right Type Of Energy Efficient Fluorescent Ballasts" />Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/83247/5-Steps-To-Calculate-Total-Fixture-Wattage-For-Metal-Halide-Fixtures&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 21 Mar 2012 00:45:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:83247http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74573/Ways-To-Save-Energy-Energy-Saving-Tips-For-Around-the-Office#Comments78Ways To Save Energy: Energy Saving Tips For Around the Officehttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74573/Ways-To-Save-Energy-Energy-Saving-Tips-For-Around-the-Office<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Some Quick Energy Saving Tips For Around The Office...</h1> <h2>Saving Energy Saves Profit</h2> <p>There are multiple methods for conserving energy in your&nbsp;business. By following just a few simple energy saving tips, you can reduce your energy consumption, save money and help to preserve the Earth&rsquo;s natural resources for future generations.</p> <h2>For HVAC</h2> <p>Keep in mind that most energy saving tips are mostly common sense. We are all quite aware that cranking up your HVAC system to full blast is a surefire way to send your kilowatt hour usage into quadruple digits.</p> <p>However, few business owners realize that shutting off your system each day in between uses, or after hours, may actually use more energy than a consistent flow. In order to save more energy, keep your thermostat set to 79 degrees F or higher during the summer, and 69 degrees F and below during winter. Utilize energy efficient fans and space heaters to keep your employees, customers and clients comfortable.</p> <h2>The Office Refrigerator</h2> <p>Another one of the best and most forgotten energy saving tips is setting the temperature of your office refrigerator and freezer. Depending on the age of your appliances, you may want to consider replacing your refrigerator and freezer with a newer, Energy Star approved option. Otherwise, keep your refrigerator set to about 37 degrees and your freezer set to about 3 degrees F to keep your food fresh without wasting energy.</p> <h2><img id="img-1318970462557" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/coffee maker.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-saving-tips-for-the-office" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <h2>Appliances and Electronics</h2> <p>An easy and important energy saving tip is to use only what you need to avoid wasting the rest. One of the biggest energy wasters is leaving your appliances and electronics plugged in or turned on while you are away. Whether you are closing your business for a week-long vacation, or just locking up for the weekend, unplugging computers, printers and fax machines, and switching off your water heater can conserve a great deal of energy.</p> <h2>Watch Your Bill, Be Aware</h2> <p>Finally, remember that sometimes the one of the best energy saving tips is to simply be aware of your consumption. The more you understand how your own habits affect energy usage, the more likely you will be to make smarter choices in your business.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Take A Look At Your Lighting</h2> <p>Lighting is a big item to tackle that may take some additional study.&nbsp; To help you out, take a look at our Free e-book, <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="&quot;Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency-Lighting Solutions." target="_self">"Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency-Lighting Solutions.</a>&nbsp; Just click on the button below and we will show you how you can save BIG money on your energy costs.&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h3>Any Other Ideas for Energy Saving Tips?&nbsp; Let us know in the section below....</h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74573/Ways-To-Save-Energy-Energy-Saving-Tips-For-Around-the-Office&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 13 Mar 2012 21:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:74573http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81550/How-To-Choose-The-Right-Type-Of-Energy-Efficient-Fluorescent-Ballasts#Comments764How To Choose The Right Type Of Energy Efficient Fluorescent Ballastshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81550/How-To-Choose-The-Right-Type-Of-Energy-Efficient-Fluorescent-Ballasts<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Choosing The Wrong Fluorescent Ballast Leads To Ineffective Lighting...</h1> <h2>What Is A Ballast?</h2> <p>An <b>electrical ballast</b> is a device intended to limit the amount of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_current" title="Electric current">current</a> in an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity" title="Electricity">electric<img id="img-1331653113982" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/electronic ballast.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-ballast-hovey-electric" width="386" height="209" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_network" title="Electrical network">circuit</a>. Ballasts are utilized in fluorescent lighting to limit the flow of current through the tube.&nbsp;</p> <p>If a ballast was not used, the current would rise to levels that would destruct the fluorescent tube rendering it useless.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p class="mw-redirect" title="Reactance (electronics)">Ballasts vary greatly in complexity. They can be as simple as a series <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistor" title="Resistor">resistor</a> as commonly used with small <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neon_lamp" title="Neon lamp">neon lamps</a> or <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-emitting_diodes" title="Light-emitting diodes">light-emitting diodes</a> (LEDs) or complex, computerized, remote controlled electronic ballasts that can often be found in conjunction with fluorescent lamps.&nbsp;<a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactance_%28electronics%29" title="Reactance (electronics)"></a></p> <pre class="mw-redirect" title="Reactance (electronics)">(Wikipedia)</pre> <h2>Which Ballast Is The Right Ballast?</h2> <p><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span>Choosing the right ballast Ballast choices can be quite confusing.&nbsp; Here are some of the best choices for ballasts for your energy efficient fluorescent application.</p> <h2><em></em><span class="Apple-converted-space">1.Electronic Ballast</span></h2> <p>Electronic ballasts are about 12 percent more efficient than conventional magnetic ballasts. The electronic ballast eliminates the flicker commonly associated with fluorescent lighting.&nbsp;</p> <p>The electronic ballast also eliminates the hum that you hear in older style fluorescent lighting.&nbsp; The most efficient units are high-performance ballasts as defined by the <a href="http://www.cee1.org/" title="Consortium for Energy Efficiency " target="_self">Consortium for Energy Efficiency.</a><br /><em></em></p> <h2><em></em>2.Instant Start Ballast</h2> <p>This is the most efficient type of ballast. With instant start ballasts you must know the burn time of your lamps.&nbsp; Instant-start is a good choice for applications where the lamps burn for 6 hours or more.&nbsp;</p> <p>With frequent on/off cycling, you will notice that your lamp life is shorter meaning it may not be the best ballast for your application. <br /><em></em></p> <h2>3.Programmed-Start Ballast<span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></h2> <p><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span>Programmed-start ballasts, also called programmed rapid-start ballasts, represent the next step in the evolution of rapid-start technology. Their use increases lamp life but carries some penalty in efficiency.</p> <p>They are the best choice in applications where lights will frequently be turned on and off, as often happens when occupancy sensors are used.<br /><em></em></p> <h2>4.Universal-Input Ballast<span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></h2> <p>Universal-input ballasts typically accept any input voltage between 120 and 277 volts. They make retrofitting easier and reduce stocking requirements, but provide slightly lower efficiency than dedicated-voltage ballasts.</p> <h2>5. Ballast Factor</h2> <p>Electronic ballast's come in different "grades" of efficiency, typically .77, .88, and 1.00. What this means is if a lamp is 32 watts and a .88 ballast is used the result will be a lamp that is "under driven".</p> <p>More simply put it will not consume a full 32 watts, and lamps will last longer. The only downside is a slight loss of lumen output due to the lamp not being pushed 100%.</p> <p>Most installations that are done for incentives will utilize the .88 ballast because of the energy and lamp savings that are produced.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Keep In Mind....</h2> <p>The important thing to keep in mind is to make sure that lamps and ballasts are compatible.&nbsp;&nbsp; Most lamps are only compatible with one starting method; the major exception is high-performance T8s, which can use either rapid- or instant-start ballasts.</p> <p>Also, most lamp and ballast manufacturers offer a better warranty when used in conjunction with each other.</p> <p>For Example, A GE ballast with Sylvania lamps may only offer a 1 year warranty. That same GE ballast used with GE lamps will give you a 2 year warranty.</p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>The best way to learn more about energy efficiency is through our FREE eBook;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <pre>Photo Credit: http://news.thomasnet.com</pre>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81550/How-To-Choose-The-Right-Type-Of-Energy-Efficient-Fluorescent-Ballasts&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 13 Mar 2012 17:26:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81550http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82542/Can-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Increase-Employee-Productivity#Comments852Can Energy Efficient Lighting Increase Employee Productivity?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82542/Can-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Increase-Employee-Productivity<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Is There More To Energy Efficient Lighting Than "The Numbers"?</h1> <p>The focus of most <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> upgrades focus on the financial aspects of the benefits to the owner.&nbsp; Less of a consideration for building owners, but nonetheless important, is the impact a lighting system has on your employees.&nbsp;</p> <p>This ROI can be a little trickier to calculate unless you have a very mechanized output.&nbsp; More and more studies are being done on measuring productivity improvements in workplace and educational environments.&nbsp;</p> <p>Lighting is a very important consideration when considering how lighting impacts the occupants.&nbsp;Lighting can impact employees in many ways.&nbsp;</p> <p>Lighting can have an effect on:</p> <ul> <li>Comfort</li> <li>Mood</li> <li>Productivity</li> <li>Health</li> <li>Safety</li> <li>Quality</li> <li>Retention</li> </ul> <p>Lighting is one of the most "visible" ways to improve <strong>energy efficiency</strong>.&nbsp; So you must not only consider how lighting impacts your employees, but also how it directly affects the architecture, aesthetics and image of the company.&nbsp;</p> <p>A successful <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> design must bring together improved lighting quality with the aesthetics of the building wherever possible.</p> <h2>How Does Lighting Impact Productivity?</h2> <p>Improving the lighting environment enhances visual comfort, reduces eye fatigue, improves performance, and enhances quality.&nbsp; All critical considerations when your employees are performing on visual tasks.&nbsp;</p> <p>A properly designed system may increase productivity and reduce overall absenteeism.&nbsp;</p> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/energy-efficient-lighting-productivity-improvement-ge-lighting-600px.png" border="0" alt="energy efficient lighting productivity improvement ge lighting 600px" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p> <p>Most <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> upgrades are very beneficial on energy savings alone, but <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>what is one of greatest expenses in your company</em></span>?&nbsp; <strong>Yep, employees</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <p>So, shouldn't you give some consideration on how you could improve their working environment?</p> <p>Productivity improvements in single digit percentages can add up to millions of dollars depending on the size of your company. &nbsp;</p> <p>While the effects of lighting on employee productivity are hard to quantify, don't forget to include the potential benefits your business could see due to the much improved working environment.</p> <h2>Learn More About The Other Benefits Of Energy Efficiency</h2> <p><strong>Energy efficiency</strong> is the real deal...people are saving money across the country in both home and business.&nbsp; There is still a ton of skepticism out there about why you should even bother with <strong>energy efficiency lighting</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <p>We thought we would put together a little <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>e book</strong></em></span> on how <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> can benefit your organization.&nbsp;</p> <p>It's <strong>Free</strong> and it's right here behind the book below, just click on the book.......</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Related Posts:&nbsp;</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75080/Why-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Improves-Employee-Productivity-Part-1" title="Why Energy Efficient Lighting Improves Employee Productivity-Part 1">Why Energy Efficient Lighting Improves Employee Productivity-Part 1</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75630/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-and-Employee-Productivity-Part-2" title="Energy Efficient Lighting and Employee Productivity-Part 2">Energy Efficient Lighting and Employee Productivity-Part 2</a></p> <h4>&nbsp;</h4> <h4><strong><span style="color: #000000;">blog written by|jimmy hovey, mba|&nbsp;</span></strong></h4> <p><img id="img-1330711644749" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/jimmy-hovey-small-business-consultant-100px.jpg" border="0" alt="jimmy-hovey-small-business-consultant" width="112" height="105" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" /><strong>Jimmy Hovey</strong> literally grew up in the family business and has held several positions at Hovey Electric. &nbsp;He has spent time developing his own companies and working in other contracting related companies. &nbsp;Along with working in the family business, <strong>Jimmy</strong> is a <strong>small business consultant</strong> helping businesses with <strong>internet marketing strategies</strong> and <strong>web content development</strong>. Jimmy has been blogging for over 3 years and you can find <strong>Jimmy's blog</strong> at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.power4consulting.com" title="www.power4consulting.com." target="_self">www.power4consulting.com.</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82542/Can-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Increase-Employee-Productivity&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 07 Mar 2012 13:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:82542http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/63963/How-to-Calculate-Total-Fixture-Wattage-for-Fluorescent-Lighting#Comments1,171How to Calculate Total Fixture Wattage for Fluorescent Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/63963/How-to-Calculate-Total-Fixture-Wattage-for-Fluorescent-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Step 1 - Determine Your Type of Fluorescent Fixture</h2> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Fluorescent strip lighting.jpg" border="0" alt="how-to-calculate-total-fixture-wattage-for-fluorescent-lighting" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"></h2> <p>In order to calculate your total fixture wattage, you need to know what the wattage is of the existing system you have in place.&nbsp; There are numerous variables, but typically we see T-12 fluorescent lighting in most places.&nbsp; Even if you are aware of that you use T-12's, knowing what type of T-12 fixture is very important.&nbsp; Here are the 3 that we run into most</p> <h2>Step 2 - What Size are the Fluorescent Fixtures?</h2> <p>There are primarily 3 sizes of fluorescent fixtures; They are:</p> <ul> <li>2' x 2' - Typically a square type of fixture.&nbsp; Found most often in office situations. This style fixture has a U-shape bulb.</li> <li>2' x 4' - Rectangular fixtures that are typically used as drop in's in office situations.&nbsp; They are sometimes used in manufacturing environments as direct lighting over a particular area.These fixtures have 4' bulbs and most have 3-4 bulbs per fixture.</li> <li>8' - Long and narrow is the best description of these types of fixtures.&nbsp; Typically seen in 2 - 8' bulb configurations.</li> </ul> <em><strong>(Quick Tip: If you are unsure of what type of fixture you have, T-12, T-8 or T-5, take a look in your storage room, look at the bulb or box, or ask your maintenance staff what type of bulbs they are using)</strong></em><br> <h2>Step 3 - Identify the Quantity of Each Fluorescent Fixture</h2> <p>Once you have identified the type of fixture you have in your facility(you may have many types) total up the number of each type in each area.&nbsp; If you have a lot of fixtures to count, get some help. You can easily get lost in your count walking around looking up in the ceiling (oh ya, don't trip on anything either!)</p> <p>Now that you have your fixture count, you are ready to calculate your total wattage.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Step 4 - Identify the Wattage for Each Type of Fluorescent Fixture</h2> <p>There are a couple of different ways to figure out the wattage of the fixtures in your facility.&nbsp; One is complicated and the other is not so complicated.&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Complicated:</span></p> <p>If you really want to be exact and have lots of time on your hands, then you could theoretically go to each and every fixture to find out what type of ballast you have.&nbsp; This would be more exact as then you could determine your ballast factor, type of ballast and other relevant information.&nbsp;</p> <p>This way would require a tremendous amount of time and effort which isn't necessary since companies like General Electric and most utilities adopt averages for calculations.&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Not So Complicated:</span></p> <p>You don't have to be exact when determining your fixture wattage.&nbsp; You should be able to determine from a distance what the type of fixture is and then determine the wattage. From there you can use averages like the ones that we use when doing an energy efficiency assessment.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here are the fixture wattages that we typically use:</p> <ul> <li> <h3><strong>89 Watts - 2'x2' -U-shape Lamp</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>140 Watts - 2'x4'(3 Lamp)</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>178 Watts - 2'x4'(4 Lamp)</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>158 Watts - 8'(2 Lamp)&nbsp;</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>178 Watts - 8'(4 - 4' Lamps)</strong></h3> </li> </ul> By using the averages, we are able to get a good comparison against newer technologies with lower fixture wattages. <br> <h2>Step 5 - Multiply Your Quantity of Fixtures by the Wattage of Your Existing Fixture.</h2> <p>Let's say you have 100 fixtures and they are 8' - 2 Bulb T-12's:</p> <p>100 fixtures x 158 Watts = 15,800 Total System Watts (Assuming this is the only type of fixture you have...)</p> <p>Want one more complicated?</p> <p>Okay, how about you have an office with (20) 2' x 4' 4 bulb T-12's, a work area with (78) 8' - 2 Bulb T-12's:</p> <p>20 fixtures x 178 Watts =&nbsp; 3,560 Total System Watts</p> <p>78 fixtures x 158 Watts =&nbsp; 12,234&nbsp; Total System Watts</p> <p>3,560 Watts&nbsp; + 12,234 Watts =&nbsp; 15,884 Total System Watts</p> <h2>Step 6- Forget the Calculations and Call Hovey Electric.....</h2> <p>If your still confused about all of this, here are some resources for you to consider:</p> <p>See my article <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55242/Watt-s-a-Watt-How-to-calculate-watts-for-energy-efficiency" title="&quot;Watts&quot; a Watt? If you want to see how to take this calculation further and calculate your energy savings from a new system upgrade." target="_self">"Watts" a Watt? If you want to see how to take this calculation further and calculate your energy savings from a new system upgrade.</a>..or...</p> <p>And....</p> <p>If you would like to learn more about the benefits of energy efficiency for your business, just&nbsp;download our ebook, by clicking on the book below.&nbsp; It's FREE and available right away, get your copy....&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Related Articles:</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81550/How-To-Choose-The-Right-Type-Of-Energy-Efficient-Fluorescent-Ballasts" title="How To Choose The Right Type Of Energy Efficient Fluorescent Ballasts" target="_self">How To Choose The Right Type Of Energy Efficient Fluorescent Ballasts</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81989/Where-Is-The-Best-Place-To-Use-T5-Lighting-Technology" title="Where Is The Best Place To Use T5 Lighting Technology?" target="_self">Where Is The Best Place To Use T5 Lighting Technology?</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82148/T8-vs-T5-How-To-Determine-Which-Light-Is-The-Right-Light" title="T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light" target="_self">T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73754/Energy-Efficient-Fluorescent-Lighting-Options" title="Energy Efficient Fluorescent Lighting Options" target="_self">Energy Efficient Fluorescent Lighting Options</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/63963/How-to-Calculate-Total-Fixture-Wattage-for-Fluorescent-Lighting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 06 Mar 2012 13:04:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:63963http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82539/How-To-Clean-Up-Your-Dirty-Power-With-Energy-Efficient-Lighting#Comments807How To Clean Up Your "Dirty" Power With Energy Efficient Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82539/How-To-Clean-Up-Your-Dirty-Power-With-Energy-Efficient-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Beyond The Obvious Benefits Of Energy Efficient Lighting....</h1> <h2>Lighting Uses ALOT Of US Total Electricity Capacity</h2> <p>Lighting utilizes about 18% of the total electricity currently generated in the United States.&nbsp; Lighting within commercial buildings is responsible for roughly 71% of the 18% total electricity generated.&nbsp; <strong>Energy efficient lighting</strong> is one physical change that&nbsp; could bring that percentage down drastically.</p> <img id="img-1330708925373" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/energy-costs-rising-full-size-diagram.png" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-contractor-energy-cost-on-the-rise" width="382" height="320" class="alignRight" style="height: 320px; width: 382px; float: right;" /> <h2>Energy Costs <span style="text-decoration: underline;">WILL</span> Go Up</h2> <p><br />While this is important for you as an individual business owner or even a homeowner, the reality is that the demand for energy is rising.&nbsp; Due to regulatory problems and the length of time it takes to get a power plant built, the available supply is likely to dwindle in the future.&nbsp;</p> <p>Increased demand paired with reduced supply will eventually lead to higher energy costs.&nbsp; That's why everyone needs to pay attention to how reducing wattage through energy efficient lighting, can bring benefits throughout your overall energy demand requirements.&nbsp;</p> <h2>It Is Possible To Reduce Your Lighting Electricity Load By 50%....Or More</h2> <p>With a <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82533/10-Expert-Tips-For-Successful-Energy-Efficient-Light-Design" title="properly designed lighting layout" target="_self">properly designed lighting layout</a>, it is reality that 50% of the lighting load can be reduced in a building.&nbsp; We have done this and have seen up to 75% reductions on interior and exterior applications.&nbsp;</p> <h2>The Other Benefits BEYOND Reducing Load</h2> <p>But the excellent benefits of updating your lighting goes further than the obvious benefit of reduced cost, better light, tax deductions and reduced maintenance costs.&nbsp; <strong>Energy efficient lighting</strong> can impact your facilities overall power quality.</p> <h2>1. Better Lighting Technology Cleans Up Your Power</h2> <p>Lighting also has an impact on the facilities power quality for the entire electrical distribution system.&nbsp; Poor power quality is a major problem that you may not be aware of.&nbsp;</p> <p>The quality of power to your site can impact the amount of energy wasted, overall capacity of the facility, and can ruin equipment that you have in place.&nbsp;</p> <p>Updated lighting technology has much <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75081/What-is-Power-Factor-Correction" title="higher power factor values" target="_self">higher power factor values</a> and low <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_harmonic_distortion" title="harmonic distortion" target="_self">harmonic distortion</a> which will improve a facilities power quality across the buildings entire electrical system.&nbsp;</p> <h2>2. Reducing Load Can Have Added Value To Future Expansion</h2> <p>By reducing lighting loads by up to 50%, you will also free up valuable electrical capacity in your facility.&nbsp; This could be a major factor outside all of the other benefits of increasing your facilities energy efficiency, especially if you are expanding.&nbsp;</p> <p>Reducing capacity may mean not having to add capital intensive electrical infrastructure.&nbsp; This alone could make the <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> upgrade well worth the investment.</p> <h2>Learn More About The Benefits Of Energy Efficient Lighting</h2> <p><strong><em>Isn't this exciting?&nbsp;</em></strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>How many business expenses can you actually REDUCE?&nbsp;</em></span></p> <p>There aren't very many...besides eliminating people....and our economy doesn't need that.&nbsp; The downfall to any <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> project is that it requires money.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>BUT</strong>, we find most times (we will tell you if it doesn't make good business sense) the benefits FAR outweigh the negatives. Projects typically return 100% of the investment in 1-2 years.</p> <p>So we want to show you all the benefits of energy efficiency and put together an <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>e book</strong></em></span> all about the benefits of <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong>. Click on the book below to get your <strong>F-R-E-E</strong> copy.</p> <p><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-width: 0px;" mce_noresize="1" /></p> <h2><strong>Related Articles:&nbsp;</strong></h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81576/How-To-Calculate-Watts-Savings-CREE-LED-vs-65-Watt-Incandescent" title="How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED vs 65 Watt Incandescent">How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED vs 65 Watt Incandescent</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81510/A-Few-Quick-Tips-to-Help-You-Find-the-Best-Applications-T8-vs-T5" title="A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Applications: T8 vs. T5">A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Applications: T8 vs. T5</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73719/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-What-Are-The-Different-Types-Of-Lamps" title="Energy Efficient Lighting: What Are The Different Types Of Lamps?">Energy Efficient Lighting: What Are The Different Types Of Lamps?</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73293/Energy-Efficient-Products-What-We-Like-and-Why-We-Like-Them" title="Energy Efficient Products: What We Like and Why We Like Them">Energy Efficient Products: What We Like and Why We Like Them</a></p> <p><strong><br /></strong></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82539/How-To-Clean-Up-Your-Dirty-Power-With-Energy-Efficient-Lighting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 05 Mar 2012 13:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:82539http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82536/How-Can-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Reduce-Cooling-Loads-By-40#Comments748How Can Energy Efficient Lighting Reduce Cooling Loads By 40%?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82536/How-Can-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Reduce-Cooling-Loads-By-40<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Lighting Consumes The Most Energy In Your Building...Time To Consider Energy Efficient Lighting</h1> <p>Lighting is one of the most significant expenses in operating a building.&nbsp; Typically, lighting is<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hovey-electric-how-to-reduce-cooling-cost.png" border="0" alt="hovey electric how to reduce cooling cost" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> actually the largest cost component of a commercial buildings energy bill.&nbsp;</p> <p>In comparison to other energy costs, electricity consumed by your existing lighting very likely consumes the most electricity out of all other components in your facility.</p> <h2>Lighting Should Be First In Your Total Energy Efficient Building Plan</h2> <p>When you consider upgrading your facility for energy efficiency, upgrading your lighting system should be one of the first projects that you consider.</p> <p><strong>Energy efficient lighting</strong> can have a significant impact on heating and cooling loads of your building. If you change out your <strong>HVAC system first</strong>, you will likely have an <span style="text-decoration: underline;">over sized system.&nbsp;</span></p> <p>So a lighting upgrade can be benficial in 2 ways; <strong>reducing power consumption and reducing power consumed by your oversized HVAC system.&nbsp;</strong></p> <h2>How Does Lighting Impact Heating and Cooling Loads?</h2> <p>Older lighting systems are <em>major producers of heat</em>.&nbsp; For example, by comparing a 400 watt metal halide to a t5 energy efficient replacement you will see roughly 500 degrees difference.&nbsp;</p> <p>The metal halide operates at 700+ degrees Fahrenheit compared to the 200 degree t5 fluorescent.&nbsp; This amount of drop will drastically impact your cooling loads (may have an impact on your heating load as well depending on your climate)</p> <p>Most people think that weather is the largest influence on interior cooling loads. Not true though, lighting is the largest source of heat gain inside a commercial building.</p> <p>While building owners are appreciative of that heat in the winter months, most often it is counterproductive when the hotter months come along. By updating your facility to <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong>, you will add less heat to a space per unit of light output than inefficient lighting.</p> <p>When you reduce the overall heat gain in a building, <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> reduces the building's cooling requirements.This can impact your building in many ways:</p> <ul> <li>Reduced loads mean cooling capacity can be used in other areas.</li> <li>When time comes to replace existing HVAC equipment, you should be able to utilize smaller equipment reducing capital expenditures.</li> <li>Future additions may not need updated equipment as you will have freed up capacity in your existing system.&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>The overall effect on HVAC energy use depends on several factors including;</p> <ul> <li>Type of building</li> <li>The climate</li> <li>Existing efficiency of HVAC equipment</li> <li>The size of existing HVAC equipment</li> </ul> <h2>How Much Can Energy Efficient Lighting Reduced Your Heating Load?</h2> <p>If you have a large building with large internal loads, and you use much more air conditioning than heating, it is possible for you to see a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>40% reduction in HVAC</strong></span> by updating to an updated, more energy efficient lighting system.&nbsp;</p> <p>Therefore, <strong>each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of reduction in annual lighting use, can equate to an additional .4 kWh reduction in HVAC use by reducing overall cooling loads more than it increases required heating energy.&nbsp;</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/energy-efficient-lighting-reduces-cooling-cost-by-40.png" border="0" alt="energy efficient lighting reduces cooling cost by 40" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /><br /></strong></p> <h2>Can A Energy Efficient Lighting Upgrade Actually Be A Penalty?</h2> <p>In small buildings, where the building already has a tight building envelope, the benefit may actually be a penalty.&nbsp; Instead of each kWh reduced, you actually increase the amount of annual heating energy required because you have reduced the heat gain within a building.</p> <p>Overall, most <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> upgrades in commercial buildings equate to a positive gain by reducing total energy consumption.&nbsp; The best way to know is to do your research upfront so you know what your getting before you make the installation.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting</h2> <p>There are many factors to consider when updating your facilities <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> system.&nbsp; To help you sort out all the facts, we created an e book to walk you through all the benefits of <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong>.&nbsp; Click on the book below to download your copy now.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Related Articles:&nbsp;</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80082/5-Reasons-Why-You-Will-Fall-In-Love-With-Fluorescent-T5-Lighting" title="5 Reasons Why You Will Fall In Love With Fluorescent T5 Lighting">5 Reasons Why You Will Fall In Love With Fluorescent T5 Lighting</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79159/How-To-Calculate-Watts-For-Metal-Halide-HID-Lighting" title="How To Calculate Watts For Metal Halide (HID) Lighting">How To Calculate Watts For Metal Halide (HID) Lighting</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb" title="Metal Halide:The &quot;Shocking Truth&quot; In The Life Of A Metal Halide Bulb">Metal Halide:The "Shocking Truth" In The Life Of A Metal Halide Bulb</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/How-To-Calculate-Watts-400-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay-Fluorescent" title="How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescent">How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescent</a></p> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82536/How-Can-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Reduce-Cooling-Loads-By-40&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 02 Mar 2012 15:37:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:82536http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82533/10-Expert-Tips-For-Successful-Energy-Efficient-Light-Design#Comments11410 Expert Tips For Successful Energy Efficient Light Designhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82533/10-Expert-Tips-For-Successful-Energy-Efficient-Light-Design<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Take The Time For Light Design, Here's Why....</h1> <h2>Lighting Consumes Over 1/3rd Total Facility <img id="img-1330955096601" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hovey-electric-light-design-specialist-kentucky.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-light-design-hovey-electric" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />Energy Costs</h2> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Lighting consumes nearly 35% of the total energy consumption that is used in commercial buildings across the United States.</span>&nbsp;</p> <p>You may not realize it, but lighting also impacts other building systems such as HVAC and the building envelope.&nbsp;</p> <p>The waste heat produced by older inefficient lighting increases the cost of operating your commercial facility.</p> <p>By using updated lighting technology and control systems, you can have an enormous impact on your facilities energy demand by reducing heat from these sources.&nbsp;</p> <p>Newer lighting technologies can operate at lower temperatures. &nbsp; This is something to keep in mind as you consider energy efficient lighting options.</p> <h2>Why Bother With Energy Efficient Lighting?</h2> <h3>Upgrading a building's lighting system has 4 impacts:</h3> <ul> <li>It can reduce lighting energy use</li> <li>Updated lighting can improves the visual look and feel of a facility</li> <li>Possibly reduce required sizing of HVAC equipment required to cool a facility</li> <li>Lower electrical load, impacting size of electrical systems needed</li> </ul> These 4 impacts assume that you would be updating your building with energy efficient lighting designs.&nbsp; Updating with the same technology would not bring forward the added benefits listed above.&nbsp; <br /> <h2>Don't Forget Your Energy Efficient Lighting Goals</h2> <p>Any goals for a lighting upgrade should be consistent&nbsp; with overall company goals and energy policies established at the beginning of the energy efficiency process.&nbsp; A lighting upgrade is one of the best places to start for physical changes in your facility.</p> <p>It is one of the easiest ways to "see" the benefits of energy efficient light design.</p> <p>Lighting should not be the end of your goal of energy efficiency.&nbsp; Improving energy efficiency in a building is an ongoing process.&nbsp; In order to make sure that a energy efficient lighting upgrade leads to an effective and efficient system, you need to keep a few things in mind.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here are some tips to consider when your building the <strong>light design</strong> for your facility.</p> <h2>10 Tips For Successful Energy Efficient Building Design</h2> <p>Whether you are designing your own energy efficient lighting system or you are depending on a professional, you should follow the following guidelines:</p> <ol> <li><em><strong>Require a photometric layout for major spaces that require a certain level of lighting.</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Make sure that the lighting system designed puts out the appropriate amount of light for the specified task at hand.&nbsp;</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Make sure that the proposed lighting is distributed so that glare is not a problem</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Take advantage of daylight but avoid direct sunlight</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Install controls to reduce the dependence on electrical lighting when natural daylight is available.</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Make sure that the proposed lighting system is the most energy efficient possible.</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Install occupancy sensors and controls so lights can be turned off when not in use.</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Consider manual or automatic dimming for areas where full power lighting is not required.</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>Be sure to minimize maintenance of your lighting system to decrease the amount of time and materials required to maintain your system.</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>After installation, make sure lighting system is performing as anticipated</strong></em></li> </ol> <p>There are many factors to consider when you consider a lighting upgrade.&nbsp; Sometimes it can be as easy as changing a bulb, but when you are considering making a major improvement in efficiency, be sure you have the right <strong>light design</strong> for your facility.</p> <h2>Want To Learn More?</h2> <p>Understanding energy efficiency is a learning process.&nbsp; To help our customers better understand all the factors that go into energy efficient lighting, we created an Ebook just for you.&nbsp;</p> <p>Click on the book below to download your <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>FREE</strong></span> copy.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Related Articles:</h2> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81989/Where-Is-The-Best-Place-To-Use-T5-Lighting-Technology" title="Where Is The Best Place To Use T5 Lighting Technology?">Where Is The Best Place To Use T5 Lighting Technology?</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82148/T8-vs-T5-How-To-Determine-Which-Light-Is-The-Right-Light" title="T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light">T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81510/A-Few-Quick-Tips-to-Help-You-Find-the-Best-Applications-T8-vs-T5" title="A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Applications: T8 vs. T5">A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Applications: T8 vs. T5</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82533/10-Expert-Tips-For-Successful-Energy-Efficient-Light-Design&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 01 Mar 2012 16:40:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:82533http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81989/Where-Is-The-Best-Place-To-Use-T5-Lighting-Technology#Comments295Where Is The Best Place To Use T5 Lighting Technology?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81989/Where-Is-The-Best-Place-To-Use-T5-Lighting-Technology<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>The Many Uses For T5 Lighting</h2> <p>Many people see <strong>T5 lighting</strong> as good for only Highbay replacement applications. While it does excel extremely well in that department there are other main stream uses for this incredible lighting technology.</p> <h2>Where T5 Lighting Doesn't Work</h2> <p>This is a tricky topic.<strong> T5 lighting</strong> tubes produce best at an ambient temp of 35C(95F) which would make one think that they don't do well in the cold. That's not completely true, see the ambient temperature rating that manufacturers use is that of the air against the bulb.</p> <p>There is T5 based freezer lighting that works very well. The key to working in a cold environment is it's in a sealed fixture so the heat the lamp creates never leaves the fixture.</p> <p>The temperature that T5 lighting works in depends greatly on fixture design. Be sure to do your homework before you choose.<img id="img-1329333103840" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/T5 2x4.jpg" border="0" alt="T5 2x4" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></p> <h2>Interior Applications For T5 Lighting</h2> <p>The obvious is interior highbay replacement. With it's high lumen output, cheap operating cost, and low initial investment cost it's easy to see why.</p> <p>However, many people overlook<strong> T5 lighting</strong> for their office. There are many economical fixtures that use T5 lamps, many use indirect style of design so they add that nice "architectural" look to the office space when doing a 1 for 1 switch.</p> <h2>T5 Retrofit</h2> <p>Another new offering to the U.S. market is a <strong>t5 retrofit</strong> kit that cosists of removing your old T12 or T8 lamps and installing a<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/T5 lamp retro.jpg" border="0" alt="T5 lamp retro" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> self ballasted T5 lamp and socket into the existing T12 or T8 sockets.</p> <p>It's literally as simple as installing a fluorescent lamp. This a newer offering in the US markets that has been in use in European countries for the last 10 years.</p> <p>Keep your eye on retrofit technology as it could be a huge game changer.</p> <h3>T5 Lighting Is A Versatile Option</h3> <p>While it still does have it's limitations, T5 is much more application flexible than many consider.</p> <p>From freezers to offices to warehouses <strong>T5 lighting</strong> can usually fit the bill as long as the fixture is designed correctly.&nbsp;</p> <p>Have other efficiency questions? Be sure to download our free e-book below!</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Related Articles:</h2> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80082/5-Reasons-Why-You-Will-Fall-In-Love-With-Fluorescent-T5-Lighting" title="5 Reasons Why You Will Fall In Love With Fluorescent T5 Lighting">5 Reasons Why You Will Fall In Love With Fluorescent T5</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80082/5-Reasons-Why-You-Will-Fall-In-Love-With-Fluorescent-T5-Lighting" title="5 Reasons Why You Will Fall In Love With Fluorescent T5 Lighting">T5 Lighting</a><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82148/T8-vs-T5-How-To-Determine-Which-Light-Is-The-Right-Light" title="T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light">8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81510/A-Few-Quick-Tips-to-Help-You-Find-the-Best-Applications-T8-vs-T5" title="A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Applications: T8 vs. T5">A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Applications: T8 vs. T5</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5" title="Maintenance Cost Comparison:400 Watt Metal Halide vs.Fluorescent T5">Maintenance Cost Comparison:400 Watt Metal Halide vs.Fluorescent T5</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/How-To-Calculate-Watts-400-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay-Fluorescent" title="How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescent">How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescent</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81989/Where-Is-The-Best-Place-To-Use-T5-Lighting-Technology&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolWed, 29 Feb 2012 13:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81989http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82035/Energy-Retrofit-Options-How-To-Recycle-Existing-Lighting-Fixtures#Comments267Energy Retrofit Options: How To Recycle Existing Lighting Fixtureshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82035/Energy-Retrofit-Options-How-To-Recycle-Existing-Lighting-Fixtures<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Considering A Lighting Upgrade?&nbsp; Don't Forget To Consider Energy Retrofits......</h1> <p>Let's take a look at different lighting retrofits available on the market today.&nbsp;</p> <h2>T8 Lighting Retrofit</h2> <h2><img id="img-1329417562957" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/texas fluorescent.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-retrofit-hovey-electric" width="273" height="312" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>This section has several options available to consumers who wish to switch from T12 lighting.</p> <p>One method would be to install a new T8 electronic ballast and new T8 lamps into the existing fixture. The sockets between T12 and T8 lamps are identical.</p> <p>The other option is what as known as a retrofit "kit". There are many different models to choose from to fit most lighting applications.</p> <p>These are particularly nice when the fixture is older because they include new end plates and sockets.</p> <p>In older fixtures, the existing sockets are usually pretty beat up or so brittle that they shatter upon installing new lamps.</p> <h2>T5 Lighting Retrofit</h2> <h2><img id="img-1330092878218" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/t5 lamp retro.jpg" border="0" alt="hovey-electric-t5-fluorescent-lighting-retrofit" width="288" height="191" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" /></h2> <p>Most of the time you see these used in 2X4 recessed fixtures. T5 being the newest and most efficient of the linear fluorescent technologies it does a great job in replacing either existing T12 or T8 lighting.</p> <p>With the higher lumen's of T5 lighting it's very possible to reduce a 4 lamp fixture down to 2 lamps and either match or exceed existing light levels.</p> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>LED Lighting Retrofit</h2> <p><img id="img-1330092910465" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/cree.jpg" border="0" alt="hovey-electric-led-lighting-retrofit" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></p> <p>With LED lighting having so many versatile uses it didn't take long for the retrofit kits to hit&nbsp;the market.</p> <p>There are kits available for almost any application. From exterior parking lot lighting and wall packs to recessed can light inserts and LED tube replacements for 2X4 fixtures.</p> <p>While the LED retrofits are a more costly than a fluorescent retrofit they also boast longer life and unparalleled wattage reduction making them a great choice.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><img id="img-1330092942276" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/befunky_induction-circline-retrofit-kit-35-stem-large.png" border="0" alt="hovey-electric-induction-lighting-retrofit" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" />Induction Lighting Retrofits</h2> <p>With all of the high wattage metal halide currently in place it's nice to see several manufacturers designing kits that can be installed into these fixtures.</p> <p>From high wattage parking lot lighting to high bay lighting thats installed in the majority of production and warehouse facilities there are kits available to fill the need.</p> <p>Boasting better light quality and an average reduction of 50% in electricity usage it's easy to see the appeal.</p> <h2>Why do Retrofits?</h2> <p>2 words....<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>cost savings!</strong></em></span></p> <p>If your existing fixtures are in decent shape and just need to be cleaned a retrofit of some sort is usually a pretty good move. You get the benefits of the newer energy efficient technology without having to pay for an entirely new fixture!</p> <p>Typically the labor to hang an entirely new fixture is roughly the same cost as installing the retrofit so the labor becomes a wash.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Learn About More Ways To Save With Energy Efficient Technologies</h2> <p>Download our FREE eBook, Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency: Lighting Solutions. Click on the image below.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/db5cc119-bd7e-451c-9768-68524263c81e-1311948125348/click-here-to-download.png?v=1311948125.76" alt="click-here-to-download" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/db5cc119-bd7e-451c-9768-68524263c81e-1311948125348/click-here-to-download.png?v=1311948125.76" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Related Articles:</h2> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81721/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-How-To-Transform-Existing-T12-To-T8" title="Energy Efficient Solutions: How To Transform Existing T12 To T8">Energy Efficient Solutions: How To Transform Existing T12 To T8</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69633/Energy-Efficient-Lights-3-Options-For-Upgrading-8-T-12-Fluorescent" title="Energy Efficient Lights: 3 Options For Upgrading 8' T-12 Fluorescent">Energy Efficient Lights: 3 Options For Upgrading 8' T-12 Fluorescent</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82035/Energy-Retrofit-Options-How-To-Recycle-Existing-Lighting-Fixtures&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolMon, 27 Feb 2012 13:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:82035http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81317/Come-See-The-Difference-Of-A-T8-Lighting-Upgrade-In-Elkton-KY#Comments294Come "See The Difference" Of A T8 Lighting Upgrade In Elkton, KYhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81317/Come-See-The-Difference-Of-A-T8-Lighting-Upgrade-In-Elkton-KY<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>FREE Food....FREE Energy Efficient Lighting Seminar...Have You Seen An Energy Efficient Project AFTER A Complete Upgrade?</h1> <h2>Energy Efficient Lighting Project Saves Manufacturer 130,000+ kWh Annually</h2> <p>Recently Hovey Electric and <a href="http://www.coffmanhomedecor.com" title="Coffman Home Decor" target="_self">Coffman Home Decor</a> completed an energy efficiency upgrade project at <a href="http://www.refinetile.com" title="Refine Tile in Elkton, KY" target="_self">Refine Tile in Elkton, KY</a>. The 4 month project entailed removing <em>980-8' T12 strip lights</em> and replacing them with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>373-4 lamp T8 F-bay fixtures</strong></span>.</p> <p>In addition we also retro-fitted <em>128-4 lap 2x4</em> fixtures to 3 lamp T8 lamps and ballasts.</p> <p>Exterior metal halide wall packs were replaced with new wall packs utilizing CFL technology.</p> <p>Let's take a look at the numbers....</p> <h2>The Numbers Make A Compelling Case For Energy Efficient Lighting</h2> <p>By using more <strong>efficient t8 lighting </strong>we were able to <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">reduce</span></strong> the fixtures in the production area from 980 to 373 and still achieve a significant increase in light quality throughout the facility!</p> <p>This led to a annual Kilowatt hour reduction of 131,231 KWH.</p> <h3>What does that mean?</h3> <p>If you take the KWH reduction (131,231) and multiply it by the rate you will get an annual savings of $13,123.00 annually, or $1094.00 per month in just KWH reduction.</p> <p>By upgrading it's lighting Refine tile also was able to shed 12.32 KW in demand charges qualifying the company for incentives.</p> <p>The incentive funds for this project are from a joint effort of the <a href="http://www.tva.com/ee/commercial.htm" title="Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)" target="_self">Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)</a> and <a href="http://www.precc.com" title="Pennyrile Rural Electric Cooperative (PRECC)" target="_self">Pennyrile Rural Electric Cooperative (PRECC)</a>.&nbsp; PRECC is the power distributor to <a href="http://www.refinetile.com" title="Refine Tile" target="_self">Refine Tile</a>.</p> <p><img id="img-1328536891368" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/refine tile guthrie-beforepicture.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-upgrade-refine-tile-elkton-ky" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Before</span> Lighting Upgrade</strong></p> <h3><img id="img-1328202692520" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/12 - 1-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-t8-vs-t5-hovey-electric-elkton-ky" width="300" height="200" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></h3> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">After</span> Lighting Upgrade</strong></p> <h2>Come see for yourself, plus we will feed you!</h2> <p>Many businesses have heard about <strong>energy efficient technologies</strong> and some have even had proposals.&nbsp; We still see the hesitation and skeptics wherever we go.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here is a chance to see a real project, seeing the real benefits of updated energy efficient lighting.</p> <p>In reality, the calculations used for <strong>energy efficient calculations</strong> are fact based...meaning this is what you have (fact), if you replace it with this (fact), you will save this much based on these rates (fact).&nbsp; The numbers don't lie....but it is even better to see a facility with updated lighting technologies.&nbsp;</p> <h2>If you need to "see to believe"...here is your chance.</h2> <p>At 6 pm, on February 28th, we will be holding our 2nd annual energy efficient lighting seminar at the newly updated <a href="http://www.refinetile.com" title="Refine Tile facility" target="_self">Refine Tile facility, in Elkton, KY</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>If your interested in attending, just click the link below and attend our <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012/" title="2nd annual Energy Efficiency Seminar" target="_self">2nd annual Energy Efficiency Seminar</a> that will be held ON-SITE at the Refine Tile locations.</p> <h4><em>Come see the difference with your own eyes!</em></h4> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012/" rel="nofollow" title="2nd annual Energy Efficiency Seminar Information and Reservations" target="_self">2nd annual Energy Efficiency Seminar Information and Reservations</a></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>We are going to feed you, and seating is limited so don't wait!</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.coffmanhomedecor.com/" rel="nofollow" title="Coffman Home Decor" target="_self">Coffman Home Decor</a> and <a href="/" rel="nofollow" title="Hovey Electric" target="_self">Hovey Electric</a> representatives will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about upgrading your building.</p> <p>Come learn about <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> and see how much money energy efficient lighting can save your business!</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 585px; height: 55px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" id="hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6"> <a href="/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012"><img id="hs-cta-img-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/1b9b0b12-04fa-482a-940b-ee2fbe36af2f-1328022847622/go-here-to-rsvp-for-free-energy-efficient-lighting.png?v=1328022847.88" alt="go-here-to-rsvp-for-free-energy-efficien" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/1b9b0b12-04fa-482a-940b-ee2fbe36af2f-1328022847622/go-here-to-rsvp-for-free-energy-efficient-lighting.png?v=1328022847.88" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Related Articles:</h2> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/48407/Industrial-Electrical-Contractor-Hovey-Electric-Locates-in-Guthrie-KY" title="Industrial Electrical Contractor Hovey Electric Locates in Guthrie,KY">Industrial Electrical Contractor Hovey Electric Locates in Guthrie,KY</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76268/Energy-Efficiency-Incentives-TVA-Incentives-For-Custom-Lighting" title="Energy Efficiency Incentives: TVA Incentives For &quot;Custom&quot; Lighting">Energy Efficiency Incentives: TVA Incentives For "Custom" Lighting</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76492/TVA-Incentives-400W-Metal-Halide-vs-T5-Fluorescent" title="TVA Incentives: 400W Metal Halide vs. T5 Fluorescent.">TVA Incentives: 400W Metal Halide vs. T5 Fluorescent</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81317/Come-See-The-Difference-Of-A-T8-Lighting-Upgrade-In-Elkton-KY&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 24 Feb 2012 17:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81317http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81794/Is-It-Possible-For-LED-Lighting-To-Get-More-Efficient-and-Cheaper#Comments601Is It Possible For LED Lighting To Get More Efficient and Cheaper?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81794/Is-It-Possible-For-LED-Lighting-To-Get-More-Efficient-and-Cheaper<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1 class="title instapaper_title">LED Lighting Has Been Around Awhile....But Not So Affordable...</h1> <h2 class="title instapaper_title">LED Technology Changing Rapidly<img id="img-1330954983611" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/istock_000017546174xsmall.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-led-lamp-hovey-electric" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>When we go into discuss lighting options with a customer, they most often ask "what about LED?"&nbsp; The end user (customers) have been well aware of LED in many forms such as Christmas lights, cameras and Smartphones.&nbsp;</p> <p>While they work well for these applications, that hasn't been the case where lighting levels are important to the project or short payback period is critical.&nbsp;</p> <p>We often have to explain that there are some situations that LED just doesn't work or that the<strong> LED lighting</strong> technology would take a payback to 15 years compared to 2 years using fluorescent.&nbsp;</p> <p>But that is changing rapidly and I thought I would show you a couple of stories that I ran across this week that discuss some of the changes in brightness and cost of <strong>LED lighting</strong>.</p> <h2 class="title instapaper_title">New LED Technology</h2> <p class="title instapaper_title">We have been writing articles about the benefits of <strong>LED lighting</strong> over fluorescent, and Halogen, but never thought that we would be writing about a LED that's more efficient than existing LED technologies. &nbsp;But that is the case here as new innovation was recently announced.</p> <p class="title instapaper_title">The new <strong>LED lighting</strong> technology is discussed in an article written by blogger Katie Fehrenbacher called&nbsp;<a href="http://gigaom.com/cleantech/startup-soraa-unveils-game-changing-next-gen-led-light/" title="Startup Soraa unveils game changing next-gen LED&nbsp;light" target="_self">Startup Soraa unveils game changing next-gen LED&nbsp;light</a>. &nbsp;</p> <h3 class="title instapaper_title">LED Lighting Pioneer Invents More Advanced LED?</h3> <p class="title instapaper_title"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuji_Nakamura" title="Shuji Nakamura" target="_self">Shuji Nakamura</a>, considered the Father of LED is behind the newest innovation in LED technology. His company, <a href="http://www.soraa.com/" title="Soraa" target="_self">Soraa</a>&nbsp;has: &nbsp;</p> <p class="firstHeading"><strong><em>"developed a new way to manufacturer an LED light that produces a light that is brighter, has a better quality, is more energy efficient, and saves more money than its competitors on the market."</em></strong></p> <p class="title instapaper_title">Wow, what more could you ask for?......How about a cheaper LED?</p> <h2>$5 LED, LED Is Getting Cheaper</h2> <p class="title instapaper_title">An <strong>LED Lighting</strong> firm named <a href="http://www.lemnislighting.com/" title="Lemnis Lighting" target="_self">Lemnis Lighting</a> has just launched a new line of their <a href="http://www.lemnislighting.com/en/about_pharox.html" title="Pharox LED Lamps" target="_self">Pharox LED Lamps</a> that make the investment into LED a very attractive option.&nbsp; As you likely know if you have looked into LED, bulbs have been $8, 10 and $15+ before.&nbsp;</p> <p class="title instapaper_title">So this will be welcome news for those of us who want a viable alternative to the CFL's that take forever to light up.&nbsp;</p> <p class="title instapaper_title">Not only is the bulb cheaper to purchase, your long term benefit is cheaper operation.&nbsp; These bulbs are WAY more efficient then their incandescent counterparts.&nbsp;</p> <p class="title instapaper_title"><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" id="img-1330086107007" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/M0jfW0ONurg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p> <h2 class="title instapaper_title">How Much More Cost Effective Is LED Lighting?</h2> <p class="title instapaper_title">In the article <a href="http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/02/17/lemnis-launches-3-led-lighting-lines/" title="&quot;Lemnis Launches $5 Bulb&quot;" target="_self">"Lemnis Launches $5 Bulb"</a> at <a href="http://www.environmentalleader.com" title="www.envrionmentalleader.com," target="_self">www.envrionmentalleader.com,</a> they prove out just how efficient these bulbs are:</p> <address class="title instapaper_title">&nbsp;<em><strong>"a typical 40-watt incandescent bulb costs approximately $5.69 per year to use at $.13 per kWh, three hours a day.&nbsp; The equivalent Pharox 350 lumen bulb....costs only $.85 per year in energy use"</strong></em></address> <p class="title instapaper_title">That is an <strong>85% reduction</strong> in the cost of operating that bulb compared to the incandescent.&nbsp; At a $5 price point your running out of reason not to embrace energy efficient LED lighting in the workplace or even at home.&nbsp;</p> <h2 class="title instapaper_title">Would You Like To Learn More About Energy Efficient LED Lighting?</h2> <p class="title instapaper_title">Check out our Ebook, "Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency" and you will find lots of other ways the energy efficiency really help your business save money.&nbsp; Download your FREE copy on the button below.</p> <p class="title instapaper_title"><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2 class="title instapaper_title">Related Articles:</h2> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81998/Insights-Into-The-Versatility-And-Applications-Of-LED-Lighting" title="Insights Into The Versatility And Applications Of LED Lighting">Insights Into The Versatility And Applications Of LED Lighting</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81561/How-To-Calculate-Watts-Savings-CREE-LED-Cr-24-vs-Fluorescent-T12" title="How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED Cr 24 vs Fluorescent T12 ">How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED Cr 24 vs Fluorescent T12 </a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81576/How-To-Calculate-Watts-Savings-CREE-LED-vs-65-Watt-Incandescent" title="How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED vs 65 Watt Incandescent">How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED vs 65 Watt Incandescent</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69637/LED-Options-For-Energy-Efficient-Hazardous-Area-Lighting-Part-1" title="LED Options For Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lighting-Part 1">LED Options For Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lighting-Part 1</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68555/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Applications-LED-Inductive-Fluorescent" title="Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent">Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81794/Is-It-Possible-For-LED-Lighting-To-Get-More-Efficient-and-Cheaper&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 24 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81794http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82015/Induction-Lighting-An-Amazing-Breakthrough-In-Fluorescent-Lighting#Comments1,019Induction Lighting: An Amazing Breakthrough In Fluorescent Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82015/Induction-Lighting-An-Amazing-Breakthrough-In-Fluorescent-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h3>Induction Lighting:</h3> <p>This in my mind is just one of the cooler technologies. It blends the lamp life of LED with the<img id="img-1330955180952" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/befunky_induction-circline-retrofit-kit-35-stem-large.png" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-induction-lighting-applications" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"> reliability and cost effectiveness of Fluorescent. Inductive Fluorescent lighting is actually an older technology that was never economical until the advancements in LED driver technology made leaps and bounds.</p> <p>Today I want to discuss where <strong>Induction Lighting Technology</strong> is a good fit.</p> <h3>Ambient Temperature Rating:</h3> <p>Most Induction lighting on the market is designed to operate efficiently between -40F and 130F, this opens up alot of doors for us as far as environments go.</p> <p>Here in Michigan it gets cold in the winter and we have used them reliably with no complaints of diminished light output. Warmer climates appear to be no problem either.</p> <p>I have family in Arizona and can tell you that it gets hot....but not 130F.</p> <h3>The Great Outdoors:</h3> <p>The Inductive Fluorescent is a natural replacement for exterior HID lighting. Parking lots, car dealerships, and area lighting all are great fits. In a previous article on LED I stated that I have yet to see an LED light compete with 400 or 1,000W metal halide, Induction not only competes.....it dominates! Here is an application at a <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57309/How-Auto-Dealer-Found-Ways-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency" title="auto dealership in Lansing MI where we reduced energy consumption by 75% using inductive lights. " target="_self">Auto Dealership in Lansing MI where we reduced energy consumption by 75% using inductive lights. </a></p> <p>Induction is available in wattages that will readily replace the higher powered HID fixtures as well as the smaller area lighting wall packs. Energy savings of 50-75% over existing HID is very achievable.</p> <h3>Interior Inductive Fluorescent Lighting:</h3> <p>Any areas that have HID high bay lighting are automatic candidates. The great thing about the inductive lighting is its lighting quality is far greater than any of the HID lighting out there. Here is a great explanation of <a href="http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/cri_explained.htm" rel="nofollow" title="CRI" target="_self">CRI</a>.</p> <p>Typical metal halide has a CRI of 60 while the Inductive Fluorescent lamp produces around 85. That means truer cleaner color rendering. Several manufacturers produce retrofit kits for existing high bay lighting that is a more cost effective solution than buying a new fixture.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here's a video of the COBO Hall in Detroit which was recently updated with Inductive Fluorescent Lighting. See for yourself!</p> <p><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" id="img-1329404354764" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jwpWIQeq0Jc" width="420"></iframe></p> <h3>&nbsp;Get rid of HID!</h3> <p>If you want to replace High wattage HID fixtures and see masive energy and maintenance savings than Induction Lighting is probably your best bet.</p> <p>I know of no other lighting technology that comes close to replacing the high wattage, grossly inefficient HID fixtures that are found in so many of America's arenas, manufacturing, and storage facilities.</p> <p>Check out our FREE Webinar to l learn more about how to calculated the savings in energy efficiency.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;<span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" \=""><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" style="border-width:0px;" src="http://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/47330/b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c.png"></a> </span> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var s='hubspotutk',r,c=((r=new RegExp('(^|; )'+s+'=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie))?r[2]:''),w=window;w[s]=w[s]||c, hsjs=document.createElement("script"),el=document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript";hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/cs/loader.js?pg=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c&pid=47330&hsutk=" + encodeURIComponent(c); (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); try{el.style.visibility="hidden";}catch(err){} setTimeout(function() {try{el.style.visibility="visible";}catch(err){}}, 2500); })(); </script> </span></p> <pre>Photo courtesy of www.neptunlight.com</pre>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82015/Induction-Lighting-An-Amazing-Breakthrough-In-Fluorescent-Lighting&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolThu, 23 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:82015http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82148/T8-vs-T5-How-To-Determine-Which-Light-Is-The-Right-Light#Comments271T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Lighthttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82148/T8-vs-T5-How-To-Determine-Which-Light-Is-The-Right-Light<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Shouldn't It Be T12 vs. T8 vs. T5?</h1> <h2>Your Kids Won't Even Know What A T-12 Was</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80043/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-T-12-Fluorescent-Bulbs-Go-Bye-Bye-In-July" title="T-12 technology is going away and will soon be history" target="_self">T-12 technology is going away and will soon be history</a>.&nbsp; Your kids won't even know what a T12 was (okay...fair enough...energy efficiency geeks are likely the only ones who talk to their kids about lighting...).&nbsp; But anyhow, by today's standards, the T12 is considered inefficient compared to the newer more modern fluorescent standards.&nbsp;</p> <p>Let's take a look at the differences between T8 and T5 fluorescent technology and see how they stack up.</p> <h2>What's Up With "T"?</h2> <p>The "T" is just simply a code.&nbsp; As focus on energy saving technologies has grown and become popularized, these codes have come to designate levels of energy efficiency, as well as indicate lamp tube diameter.</p> <h3>Assumptions of Efficiency:</h3> <ul> <li>T12 = old and inefficient</li> <li>T8 = higher efficiency</li> <li>T5 = highest efficiency</li> </ul> <p>While the chart above is generally true, it is important to evaluate the application and determine the cost benefit of T5 over T8.&nbsp; By doing so, you will be able to determine if the increased efficiency of T5 justifies the increase in initial and long term maintenance costs.</p> <h2>Costs of T5 and T8 Lighting<img id="img-1329741353274" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/t8 bulbs.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-hovey-electric-t5-lamps" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>With a standard 4 foot T8 lamp costs between $3.00 and $5.00, and a standard T5 lamp costs between $5.50 and $12.00.</p> <p>T5 costs significantly more than T8 but does not outperform it by the same margin. In fact, in many low level interior applications, the performance differences are negligible.</p> <p>All lamps have a general life expectancy of around 36,000 hrs. at 12 hrs. per day burn time.</p> <h3>General Assumptions of Cost:</h3> <ul> <li><em><strong>T8 = roughly 20% more expensive than T12</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>T5 = 2-3 times the cost of T8</strong></em></li> </ul> <h2>Brightness Levels T8 vs. T5</h2> <p><span>There are several different factors that determine levels of efficiency. The quality of light, often referred to as lumen output(also called "brightness" by the Department of Energy) is an important factor to consider.&nbsp; <br /></span></p> <p><span>Quality of light measured is measured in <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/-cri-color-rendering-index/" title="CRI (Color Rendering Index)" target="_self">CRI (Color Rendering Index)</a>, and quantity of light measured in LPW (Lumens per Watt). </span></p> <h3><span>So, What Makes Sense In A Low Level Scenario Of Less Thank 12'? </span></h3> <h4><span>Here is an average comparision; </span></h4> <h3>CRI levels:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3> <p>T12 = 62CRI &nbsp; &nbsp; <br />T8 = 85CRI &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <br />T5 = 85CRI &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <h3>LPW levels:</h3> <p>T12 = 78LPW&nbsp;<br />T8 = 90LPW&nbsp;<br />T5 = 99LPW</p> <p><span>T5 in this setting barely beats T8 as far as CRI and LPW values.&nbsp; If you didn't understand the numbers and compare all of the variables, you could get stuck with lighting that costs much more.....and you wouldn't need it. </span></p> <p><span>With the numbers being this close, you could never justify the substantial increase in fixture, lamp and ballast costs which is what you would get with the T5 in this case. <br /></span></p> <h2><span>Where is T5 Better?</span></h2> <p>While it obviously isn't a good idea to switch from T8 to T5 in the above scenario, it would be very good if it were a switch from T12 to T5 standard output lighting.</p> <p>T5 standard output lamps have their place, it's just understanding the applications and the desired results. We recommend always using a qualified lighting consultant or designer.&nbsp; Guessing on the right kind of fixture can cost you dearly.&nbsp; .</p> <p>Their experience can help in lighting layout, application, and help with knowing what incentives and rebates your business will qualify for.</p> <h2>Need Some Additional Information About Energy Efficiency?</h2> <p>Get a cop of our Free Ebook, all about the benfits and reasons why you should consider upgrading your facility. </p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h3><span><br /></span></h3> <br />Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82148/T8-vs-T5-How-To-Determine-Which-Light-Is-The-Right-Light&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolWed, 22 Feb 2012 12:56:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:82148http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81998/Insights-Into-The-Versatility-And-Applications-Of-LED-Lighting#Comments140Insights Into The Versatility And Applications Of LED Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81998/Insights-Into-The-Versatility-And-Applications-Of-LED-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>LED, LED Downlight, LED Retrofit, LED Troffer....What Does It All Mean?</h1> <h2>Versatile Applications Of LED Lighting</h2> <p>With LED technology catching on like it has recently many people are considering it for new and remodel lighting projects. It's extremely low energy consumption and higher CRI output make LED look very appealing.</p> <p>Let's look at where it makes sense to use LED.</p> <h2>LED Is Cool!</h2> <p>Actually it works best in cooler environments. LED itself does produce some heat which is why reputable manufacturers spend a lot of money on their heat sink R&amp;D.</p> <p>Led works best in temperatures <strong>up to</strong> 40-50C(104-122F), sustained operation at ambient temperatures higher than that will have 2 results.</p> <p>Those 2 results with either diminished life of the LED, or death of the LED.</p> <h2>Where Is LED Usable?<img id="img-1329337118003" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/rab exterior lighting.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-exterior-led-lighting-hovey-energy-efficiency-services" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>LED lighting can be used virtually anywhere.</p> <ul> <li>Recessed lighting</li> <li>Exterior accent and area lighting</li> <li>Freezers and food coolers</li> <li>Parking lots</li> <li>LED tubes in 2X4 fixtures</li> <li>Industrial explosion proof lighting</li> <li>In the lamp next to your chair</li> </ul> <p>They work....practically anywhere.</p> <p>Manufacturers are designing fixtures and lamps for almost any scenario.</p> <h2>What are the limits of LED lighting?</h2> <p>No lighting technology fits EVERY application unfortunately. As stated earlier ambient temperature is one consideration.</p> <h3>Fixture Wattage</h3> <p>Other factors to consider would be the fixture wattage it's replacing. When you start dealing with high wattage HID lighting you have to be careful. I have yet to see an LED fixture that will go head to head with 400 and 1,000 what HID.</p> <p>There are manufacturers that claim to have fixtures that meet that need, but claiming and performing are two totally different things! <a href="http://www.rabweb.com/product_line_detail.php?prodline=ALED" rel="nofollow" title="Rabb Lighting" target="_self"></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.rabweb.com/product_line_detail.php?prodline=ALED" rel="nofollow" title="Rabb Lighting" target="_self">Rabb Lighting</a> has some very good economical HID parking lot lighting that replaces <strong>up to</strong> 250WMH fixtures. Looking at the data I can honestly say that they would work.</p> <p>But don't replace your 400 or 1,000WMH and think that they will compete.....because they won't!&nbsp;</p> <h3>Cost</h3> <p>Another consideration is cost. I am not in R&amp;D so I have no idea what it costs to produce an LED product but compared to other lighting technology LED is more expensive.</p> <p>This gets offset by it's extremely low power consumption and minimal maintenance costs, but only to a point. Most people when looking into investing in lighting upgrades look at payback, more specifically they like to see 2 years or less.</p> <p>Just be aware that the initial costs of LED is more than other lighting technologies. It's best to have an open mind and bigger picture with LED lighting, with 100,000 hour life ratings you need to look at savings over the life of the system!</p> <p>Learn more about life of lighting systems by reading <strong title="here"><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73860/How-to-Calculate-the-Lifetime-Return-on-Energy-Efficient-Investments" rel="nofollow" title="here" target="_self"></a><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73860/How-to-Calculate-the-Lifetime-Return-on-Energy-Efficient-Investments" title="How to Calculate the Lifetime Return on Energy Efficient Investments" target="_self">How to Calculate the Lifetime Return on Energy Efficient Investments</a></strong></p> <h2>Can LED Get Even Better?</h2> <p class="title instapaper_title"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuji_Nakamura" title="Shuji Nakamura" target="_self">Shuji Nakamura</a>, considered the Father of LED is behind the newest innovation in LED technology. His company, <a href="http://www.soraa.com/" title="Soraa" target="_self">Soraa</a>&nbsp;has: &nbsp;</p> <p class="firstHeading">"developed a new way to manufacturer an LED light that produces a light that is brighter, has a <strong>better quality</strong>, is more <strong>energy efficient</strong>, and <strong>saves more money</strong> than its competitors on the market."</p> <p class="title instapaper_title">The new LED technology is discussed in an article written by blogger Katie Fehrenbacher called&nbsp;<a href="http://gigaom.com/cleantech/startup-soraa-unveils-game-changing-next-gen-led-light/" title="Startup Soraa unveils game changing next-gen LED&nbsp;light" target="_self">Startup Soraa unveils game changing next-gen LED&nbsp;light</a>. &nbsp;</p> <p>For the applications LED won't work in, it looks like technology will eventually catch up and fill those gaps.&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>How Do You Know If LED Right For You?</strong></h2> <p>Chances are that <strong>LED lighting</strong> has a place in your new installation or remodel. Use it for LED downlighting, LED retrofits, and new installations. &nbsp;The guidelines above are a great place to get started.</p> <p>Just remember, LED May NOT work in all applications.&nbsp; Take the time and utilize a qualified contractor and lighting designer to help minimize any problems in upcoming projects.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" id="hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"> <a href="/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit"><img id="hs-cta-img-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/547c68e3-b828-438b-b578-2db3c314b8b0-1327095599851/learn-morehow-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-aud.png?v=1327095600.18" alt="learn-morehow-to-do-your-own-commercial" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/547c68e3-b828-438b-b578-2db3c314b8b0-1327095599851/learn-morehow-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-aud.png?v=1327095600.18" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h6>&nbsp;<em>(picture provided by www.prolighting.com)</em></h6> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81998/Insights-Into-The-Versatility-And-Applications-Of-LED-Lighting&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolThu, 16 Feb 2012 20:06:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81998http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81949/T8-Lighting-Energy-Efficient-Applications-And-Uses-For-T8-Fixtures#Comments335T8 Lighting: Energy Efficient Applications And Uses For T8 Fixtureshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81949/T8-Lighting-Energy-Efficient-Applications-And-Uses-For-T8-Fixtures<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>When And Where To Use T8 Technology</h2> <p>While its easy for me to know what lighting fits what application due to my years in the field, there are many out there who have questions.</p> <p>This article will highlight the most common applications for T8 lighting; when its a good choice and when it's not.<img id="img-1329322145285" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/t8 lamp.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-t8-vs-t5-hovey-electric" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></p> <h2>Temperature Of The Area Is Key</h2> <p>T8 lighting by fluorescent standards is pretty good at handling the cold. While it's not meant for exterior applications it can operate down to temperatures of around 50F without noticeable lumen depreciation.&nbsp;</p> <h2>The T8 Has Limitations</h2> <p>Another key factor is mounting height. While T8 is far better than T12 lighting it still lacks the punch that a T5 would offer. For this reason you will want to watch the height your mounting the fixtures at.</p> <p>There are T8 F-bay fixtures that are replacements for Metal Halide area lighting but these work best at heights of twenty foot or less.</p> <p>If you do have to stretch it to twenty five foot I highly recommend the minimum you install would be a 6 lamp fixture to compensate for the added height.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Where T8 Really "Shines"</h2> <p>The most common application for T8 is in office lighting, there's a good chance it's working right over your head as you read this.</p> <p>Climate controlled areas with lower ceilings are where the T8 maximizes it's performance. Typical office hours of 10-12 hrs per day lend themselves to actually maximizing both lamp and ballast life of T8 lighting.</p> <p>With a rated lamp life of 36,000 hrs for standard lamps and up to 42,000 hrs. for extended life lamps, T8 lighting helps cut down on maintenance costs for large office, school, and government buildings making it a popular and economical choice.</p> <h2>Where Else Can You Use T8?</h2> <p>Anywhere you have a climate controlled environment with lower mounting heights are great places. Other areas include:</p> <ul> <li>Heated storage areas</li> <li>Fabrication floors</li> <li>Mechanic garages</li> </ul> <p>All are great areas for this versatile lighting technology. Take a look around. Do you have areas with older T12 or Metal Halide lighting installed that meet these criteria?</p> <p>If so, then you have the perfect opportunity to upgrade to a much better light that helps cut down on costs. Take a look at our article about <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81721/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-How-To-Transform-Existing-T12-To-T8" title="How To Transform Existing T12 To T8 Using Retrofit Kits.&nbsp;" target="_self">How To Transform Existing T12 To T8 Using Retrofit Kits.&nbsp;</a></p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting</h2> <p>Download a Free Copy of our eBook, Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency.&nbsp; We dive into many of the advantages of new lighting including annual savings, tax deductions, reduced maintenance and increases in productivity.&nbsp; Just click the book below for your copy....</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> &nbsp;</p> <h2>Other Articles Related To T8</h2> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81510/A-Few-Quick-Tips-to-Help-You-Find-the-Best-Applications-T8-vs-T5" title="A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Applications: T8 vs. T5">A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Applications: T8 vs. T5</a></h3> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/63963/How-to-Calculate-Total-Fixture-Wattage-for-Fluorescent-Lighting" title="How to Calculate Total Fixture Wattage for Fluorescent Lighting">How to Calculate Total Fixture Wattage for Fluorescent Lighting</a></h3> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81721/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-How-To-Transform-Existing-T12-To-T8" title="Energy Efficient Solutions: How To Transform Existing T12 To T8">Energy Efficient Solutions: How To Transform Existing T12 To T8</a></h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81949/T8-Lighting-Energy-Efficient-Applications-And-Uses-For-T8-Fixtures&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolWed, 15 Feb 2012 09:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81949http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80082/5-Reasons-Why-You-Will-Fall-In-Love-With-Fluorescent-T5-Lighting#Comments2335 Reasons Why You Will Fall In Love With Fluorescent T5 Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80082/5-Reasons-Why-You-Will-Fall-In-Love-With-Fluorescent-T5-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1><b>Here's Why You Will Fall In Love Fluorescent T5 Technology...</b></h1> <h1><b><img id="img-1329164673009" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/red heart.jpg" border="0" alt="why-you-will-love-energy-efficient-lighting-t5-lighting" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></b></h1> <h2><b>1. Fewer Watts Per Fixture<br /></b></h2> <p>T-5 Ballast and bulbs are a better combination all around but one of the greatest benefits is the reduction in wattage required to light these up compared to a T12 fixture.&nbsp; The difference in savings will depend on which type of fixture. We have used fixtures with wattage ratings of 190 watts.</p> <h2><b>2. Better Light Quality</b></h2> <p>Lumen maintenance (Brightness) in the newer fluorescent bulb is much higher than it has been in the past.&nbsp; Many of the bulbs today lose less than 20% of their light output over the life of the bulb.&nbsp; But, the life of the bulb is much higher than in the past.&nbsp;</p> <h2><b>3. Better Bulb Life = Less Maintenance</b></h2> <p>A typical T12 bulb is rated for 18,000 hours of life expectancy.&nbsp; There are many options in T-5 which have expected life ranging from 30,000 to 42,000 hours.&nbsp; By extending the life of the bulb, you can expect less maintenance since you will not have to replace the bulbs.&nbsp;</p> <p>Many people do not consider the replacement of the bulb as a cost.&nbsp; But if you have an employee doing this for you, <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5" title="there is a cost....you just haven't tracked it " target="_self">there is a cost....you just haven't tracked it </a>yet!</p> <h2><b>4. Does Color Temperature Warm Your Heart?</b></h2> <p>You may recognize some numbers like <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/kelvin-light-scale/" title="4100k, 5000k, 5500k, 6500k" target="_self">4100k, 5000k, 5500k, 6500k</a>.&nbsp; Have you seen those numbers on any packaging?&nbsp; This indicates the color temperature of the bulb.&nbsp; This can have a significant impact on how bright your facility actually is.&nbsp;</p> <p>The closer you get to 6000, the closer you are to the actual Kelvin temperature range of a mid-day sunny afternoon.&nbsp;&nbsp; While the 4100k bulbs may appear warmer, a 5500k bulb in contrast will appear cooler.&nbsp; The higher the k value, the brighter the light.&nbsp;</p> <h2>5. Reduce Fixture Count, Less To Love...</h2> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Project</span></h3> <p>We installed new lighting for the <a href="http://crippencars.com/" title="Crippen GMC-Buick-Mazda-Volvo Auto dealership in Lansing Michigan.&nbsp;" target="_self">Crippen GMC-Buick-Mazda-Volvo Auto dealership in Lansing Michigan.&nbsp;</a> In the <a href="http://crippencars.com/body-shop/" title="Paint area" target="_self">Paint area</a>, they had 56 T-12 HO existing fixtures.&nbsp; We measured the footcandles (fc) in the area and were right around 30fc.&nbsp; We engineered a new photometric layout of the area and found that we could replace the 56 fixtures with 16 T-5 High Bay Fixtures.&nbsp; We estimated an increase of 20fc for a total fc</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Result</span></h3> <p>We were able to replace all 56 T-12 HO fixtures with 16 <a href="http://www.ultraluxlight.com/commercial_lighting_fixtures_46_ctg.htm" title="T-5 High Bay Fixtures manufactured by Everlast, from Jackson, MI." target="_self">T-5 High Bay Fixtures manufactured by Everlast, from Jackson, MI.</a>&nbsp; In the application, we were able to raise the footcandle values from 30 fc to 60 fc.&nbsp;</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The 3 Advantages We Were Able To Explore Using T-5</span></h3> <ol> <li><strong><span style="color: #000000;">We used a lower wattage fixtures</span></strong></li> <li><strong><span style="color: #000000;">We reduced the number of fixtures</span></strong></li> <li><strong><span style="color: #000000;">By using higher kelvin and CRI, we were able to increase brightness</span></strong></li> </ol> <h2><span style="color: #000000;">We Love Our Customers....</span></h2> <p>Fluorescent T5 technology is just one aspect of energy efficient lighting you may consider for your facility.&nbsp; Determining the right application requires a careful analysis of your existing lighting, lighting applications and energy efficiency goals.&nbsp;</p> <p>Learn more about how energy efficiency can impact your bottom line with our eBook: <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency - Lighting Solutions" target="_self"><strong><em>Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency - Lighting Solutions</em></strong></a>.&nbsp; Download it today, for FREE...You Will "Love" It, I promise!</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> <span style="color: #000000;"><br /></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80082/5-Reasons-Why-You-Will-Fall-In-Love-With-Fluorescent-T5-Lighting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 14 Feb 2012 13:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:80082http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81721/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-How-To-Transform-Existing-T12-To-T8#Comments1,286Energy Efficient Solutions: How To Transform Existing T12 To T8http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81721/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-How-To-Transform-Existing-T12-To-T8<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>If You Have Existing T12 2x4 Fixtures, You Don't Have To Remove Them....Here's Why...</h1> <h2><a class="view">Hello....Energy Efficient Lighting Retrofit Kits</a></h2> <p>Have you heard about retrofit kits?&nbsp;</p> <p>Maybe you may have heard this term before and wondered what they are?</p> <p>Using a retrofit kit is a cost effective method of replacing old T-12 technology without having to replace an entire fixture.&nbsp;</p> <p>Many customers we talk to often insist on getting new fixtures.&nbsp; What they don't typically understand, is that the shell of the fixture is steel or aluminum and typically treated with coatings that don't rust.&nbsp; The shell of a fixture typically does not deteriorate.&nbsp;</p> <p>It's the "guts" of the fixture that need to be changed out.&nbsp; Manufacturers have created a suitable alternative to make upgrading your facility a much easier task to accomplish.&nbsp;</p> <p>To give you an idea of how a retrofit works, let's look at a product that we used on our most recent project.</p> <h2>Here Is A Project We Just Completed A Project Utilizing This Concept...</h2> <p>We recently upgraded a large tile manufacturer to T8 F-bay lighting.</p> <p>Along with the manufacturing area we also were given the task of installing retro fit kits into the existing office lighting. The lighting provider for the project, <a href="http://www.coffmanhomedecor.com/" rel="nofollow" title="Coffman home decor" target="_self">Coffman Home Decor</a> introduced us to a very economical and labor saving product that really got our attention.&nbsp;</p> <p>We were very impressed with the product. Here's more about it,</p> <h2>The Retrofit Kit We Used....<img id="img-1328728799214" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/texas fluorescent.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-t12-retrofit-kits-hovey-electric" width="210" height="210" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p><a href="http://www.texasfluorescents.com/" rel="nofollow" title="Texes Fluorescents" target="_self">Texas Fluorescents </a>is a product line that Coffman Home decor carries. They are the manufacturer of the&nbsp;<span><a href="http://www.texasfluorescents.com/Specifications/22Pseries.pdf" rel="nofollow" title="24C - 2 x 4 Retrofit Reflector Kit" target="_self">24C - 2 x 4 Retrofit Reflector Kit</a> that we used in our project. </span></p> <p><span>The kit consists of new end plates, tombstones (otherwise known as bulb holders), and your choice between a white or mirrored specular reflector. </span></p> <p><span>Texas Fluorescent also packages their kit with <strong>energy efficient</strong> <a href="http://www.gelighting.com/na/business_lighting/education_resources/literature_library/ballast/" title="GE UltraMax ballasts" target="_self">GE UltraMax ballasts</a> (these are the Good ones!) to provide a turn-key style solution to it's customers. </span></p> <p><span>In our installation we utilized the specular reflector as well as Ultramax ballasts for the install.</span></p> <h2>Retrofit Installations Easier Than A Complete Fixture Change Out....</h2> <p>The installation is relatively easy, but this is not to say everyone should go off and try to do this on your own.&nbsp; The hardware portion of the installation is easy enough, it's the electricity that can give you problems.&nbsp;</p> <p>Electricity is not to be played with by amateurs.&nbsp; Nonetheless, I wanted to go over the procedure just to show you how simple a retrofit can be done.&nbsp;</p> <h4>1. Go to the breaker panel, shut off power to circuit you will be working with.&nbsp;</h4> <h4>2. Open the fixture and remove the ballast cover pan and ballast.</h4> <h4>3. Remove the tombstone sockets and holders.</h4> <h4>4. Install new sockets, holders, ballast, lamps, and reflector.</h4> <h4>5. Turn the power on and enjoy!</h4> <p>Essentially, you eliminate removing the existing fixture and putting in a new one.&nbsp; This can sometimes be nearly impossible depending on the scenario.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Shouldn't I Just Buy A New Fixture?</h2> <p>That is still entirely up to you...but we think it is silly to replace the ENTIRE fixture.&nbsp; Utilizing a retrofit kit is essentially recycling the existing fixture.&nbsp;</p> <p>Actually retrofits are more cost effective for a few reasons.</p> <p><strong>1. No Disruption Of Existing Ceiling</strong></p> <p>All work can be done from below the ceiling, in older buildings this is a plus as you may run into Asbestos in older ceiling spaces.</p> <p><strong>2. Guaranteed Quality Ballast</strong></p> <p>One thing to keep in mind when comparing a retrofit to a new fixture, is that if you order a new light the manufacturer uses whatever ballast is cheapest to buy at the time.</p> <p>There's a chance that the ballast you get with your fixture will NOT meet guidelines for an energy rebate program. Yes you can order it specifically with a ballast that does, but lighting manufacturers then charge you more for the fixture.</p> <p><strong>3. Easier To Work Around Existing Schedule</strong></p> <p>Since there is less time involved with installation, it is much easier to keep the normal pace of operations going on during a retrofit application.&nbsp; This is especially important in office situations where you want to get the person back to work.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Retrofitting Is More Cost Effective</h2> <p>Hands down retrofitting 2x4 fixtures is more cost effective than buying a new fixture. Plus you know exactly what you are getting.&nbsp; It will require less time and save a lot of disruption to your business.&nbsp;</p> <p>If your thinking of doing an upgrade in the near future I highly recommend them.</p> <p>Got question....curious to see if they are right for your business?</p> <p>Contact us today or leave a comment below and we will get in touch with you. Or come try our FREE downloadable e book below....</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81721/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-How-To-Transform-Existing-T12-To-T8&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolMon, 13 Feb 2012 13:16:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81721http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81561/How-To-Calculate-Watts-Savings-CREE-LED-Cr-24-vs-Fluorescent-T12#Comments277How To Calculate Watts & Savings: CREE LED Cr 24 vs Fluorescent T12 http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81561/How-To-Calculate-Watts-Savings-CREE-LED-Cr-24-vs-Fluorescent-T12<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>What Is A Good Replacement For 2x4 T12 Fixtures?<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/creeled2x4troffer-png-360pxw.png" border="0" alt="how-to-calculate-watts-cree-led-cr24" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h1> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75301/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-CREE-LED-More-Efficient-Than-Fluorescent" title="In a previous article I highlighted the benefit of the CREE LED 2x4 replacement fixture" target="_self">In a previous article I highlighted the benefit of the CREE LED 2x4 replacement fixture</a>.&nbsp; Today were going to compare the LED 2x4 to a standard T12 2x4.</p> <p>T12 technology is going by the wayside. The federal government is accepting the T8 amp as the new standard......but that doesn't mean you don't have choices beyond fluorescent.</p> <h2>T12 2x4 vs. LED 2x4</h2> <h3>Fluorescent T12</h3> <p>A standard T12 lamp has a life of 20,000 hours and a lumen output of around 2500 lumens.</p> <p>The lumens per watt of T12 is roughly around 60 and a CRI of 70. Your average 2 lamp fixture will consume 90 watts, the 4 lamp version will consume roughly 160 - 170 watts depending on the ballast.</p> <h3>CREE LED Troffer</h3> <p>The <a href="http://www.creeledlighting.com/Products/Architectural-Troffers/CR24.aspx" rel="nofollow" title="CREE LED" target="_self">CREE LED</a> fixture has a <strong>MINIMUM</strong> rated life of 50,000 hours. It boasts a<strong> MINIMUM</strong> 90 lumens per watt with an option for 110.</p> <p>The fixture is available in 4 light output levels but let's choose the 4000 lumen model that that produces 110 lumens per watt and only consumes a total of 36 watts and has a CRI of 90.</p> <h2>Comparing The Cost To Light Annually</h2> <p>Lets you have existing 2 lamp T12 fixtures in an office environment:</p> <p>We have 100 total fixtures that run 11 hours a day at .11 cents per KWH.</p> <p><strong>T12 Fluorescent-</strong> 100 X 165 watts = 16,500W/1000 = 16.5 KW</p> <p>16.5KW X 4016 annual hrs = 66,264 KWH yearly</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">66,264KWH X .11cents per KWH = <strong>$7,289.04 annually to run</strong></span></p> <p><em><strong>VS.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>CREE LED Troffer-</strong> 100 X 36 = 3600W/1000 = 3.6 KW</p> <p>3.6KW X 4016 annual hrs. = 14,458 KWH yearly</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">14,458KWH X .11cents per KWH = <strong>$1590.38 annually to run.</strong></span>&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><em>Savings = $5,698.66 per year</em></span></strong></h2> <h2>SEE The Difference In This CREE Video</h2> <p>I could go on but the video shows the difference! Curious yet? Contact us today and find out if LED is right for your business!</p> <p><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" id="img-1328707218508" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WOpHmjDyMPE" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p> <p>&nbsp;<span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" id="hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6"> <a href="/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012"><img id="hs-cta-img-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/1b9b0b12-04fa-482a-940b-ee2fbe36af2f-1328022847622/go-here-to-rsvp-for-free-energy-efficient-lighting.png?v=1328022847.88" alt="go-here-to-rsvp-for-free-energy-efficien" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/1b9b0b12-04fa-482a-940b-ee2fbe36af2f-1328022847622/go-here-to-rsvp-for-free-energy-efficient-lighting.png?v=1328022847.88" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81561/How-To-Calculate-Watts-Savings-CREE-LED-Cr-24-vs-Fluorescent-T12&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolFri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81561http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81212/3-Reasons-Why-Utilities-Offer-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives#Comments1,9833 Reasons Why Utilities Offer Energy Efficiency Incentiveshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81212/3-Reasons-Why-Utilities-Offer-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Did You Know That Utilities Across The Country Are Offering Cash Energy Efficiency Incentives?</h1> <h2>How To Claim "Free Money" Through Utility Incentive Programs</h2> <p>There are many types of utility incentives available to home owners and commercial<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Red bag with cash.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficiency-incentives-utilities-have-cash" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> businesses.&nbsp; The incentive programs from the utility is typically a direct cash incentive for upgrading to a more energy efficient system.&nbsp; Each state and or utility offer different programs <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81203/The-Best-Kind-Of-State-Incentives-For-Energy-Efficiency-CASH" title="(I listed each State in another post on incentives)." target="_self">(I listed each State in another post on incentives).</a></p> <p>There are incentives available for lighting, motors, lighting control systems, solar, wind energy, windows, and on and on.&nbsp; There are a lot of options that qualify for cash incentives.&nbsp;</p> <p>The cash incentives can make a real difference in how attractive the project is.&nbsp; The lower the cost of an improvement, the quicker the payback will be.&nbsp;</p> <p>Simple payback is determined by the cost of the improvement vs. the anticipated savings over time.&nbsp;</p> <p>The lower the cost of improvement, the quicker the payback to the end user.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Why Are Incentives Offered?</h2> <p>Most of the utilities will list that the reason they are doing this is that "it's just right for our families".&nbsp; While that is a good reason, utilities and public companies rarely do things that are "just right", and instead make their decisions based on money.&nbsp; There's nothing wrong with that, but here is what I think is going on.&nbsp;</p> <p>There are 3 reasons they are offering incentives:</p> <h3>1. Demand On The Aging Electrical Grid</h3> <p>There is a great deal of documentation on the status of the nation's electrical grid.&nbsp; It seems as though the "close our eyes and hopefully nothing will happen" is not a realistic approach to fixing the problem.&nbsp; We as consumers now "consume" many more electronics.&nbsp;</p> <p>It seems like we are constantly plugging in Ipods, smart phones, Nooks, Laptops, and Flat Screen TV's.&nbsp;</p> <p>The demand in continually rising on an outdated system.&nbsp; Since it takes an act of God to get new power capacity in place, it only makes sense to motivate people through incentives to reduce the amount of energy they consume.&nbsp;</p> <h3>2. The Government Says So</h3> <p>In Michigan, the Renewable and Energy Efficiency Act dictated to the utilities that they were pretty much going to do this.&nbsp;</p> <p>I find it interesting that the states mandated this right around the time of President Obama signing into law the stimulus act.&nbsp;</p> <p>While I don't have the proof of the timing, but it seems to be much more of a priority since that time.&nbsp;</p> <h3>3. Energy Efficiency is Cheaper Than Building Power Plants</h3> <p>The utilities have figured out that for every $1 paid out in energy efficiency incentives, they save about $9 compared to the cost of building a power plant to generate that amount of energy that the efficiency incentive offset.&nbsp;</p> <p>That is a bit of a long winded sentence...but we are discussing utilities! If you didn't follow that, which I don't know that I even did...I will put it another way.&nbsp;</p> <p>By paying you $1000 in cash incentives, they don't have to spend $10,000 to build the capacity that would be required if they didn't pay you the $1,000.</p> <p class="entry-title">We had a perfect example of this right here in the middle of Michigan.&nbsp; <a href="http://www.mlive.com/business/mid-michigan/index.ssf/2011/12/consumers_energy_wont_build_ne.html" title="Consumers Energy won't build new $2.3 billion coal-fired plant in Bay County" target="_self">Consumers Energy won't build new $2.3 billion coal-fired plant in Bay County</a>. This project had been in the plans for over 4 years.&nbsp; While I am sure that the recession did play a part, they are actually reducing the demand for their product through incentives.&nbsp;</p> <p class="entry-title">I noted in a earlier blog last year titled<a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50996/Learn-How-to-Find-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives" title="Learn How to Find Energy Efficiency Incentives"> Learn How to Find Energy Efficiency Incentives</a> that in 2010, <a href="http://www.consumersenergy.com" title="Consumers Energy" target="_self">Consumers Energy</a> reduced 124,700,000 Kilowatt/Hours in 2010 with a budget of $11,300,000.&nbsp;</p> <p class="entry-title">The budget for 2011 at the time was set at $36,000,000, so that number of reduction would likely be much higher (should see those numbers soon). <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81339/42-000-Fact-About-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-And-The-Cost-Of-Waiting" title="But don't wait too long to act, these programs are very popular and run out of money fast." target="_self">But don't wait too long to act, these programs are very popular and run out of money fast.</a>&nbsp;</p> <h2 class="entry-title">Learn More About How Energy Efficiency Can Help Your Business</h2> <p>There are a lot of benefits of exploring energy efficient strategies for your business. We wrote a FREE E-Book called, Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency.&nbsp; We talk about incentives, annual savings, Energy Policy Act of 2005, maintenance savings and productivity improvements.&nbsp; Download it here....</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81212/3-Reasons-Why-Utilities-Offer-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81212http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81576/How-To-Calculate-Watts-Savings-CREE-LED-vs-65-Watt-Incandescent#Comments896How To Calculate Watts & Savings: CREE LED vs 65 Watt Incandescenthttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81576/How-To-Calculate-Watts-Savings-CREE-LED-vs-65-Watt-Incandescent<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Incandescent 65 Watt Downlights Are Out!<img id="img-1328640786619" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/incandescent can.jpg" border="0" alt="65w-incandecent-replacement-for-energy-efficient-lighting" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>I have them in my house.......and there is a good chance you have them in your home or business as well. The old Incandescent can or downlight.</p> <p>They are extremely inefficient, require regular re-lamping, and have a bad habit of going out at the wrong time.</p> <p>Compact fluorescents are an option to consider but they seem to have downsides as well such as a limit to dimming, or taking time to come up to full brightness.</p> <h2>A Better Option, The CREE LED Downlight Insert</h2> <p>The days of being annoyed with recessed downlighting are over. No longer do you have to choose between fluorescent or incandescent lamping options which each have faults.</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.creeledlighting.com/Products/Downlights.aspx" rel="nofollow" title="CREE LED Downlight " target="_self">CREE LED Downlight </a>is a clever "insert" that fits into your existing can housing. It's comes in<img id="img-1328706062210" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/cree.jpg" border="0" alt="CREE-LED-Can-light-insert-energy-efficient-lighting" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> 120V and 277V for commercial applications. Wattages range from 10.5W to 12W, with the 12W being a direct replacement for a 100W incandescent.</p> <p>Let's see how they stack up to Incandescent downlights.</p> <h2>Take A Look At The Numbers:</h2> <p><strong>Incandescent-</strong> A typical BR30 65W lamp has a rated life of 2000 hrs. The CRI is 2600K and the Lumen output is right around 50. Most people like the Incandescent for its dimming abilities which is why they keep it.</p> <p><strong>LED Insert-</strong>&nbsp;The CREE LED downlight insert has a rated life of 50,000 hours and consumes only 12.5 watts of electricity. The CRI is available in 2700K as well as 3500K and it's dimmable down to 20%. The LED technology produces up to an amazing 1000 lumens, that's 80 lumens per watt!</p> <h2>Annual Savings Between 65 Watt vs. CREE LED</h2> <p>Let's look at a business or school that has the lighting on 3650 hrs. annually(10 hrs a day). We'll assume something small, 20 fixtures total with a .10KWH rate.</p> <p>Incandescent- $474.50 annual cost to run.</p> <p>CREE LED- $91.25 annual cost to run.</p> <p>Energy savings = $383.25!!!!</p> <h2>Is That All?</h2> <p>Actually no, the lights were on 3650 hrs in a year that means that all of our incandescent lamps burned out and need to be replaced. &nbsp;20 X $3.50 = $70.00 for lamps.</p> <p>The new LED is $91.25 a year to run.....but throw in $70 of lamps every year and we knock it down to $21.25 a year to operate LED over the existing!. If I factor in labor costs to change the lamps yearly it's essentially FREE light over what you have now!</p> <p>Wondering if LED downlights are a good fit for your school or business? Contact us today, we can show you what rebates are available and the energy savings you can achieve!</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" id="hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6"> <a href="/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012"><img id="hs-cta-img-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/e1c722e3-f237-4f55-ba53-1d12efa94eab-1328022939847/rsvp-free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-22812.png?v=1328022940.09" alt="rsvp-free-energy-efficient-lighting-se" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/e1c722e3-f237-4f55-ba53-1d12efa94eab-1328022939847/rsvp-free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-22812.png?v=1328022940.09" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81576/How-To-Calculate-Watts-Savings-CREE-LED-vs-65-Watt-Incandescent&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolWed, 08 Feb 2012 13:19:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81576http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81203/The-Best-Kind-Of-State-Incentives-For-Energy-Efficiency-CASH#Comments417The Best Kind Of State Incentives For Energy Efficiency - CASH!http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81203/The-Best-Kind-Of-State-Incentives-For-Energy-Efficiency-CASH<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Did You Know There Is Cash Sitting There Waiting For You?<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/cash changing hands.jpg" border="0" alt="state-incentives-for-energy-efficiency-pay-cash" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>So many people really think that energy efficiency is a scam.&nbsp; It is ironic in "web based" world that the impression would still be intact.&nbsp;</p> <p>We have talked to business owners who told us they were interested, but they thought the Government was involved and it just "makes me so mad I won't do it".&nbsp; Those are the folks who really miss out.&nbsp; Energy efficient technology has really improved over the past 5 years.&nbsp;</p> <p>Combining <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80952/What-Is-Annual-Energy-Savings-and-How-Do-I-Calculate-The-Savings" title="annual savings" target="_self">annual savings</a>, utility incentives, <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80988/The-Energy-Policy-Act-of-2005-Tax-Deduction-vs-Tax-Credit" title="tax deductions" target="_self">tax deductions</a>, <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5" title="maintenance savings" target="_self">maintenance savings</a> and <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75080/Why-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Improves-Employee-Productivity-Part-1" title="increases in productivity" target="_self">increases in productivity</a> can make a very compelling case for an energy efficient upgrade.....even if you don't think you NEED one!</p> <p>Not all of the projects that we look at make sense for the owner...but how do you know until you investigate?</p> <h2>Let's Take A Look At Utility Incentives...</h2> <p>One of the easiest ways to investigate if energy efficiency savings is a real deal, just check out your electric utility website.&nbsp; See if there is any mention there about energy efficient lighting, motors, home improvements...the list goes on and on.&nbsp;</p> <p>Taking advantage of incentives is one of the easiest ways to reduce the time of payback on any project you might consider investing in.&nbsp; But it isn't always a perfect world, so let's see what some of the problems are related to Utility Incentives.</p> <h2 class="entry-title">The Problem With Utility Incentives</h2> <p class="entry-title">When the program runs out of money, it's gone.&nbsp; So if you have been planning a project for 6 months or so dependent on the incentives, you might find very quickly that your plans are dashed.&nbsp;</p> <p class="entry-title">It is no fun sitting there knowing you are spending $2,000 per month more than you should be and the <a href="$42,000 Fact About Energy Efficient Lighting And The Cost Of Waiting" title="decision to wait is going to cost you another $12,000 to wait until the programs are available again." target="_self">decision to wait is going to cost you another $12,000 to wait until the programs are available again.</a>&nbsp;</p> <p class="entry-title">Each utility is different, but we have seen advanced notice that the programs were running out of money and we have gotten notice AFTER the program had run out of money.&nbsp; In 2010, the Consumers Energy program ran out of funds in June and in 2011, they ran out in August.&nbsp;</p> <p class="entry-title">So if you are planning a project and wait it out, you will be stuck until the new program begins in the new year.&nbsp; People are taking advantage of these programs, so you don't want to wait.</p> <p class="entry-title">They are there for the taking, but they will not just write a check for doing nothing.</p> <h2 class="entry-title">Eligibility Can Be Tricky To Figure Out</h2> <p class="entry-title">We work in energy efficiency every day and see new programs all the time.&nbsp; Even though we have a strong understanding of how electricity works and what you need to do to reduce consumption, we still often are left scratching our heads.&nbsp;</p> <p class="entry-title">Learning a new program can take anywhere from an hour to several weeks to fully understand.&nbsp; You have to do your research, that's for sure.&nbsp;</p> <p class="entry-title">The best way to know if your eligible for a utility incentive is to do the research on what is available and who is eligible by researching the programs.&nbsp; Some are basic an easy while others require a PhD to figure it out.&nbsp;</p> <p class="entry-title">Here is a list of available Financial Incentives By State. This is the best place to start.</p> <span class="question active" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px;"><strong><a></a></strong></span> <h2><strong>Alphabetical State Listing For Available Financial Incentives:</strong></h2> <ul style="margin-left: 0.375in; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in;" type="disc"> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=AL" title="Alabama" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Alabama</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=AK" title="Alaska" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Alaska</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=AZ" title="Arizona" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Arizona</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=AR" title="Arkansas" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Arkansas</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=AR" title="California" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">California</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=CO" title="Colorado" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Colorado</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=CO" title="Connecticut" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Connecticut</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=DE" title="Delaware" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Delaware</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=DC" title="District of Columbia" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">District of Columbia</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=FL" title="Florida" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Florida</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=GA" title="Georgia" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Georgia</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=TR" title="Guam" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Guam</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=HI" title="Hawaii" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Hawaii</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=ID" title="Idaho" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Idaho</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=IL" title="Illinois" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Illinois</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=IN" title="Indiana" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Indiana</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=IA" title="Iowa" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Iowa</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=KS" title="Kansas" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Kansas</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=KY" title="Kentucky" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Kentucky</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=LA" title="Louisiana" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Louisiana</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=ME" title="Maine" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Maine</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=MD" title="Maryland" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Maryland</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=MA" title="Massachusetts" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Massachusetts</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=MI" title="Michigan" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Michigan</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=MN" title="Minnesota" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Minnesota</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=MS" title="Mississippi" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Mississippi</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=MO" title="Missouri" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Missouri</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=MT" title="Montana" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Montana</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=NE" title="Nebraska" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Nebraska</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=NV" title="Nevada" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Nevada</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=NH" title="New Hampshire" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">New Hampshire</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=NJ" title="New Jersey" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">New Jersey</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=NM" title="New Mexico" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">New Mexico</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=NY" title="New York" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">New York</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=NC" title="North Carolina" target="_self">North Carolina</a></span></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=ND" title="North Dakota" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">North Dakota</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=TR" title="Northern Marianas Islands " target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Northern Marianas Islands </span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=OH" title="Ohio" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Ohio</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=OK" title="Oklahoma" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Oklahoma</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=OR" title="Oregon" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Oregon</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=PA" title="Pennsylvania" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Pennsylvania</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=TR" title="Puerto Rico" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Puerto Rico</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=RI" title="Rhode Island" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Rhode Island</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=SC" title="South Carolina" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">South Carolina</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=SD" title="South Dakota" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">South Dakota</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=TN" title="Tennessee" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Tennessee</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=TX" title="Texas" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Texas</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=UT" title="Utah" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Utah</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=VT" title="Vermont" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Vermont</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=VA" title="Virginia" target="_self">Virginia</a><br /></span></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=TR" title="Virgin Islands " target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Virgin Islands </span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=WA" title="Washington" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Washington</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=WV" title="West Virginia" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">West Virginia</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=WI" title="Wisconsin" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Wisconsin</span></a></h4> </li> <li style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; vertical-align: middle;"> <h4><a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1?re=undefined&amp;ee=1&amp;spv=0&amp;st=0&amp;srp=1&amp;state=WY" title="Wyoming" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Wyoming</span></a></h4> </li> </ul> <h2>So, Should I....or..Shouldn't I?</h2> <p>Never turn away Free cash, like a Free lunch, it doesn't come by often.&nbsp; Just be sure investigate those incentives available and don't sit around and wait.&nbsp; Waiting too long can cost you a great deal of money! Check on your State, see what is available and let us know if we can help you out. &nbsp;</p> <h2>Oh....And Don't Forget Our Webinar On February 21st, 2012....</h2> <p>We are going to cover a lot more about utility incentives as well as the other benefits of energy efficient programs across the country.&nbsp; The utility incentives are one part, but you also have <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80988/The-Energy-Policy-Act-of-2005-Tax-Deduction-vs-Tax-Credit" title="Energy Policy Act 2005" target="_self">Energy Policy Act 2005</a>, <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80952/What-Is-Annual-Energy-Savings-and-How-Do-I-Calculate-The-Savings" title="annual savings," target="_self">annual savings,</a> <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5" title="maintenance savings" target="_self">maintenance savings</a> and the <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75080/Why-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Improves-Employee-Productivity-Part-1" title="potential for increased productivity.&nbsp;" target="_self">potential for increased productivity.&nbsp;</a></p> <h3><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7" id="hs-cta-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7"> <a href="/free-webinar-how-to-do-energy-efficient-calculations" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-webinar-how-to-do-energy-efficient-calculations"><img id="hs-cta-img-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/4600195b-436e-45d3-a510-3d6801934414-1328303260493/free-webinar-how-to-do-energy-efficient-lighting-c.png?v=1328303260.74" alt="free-webinar-how-to-do-energy-efficient" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/4600195b-436e-45d3-a510-3d6801934414-1328303260493/free-webinar-how-to-do-energy-efficient-lighting-c.png?v=1328303260.74" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></h3> <h3>It's Worth A Look....</h3> <p><strong>Would you take advantage of your utilities incentives if they were available?</strong></p> <p><strong>Have you been able to claim any utility incentives?&nbsp; If so, how much?</strong></p> <p><strong>Comment in the comments section below.&nbsp;</strong></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81203/The-Best-Kind-Of-State-Incentives-For-Energy-Efficiency-CASH&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 07 Feb 2012 20:03:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81203http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-Retrofit#Comments476Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 Retrofithttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-Retrofit<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Will T-5 Replacement Make My Facility More Energy Efficient?</h1> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/CMU400wattmetalhalide600x.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-400-watt-metal-halide-vs-t5-high-bay-fluorescent" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p> <h1>Reasons Why T-5 High Bay are More Energy Efficient Than 400 Watt Metal Halide:</h1> <p>For years, the standard in industrial and warehouse lighting has been the 400W Metal Halide High Bay.</p> <p>Advancements in ballast development have led to many new lighting solutions for these applications.</p> <p>While there are many fluorescent products and different fluorescent lamp types,&nbsp;this article will focus on the T5 HO linear fluorescent or F-bay as they are known in the industry.</p> <p>Let&rsquo;s look at some of the benefits of switching existing&nbsp;400 Watt High-bays&nbsp;out with the new F-bay.</p> <h2>Energy Efficient T-5 Fixtures Use Less Electricity</h2> <p>A 400 Watt Metal Halide fixture uses 454 Watts.</p> <p>A Replacement T-5 fixture can use as low as 190 Watts.</p> <p>Fewer Watts = Fewer Kilowatts (See <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/" title="&quot;Watts&quot; a Watt " target="_self">"Watts" a Watt </a>Article if your not sure what we are talking about here)reducing a facilities overall cost of operating the facility.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Less Wattage = Lower Cost</h2> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;">A key factor in many managers decision to change out there lighting is the T5&rsquo;s ability to not only produce better light, but also to do it while consuming far less energy. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;">We use a&nbsp;T5 HO fixture that consumes 190 watts compared to the 454 watts that a typical 400W High Bay consumes. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;">In nearly all instances the new foot candle readings surpass those of the old lighting.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Energy Efficient T-5 Bulbs Experience Less Light Loss</h2> <p>No matter which fluorescent tube manufacturer you use their products all share one characteristic, they all will lose some of their output ability.</p> <p>Fluorescent products will lose roughly <em><strong>5-6%</strong></em> of their light output as they age.</p> <p>In comparison, Metal Halide lamps can lose as much as <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>35-40%</strong></span> of their light output during the same life span.</p> <p>That percentage of loss only gets worse as the bulb ages, all while still consuming the same 454 watts of electricity.</p> <h2>New T-5's Create Better Light</h2> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/C--Documents and Settings-jphovey.HOVEY-My Documents-My Pictures-Picasa-Exports-EPAct-Northwood University Hach Gymnasium After Lighting Retrofit-Hach Gymnasium 022-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-gymnasium-after-retrofit-to-t5-fluorescent" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p> <p>CRI is the measure of lights ability to reproduce what a color would look like in natural daylight.</p> <p>The old Metal Halide lighting has a CRI index between 65-70.</p> <p>New T5 HO lighting has a CRI index of 85.</p> <p>Lower CRI affects the eye&rsquo;s ability to see contrast, detail, and can also cause eye strain.</p> <h2>T-5 Fixtures Come on Instantly</h2> <p>All H.I.D. lamps need time to warm up and reach full lighting potential, which is why it was always such a pain to turn them off.</p> <p>T5 HO fixtures are instant on/instant off, allowing the use of motion sensors or advanced lighting controls to even further your energy savings.</p> <h2>Energy Efficient Lighting = Lower Costs</h2> <p>In today&rsquo;s economy where every dollar counts and electricity costs are only rising, upgrading your lighting system is one of the best business investments you can make into your company.</p> <p>The return on investment is relatively quick, usually under 2 years.&nbsp; Pair that with much longer life and you can continue to reap the benefits year after year. &nbsp;</p> <p>Adding municipality rebates and tax credits into the formula can have a huge impact on your payback timeline. <a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/" title="Take a look at this website to see what rebates are available in your area. " target="_self">Take a look at this website to see what rebates are available in your area. </a></p> <p>The cost of electricity is only going to go up, why not invest in your company today and reap the savings for years to come!&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>Here is a <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/northwood-university-lights-up-hach-center-gymnasium/" title="project that we completed that replaced 400 Watt Metal Halide with T-5 High Bays" target="_self">project that we completed that replaced 400 Watt Metal Halide with T-5 High Bays</a>. <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/northwood-university-lights-up-hach-center-gymnasium/" title="T-5 lighting upgrade" target="_self"></a></p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Related Articles:</h2> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81989/Where-Is-The-Best-Place-To-Use-T5-Lighting-Technology" title="Where Is The Best Place To Use T5 Lighting Technology?" target="_self">Where Is The Best Place To Use T5 Lighting Technology?</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82148/T8-vs-T5-How-To-Determine-Which-Light-Is-The-Right-Light" title="T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light" target="_self">T8 vs. T5: How To Determine Which Light Is The Right Light</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73754/Energy-Efficient-Fluorescent-Lighting-Options" title="Energy Efficient Fluorescent Lighting Options" target="_self">Energy Efficient Fluorescent Lighting Options</a></p> <p><a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/northwood-university-lights-up-hach-center-gymnasium/" title="T-5 lighting upgrade" target="_self"><br /></a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-Retrofit&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolTue, 07 Feb 2012 17:33:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:55851http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81510/A-Few-Quick-Tips-to-Help-You-Find-the-Best-Applications-T8-vs-T5#Comments223A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Applications: T8 vs. T5http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81510/A-Few-Quick-Tips-to-Help-You-Find-the-Best-Applications-T8-vs-T5<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Which Is The Better Application, T8 or T5?</h1> <h2>Well, It Depends!</h2> <p>Both T5 and T8 lighting solutions are smart choices when considering a lighting upgrade, however depending on the application one of these technologies will work better.</p> <p>Several questions have come in on our blog wanting to know what type of lighting is best. Today I will outline some scenario's that will hopefully help in deciding which to use.</p> <h2>T8 Lighting Applications</h2> <p>T8 lighting performs best in areas with a controlled climate. It does do a better job than T5 in maintaining light output if it's a colder environment, but you don't want to try and run this efficiently below 55-60 degrees.</p> <p>I like to use T8 lighting anywhere my mounting height is below 15'. The reason behind this is that T8 has a lower lumen output than T5 lighting.</p> <p>In F-bay applications you can stretch that height up to 20' - 25' or so but I would recommend your fixture to have a silver reflector if you start mounting in this height.</p> <p>Silver reflectors help focus more light downward while white reflectors dissipate the light quicker. The picture below shows a recent retrofit where we replaced 8' T12 lamps and ballast with 5000K 4 lamp T8 kits. The mounting height was 20'.</p> <p><img id="img-1328557417510" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/new vs old.jpg" border="0" alt="T12 vs T8" width="400" height="300" class="alignCenter" /></p> <p>In office environments where you would be either retrofitting an existing 2X4 lay in or altogether replacing it I still prefer the T8. Couple an electronic ballast with a 28W T8 lamp and you have a perfect retrofit for office spaces.</p> <p>Light color comes in to play here a bit, in a F-bay <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/kelvin-light-scale/" title="industrial I like 5000K lamps" target="_self">industrial I like 5000K lamps</a>. In a closer office environment <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/kelvin-light-scale/" title="4100K seems to be a good color" target="_self">4100K seems to be a good color</a>. It's all a matter of the customers preference at this point so be sure to get there input on the matter.&nbsp;</p> <h2>&nbsp;T5 Lighting Applications</h2> <p>T5 lighting is also intended for conditioned spaces but tends to fare a little better in warmer environments.&nbsp;They also produce more lumens than our T8 lamps which is why we are seeing them in High bay lighting applications.</p> <p>These work best in the 20' - 30' range of mounting height, and again if the mounting is close to the 20' range I prefer a white reflector to disperse the light quicker and avoid the "spot light" effect.</p> <p>T5 lighting is great in manufacturing and industrial warehouse style applications allowing for great space lighting <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/67898/How-To-Find-The-Most-Energy-Efficient-400-Watt-Metal-Halide" title="without the high cost associated with operating Metal Halide lighting." target="_self">without the high cost associated with operating Metal Halide lighting.</a>&nbsp;<span>The chart below highlights both T5 and T8 lamp performance in relation to temperature.</span></p> <p><span><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Lumen vs Temperature2.jpg" border="0" alt="Lumens vs temperature" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /><br /></span></p> <h2>A Few More Helpful Tips:</h2> <p>I wish it was as simple as if you use "A" replace with "B", but as you can see there are factors to consider since every lighting application is different. Here are some key points to consider.<br /><strong></strong></p> <p><strong>1. Ambient temperature.&nbsp;</strong></p> <p><strong>2. Mounting height.</strong></p> <p><strong>3. Surface reflectance.</strong></p> <p>All these things come into play when deciding what is the best fit for a space.</p> <p>It may seem a bit daunting at first but that's where we come in.</p> <h4 style="text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #000000;">Are you located in the Kentucky or Tennessee area? Come see us in Elkton Ky!</span></strong></h4> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="float: left; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" id="hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6"> <a href="/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012"><img id="hs-cta-img-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/e1c722e3-f237-4f55-ba53-1d12efa94eab-1328022939847/rsvp-free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-22812.png?v=1328022940.09" alt="rsvp-free-energy-efficient-lighting-se" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/e1c722e3-f237-4f55-ba53-1d12efa94eab-1328022939847/rsvp-free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-22812.png?v=1328022940.09" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>Or, Click On The FREE E-Book To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting:</h2> <span id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 358px; height: 200px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/db5cc119-bd7e-451c-9768-68524263c81e-1311948125348/click-here-to-download.png?v=1311948125.76" alt="click-here-to-download" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/db5cc119-bd7e-451c-9768-68524263c81e-1311948125348/click-here-to-download.png?v=1311948125.76" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> <pre> <br /><br />(Picture courtesy of www.progressenergy.com)</pre>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81510/A-Few-Quick-Tips-to-Help-You-Find-the-Best-Applications-T8-vs-T5&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolMon, 06 Feb 2012 21:34:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81510http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81377/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-For-Auto-Dealership-Service-Areas#Comments181Energy Efficient Solutions For Auto Dealership Service Areashttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81377/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-For-Auto-Dealership-Service-Areas<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Brighter, Energy Efficient Solutions for Crippen Buick, GMC, Volvo and Mazda</h1> <p>Hovey Electric did a lighting upgrade in several ares of the <a href="http://crippencars.com" rel="nofollow" title="Crippen Auto Mall" target="_self">Crippen Buick, GMC, Volvo, and Mazda Auto Dealership in Lansing, MI</a> in June of 2010.</p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57309/How-Auto-Dealer-Found-Ways-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency" title="The owner, Jeff Crippen," target="_self">The owner, Jeff Crippen,</a> wanted to look into lowering his energy costs as well as increasing the poor light quality in his automotive service departments.</p> <p>One such area was the light service area. The service area is broken into two parts</p> <ol> <li>light service &nbsp;</li> <li>heavy service</li> </ol> <p>The area's utilized 20- 8' T-12-VHO and 20-8' T-12-HO strip lighting all mixed together.</p> <p>Total existing KWH was 34,975 annually.</p> <h2>Factors to Consider:</h2> <h3>Choosing the right fixture</h3> <p>When looking at this area we decided that 6 lamp T8 F-bays utilizing <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/kelvin-light-scale/" title="5000K lamps would be the best fit." target="_self">5000K lamps would be the best fit.</a> Lower ceiling heights coupled with the numerous non reflective surfaces were a perfect place to utilize this type of lighting.</p> <h3>Confirm with a photometric lighting design</h3> <p>We started from scratch and did a complete photometric lighting layout using software that would show us estimated foot candle levels. Once layout was complete power was killed and the old fixtures were demo'd out.</p> <h3>Auto Technicians love the light</h3> <p>By following our computer generated lighting layout we were able to space the fixtures for optimal coverage. New fixtures were installed and when the power was turned back on we had a much brighter, cleaner looking space.</p> <p>Immediately the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_mechanic" title="Automotive Technitians" target="_self">Automotive Technicians</a> noticed what a difference the 5000K lamps made and how much easier there eyes could pick up finer details.&nbsp;</p> <h2><iframe frameborder="0" height="355" id="img-1328297434817" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Vj9j0rNOalk" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600"></iframe></h2> <h2>The Results:Brighter, Energy Efficient Lighting</h2> <p>While the lighting quality increase was a huge plus it obviously was not the main reason for the upgrade.</p> <p>Our new fixtures had an annual KWH of 26,556.&nbsp;</p> <p>This equates to a savings of 8,419 KWH for just this space, light service.&nbsp;</p> <p>Pictures are worth 1,000 words so look for yourself!</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><img id="img-1328210805839" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/crippen before.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-solutions-for-service-areas" width="277" height="209" class="alignCenter" style="height: 209px; width: 277px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></h3> <h3 style="text-align: center;">Before<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><img id="img-1328211103051" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/crippen after-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="dealership-lighting-after-energy-efficient-lighting-upgrade" width="277" height="209" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></h3> <h3 style="text-align: center;">After</h3> <h3>Can You See The Difference?</h3> <p>Learn more about how you can achieve similar results in your auto dealership or business.&nbsp; There are many benefits to energy efficiency other than lighting quality and energy savings....learn more about energy efficiency in our E-Book: Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency.&nbsp; Just click the button below; maybe you can "see" the light!</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 531px; height: 51px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81377/Energy-Efficient-Solutions-For-Auto-Dealership-Service-Areas&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolSat, 04 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81377http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81432/FREE-Webinar-Live-How-To-Do-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Calculations#Comments90FREE Webinar: Live! How To Do Energy Efficient Lighting Calculationshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81432/FREE-Webinar-Live-How-To-Do-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Calculations<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Live Webinar - Learn Step By Step How To Do Energy Efficiency Calculations</h2> <p>Join us <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>February 21st, 2PM EST</strong></span> for a FREE webinar.&nbsp; Join myself, Jimmy Hovey and Dave VanTol, <img id="img-1328301845467" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/calculator with piggy bank.jpg" border="0" alt="free-webinar-how-to-do-calculations-for-energy-efficient-lighting-calculations" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />Energy Efficiency Consultant , while we work through a lighting analysis of a real facility.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Can We Use Your Facility As A Sample?</h2> <p>In fact, how about your facility?&nbsp; Volunteer your facility and you can join us on the Webinar as a guest.&nbsp;</p> <p>We only have about an hour, so we walk through 1 type of existing lighting. This is a perfect opportunity to see how a real commercial energy audit would be conducted.</p> <p>But don't worry, even if we don't get volunteers, we will walk you through a real facility that we are currently working on.</p> <p>We will walk you through the process step by step.</p> <h3><em>In This Webinar You Will Learn:</em></h3> <ul> <li>How to determine the right type of lighting</li> <li>How to identify the corect levels of lighting for your facility</li> <li>What your annual savings could be by upgrading to new energy efficient solutions</li> <li>Does your facility qualify for a tax deduction; Energy and Policy Act of 2005</li> <li>Learn how to calculate maintenance savings from updating to new technolgy</li> <li>Identify potential utility incentives for your local utility</li> <li>Calculate potential ROI if you were to upgrade your facility</li> <li>Sources for financing energy efficient projects</li> </ul> <h2>Webinar Ideal For....</h2> <p>This webinar is ideal for business owners, plant managers, CEO's, CFO's, Controllers and General Managers who want to better understand how energy efficient lighting could improve their bottom line....or join us if your just curious.&nbsp; Submit questions via live Twitter feed.&nbsp;</p> <p>Don't forget, if you have been curious or struggling with calculating the right energy efficiency numbers, you will want to join us for this webinar.&nbsp; It is FREE...just click the button below to sign up.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7" id="hs-cta-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7"> <a href="/free-webinar-how-to-do-energy-efficient-calculations" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-webinar-how-to-do-energy-efficient-calculations"><img id="hs-cta-img-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6f82a5d3-91fa-4022-9b38-32a7726e1c77-1328302904280/sign-me-up-for-the-webinar-on-february-21-2012.png?v=1328302905.57" alt="sign-me-up-for-the-webinar-on-february-2" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6f82a5d3-91fa-4022-9b38-32a7726e1c77-1328302904280/sign-me-up-for-the-webinar-on-february-21-2012.png?v=1328302905.57" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-47e39953-dda0-4dd4-8169-0a26fe580ae7").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81432/FREE-Webinar-Live-How-To-Do-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Calculations&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 03 Feb 2012 20:26:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81432http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5#Comments439Maintenance Cost Comparison:400 Watt Metal Halide vs.Fluorescent T5http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Have You Calculated The Cost Of A 400 Watt Metal Halide Fixture vs A Fluorescent T5?....If not, you should....</h1> <p>I'm not going to talk about how efficient <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay" title="fluorescent T5 lighting is" target="_self">fluorescent T5 lighting is</a>, or <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay" title="how terrible metal halide is" target="_self">how terrible metal halide is</a>, I don't have to! You already know that....<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay" title="or if you didn't find out, just click here" target="_self">or if you didn't find out, just click here</a>.</p> <p>What I would like to focus on is maintenance.</p> <p>It's very common for this item to be overlooked when thinking when thinking about lighting, I mean if a light goes out you just put a new lamp in right?....no big deal.</p> <h2>How Often Do You Re-Lamp Your Facility?</h2> <p>Have you ever took time to think about how much it costs to re-lamp?</p> <p>Not how much it costs when you flip the switch.....I'm talking about what it to maintain the light fixture once it has been installed.</p> <p>Lets look at an example.</p> <p>Let's say we have a medium sized manufacturing facility.&nbsp; In the warehouse work area, there are 60 - <strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> fixtures.&nbsp; The lights are lit up about 4015 hours on an annual basis.</p> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Rated lamp life:</h3> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb" title="400 watt metal halide lamp life = 18-20,000 hrs." target="_self"><strong>400 watt metal halide lamp life = 18-20,000 hrs.</strong></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Fluorescent T5 lamp life = 35,000 hrs.</strong></p> <p>I need to mention right now that the <strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> light output diminishes significantly with use. In fact, a 400 watt metal halide bulb will be 70% less bright in 3 years as the day you installed it.&nbsp;</p> <p>Sort of like a new car, drive it off the lot new and when you bring it back in 3 years, it is only worth 30%.&nbsp; The light from a 400 watt metal halide will never be as bright as the day you put a new bulb in.&nbsp;</p> <p>At 8-9,000 hours, or roughly 50% of the rated life of the bulb, you are only getting about 60% of the light output when new.</p> <p>Because of the reduction in lumen output, you realistically should replace the lamps every 2-3 years.....even though the lamp still works.&nbsp; While it still works, in reality, the lamp is not as bright as it was on day one.&nbsp; This is called lumen depreciation.</p> <p><strong><em>One important fact to consider</em></strong>: Even when the <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb" title="400 watt metal halide is giving you 50% of the light due to lumen depreciation," target="_self">400 watt metal halide is giving you 50% of the light due to lumen depreciation,</a> you are still paying the same for the electricity powering the fixture.&nbsp;</p> <p>In other words your paying for full light output and in return getting 50%. If your going to pay for 400 watts of light at least my scenario will give you that most of the time.</p> <h2>What Is The Difference In Maintenance Savings?</h2> <h3><img id="img-1328294135176" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/single gravestone.jpg" border="0" alt="bulb-life-expectancy" width="150" height="198" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />Lamp life expectancy for our example:</h3> <p>So with 4015 hrs of annual usage our <strong>fluorescent T5</strong> lamps will go roughly 8 years before needing to be changed.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>(35,000 hour lamp life/4,015 hours annual use = 8.7 years life expectancy)</strong></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb" title="Our 400 watt metal halide" target="_self">Our 400 watt metal halide</a> will last roughly 5 years</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>(20,000 hour lamp life/4,015 hours annual use = 4.98 years life expectancy)</strong></p> <p><strong><em>But wait?</em></strong></p> <p>Isn't the light output diminished 60% at 9,000 hrs? Yep...sure is. So at 12,000 hrs I'm only getting 50% of the light I should?</p> <p>If we replace the lamps every 12,000 hrs, thats every 3 years.</p> <h2>Let's Look At The Cost Of Re-Lamping</h2> <h3>Cost of lamp and ballast:</h3> <p><strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> lamp = $17.00<img id="img-1328195697939" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hid lighting.jpg" border="0" alt="metal halide lamp" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></p> <p><strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> ballast kit = $80.00</p> <p>So every 3 years we will spend $1,020 on lamps.</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>(60 replacement lamps X $17 per light = $1020 for replacement bulbs)</strong></p> <h3>We replace ballast and capacitor when re-lamping:</h3> <p>Ballasts usually last a long time.....the capacitors however seem to fail at around 3 to 3 1/2 yrs.</p> <p>Yes you can replace just the capacitor, and I have before.....only to get called back 2 weeks later because the ballast died.</p> <p>Funny thing is, customers never remember you saved them money by replacing the capacitor.&nbsp;</p> <p>What they remember is 2 weeks ago you said you fixed it and now your back because it's broke again.&nbsp; We don't like unhappy customers, so as a rule I change out the <span style="text-decoration: underline;">ballast</span> <em><strong>and</strong></em> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">capacitor</span> at the same time.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>(60 fixtures X $80 per ballast kit = $4800 for ballast kit) </strong></p> <p>So the combined cost of the lamps and ballast kits equal:</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>($1020 for lamps + $4800 for ballast kits = $5,820.00 every 3-3 1/2 yrs)</strong></p> <p>The <strong>fluorescent T5</strong> fixture will last almost <strong>9 years</strong> at this usage.</p> <h3>How many times do you have to re-lamp 400WMH before<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/calculator and notepad.jpg" border="0" alt="400-watt-metal-halide-calculating-the-cost-versus-fluorescent-t5" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> re-lamp of T5?</h3> <p>You will go through lamps and ballasts 3 times before I need to think about touching the T5 fixture.</p> <p>(9 years before maintenance <strong>fluorescent T5</strong> / 3 years before maintenance of <strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> = 3 times, you will have to maintain the <strong>400 watt metal halide</strong> 3 times)</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>($5,820 materials X 3 years = $17,460.00 in materials)</strong></p> <h3>What about labor and equipment?</h3> <p>I purposely did not include labor, this is just materials.&nbsp; Business owners usually have someone to do the maintenance.&nbsp; There is a cost to that.&nbsp; We did the calculations separate, so you could make the choice. &nbsp;</p> <p>Some places have there own lifts and electricians, others hire it out.</p> <p>For our example, I will use a very conservative cost for labor, $4,000.</p> <p>We need to figure a lift for 1 week, $675</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>($4000 labor cost + $675 lift rental = $4865 for labor and equipment)</strong></p> <p>Assuming you want to maintain your lighting levels, you will have to do this 3 times with the 400 watt metal halide vs the fluorescent t5.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>($4865 x 3 times you will need to maintain the fixtures= $14,025 labor/equipment)</strong></p> <h3>Lots of numbers, how do we put it together?</h3> <p>Well it took us awhile to get here, let's add up all the numbers to see how much it will cost you to maintain the 400 watt metal halide vs the fluorescent t5:</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>($17,460 in materials + $14,025 labor/equipment = $31,485 to maintain 60 fixtures over a 9 year period)</strong></p> <h3>Cost to maintain each fixture</h3> <p>So if you maintain your 400 watt metal halide correctly, over a 9-10 year period, operating the lights at 4,015 hours per year here is what it will cost you per fixture:</p> <p>Just Material;</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>($17,460 materials / 60 fixtures = $291 in materials to maintain the lights)</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;or materials and labor;</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>($31,485 materials,labor/equipment / 60 fixtures = $524.75 each to maintain 60 400 watt metal halide)</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Remember, <strong>$524.75</strong> is the cost to <strong>MAINTAIN</strong> the fixture; this has nothing to do with the initial cost (if you are installing them new) or the cost of electricity to power these things.&nbsp;</p> <h2><img id="img-1328294322469" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/chaging light bulb.jpg" border="0" alt="calculate-cost-of-400-watt-metal-halide-before-installing" width="178" height="178" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />There Is A Real Cost To Lighting Maintenance</h2> <p>The numbers above are not exact, but the you get the idea.&nbsp; There is a cost of maintaining 400 watt metal halides.&nbsp; Few businesses actually take the time to figure it out.&nbsp;</p> <p>Most businesses don't change the lamps when they need to, but if you are comparing the light output between the 2 fixtures, you have to factor in the change out every 3 years.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Look Deeper, There Is A Reason Why 400 Watt Metal Halide Is Cheaper</h2> <p>Calculate all of the costs when making a lighting decision for your business.&nbsp;</p> <p>Architects, Engineers and Designers are STILL specifying the 400 watt metal halide fixture, so you need all the facts before you make the decision.&nbsp;</p> <p>Afterall, you will be the one paying for maintaining the fixtures, not the Architect, Engineers or Designers.&nbsp;</p> <h2>There's a better solution</h2> <p>Contact us today and let us show you how you can cut maintenance, cut energy costs, and put more money into your business instead of giving it to the power company or to learn more about energy efficiency, download our Free E-book.&nbsp; We cover all the benefits owners can achieve with energy efficiency.&nbsp; Get your copy now.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" id="hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ffc4e00f-5dfe-4473-a02b-32e2153fec6c-1314902580467/free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiencycli.png?v=1314902580.75" alt="free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-eff" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ffc4e00f-5dfe-4473-a02b-32e2153fec6c-1314902580467/free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiencycli.png?v=1314902580.75" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h3>How much do you think it costs to maintain your lighting?</h3> <h3>Who maintains your lighting for your business?</h3> <p><em><strong>Hovey Electric provides energy efficicient lighting consulting, design, layout, construction,project management services and trains business owners how to do their own commercial energy audit.&nbsp; </strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>This article was written by Dave VanTol and edited by <a href="http://www.power4consulting.com" title="Jimmy Hovey, MBA" target="_self">Jimmy Hovey, MBA</a>.&nbsp;</strong></em></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81362/Maintenance-Cost-Comparison-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-Fluorescent-T5&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolFri, 03 Feb 2012 18:07:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81362http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81339/42-000-Fact-About-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-And-The-Cost-Of-Waiting#Comments815$42,000 Fact About Energy Efficient Lighting And The Cost Of Waitinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81339/42-000-Fact-About-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-And-The-Cost-Of-Waiting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Do You Have The Time Or Money To Wait For Energy Efficient Lighting?</h1> <h2>Waiting Too Long Can Cost You Big Time<img id="img-1328125376779" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/wait.jpg" border="0" alt="cost-of-waiting-energy-efficient-lighting-hovey" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>We started working on a project in early 2010 that still has yet to be completed. The existing lighting system was a real mess so it took some time to layout a completely new energy efficient system.&nbsp;</p> <p>We had determined that the annual energy savings would be around $3,000 per month on a $12,000 per month bill or a 30% savings.&nbsp;</p> <p>Just about the time we were ready to move forward, the incentive program from the local utility had run out.&nbsp; The incentive was going to be around $24,000.&nbsp;</p> <p>So we put the project on hold until the next years program came out. We contacted the owner when the 2011 program became available.&nbsp;</p> <p>Since it had been about 6 months, and this project required a lot of re-wiring, we had to calculate the additional cost of the copper wire and steel conduit which added about $6000 to the project cost.&nbsp; We re-worked the the numbers and re-submitted them.&nbsp;</p> <p>Again nothing happened. The utility again ran out of money in the incentive program early in the year, so it again brought the project to a hold.&nbsp; Why didn't the owner proceed?&nbsp;</p> <p>He wanted the $24,000 utility savings that would be due to him if we completed the project.&nbsp;</p> <p>But, was the wait really worth it?&nbsp;</p> <h2>So what was the cost of waiting on a utility program in this case?&nbsp;</h2> <p>Since March 2010, 20 months have passed.&nbsp; Assuming he would have saved $3,000 per month on utility costs, we can safely calculate $60,000 in lost savings.&nbsp; If he had installed at that time, they would not have incurred the $60,000.&nbsp; Make sense?</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>(The Math - 20 months x $3,000 per month in savings = $60,000)</em></strong></p> <p>Since so much time had passed, AND Copper wire became ridicously expensive, the project would have cost an additional $6,000 if it would have been completed last year.&nbsp; Since the project was now going to cost more, we would add that to the amount of lost savings calculated above; ;</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>(The Math - $60,000 + $6,000 Additional Cost = $66,000)</strong></em></p> <p>The original incentive was $24,000.&nbsp; The reason this project did not move forward both times was due to the fact that the Utility Program ran out of money and they wanted the incentive.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>But what did waiting really cost the company?</strong></p> <p><em><strong>(The Math - $60,000 in lost energy savings + $6,000 additional cost of materials- $24,000 forecasted cash incentive= $42,000)</strong></em></p> <p>It cost the owner an additional $42,000 to wait up to this point.&nbsp; Plus each month, he goes another $3,000 in the hole.&nbsp; The cost of waiting keeps getting more and more expensive.&nbsp;</p> <h2>So, does it always make sense to wait?</h2> <p>This is an example of a project that would stand alone on energy savings alone, without the incentive.&nbsp; While incentives are a great motivator, don't become blinded by the thrill of receiving a big check.&nbsp;</p> <p>Even though in the same situation, I would have likely done the same, you have to look at all the numbers before making a decision.&nbsp; That $42,000 is enough to pay for more than 50% of the original project.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>If You Want The Incentive, Don't Wait</h2> <p>One of the craziest things about this business is showing owners how they can save 30% on their monthly energy costs, and after 6 months they still haven't done anything.&nbsp;</p> <p>Usually we here "we don't have the time" or "we don't have the money", but in reality, if you do nothing, you will never have the money.</p> <p>It is just that simple.....we know for a fact the utility bill will be on time next month!</p> <h2>Get Educated Now</h2> <p>The incentive programs in our area has again kicked in.&nbsp; If you are thinking about doing something this year, now is the time.&nbsp;</p> <p>If you have a project or are thinking about a project, download our FREE E-Book to learn more about Energy Efficient Lighting Technology.&nbsp; By being better informed, you will be able to make a more decisive decision when you are presented with your options.&nbsp;</p> <p>Download the E-Book by clicking on the button below...</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 531px; height: 51px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81339/42-000-Fact-About-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-And-The-Cost-Of-Waiting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 01 Feb 2012 19:25:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81339http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81201/FREE-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Seminar-At-Refine-Tile-Elkton-KY#Comments25FREE Energy Efficient Lighting Seminar At Refine Tile, Elkton, KYhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81201/FREE-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Seminar-At-Refine-Tile-Elkton-KY<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Free Energy Efficient Lighting Seminar In Elkton, Kentucky!</h1> <p><img id="img-1328023106542" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Coffman hovey logo.jpeg" border="0" alt="Coffman hovey logo" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Hovey Electric in partnership with <a href="www.coffmanhomedecor.com/" title="Coffman Home Decor" target="_self">Coffman Home Decor</a> will be holding its 2nd annual energy efficiency seminar in Elkton Ky, on Feb. 28th, 2012.</p> <p>The event will be held at <a href="http://www.refinetile.com" title="Refine Tile, a 100,000 sq. ft. facility" target="_self">Refine Tile, a 100,000 sq. ft. facility</a> that recently underwent a 4 month energy efficient lighting upgrade.&nbsp;</p> <p>We will not only talk about energy efficient lighting, but you will be able "to see" the difference in lighting quality in the facility.&nbsp;</p> <h3>We Will Show You The Benefits Of Improve Energy Efficiency:</h3> <p>Come and learn what is costing your business thousands in wasted profit every year!</p> <p>Representatives from both companies will be on hand to show you where you can save money in your day to day operations.&nbsp;</p> <h4><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">We are going to cover areas such as:</span></em></h4> <p><strong>Exterior lighting-</strong> We'll show you which technologies are best suited to reduce your costs by as much as 75%.</p> <p><strong>Interior lighting-</strong> From lamp and ballast changes to fixture swap outs, we'll show you what&nbsp; makes sense.</p> <p><strong>Utility Rebates-</strong>&nbsp;<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76492/TVA-Incentives-400W-Metal-Halide-vs-T5-Fluorescent" title="TVA has luanched a very aggressive rebate program" target="_self">TVA has luanched a very aggressive rebate program</a>, your business may qualify for as much as 70% of your install costs covered by municipality rebates!</p> <p><strong>Energy Efficient building Technology-</strong>&nbsp;Bring your questions on energy management and occupancy sensors.</p> <p><strong>Tax Deductions</strong> - We will explain how the <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80988/The-Energy-Policy-Act-of-2005-Tax-Deduction-vs-Tax-Credit" title="Energy Policy Act of 2005 could make a difference in your 2012 taxes." target="_self">Energy Policy Act of 2005 could make a difference in your 2012 taxes.</a></p> <h3>See Samples Of Energy Efficient Lighting</h3> <p>Coffman Home Decor will have commercial and industrial lighting samples on hand so you can actually see what other local businesses are using to save thousands of dollars annually on there energy costs! See the latest lamp and lighting technologies first hand.</p> <h3>Bring your Appetite....Cause We're Gonna Feed Ya!</h3> <p>Seminar Begins at 6PM, February 28th (Tuesday).&nbsp; <a href="http://www.mikesbbqllc.com" title="The event will be catered by Mike's BBQ." target="_self">The event will be catered by Mike's BBQ.</a>&nbsp; Seats are limited so don't miss out! Click the RSVP button below.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" id="hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6"> <a href="/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-energy-efficient-lighting-seminar-elkton-ky--february-28th-2012"><img id="hs-cta-img-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/1b9b0b12-04fa-482a-940b-ee2fbe36af2f-1328022847622/go-here-to-rsvp-for-free-energy-efficient-lighting.png?v=1328022847.88" alt="go-here-to-rsvp-for-free-energy-efficien" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/1b9b0b12-04fa-482a-940b-ee2fbe36af2f-1328022847622/go-here-to-rsvp-for-free-energy-efficient-lighting.png?v=1328022847.88" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a0d20d00-4f1c-4a28-95ee-d6c08865c7d6").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81201/FREE-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Seminar-At-Refine-Tile-Elkton-KY&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolTue, 31 Jan 2012 14:54:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81201http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80988/The-Energy-Policy-Act-of-2005-Tax-Deduction-vs-Tax-Credit#Comments684The Energy Policy Act of 2005: Tax Deduction vs. Tax Credithttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80988/The-Energy-Policy-Act-of-2005-Tax-Deduction-vs-Tax-Credit<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><div class="ISContent Normal" id="IngeniContentBlock_185730"> <h1>All Business Owners Like A Tax Deduction...Right?</h1> <h1><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Word Tax.jpg" border="0" alt="Energy-Policy-Act-Of-2005-epact" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h1> <h2><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Let's Look At The Energy and Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct)....</span></strong></h2> <p><strong>The Energy and Policy Act of 2005</strong>&nbsp;was originally put into place in 2005 by President Bush as an incentive to get businesses to invest in energy upgrades to slow down the continual increase in demand on the country&rsquo;s aging electrical grid infrastructure.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Act was renewed in 2009 by President Obama through the Economic Stimulus Act which extends the program until 2013.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Who Knows About EPAct?</h2> <p>There seems to be very little knowledge of the system throughout industry. I have spoken to many Accountants and have received that blank stare back at me.&nbsp; You may have to do the research and inform your Accountant of the benefits.&nbsp;</p> <p>Once they are aware of how it works, they should be able to advise you how it will impact your energy efficiency project.&nbsp;</p> <h2>It Is A Tax Deduction, Not A Tax Credit</h2> <p>The core feature of the act is the ability of an owner to take advantage of a tax deduction. This is not a tax credit, it is actually a deduction.&nbsp; Similar to accelerated depreciation, it allows the building owner to take deduct the portion of the project that qualifies under EPAct rules.&nbsp;</p> <p>The main functions of <strong>The Energy Policy Act of 2005</strong> are:</p> <ul> <li> <h3>Allows a building owner to take a straight tax deduction of $1.80 per square foot on your facility.&nbsp;</h3> </li> <li> <h3>The deduction is divided into three areas; Electrical, HVAC and the Building envelope.&nbsp;</h3> </li> <li> <h3>Each of the areas qualifies for a $.60 per square foot deduction if area that has been upgraded is at least 50% below the ASHRE standard for wattage per square foot.&nbsp;</h3> </li> <li> <h3>There is a sliding scale beginning at 25% of the ASHRE standard for electrical upgrades which may qualify the facility for even a partial deduction.</h3> </li> </ul> <p>After identifying the systems within your facility, we are then able to determine the potential tax deduction benefit from an energy system upgrade. This requires identifying what you currently have in place and designing the new system to see what your new system wattage will be after the potential upgrade.&nbsp;</p> <p>If the upgrade is electrical, we will determine the square footage of the area to be upgraded and calculate the square footage by $.60 per square foot.</p> <h2>Here Is An Example-</h2> <h3>100,000 square foot facility Qualifies for EPAct.</h3> <h3>The facilities Tax Deduction would be $60,000 that could be written off in the year of the improvement.</h3> <h3><em>(100,000 square feet x $.60 per square foot = $60,000.)</em></h3> <h2>Let's Compare EPAct To Typical Depreciation</h2> <p>Let's say it cost $100,000 to upgrade your facility.&nbsp; We will also assume the entire facility qualifies under EPAct.&nbsp; We will use the $60,000 number from above to show the comparison of normal depreciation vs the depreciation allowed under EPAct.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Under EPAct</h3> <p>You would be able to deduct $60,000 in the year that the improvement was made. So if you made the improvement in 2010, you would be able to deduct $60,000 of your cost on your 2010 taxes.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Comparing EPAct to normal depreciation</h3> <p>You would likely only be able to deduct $10,000 per year for 10 years (assuming 10 years is the allowable depreciation...I am not an Accountant so just realize this is just an example).&nbsp; In this scenario, the tax benefit to you would be $50,000.&nbsp; BUT, this really only means anything if you have a profitable year.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Your Building May Not Qualify</h2> <p>We have had buildings that qualify in the shops and work areas, but do not qualify in the office areas. The problem is that offices have been overlit for a long time, so even when you reduce the wattage, it is still too much wattage per square foot to qualify. If it doesn't qualify, be sure to ask your provider if it falls under the sliding scale. &nbsp;</p> <p>If the building does not qualify for the full potential tax savings, there is a sliding scale starting with a 25% tax deduction depending on the facility.&nbsp;</p> </div> <h2 id="IngeniContentBlock_185730" class="ISContent Normal">A Bit Overwhelming?</h2> <p class="ISContent Normal">It may still seem confusing, but we can help you determine if your facilty qualifies or not.&nbsp; EPAct is just one of the many benefits of upgrading your facility.&nbsp; Check out the other benefits in our E-Book, Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency.&nbsp; We discuss in more detail the valuable benefits of energy efficiency.&nbsp;</p> <p class="ISContent Normal"><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p class="ISContent Normal">Or...</p> <h2 class="ISContent Normal">We Can Help You Do Your Own Commercial Audit</h2> <p>We have created a special E-Course designed to walk you through how to do your own commercial energy audit.&nbsp; The articles&nbsp; are part of a series of articles showing step by step how to do your own commercial energy audit.&nbsp; Let us be your backup and we can show you how to crunch the numbers. Sign up at the button below....</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" id="hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"> <a href="/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit"><img id="hs-cta-img-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/40ba3bc6-b725-4af8-a551-60662bae456b-1326806005140/free-e-course-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy.png?v=1326806005.5" alt="free-e-course-how-to-do-your-own-commer" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/40ba3bc6-b725-4af8-a551-60662bae456b-1326806005140/free-e-course-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy.png?v=1326806005.5" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80988/The-Energy-Policy-Act-of-2005-Tax-Deduction-vs-Tax-Credit&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:80988http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80952/What-Is-Annual-Energy-Savings-and-How-Do-I-Calculate-The-Savings#Comments2,721What Is Annual Energy Savings and How Do I Calculate The Savings?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80952/What-Is-Annual-Energy-Savings-and-How-Do-I-Calculate-The-Savings<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Business Costs Are Rising...But, Look To Annual Energy Savings...</h1> <h2>Can It Be Lowered?</h2> <p>Identifying energy savings is a simple mathematical calculation based on wattage of your existing lighting system.&nbsp; Most people don't take the time to figure out how turning on the lights is related to that energy bill you open every month.&nbsp;</p> <p>Typically, we just open up the bill, shrug our shoulders, then pay it.&nbsp; It's okay, we have all done it.&nbsp; But with rising costs, it is time to pay closer attention.</p> <p>Businesses already have enough to worry about and overhead costs continue to rise;<img id="img-1327357662165" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/calculator rising costs.jpg" border="0" alt="calculate-energy-savings" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></p> <ol> <li> <h4>Taxes are rising</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Energy costs are rising</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Health insurance premiums are rising</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Sales are down</h4> </li> </ol> <p>Every light fixture has an associated wattage. In order to find your annual savings, you need to figure out the wattage of your existing system to the wattage of a new system.&nbsp;</p> <p>The difference in wattage in the end will be the difference in the costs represented in your utility bill.&nbsp; Less wattage = lower costs, that is the basis of energy savings.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>With today&rsquo;s technology, it is very possible to reduce energy cost by 50% in fact we have done it a number of times.&nbsp; We were even able to reduce wattage at <a href="http://crippencars.com" title="Crippen Buick, GMC, Volvo, Mazda in Lansing Michigan" target="_self">Crippen Buick, GMC, Volvo, Mazda in Lansing Michigan</a> on exterior lighting by 75% meaning big savings for the Crippen group:</p> <h2>How Do You Calculate Energy Savings?</h2> <p>Here is an example <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79159/How-To-Calculate-Watts-For-Metal-Halide-HID-Lighting" title="(more detail here on How To Calculate Wattage of 400 Watt Metal Halide) " target="_self">(<em>more detail here on How To Calculate Wattage of 400 Watt Metal Halide)</em> </a></p> <p>Let's say you have 400 Watt Metal Halides in your facility and you have heard they are energy consuming monsters (which they are...).&nbsp;</p> <p>If you were to replace the 400 Watt Metal Halide, you would likely replace the light with a T5 or T8 fixture.&nbsp; Let's look at how you can reduce the wattage.</p> <h3>The reduction in utility expense comes from simple math;</h3> <p>400 Watt Metal Halide is rated for 460 Watts (Old, existing system)-216 Watts (New, proposed system) = 244 fewer watts.&nbsp; Just by replacing the fixture you would see a reduction of over 50% in the cost of powering the fixture simply because you reduced the wattage. &nbsp;</p> <h2>Why Is It Important?</h2> <p>Money is always important to a business owner.&nbsp; How many overhead items on your income statement can you reduce by 50% (besides people)?&nbsp; You won't find many costs that you can reduce in the sea of rising operating costs.&nbsp;</p> <p>Don't think because you don't have the cash that this isn't something you can do.&nbsp; If you really dig in you will find out that you can quickly pay for the project with <a href="How To Find the Initial (ROI) for Energy Efficient Lighting in Schools?" title="short term ROI " target="_self">short term ROI </a>and better yet, <a href="How to Calculate the Lifetime Return on Energy Efficient Investments" title="calculate the long term ROI" target="_self">calculate the long term ROI</a>.</p> <h2>Still Not Making Sense?</h2> <p>Learn more about all the benefits of energy efficiency in our E-Book, Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency.&nbsp; Within the book you will learn about ALL of the benefits of energy efficiency.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>Or check out <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80695/8-Stages-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-8th-Stage-Part-4" title="Stage 8 - You Can Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit" target="_self">Stage 8 - You Can Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit</a>.&nbsp; We can help you calculate the annual savings of your facility remotely.&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80952/What-Is-Annual-Energy-Savings-and-How-Do-I-Calculate-The-Savings&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 23 Jan 2012 22:16:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:80952http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80695/8-Stages-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-8th-Stage-Part-4#Comments9658 Stages To Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit - 8th Stage[Part 4]http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80695/8-Stages-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-8th-Stage-Part-4<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1><b>Stage 8-Jump Over Stage 3, 4, 5, 6....that's 40 Hours of Your Time</b></h1> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/jump over haystack.jpg" border="0" alt="Do-your-own-energy-audit-jimmy-hovey" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <h2>Ummm....But You Said We Needed ALL The Stages.....</h2> <p>Well you do need all the stages.&nbsp; It is a process like I talked about in <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80635/Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-and-Instantly-Pocket-More-Money-Part-1" title="Part 1" target="_self">Part 1</a>.&nbsp; You have read it all, so now after reading <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80635/Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-and-Instantly-Pocket-More-Money-Part-1" title="Part 1" target="_self">Part 1</a>, <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80658/How-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-In-8-Stages-Part-2" title="Part 2" target="_self">Part 2</a> and <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80661/How-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-In-8-Stages-Part-3" title="Part 3" target="_self">Part 3</a>, Do you think you can handle the whole deal of doing your own energy efficiency audit?&nbsp;</p> <p>Still a little weary?&nbsp;</p> <p>Don't give up, we can help you along.&nbsp; Every one of the stages is important, but you will find after you do it one time, it is much easier the next time and you keep getting better each time.&nbsp;</p> <p>Energy efficiency is our business and we have been working on this process for over 2 years....we have it down.&nbsp; Believe me, we have thousands of hours (NO exaggeration...) into developing this process.&nbsp;</p> <p>That is the point of this series....we want you to learn how to do it, why you should do it and teach you the basics so you are informed.&nbsp; But we do realize, in reality, you likely don't have the 50 hours to spend on this....and that's why I created Stage 8, just in case.</p> <p>We are here to help you if you need it. We can assist you as you need it.</p> <p>You still want to do it, but maybe just not all of it.&nbsp; We get it, so let's look at some options that will save you some time, get you what you need and will save a TON of cash compared to a completely doing the audit yourself.&nbsp;</p> <h2><em>Here Is How We Can Save You Some Time In Each Of The Stages</em></h2> <h2>In Stage 3, We Will Help You Identify What You Already Have....And Make Suggestions</h2> <p>Remember Stage 3, you have to identify what you have. This can still be a little tricky but it really depends on the age of your lighting systems.&nbsp; We have some ideas on how to get this done, and we can help you out.&nbsp;</p> <p>Send us some pictures or video and we will help you sort it out. All you have to do is take some pictures or video, give us quantities, help us ID your fixtures (should be able to do with your pictures or video) and we can move on to Stage 5.</p> <h2>In Stage 4, We Already Know The Terms....So We Will Explain The Ones That Impact Your Project</h2> <p>You could logically skip that step because the report we would provide to you would have the relevent terms and what they mean so you really wouldn't have to spend much time on that.&nbsp;</p> <p>You still should....but it won't be as critical if we are there to help you out.</p> <h2>In Stage 5, We Can Do The Calculations For You....You Supply The Data</h2> <p>Ahhhh, the calculations.&nbsp; This process isn't too bad provided you have the spreadsheet we use.&nbsp; But you still have to learn how to use it, which can take some trial and error.&nbsp; We make it simple...you provide the counts and we will run the numbers.&nbsp;</p> <p>This could save you a lot of time depending on your facility.&nbsp; If you have someone to maintains the place, we could likely work with them to figure out all of the critical numbers we need to run the calculations.</p> <h2>In Stage 6, We Will Analyze The Numbers For You...We Supply The Reports To You</h2> <p>We have everything set up for this one and since we have the numbers we can crank out the reports for you.&nbsp; We will then review the numbers and go over them with you.&nbsp;</p> <p>You won't have to learn the system because it is the one we use everyday.&nbsp; When we started, it took us roughly 2-3 days per facility and now we do it in much less time...more like 2 per day.&nbsp;</p> <p>So we are pretty good at it, especially since it is the system we created. &nbsp;</p> <h2>Less Time, Same Results, More Money In Your Pocket&nbsp;</h2> <p>If your not sure which way to go, we can spend an hour with you via phone or Skype and discuss your facility.&nbsp; If we determine that we can help you, we will work with your remotely to complete a lighting audit of your facility.&nbsp;</p> <p>This could potentially save over 40+ hours of your time.&nbsp; Yes, I will need to charge you for that, but the cost is based on the number of hours we think it will take to help you out.</p> <p>We have been doing this for 2 years on our installation side and our system works well.&nbsp; We can even help you hire a contractor in your area, manage the project remotely and help you with the paperwork you need for your utility incentives and Energy Policy Act of 2005.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Not Ready To Start Your Audit Yet?</h2> <p>Here is another option; enroll in our Free E-Course to learn step by step what you need to do your own commercial energy audit.&nbsp; Terms, what to look for, how to do the calculations in a simple email each day.&nbsp;</p> <p>Click the button below to subscribe....</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" id="hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"> <a href="/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit"><img id="hs-cta-img-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/40ba3bc6-b725-4af8-a551-60662bae456b-1326806005140/free-e-course-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy.png?v=1326806005.5" alt="free-e-course-how-to-do-your-own-commer" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/40ba3bc6-b725-4af8-a551-60662bae456b-1326806005140/free-e-course-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy.png?v=1326806005.5" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Think You May Need Some Help?</h2> <p>Want to find out how much it would cost for us to assist you with your commercial energy audit?&nbsp;</p> <p>Give us a call at 989-631-2023 ask for Dave or click the button below and we can contact you when it is convenient.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c8204498-a98c-4dba-9482-62f17ac40682" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c8204498-a98c-4dba-9482-62f17ac40682" id="hs-cta-c8204498-a98c-4dba-9482-62f17ac40682"> <a href="/contact-us" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/contact-us"><img id="hs-cta-img-c8204498-a98c-4dba-9482-62f17ac40682" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/2b0287d2-ebc8-48f4-b948-428c6aad481a-1327095134207/lets-talk-about-your-audit-do-it-yourself-or-need-.png?v=1327095134.49" alt="lets-talk-about-your-audit-do-it-your" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/2b0287d2-ebc8-48f4-b948-428c6aad481a-1327095134207/lets-talk-about-your-audit-do-it-yourself-or-need-.png?v=1327095134.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c8204498-a98c-4dba-9482-62f17ac40682"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c8204498-a98c-4dba-9482-62f17ac40682").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c8204498-a98c-4dba-9482-62f17ac40682").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>What Do You Think?</h2> <p><strong>Was this a good series or too boring?</strong></p> <p><strong>Does this make you want to do your own lighting audit now?</strong></p> <p>Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80695/8-Stages-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-8th-Stage-Part-4&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 20 Jan 2012 21:39:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:80695http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80661/How-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-In-8-Stages-Part-3#Comments1,122How To Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit In 8 Stages [Part 3]http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80661/How-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-In-8-Stages-Part-3<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1><b>Stages 5-7: Do-It-Yourself Commercial Energy Audit For Lighting</b><b>:</b></h1> <p>Here is where the rubber hits the road; time to do the math.&nbsp; Now don't go and stop reading this article just because there is math involved.&nbsp; Remember I mentioned Stage 8 (tomorrow's post..).&nbsp; Stage 8 is the easiest and least time consuming...you will see.&nbsp;</p> <p>In <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80635/Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-and-Instantly-Pocket-More-Money-Part-1" title="Part 1" target="_self">Part 1</a> and <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80658/How-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-In-8-Stages-Part-2" title="Part 2" target="_self">Part 2</a>, You have learned that you can do this yourself, why you should consider energy efficiency, setting energy efficiency goals, and gathered up all the data you need.&nbsp;</p> <p>Now the numbers. This is actually the fun part....sort of like pulling the lever on a slot machine...what's going to come up...jackpot or does it just want more money? <b><br /></b></p> <h2><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage 5-Time To Do The Math...Calculate The<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/1 plus 1 is 2.jpg" border="0" alt="Do-it-yourself-commercial-energy-audit-calculations-8-stages" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> Data</span></b><b></b></h2> <p>This is where you get into the math.&nbsp; While the calculations for energy efficiency are basic, you really need a spreadsheet to keep track of all the individual items you need for making your comparisons (useful in the next stage).&nbsp;</p> <p>This is a list of what you are going to need to have to do your calculations:</p> <ul> <li>Defined areas</li> <li>Quantity of existing</li> <li>Known wattage of existing</li> <li>Total wattage of existing</li> <li>Type of fixture</li> <li>Length of building</li> <li>Width of building</li> <li>Quantity of new fixtures</li> <li>Wattage of proposed fixtures</li> <li>Total wattage of new</li> <li>Old total kwh</li> <li>New total kwh</li> <li>Proposed kwh reduction</li> <li>Total system wattage</li> <li>Difference between old kwh and new kwh</li> </ul> <p>Not sure where to find it?&nbsp; That's all good stuff we talk about here and put into our system to help you do your own energy audit.</p> <p><br /> <b><em>Estimated Time: 10 Hours</em></b></p> <h2><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage 6-Do A Complete Financial Analysis...(Don't let the term "Financial" scare you off..)</span></b><b></b></h2> <p>Business owners are used to running the other way when you talk about Finance.&nbsp; This is one area that has set our company apart from others.&nbsp;</p> <p>We transform your information so it is easy to understand from a financial standpoint.&nbsp; Typically contractors can tell you how much it will cost and will get it installed.&nbsp; We can do that too, but we show you <strong>WHY</strong> you should do it.&nbsp; No hype, no sales pitch.&nbsp; We have always presented that way in front of customers.&nbsp; The data speaks for itself.&nbsp;&nbsp; We consult you...help you make a good business decision from an objective point of view.&nbsp;</p> <p>Data driven analysis...this is factal information...it really comes down to this is what you have, this is how much it costs to operate and here is what you should have and this is how much it costs to operate.&nbsp;</p> <p>These are the areas we cover in our financial analysis:</p> <ul> <li>Annual energy savings</li> <li>Energy and Policy Act of 2005</li> <li>Utility cash incentives</li> <li>Cost to upgrade the system</li> <li>Applicable financing options</li> <li>Project payment terms</li> <li>Return on Investment (ROI)</li> <li>Total all costs</li> <li>Total all cost after incentive</li> <li>Total all cost no incentive</li> <li>Simple payback after incentive</li> <li>Simple payback no incentive</li> </ul> <p>We have consulted many companies and shown them through financial analysis that the project wasn't a good business decision or an area of the project didn't make sense.&nbsp; When your considering an investment, you need to have all your facts.&nbsp;</p> <p><br /> <b><em>Estimated Time: 15 Hours</em></b></p> <h2><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage 7-Make A Business Decision....It Makes Sense or..It Doesn't</span></b><b></b></h2> <p>Everything you do up to now leads up to the moment of decision; What are you going to do?&nbsp;</p> <p>If you follow our framework, you will have answered every question related to your lighting.&nbsp; The project either makes sense or it doesn't.&nbsp; But, you could have the same thing happen if you spend $10,000 to do it.&nbsp; The only difference is you have $10,000 to actually make the improvements.&nbsp;</p> <p>This is where you go back to the first step and determine what makes the most sense in relation to the goal you set forth.&nbsp; This doesn't mean you can't establish a new goal now because you likely had no idea that your old lighting system was costing you so much.&nbsp; You will likely be surprised at the savings.&nbsp;</p> <p>What will make sense for you?</p> <ul> <li>Overhead reduction</li> <li>Employee productivity</li> <li>Maintenance savings</li> <li>"Green" Marketability</li> <li>Carbon footprint</li> </ul> <p><b><em>Estimated Time: 5 Hours</em></b>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>Want To Learn More?</h2> <p>We will be posting articles related to completing your own commercial energy audit for the next 30-60 days.&nbsp; Will you remember to come back?&nbsp; Not likely....unless I am really that good...but since your so busy, we put together a FREE E-Course that arrives in your inbox everyday.&nbsp;</p> <p>We breakdown the 60+ items you will need to know to do your own energy audit.&nbsp; It will take you less than 2-3 minutes per day to read and we put the estimated time to complete the task talked about in the email for the day.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Sound interesting?&nbsp;</h2> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" id="hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"> <a href="/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit"><img id="hs-cta-img-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/40ba3bc6-b725-4af8-a551-60662bae456b-1326806005140/free-e-course-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy.png?v=1326806005.5" alt="free-e-course-how-to-do-your-own-commer" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/40ba3bc6-b725-4af8-a551-60662bae456b-1326806005140/free-e-course-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy.png?v=1326806005.5" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h3>But....If Your Not Ready For That...Check Out....</h3> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>So What Do You Think?</h2> <p>Is this something you think you can do?&nbsp;</p> <p>Have you done some calculations already?</p> <p>Is there anything you would add to our process?</p> <h2>Don't forget to check out the 8th Stage tomorrow....It really is the easiest of them all!</h2>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80661/How-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-In-8-Stages-Part-3&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 19 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:80661http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80658/How-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-In-8-Stages-Part-2#Comments90How To Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit In 8 Stages [Part 2]http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80658/How-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-In-8-Stages-Part-2<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1><b>Stages 1-4: Do-It-Yourself Commercial Energy Audit For Lighting</b><b>:</b></h1> <p>Many folks call us up for information on how to <img id="img-1326807161694" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Diy Instructions.jpg" border="0" alt="Do-it-yourself-commercial-energy-audit-8-stages" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />do their project or do the calculations needed for making a decision regarding energy efficiency.</p> <p>We thought, "Hey, maybe there are a lot of other people out there who want to do their own energy audit".&nbsp;</p> <p>It took a little work, but we organized the process into 8 stages...(well..really 7....but I think you will want to seriously consider stage 8..I guess we will see).</p> <p>We have developed the entire program into a system you can follow and complete on your own...or with some help.&nbsp; You have to decide what is best for you.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>(Keep in mind that some utilities require that they do the calculations...makes sense since they are paying you an incentive)</em></p> <p>I am sure we will upset some engineers or service companies who are going to say "there's no way a building owner could do their own commercial energy audit".&nbsp;</p> <p>We think they are wrong...but you will have to let us know what you think.&nbsp; It's just not that complicated...just keep it simple.</p> <p>Anyhow, each of the stages here will discuss the steps that are needed and the information you will have to collect along the way.&nbsp;</p> <p>It's not a perfect solution, and maybe in the end you will decide to leave it up to the professionals.&nbsp; Even if you do decide to go there....one thing is for sure...you will be much better educated than the typical business owner.&nbsp;</p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Afterall, don't you want to know WHAT you are paying for?</span></em></p> <p>You will have the tools and knowledge (<a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit/" title="oh ya...check out our Free E-Course" target="_self">oh ya...check out our Free E-Course</a>) you need to analyze your facility lighting without spending all the money for a formal engineering audit of your facility. </p> <p>If you follow all the stages, you will complete your own commercial energy audit.&nbsp; You will be able to see if energy efficiency really makes sense for your company.&nbsp;</p> <p>Energy Efficient improvements to your facility is one of the best investments you could ever make. (See <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80635/Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-and-Instantly-Pocket-More-Money-Part-1" title="Part 1" target="_self">Part 1</a> if this isn't making any sense!)</p> <h3>Let's take a look at the stages:</h3> <h2><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage 1-Understand The Benefits Of Energy Efficient Lighting</span></b></h2> <p>There are a lot of benefits to pursuing an energy efficient strategy for your facility.&nbsp; It is up to you to decide if it is right for your Company.&nbsp; Many people still think that energy efficiency is a scam...really, it's not.&nbsp;</p> <p>It might make sense for you to pursue it or it might not.&nbsp; Take a look at this list of benefits to upgrading your building:</p> <ul> <li>Reduction in annual energy consumption</li> <li>Utilities have LOTS of cash to give you incentives to upgrade</li> <li>Tax deductions....Energy Policy Act of 2005</li> <li>Reduced maintenance costs</li> <li>Increased productivity</li> <li>Energy costs are on the rise....do you really have a choice?</li> </ul> <p>Reduced costs, tax deductions, increased productivity...sounds like business owner heaven!</p> <p><b><em>Estimated Time: 2 Hours</em></b></p> <h2><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage 2-Establish Energy Efficiency Goal</span></b><b></b></h2> <p>What do you want to accomplish with a commercial energy audit?&nbsp; People have different reasons for considering an energy efficient upgrade.&nbsp; Most of the time it centers around costs, but it depends on what you are looking for:</p> <ul> <li>Cost savings</li> <li>Better lighting</li> <li>Take advantage of utility incentives</li> <li>Tax deductions</li> <li>Or just curious....</li> </ul> <p>It is important to set your goal upfront, so that you have a measurable benchmark when you get to making a business decision.</p> <p><b><em>Estimated Time: 3 Hours</em></b></p> <h2><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage 3-Identify Existing Lighting Fixtures</span></b><b></b></h2> <p>You have to figure out what you have before you can go on too far.&nbsp; When doing a financial analysis for energy efficiency, you have to know what you have.&nbsp; This is important for many reasons.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>You want to make sure your analysis is accurate, you will be making a major business decision with this data</li> <li>The amount of incentives is usually determined by comparing to existing infrastructure.</li> </ul> <p>Not sure what you have?&nbsp; We can help you with that.</p> <p><b><em>Estimated Time: 10 Hours</em></b></p> <h2><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage 4-Focus On What Is Important</span></b><b></b></h2> <p>There is a lot of jargon out there and high pressure salesman who are pushing product.&nbsp; Many will put brochures in front of you with lots of fancy terms that you will likely not understand.&nbsp; There are some you need to know. Here are some important terms:</p> <ul> <li>Types of energy efficient improvements</li> <li>Types of fixtures and suitable replacements</li> <li>Understand the role of the ballast</li> <li>Types of lighting</li> <li>Lighting levels</li> <li>Lumen maintenance</li> <li>Lamp mortality</li> <li>Color temperature</li> <li>Fixture life</li> </ul> <p>Dial in to our Free E-course as we walk through each step the "technical" side of energy efficiency.&nbsp; You will gain an understanding of what you really need to know about energy efficient terminology.</p> <p><b><em>Estimated Time: 5 Hours</em></b></p> <h2>Want To Learn More?</h2> <p>Check out our 3 part of the series tomorrow focused on Stages 1-7<b><em>.&nbsp; If you want to get a notice when the next blog is posted, just put your email over to the right under "subscribe".&nbsp; </em></b></p> <p><b><em></em></b>Better yet, what about a complete E-Course that covers all 8 Stages of How To Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit? Just click the button below:</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" id="hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"> <a href="/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit"><img id="hs-cta-img-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/547c68e3-b828-438b-b578-2db3c314b8b0-1326806022762/learn-morehow-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-aud.png?v=1326806023.02" alt="learn-morehow-to-do-your-own-commercial" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/547c68e3-b828-438b-b578-2db3c314b8b0-1326806022762/learn-morehow-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-aud.png?v=1326806023.02" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Or.....Download Our Free E-book: Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 531px; height: 51px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> <b><em></em></b></p> <h2>What Do You Think?<b><em></em></b></h2> <p><strong>Do you think you can do your own energy audit? (...I am sure I will be hearing from some engineers on this one...)</strong></p> <p><strong>How long do you think it would take you to do Stages 1-4?</strong></p> <p><strong>Let me know in the comments section below.</strong></p> <p><b><em><br /></em></b></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80658/How-To-Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-In-8-Stages-Part-2&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 18 Jan 2012 15:22:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:80658http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80635/Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-and-Instantly-Pocket-More-Money-Part-1#Comments444Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit and Instantly Pocket More Money[Part 1]http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80635/Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-and-Instantly-Pocket-More-Money-Part-1<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>What Is The Average Cost Of A Commercial Energy Audit?</h1> <p>The term "Green" is everywhere.&nbsp; There are companies everywhere now that offer energy audits, but what do you really get with an audit?&nbsp;</p> <p>Is it worth $8,000 to $12,000 just to have an analysis of a 55,000 square foot building?&nbsp;</p> <p>Seems like a lot of money, but according to <a href="http://green-buildings.com" title="www.green-buildings.com" target="_self">www.green-buildings.com</a> the average <a href="http://www.green-buildings.com/content/781837-commercial-building-energy-audit-cost" title="Cost of an energy efficient audit" target="_self">cost of an energy efficient audit </a>ranges from $8,000 to $12,000 and some estimates of .10 and .12 cents per square feet.&nbsp; That seems like a lot of money for a report.&nbsp; I realize that these reports are very sophisticated and cover a lot of territory.&nbsp; Is there any ROI in a report?</p> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/pocket full of money.jpg" border="0" alt="How-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit-save-money" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" />Here Is How You Can Instantly Pocket More Money.....</h2> <p>Learn how to do a commercial energy audit yourself, save the $8,000, $12,000 or $20,000 and put it into your pocket.&nbsp;</p> <p>If you have that kind of cash, put it into actually <em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">making the improvements</span></em>, not a pile of paper telling you <strong>what</strong> to do.</p> <p>The savings comes from changing out your infrastructure, not talking about it.&nbsp;</p> <h2>What Is Your Time Worth?</h2> <p>Let's say you spend $10,000 to have the audit completed.&nbsp; If you took about 50 hours, you would be able to evaluate the majority of your electrical systems in your facility (of course this depends on the size of the facility).&nbsp;</p> <p>If you spent 50 hours doing this yourself, you would make $200 per hour.&nbsp; Not bad.&nbsp; Is it hard to do?</p> <h2>Not That Difficult, Simple Math Really</h2> <p>It really isn't that hard.&nbsp; We figured out how to do it and I want to show you how to do this yourself.&nbsp; We have <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit/" title="created a step by step system to (Free)" target="_self">created a step by step system to (Free)</a> provide you with the framework and we guide you along the way.&nbsp;</p> <p>If you need some additional help, we can provide that too.&nbsp; We have done this several times and we have been electrical contractors for over 33 years.&nbsp; We know lighting and motors.&nbsp;</p> <p>You may not be able to analyze your air flow, or tell you about your storm water requirements, but we can tell you to look up at the lights first, before anything else.&nbsp;</p> <p>Your lighting is likely costing you dearly.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Start With Lighting</h2> <p>Lighting accounts for nearly 40% of a buildings cost.&nbsp; Motors typically make up another 20-30% so most of your electrical costs are tied up in lighting and motors.&nbsp;</p> <p>The first "How To Do Your Own Commercial Energy Audit" series is going to focus on lighting, but we will be bringing you motors in the very near future.&nbsp;</p> <p>Motors are much complicated and we want to get you comfortable with the fact that YOU CAN DO THIS!&nbsp;</p> <p>We will show you how.&nbsp;</p> <h2><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" id="hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"> <a href="/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/subscribe-free-to-how-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-audit"><img id="hs-cta-img-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/547c68e3-b828-438b-b578-2db3c314b8b0-1326776759127/learn-morehow-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-aud.png?v=1326776759.4" alt="learn-morehow-to-do-your-own-commercial" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/547c68e3-b828-438b-b578-2db3c314b8b0-1326776759127/learn-morehow-to-do-your-own-commercial-energy-aud.png?v=1326776759.4" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6563eaa9-0079-41d6-b175-9003e9e6145c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></h2> <p>Or....</p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>There is a lot of bad information out there about energy efficient products.&nbsp; We see Engineers and Contractors everyday to are fighting building owners to stay with thier old, outdated way of thinking.&nbsp;</p> <p>Let us "show you the light" about energy efficiency and how it can make your business more profitable. Just click the button below....</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4" id="hs-cta-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/d1f56b2c-2636-493d-bb72-9b64903fead9-1319484610349/download-our-whitepaper.png?v=1319484610.64" alt="go-hereto-learnmore-aboutenergy-efficien" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/d1f56b2c-2636-493d-bb72-9b64903fead9-1319484610349/download-our-whitepaper.png?v=1319484610.64" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p><strong>Do you think you can do your own commercial energy audit? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.</strong></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80635/Do-Your-Own-Commercial-Energy-Audit-and-Instantly-Pocket-More-Money-Part-1&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 17 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:80635http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80043/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-T-12-Fluorescent-Bulbs-Go-Bye-Bye-In-July#Comments746Energy Efficient Lighting:T-12 Fluorescent Bulbs Go Bye, Bye In July!http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80043/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-T-12-Fluorescent-Bulbs-Go-Bye-Bye-In-July<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>You Will Have To Replace Your T-12's At Some Point....The Question Is...When?</h1> <h2>T-12 Being Phased Out</h2> <h1><img id="img-1325700922570" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Broken T12 Bulb.jpg" border="0" alt="Replace-broken-t12-fluorescent-bulb-with-t5-fluorescent" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h1> <h3>Ballasts</h3> <p>Replacement ballasts for T-12 Fixtures are no longer being manufactured.&nbsp; This is part of a long term phaseout which began in 2005. Manufacturers stopped producing the ballasts after July 2010.&nbsp; As long as your ballast doesn't burn out, you will have nothing to worry about.</p> <h3>Lamps</h3> <p>T-12 lamps will no longer be manufactured after July 2012.&nbsp; That doesn't mean you need to go out and stock up right away, but you may want to begin now if you are set on keeping your T-12's.&nbsp;</p> <p>Basic economics says that price goes up when supply goes down.&nbsp; You will surely see the cost on the remaining supply of T-12 bulbs go up after July 2012.</p> <h2>Perfect Opportunity To Upgrade Your T-12 Fluorescent Lights</h2> <p>At some point you will have to consider replacing your T-12 fixtures.&nbsp; It may be this year or next or 5 years down the road.&nbsp; Before you decide, you should consider the operating cost of what you currently have.&nbsp;</p> <p>Depending on the type of fixture, you could save 50% or more on your lighting costs. Once you see the numbers, you might be further inclined to replace your old fixtures now.</p> <p>Let's take a look at the most common T-12 fixtures:</p> <h2>Types Of T-12 HO And Wattage For Each</h2> <ul> <li> <h3>T12-Standard - 158 Watts</h3> </li> <li> <h3>T12-High Output (HO) - 237 Watts</h3> </li> <li> <h3>T12-Very High Output (VHO)- 450 Watts (Yikes!)</h3> </li> </ul> <p>As you can see, there is a wide range of options when it comes to T12 fixtures.&nbsp; Knowing which one you are replacing is very important to insure you are working with the right numbers for your calculations. One option you have is to look to your replacement bulbs to see what types of bulbs you are buying.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Be Sure To Correctly Identify Your T-12 Fixture</h2> <p>Looking at the bulbs is not always a surefire way to determine the right type of fixture.&nbsp; If you don't know what you are looking for, it can be difficult to determine the type of fixture because all the T-12's look the same. I wrote an article about <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/63963/How-to-Calculate-Total-Fixture-Wattage-for-Fluorescent-Lighting" title="How To Calculate Total Fixture Wattage For Fluorescent Lighting" target="_self">How To Calculate Total Fixture Wattage For Fluorescent Lighting</a> for more specific information on calculating your savings from energy efficiency upgrades.</p> <p>Being exact is important because most incentive programs and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 depend on kilowatt reduction. You want to get as much cash as possible from your utility ( I am sure they get enough from you already...) and get the maximum tax deduction.&nbsp; Still not sure what you have?</p> <h2>New Fluorescent Technology Can Knock Your Kilowatts By 25-50%</h2> <p>Once you identify your correct fixture wattage, you can look at new options.&nbsp; You could choose to retrofit, replace the fixture completely or even reduce the total amount of fixtures you have in your facility.&nbsp; Saving watts will save you money ( See our article, <a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55242/Learn-How-Watts-Can-Improve-Energy-Efficiency-Watt-s-a-Watt" id="dnn__ctl3__ctl1_BlogsRep__ctl6_BlogLink">Learn How Watts Can Improve Energy Efficiency; "Watt's" a Watt? <span style="color: #000000;">)</span></a></p> <h2>Send Us A Picture Of Your Fixture; We Will Help You Determine What You Have</h2> <p>This day in age, you can communicate so easily so snap a couple of digital pictures and send them off to us.&nbsp; If you take a couple of pictures of your fixture and send them to us, we can help you identify what you have.&nbsp;</p> <p>There is no obligation on your part to buy anything from us. You can contact us at dvantol@hoveyelectric.com or for those socially connected folks, post it on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/hoveyelectric" title="Twitter" target="_self">Twitter</a> or <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hovey-Electric-Inc/197319473614968?sk=wall" title="Facebook" target="_self">Facebook</a>.</p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting?</h2> <p>We put together a Free E-book to help business owners understand energy efficiency and how to analyze energy efficient options.&nbsp; Download a Free copy by clicking below.&nbsp;</p> <span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> <br />Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80043/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-T-12-Fluorescent-Bulbs-Go-Bye-Bye-In-July&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 04 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:80043http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64119/How-To-Reduce-Gymnasium-Lighting-Cost-By-Over-50-Real-Project#Comments758How To Reduce Gymnasium Lighting Cost By Over 50%.....Real Projecthttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64119/How-To-Reduce-Gymnasium-Lighting-Cost-By-Over-50-Real-Project<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Can Energy Efficient Lighting Reduce Cost By 50%?</h1> <h2>400 Watt Metal Halide Fixtures are NOT Energy Efficient or Cost Effective</h2> <p>The title of this article may be hard to believe, but I see the application almost daily used in several different types of facilities.&nbsp; 400 Watt Metal Halide fixtures are EVERYWHERE.&nbsp; I attended several of my daughters Volleyball games this year at Public Schools and Universities.&nbsp; What are they using?&nbsp; 400 Watt Metal Halide.&nbsp; Metal Halides are NOT <strong>energy efficient</strong> compared to many options.</p> <p>I just dropped her off yesterday to a Softball clinic at Central Michigan University at this HUGE indoor track facility.&nbsp; What type of lights are they using?&nbsp; You guessed it, 400 Watt Metal Halide.&nbsp; No one will argue, 400 Watt Metal Halides are energy hogs, plain and simple. Not only are there more <strong>energy efficient</strong> options out there, but the options can significantly reduce the annual cost of operating the facility.</p> <h2>Why Can Energy Efficient Lighting Save 50%?....Less Wattage</h2> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Metal Halide.jpg" border="0" alt="How-to-lower-gymnasium-lighting-cost-by-50%-or-more" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></h2> <h2>Existing Wattage of 400 Watt Metal Halide</h2> <h4>400 Watt Metal Halide = 458 Watts - NOT Energy Efficient</h4> <p>400 Watt Metal Halide's are using 458 Watts.&nbsp; That is a proven fact.&nbsp; The easiest way to lower Gymnasium Lighting cost by 50% is to replace them.&nbsp; By replacing the 400 Watt Metal Halide with a high bay fluorescent fixture, you can easily lower the cost of energy to operate these fixtures by 50%.&nbsp;</p> <h4>High Bay Fluorescent = 200 Watts - YES, Energy Efficient</h4> <p>High bay fluorescent fixtures use around 200 Watts (some lower, some a little higher).&nbsp; Here is where the simple math comes in (see my previous post<a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55242/Learn-How-Watts-Can-Improve-Energy-Efficiency-Watt-s-a-Watt" title="Learn How Watts Can Improve Energy Efficiency; &quot;Watt's&quot; a Watt?"> Learn How Watts Can Improve Energy Efficiency; "Watt's" a Watt?</a> if you want more detail on how to calculate your total wattage).</p> <h2>How to Calculate 50%+ in Savings</h2> <p>Existing 400 Watt Metal Halide = 458 Watts</p> <p>New High Bay = 200 Watts</p> <p>The Difference = 258 Watts</p> <p>258/458 = 56% Less Wattage</p> <p>If you use 56% Less Wattage, then you will use 56% less energy thus making your facility more <strong>energy efficient</strong>.&nbsp; That is just simple math and easy to accomplish using replacements.&nbsp;</p> <p>But you don't have any money?&nbsp; <a href="http://www.dsireusa.org" title="Take a look at rebates that are available in your area.&nbsp; " target="_self">Take a look at rebates that are available in your area.&nbsp; </a></p> <p>There are numerous incentives and financing options available that lower the initial cost of installation and allow you to pay over time with the energy savings.&nbsp; This means no out of pocket expense for you.&nbsp;</p> <h2>An Example of Energy Efficient Gymnasium Lighting?</h2> <p>Hovey Electric replaced <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/northwood-university-lights-up-hach-center-gymnasium/" title="Gymnasium lighting for Northwood University and you can read about how they are saving $16,000 per year in energy costs by replacing 76 400 Watt Metal Halides.&nbsp; " target="_self">Gymnasium lighting for Northwood University and you can read about how they are saving $16,000 per year in energy costs by replacing 76 400 Watt Metal Halides.&nbsp; </a></p> <p>If you want to find out more about the benefits of energy efficiency and how to calculate your energy savings, <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="download our FREE 36 Page E-book titled:&nbsp; Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.&nbsp;" target="_self">download our FREE 36 Page E-book titled:&nbsp; Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.&nbsp;</a></p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-10e2e6a0-1cd7-4872-a573-9ae4dccac6b2" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-10e2e6a0-1cd7-4872-a573-9ae4dccac6b2" id="hs-cta-10e2e6a0-1cd7-4872-a573-9ae4dccac6b2"> <a href="/northwood-university-lights-up-hach-center-gymnasium" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/northwood-university-lights-up-hach-center-gymnasium"><img id="hs-cta-img-10e2e6a0-1cd7-4872-a573-9ae4dccac6b2" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/d01b77f6-df15-4612-ad14-9d31830bd171-1327095849199/download-our-whitepaper.png?v=1327095849.44" alt="downloadfree-casestudylearn-howa-univer" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/d01b77f6-df15-4612-ad14-9d31830bd171-1327095849199/download-our-whitepaper.png?v=1327095849.44" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=10e2e6a0-1cd7-4872-a573-9ae4dccac6b2"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-10e2e6a0-1cd7-4872-a573-9ae4dccac6b2").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-10e2e6a0-1cd7-4872-a573-9ae4dccac6b2").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <br />Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64119/How-To-Reduce-Gymnasium-Lighting-Cost-By-Over-50-Real-Project&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 03 Jan 2012 18:59:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:64119http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64289/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-How-To-Calculate-Cost-23-Watt-Bulb#Comments1,066Energy Efficient Lighting:How To Calculate Cost 23 Watt Bulbhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64289/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-How-To-Calculate-Cost-23-Watt-Bulb<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><br /> <h1>Is a 23 Watt Bulb Really More Energy Efficient than a 100 Watt Incandescent?</h1> <h2>Calculating the Cost of a 23 Watt CFL</h2> <p>The typical replacement for a 100 watt incandescent is a 23 watt compact fluorescent bulb.&nbsp; We often get the question about why someone should change out their incandescent bulbs for the CFL's.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here I show you a simple example and the formula's for calculating the cost of an individual CFL so you can see the benefit of making your lighting more <strong>energy efficient</strong>. Just calculating the cost and showing you the cost for the bulb would not be a convincing argument for energy efficiency.&nbsp;</p> <p>The numbers become very convincing when you compare the 23 watt cfl with the 100 watt incandescent. So in order to determine the cost of a 23 watt cfl, we will compare the cost of the two different bulbs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Both of the bulbs&nbsp;above are suitable replacements and can be utilized for the same application.&nbsp; While the old style 100 Watt bulb will likely be cheaper to purchase upfront, over time the compact fluorescent will save you money.&nbsp;&nbsp;How much difference?&nbsp;</p> <h2>Finding the Difference in Wattage</h2> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Closeupcfl.jpg" border="0" alt="How-to-calculate-the-cost-of-23-watt-compact-fluorescent-cfl" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>In order to find the difference in wattage, we just use simple subtraction.&nbsp; Identify the wattage on the package or on the bulb themselves (Located on the top of incandescent and usually on the base of a CFL).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>In this case we are going to calculate the cost of a 23 Watt CFL and compare that to what you are going to replace, the 100 Watt incandescent.&nbsp; Take the 100 Watts from the incandescent and Subtract the 23 Watt Compact Fluorescent. You will find a difference of 77 Watts.</p> <p>(100 Watts - 23 Watts = 77 Watts Difference).&nbsp; Simple math right?</p> <p>Now that we have the wattage difference, we can determine how much each bulb costs us to operate annually.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>Calculating Kwh</h2> <p>Your utility company charges by the Kilowatt Hour or (Kwh).&nbsp; They don't charge by wattage so you need to take the calculations even further.&nbsp; In order to determine the cost difference between the two bulbs, we utilize the wattages to determine the kwh.&nbsp; Here is the equation we can utilize to find Kwh:</p> <p><strong>Fixture Quantity x Fixture Wattage = Total Watts</strong></p> <p><strong>Total Watts / 1000 = Kilowatts</strong></p> <p><strong>Kilowatts x (Hours of Usage) = Kilowatt/Hr</strong></p> <p><strong>Kilowatt/Hr x (Cost of Energy) = Annual Cost</strong></p> <h2>So How Much Does a 23 Watt Bulb Cost?<strong><br /></strong></h2> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Let's assume you have the following:</span></strong></p> <p>Your facility has 20 Lights (Fixture Quantity) that currently have 100 watt incandescent bulbs installed.</p> <p>You are planning on replacing 100 Watt Bulbs (Fixture Wattage for Each) with&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 23 Watt CFL Bulbs (Fixture Wattage for Each)</p> <p>2000 Hours (Hours of Usage)</p> <p>$.10 Per Kilowatt/Hr (Average Energy Rate Charged)</p> <h2>How much does it cost annually for 20 - 100 Watt Bulbs?</h2> <p><strong>20 (Fixtures) x 100 (Watts Each) = 2000 Watts</strong></p> <p><strong>2,000 Watts / 1000 = 2 kw (Kilowatt)<br /></strong></p> <p><strong>2 kw x 2000 hrs per year = 4000 kwh (Kilowatt/Hour)</strong></p> <p><strong>4000 kwh x $.10 = $400</strong></p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>$400</strong></span> to operate 20 lamps with 100 Watt Bulbs<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></h3> <h2>How much does it cost annually to operate 20 - 23 Watt Bulbs?</h2> <p><strong>20(Fixtures) x 23 (Watts Each) = 460 Watts</strong></p> <p><strong>460 Watts / 1,000 = .46 Kw (Kilowatt)</strong></p> <p><strong>.46 Kw x 2000 hrs per year = 920 kwh (Kilowatt Hour)</strong></p> <p><strong>920 kwh x $.10 = $92.00</strong></p> <h3><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">$92</span></strong> to operate 20 lamps with 23 Watt Bulbs<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></h3> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>The Difference is $308 Annual Savings</em></span></h2> <h2>Which Bulb is More Energy Efficient?</h2> <p>The 23 Watt CFL bulb cost $4.60 ($92 / 20 = $4.60) annually compared to $20 ($400 / 20 = $20.00) for a 100 Watt Incandescent bulb.&nbsp;</p> <p>$4.60 versus $20.00....is that convincing enough to consider changing out your existing light bulbs?&nbsp; Still not sure?</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>YES</strong>, the 23 Watt CFL bulb is much more energy efficient than a 100 watt incandescent.</em></span></h3> <h2>Forget the Calculations and Call Hovey Electric...We Help Companies Become More Energy Efficient</h2> <p>If your still confused about energy efficient technologies? Here is one of our articles that get's right back to the basics, check it out....</p> <p>See my article <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55242/Watt-s-a-Watt-How-to-calculate-watts-for-energy-efficiency" title="&quot;Watts&quot; a Watt? If you want to see how to take this calculation further and calculate your energy savings from a new system upgrade." target="_self">"Watts" a Watt? If you want to see how to take this calculation further and calculate your energy savings from a new system upgrade.</a>..or...</p> <h2>Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting</h2> <p>Hovey Electric has been <strong>installing lighting</strong> for over 32 years.&nbsp; We are experts in <strong>energy efficient lighting solutions</strong>.&nbsp; Even with all the information on the web, few people really understand what <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> is all about.</p> <p>We put together this eBook to help you better understand why <strong>energy efficient lighting</strong> may be beneficial to you or your business.&nbsp; Check it out, It's FREE, No Obligation.....Just Good Information, Click on the Book Below.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;<span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2><span style="color: #000000;">Related Energy Efficient Lighting Articles:</span></h2> <p><a href="How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED Cr 24 vs Fluorescent T12 " title="How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED Cr 24 vs Fluorescent T12 " target="_self">How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED Cr 24 vs Fluorescent T12 </a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/81576/How-To-Calculate-Watts-Savings-CREE-LED-vs-65-Watt-Incandescent" title="How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED vs 65 Watt Incandescent" target="_self">How To Calculate Watts &amp; Savings: CREE LED vs 65 Watt Incandescent</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/80952/What-Is-Annual-Energy-Savings-and-How-Do-I-Calculate-The-Savings" title="What Is Annual Energy Savings and How Do I Calculate The Savings?" target="_self">What Is Annual Energy Savings and How Do I Calculate The Savings?</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/63963/How-to-Calculate-Total-Fixture-Wattage-for-Fluorescent-Lighting" title="How to Calculate Total Fixture Wattage for Fluorescent Lighting" target="_self">How to Calculate Total Fixture Wattage for Fluorescent Lighting</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73754/Energy-Efficient-Fluorescent-Lighting-Options" title="Energy Efficient Fluorescent Lighting Options." target="_self">Energy Efficient Fluorescent Lighting Options.</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64289/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-How-To-Calculate-Cost-23-Watt-Bulb&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 03 Jan 2012 16:33:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:64289http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79792/Did-You-Miss-Any-Of-Our-Top-5-Energy-Efficient-Blog-Posts-Of-2011#Comments489Did You Miss Any Of Our Top 5 Energy Efficient Blog Posts Of 2011?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79792/Did-You-Miss-Any-Of-Our-Top-5-Energy-Efficient-Blog-Posts-Of-2011<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Just In Case You Did Miss Our Top 5 Energy Efficient Blog Posts Of The Year...Here's A Re-Cap...</h1> <h2>2011: A Year Of Tremendous Website Growth<img id="img-1325187631578" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/growth 2011.jpg" border="0" alt="Hovey-Electric-Power-Blog-Top-5-Energy-Efficient-Blog-Posts-2011" width="462" height="248" class="alignRight" /></h2> <p>This past year has seen tremendous growth in our website. We have had over 11,700 visitors this year compared to just under 1000 in 2010 and less that 50 in 2009.&nbsp; Blogging has been a major contributor to our success in attracting visitors to our website.&nbsp;</p> <p>We have proven that even though we specialize in <strong>industrial electrical services</strong>, you can provide an educational platform and successfully build a following online. We have just scratched the surface with our 79 (...this one is 80) blogs. We continue to learn more and more each day about energy efficiency and plan on continuing to provide you with more educational content in the New Year. &nbsp;</p> <p>Since our blog did so well for us this year, I thought I would take a few minutes during this quiet week between Christmas and New Years and summarize the 5 most popular blog posts of 2011.&nbsp; These 5 blogs had just under 3,700 visits over the past year or roughly about 37% of our total traffic for the year.</p> <p>Just in case you missed them, here they are (just click on the title to got to the article):</p> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay" id="dnn__ctl3__ctl1_BlogsRep__ctl1_BlogLink">1.Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay</a></h3> <p>Our most popular post because of the inefficient 400 watt Metal Halide.&nbsp; This article does a great job of comparing the difference in the cost of operating the 400 watt Metal Halide vs. the T-5 High Bay.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/63963/How-to-Calculate-Total-Fixture-Wattage-for-Fluorescent-Lighting" id="dnn__ctl3__ctl1_BlogsRep__ctl2_BlogLink">2. How to Calculate Total Fixture Wattage for Fluorescent Lighting</a></h3> <p>Understanding how to calculate the cost of wattage is one of the basic principles in determining the practicality of an energy efficient upgrade.&nbsp; This article shows how to calculate the energy cost of an entire fluorescent lighting system.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64289/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Calculate-the-Cost-of-a-23-Watt-Light-Bulb" id="dnn__ctl3__ctl1_BlogsRep__ctl3_BlogLink">3. Energy Efficient Lighting:Calculate the Cost of a 23 Watt Light Bulb</a></h3> <p>This article was written to take energy efficiency to a level that most consumers can relate to.&nbsp; Most people get the deer in the headlights look when we start talking about the calculations.&nbsp; This article shows how calculate the cost of a typical 100 watt incandescent replacement bulb, something that most people can relate to.</p> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/56085/How-to-Drive-Down-Energy-Costs-with-VFD-s-for-Motor-Efficiency" id="dnn__ctl3__ctl1_BlogsRep__ctl4_BlogLink">4. How to "Drive" Down Energy Costs with VFD's for Motor Efficiency</a></h3> <p>We haven't talked too much about motor efficiency, but this article looks at how variable frequency drives can really make a difference in the cost of operating an electric motor.&nbsp; Lighting efficiency is easier to make a case for because you can often see the difference.&nbsp; Motors on the other hand are somewhat in the background.&nbsp;</p> <p>Motors are one of the most overlooked opportunities for energy efficient improvements in a facility. <a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/58857/Why-You-Should-Compare-Inductive-Fluorescents-vs-Metal-Halide-vs-T5HO" id="dnn__ctl3__ctl1_BlogsRep__ctl5_BlogLink"></a></p> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/58857/Why-You-Should-Compare-Inductive-Fluorescents-vs-Metal-Halide-vs-T5HO" id="dnn__ctl3__ctl1_BlogsRep__ctl5_BlogLink">5. Why You Should Compare Inductive Fluorescents vs Metal Halide vs T5HO</a></h3> <p>Inductive fluorescents were a new technology that we worked with this past year.&nbsp; We did a major install of exterior lighting by replacing 1000 Watt Metal Halide fixtures with 250 watt inductive fluorescents.&nbsp; This article compares the metal halide fixtures with inductive fluorescents and T5 High Bays.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Did You Download Our FREE E-book?</h2> <p>These are just 5 of the great articles we put together this year.&nbsp; Our most popular download was our FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency-Lighting.&nbsp; This E-book is intended to help business owners sort out the facts from the bs some vendors are selling who just simply want to sell a certain product.&nbsp;</p> <p>We provide an objective viewpoint for business owners looking to understand more about energy efficiency.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Tell Us What You Want To Read About In The New Year...</h2> <p>We are putting together our editorial calendar for 2012 and would love to have some direction from you to help us provide the best information for our readers.&nbsp; Please leave us a topic you would like to learn more about in our comments section below.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Please have a safe and happy New Year!</h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79792/Did-You-Miss-Any-Of-Our-Top-5-Energy-Efficient-Blog-Posts-Of-2011&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 29 Dec 2011 19:38:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:79792http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79527/Utilities-Paying-Incentives-But-NOT-Using-Energy-Efficient-Lighting#Comments42Utilities Paying Incentives But NOT Using Energy Efficient Lighting!http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79527/Utilities-Paying-Incentives-But-NOT-Using-Energy-Efficient-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Utility Uses Inefficient 400 Watt Metal Halide<img id="img-1324566578490" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Guthrie-Pennyrile Cmon Looking Up At Fixture-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="Brand-new-400-watt-metal-halide-street-lights" width="337" height="450" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> For New Street Lights</h2> <p>I was recently traveling in Kentucky near our new facility and I noticed some new street lights put up by the local utility in the area.&nbsp; Since they were new, I stopped in to take a look to see what type of technology they are using.&nbsp;</p> <p>Afterall, utilities are paying out millions of dollars in incentives for customers to get rid of old inefficient fixtures.&nbsp; I thought for sure they would be using some of the latest technology.&nbsp;</p> <h2>This Qualifies As The"C'Mon, Man!" Moment of the Week</h2> <p><em>(Last <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/78850/Why-Do-Electrical-Contractors-Fear-Energy-Efficient-Products" title="week I wrote an article about the Commentators on ESPN who review the &quot;C'Mon, Man!&quot; silly moments of the week." target="_self">week I wrote an article about the Commentators on ESPN who review the "C'Mon, Man!" silly moments of the week.</a>&nbsp; I decided that I would share with you some of the unbelievable things I see with regards to energy efficient lighting)</em></p> <p>Imagine my surprise when I discovered that these brand new street lights, less than 30 days old, were <strong>400 Watt Metal Halide Fixtures.</strong>....UNBELIEVABLE!&nbsp; My first thought, seriously, was "C'Mon, Man!"</p> <p>How can utilities not be the forerunner of new technology...especially when they are paying other to GET RID of <strong>400 Watt Metal Halide</strong>?&nbsp; All I could do is shake my head and walk away, I just couldn't believe it.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73806/Types-Of-HID-Lights-And-Replacements-For-Energy-Efficient-Lighting" title="Types Of HID Lights And Replacements For |Energy Efficient Lighting|"><img id="img-1324566700377" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Street lighting Guthrie-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="Inefficient-400-watt-metal-halide-hovey-electric-kentucky" width="291" height="388" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" /></a></h3> <h2>Metal Halide Fixtures Are Cheap.....Can You Imagine Why?</h2> <p>All I can figure is that the bean counters at the utility must only be looking at up front cost of the fixtures.&nbsp; Since <strong>400 Watt Metal Halide</strong> is so inefficient, they are very cheap to buy.&nbsp; The problem is the long term cost to operate the fixture far outweighs the upfront purchase costs.</p> <p>I think this would be a good spot to reference some of the past articles in case the folks at the utility need some help analyzing the amount of wasted energy they will be using:</p> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73806/Types-Of-HID-Lights-And-Replacements-For-Energy-Efficient-Lighting" title="Types Of HID Lights And Replacements For |Energy Efficient Lighting|">Types Of HID Lights And Replacements For |Energy Efficient Lighting|</a></h3> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb" title="Metal Halide:The &quot;Shocking Truth&quot; In The Life Of A Metal Halide Bulb">Metal Halide:The "Shocking Truth" In The Life Of A Metal Halide Bulb</a></h3> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76492/TVA-Incentives-400W-Metal-Halide-vs-T5-Fluorescent" title="TVA Incentives: 400W Metal Halide vs. T5 Fluorescent.">TVA Incentives: 400W Metal Halide vs. T5 Fluorescent.</a></h3> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/67898/How-To-Find-The-Most-Energy-Efficient-400-Watt-Metal-Halide" title="How To Find The Most Energy Efficient 400 Watt Metal Halide">How To Find The Most Energy Efficient 400 Watt Metal Halide</a></h3> <p>I guess when you sell the electricity, you can afford to waste some.&nbsp; Just doesn't make sense to me.</p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting?</h2> <p>Don't make the same mistake the utilities are making and use outdated technology that will cost you big time over the life of the lighting system.&nbsp; If you are considering upgrading your facility or designing a new one, be aware of what your engineer, architect or utility is suggesting.</p> <p>Sometimes it takes many years for these folks to changeover and they may have a good reason for specifying what they have designed for you.&nbsp; But, it is worth a few minutes to educate yourself because you are the one paying the bill for the next 10-20 years!</p> <p>Download our Free E-book, Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency - Lighting Solutions.&nbsp; Read this and you will have a good understanding of what works and what doesn't work for energy efficient lighting.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79527/Utilities-Paying-Incentives-But-NOT-Using-Energy-Efficient-Lighting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 28 Dec 2011 14:47:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:79527http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79460/Holiday-Energy-Saving-Ideas#Comments577Holiday Energy Saving Ideashttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79460/Holiday-Energy-Saving-Ideas<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Tis the season!</h1> <p><span>.....for high energy bills! Today let's look at some simple tips and energy saving ideas to help this holiday season.</span></p> <h3><span></span>Make the switch to LED.<br /><img id="img-1324478392660" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/led christmas tree.jpg" border="0" alt="LED Christmas tree" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h3> <p>LED christmas lights not only last longer, they eliminate that favorite holiday game "find the burned out bulb". Switching to LED lights will save 90% of the electricity used by standard Christmas lights and can be purchased for around $10 a strand.</p> <h3>Fiber Optics</h3> <p>I know, I know.....there not very traditional, but fiber optic trees usually only use one lamp to light the entire tree! In addition to being energy savers the fiber optic trees are a breeze to set up, and no more pesky needles all over the house!</p> <h3>Festive and Cozy</h3> <p>When your sitting in your living room with your tree lit up, shut off other light sources in the room. Christmas tree lights give off more than ample lighting and turning off the other lights saves energy. Besides, it just feels nice and cozy with Christmas lights!</p> <h3>Turn them off<img id="img-1324478498570" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/exterior christmas lights.jpg" border="0" alt="exterior christmas lights" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h3> <p>Exterior lighting only needs to come on at dark and can be turned off at bed time. Mine are usually on 5 hours a day. If you don't feel like hopping out into the cold to unplug them at night, invest in a timer. Many box style supply stores sell them cheaply and they very user friendly.</p> <h3>Go old school</h3> <p>I like Christmas lights as much as the next guy, but around the holidays there is nothing like using candles to light a room and set the mood for festivities. A little more care and safety is<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/candle.jpg" border="0" alt="candle" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> required but there is nothing like hunkering down with the family to watch a movie in a room that's candle lit.</p> <h3>Turn it down</h3> <p>So the whole families coming over for the holidays? Turn down your thermostat when the first guests start arriving. All those bodies packed into your home are not only good company, they produce heat as well. It's not uncommon for my furnace to only kick on once or twice a day when the family is gathered at my house.</p> <p>Interestingly enough I recieved this article in my email after I had already created this post. Check it out <a href="http://ww2.wapa.gov/sites/western/es/pubs/Documents/holidayLighting11.pdf" rel="nofollow" title="here" target="_self">here</a>.It covers the same types of things I have but also informs people of the higher standards that new energy efficient decorative lighting must meet.</p> <h3>Stay safe this holiday season and best wishes!</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79460/Holiday-Energy-Saving-Ideas&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolFri, 23 Dec 2011 14:36:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:79460http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79159/How-To-Calculate-Watts-For-Metal-Halide-HID-Lighting#Comments1,224How To Calculate Watts For Metal Halide (HID) Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79159/How-To-Calculate-Watts-For-Metal-Halide-HID-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Why Do I Need To Know The Wattage Of My Metal Halide Fixtures?</h1> <p>The only way to see if an energy efficient update to your facility makes sense is to calculate the cost of what you already have.&nbsp; Your electric bill won't tell you this because the bill is a aggregate view of all of the electricity consumed from your facility, not just the lighting.</p> <p>By calculating the cost of your existing fixtures, you are able to make educated decisions regarding upgrades to energy efficient lighting products.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here are the 5 steps involved with calculating the total wattage of HID lighting fixtures because this is what we see most when visiting customers.&nbsp; Here are the steps you need to follow:</p> <h2>Step 1 - Determine Your Type of Fixture</h2> <p>This article assumes that you are aware of your metal halide fixtures.&nbsp; But if not, here is what you need to be looking for:</p> <p>The Bulb:</p> <p><img id="img-1323888423877" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/400 w metal halide bulb.jpg" border="0" alt="Metal Halide Bulb" /></p> <p>250 Watt Metal Halide Low-Bay</p> <p><img id="img-1323888466165" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/400wmh%20off.jpg" border="0" alt="400 Watt Low Bay Metal Halide" /></p> <p>400 Watt Metal Halide High-Bay</p> <p><img id="img-1323888459157" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/400w highbay-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="High Bay 400 Watt Metal Halide" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Step 2 - Determine the Size Of Your Metal Halides</h2> <h3>What Is A Size?</h3> <p>Size, when talking about Metal Halide, the size actually refers to the wattage of the fixture.&nbsp; So you likely have 175 Watt MH, 250 Watt MH, 400 Watt MH or 1000 Watt MH.&nbsp; While the size indicates the wattage, it is not the actual wattage of the fixture <em>( I will explain in Step 4...)</em></p> <h3>Where To Find Your Size</h3> <p><em><strong>Supply Room</strong></em></p> <p>Metal Halide come in many shapes and sizes.&nbsp; One of the easiest ways to find out the size of your fixtures is to look on the supply room shelf.&nbsp; You likely have a replacement bulb in there somewhere under a layer of dust.&nbsp;</p> <p><em><strong>Maintenance Staff</strong></em></p> <p>If you have a maintenance person, they will be able to tell you what size of Metal Halide you have. Metal Halide are typically very high maintenance and if light quality is important to what you do, you have likely order either bulb or ballast replacements in the past year.&nbsp;</p> <p><em><strong>Get A Ladder!</strong></em></p> <p>Climb on up there and get the number, that is if your comfortable on the ladder and you are not too high up.&nbsp; Be careful, make sure someone spots your ladder and be sure to let them cool down.....these babies heat up to over 900 degrees...so you won't want to be using the fixture as a balance point!<em><strong><br /></strong></em></p> <p><strong><em>Hire A Professional Electrical Contractor</em></strong></p> <p>If you want to do your own calculations, but want to be exact, bring in your Electrical Contractor.&nbsp; They work with these types of fixtures all the time.&nbsp; An hour or two walking around your facility will give you a pretty good idea what you have.&nbsp;</p> <p>(<strong><em>TIP: Depending on the contractor, they may not be too excited about energy efficient products.&nbsp; Contractors are typically a little slow to change, so if you get this sense, just let them know you want help with determining what you have.&nbsp; Learn more about <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/?Preview=true/bid/78850/Why-Do-Electrical-Contractors-Fear-Energy-Efficient-Products" title="How Contractors Are Afraid Of Energy Efficient Products in a post I did earlier this week" target="_self">How Contractors Are Afraid Of Energy Efficient Products in a post I did earlier this week</a>. If your in <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Michigan, Tennesse or Kentucky, we can help you out!)" target="_self">Michigan, Tennesse or Kentucky, we can help you out!)</a><br /></em></strong></p> <h2>Step 3 - Need Your Fixture Quantity</h2> <h3>If You're Just Seeing If It Is Worth Pursuing, Just Get it Close</h3> <p>If you are just doing rough numbers for now, you can get a rough estimate simply by counting your fixtures.&nbsp; If you already have a close number, then just use that at this stage.</p> <h3>If You're Ready To Submit Paperwork For Rebates, You Need To Be Exact</h3> <p>If you are getting ready to submit paperwork for a utility rebate, it is in your best interest to get an exact count. Most programs pay you for each fixture or total kilowatt reduction.&nbsp; To get the most rebate amount, get some help counting.&nbsp;</p> <p>We have had 3 different people count in some facilities and each of us come up with a different number.&nbsp; You may have to count a couple of times.&nbsp;</p> <p>The point here is you need a quantity that is close to work with to do your final calculation.</p> <h2>Step 4 - Determine Actual Wattage</h2> <p>Just because your Metal Halide is 175 Watt or 400 Watt, that doesn't mean that is the actual wattage of the fixture.&nbsp; I guess it is easier to say 400 Watt rather than 458 Watt.&nbsp; Here are the ACTUAL wattages of the most common types of Metal Halide that we see.</p> <ul> <li><em><strong>175 Watt Metal Halide&nbsp; Fixture = 205 Actual Watts<br /></strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>250 Watt Metal Halide Fixture =290 Actual Watts<br /></strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>400 Watt Metal Halide Fixture = 458 Actual Watts</strong></em></li> <li><em><strong>1000 Watt Metal Halide Fixture =1,081 Actual Watts</strong></em></li> </ul> When doing your energy efficiency calculations, you will want to use the actual wattage to get an accurate picture of what you can save potentially on your energy bill.&nbsp; <br /> <h2>Step 5 - Multiply Quantity x Actual Wattage</h2> <p>Let's say you have (100) existing fixtures and you have determined they are 1000 Watt Metal Halide:</p> <p>100 fixtures x 1,081 Watts = 108,100 Total System Watts (Assuming this is the only type of fixture you have...)</p> <h2>Step 6 - Compare Existing Total Watts With Proposed Total Watts</h2> <p>If you are considering an energy efficient upgrade, you should see a major difference in wattage consumption.&nbsp; In this case, one alternative technology we would look at is inductive fluorescent.&nbsp; We could easily replace the 1000 watt Metal Halides with 250 Watt inductive fluorescents.&nbsp; Here is how we would compare:</p> <p>100 (New Fixtures) x 265 Watts = 26,500 Total System Watts.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Step 7 - Compare Old With New</h2> <p style="padding-left: 90px;">Old Total System Watts - 108,100</p> <p style="padding-left: 90px;">New Total System Watts - 26,500</p> <p>Wattage Reduction New System = 81,600 Watts</p> <p>In this case, you would be reducing your total system wattage by over 80% which will translate into a significant amount of savings over time.&nbsp; This may seem unbelievable to you but it's true and we wrote an article about the project titled:<a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73075/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-for-Dealerships-and-Large-Parking-Lots" title="Energy Efficient Lighting for Dealerships and Large Parking Lots">Energy Efficient Lighting for Dealerships and Large Parking Lots</a></p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>1. Read Some Related Blog Posts</p> <p>We write extensively about different energy efficient technologies and how to calculate your energy efficient savings.&nbsp; Here are a few suggested articles:</p> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55242/Learn-How-Watts-Can-Improve-Energy-Efficiency-Watt-s-a-Watt" id="dnn__ctl3__ctl1_BlogsRep__ctl6_BlogLink">Learn How Watts Can Improve Energy Efficiency; "Watt's" a Watt?</a></h3> <h3 class="title"><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb" title="Metal Halide:The &quot;Shocking Truth&quot; In The Life Of A Metal Halide Bulb">Metal Halide:The "Shocking Truth" In The Life Of A Metal Halide Bulb</a></h3> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73806/Types-Of-HID-Lights-And-Replacements-For-Energy-Efficient-Lighting" title="Types Of HID Lights And Replacements For |Energy Efficient Lighting|">Types Of HID Lights And Replacements For |Energy Efficient Lighting|</a>&nbsp;</h3> <p>2. Or...Download Our Free <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="E-book: Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency " target="_self">E-book: Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency </a></p> <p>The concept of energy efficiency is often mis-understood as a gimmick or scam.&nbsp; We have created an e-book to help dispel that type of rhetoric.&nbsp; The purpose of the book is to show you how you can see significant savings with new, updated energy efficient technologies.&nbsp;</p> <p>Download a copy to learn about the benefits of energy efficient technologies for your business.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/79159/How-To-Calculate-Watts-For-Metal-Halide-HID-Lighting&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 22 Dec 2011 15:20:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:79159http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74073/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Lamp-Life-of-New-Energy-Efficient-Bulbs#Comments785Energy Efficient Lighting: Lamp Life of New Energy Efficient Bulbshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74073/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Lamp-Life-of-New-Energy-Efficient-Bulbs<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Fluorescent lamp life:</h2> <p>All lamps are not created equal, and while there are hundreds of different configurations I want to touch base on the common non-specialized lamps that we see every day.</p> <h3>Types Of Fluorescent Lamps</h3> <h5><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>T12 Fluorescent:</strong></span></h5> <p>Todays 4' T12 lamps have a lamp life of around 20,00 hrs. Extended life T12 lamps are available but even then they only give you 24,000 hrs. All the lamps listed below are figured on a 12 hour per day burn cycle.</p> <h5><span style="text-decoration: underline;">T8 Fluorescent:<img id="img-1323788730856" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/t12 t8 t5.jpg" border="0" alt="T12, T8, and T5 lamps" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></span></h5> <p>4' T8 lamps which are what you will usually see today are set up basically the same way but the lamp life is significantly better</p> <p>Standard is 36,000 hrs.</p> <p>Extra life is 42-45,000 hrs.</p> <p>There are even Super long life lamps that will go an astounding 60,000 hrs!</p> <h5><span style="text-decoration: underline;">T5 Fluorescent:</span></h5> <p>T5 fluorescents last a little less, but keep in mind they are considered a "high output" lamp.</p> <p>Average life expectancy is between 30-36,000 hrs.</p> <h3>Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL):</h3> <p>There are many different CFL designs. From the 2 and 4 pin style that are typical of can lights in a commercial setting, to the curly style you probably have burning in your homes. I will give a range of hours they each have.</p> <h5><span style="text-decoration: underline;">2 and 4 pin lamps:<img id="img-1323788759863" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/types of cfl.jpg" border="0" alt="Types of CFL" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></span></h5> <p>Single and double tubed CFL's fall into the 10 - 20,000 hr range. While this may not seem like much you must compare them to incandescents which have a life of 1 - 3,000 hrs.</p> <p>The triple tube version fares a bit better and falls into the 20,000 hr category.</p> <h5><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Self-Ballasted CFL:</span></h5> <p>Many of you know these as the curly looking lamps, however today they make them to resemble the typical light bulb in appearance. These have a lamp life range from 8,000 to 12,000 hrs. Which is impressive when you consider the average life of a Incandescent bulb is 1 - 2,000 hrs.</p> <h3>Inductive Fluorescent :<img id="img-1323885279926" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/inductive fluorescent.jpg" border="0" alt="Lamp-life-inductive-fluorescent-technology" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h3> <p>These, like LED are newer tech in the lighting world. Just like LED the majority of what&nbsp; you see in the commercial world all boast a 70 - 100,000 hr lamp life so again, once a lamp burns out you will &nbsp;probably just replace the fixture.</p> <p>I have seen Inductive lamping for residential style lighting. However, at this time everything I have seen in this application is small off brand manufacturers I have never heard of.</p> <p>I have a hard time recommending anything that isn't from a reputable company such as GE or Sylvania.</p> <h2>Light Emitting Diode (LED) :</h2> <p>There are a lot of different options for LED hitting the market. From the newer residential styled replacements and cove lights, to heavy commercial and industrial fixtures. Most fixtures for commercial or industrial that are LED have life ratings from 70 - 100,000 hours.</p> <p>Once a fixture get's that far along you more than likely will replace the whole fixture.</p> <h5><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Decorative LED:</span><img id="img-1323789604290" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/led-lights.jpg" border="0" alt="Lamp-life-led-energy-efficient-products" width="280" height="261" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h5> <p>These are the smaller lamps that you find in candelabra style fixtures with smaller light socket bases. These fall into the 12-15,000 hour range. It's actually very good when you consider the lamps they replace are around 1-2,000 hrs.</p> <h5><span style="text-decoration: underline;">A19 (standard light bulb):</span></h5> <p>Starting to see these pop into the market more and more. The lamp life is right around 25,000 hours for these. They are reletively expensive when compared to CFL lighting, but I expect to see these prices come down fairly quickly as the tech progresses.</p> <h5><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Par Lamps (your spots and floods)</span></h5> <p>Par lamps are your par 16, 20, and par 30 lamps that you see in can lights or in spot lights. They boast a 25,000 hr lamp life and are even available in dimming options. One nice thing about the dimmable LED is the tech has gotten to the point where they dim like an incandescent.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Why Should You Use Energy Efficient Bulbs?</h2> <p>My hope is that this round up will give you a feel of how superior the new energy efficient options are over what we currently use. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of energy efficiency download our free e-book!</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74073/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Lamp-Life-of-New-Energy-Efficient-Bulbs&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolThu, 15 Dec 2011 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:74073http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/78850/Why-Do-Electrical-Contractors-Fear-Energy-Efficient-Products#Comments163Why Do Electrical Contractors Fear Energy Efficient Products?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/78850/Why-Do-Electrical-Contractors-Fear-Energy-Efficient-Products<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Why Are Contractors Afraid Of Encouraging Energy Efficient Products?</h1> <h1><img id="img-1323882480313" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/erase fear.jpg" border="0" alt="erase fear" width="396" height="263" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h1> <h2>"C'Mon Man" And Energy Efficiency....Say What?</h2> <p>I like watching Football on Sunday's when I have time..which isn't very often. So instead of watching hours of Football, I like to watch the ESPN show to see what has been going on in the NFL for the week.</p> <p>For about 2 minutes each week, the 4 or 5 commentators pick a "C'mon Man" moment.They each take a turn and highlight plays or funny things that happen on the field.&nbsp; Usually good for a few laughs.&nbsp;</p> <p>For those of you who don't follow Football, the "C'mon Man" segment highlights some of the silly things that professional Football players do on the field.&nbsp; They are more or less saying, "C'mon Man" you are a Pro, what were you thinking?&nbsp;</p> <p>Here is a segment from YouTube as an example of one of the segments.</p> <p><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" id="img-1323364631981" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fhCks3bvTdA" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p> <h2>My Own "C'mon Man" Moments</h2> <p>After watching this a few times, I find myself saying "C'mon Man" when a person cuts me off on the highway or when my computer doesn't want to do what I WANT IT to do! Last week I had one of those moments when "C'mon Man" came to mind for a different situation.</p> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>"C'mon Man" thought of the week:</em></span></h2> <h2>An Electrical Contractor Tries To Discourage Customer From Using Energy Efficient Lighting..."C'mon Man"....</h2> <h3>We Point Our Customers Toward Energy Efficient Products....If It Makes "cents".</h3> <p>Last week I met with a General Contractor in Tennessee.&nbsp; They were interested in how we have developed our energy efficiency business.&nbsp; They thought it was quite refreshing to find a contractor who actually <strong>encourages</strong> energy efficient products where ever possible and practical. &nbsp;</p> <h3>Electrical Contractor Discourages Customer</h3> <p>They were telling us about a job they had just completed that the Electrical Contractor adamantly opposed the use of LED technology in a facility.&nbsp; On top of that, it was a NEW facility.&nbsp; If the owner of the facility hadn't demanded that they use the LED, it would have never happened and they would have used 400w Metal Halides which use 50-75% more energy than the LED fixtures.&nbsp;</p> <p>This would cost the owner thousands of dollars over the life of the new system.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Electrical Contractors Are Ideal Energy Consultants</h3> <p>Contractors are supposed to be the experts.&nbsp; There is no one better positioned to take advantage of the benefits of promoting energy efficiency.&nbsp; If you are a contractor who has not looked into promoting energy efficiency, you are missing out on a great opportunity to grow your business in this terrible economy.&nbsp;</p> <p>In a bad economy, everyone is looking for ways to reduce costs.&nbsp; Energy efficiency is one of the very few things you can do to actually REDUCE overhead costs.&nbsp; Very appealing to business owners in a crappy economy.</p> <h2>Key Takeaway: Contractors Fear Energy Efficient Products Because They Haven't Taken The Time To Learn About Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>In the end it is up to the customer to make the decision on what they are going to do.&nbsp; We just try to help them find the options that make the most sense for the customer.&nbsp;</p> <p>We are not into energy efficiency to make money off of pushing <strong>energy efficient products...</strong>(not much money there).&nbsp; We want to help our customers do the right thing...what is best for them.&nbsp; We get paid to change out the light fixture so we are more interested in the customer getting the best payback as possible.&nbsp;</p> <p>Contractors need to be more of a consultant rather than contractors.&nbsp; If your doing the work anyway, why not help your customers with a long term strategy of reducing their energy bill?&nbsp;</p> <p>Even if you don't make a lot of money from the job, they will have a tremendous amount of respect for you since you did something that helped them reduce expenses long term.</p> <p>Who will they think of the next time they need electrical work done?</p> <p>If you can't answer that, then send me a comment in the section below.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Learn More About The Energy Efficiency Business</h2> <p>If you are a contractor, or business owner considering an energy efficient product, learn more about energy efficiency in our <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="FREE e-book: Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency." target="_self">FREE e-book: Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency.</a>&nbsp; This e-book looks at the benefits to a business and why a business owner should consider energy efficient products.</p> <p>Don't think because you are an Electrical Contractor that you shouldn't read it.....you can learn the 5 points that you should be focusing on to sell more business in this down economy..."C'mon Man"....Download it Now! You will be glad you did.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/78850/Why-Do-Electrical-Contractors-Fear-Energy-Efficient-Products&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 14 Dec 2011 17:23:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:78850http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65518/Power-Monitoring-System-How-To-Become-Your-Own-Power-Detective#Comments194Power Monitoring System: How To Become Your Own "Power Detective"http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65518/Power-Monitoring-System-How-To-Become-Your-Own-Power-Detective<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>What is Power Monitoring?</h1> <h3>Paying your utility bill is like signing a blank check while being blindfolded......</h3> <h2><img id="img-1332184970331" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Blindfolded.jpg" border="0" alt="3-reasons-why-you-need-to-take-off-your-blindfold-and-get-a-power-monitoring-system" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>Power monitoring is a highly-effective means to detect or prevent problems on power systems. A monitoring system can provide information about system disturbances and their possible causes.</p> <p>A power monitoring system can also detect problem conditions throughout the system before they cause issues, equipment malfunctions, and even equipment damage or failure.</p> <p>Power quality problems are not necessarily limited to the utility side of the system. Studies have shown that the majority of power quality problems are within customer facilities.</p> <p>With increasing business costs in an highly competitive industry, power monitoring can be the difference between keeping and losing key customers.</p> <p>Here are 3 reasons why you should consider a power monitoring system:</p> <h2>Power Monitoring Measures Efficiency</h2> <p>Understanding how your facility uses energy is one of the most critical steps in reducing your overall energy costs.&nbsp; Power monitoring reports where your energy dollars are going in real time allowing for you to understand what equipment uses the most electricity.</p> <h2>Power Monitoring Will Reveal Energy Efficiency Opportunities</h2> <p>By identifying what the energy usage is on each piece of equipment, you will be able to determine more accurately which change outs would benefit your company the most.&nbsp;</p> <p>Replacing inefficient equipment can be an expensive endeavor, but knowing which replacement will provide your company the most return will allow you to prioritize replacement overtime.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Power Monitoring Will Verify Energy Savings</h2> <p>If you make improvements by upgrading older inefficiency equipment, a power monitoring system will allow you to verify the forecasted savings.&nbsp; By monitoring the equipment, you won't have to wait for your next utility bill to see the savings.&nbsp;</p> <p>Savings will appear immediately if you compare the new readings with previous readings.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Is Power Monitoring Right For YOU?</h2> <p>Still not sure if power monitoring is right for your business?&nbsp; In order to consider the benefits of power monitoring you need to understand the benefits of energy efficiency.&nbsp;</p> <p>The best way to do that is to <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="Download our FREE e-book, Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.&nbsp;" target="_self">Download our FREE e-book, Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency. </a>The 36 page e-book looks at the 5 benefits of energy efficiency and shows you the 7 steps to calculate your energy savings for any type of energy efficiency upgrade you are considering.</p> <p>Have more questions regarding power monitoring?&nbsp; Just leave us your question in the comment section below.</p> <h2><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span><em><strong><span style="color: #000000;">Related Power Monitoring System Articles:</span></strong></em></h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75079/Peak-Demand-Are-You-Getting-Hammered-By-Peak-Demand-Charges" title="Peak Demand: Are You Getting Hammered By Peak Demand Charges?" target="_self">Peak Demand: Are You Getting Hammered By Peak Demand Charges?</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75081/What-is-Power-Factor-Correction" title="What is Power Factor Correction?" target="_self">What is Power Factor Correction?</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70348/What-Is-A-Power-Monitoring-System" title="What Is A Power Monitoring System?" target="_self">What Is A Power Monitoring System?</a></p> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82539/How-To-Clean-Up-Your-Dirty-Power-With-Energy-Efficient-Lighting" title="How To Clean Up Your &quot;Dirty&quot; Power With Energy Efficient Lighting" target="_self">How To Clean Up Your "Dirty" Power With Energy Efficient Lighting</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65518/Power-Monitoring-System-How-To-Become-Your-Own-Power-Detective&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 08 Dec 2011 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:65518http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75301/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-CREE-LED-More-Efficient-Than-Fluorescent#Comments589Energy Efficient Lighting: CREE LED More Efficient Than Fluorescent?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75301/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-CREE-LED-More-Efficient-Than-Fluorescent<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>What Could Be More Energy Efficient Than Fluorescents?</h1> <h3>What replaces energy efficient fluorescents?</h3> <p>Think of a large office building, or perhaps a high school or college. One thing they all have is a lot of fluorescent 2x4 fixtures in the ceiling.</p> <p>Even with todays advancements in T8 technology they still have to address the lamps every 30-40,0000 hrs. Let's look at an LED option and see what it has to offer.</p> <h3>The Issues:</h3> <p>Were starting to see LED options flood the marketplace for replacing fluorescent tubes. Some from reputable companies in the industry, the rest from over seas manufacturers that I have never heard of.</p> <p>I have yet to personally install these replacement tubes as I have not heard good things. LED lighting produces a good amount of heat and I have yet to see any of these replacement tubes address the problem of getting rid of said heat.</p> <p>While LED is very efficient, it likes cooler ambient temperatures to reach it's maximum rated life. The tubes I have seen are a strip of LED sealed inside of plastic casing.</p> <h3>The Solution: Cree CR24<img id="img-1323286388869" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/CR24-Troffer.jpg" border="0" alt="Cree-led-troffer-installed-by-energy-efficient-lighting-contractor-clarksville-tn" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h3> <p>The tubes I spoke of above cost between $40-$80 apiece. On a 2 lamp fixture thats as much as $160.00......for lamps?</p> <p>My opinion of the matter is just get a whole new fixture, one that has heat dissipation designed in to maximize fixture/lamp life. The Cree fixture produces 4,000 lumen's.</p> <p>The tubes I spoke of produce 3,000 so in that respect you would be getting even more light for your money. The Cree fixture is in the $225.00 price range.&nbsp;</p> <p>So for $60 dollars more than "tubes" you would get a fixture designed to maximize lamp life, a 5 year warranty from a reputable company, as well as more light. It's a no brainer to me.....this is a case of "you get what you pay for".</p> <h3>The benefits of LED:</h3> <h5>Energy Savings</h5> <p>The first and obvious benefit is energy savings. With wattages ranging from 22 to 50 watts, the fixture is more efficient than just one T12 fluorescent lamp!&nbsp;</p> <h5>Better Light Quality</h5> <p>The Cree LED fixture will also produce light that closely resembles daylight. This results in truer, brighter colors and also much less eye fatigue....especially important in office settings!</p> <h5>Decrease in Maintenance</h5> <p>The Cree CR24 is designed to produce a minimum of 50,000 hours of trouble free service. This far surpasses the life of a T12 fluorescent lamp which will be usable anywhere from 18-20,000 hrs.</p> <p>Check out this Video showing a recent store conversion using the CR24</p> <p><object width="560" height="315" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/a_Gi7BOMSLo?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed width="560" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/a_Gi7BOMSLo?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" allowFullScreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" allowfullscreen="true" /></object></p> <h3>Fixture Quality:</h3> <p>Over the years I have installed 2x4 fixtures from every major manufacturer in north America. The one thing I have noticed is that over the years the fixture construction seems to be getting thinner and thinner.</p> <p>Imagine my surprise when I was able to get my hands on a demo fixture and see the quality. Made from sturdy 20 guage steel, this fixture just "felt" like a high quality piece of lighting. It's constructed to last and is backed with a 5 year factory warranty!</p> <h3>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting?</h3> <p>Learn more about what benefits energy efficiency can have for your business. Download our free E-book and see for yourself.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <pre>(Image:http://www.creeledlighting.com/Products/Architectural-Troffers/CR24.aspx)</pre>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75301/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-CREE-LED-More-Efficient-Than-Fluorescent&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolWed, 07 Dec 2011 19:25:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:75301http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73075/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-for-Dealerships-and-Large-Parking-Lots#Comments167Energy Efficient Lighting for Dealerships and Large Parking Lotshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73075/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-for-Dealerships-and-Large-Parking-Lots<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h3>Most Dealerships Use Expensive 1000 Watt Metal Halide..</h3> <p>The very first time I drove to see our operations in Clarksville Tennessee I can remember rolling into town late at night. I was absolutely amazed at the number of large dealerships on the main strip, all lit up like a Christmas tree.....all with Metal Halide.</p> <h3>Dealership Looks Great With 1000 Watt Metal Halide, But What About Other Options?</h3> <h3><img id="img-1322574368890" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/1000w before-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="1000-watt-metal-halide-before-inductive-fluorescent-upgrade" width="420" height="279" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h3> <p>Most suppliers will tell you that there are no other options.&nbsp; That's what our suppliers kept telling us.&nbsp; We weren't willing to settle for that, so we did some research.&nbsp; We went to work online and found the inductive fluorescent technology.</p> <p>We felt that because of the <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/-cri-color-rendering-index/" title="CRI values" target="_self">CRI values</a> and <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/kelvin-light-scale/" title="Kelvin temperature" target="_self">Kelvin temperature</a> of the inductive fluorescent, we could replace the lighting quality and reduce energy consumption by 75%.&nbsp;</p> <p>We needed a place to test our theory and Jeff Crippen, of Crippen Buick GMC Volvo Mazda in Lansing, MI decided to see if we were right.&nbsp; By our calculations, his 1000 Watt Metal Halide energy consumption was a significant chunk of his energy bill.&nbsp;</p> <h2>1000 Watt Metal Halide vs 250 Watt Inductive Fluorescent: Testing Our Theory</h2> <p>Owners take a lot of pride in the appearance of there facility and inventory, and rightly so. Many of them are family owned and have been built over generations. The appearance of the inventory is key in people buying vehicles.</p> <p>Many dealerships have 1000 watt metal halide lighting to be able to properly light up those large areas. Not only for people to be able to browse their inventory at night....but also to deter theft or vandalism.</p> <p>In order to test lighting quality of the inductive fluorescents, we put up 4 of the fixtures on a pole that was in line of sight with 4 1000 Watt Metal Halides.&nbsp;</p> <h3><img id="img-1316541724404" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/250w inductive-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="250w-inductive-fluorescents" width="408" height="306" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" /></h3> <h3>Who Won, 1000 Watt Metal Halide or 250 Watt Inductive?</h3> <p>Let's just say that the night that we went to compare the lights, Mr. Crippen ordered the other 34 fixtures to replace ALL of the existing 1000 Watt Metal Halide.&nbsp; You can see the difference in this picture that was taken on the night of the test (4 very bright fixtures in front, 4 1000 Watt Metal Halide in the background.&nbsp;</p> <p>Beyond a 75% reduction in energy consumption, the inductive fixtures have many other benefits including reducing maintenance costs.&nbsp; The inductive fluorescent have a 100,000 hour life expectancy, which means 20-25 years for most applications. This reduces the number of bulbs and ballasts that have to be replaced which can be very expensive.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Interested In How Much You Could Save?&nbsp; $100,000...$250,0000 or even $750,000+</h2> <p>Yes, if you own 100 - 1000 Watt Metal Halides, you could save over $750,000 over the lifetime of a new inductive fluorescent fixture.&nbsp; Still not sure.....check out this worksheet that we created.....<a href="/Default.aspx?app=LeadgenDownload&amp;shortpath=docs%2fdealership+sheet-revised+1000-1.pdf" title="Energy efficient lighting 1000W to 250W" target="_self">showing the difference between 1000W to 250W</a>.&nbsp; Find your number of fixtures and see your lifetime savings, kWh reduction and a sample of different utility rebate programs.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>***It should be noted that the rebates are based on our local municipalities here in Michigan. These programs are constantly changing and also vary state to state. <a href="www.dsireusa.org/" title="Take a look at this site...it lists ALL Utility rebate programs by State." target="_self">Take a look at this site...it lists ALL Utility rebate programs by State.</a><br /></em></p> <h3>Interested in Energy Efficient Lighting?</h3> <p>Learn more about energy efficiency and the benefits that energy efficient lighting can have on your business.&nbsp; We created a special e-book to teach business owners about energy efficiency strategies for their business.&nbsp;&nbsp; Click the button below....or Contact us in the comments section and let Hovey Electric show you the benefits and savings of energy efficient lighting.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73075/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-for-Dealerships-and-Large-Parking-Lots&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolTue, 29 Nov 2011 20:36:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:73075http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73806/Types-Of-HID-Lights-And-Replacements-For-Energy-Efficient-Lighting#Comments1,006Types Of HID Lights And Replacements For |Energy Efficient Lighting|http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73806/Types-Of-HID-Lights-And-Replacements-For-Energy-Efficient-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>HID Lighting: Energy Efficient Lighting Options.</h1> <p>While HID lighting covers a broad scope of lighting the most common lamps are Metal Halide, Mercury Vapor, and High Pressure Sodium. Let's look at some viable options for replacement.</p> <h2>1-High Pressure Sodium</h2> <p>While it is considered efficient by HID standards it's really not. HPS can be identified by the orange/amber light it produces. Mainly used in parking lots, or as general lighting in exterior applications.&nbsp;One benefit of the amber colored lighting is that it doesn't take much with todays technology to replace it.</p> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Replacement options</span></h2> <h3>Replace With LED...</h3> <p>LED is a great option in this instance because the higher CRI of LED lighting really makes things appear alot brighter than HPS lights. Typically the HPS is in a lower wattage than metal halide, thus LED can really compete with it. There are LED retrofit kits for this.....but my opinion is you are better off with a new fixture covered under warranty. The reason being that there is just too much "junk" on the market.</p> <h3>Replace With Inductive Fluorescent...</h3> <p>Inductive fluorescent is another option as well. Due to the poor coloring of HPS lighting it can be replaced by an Inductive at significantly less wattage. I have replaced 250W HPS with 100W Inductive and it looked 10 times brighter.</p> <p><strong><em>Industrial Lighting Options</em></strong></p> <p>You see alot of HPS lighting in Industrial areas as well, Appleton actually offers an LED and Inductive solution for this as well that holds all the characteristics of there commercial counterparts.</p> <h2>2-Mercury and 3-Metal Halide Lamps</h2> <h3><img id="img-1320869934134" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/400 w metal halide bulb.jpg" border="0" alt="Types-of-hid-lights-and-energy-efficient-replacements" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h3> <p>I am categorizing these two lamps together based on there characteristics. Mercury lamps</p> <p>have gone along the wayside because of....mercury. What you run into now is Metal halide multi vapor.</p> <p>Typically they are used for exterior lighting in parking lots and exterior building lighting in the form of wall packs. When they are used inside they are mostly in the form of a high bay light of some sort. Typically in production areas, warehouse areas, and gymnasiums.</p> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Replacement Options</span></h2> <p>The bigger the lamp the bigger the cost to replace. Unfortunately the replacements for this category are more costly, but the cost to run the old lamps is even more costly!</p> <h3>Exterior Options</h3> <p>First lets look at parking lots. In this case they are mostly 400 watt or 1000 watt metal halides. I know alot of people are buzzing about LED lights and they are an option, but I have yet to see any LED lighting that can match the punch of a 400W metal halide. Typically I like LED if it is to replace something 200W or less.</p> <h3>Replace With Inductive Fluorescent...</h3> <p>The replacement that I think holds the most merrit when dealing with 400-100W metal halides is Inductive Fluorescent. Most metal halide has a lamp life of 15-18,000 hrs., Inductive Fluorescent is 100,000 hrs. so you can reduce the maintenance greatly.</p> <p>Inductive fluorescent can easily reduce consumption anywhere from 50-75%. If you have a 400W metal halide, replace it with a 200W inductive and you are more than safe. For the 1000W metal halides we have used 250W inductive and had great success.</p> <h3>Interior Options</h3> <p>Now we get to the highbays. We have a couple of options once we get indoors, the first being the F-bay or Fluorescent High Bay. These are generally a great option due to the wattage reduction and inexpensive nature of fluorescent.</p> <h3>Replace With 4 Lamp T-5/6 Lamp T-8...</h3> <p>A typical scenario is a 400W high bay. In this case a 4 lamp T5 F-bay is a great one for one replacement. If the cieling is under 15' high you can also use a 6 lamp T8 F-bay. both will get the job done and both will reduce the wattage significantly. The bonus of T5 or T8 lighting is it also has a lamp life that is easily twice as long as metal halide, resulting in a reduction in maintenance costs.</p> <h3>Inductive Fluorescent</h3> <p>Another option we have is once again, Inductive Fluorescent. They offer a wide variety of highbays that are great replacements for existing metal halide. While they are costlier than a standard F-bay they do offer a life span of 100,000 hours.</p> <p>Highbays are usually a pain to service anyways due to them being so high in the air, Inductive may make more sense.....especially in areas that are very busy or are hard to access due to equipment on the ground. Not having to maintain a light for 15 years suddenly looks very appealing to end users.</p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting?</h2> <p>Take a look at our FREE e-book, Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency to learn about the benefits of implementing an energy efficient strategy for your business.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73806/Types-Of-HID-Lights-And-Replacements-For-Energy-Efficient-Lighting&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolThu, 17 Nov 2011 20:43:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:73806http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77438/HID-Lighting-Energy-Efficient-Replacements-For-High-Pressure-Sodium#Comments348HID Lighting:Energy Efficient Replacements For High Pressure Sodiumhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77438/HID-Lighting-Energy-Efficient-Replacements-For-High-Pressure-Sodium<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>HID Lighting: Replacement Options For High Pressure <img id="img-1320872689113" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/High pressure sodium at night.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-options-for-high-pressure-sodium" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />Sodium</h1> <p>While HID lighting covers a broad scope of lighting the most common lamps are Metal Halide, Mercury Vapor, and High Pressure Sodium. Let's look at some viable options for replacement for High Pressure Sodium fixtures.</p> <h2>High Pressure Sodium</h2> <p>While it is considered efficient by HID standards it's really not. HPS can be identified by the orange/amber light it produces. Mainly used in parking lots, or as general lighting in exterior applications.&nbsp;</p> <p>One benefit of the amber colored lighting is that it doesn't take much with todays technology to replace it.</p> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Replacement options</span></h2> <h3>You Can Replace With LED...</h3> <p><a href="Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent" title="LED is a great option" target="_self">LED is a great option</a> in this instance <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/-cri-color-rendering-index/" title="because the higher CRI" target="_self">because the higher CRI</a> of <a href="Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent" title="LED lighting" target="_self">LED lighting</a> really makes things appear alot brighter than HPS lights. Typically the HPS is in a lower wattage than metal halide, thus LED can really compete with it.</p> <p>There are LED retrofit kits for this.....but my opinion is you are better off with a new fixture covered under warranty. The reason being that there is just too much "junk" on the market.</p> <h3>Or Replace With Inductive Fluorescent...</h3> <p><a href="Energy Efficient Lighting: Inductive Crushes 400 Watt Metal Halide" title="Inductive fluorescent" target="_self">Inductive fluorescent</a> is another option as well. Due to the poor coloring of HPS lighting it can be replaced by an Inductive at significantly less wattage. I have replaced 250W HPS with 100W Inductive and it looked 10 times brighter.</p> <p><strong><em>Industrial Lighting Options</em></strong></p> <p>You see a lot of HPS lighting in Industrial areas as well, <a href="LED Options For Energy Efficient Hazardous Area Lighting-Part 1" title="Appleton actually offers an LED" target="_self">Appleton actually offers an LED</a> and Inductive solution for this as well that holds all the characteristics of there commercial counterparts.</p> <h2>Get Rid Of That Orange Light and Save 50% On Your Lighting Costs</h2> <p>If your unsure of what you have or just want to know what your options are for lighting, leave a comment below and we will be happy to set something up.</p> <p>If you want to learn more about the benefits of energy efficiency, check out our <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="FREE E-book; Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency-Lighting Solutions" target="_self">FREE E-book; Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency-Lighting Solutions</a>.&nbsp; Just click the button below.</p> <span id="hs-cta-wrapper-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 250px; height: 210px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" id="hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" alt="jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/089d6dfe-7c61-4ca5-9701-acfb7799d6e7-1330527282069/jimmy-hovey-energy-efficient-250px.png?v=1330527282.49" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-b2d078ba-7f7a-4913-8adc-947392c19d7c").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> <br />Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77438/HID-Lighting-Energy-Efficient-Replacements-For-High-Pressure-Sodium&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolFri, 11 Nov 2011 01:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:77438http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76454/Energy-Efficiency-Incentives-What-Are-Prescriptive-Incentives#Comments534Energy Efficiency Incentives: What Are "Prescriptive" Incentives?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76454/Energy-Efficiency-Incentives-What-Are-Prescriptive-Incentives<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Does Your Kentucky Or Tennessee Business Qualify For TVA Energy Efficiency Incentives?</h1> <h2>Understanding Incentive Categories</h2> <p><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76268/Energy-Efficiency-Incentives-TVA-Incentives-For-Custom-Lighting" title="In a previous article I discussed what categorizes a lighting project as &quot;custom&quot; for TVA" target="_self">In a previous article I discussed what categorizes a lighting project as "custom" for TVA</a> and also gave an example project to show the great rebate incentives they are offering their customers. In this article I would like to highlight the "prescriptive" lighting program they offer.</p> <h2>What Is A "Prescriptive" Energy Efficient Incentive?</h2> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/led on blue sky background.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficiency-incentives-tva-prescriptive-incentives" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" />Prescriptive lighting projects are nothing more than changing your existing lighting out with a "prescribed" category of fixture from TVA's incentive chart.</p> <p>While the brand of fixture used can be from any lighting manufacturer, they do have to meet criteria guidelines to qualify for the incentives.</p> <p>As an example, one of their line items involves replacing an existing 250W metal halide. If you replace it with a 3 lamp T5 F-bay, TVA will pay you $36.00 for every fixture you change. No calculations, no speculating,......as long as the fixture specs meet the criteria.</p> <p>To be sure if the fixture your wanting to install meets these criteria we recommend using a certified TVA lighting vendor such as <a href="http://www.coffmanhomedecor.com/" rel="nofollow" title="Coffman Lighting" target="_blank">Coffman Lighting</a>. To see more details on the TVA prescriptive program click <a href="http://energyright.com/business/pdf/Standard_Rebate_Application_Lighting.pdf" rel="nofollow" title="here" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <h2>How Does A "Prescriptive" Rebate Work?:</h2> <p>Next let's take a sample project and figure the incentive for a qualifying TVA customer. We have a large manufacturing building that is part storage and part manufacturing. The building has 120, 400w metal halide highbays that are on roughly 12 hours per day.</p> <p>Just these lights cost the owner $10,006.00 per year to operate!</p> <h2>Existing Fixtures:</h2> <p>120 - 400WMH @ 456watts ea.</p> <p>Based on the owner usage information I have = 181,928 KWH per year.</p> <p>Annual cost $10,006.00 per year.</p> <h2>New Fixtures:</h2> <p>60 - 6 lamp T5 F-bays @ 343 watts ea.</p> <p>60 - 4 lamp T5 F-bays @ 226 watts ea.&nbsp;</p> <p>(<em>Quick Note: Only the manufacturing area needed higher light levels requiring the 6 lamp fixture. The storage and shipping area just needed to maintain it's light levels, which is why we used the 4 lamp fixture in their.)</em></p> <p>Total yearly KWH with the new fixtures = 93,084 KWH</p> <p>Annual cost $5,120.00 per year.</p> <p>So we saved him $4,886.00 dollars a year right off the top.</p> <h1><em>PLUS</em></h1> <p>TVA's prescriptive application graciously gives us:</p> <p>$36.00 for every 6 lamp fixture we install and $72.00 dollars for every 4 lamp fixture we install.</p> <p>60 X $36.00 = $2,160.00</p> <p>60 X $72.00 = $4,320.00</p> <p>Total Incentive = $6,480.00!</p> <p>So we get $4,886 in savings and $6,480 in rebates.</p> <p><strong>Grand Total = $11,366.00 </strong>(all while maintaining and increasing light levels in the building)</p> <h2>How Do You Start The Process?</h2> <p>This is just a quick rundown on a sample project. Many times the calculations are more extensive with many more fixture types. Every project is different, so it is important to have a qualified electrical company evaluate your needs.&nbsp; That's where we can help!</p> <p>Click the button below to learn more about how incentives can impact your energy efficiency project in Kentucky or Tennessee.&nbsp;</p> <p>FREE lighting analysis done to show you how much you can save just by changing your lighting. The TVA incentives have never been better and are there for the taking!&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong><img id="hs-cta-img-06d3653f-4469-47ca-831c-fd51382f4be9" src="http://d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/00955895-6e45-4453-a711-e20507dc9b09-1320337205494/learn-more-about-tva-energy-efficiency-incentives-.png?v=1320337205.75" alt="learn-more-about-tva-energy-efficiency-i" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width: 0px;" /></strong></h3> <h3><strong><img id="hs-cta-img-a1453f65-4af2-4ac0-9194-e901a981862f" src="http://d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/20759785-7b8e-4ccb-a4e1-ffcb0125c4c2-1320337782895/learn-more-about-tva-energy-efficiency-incentives-.png?v=1320337783.14" alt="learn-more-about-tva-energy-efficiency-i" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width: 0px;" /></strong></h3> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76454/Energy-Efficiency-Incentives-What-Are-Prescriptive-Incentives&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolWed, 09 Nov 2011 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:76454http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75082/Energy-Saving-Tips-For-Winter-Some-Simple-Ideas-For-Where-To-Look#Comments51Energy Saving Tips For Winter: Some Simple Ideas For Where To Lookhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75082/Energy-Saving-Tips-For-Winter-Some-Simple-Ideas-For-Where-To-Look<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>It's Getting Frosty; Time To Think About Energy Saving For The Winter</h1> <p><img id="img-1320412924321" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/winter-landscape.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-saving-tips-for-winter-by-jimmy-hovey" width="579" height="259" class="alignCenter" /></p> <h2>Winter is COMING....</h2> <p>With winter fast approaching, it is important to save money when keeping your business properly heated for the next 6 months. Especially when bills continue to be on the rise (yes, even for business owners!) and the economy remains stagnant. <br /> <br /> However, here are some energy saving tips to help keep you and your office warm this winter and to keep your heating bill affordable. <br /> <br /> <b></b></p> <h2><b>Tip #1.Wear Another Layer, Bundling up...<br /> </b></h2> <p>It might sound silly, but, lowering the thermostat to around 68 degrees and wearing an extra sweater to work can indeed help with costs.&nbsp; Maybe even make a game out of it--who can wear the worst Holiday sweater?</p> <p><em>(UPDATE: Okay, I tried this last week...have to admit..it didn't go so well. Office was 60 degrees on Monday morning and nearly froze...hard to wear gloves and type! 68 might work though...I will let you know)</em></p> <h2><strong>Tip #2.Speaking of Thermostats</strong></h2> <p>Get a programmable thermostat so you don't have to manually turn it down. You can set it and forget it.&nbsp; Thermostats sometimes qualify for incentives.&nbsp; Our utility company came in and changed ours out for FREE last week.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>(UPDATE: Tried this...actually is what caused the problem above..just a hint: you may want to see what the person who changed the thermostat actually set it at so you don't have frost on your computer Monday morning)</em></p> <h2><b>Tip #3.Seal It Off<br /> </b></h2> <p>Make sure that all windows and doors are properly sealed so heat can't escape and let cold air creep in. Self-sealing installing kits are available at hardware stores, if having it professionally done is not in your budget.</p> <h2><b>Tip #4.Let Some Sun In<br /> </b></h2> <p>Open up those blinds and let some sun in! This will naturally heat up the area throughout the entire work day without adding to the heating bill, just remember to close the blinds at the end of the day.</p> <p><em>(UPDATE: I would love to try this....but my office doesn't have any windows, I would love to see the sun warm me up.)</em></p> <h2><b>Tip #5.Watch Your Lighting</b></h2> <p>Make sure to turn off any lights which are not in use as well as replacing light bulbs with energy-saving ones, such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or LED lighting. There are numerous incentives and energy saving benefits to changing out your bulbs.&nbsp; Be sure to check your utility provider for details.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>(UPDATE: Any one else finding the wait time for a CFL annoying?&nbsp; That is the number one complaint I am hearing.&nbsp; Try LED, they are instant, last a long time, and they are dimmable...I know some CFL's are too, but...)</em></p> <h2><b>Tip #6.Invest In A Humidifier<br /> </b></h2> <p>Humidifiers put moister in the air and make the dry, winter air feel warmer. Keeping one on, however, might take a lot of energy (depending how big the area is) so try and use it sparingly.<br /> <br /> <b></b></p> <h2><b>Tip #7.How's your heating filter?<br /> </b></h2> <p>When was the last time you checked the filters on your HVAC system? Preferably, this should be done every month on top of keeping tabs on any leaks in pipes and air ducts, broken parts, or bad coils.</p> <p><em>(UPDATE: This is a good idea as it will help you breathe better as well...very important in the winter when we don't open the doors up as much)</em></p> <h2>Tip #8. Forget The First 7 Tips and Get An Energy Efficiency Audit</h2> <p>Well, not really. The tips above are all good and added together can have a significant impact on the amount of energy consumed.&nbsp;</p> <p><em><strong>BUT, IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN SAVING BIG BUCKS this winter...</strong></em>You should have a professional perform and energy audit.&nbsp; We do this for FREE.&nbsp; Typically the improvements to lighting alone often pay for themselves in less than a year.&nbsp;</p> <p>Even SAVING $2000 per year over a period of 10 years gives you $20,000 to spend somewhere else...and we have seen savings as high as $3,000 per month!</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d" id="hs-cta-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d"> <a href="/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis"><img id="hs-cta-img-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/8fe51c57-c3af-4bef-badd-5a030ec06068-1320413366210/free-onsite-analysis-for-your-businesslearn-more-h.png?v=1320413366.47" alt="free-onsite-analysis-for-your-business" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/8fe51c57-c3af-4bef-badd-5a030ec06068-1320413366210/free-onsite-analysis-for-your-businesslearn-more-h.png?v=1320413366.47" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75082/Energy-Saving-Tips-For-Winter-Some-Simple-Ideas-For-Where-To-Look&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveySat, 05 Nov 2011 12:53:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:75082http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb#Comments1,065Metal Halide:The Shocking Truth In The Life Of A Metal Halide Bulbhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>How Long Is The <span style="text-decoration: underline;">"Real"</span> Life Of A&nbsp; Metal Halide Bulb?</h1> <p>All metal halide bulbs have a relatively short life span compared to new technologies that are available today. This article is going to share with you the <em>"shocking truth"</em> that you may not realize if you are the owner of <strong>metal halide fixtures</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <p>So what is the <em>"shocking truth"</em>?</p> <h2>400 Watt Metal Halide Lose 50% Light Output At About 50% Of The Life Of The Bulb...</h2> <p>How long a lamp lasts and how long it's good for are two totally different things. Most lamp manufacturers rate their 400WMH lamps between 16,000 and 20,000 hours.</p> <p>However as you can see from the chart below, the lamps are only producing around 50% of there intended light after only 10,000 hours. (IN FACT...If you look closely, the lighting output begins to decline after you turn on the power to the new bulb.)&nbsp;</p> <p>So what does that give you? Well, you get a fixture that gives you the equivalent of 200 watts of light for the cost of 400.....pretty sweet deal isn't it?&nbsp; If you think so, you may want to look at the induction line below.&nbsp;</p> <p><img id="img-1320168947275" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/estimated lumen maintenance-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="metal-halide-loses-50%-lighting-output-at-50%-of-rated-life" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p> <pre>(chart source:bcxenergy.com)</pre> <h2>1000 Watt Metal Halide Lose 50% Even Faster...</h2> <p>Sadly, it doesn't get any better with a larger lamp....in fact its much worse.</p> <p>1000WMH lamps are rated for a life of around 11,000 hours. So in keeping in the characteristics of <strong>metal halide</strong> they would produce the light output of a 400 WMH lamp in roughly 5,000 to 6,000 hours of use.</p> <p>This means that you are only getting 50% of the output from your 1000WMH, but you are still burning 1058 watts.&nbsp; You are getting 1/2 the light for 100% of the cost of operating the fixture.&nbsp; Is that a good deal?</p> <p>If you re lamped your facility it would take just over a year for you to be down to the light levels of a 400WMH lamp. The bad part is lamps and ballasts don't care if your not getting full light output, they will spin the meter just as fast on day 500 as they did on day 1.</p> <p>The only real loser is the business owner footing the bill for electricity.</p> <h2>Can't You Just Replace the Bulbs More Often?&nbsp; <img id="img-1320171595810" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/400w highbay-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="metal-halide-bulbs-lose-50%-of-lighting-output" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>We have proposed upgraded lighting solutions to companies before and had them scoff at any numbers I have shown that consider payback in regards to maintenance savings.</p> <p>Realistically with a metal halide that burns 12 hrs. per day you <em><strong>should be</strong></em> re lamping every 2 years, even if the lamp still works.</p> <p>The reason being is that the lamp is only giving you 55%-60% of the light it's supposed to but your still paying for 100% of the light!</p> <p>Let me put it this way. If our company came and installed 100 brand new lights at your business and within 2 years only 40 of them worked....would you feel ripped off?</p> <p>Of course you would...and in reality the <strong>metal halide</strong> bulbs above your head IS ripping you off...it's doing the same thing! It is only working at 50% of its original output, yet your paying the same utility costs.&nbsp;</p> <h2>So, What Are My Options?&nbsp;</h2> <p>We have written numerous articles about new lighting technologies.&nbsp; The one thing they all have in common; The loss of lighting output outperforms <strong>metal halide</strong> EVERY time...and beyond that, they operate at 50% or more below the cost of a <strong>metal halide</strong>.&nbsp; Check out these articles;</p> <ul> <li> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/58857/Why-You-Should-Compare-Inductive-Fluorescents-vs-Metal-Halide-vs-T5HO" title="Why You Should Compare Inductive Fluorescents vs Metal Halide vs T5HO" target="_self">Why You Should Compare Inductive Fluorescents vs Metal Halide vs T5HO</a></h3> </li> <li> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay" title="Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay" target="_self">Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay</a></h3> </li> <li> <h3><a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64952/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Inductive-Crushes-400-Watt-Metal-Halide" title="Energy Efficient Lighting: Inductive Crushes 400 Watt Metal Halide" target="_self">Energy Efficient Lighting: Inductive Crushes 400 Watt Metal Halide</a></h3> </li> </ul> <h2>Stop Being Ripped Off!</h2> <p>If your unsure of what you have or just want to know what your options are for lighting, leave a comment below and we will be happy to set something up. Stop the cycle of being ripped off by <strong>Metal Halide lighting</strong> today.</p> <p>If you want to learn more about the benefits of energy efficiency, check out our <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="FREE E-book; Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency-Lighting Solutions" target="_self">FREE E-book; Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency-Lighting Solutions</a>.&nbsp; Just click the button below.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 140px; height: 200px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4" data-mce-style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 140px; height: 200px; display: block; border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4" id="hs-cta-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/754f0418-fd85-4bb9-95e2-b28e7fe15961-1319483698601/download-our-whitepaper.png?v=1319483698.91" alt="free-e-booklearn-moreabout-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/754f0418-fd85-4bb9-95e2-b28e7fe15961-1319483698601/download-our-whitepaper.png?v=1319483698.91" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4b241929-1a43-4023-8543-743c7e4b25b4").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> &nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/77000/Metal-Halide-The-Shocking-Truth-In-The-Life-Of-A-Metal-Halide-Bulb&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolFri, 04 Nov 2011 12:31:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:77000http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76268/Energy-Efficiency-Incentives-TVA-Incentives-For-Custom-Lighting#Comments171Energy Efficiency Incentives: TVA Incentives For "Custom" Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76268/Energy-Efficiency-Incentives-TVA-Incentives-For-Custom-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Does Your Kentucky Or Tennessee Business Qualify For TVA Energy Efficiency Incentives?</h1> <h2>Understanding Incentive Categories</h2> <h1><img id="img-1320337899542" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/row of electric meters.jpg" border="0" alt="hovey-electric-tennessee-electrical-energy-efficiency-contractor" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h1> <p>This article will highlight categories that the municipality incentives fall into. More specifically, these are the categories of TVA in the Kentucky and Tennessee area.</p> <h2>What Is A "Custom" Project?</h2> <p>Municipalities break down projects into two main categories, prescriptive and custom. A prescriptive item is one that there is a line item on there application form. Take for example if you replace a 400W metal halide fixture with a 4 lamp T5 fixture, they have a one for one change out line item that allows for $72.00 per fixture you replace.</p> <p>A custom application is one that there is no clear 1 for 1 replacement.&nbsp; In this case, you need to know the watts that the fixture for.</p> <p>In this case lets use a 1000W metal halide being replaced by a 250W inductive fluorescent fixture. In this case they do not have a specific amount for that type of fixture.</p> <p>Given the broad amount of fixture technologies available they use the "custom" classification to calculate what the incentive rebate would be. TVA specifically uses .10 cents per Kilowatt hour reduced based on your annual usage. For more details on the TVA custom lighting program click <a href="http://energyright.com/business/pdf/Standard_Rebate_Application_Lighting.pdf" rel="nofollow" title="here." target="_blank">here.</a></p> <h2>Here Is How The Incentives Apply</h2> <p>Let's take a look at a sample project from the TVA area. This project entails changing existing 1000 and 400 watt metal halides out to inductive fluorescent.</p> <h3><strong>Existing Fixtures:</strong></h3> <h3><span style="color: #000000;">5 - 1000W metal halide lamps @1080watts ea.</span></h3> <h3><span style="color: #000000;">1 - 1200W metal halide @ 1300watts ea.</span></h3> <h3><span style="color: #000000;">32 - 400W metal halide @ 458watts ea.</span></h3> <h3>Total system KWH @ 4000 hrs usage per year = 111,621 kwh.</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3><strong>New Fixtures:</strong></h3> <h3><span style="color: #000000;">5 - 250W inductive fluorescents @ 265watts ea.</span></h3> <h3><span style="color: #000000;">1 - 250W inductive fluorescent @ 265watts ea.</span></h3> <h3><span style="color: #000000;">32 - 200W inductive fluorescents @ 215watts ea.</span></h3> <h3>Total system KWH @ 4000 hrs usage per year = 46,160 kwh.</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3><strong>KWH Savings:</strong></h3> <p>111,621 - 46,160 = 65,461 KWH saved!</p> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3><strong>Sample TVA Utility Incentive:</strong></h3> <p>65,461 KWH saved X .10 cents(per kwh reduced) = <strong>$6,546.10</strong></p> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2><strong>Hovey Electric can help!</strong></h2> <p>This is just a quick rundown on a sample project. Many times the calculations are more extensive with many more fixture types. Every project is different, so it is important to have a qualified electrical company evaluate your needs.&nbsp; That's where we can help!</p> <p>Click the button below to learn more about how incentives can impact your energy efficiency projrect in Kentucky or Tennessee.&nbsp;</p> <p>FREE lighting analysis done to show you how much you can save just by changing your lighting. The TVA incentives have never been better and are there for the taking!&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-06d3653f-4469-47ca-831c-fd51382f4be9" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-06d3653f-4469-47ca-831c-fd51382f4be9" id="hs-cta-06d3653f-4469-47ca-831c-fd51382f4be9"> <a href="/does-your-ky-or-tn-business-qualify-for-tva-energy-efficiency-incentives" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/does-your-ky-or-tn-business-qualify-for-tva-energy-efficiency-incentives"><img id="hs-cta-img-06d3653f-4469-47ca-831c-fd51382f4be9" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/00955895-6e45-4453-a711-e20507dc9b09-1320337205494/learn-more-about-tva-energy-efficiency-incentives-.png?v=1320337205.75" alt="learn-more-about-tva-energy-efficiency-i" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/00955895-6e45-4453-a711-e20507dc9b09-1320337205494/learn-more-about-tva-energy-efficiency-incentives-.png?v=1320337205.75" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=06d3653f-4469-47ca-831c-fd51382f4be9"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-06d3653f-4469-47ca-831c-fd51382f4be9").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-06d3653f-4469-47ca-831c-fd51382f4be9").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></strong></h3> <h3><strong><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a1453f65-4af2-4ac0-9194-e901a981862f" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a1453f65-4af2-4ac0-9194-e901a981862f" id="hs-cta-a1453f65-4af2-4ac0-9194-e901a981862f"> <a href="/does-your-ky-or-tn-business-qualify-for-tva-energy-copy" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/does-your-ky-or-tn-business-qualify-for-tva-energy-copy"><img id="hs-cta-img-a1453f65-4af2-4ac0-9194-e901a981862f" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/20759785-7b8e-4ccb-a4e1-ffcb0125c4c2-1320337782895/learn-more-about-tva-energy-efficiency-incentives-.png?v=1320337783.14" alt="learn-more-about-tva-energy-efficiency-i" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/20759785-7b8e-4ccb-a4e1-ffcb0125c4c2-1320337782895/learn-more-about-tva-energy-efficiency-incentives-.png?v=1320337783.14" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a1453f65-4af2-4ac0-9194-e901a981862f"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a1453f65-4af2-4ac0-9194-e901a981862f").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a1453f65-4af2-4ac0-9194-e901a981862f").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> <br /></strong></h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76268/Energy-Efficiency-Incentives-TVA-Incentives-For-Custom-Lighting&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolThu, 03 Nov 2011 16:13:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:76268http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76492/TVA-Incentives-400W-Metal-Halide-vs-T5-Fluorescent#Comments960TVA Incentives: 400W Metal Halide vs. T5 Fluorescent.http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76492/TVA-Incentives-400W-Metal-Halide-vs-T5-Fluorescent<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>The Tennessee Valley Authority<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/pile of money.jpg" border="0" alt="tva-offers-cash-incentives-for-energy-efficient-upgrades" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> (TVA)Recently Improved Cash Incentives For Energy Efficient Upgrades.</h1> <h2>What Are The Benefits Of Upgrading To T5 Lighting?&nbsp;</h2> <p>The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has recently reconfigured and ramped up it's energy efficiency incentives program in an effort to make people more aware of the need to upgrade your lighting. Let's take a look at the incentives and how much <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>free</strong></span> money is available to help business owners make improvements to their facilities.</p> <h2>Why upgrade to T5 lighting?</h2> <p>The obvious response is....to save money! I wrote an article back in February titled, "<a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay" id="dnn__ctl3__ctl1_BlogsRep__ctl1_BlogLink">Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay".</a> The article is the most popular one on our site because people know that Metal Halides are energy hogs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>T5 Fluorescent TVA Incentives:</h2> <p>Let's take a look at dollar amounts offered for this category and the lighting it would replace.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Existing Fixture= 250 Watt Metal Halide</strong></span></p> <p>Replace with 3 lamp T5 fixture = $36.00 ea.</p> <p>Replace with 4 lamp T5 fixture = $20.00 ea.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Existing = 400 Watt Metal Halide</span></strong></p> <p>Replace with 6 lamp T5 fixture = $36.00 ea.</p> <p>Replace with 4 lamp T5 fixture = $72.00 ea.</p> <p><em><strong>**</strong>It should be noted that there is a max wattage limit that the replacement fixtures must be under, but from past experience they seem to be very achievable.<strong>**</strong></em></p> <h2><strong>How Do You Know If It Makes "Cents"?</strong></h2> <p>Obviously the bigger fixture you replace and take out of service the more money you will receive. While it may not seem like much money let's look at a very common real world set up and see.</p> <p>For example, a 50,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility has (120) 400W metal halide fixtures. Now lets switch them all out with 4 lamp T5 fixtures. I chose the 4 lamp because in my opinion they are the best selection in a 1 for 1 replacement situation to achieve maintained or better lighting levels.</p> <p>120 fixt. X $72 per fixt. rebate = $8,640.00 dollars, in free money you do not pay back. This is on top of reducing your lighting costs by 50% and federal tax incentives!</p> <h2>How Do You Get Started?</h2> <p>Own a business and are wondering where to go? You can start by visiting the TVA website&nbsp;<a href="http://energyright.com/business/how_to.html" rel="nofollow" title="here" target="_blank">here</a>. Hovey Electric has recently partnered with <a href="http://coffmanhomedecor.com" title="Coffman Lighting" target="_self">Coffman Lighting</a> a TVA Lighting Supplier, in Elkton, KY to provide energy efficient upgrades to your facility. You can contact us for a FREE site review to determine if you would qualify for incentives.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d" id="hs-cta-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d"> <a href="/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis"><img id="hs-cta-img-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/5d212d23-3beb-41b3-b318-b3c3b6a5f5c2-1320091070887/want-to-find-out-how-much-you-would-save-find-out-.png?v=1320091071.14" alt="want-to-find-out-how-much-you-would-save" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/5d212d23-3beb-41b3-b318-b3c3b6a5f5c2-1320091070887/want-to-find-out-how-much-you-would-save-find-out-.png?v=1320091071.14" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a4c5d593-14c6-4aec-9979-687443e2054d").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting?</h2> <p>Download our FREE E-book titled "Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency-Lighting Solutions" to learn about ALL of the benefits a lighting upgrade can bring to your business or facility.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/16b82ef7-55f3-45df-9e63-6da4571e4bd8-1318343966944/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343967.19" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> &nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/76492/TVA-Incentives-400W-Metal-Halide-vs-T5-Fluorescent&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolMon, 31 Oct 2011 19:38:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:76492http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73719/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-What-Are-The-Different-Types-Of-Lamps#Comments363Energy Efficient Lighting: What Are The Different Types Of Lamps?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73719/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-What-Are-The-Different-Types-Of-Lamps<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>What Are The Different Types of Lamps When Considering Energy Efficiency?<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/lots of bulbs.jpg" border="0" alt="What-energy-efficient-bulb-should-I-use-?" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h1> <p>The wheels of change are already spinning. The government has already mandated that Incandescent lamps and older fluorescent lamps are "inefficient". Lets take a look at some common lighting and also what our options for replacement lamps are.</p> <h2>CFL's Are Energy Efficient...But I don't Like The Color...</h2> <p>We hear this statement all the time, "I have tried them, but I don't like them".&nbsp; CFL technology has come a long way and there are many new options out there. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Most have stated that they have tried CFL's years ago and could not stand the "color" of the light. Those days are long gone. CFL's are now available in a variety of different colors, otherwise known as their "temperature" or "kelvin" for those looking for a light color similar to incandescent I recommend 2700K.</p> <p>For those who like a whiter, cleaner, more daylight color look for somethimg in the 4100-5000k rating. The higher the Kelvin rating, the whiter the light.</p> <p>CFL's are available in many different shapes and sizes. No longer are you forced to use the "curly" lamps, manufacturers now produce CFL's that look like incandescent bulbs and even flood lamps for can lights.</p> <p>You can even get CFL's that are dimmable for a host of residential and commercial applications.</p> <h2>Halogen Filled Incandescent Are More Energy Efficient</h2> <p>Another energy efficient option is halogen filled incandescent lamps. Typically they consume 25% less light than there standard counterparts, last three times longer, and deliver crisp lighting just like standard incandescent.</p> <p>The biggest benefit is they turn on and dim just as a standard light bulb would.</p> <h2>LED Lighting Technology Are The Most Energy Efficient, AND The Most Expensive</h2> <p>LED lighting has really come into it's own in the last year. The technology has gotten better and more dependable. Replacement screw in style lamps for incandescent light bulbs are now available in a multitude of styles and bases.</p> <p>The benefits for LED are amazing. Energy savings of 75-80% less than standard incandescent, and a lamp life thats 25 times longer. They also follw the dimming characteristics of incandescents perfectly, unlike CFL which cannot be dimmed passed 50% output.</p> <p>The downside? Replacement lamps for a 60 watt light bulb are anywhere from $30 to $60 dollars.</p> <p>While the price point may seem hard to justify, keep in mind that the life span and energy savings that are acheived with this style of lamp more than pay for itself over the life of the LED replacement. I foresee the technology getting better and cheaper as time progresses.....just like CFL did years ago. The only way to know is to analyze your existing systems versus the new systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>Want to Learn More About Energy Efficient Lighting?</h2> <p>We have put together a special guide for you to download for FREE.&nbsp; This guide will help you determine which technology is right for you and teach you how to do the calculations.&nbsp; Just click the button below to download your FREE copy.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73719/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-What-Are-The-Different-Types-Of-Lamps&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolTue, 25 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:73719http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74480/4-Energy-Efficient-Devices-That-Increase-Energy-Savings#Comments8624 Energy Efficient Devices That Increase Energy Savingshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74480/4-Energy-Efficient-Devices-That-Increase-Energy-Savings<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Energy Efficient Devices:</h1> <p>I recently did an article called&nbsp;<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73293/Energy-Efficient-Products-What-We-Like-and-Why-We-Like-Them" title="Energy Efficient Products: What We Like and Why We Like Them" target="_self">Energy Efficient Products: What We Like and Why We Like Them</a>. In the article I wrote about some of the newer technologies that are out on the market place to help conserve energy.</p> <p>This article is going to build off of that and show some of the other "helper" technologies that all help achieve the bigger picture which is energy efficiency.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?item=606327&amp;section=22795&amp;minisite=10026" rel="nofollow" title="Leviton F-bay occupancy sensor:" target="_blank">Leviton F-bay occupancy sensor:</a>&nbsp;<img id="img-1317754989955" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/p32353-osfhu-itw.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-device-leviton-motion-sensor" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h3> <p>It's a step in the right direction when you replace your existing metal halide highbays with fluorescent F-bays. Now why don't we squeeze even more efficiency out of them.</p> <p>Many places where F-bays are used are large areas that do not need to be lit the entire time....people aren't using the entire area. That's where this guy comes in, it installs directly to the fixture and controls each light individually.</p> <p>It's perfect in large warehouses with aisles, or large places that are unoccupied for periods of the work day.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?item=513296&amp;section=10249&amp;minisite=10026" rel="nofollow" title="Leviton ODS10 occupancy sensor" target="_blank">Leviton ODS10 occupancy sensor</a>:&nbsp;<img id="img-1317755349242" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/lev_ods10-idi.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-device-leviton-wall-mount-motion-sensor" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" /></h3> <p>This is another work horse sensor. The biggest feature I like is it does not require a neutral wire to be installed.</p> <p>Many switch boxes do not have a neutral wire in them, mainly because a switch doesn't use them. This alleviates the problem of having to pull an extra wire from the light location down into the switch.</p> <p>It features manual set points so you can dial it into whatever the habits are for the particular space its servicing. Cost is very economical as far as sensors go.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="http://genet.gelighting.com/LightProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=COMMERCIALSPECPAGE&amp;PRODUCTCODE=72867&amp;BreadCrumbValues=CATG,_Lamps_Linear%20Fluorescent_Straight%20Linear_T8&amp;SearchFieldCode=null" rel="nofollow" title="GE F28T8 reduced wattage lamp:&nbsp;" target="_blank">GE F28T8 reduced wattage lamp:&nbsp;</a></h3> <p>Ok I'll admit, on this product I am a bit biased. I use this on almost 90% of our lighting<img id="img-1318972348152" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/lamps.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-devices-bulbs" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> projects. This lamp when paired with a .88 BF ballast runs incredibly well, gives great light and meets all the standards for municipality rebates.</p> <p>I recently used these in an application where I retrofitted 8' High Output strip lights to a 4 lamp T8 fixture using these lamps. The difference was amazing, and I was conserving over 150 watts per fixture.</p> <h3><a href="http://www.intermatic.com/products/ec%204%20layer/mechanical%20time%20switches/24%20hour/t100%20series.aspx" rel="nofollow" title="Time Clock" target="_blank">Time Clock</a>:</h3> <p>You would be amazed how many places have no control on there exterior lighting. Just one simple, inexpensive little device can save thousands of dollars per year. As technology progresses and integrates we are seeing more advanced digital lighting controls that tie in<img id="img-1318970905530" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/time clock.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-devices-time-clocks-saves-energy" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" /> with energy management software.</p> <p>While the one I reference is a simple analog model.....it still performs the same function, turning the lights off when you don't need them.</p> <h2>Want More Energy Efficiency Information?</h2> <p>Energy efficient products are plentiful in the market.&nbsp; Knowing how to take advantage of the benefits can be an overwhelming process.&nbsp; I was part of developing a simple, easy to understand guide that is geared toward business owners.&nbsp;</p> <p>Our goal is to help you better understand how to take advantage of energy efficient technologies.&nbsp; Click on the button below to get you FREE, 36 page, downloadable guide to learn more about enery efficiency.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74480/4-Energy-Efficient-Devices-That-Increase-Energy-Savings&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolFri, 21 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:74480http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75080/Why-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Improves-Employee-Productivity-Part-1#Comments227Why Energy Efficient Lighting Improves Employee Productivity-Part 1http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75080/Why-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Improves-Employee-Productivity-Part-1<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>How Does Energy Efficient Lighting Affect Employees?</h1> <h2>Energy Efficient Lighting Leads to Better Light Quality</h2> <p>A by product of improving the energy efficient lighting is the quality of light in a facility.<img id="img-1318877992239" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/bright boardroom.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-lighting-improves-employee-productivity" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />&nbsp; Newer technologies and efficiencies have led in the direction of a "whiter" light.&nbsp; This whiter light is a function of the <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/kelvin-light-scale/" title="kelvin temperature" target="_self">kelvin temperature</a> and the <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/-cri-color-rendering-index/" title="color rendering index" target="_self">color rendering index</a>.&nbsp; Both of these factors lead to a sense of brighter light.&nbsp;</p> <p>Brighter light can have a positive impact on employees in many different types of working environments.&nbsp; Often we have presented the benefits of increased productivity but left it as an unknown and more of a possible outcome.&nbsp;</p> <p>Whenever we improve the lighting in a facility, our main goal is to reduce costs related to energy.&nbsp; We always get positive comments, but the comments are centered on the improvement of working conditions by the employees working in the environments.&nbsp;</p> <p>We decided to do some research to find out if there are any studies out there that support the notion that improved lighting quality can not only reduce energy costs, but also increase productivity.&nbsp; Here is what we found:</p> <h2><b>Shining The Light On Lighting Research In The American Workplace</b></h2> <p>Research studies indicate the effects of lighting on the circadian rhythm&mdash;the human system of the internal time clock.&nbsp; Several reports in the U.S. Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health reveal the benefits and harmfulness of lighting in the American commercial, retail and industrial workplace.&nbsp;</p> <p>The data from these studies provide support for the positive effects of light and its influence on human vitality, energy, mood, alertness and psychomotor vigilance as well as task performance.&nbsp; This information has caught the attention of business owners in addressing employee health and productivity through lighting. &nbsp;</p> <p>Many businesses are now reaping the rewards by installing energy efficient lighting in their commercial properties.</p> <h2><b>Studies Reveal Employee Effects</b></h2> <p>The Kensington Technology Group&rsquo;s research reports eyestrain as the leading cause for stress in the workplace.</p> <p>The results from a study conducted by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) found 68 percent of office workers were concerned about the effects of the lighting on their physical health. &nbsp;</p> <p>A study done by Cornel University found 24 percent of office workers claimed poor lighting as a factoring cause for loss of work due to eyestrain and discomfort.&nbsp; The study reveled a 2 percent loss of productivity per year for each individual surveyed.&nbsp; In terms of measuring this outcome, it was equivalent to one week&rsquo;s paid vacation for each employee.</p> <p>Perhaps one of the most significant studies would be the one conducted at the Reno Post Office.&nbsp; In order to save on energy costs, the post office set out to install indirect lighting to replace their direct lighting system.</p> <p>Within one year of installing the new lights, they discovered that not only did the new system save on the electric bill but there was also a 6 percent increase in worker productivity; this up-tick paid for the new lights within 12 months.</p> <h2>Measure Your Light</h2> <p>How do you know if you have the right light for your facility?&nbsp;</p> <p>The best way to analyze the light quality is by using a light meter to get a reading on the foot candle values of your facillity.&nbsp; That data can then be compared to industry standards for the environment your employees are working in.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hovey Electric has the tools and expertise to help you measure the light quality levels in your facility.&nbsp;</p> <p>Actually, measuring the light is a standard part of our Energy Needs and Safety Analysis that we perform for companies.&nbsp; Click the button below to schedule a time.&nbsp; Let's see if we can create a brighter, more productive environment for your employees.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-e46aa382-0e58-4f8f-8120-dd8684c70d27" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-e46aa382-0e58-4f8f-8120-dd8684c70d27" id="hs-cta-e46aa382-0e58-4f8f-8120-dd8684c70d27"> <a href="/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis"><img id="hs-cta-img-e46aa382-0e58-4f8f-8120-dd8684c70d27" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/4b8aaffb-9a20-417c-80b5-451902adb442-1311877822745/download-our-whitepaper.png?v=1311877823.03" alt="textformat-leading2p-alignleft" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/4b8aaffb-9a20-417c-80b5-451902adb442-1311877822745/download-our-whitepaper.png?v=1311877823.03" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=e46aa382-0e58-4f8f-8120-dd8684c70d27"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-e46aa382-0e58-4f8f-8120-dd8684c70d27").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-e46aa382-0e58-4f8f-8120-dd8684c70d27").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75080/Why-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Improves-Employee-Productivity-Part-1&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 19 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:75080http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75081/What-is-Power-Factor-Correction#Comments704What is Power Factor Correction?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75081/What-is-Power-Factor-Correction<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Confused About Power Factor?</h1> <h1><img id="img-1318869535128" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/one way each way.jpg" border="0" alt="what-is-power-factor" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></h1> <h1>A&nbsp;Look At How It Impacts Your Energy Cost</h1> <h2>Power Factor Definition You Can Understand?</h2> <p>Power Factor Correction (or PFC) is one of those concepts that many struggle to understand. Too often, it's defined using technical jargon that isn't particularly helpful. I don't know about you, but when the words "vector" and "cosine" are used too often in the literature, I start to tune out.</p> <h2>Unlock the Mystery of Power Factor Correction</h2> <p>In reality, however, power factor correction isn't as complicated as it seems. While the electrical engineers among you may not be satisfied with the following explanation, those of you with other interests may find it unlocks some of the mystery surrounding the whole idea. &nbsp;</p> <h2>Perfect Power Factor Equals 1.0</h2> <p>Everything that uses electricity to run has a "power factor" that ranges from 0.0 to 1.0. &nbsp;A device's power factor is the numeric expression of the relationship between "real power" (the energy that performs the work) and "apparent power" (what you see the device doing).</p> <p>While some devices are able to consistently balance real vs. apparent power (a perfect 1.0 power factor), others - because they are large, complicated or cyclical in nature - draw more electricity than is actually needed to perform their given task.</p> <p>This extra energy is called "reactive power" and it impacts a device's power factor ratio, i.e. a lower power factor indicates higher reactive power. &nbsp;Unfortunately, it also forces utility companies to build larger electrical infrastructures to support greater energy use.</p> <h2>Commercial and Industrial Users Pay for Reactive Power</h2> <p>While residential customers aren't charged for their reactive power usage, industrial and commercial customers are. &nbsp;Utility companies charge a premium for low power factor systems and applications, and businesses are forced to absorb exorbitant energy costs.</p> <h2>How Power Factor Correction Works</h2> <p>Here's where the concept of power factor correction comes in. By installing a properly sized capacitor to run in parallel with electrical systems, companies are able to balance the load that they draw from the electrical grid. &nbsp;Incoming power from the electrical distribution system is split between the capacitor and the low power factor devices on site. &nbsp;</p> <p>The capacitor is able to "correct" the devices' power factor by working alongside them and reducing the amount of reactive power that is required.</p> <h2>Consistent Electrical Draw = Lower Strain On Electrical Grid</h2> <p>Because the electrical draw is more consistent, the strain on the electrical grid is reduced. This means that the utility company doesn't have to ramp up its services to provide extra reactive power, and in the end, charges businesses a lower rate for electrical power. &nbsp;And lower utility rates equals cost savings for business owners. PFC is money in your pocket - simple as that.</p> <h2>How Can You Correct Power Factor?</h2> <p>Even though I provided a more non-technical explanation, finding opportunities to reduce energy expense through power factor correction requires a technical anlaysis of your facility.&nbsp; We analyze your facility with a trained, Journeyman electrician who understands the electrical infrastructure in your facility.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hovey Electric has been working with and installing capacitors for decades in industrial environments.&nbsp; Let us do a FREE Analysis of your facility.&nbsp; Our Energy Needs Safety Analysis focuses on your entire electrical system looking for energy efficient opportunities, potential safety reviews and complete analysis of your power factor in your facility.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee" id="hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee"> <a href="/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis"><img id="hs-cta-img-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/5a2f3036-2a6b-4c9f-82c6-0a9ee83583ac/click-here-to-find-out-how-much-is-energy-efficien.png" alt="click-here-to-find-out" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/5a2f3036-2a6b-4c9f-82c6-0a9ee83583ac/click-here-to-find-out-how-much-is-energy-efficien.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75081/What-is-Power-Factor-Correction&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 17 Oct 2011 16:27:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:75081http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75079/Peak-Demand-Are-You-Getting-Hammered-By-Peak-Demand-Charges#Comments514Peak Demand: Are You Getting Hammered By Peak Demand Charges?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75079/Peak-Demand-Are-You-Getting-Hammered-By-Peak-Demand-Charges<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1><b>Do You Ever Wonder What the Heck That Charge is Listed Under&nbsp; "Peak <img id="img-1318445795788" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/peak.jpg" border="0" alt="peak-demand-are-you-getting-hammered-by-peak-demand-charges" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />Demand"&nbsp; On Your Utility Bill?</b></h1> <h2>If You Don't, I Am Going To Show You What It Really Means....</h2> <p>Slipping a check into the monthly utility bill without giving it much thought is a thing of habit. Open the bill, look over the final charge, and then make out the check while bickering over how the utility company is ripping off consumers.</p> <p>The monthly cycle continues, with little to no change, no matter how high the charges are. However, there is a way to significantly reduce the total monthly and yearly charges placed on a bill, saving, hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in the long run. This is through identifying and correcting the total demand.</p> <h2>Finding Peak Demand On Your Utility Bill</h2> <p>When looking of a utility bill, there are many lines of information with odd numbers and prices listed. Once such line of data is the &ldquo;Peak Demand&rdquo; listing. This is a number, calculated by the electric company, which determines the highest peak amount of energy the facility used over a given time frame (generally 20 minutes or so).</p> <p>The electric company must know what the total demand for every household and business is, in order to better assess their ability to provide power to all clients in the service area. The total demand is then charged onto the client&rsquo;s account each month.</p> <h2>Is Peak Demand Listed On Your Bill?</h2> <p>Most utility companies include the peak demand listing on each bill. This is because the peak demand is taken once a month. This is the fairest method of measuring the total demand, as it generally fluctuates throughout the year.</p> <h2>How Is It Calculated...Each Month or Annual?</h2> <p>However, some companies only monitor it once, then charge the overall peak demand on every statement for the following year. When this practice is performed, the demand listing is not always posted on the bill.</p> <p>In order to receive a copy of the total demand, and what month the peak demand is taken from, the home owner or business manager must contact the utility company.</p> <h2>You Can Affect Peak Demand Charges</h2> <p>Many individuals and businesses are not overly conscientious over the amount of electricity consumed during the day. Energy efficient light bulbs and equipment may be in use, but if all are running simultaneously, the peak demand is higher, as more power is required in order to run all the equipment at once.</p> <p>Even turning off all lights and other equipment for most of the day, then turning all on for an hour or two does not help with the total demand.</p> <p>It does reduce the overall electric bill, but running all the equipment at once for just an hour a day still increases the peak demand.</p> <h2>How To Shave Your Peak Load Demand</h2> <p>In order to reduce the total peak demand of an energy bill, several steps must be taken. Yes, switching out current light bulbs for energy efficient options is a valuable first step, but still leaves a long way to go.</p> <p>Disconnecting equipment from electrical outlets when not in use is also helpful, but this is more for reducing the overall electric bill and not the total peak demand.</p> <h2>Some Basic Tips To Reduce Your Total Demand</h2> <p>In order to reduce the overall demand, you simply cannot be running all of your equipment at the same time.</p> <p>As long as it doesn&rsquo;t reduce productivity in the office, leave all equipment not in use turned off and shut down. Then, when the hardware is required, turn off the opposite equipment.</p> <p>Running one device at a time, instead of two, not only significantly reduces the total energy consumption for the month, but greatly drops the total overall demand also, which further sinks the monthly billing statement.</p> <p>Performing this action drops a company&rsquo;s bottom line, allowing the business to spend more monetary assets elsewhere and potentially grow the company, which in turn improves the longevity of the corporation and its financial stability for years to come.</p> <h2>Still Have Some Questions?&nbsp;</h2> <p>Peak Demand is called a lot of different names and sometimes takes a Rocket Scientist to figure them out.&nbsp; Don't get discouraged if after reading this article, it just doesn't make sense.&nbsp;</p> <p>IF You would like to learn more about how to proactively monitor peak demand, check out</p> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70348/What-Is-A-Power-Monitoring-System" title="What Is A Power Monitoring System?">What Is A Power Monitoring System?</a></h3> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65520/3-Reasons-Why-You-Need-a-Power-Monitoring-System" title="3 Reasons Why You Need a Power Monitoring System">3 Reasons Why You Need a Power Monitoring System</a></h3> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65518/Why-Take-Off-Your-Blindfold-and-Get-a-Power-Monitoring-System" title="Why Take Off Your Blindfold and Get a Power Monitoring System">Why Take Off Your Blindfold and Get a Power Monitoring System</a></h3> <h3>You Can Also Check Out Our FREE e-book: Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency - Lighting Solutions</h3> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 531px; height: 51px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/75079/Peak-Demand-Are-You-Getting-Hammered-By-Peak-Demand-Charges&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 12 Oct 2011 18:48:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:75079http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74574/5-Energy-Saving-Tips-That-Save-You-Money#Comments1035 Energy Saving Tips That Save You Moneyhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74574/5-Energy-Saving-Tips-That-Save-You-Money<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Want to Save Some Money?&nbsp; Here are some energy saving tips that will save you some cash!<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Savings ahead.jpg" border="0" alt="Energy-saving-tips-that-save-you-money" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h1> <p>I &nbsp;haven't met a person yet who didn't like to save a buck or two.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Energy Savings at Home</strong></p> <p>When it comes to saving on energy costs, most people start at home. &nbsp;They turn down the thermostat, caulk around the windows, tell the kids to turn off the lights when they leave a room. No problem.</p> <p><strong>Energy Savings at Work</strong></p> <p>But when it comes to work, folks don't seem to give a second thought to how their energy use during a standard eight-hour workday might impact their employer's bottom line. &nbsp;</p> <h2>Employers Can Save Money By Teaching Energy Saving Tips</h2> <p>If you are the employer, however, you probably think about it a great deal. &nbsp;Energy efficiency in the workplace isn't a luxury - it's an absolute requirement. &nbsp;</p> <p>With budgets tight, everyone's looking for ways to cut costs, and controlling your ongoing utility bills by reducing overall energy use is a great way to do just that.</p> <h2>Energy Saving Tips for Lighting</h2> <p>Not sure where to begin? Why not start with something simple: your building's lighting system. &nbsp;</p> <p>Here are some great <strong>energy saving tips</strong> that will make a big difference in what you spend lighting up your workplace.</p> <ol start="1"> <li><b>Change Your Bulbs</b>: Still using incandescent bulbs? Compact florescent and LED bulbs last longer and use half the energy of traditional bulbs. &nbsp;Swap out your old bulbs for an immediate reduction in your energy use.</li> <li><b>Use Motion Sensors</b>: Lights don't have to be on all the time in every single room. &nbsp;Consider adding motion sensors to areas like bathrooms, break-rooms or supply closets. &nbsp;Lights come on only when they're needed and shut off automatically.</li> <li><b>Think Circuit Control</b>: Not all areas require the same level of lighting 24 hours a day. A parking lot, for example, may need significant lighting during peak evening hours, but what about when everyone's cleared out for the night? &nbsp;A programmable circuit control can be used to change the lighting to half-brightness during non-peak hours, drastically reducing energy consumption.</li> <li><b>Upgrade Light Fixtures</b>: If your building is over 5 years old, there's a good chance that new technology is out there that will help you save on energy costs. &nbsp;Stay on top of the latest lighting fixture technology to ensure that you're not paying too much.</li> <li><b>Conduct an Energy Audit:</b> &nbsp;The last of our energy saving tips might be our best. A professional energy audit will help your business identify a variety of ways for your company to become more energy efficient. Lighting and HVAC are good starting points.</li> </ol> <h2>Need an Audit of Your Lighting?</h2> <p>Hovey Electric has been in the electrical field for over 32 years.&nbsp; We know electricity and the products that are powered from it.&nbsp; Energy efficiency is in our DNA since we have large corporations who have been utilizing energy efficient products for over 20 years.&nbsp;</p> <p>Lighting is one of the easiest places to start.&nbsp; Easy to "see", cost effective, numerous incentive programs and paybacks less than a year.&nbsp; Giving your facility an energy efficient upgrade is one of the best investments you can make IN your business.</p> <p>Take a look at our latest e-book:</p> <p>&nbsp;<span id="hs-cta-wrapper-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" id="hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" alt="download-your-free-guide-to-energy-effic" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3dcbf7fa-b98f-4f84-bd4c-50e928335f65-1318343886298/download-your-free-guide-to-energy-efficient-light.png?v=1318343886.55" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-c42b9a64-7e73-40ae-93f2-568c203b920e").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/74574/5-Energy-Saving-Tips-That-Save-You-Money&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 11 Oct 2011 14:35:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:74574http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73293/Energy-Efficient-Products-What-We-Like-and-Why-We-Like-Them#Comments195Energy Efficient Products: What We Like and Why We Like Themhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73293/Energy-Efficient-Products-What-We-Like-and-Why-We-Like-Them<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>What are the best products <span style="text-decoration: underline;">energy efficient products</span> for energy efficient installations?&nbsp;</h1> <h1>Take a look at some we really like....(just our opinion)</h1> <h2>Top Energy Efficient Products:</h2> <p>This post is going to highlight some of my top picks for <strong>energy efficient products</strong> and new technology. In this article, we are going to cover lighting, power monitoring, and drives.</p> <p>This will give a brief overview of what I like and why I like it. Now without further ado.</p> <h2>Energy Efficient Lighting:</h2> <p>Here's a fixture we have used in the past, it's one of many solid solutions for energy efficiency.</p> <h3><a href="http://everlastlight.com/ESB-EC-Fixtures.html" rel="nofollow" title="Everlast inductive fluorescent shoe box" target="_blank">Everlast inductive fluorescent shoe box<img id="img-1316699653247" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/shoebox 200w.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-products-everlast-inductive-fluorescents" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" /></a></h3> <p><a href="http://everlastlight.com/ESB-EC-Fixtures.html" rel="nofollow" title="Inductive fluorescent shoe box" target="_blank"></a>Why I like it:</p> <p>1. Great lamp life coupled with reduced maintenance.</p> <p>2. Excellent performance! 99% of the time it can save a minimum of 50% over the tech it replaces.</p> <p>3. Phenominal coloring of the environment....it looks &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;like daylight!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Rab has been a provider of high quality, economical lighting solutions for years. Here's</p> <h3><img id="img-1316699791145" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/rab led.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-products-rab-led" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h3> <p>one of there newer LED offerings.</p> <h3><a href="http://www.rabweb.com/product_line_detail.php?prodline=LPACK" rel="nofollow" title="Rab LED wallpacks" target="_blank">RAB LED wallpacks</a>&nbsp;</h3> <p>Why I like it:</p> <p>1. Exceptional wattage reduction over current tech.</p> <p>2. Very cost effective for LED.</p> <p>3. Great replacement for hard to reach lighting on &nbsp; &nbsp;the exterior of buildings.</p> <h2>Variable Frequency Drives Make Motors Energy Efficient:</h2> <p>Square D is an industry leader in Drives and Soft Starts. The E-Flex is one of there</p> <h3><a href="http://products.schneider-electric.us/products-services/products/ac-drives-and-soft-starts/ac-drives-enclosed-sflex-and-eflex/multifeatured-enclosed-atv61-eflex/" rel="nofollow" title="Square D E-Flex drive" target="_self"><img id="img-1316699899969" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/eflex drive.jpg" border="0" alt="Energy-efficient-products-square-d-e-drive" width="160" height="224" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></a></h3> <p>workhorse drives which fits into many applications.</p> <h3><a href="http://products.schneider-electric.us/products-services/products/ac-drives-and-soft-starts/ac-drives-enclosed-sflex-and-eflex/multifeatured-enclosed-atv61-eflex/" rel="nofollow" title="Square D E-Flex drive" target="_self">Square D E-Flex drive</a></h3> <p>1. Convenient all in 1 package</p> <p>2. Broad range of horsepower and voltage ratings</p> <p>3. Phenominal value, implementations usually result in a 18 month &nbsp; &nbsp;or less payback!</p> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>Measuring Energy Efficient - Power Quality:</h2> <p>Ideal is a highly respected manufacturer of metering technology, the power quality analyzer below contnues that trend in innovation and quality.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="http://www.idealindustries.com/prodDetail.do?prodId=61-807&amp;div=1&amp;l1=power_quality_meters" rel="nofollow" title="Ideal power quality meter" target="_self">Ideal power quality meter</a></h3> 1. Small form factor&nbsp;<img id="img-1316699999168" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/power_quality_analyzer.gif" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-products-measuring-power-quality" width="103" height="103" class="alignRight" style="height: 103px; width: 103px; float: right;" /> <p>2. Simple to use&nbsp;</p> <p>3. Analyzes power factor, harmonic distortion, spikes and sags. Great &nbsp;value!</p> <h2>Here are Some Other Energy Efficient Honarable mentions:</h2> <h3><a href="http://www.ultraluxlight.com/t5_high_bay_235_prd1.htm" rel="nofollow" title="Ultralux T5 Highbay" target="_self">Ultralux T5 Highbay</a>&nbsp;</h3> <h3><a href="http://everlastlight.com/EOF-ED-BL-Fixtures.html" rel="nofollow" title="Everlast Bi-level Inductive fluorescent wall pack" target="_blank">Everlast Bi-level Inductive fluorescent wall pack</a>&nbsp;</h3> <h3><a href="http://genet.gelighting.com/LightProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=BALLASTSPECPAGE&amp;PRODUCTCODE=72266&amp;BreadCrumb=Linear%20Fluorescent^Electronic%20Ballasts,High%20Efficiency%20Multivolt%20Instant%20Start&amp;CATEGORY=Ballasts_Fluorescent_Electronic&amp;FILTER=FT0077:Linear%20Fluorescent^FT0074:High%20Efficiency%20Multivolt%20Instant%20Start^FT0100:Lamps_Linear%20Fluorescent_Straight%20Linear_T8%%Lamps_Linear%20Fluorescent_U-Shaped_T8^FT0073:2^FT0079:Normal" rel="nofollow" title="GE Max-N Ultra ballasts" target="_blank">GE Max-N Ultra ballasts</a>&nbsp;</h3> <p>There ya have it folks! The work horses in <strong>energy efficient products</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <p>My intent is to do a series of tech round-ups showing and highlighting products that are proven performers in the field of energy efficiency.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Have any energy efficient products you would like us to review?</h2> <p>Leave some recomendations in our comments field on what you would like to see high-lighted! I always love to hear what others are using and finding that works!</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" id="hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ffc4e00f-5dfe-4473-a02b-32e2153fec6c-1314902580467/free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiencycli.png?v=1314902580.75" alt="free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-eff" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ffc4e00f-5dfe-4473-a02b-32e2153fec6c-1314902580467/free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiencycli.png?v=1314902580.75" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73293/Energy-Efficient-Products-What-We-Like-and-Why-We-Like-Them&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolThu, 06 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:73293http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73774/How-To-Find-the-Initial-ROI-for-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-in-Schools#Comments245How To Find the Initial (ROI) for Energy Efficient Lighting in Schools?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73774/How-To-Find-the-Initial-ROI-for-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-in-Schools<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1 style="text-align: left;">Part 1 - Initial Return on Investment</h1> <h1 style="text-align: left;">"What is the return on the investment (ROI) for new lighting for the schools?...&nbsp; (total cost for changeover no matter where the money comes from and the savings.)"&nbsp;&nbsp; <em>Jack, POWER blog subscriber<br /></em></h1> <p style="text-align: left;">This blog post is written to answer a great question from our blog post yesterday from Jack.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">We have been talking about all the benefits of investing in energy efficiency in schools, but haven't spent a lot of time talking about costs or return on investment from the total cost for changeover.&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Comparing Old Technology with New Energy Efficient Technology</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">We have stayed away from that part of the conversation because there are so many different variables (...you will notice this is part 1, part 2 tomorrow..) when comparing the old technologies with new technologies.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">But it is reasonable to suggest there is a tremendous amount of room for improvement since the average school is over 30 years old and even the average age of remodeled schools is pushing 16 years.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">The best way to look at ROI is to look at specific project completed by Hovey Electric where the ROI is trackable. Gymnasium's are common among most schools and universities, so our project at Northwood University is a perfect example.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Gymnasium Lighting-Hach Gymnasium <img id="img-1317224262657" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/C--Documents and Settings-jphovey.HOVEY-My Documents-My Pictures-Picasa-Exports-EPAct-Northwood University Hach Gymnasium After Lighting Retrofit-Hach Gymnasium 022-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="After-energy-efficient-lighting-upgrade-Northwood-University-Hach-Gymnasium" width="395" height="296" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />Northwood University</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">Gymnasium's typically have 400 watt Metal Halides in them.&nbsp; This is a fixture we have talked about repeatedly because it is so easy to make a case for their replacement. Here are some of the articles:</p> <ul> <li> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/How-To-Calculate-Watts-400-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay-Fluorescent" title="How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescent">How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescent</a></h3> </li> <li> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/67898/How-To-Find-The-Most-Energy-Efficient-400-Watt-Metal-Halide" title="How To Find The Most Energy Efficient 400 Watt Metal Halide">How To Find The Most Energy Efficient 400 Watt Metal Halide</a></h3> </li> <li> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64952/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Inductive-Crushes-400-Watt-Metal-Halide" title="Energy Efficient Lighting: Inductive Crushes 400 Watt Metal Halide">Energy Efficient Lighting: Inductive Crushes 400 Watt Metal Halide</a></h3> </li> <li> <h3><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay" title="Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay">Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay</a></h3> </li> </ul> <p style="text-align: left;">At Northwood University in Midland, MI, we replaced 86 400 Watt Metal Halide fixtures.&nbsp; The fixtures that were replaced, were actually only 8 years old.&nbsp; But the case for annual savings and utility incentives, made the return on investment just a little over 1.5 years.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Initial ROI vs Lifetime ROI</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">When looking at ROI, we created 2 classes of ROI calculations; Initial Return on Investment and Lifetime Return on Investment.&nbsp; We define initial ROI as the immediate payback from the original investment.&nbsp; You could call it break even analysis.&nbsp; If I invest today, how long will it take to get my investment back.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Lifetime ROI looks at the return over the lifetime of the project. In this case you would be saying If I invest today, what is the ROI over the lifetime in this project.&nbsp; This analysis can take a project that is borderline acceptable on paper to a remarkable project over the lifetime.&nbsp; Multiplying several thousand of dollars in annual savings can really add up over time.&nbsp; I will illustrate the difference in the Northwood numbers:</p> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Initial Return on Investment (I-ROI)</h3> <p style="text-align: left;">Initial Investment:&nbsp; lights for a retrofit cost of approximately $31,100.00</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Annual Savings: $16,000 per year</p> <h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Calculating I-ROI with No Incentives:</strong></span></h4> <p style="text-align: left;">Straight Payback, No incentives: Just under 24 months</p> <p style="text-align: left;">($31,100 Upfront Investment/ $16,000 Annual Savings = 1.94 years)</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Utility Incentive: $8500.00</p> <h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Calculating I-ROI with Incentives:</strong></span></h4> <p style="text-align: left;">Payback with Incentives: Just under 15 months</p> <p style="text-align: left;">($31,100-$8,500 =$22,600 then $22,600 Upfront Investment/$16,000 Annual Savings = 1.41 years)</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Therefore, Northwood got 100% of their investment back in the first 2 years without any incentive.&nbsp; The incentive accelerated that payback by simply reducing the amount the project cost the college.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Is Initial Return on Investment Enough?</h2> <p>I would argue that no, it is not enough.&nbsp; A decision maker could easily justify not completing a project due to the result from the Initial Return on Investment.&nbsp; Long term ROI or L-ROI, makes the argument for an upgrade much more compelling.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Need Help Figuring Out the Numbers?</h2> <p>Hovey Electric does calculations every for energy efficient decision making.&nbsp; Looking at the right numbers is the key to determining if the project makes good financial sense or not.&nbsp; Let us do the numbers for you or learn more from our FREE e-book; Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency (..works for schools too!)</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" alt="free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-en" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>The guide walks you through all of th key metrics you should look at when making decisions related to energy efficiency upgrades.</p> <p>Does this make sense?&nbsp; Too complicated?&nbsp; Let us know what you think in the article below....</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/73774/How-To-Find-the-Initial-ROI-for-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-in-Schools&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 27 Sep 2011 20:20:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:73774http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/71992/Energy-Efficient-School-Parking-Lot-Lighting#Comments537Energy Efficient School Parking Lot Lightinghttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/71992/Energy-Efficient-School-Parking-Lot-Lighting<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Budget Strapped School Systems Should Be Looking At Energy Efficient Strategies...</h1> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Energy Efficient Schools Reduce Annual Energy Expenses and Annual Maintenance Expenses....</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">Budgets are being cut, teachers laid off, even schools being closed!</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Why is it then that money saving avenues such as energy efficiency upgrades, preventive maintenance and power monitoring are not implemented when considering budget issues in the schools?</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Energy Efficiency IS NOT Complicated...</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">Don't let all the technical jargon, spread sheets, and big words fool you. While energy savings is a science.....it's not rocket science.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">A Inefficient School Parking Lot Lit Up<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Parkinglot lit at night.jpg" border="0" alt="Energy-efficient-parking-lot-lighting" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> All Night</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">It is much easier to understand the value of energy efficiency by looking at an example.&nbsp; To show you the benefit a school could gain, I will show you an example from a school parking lot near my home.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">The Facts and Assumptions</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">The lighting is on a timer and runs all night long. To create a baseline, let's assume the lights are on 11 hrs. per night (Assumption) as an average run time. The fixtures are all 400 watt metal halide (Fact) and I counted 58 heads total (Fact).</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Energy Efficient Parking Lot = Reducing Wattage By At Least 50%...</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">The best application for this type of parking lot, is an Inductive Fluorescent light fixture.&nbsp; I like to use these fixtures because of the reduction in wattage and the reduced maintenance required.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">The old wattage for the 400 Watt Metal Halide is 458 Watts.&nbsp; The new wattage with the Inductive fixture is 215 Watts.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">The fixtures are a 1 for 1 replacement and will actually result in more, better quality light than the existing Metal Halide. So here's where we sit.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Schools Can Cut Parking Lot Kilowatt Hours by 50%</h2> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Old = 106,188 KWH per year</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>New = 50,067 KWH per year</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;">That's based on 4015 annual hours of usage and a electric rate of .11 per KWH.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">50% LESS Kilowatt Hours = 50% Savings...or more</h2> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Old = $11,680 annually to run</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>New = $5507 annually to run</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Annual Savings = $6,173</strong></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Reduce Maintenance Costs</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">Now let's look at mainenance savings. It deffinetly fits into the formula because Metal Halide is costly to kep running, especially if it's older.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">With a 13,000 - 15,000 hr lamp life, let's assume we have to relamp every 3 years. I can tell you that's pretty conservative because lamps usually die before then.</p> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Cost to Maintain Existing 400 Watt Metal Halide</h3> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>58 lamps @ $30 each = $1,740</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Lift rental = $300</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>28 hrs of qualified labor @ $60 per hr = $1,680</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Grand total = $3,720.00 *every 3 years*</strong></p> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Cost to Maintain New Fixtures</h3> <p style="text-align: left;">The new fixtures have 100,000 hour lamp life. That's a bit over 20 years maintenance free. In that period of time you would do roughly 7 relamp projects at $3,720.00.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">That's a life lamp life savings of <strong>$26,040.00</strong> or to fit it in our annual savings it averages to <strong>$1,240 per year</strong>.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">It should be mentioned that replacing Metal Halide ballasts were not included in these numbers but would absolutely be needed at some point. So my numbers are probably low.</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Final Numbers</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">So we have:</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Annual energy savings = $6,173</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Annual maintenance savings = $1,240</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Grand total = $7,413 annually</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Not to bad for lights that were costing the schools <strong>$11,680</strong> per year to run!</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Looking Long Term...What Makes Sense?</h2> <p style="text-align: left;">The life of the Inductive Fluorescent is 20 years, so let's compare costs over the next 20 years for both:</p> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Old Fixture</h4> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>$11, 680 x 20 Years = $233,600</strong></p> <h4 style="text-align: left;">New Fixture</h4> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>$5,507 x 20 Years = $110,140</strong></p> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Difference = $123,460 in savings over 20 years....for just 1 parking lot in the schoool district.&nbsp;</h4> <h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000;">Key Takeaway: <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Schools could solve budgeting problems by looking to energy efficient strategies that reduce long term expenses.</span></span></h3> <h3 style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</h3> <h3 style="text-align: left;">That's it?</h3> <p style="text-align: left;">Yes, it all boils down to simple wattage reduction and some math.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Hovey Electric helps school districts calculate savings utilizing energy efficient strategies.&nbsp; By creating a photometric layout of a parking lot, the energy efficiency experts at Hovey Electric show you where you can increase the lighting quality, but reduce energy consumption.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">We take the guess work out of difficult terminology and calculations to show you ROI, and put the entire package together for your school.</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" id="hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ffc4e00f-5dfe-4473-a02b-32e2153fec6c-1314902580467/free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiencycli.png?v=1314902580.75" alt="free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-eff" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ffc4e00f-5dfe-4473-a02b-32e2153fec6c-1314902580467/free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiencycli.png?v=1314902580.75" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <h3 style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/71992/Energy-Efficient-School-Parking-Lot-Lighting&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolSat, 24 Sep 2011 22:52:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:71992http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/72105/A-Case-For-Occupancy-Sensors-in-Schools#Comments827A Case For Occupancy Sensors in Schoolshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/72105/A-Case-For-Occupancy-Sensors-in-Schools<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>If there was ever a place:</h1> <p>If there were ever a perfect place for occupancy sensors, school buildings would<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/emptyschoolhallway.jpg" border="0" alt="Empty-school-hallway-occupancy-sensor-application" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> be it. Occupancy sensors are a great fit for almost every area in a school, from gymnasiums and bathrooms to the main hallways that our children walk every day.</p> <h3>Why Occupancy Sensors In Schools Make Sense</h3> <p>I have mentioned in other articles about driving by the school on my way home long after the kids have gone home. I seem to always notice how all the hallway's are fully lit for the cleaning staff.&nbsp; But I never see anyone in plain sight.</p> <p>By utilizing hallway occupancy sensors the lighting would only be on in areas that were currently occupied. Seems like common sense</p> <p>Fluorescent is efficient, but it's not so efficient that we can just let it burn if it's not needed. A building the size of a school has a <span style="text-decoration: underline;">LARGE</span> quantity of fixtures and the savings can really add up. Let's take a closer look.</p> <h2>Non-Sensored Lights vs. Sensored Lights</h2> <h3>Kilowatt Hours:</h3> <p>I know the fixtures in my daughters school are 4 lamp, 121 watt T8 fixtures. Lets take a good round number....say 100, and see what the savings could be.</p> <p>We'll use .11 cents per KWH and 15 hours per day/5 days a week/for 44 weeks. (remember there out of school for 8 weeks).</p> <p><strong>Non Sensored lights = 39,930 KWH per school year.</strong></p> <p><strong>Sensored Lights = 27,951 KWH per school year.</strong></p> <p><strong>Savings of = 11,979 KWH ( based on sensors reducing burn time by 30%)</strong></p> <h3><strong>Comparing Annual Cost Without/With Sensors:<br /></strong></h3> <p><strong>Non sensored lights = $4,392 per school year.</strong></p> <p><strong>Sensored lights = $3,075 per school year.</strong></p> <p><strong>Savings of = $1,317 per school year.</strong></p> <p>I know $1,317 per year doesn't seem like much but remember, this is only 100 lights.</p> <p>Think about every hall way, every bathroom, every class room. My daughter's school is a junior high, I would safely estimate that there are 5-600 fixtures in that building.</p> <p>I honestly think that a 30% reduction in burn time is low. Kids are only in the halls in between classes and at lunch hour, that leaves a large chunk of time when the lights are burning for nothing.</p> <h3><strong>The Big Picture For Energy Efficient Schools:</strong></h3> <p>Occupancy sensors are just one piece of the puzzle. Reductions in usage need to be looked at in all areas of a facility the size of a school.</p> <p>Gym lighting, parking lots, and general lighting are just the beginning.</p> <p>Let Hovey Electric take a tour of your facility and show you what items can be addressed and what savings can be achieved. The visits free, but the benefits are something our children can have for years down the road.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" id="hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4"> <a href="/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis"><img id="hs-cta-img-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3a937eb3-37c6-415b-83d9-98460e2227b5-1314902458652/want-to-lower-your-energy-cost-by-65free-analysis.png?v=1314902458.9" alt="want-to-lower-your-energy-cost-by-65" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/3a937eb3-37c6-415b-83d9-98460e2227b5-1314902458652/want-to-lower-your-energy-cost-by-65free-analysis.png?v=1314902458.9" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/72105/A-Case-For-Occupancy-Sensors-in-Schools&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolThu, 22 Sep 2011 09:14:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:72105http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/72776/Hovey-Electric-Selling-1994-F-700-55-Bucket-Truck#Comments694Hovey Electric Selling 1994 F-700 55' Bucket Truckhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/72776/Hovey-Electric-Selling-1994-F-700-55-Bucket-Truck<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>1994 Ford F-700 Bucket Truck For Sale</h1> <p>We have a bucket truck we are selling since we don't have a use for it any longer. Here are the specifications:</p> <ul> <li>Cummins Diesel Engine</li> <li>4-Speed Automatic Transmission</li> <li>99,657 Miles</li> <li>Vin#1FDXK74C7RVA19596</li> <li>55' Altec 2 Person Bucket</li> <li>Chelsea Power Takeoff System</li> <li>Trailer Tow System With Air Brake Connections</li> <li>2- Outriggers</li> <li>9-Separate Mechanics Tool Boxes</li> <li>Tires Front and Back 85%</li> <li>AM-FM Radio</li> <li>2 Yellow Strobe Lights</li> <li>2 Spot Lights</li> <li>New Batteries</li> </ul> <p>Asking $12,500.00</p> <p>Contact Jim Hovey, (989)631-2023 or email jhovey@hoveyelectric.com</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/007-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="1994-Ford-F-700-2-man-bucket-truck-for-sale" /><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/008-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="Bucket-truck-for-sale" /></p> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/010-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="55-foot-bucket-truck-for-sale" /><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/011-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="Ford-f700-bucket-truck-for-sale" /><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/013-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="55'-bucket-truck-for-sale" /><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/017-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="Ford-f700-bucket-truck" /><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/018-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="2-man-bucket-on-1994-Ford-55'-bucket-truck" /><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/019-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="1994-Ford-55'-bucket-truck-for-sale-side-view" /><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/021-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="For-sale-1994-Ford-F-700-Bucket-truck-front-tires" /><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/014-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="F-700-Ford-55'-Bucket-Truck-For-Sale-interior" /><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/015-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="Side-boxes-1994-Ford-F-700-Bucket-Truck-For-Sale" /><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/020-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="Rear-tires-Ford-Bucket-Truck-For-Sale" /><img id="img-1316199677467" src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/016-resized-600.JPG" border="0" alt="Rear-air-brake-connections-55'-bucket-truck-for-sale" /></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/72776/Hovey-Electric-Selling-1994-F-700-55-Bucket-Truck&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 16 Sep 2011 20:11:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:72776http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/71885/Hovey-Electric-Top-5-Finalist-Hubspot-Success-Story-of-The-Year#Comments4,848Hovey Electric Top 5 Finalist - Hubspot "..Success Story of The Year"http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/71885/Hovey-Electric-Top-5-Finalist-Hubspot-Success-Story-of-The-Year<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Hovey Electric chosen as 1 of the Top 5 Success Stories of the Year by Hubspot Users.</h1> <h2>A Year Long Website Improvement Project</h2> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="Hovey-Electric-Logo" width="352" height="84" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" />About a year ago, we embarked on an aggressive effort to increase the traffic to our website.&nbsp; I often get the look of "what in the heck does he do sitting behind the computer all day..." Over the past year I have spent a great deal of time learning about inbound marketing.&nbsp; This is a process of getting your website found instead of just sitting out there doing nothing.&nbsp;</p> <p>We were tired of constantly being a hostage to a web master that only responded whenever he wanted. Beyond that, the web master charged us dearly every time I wanted to make a change.&nbsp;</p> <p>Even when the changes were made, <img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Jimmy desk sepia.jpg" border="0" alt="Jimmy-Hovey-MBA-Web-Marketing-Strategist" width="298" height="232" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />we never increased visitors to the site and were disappointed in the results we were getting from our website.&nbsp;</p> <p>Like most business owners, we didn't know much about marketing our business online, especially for Electrical contracting.&nbsp;</p> <p>We decided to take control of our own website and developed a web marketing strategy, so we went looking for a platform. Here's what we did...</p> <h2>We Chose the Hubspot Platform</h2> <p>Hubspot is an innovative software company that has truly created a Hub of all that you need to successfully marketing your business online.&nbsp; Hosting our site at Hubspot gives us all the tools we need to actively market our business.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>We can create...</li> </ul> <blockquote> <ul> <li>our own web pages(...as many as we want, whenever we want)</li> <li>blogs</li> <li>landing pages</li> <li>calls to action</li> </ul> </blockquote> <ul> <li>We optimize our own content by using the...</li> </ul> <blockquote> <ul> <li>Keyword Grader to identify the RIGHT long tail keywords</li> <li>Page Grader to identify the SEO issues with individual pages</li> <li>Link Grader to monitor the quality of our links</li> </ul> </blockquote> <ul> <li>Hubspot also integrates...</li> </ul> <blockquote> <ul> <li>our Social Media Marketing strategy</li> <li>Email Marketing through ongoing lead nurturing</li> </ul> </blockquote> <ul> <li>We are able to measure our conversions by identifying the companies...</li> </ul> <blockquote> <ul> <li>that visit our site</li> <li>that download our content</li> <li>and the number of times they visit our site</li> </ul> </blockquote> <ul> <li>We are able to analyze our Marketing effort by...</li> </ul> <blockquote> <ul> <li>tracking the results of readership on our blog</li> <li>measuring the reach of our Social Media and Blogging efforts</li> <li>monitoring what our COMPETITORS are doing on their websites,</li> <li>how our visitors are getting to our site</li> <li>determine the most popular pages</li> <li>see what keywords visitors are using</li> </ul> And a whole lot more.....</blockquote> <p>After spending several months learning the system, we are now beginning to see the results from our efforts.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Hubspot Sponsors Contest</h2> <p>Even though I think our website is awesome, I thought it would be great to find out what the rest of the world thinks about it as well.&nbsp; I recently submitted our website story to a contest titled:</p> <p style="text-align: center;">"<span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: medium;">Are You The Inbound Success Story of the Year?" </span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p> <p>In this contest, Hubspot asked for web marketing stories from it's pool of 4000 users.&nbsp; After submission, Hubspot narrowed the field to 5 and put the stories out to their 4000 users across the globe to vote on who they thought was the "Success Story of The Year".&nbsp;</p> <p>Over 1500 voted, and unfortunately, we didn't finish first. But most importantly,&nbsp; we were very honored to be chosen in the Top 5 of all the submissions entered.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="http://hugs.hubspot.com/hugs-2011/inbound-success-story" title="Here is a link to the Top 5, plus the story behind our submission." target="_self">Here is a link to the Top 5, plus the story behind our submission.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3> <p>We didn't win the top prize, but placing in the top 5 out of all the submissions was a great compliment to all the hours of work.&nbsp; Because we finished in the Top 5, we received FREE admission to the Hubpsot Users Group conference this Fall, right around a $300 value.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Take A Look At The Stats For The Year...This Is What We Have Done With Our Website</h2> <p>Here are the results from our efforts over the past year:</p> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/totalvisits9811.jpg" border="0" alt="Hovey-Electric-Total-Visits-9-10-to-9-11" width="221" height="221" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <ul> <li>Between September of 2007 and September of 2010 (3 years ) we pretty much had less than 50 visitors over that 3 year period. <strong><em>(Since September of 2010 to now, we have had 7,555 visitors or a 750,000+% increase in traffic)</em></strong></li> <li>Our "Organic" search results have gone from 25 visits in September 2010, <strong>to just under 800 visits last month</strong> <em>(Organic search means someone typed in a term in a search engine such as Google, we show up in the results, and the </em> <em>users chose our site 798 times last month due to </em><em>where we appear in the search results.)</em></li> <li>When we started, we ranked for 0 keywords.&nbsp; Here is how we rank now <em>(the goal is to rank #10 or below, meaning the first 10 results on a Google search-you have to be in the top 10 if you are going to get your business found)</em>:</li> <ul> <li><strong>We rank #1 for 94 keyword phrases</strong></li> <li><strong>We rank #5 or below for 193 keyword phrases</strong></li> <li><strong>We rank #10 or below for 256 keyword phrases</strong></li> <li><strong>We have 363 keyword phrases that rank below 100.</strong>&nbsp;<img src="/Portals/47330/images/indexedpages9811.jpg" border="0" alt="Hovey-Electric-web-analytics-number-of-indexed-pages" width="319" height="169" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></li> </ul> <li>The goal of any web marketing effort is to build pages that get indexed by Google.&nbsp; In September of 2010, we had 7 indexed pages.&nbsp; <strong>Today, we have 274 indexed pages.</strong>&nbsp;</li> <li>Alexa is a group that ranks your site based on the traffic to the site.&nbsp; When we started in September 2010, our website ranked 21,525,148, which isn't bad considering there are hundreds of millions of sites out there.&nbsp; <strong><em>Currently, we have moved up 16,245,526 positions to 5,279,622 or the top 17% of ALL the millions of websites ranked by Alexa.</em></strong>&nbsp;<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Jimmy%20at%20Board%20001.jpg" border="0" alt="Dave-VanTol-Hovey-Electric-Energy-Efficiency-Consultant-Journeyman-Electrician" width="265" height="176" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></li> <li>Since September 2010, Dave VanTol and I have published 47 blog posts (<strong>this one makes 48!</strong>).&nbsp; Dave has the most popular post with over <em><strong>850</strong></em> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">views</span>!</li> <li>We also published the 36 Page e-book, Business Owners Guide To Energy Efficiency <em>(Downloaded by over 60 people, or roughly 23% of the people who visit our landing page for the book!)</em></li> </ul> <span id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="float: left; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/db5cc119-bd7e-451c-9768-68524263c81e-1311948125348/click-here-to-download.png?v=1311948125.76" alt="click-here-to-download" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/db5cc119-bd7e-451c-9768-68524263c81e-1311948125348/click-here-to-download.png?v=1311948125.76" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> <br /> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>For The Next Year</h2> <p>Building a website is a lot of work.&nbsp; Our strategy is a long term investment staking our claim in the "Google World" You have to be dedicated and learn how to be a publisher of great content.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>We will continue to publish more blogs hoping to reach 5 per week</li> <li>Double our sales from Internet leads</li> <li>Include video marketing</li> <li>Double our indexed pages</li> <li>Have 300 keyword phrases ranking for #1</li> </ul> <p>The world is moving online at a feverish pace, we figure if your not online, your business may be non-existent in the coming years.&nbsp;</p> <p>Even if you are online, Can Your Site Be Found?</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-55eb5f5b-48e3-4c2b-9d47-c4022b99f327" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-55eb5f5b-48e3-4c2b-9d47-c4022b99f327" id="hs-cta-55eb5f5b-48e3-4c2b-9d47-c4022b99f327"> <a href="/how-is-your-website-performinglets-take-a-look" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/how-is-your-website-performinglets-take-a-look"><img id="hs-cta-img-55eb5f5b-48e3-4c2b-9d47-c4022b99f327" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/c6c1aa0a-7275-4580-802d-de0eb0503d4a-1315504919558/how-is-your-website-performingtake-a-look-here.png?v=1315504919.83" alt="how-is-your-website-performingtake" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/c6c1aa0a-7275-4580-802d-de0eb0503d4a-1315504919558/how-is-your-website-performingtake-a-look-here.png?v=1315504919.83" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=55eb5f5b-48e3-4c2b-9d47-c4022b99f327"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-55eb5f5b-48e3-4c2b-9d47-c4022b99f327").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-55eb5f5b-48e3-4c2b-9d47-c4022b99f327").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>Let Us Know What You Think Below....We would love to know what you think of our new website.&nbsp; We take constructive criticism very well too!!</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/71885/Hovey-Electric-Top-5-Finalist-Hubspot-Success-Story-of-The-Year&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 12 Sep 2011 12:40:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:71885http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/71890/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-in-Schools-How-Much-Does-It-Cost#Comments1,216Energy Efficient Lighting in Schools: How Much Does It Cost?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/71890/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-in-Schools-How-Much-Does-It-Cost<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Energy Efficient School Lighting:</h1> <p>I live right down the road from both of my kid's schools. They are involved with in after school sports.&nbsp; We end up carting them back and forth at various times of the day.&nbsp; Last evening I picked them up and I was amazed to see all the lighting on throughout the buildings for the cleaning staff as late as 9 P.M.</p> <p>One of the areas that I see a tremendous waste of energy is in school Gymnasiums.&nbsp; I have put together an example showing what it costs to operate 400 watt Metal Halide fixtures.</p> <h2>Energy Efficient Gymnasiums?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"></span></h2> <p>Do they exist?</p> <p>We all know by now <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;"><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/metal%20halide.jpg" border="0" alt="400 WMH" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></span>that Metal Halide lighting is highly inefficient <em>(..if you missed our earlier blog posts on the cost of metal halides..<a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55851/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-400-Watt-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay" title="check out Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay" target="_self">check out Energy Efficient Lighting:400 Watt Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay</a> OR <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/How-To-Calculate-Watts-400-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay-Fluorescent" title="How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescent" target="_self">How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescent</a>)<a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/How-To-Calculate-Watts-400-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay-Fluorescent" title="How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescent"> </a></em>and costly to maintain, so why are we still using it?</p> <p>I know for a fact that in my kids schools the gynasium lights start burning at 6:30 A.M. and don't turn off until 8:30 P.M.</p> <p>I did a rough count between both gymnasiums thei e are (45) 400 WMH fixtures.</p> <p>Of those 45, there are usually 4-5 burned out and the rest are well past their lamp life giving you shadows and sub-par lighting.</p> <h2>Cost of Energy Efficient Solutions</h2> <p>For this example, we will compare the 45 400 Watt Metal Halide to 45 T5 fluorescent high bays and see what we can do.</p> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/ultralux.jpg" border="0" alt="4 lamp T5" width="209" height="209" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" /></h2> <p>You can safely use a 4 lamp T5 fixture and exceed the light levels of the 400 Watt Metal Halide fixtures and only use 190 watts compared to the existing 456 watts.&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Old =&nbsp;&nbsp;$8,577.36 per year to run.</span></p> <p><strong>New =&nbsp;$3,573.90 per year to run.</strong></p> <p>Your going to have to trust me on the math.</p> <h2>Less Energy = Less $$$</h2> <p>So lets see what we saved.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Old = $8,577.36</span></p> <p><strong>New = $3,573.90</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Savings</strong></em></span> = $5,003.46...which isn't bad, what else can we do?</p> <h2>Gaining Energy Efficiency with Motion Sensors</h2> <p>If we add motion sensors we can conservatively say that the gymnasium lighting will be on only 70% of the day.&nbsp;</p> <p>30% reduction in run time = $1,072.00 in additional savings.</p> <h2>New Fixtures = Less Maintenance</h2> <p>By switching to Fluorescent we easily double the lamp life over Metal Halide. A very low estimate of maintenance savings is $500 per year.</p> <p>There will still be maintenance associated with the new lighting but fluorescent T5 has a life of roughly 30,000 hours.</p> <p>Metal Halide is roughly 15,000 hours. Realistically, with the motion sensors limiting the burn time the new fixtures could go 10 years with no maintenance. That's a conservative savings of $5,000 dollars over that ten year period.</p> <h2>So where does that leave us?</h2> <p>I originally calculated the cost of operating 45 metal halides at $8,577 per year to run the lights.</p> <p><em><strong>By changing the lighting and implementing sensors it looks like this:</strong></em></p> <p>Annual savings = $5,003</p> <p>Sensor savings annually = $1,072</p> <p>Maintenance savings annually = $500</p> <p>Grand Total Annually = <strong>$6,575.00</strong></p> <h2>How Much Does It Cost? vs. How Much Does It Cost Me Already?<strong><br /></strong></h2> <p>The old adage that it takes money to make money is true. Their are up front costs involved with this process. However with the savings and also the readily available municipality incentives, the payback in many cases is around a year.</p> <p>The mentality of "how much does it cost?" Needs to be replaced with "how much does it cost me already"</p> <h2>YES, Energy Efficient Gymnasiums Do Exist...Check This One Out...</h2> <p>Take a look at a report we put together <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/projects/northwood-university-/" title="about upgraded lighting at the Northwood Hach Gymnasium." target="_self">about upgraded lighting at the Northwood Hach Gymnasium.</a>&nbsp; We completed a lighting upgrade just like this example.&nbsp; See the real savings of upgrading Metal Halide fixtures to T5.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficiency ?</h2> <p>Click on the button below for your FREE e-book:</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc" id="hs-cta-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/82362e9b-b9ed-41a3-b7a4-76fb4a44d8a4-1314122808468/learn-more-about-energy-efficiency-here-free-downl.png?v=1314122808.74" alt="learn-more-about-energy-efficiency-here" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/82362e9b-b9ed-41a3-b7a4-76fb4a44d8a4-1314122808468/learn-more-about-energy-efficiency-here-free-downl.png?v=1314122808.74" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/71890/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-in-Schools-How-Much-Does-It-Cost&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolThu, 08 Sep 2011 19:16:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:71890http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68300/How-To-Reduce-Wattage-By-65-in-a-Body-Shop#Comments470How To Reduce Wattage By 65% in a Body Shop http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68300/How-To-Reduce-Wattage-By-65-in-a-Body-Shop<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>A Change In Energy Efficient Lighting For Crippen Buick GMC Mazda Volvo</h2> <p>A body shop environment should include lighting that not only lights the area, but it should also duplicate natural light as close as possible.&nbsp; When we approached the project at Crippen, we had two goals in the Body Shop area:</p> <ol> <li>Increase Lighting Levels</li> <li>Reduce Energy Consumption</li> </ol> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/crippen paint area before-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="crippen-buick-gmc-mazda-volvo-body-shop-before-lighting-upgrade" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></h2> <h4 style="text-align: center;">Crippen Buick GMC Mazda Volvo Paint Shop Before</h4> <h2>How We Increased Lighting Levels</h2> <p>The traditional thinking with increasing lighting levels is basic; just add more lights.&nbsp; That is not the approach we took with Crippen.&nbsp; Instead we chose a light fixture that maximized wattage reduction and also increased lighting levels.&nbsp;</p> <p>We chose the Ultralux T5 4 lamp fixture manufactured by <a href="http://www.everlastlight.com/" title="Everlast Lighting" target="_self">Everlast Lighting</a>, located 30 minutes from the Crippen project.&nbsp;</p> <p>We chose this fixture because it not only reduced wattage, but it also utilizes a 5900 Kelvin (K) <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/kelvin-light-scale/" title="(..see definition of Kelvin light values here)" target="_self">(..see definition of Kelvin light values here)</a> light fixture that maintains a <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-efficiency-services/-cri-color-rendering-index/" title="color rendering index " target="_self">color rendering index </a>of 95+.</p> <p>This makes the light as close to natural light as we could get.&nbsp; By using the higher Kelvin value and CRI values, we are able to trick the eye.&nbsp; The footcandle meter will not measure the true footcandle value as the eye perceives it.&nbsp; In this case we were still able to double the "metered" footcandle values:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Before : 35 fc</strong></li> <li><strong>After: 65 fc</strong></li> </ul> <strong>Check out this video where Crippen Buick GMC Mazda Volvo Body Shop Manager talks about his new lights:</strong> <br /> <p><iframe frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eWU_4p6mT9U?hl=en&amp;fs=1" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="425"></iframe></p> <br /> <h2>How We Reduced Energy Consumption</h2> <p>We decreased energy consumption two ways:</p> <ol> <li>Use lowest wattage T-5 Fixture, 190 Watts</li> <li>Reduce the number of total fixtures</li> </ol><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/crippen paint area after-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="crippen-buick-GMC-Mazda-Volvo-after-energy-efficient-lighting-upgrade" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /> <h4 style="text-align: center;">Crippen Buick GMC Mazda Volvo Paint Shop After</h4> <p>The two methods above may seem counterintuitive to some people, but in this case we were able to remove half of the fixtures due to the lumen output and light value characteristics we listed above.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li><strong>Before: (37) T12 High Output 8' Strip, 2 Bulb fluorescent. </strong></li> <li><strong>After: (16)<a href="http://www.ultraluxlight.com/commercial_lighting_fixtures_46_ctg.htm" title=" Ultralux T5 4 lamp fluorescent" target="_self"> Ultralux T5 4 lamp fluorescent</a>.</strong></li> </ul> <p>Retrofitting for energy efficiency is more than just going in and replacing fixtures one for one.&nbsp; This application proves that by doing the proper photometric layout first, you can save the customer even more money.&nbsp; Replacing all 37 fixtures with the T-5 would have reduced the wattage (237 Watts vs 190 Watts) but not as much as we were able to do by eliminating half of the fixtures.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>A 1 for 1 replacement would have reduced wattage by 1739 Watts or a reduction of 19%</li> <li>Redesign using lower wattage fixture and reduction in fixtures reduced wattage by 5729 watts or a reduction of 65%</li> </ul> <p>So we were able to reduce the wattage by 65% and DOUBLE the footcandle values creating a much brighter work area for the body shop and paint areas.</p> <h2>Key Takeaway:</h2> <p><strong><em>Don't assume that a retrofit is just replacing the existing fixture with another fixture.&nbsp; Today's technology allows for much better lumen output.&nbsp; By measuring the existing light and designing for new lighting values, you are able to provide a more efficient, brighter application.</em></strong></p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="float: left; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" id="hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ffc4e00f-5dfe-4473-a02b-32e2153fec6c-1314902580467/free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiencycli.png?v=1314902580.75" alt="free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-eff" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ffc4e00f-5dfe-4473-a02b-32e2153fec6c-1314902580467/free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiencycli.png?v=1314902580.75" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a15d95d1-1739-481f-8092-27f066fc96e4").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> &nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68300/How-To-Reduce-Wattage-By-65-in-a-Body-Shop&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 01 Sep 2011 18:47:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:68300http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/How-To-Calculate-Watts-400-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay-Fluorescent#Comments1,782How To Calculate Watts: 400 Metal Halide vs. T-5 High Bay Fluorescenthttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/How-To-Calculate-Watts-400-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay-Fluorescent<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Which Fixture is More Efficient? 400 Watt Metal Halide or T-5 High Bay Fluorescent?</h1> <h1>Read On To Learn More About How To Calculate Watts:</h1> <h2>Difference in Wattage 400 Watt MH to T-5 High Bay</h2> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/cmu400wattmetalhalide600x.jpg" border="0" alt="How-to-calculate-watts-for-400-watt-metal-halide" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></h2> <p>Calculating the cost benefits between a 400 Watt MH compared to a T-5 High Bay Fluorescent is a relatively simple calculation.&nbsp; Calculating energy efficiency is actually simple subtraction problem.&nbsp;</p> <p>Looking at the 2 different fixtures above, we have to find the rated wattage of each fixture.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>A 400 Watt Metal Halide is rated at 458 Watts</p> <p>A 4 lamp T-5 High Bay (Depending On Manufacturer) is right around 200 Watts</p> <p>Now that we have that, we can do the math.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>458 Watts - 200 Watts = 258 Watts Difference</em></span> or <strong>56% Less Watts&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>With this information we can now determine how much each of the fixtures will cost us annually.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/crippendetailareaafter.jpg" border="0" alt="How-to-calculate-watts-for-T-5-Fluorescent" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />How To Calculate Kilowatt Hour (kwh)</h2> <p>A watt is only part of the calculation when figuring out how much your fixture is costing you.&nbsp; But in order to show you how a watt fits in, we have to do a little more complicated math.&nbsp;</p> <p>By utilizing the wattages between the 2 fixtures, we can determine the cost difference between the 400 Watt MH and the T-5.&nbsp; This will help you to understand how to determine the kwh.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here is the equation we need to use in order to do the math:</p> <p><strong>Fixture Quantity x Fixture Wattage = Total Watts</strong></p> <p><strong>Total Watts / 1000 = Kilowatts</strong></p> <p><strong>Kilowatts x (Hours of Usage) = Kilowatt/Hr</strong></p> <p><strong>Kilowatt/Hr x (Cost of Energy) = Annual Cost</strong></p> <h2>It Costs How Much?<strong><br /></strong></h2> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Let's assume you have the following:</em></span></p> <p>We are going use just 1 fixture for this example (Fixture Quantity)</p> <p>458 Watt Fixture (Fixture Wattage for Each) - or -</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 200 Watt Fixture (Fixture Wattage for Each)</p> <p>2000 Hours (Hours of Usage)</p> <p>$.10 Per Kilowatt/Hr (Average Energy Rate Charged)</p> <h2>How much does the 400 Watt MH cost&nbsp; annually?</h2> <p>1(Fixtures) x 458 (Watts Each) = 458 Watts</p> <p>458 Watts / 1000 = .458 kw</p> <p>.458 kw x 2000 hrs per year = 916 kwh (Kilowatt) Annually</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">916 kwh x .10 = $91.60 to operate 1 400 Watt Metal Halide for 1 Year</span></h3> <h2>How much does it cost annually to operate 1 - T-5 High Bay?</h2> <p>1 (Fixtures) x 200 (Watts Each) = 200 Watts</p> <p>200 Watts / 1,000 = .20 Kw (Kilowatt)</p> <p>.20 Kw x 2000 hrs per year = 400 kwh (Kilowatt Hour)</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">400 kwh x .10 = $40 to operate 1 T-5 High Bay Fluorescent</span></h3> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>"Watt's" the difference? $51.60 Annual Savings</h2> <p>458 Watts - 200 Watts = 258 Watts</p> <p>-Or-</p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">$91.60 - $ 40 = $51.60 In Annual Savings</span></em> or <strong>56% Savings</strong></p> <h2>Multiply By The Number of Fixtures</h2> <p>If you have 100-400 Watt Metal Halides, then you would save $5160 per year if you ugraded to the T-5.</p> <p>Have 500 of them?</p> <p>Then your annual savings would be $25,800.</p> <h2>Can You See The Correlation?</h2> <p>If you just know the wattage of your existing fixture and the wattage of the new fixture, you can determine your annual energy savings:</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>458 Watts - 200 Watts = 258 Watts Difference</em></span> or <strong>56% Less Watts&nbsp;</strong></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">$91.60 - $ 40 = $51.60 In Annual Savings</span></em> or <strong>56% Savings</strong></p> <h2>Want To Learn More About Energy Efficiency?</h2> <p>Energy efficiency calcualtions and terminology can sometimes be confusing.&nbsp; We created a Free E-book to help you determine the best investments for your eneryg efficiency dollars.&nbsp; To learn more, see the button below;</p> <h2><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc" id="hs-cta-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6961e383-a998-4921-9acc-3da0c6d1f890-1314122707348/learn-more-about-energy-efficiency-here-free-downl.png?v=1314122707.61" alt="learn-more-about-energy-efficiency-here" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6961e383-a998-4921-9acc-3da0c6d1f890-1314122707348/learn-more-about-energy-efficiency-here-free-downl.png?v=1314122707.61" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-49868e28-8ce8-461f-aa9b-8f10e5c3cfbc").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></h2> <h2>Need Help?</h2> <p>Hovey Electric looks for the best lighting applications to satisfy the needs of our clients.&nbsp; Each facility is a little different than the last.&nbsp;</p> <p>Typcially we need to see the inside of your facility first hand to determine what type of lighting you have now and to measure the lighting levels.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hovey Electric can perform a complete audit of your facility to determine what is right for you, for FREE.&nbsp; L<a href="reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Let's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required." target="_self">et's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required.</a></p> <br />Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70819/How-To-Calculate-Watts-400-Metal-Halide-vs-T-5-High-Bay-Fluorescent&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 23 Aug 2011 20:13:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:70819http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70348/What-Is-A-Power-Monitoring-System#Comments1,120What Is A Power Monitoring System?http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70348/What-Is-A-Power-Monitoring-System<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1 style="text-align: center;">Power Monitoring Is A Proactive Approach To Energy Efficiency and Prevention of Malfunctioning Equipment.</h1> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>"Invisible and fleeting power disturbances can be silent killers-the electronic equivalent of high blood pressure"</em></strong></p> <pre style="padding-left: 270px;">Eaton Corporation, Power Xpert Meters</pre> <img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/high blood pressure.jpg" border="0" alt="Power-monitoring-equivalent-to-measuring-high-blood-pressure" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /> <pre style="padding-left: 270px;"><br /><br /></pre> <h2>Power Monitoring Is a System Of Measurement</h2> <p>How can you measure what you can't see?&nbsp; The only way to measure something is with some type of instrument.&nbsp; Power Monitoring has been around for a long time. The process was very involved and technical and was typically used by large manufacturers to control and monitor their power.</p> <p>With advancements in technology, and the increase in Broad Band connectivity, the ability to utilize this technology in regular businesses has now become a reality.</p> <h2>How Does Power Monitoring Work?</h2> <p>A Power Monitoring System is a network of meters connected to the Internet to provide real time data on the power system in your facility.&nbsp; The meters feed an on line software system that allows the owners and service providers to identify potential problems with the electrical systems.&nbsp; All electrical equipment in your facility is hooked to a meter.&nbsp;</p> <p>The meter is essentially a monitoring tool that is connected to the Internet. Like a computer, the tool has tremendous storage capacity and continually monitors the power , even events up to one millisecond can be captured.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>The information is fed directly to a software management system that is made available in real time.&nbsp; Alarms can be set and email notifications sent out if your power systems functions outside of its normal parameters.</p> <p>A Power Monitoring system allows you to see what you can&rsquo;t see.&nbsp; This creates a proactive approach to energy management rather than waiting for the bill to arrive at the end of the month.&nbsp;</p> <p>With out a way to monitor and measure you electrical system, there is no guidance there to help you determine where your energy resources are going.</p> <h2>Why Should I Care About A Power Monitoring System?</h2> <p>The topic of Power Monitoring has become more relevant due to all of the interest in saving energy and the energy efficiency movement.&nbsp; Power Monitoring is well suited for managing your energy cost and efficiency because you can see in real time what is going on.&nbsp;</p> <p>You can't see power, so the only way you can see it is through a Power Monitoring system.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here are some more reasons for a power monitoring system;</p> <ul> <li> <h3>Identify power quality problems</h3> </li> <li> <h3>You can increase the life of IT or highly advanced equipment</h3> </li> <li> <h3>Protect motors from damaging currents and surges</h3> </li> <li> <h3>Prevent transformers and conductors from overheating</h3> </li> <li> <h3>Locate and identify equipment malfunction, BEFORE it malfunctions</h3> </li> </ul> <h2>How Do You Know If Energy Efficiency Is Right For You?</h2> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" alt="download-your-free-business-owners-guide" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>Are you concerned with your energy costs that continue to rise? If you haven't noticed, energy costs are creeping up just costing you more and more over time. If you just look at your bill, you likely won't even notice.&nbsp;</p> <p>But if you spreadsheet your history for the past 2-3 years, we can almost guarantee your costs have gone&nbsp; up.&nbsp; Let the experts and Hovey Electric analyze your facility and determine if Power Monitoring is right for your facility.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 378px; height: 51px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835" id="hs-cta-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835"> <a href="/free-power-monitoring-analysis" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-power-monitoring-analysis"><img id="hs-cta-img-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/8d3da64b-09c1-44ef-93fc-72ecec758b64-1310409108534/have-your-facility-analyzed-for-free.png?v=1310409108.88" alt="have-your-facility-analyzed-for-free" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/8d3da64b-09c1-44ef-93fc-72ecec758b64-1310409108534/have-your-facility-analyzed-for-free.png?v=1310409108.88" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement("script"); hsjs.type = "text/javascript"; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = "//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835"; (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835").style.visibility="hidden"}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835").style.visibility="visible"}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>Have Questions about Power Quality?&nbsp; We use questions generated here to develop future blogs.&nbsp; If you have the question, someone else likely does as well.&nbsp; Leave us a question in the comments below.&nbsp; Thanks!<br /><br /></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/70348/What-Is-A-Power-Monitoring-System&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 18 Aug 2011 19:44:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:70348http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69633/Energy-Efficient-Lights-3-Options-For-Upgrading-8-T-12-Fluorescent#Comments781Energy Efficient Lights: 3 Options For Upgrading 8' T-12 Fluorescenthttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69633/Energy-Efficient-Lights-3-Options-For-Upgrading-8-T-12-Fluorescent<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Want Energy Efficient Lighting?</h1> <h2>Eliminate T-12 Fixtures!</h2> <p>The T-12 fixture is on its way out.&nbsp; You can still buy them, but just like the 100 watt incandescent light bulb, the T-12 bulb is on it's way out. The government is not allowing manufacturers to make them after 2012.&nbsp;</p> <h3>How Do You know If You Have T-12 Fixtures?</h3> <p>Take a look at the size of the bulbs.&nbsp; Check the back room for boxes or replacement bulbs or get a ladder and climb up to take a look.&nbsp; Here is a idea on how to tell which bulb you have (assuming you can't read the box or label on th bulb...)</p> <p>T-12 Bulbs are the FAT bulbs or roughly the size of a Silver Dollar.<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/stack of coins.jpg" border="0" alt="Size-of-Fluorescent-Tubes-Like-Silver-Dollar-Quarter-Dime" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />&nbsp;</p> <p>T-8 Bulbs are in the MIDDLE and are the size of a Quarter.</p> <p>T-5 Bulbs are the SKINNY bulbs are are similiar to a Dime.</p> <p>T-12's are usually easy to identify as most of the fluorescent lighting used over the past 25 years has been this technology.&nbsp; New technology has caught up and T-12 is no longer the most efficient option available.</p> <p>Here are some options:</p> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;">1.Retrofit Existing 8' 2 Bulb T-12 Fixtures</span></h2> <h3>Leave them Up, Fix the Guts<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></h3> <p>Retrofitting T-12's is one of the easiest ways to upgrade the fixture to more <strong>energy efficient</strong> technology.&nbsp; You basically will take apart the existing fixture in place and replace components...or the "guts" of the fixture.&nbsp; Depending on the style of existing light you will likely need the following components of a T-12 Retrofit.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li> <h3>New Energy Efficient Ballast</h3> </li> <li> <h3>New Tombstones (This is where the bulb is attached at both ends...because they sort of look like a tombstone I guess)</h3> </li> <li> <h3>New Cover</h3> </li> <li> <h3>4 Energy Efficient Bulbs Instead of 2</h3> </li> </ul> <p>The old 8' Bulbs are a real pain to handle so the best option is to use 4 bulbs instead of 2 long bulbs.&nbsp; Again, you can still get the 8' T-8's if you want to, but they are much more difficult to handle.&nbsp; The 4' T-8's are much easier to store.</p> <p>The retrofit materials are a little less expensive than a new replacement fixture, but it may take a little more labor to replace the components.&nbsp; I did this in my garage and it took about 15-20 minutes per fixture.&nbsp; The advantage is not having to take the fixture down.&nbsp;</p> <p>Benefit: Better light, reduced wattage, longer life bulbs, less maintenance.</p> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;">2.Replace Existing Fixtures With New T-8 or T-5</span></h2> <h3>Take them DOWN, Put Brand New Fixtures Back UP<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></h3> <p>If you really want a new fixture, then you can replace the fixture all-together with a new energy efficient T-8.&nbsp;</p> <p>This step is really not necessary unless the old fixtures are just too dirty.&nbsp; The labor for taking down the old and putting up a new would be pretty close to the same as retrofitting the fixture.&nbsp;</p> <p>Benefit: Same as above, the only difference is the shell of the fixture.</p> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;">3.Re-design To Reduce Energy Cost and Increase Quality of Light</span></h2> <h3>Take Them All Down, Re-design Your Light</h3> <p>This is one of the best ways to change the lighting and energy efficiency of your facility.&nbsp; This is taking the area, looking at the dimensions and calculating your lighting levels comparing old lighting levels to new lighting levels.&nbsp;</p> <p>By using a photometric layout, your lighting designer can provide the least amount of fixtures necessary while maximizing the amount of light to increase lighting levels.</p> <p>At the Crippen Automall in Lansing MI, we were able to replace 37 8' T-12 High Output Fluorescent with 16 2x4 T-5 Fixtures.&nbsp; The wattage of the T-12 was 237 watts and the new fixture was 190 watts.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here's a quick video about what Crippen's Body Shop Manager thinks about his new lights. <br />&nbsp;<iframe frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eWU_4p6mT9U" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>So for example, if we would have just completed a one for one switch with this fixture, we would have reduced the wattage by 47 watts per fixture, or a reduction of 1739 watts total.</p> <p>BUT....</p> <p>We replaced the 37 with 16 T-5's at 190 watts each.&nbsp; The total wattage of the old 37 fixturs was 8,769 before and with the 16 fixtures it was 3,040 watts total.&nbsp;</p> <p>By redesigning the area, we were able to reduce the wattage by 5,729 watts.&nbsp;</p> <p>Footcandles Before Re-design - 35 Footcandles</p> <p>Footcandles After Re-design - 65 Footcandles.&nbsp;</p> <p>By redesigning the area, we were able to reduce total wattage by over 60% and at the same time increase the lighting level by nearly 100%.&nbsp;&nbsp; This type of difference cannot be achieved without a photometric layout and designing the area to achieve the objectives set forth by the owner while helping them improve energy efficiency.</p> <h2>Want to Increase the Quality of Light While Reducing Your Energy Costs?</h2> <p>Photometric renderings are usually something that you wouldn't do on your own.&nbsp; Hovey Electric provides photometric layouts for projects that need a complete new layout or we think we can reduce the number of fixture.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hovey Electric will provide the photometric with our proposal so you know exactly what you will be getting in your new lighting project.&nbsp; Need&nbsp; a photometric layout for your facility?</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-147273fb-9d4a-459f-9fda-20feefc9c582" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-147273fb-9d4a-459f-9fda-20feefc9c582" id="hs-cta-147273fb-9d4a-459f-9fda-20feefc9c582"> <a href="/free-quick-photometric-layout-for-your-facility" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-quick-photometric-layout-for-your-facility"><img id="hs-cta-img-147273fb-9d4a-459f-9fda-20feefc9c582" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ff77dcda-57de-4956-bea6-dea3d2d0494e-1313084995165/want-a-photometric-layout-click-here-to-submit-you.png?v=1313084995.44" alt="want-a-photometric-layout-click-here-to" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ff77dcda-57de-4956-bea6-dea3d2d0494e-1313084995165/want-a-photometric-layout-click-here-to-submit-you.png?v=1313084995.44" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=147273fb-9d4a-459f-9fda-20feefc9c582'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-147273fb-9d4a-459f-9fda-20feefc9c582").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-147273fb-9d4a-459f-9fda-20feefc9c582").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>Want to See if Energy Efficiency is For You?&nbsp; Take a look at our FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 358px; height: 200px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/db5cc119-bd7e-451c-9768-68524263c81e-1311948125348/click-here-to-download.png?v=1311948125.76" alt="click-here-to-download" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/db5cc119-bd7e-451c-9768-68524263c81e-1311948125348/click-here-to-download.png?v=1311948125.76" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>Or Take a look at our <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/energy-calculator/energy-calculator-for-t-12-to-t-8/" title="Quick Energy Calculators Page" target="_self">Quick Energy Calculators Page</a> and You can figure out if an energy efficiency upgrade would make sense for your facility.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <br />Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/69633/Energy-Efficient-Lights-3-Options-For-Upgrading-8-T-12-Fluorescent&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 11 Aug 2011 17:44:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:69633http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68555/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Applications-LED-Inductive-Fluorescent#Comments355Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED ,Inductive & Fluorescenthttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68555/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Applications-LED-Inductive-Fluorescent<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Energy Efficient Lighting Choices</h2> <p>Energy savings has become somewhat of a "buzz" topic. The lighting market has tons of different technologies available to the business owner or consumer, but how do you know what works?</p> <p>What replaces what?</p> <p>This article is aimed at answering some of these questions.</p> <h2>Energy Efficient LED lighting<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/led.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-led-lighting" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>It seems wherever I go everyone wants to use LED lighting......for everything. Let's look at the pros, cons, and uses for it.</p> <h3>Pros of LED lighting:</h3> <ul> <li>Extremely low wattage.</li> <li>Long life.</li> <li>readily available.</li> <li>Minimal maintenance</li> </ul> <h3>Cons of LED lighting:</h3> <ul> <li>Expensive.</li> <li>Difficult to show a decent payback on a project with it.</li> <li><span>Lacks the "punch" to be used as high bay lighting.</span></li> <li>Highly sensitive to temperature for optimal operation.</li> </ul> <h3>Uses of LED lighting:</h3> <ul> <li>Wall pack lighting.</li> <li>Parking lot lighting. (with shorter mounting heights)</li> <li>Accent lighting.</li> <li>Indoor office fixtures (this is a recent finding)</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Energy Efficient Inductive Fluorescent Lighting</h2> <p>Inductive Fluorescent is the real "sweet spot" of <strong>energy efficient</strong> lighting applications.&nbsp; Here are the reasons we really like working with the inductive technology: <img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/235-induction highbay.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-inductive-fluorescents" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></p> <h3>Pros of Inductive Fluorescent:</h3> <ul> <li>Long Life (100,000 hr).</li> <li>Cheaper than LED.</li> <li>Tons of applications.</li> <li>Low wattage consumption.</li> <li>Works well in a wide temperature range.</li> </ul> <h3>Cons of Inductive Fluorescent:</h3> <ul> <li>More expensive than linear fluorescent.</li> <li>Not many choices for "architectural" light fixtures.</li> </ul> <h3>Uses of Inductive Fluorescent:</h3> <ul> <li><span>Parking lots.</span></li> <li>High bay lighting.</li> <li>Wall pack and accent lighting.</li> <li>Basically anywhere you see metal halide or high pressure sodium lighting.</li> </ul> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>Energy Efficient Fluorescent Lighting</h2> <p>Fluorescent is the work horse of the <strong>energy efficient</strong> lighting industry. The only problem with Fluorescent is the rare earth minerals used in fluorescent light bulbs and fluorescent tubes is getting more expensive( Here is a recent article talking about the pending increases in fluorescent lighting )<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/ultralux.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-linear-fluorescent-lighting" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></p> <h3>Pros of Fluorescent Lighting:</h3> <ul> <li><span>The technology is <span>proven</span>.</span></li> <li>Readily available.</li> <li>Cheap.</li> <li>Lots of options.</li> <li>Kelvin ratings cover a broad range.(color of the light)</li> </ul> <h3>Cons of Fluorescent Lighting:</h3> <ul> <li>More maintenance than LED or Induction.</li> <li>Temperature sensitive.</li> <li>Light output affected by the cold.</li> </ul> <h3>Uses of Fluorescent Lighting:</h3> <ul> <li>High bay replacement indoors.</li> <li>Office lighting.</li> <li>Indoor accent lighting.</li> <li>Gymnasiums.</li> <li>Production floors.</li> </ul> <h2>Final Thoughts ?</h2> <p>Hopefully this cleared up some of the basics. But I have just a couple of additional tips:</p> <h2>Extra Tip #1-</h2> <p>I cannot tell you enough how important it is to use trusted brands on both the LED and Induction lighting!!</p> <h2>Extra Tip #2-</h2> <p>Be sure you know exactly what you are getting in your facilities or business. A good manufacturer stands behind there products. They have already put the time and money into the development to be sure they are of the highest standards.</p> <p>Still Can't Sort Them Out?</p> <p><span><span>Hovey</span> Electric specializes in specifying and designing <strong>energy efficient</strong> lighting.&nbsp; We wrote a book for you to learn more about how to develop an energy efficient strategt for your business, and is available to you as a FREE download:</span></p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 358px; height: 200px; display: block; border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" id="hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/db5cc119-bd7e-451c-9768-68524263c81e-1311948125348/click-here-to-download.png?v=1311948125.76" alt="click-here-to-download" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/db5cc119-bd7e-451c-9768-68524263c81e-1311948125348/click-here-to-download.png?v=1311948125.76" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-6bc14314-0ab2-4dcd-a16d-6f97f505f233").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p><span>That will teach you <span>alot</span> more about energy efficiency, but if you still need some one on one help, we provide a FREE energy analysis for your facility.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee" id="hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee"> <a href="/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis"><img id="hs-cta-img-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/5a2f3036-2a6b-4c9f-82c6-0a9ee83583ac/click-here-to-find-out-how-much-is-energy-efficien.png" alt="click-here-to-find-out" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/5a2f3036-2a6b-4c9f-82c6-0a9ee83583ac/click-here-to-find-out-how-much-is-energy-efficien.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-2574cc27-7fbe-4b2e-840d-412dda0acdee").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Give us your feedback and let us know what you think!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68555/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Applications-LED-Inductive-Fluorescent&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolWed, 03 Aug 2011 17:15:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:68555http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68294/Prices-Of-Energy-Efficient-Light-Bulbs-Going-Up-25-50#Comments1,810Prices Of Energy Efficient Light Bulbs Going Up 25-50%http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68294/Prices-Of-Energy-Efficient-Light-Bulbs-Going-Up-25-50<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Energy Efficient Light Bulbs<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Upsign.jpg" border="0" alt="cost-of-energy-efficient-light-bulbs-increasing-25-to-50%" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> Use Rare Earth Minerals</h1> <h2>What are Rare Earth Minerals?</h2> <p>Name says it all:</p> <ul> <li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Rare</span>:&nbsp; Not a lot of places to get it.</li> <li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Earth</span>: Comes from the Earth, explains the rare part.</li> <li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Minerals</span>: Natural elements from the earth.</li> </ul> <p>The minerals are made up of 17 elements from the periodic table. They have become increasingly important as safe environmental applications in technological advancements in our world.</p> <h2>Where are Rare Earth Minerals Located?</h2> <p>China has a tremendous reserve of Rare Earth Minerals and has been responsible for 95% of the worlds Rare Earth Output.&nbsp; They have decided to lower export of the minerals at a time when demand has increased substantially.&nbsp;</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;">High Demand + Low Supply = Higher Prices</h3> <h2>Why are energy efficient light bulbs getting more expensive?</h2> <p>65% of the cost of a fluorescent bulb is attributed to Rare Earth Minerals.&nbsp; Since fluorescents have a very important role in energy efficient lighting, the demand for fluorescent bulbs have increased significantly over the past couple of years. Rare Earth Minerals are also used in:</p> <ul> <li>Batteries</li> <li>Military Weapons</li> <li>Flat Screen TV's</li> <li>Flat Screen Monitors</li> <li>Catalytic converters</li> <li>Magnets</li> <li>Cell Phones</li> <li>Computers and Processors</li> <li>Solar Panels</li> </ul> <p>As you can see from the list, all of the products above have likely touched your life in one form or another over the past 5 years. &nbsp;</p> <h2>How Will This Impact Energy Efficient Projects?</h2> <p>Even though the rise in cost is significant, don't let the increase sway your decision in pursuing energy efficient upgrades.&nbsp; Lamp cost in energy efficient lighting upgrades is usually a small portion of the overall cost of a fixture.&nbsp;</p> <p>The economic benefit of energy savings will likely outweigh the increase in cost production of the lamps.&nbsp; All fluorescent bulb manufacturers are raising the costs of bulbs, so you will likely not be able to benefit from one or another.&nbsp;</p> <h2>When Will Prices Change?</h2> <p>Expect a 25% increase in the cost of bulbs by 8/1/2011 and possibly an increase of up to 50% by the end of 2011.</p> <h2>Need to See If Your Energy Efficient Lighting Project Still Makes Sense?</h2> <p>Let Hovey Electric review your numbers to determine if the increase has any negative economic impact on your project. We <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="will provide the analysis for FREE." target="_self">will provide the analysis for FREE.</a></p> <p>If you are re-lamping your facility, the pricing will have a major impact.&nbsp; If you are doing a complete retrofit, the increase will have less of an impact.</p> <pre>Source: General Electric</pre>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68294/Prices-Of-Energy-Efficient-Light-Bulbs-Going-Up-25-50&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 29 Jul 2011 14:33:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:68294http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68044/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-For-Detailing-Work-Areas#Comments475Energy Efficient Lighting For Detailing Work Areashttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68044/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-For-Detailing-Work-Areas<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Energy Efficient Lighting Upgrade for Detailing Area at Crippen Automotive</h1> Here's what manager Tom Hopkins had to say about his new lights: <br /> <p><iframe frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/U0oOmV0uNaQ?hl=en&amp;fs=1" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="425"></iframe></p> <h2>Energy Efficient Lighting in the Detail Area at Crippen Automotive</h2> <p>The Detailing area in a automotive dealership is one of the most important areas for impressing the customers.&nbsp; This is the final stop for the vehicle either being returned to the customer or receiving that brand new car.&nbsp;</p> <p>To say the vehicle must be cleaned to perfection is an understatement.&nbsp; Often when we visit dealerships, they mention that they always have a spot that is missed when they pull the vehicle out in the natural sunlight.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Energy Efficient Lighting Creates Better Light</h2> <p>That is not the case at Crippen Automotive.&nbsp; With a new lighting upgrade, the hard working employees in the detail area are now able to see MUCH better than before the upgrade.&nbsp; While energy efficiency was the initial driver behind the upgrade, the benefit to this area was the higher quality light.</p> <h2>What Makes the Energy Efficient Lights Better?</h2> <p>We knew that this area would need a high quality light.&nbsp; You can often to that, but you have to give up energy efficiency.&nbsp; In this case, we were able to combine both, for an ideal application in the detail area.</p> <h4>What We Replaced:</h4> <h4>(16) 8' T12HO Light Fixtures ( 237 Watts Each)</h4> <h4>We Replaced Them With:</h4> <h4>(16) <a href="http://everlastlighting.com" title="Ultralux T5 (190 Watts Each)" target="_self">Ultralux T5 (190 Watts Each)</a></h4> <h3>Savings: 47 Watts Per Fixture or 752 Watts Total</h3> <h2>Why Did We Choose The Energy Efficient Ultralux Fixture?</h2> <ul> <li>Lowest wattage of T5 fixtures</li> <li>Blue Max Bulbs have high Kelvin Value and high CRI</li> </ul> <h2>What Does All This Mean?</h2> <p>A high CRI value and high Kelvin value means that the light is as close to daylight as you can get in an indoor environment allowing the employees to see much better.</p> <h4>Footcandles Before:35fc</h4> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/CrippenDetailareabefore.jpg" border="0" alt="before-energy-efficient-lighting-upgrade" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p> <h4>Footcandles After: 85fc</h4> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Crippendetailareaafter.jpg" border="0" alt="after-energy-efficient-lighting-upgrade" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p> <h3>We increased the lighting levels by 50fc while saving 47 watts per fixture.</h3> <h2>Make Your Detail Area More Energy Efficient</h2> <p>Hovey Electric looks for the best applications to satisfy the needs of our clients.&nbsp; In this case we were able to provide higher quality light with energy efficient fixtures.&nbsp; <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Let's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required." target="_self">Let's take a look at your facility, it's FREE and no obligation required.</a></p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" alt="download-your-free-business-owners-guide" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68044/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-For-Detailing-Work-Areas&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 28 Jul 2011 19:29:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:68044http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/67898/How-To-Find-The-Most-Energy-Efficient-400-Watt-Metal-Halide#Comments554How To Find The Most Energy Efficient 400 Watt Metal Halidehttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/67898/How-To-Find-The-Most-Energy-Efficient-400-Watt-Metal-Halide<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>The Most Energy Efficient Metal Halide Is....</h1> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/400wmh OFF.jpg" border="0" alt="Most-efficient-400-watt-metal-halide" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></p> <h2>The Most Energy Efficient is a Metal Halide that Has NO Power Running To It...</h2> <p>This one still has power to it, so I guess you could say it is not the most energy efficient.&nbsp; You might be thinking that because it is shut off, it must not be drawing any power.</p> <p>WRONG, if the bulb is burnt out, you are still burning power.&nbsp;</p> <p>Even if the lumen output is less, you are still burning 458 watts in a 400 watt metal halide.&nbsp;</p> <p>Metal Halides are quite simply energy hogs!!</p> <h2>Designers Don't Get It!</h2> <p>In this same building there was an addition built and completed last year.&nbsp; Guess what kind of fixtures they used?&nbsp;</p> <p>Yes, you are correct, metal halide.&nbsp; I don't understand why Architects, Engineers and Lighting Specifiers are not paying attention.&nbsp; There are many strong alternatives out there.&nbsp; Here is one of them:</p> <h2>Energy Efficiency Inductive Fluorescents</h2> <p>Inductive fixtures are much more expensive than straight linear fluorescent.&nbsp; Choice of the type of fixture just depends on the application.&nbsp; Inductive fixtures are manufactured to look very similar to the one in the picture above.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Benefits of Inductive</h3> <h4>High CRI Values- This just means the light is very close to daytime light, a much whiter light in side.</h4> <h4>High Kelvin Value - Kelvin of 5000K + contribute to the look of brighter, whiter light, similar to the definition above.&nbsp;</h4> <p>Because of the High Kelvin value and High CRI, the eye perceives the light to be much brighter than it actually is.&nbsp; Therefore, you can significantly reduce the wattage for optimum energy savings.</p> <h4>Long, Long Life - Inductive bulbs are rated at 100,000 hours.&nbsp; If you run them 4000 hours per year, you are looking at 20 years of life, amazing.&nbsp; We have been installing <a href="http://www.everlastlight.com/" title="Inductive Fixtures from Everlast Lighting in Jackson, MI." target="_self">Inductive Fixtures from Everlast Lighting in Jackson, MI.</a></h4> <h2>Not Sure How to Find the Most Energy Efficient Alternatives?&nbsp;</h2> <p>Hovey Electric looks at energy efficient lighting systems as an investment into your business.&nbsp; Business owners must weigh all of their options very closely in these tough economic times.&nbsp;</p> <p>Energy efficiency projects most often prove to be very attractive investments.&nbsp; Want to learn more about energy efficiency?</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" alt="download-your-free-business-owners-guide" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>PS - If you read this, will you click on a like button above....that is if you really like it.&nbsp; Thanks in advance, Jimmy</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/67898/How-To-Find-The-Most-Energy-Efficient-400-Watt-Metal-Halide&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 26 Jul 2011 19:26:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:67898http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65650/How-to-Choose-an-Infrared-Sensor#Comments550How to Choose an Infrared Sensorhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65650/How-to-Choose-an-Infrared-Sensor<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>So Many Infrared Sensors to Choose From</h2> <p><span>While there are different sensor technologies (infrared, ultra sonic, and dual technology) today's post is about which applications are not suited to the PIR, or infrared sensor and <strong>how to choose an Infrared Sensor</strong>.</span></p> <h2>What is an Infrared Sensor?</h2> <p><span><a href="http://wikipedia.com" title="Wikipedia" target="_self">Wikipedia</a> says it best:</span></p> <p><strong>Passive Infrared sensor</strong>&nbsp;<strong>(PIR sensor)</strong>&nbsp;is an&nbsp;electronic device&nbsp;that <img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/infrared sensor.jpg" border="0" alt="how-to-choose-an-infrared-sensor" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />measures&nbsp;infrared&nbsp;(IR) light radiating from objects in its field of view. PIR sensors are often used in the construction of&nbsp;<em>PIR-based&nbsp;motion detectors</em>. Apparent motion is detected when an infrared source with one&nbsp;temperature, such as a&nbsp;human, passes in front of an infrared source with another temperature, such as a&nbsp;wall.</p> <h2>Where Can I Use Infrared?</h2> <p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;"><span>From the above definition you can see they monitor temperature differences in a space. The one thing you must have with this type of sensor is line of sight. </span></span></p> <p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;"><span>If there is a space such as a restroom with stalls or an office that has an irregular shape than you will get a situation where you will have a "false off". </span></span></p> <p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;"><span>Open areas where the installed sensor has 100% visibility are the areas where the infrared sensor excels.</span></span></p> <h2>What's the sensors range?</h2> <p>Typically these are indoor sensors and depending on location and mounting there range can vary.</p> <p>The type that you see mounted in place of switches typically have a range of 15-30 foot in one direction. Ceiling mounted sensors can have a range of 25-50 foot, but in a 360 degree circle.</p> <p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;">The infrared sensor is still a great tool to use for energy savings. Many times a sensor has been thought to be bad when in all actuality it was just not the right tool for the job. </span></p> <p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;">In the case of the restroom, use an ultrasonic or dual technology sensor. They work in situations where line of sight is not available.&nbsp;</span></p> <h2>Want to learn more about calculating your energy savings?</h2> <p><a href="/Default.aspx?app=LeadgenDownload&amp;shortpath=docs%2fdimmer+calculator.xlsx" rel="nofollow" title="Try our free sensor calculator and see what energy savings you could have." target="_blank"><strong>Try our free occupancy sensor calculator to see how much money you could save!.</strong></a></p> <p>If your looking for a sure fire way to cut operating costs look no further than the lighting above you. With utility rebates and tax incentives there is no better time to invest in upgrading the lighting of your facility and<strong> one of the easiest upgrades is motion sensors.</strong></p> <p>Give us a call and let us take the hassle and guess work out of upgrading your place of business. More questions about occupancy sensors?&nbsp; See our recent post <strong><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65488/How-To-Calculate-Occupancy-Sensors-Energy-Savings" title="How To Calculate Occupancy Sensors Energy Savings">How To Calculate Occupancy Sensors Energy Savings</a></strong>.&nbsp; Put your question in the comment section below.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" alt="free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-en" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65650/How-to-Choose-an-Infrared-Sensor&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolMon, 18 Jul 2011 14:59:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:65650http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/66167/How-To-Be-Your-Own-Electricity-Calculator-for-Energy-Savings#Comments724How To Be Your Own Electricity Calculator for Energy Savingshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/66167/How-To-Be-Your-Own-Electricity-Calculator-for-Energy-Savings<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>"How To" Energy Savings Calculations<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/calculator.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-savings-calculator" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>Recently we took a good hard look at what articles we had written generated the most interest. It was clear that most people were interested in the "how to" of calculations.</p> <p>This article will focus on the basics of energy calculations, more specifically it will be on how to put everything together so you can get a very close estimation on energy savings.</p> <h2>Useful Energy Calculations:</h2> <p>Not everyone knows the exact wattages of the lights over their head. For the sake of ease I am going to give you the industry standard wattages of the more common fixtures. You can download the table <a href="/Default.aspx?app=LeadgenDownload&amp;shortpath=docs%2fstandard+fixture+wattages.xlsx" rel="nofollow" title="here." target="_self">here.</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>OK now that you have that lets look the calculations. Let's use a very common 2X4, 4 lamp fixture that consumes 148 watts. Here's the scenario:</p> <ul> <li>70 fixtures (Fixture Quantity)</li> <li>.10 KWH rate (Per Kwh Cost of Electricity)</li> <li>4,000 hrs annual operation (Number of Hours Per Day x 365)</li> <li>Replaced with 28W T8 lamps and ballasts (Possible Upgrade)</li> </ul> <p><strong>Demand KW = (fixt. wattage X fixt. qty.) /1000</strong></p> <p>(148 X 70) / 1000 = 10.36KW.</p> <p><strong>KWH = (Demand KW X hours of operation)</strong></p> <p>10.36KW X 4,000 = 41,440 KWH.</p> <h2>What Are the Energy Savings?</h2> <p>Now using the table lets look at how much electricity the new T8 lamps and ballast will use:</p> <p><strong>Demand KW&nbsp;= (fixt. wattage X fixt. qty.) /1000</strong></p> <p>(92W X 70) /1000 = 6.44KW.</p> <p><strong>KWH = (Demand KW X hours of operation)</strong></p> <p><strong></strong>6.44KW X 4000 = 25,760 KWH.</p> <h2>What Are Your Annual Energy Savings?</h2> <p>Now that we have our old and new KWH let's calculate what our savings will be.</p> <p><strong>KWH Savings = Original KWH &nbsp;- New KWH&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>41,440KWH - 25,760KWH = 15,680KWH</p> <p><strong>Annual Energy Savings = KWH Savings X Electric Rate</strong></p> <p>15,680KWH X .10 cents per KWH = $1,568.00 dollars.</p> <h2>Hovey Energy Savings Group Can Do the Calculations For You</h2> <p>Don't want to go through all the headache of being your own calculator?&nbsp;</p> <p>Let the Energy Efficiency experts help you determine the best energy efficiency investments for your facility.&nbsp; We help you determine energy savings, find all available incentives, calculate maintenance savings, calculate payback period and determine your ROI from each energy efficiency recommendation that we make.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" alt="FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide to En" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width: 0px;" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>Leave a comment and we'll take all the hassle out of the equation!</p> <p><strong><br /></strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/66167/How-To-Be-Your-Own-Electricity-Calculator-for-Energy-Savings&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolSat, 16 Jul 2011 23:17:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:66167http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65520/3-Reasons-Why-You-Need-a-Power-Monitoring-System#Comments4483 Reasons Why You Need a Power Monitoring Systemhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65520/3-Reasons-Why-You-Need-a-Power-Monitoring-System<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>1-Power Monitoring Can Reduce Power Factor Penalties</h2> <h3>What is Power Factor?</h3> <p>Most people do not understand what Power Factor (PF) means.&nbsp; This is essentially the term used for the quality of the power that is delivered to your facility.&nbsp; Ideally, you want your facility to have a PF of 100.&nbsp; If you PF is less than that, between 60-90, you have a lot of room for improvement. In fact, you pay for that difference each month.&nbsp;</p> <h3><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Penalty Flag.jpg" border="0" alt="how-power-monitoring-system-avoids-utility-penalties" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" /></h3> <h3>Power Factor or Power Penalty?</h3> <p>I think Power Factor should be re-named to Power Penalty instead.&nbsp; You are penalized through your utility bill each month if your PF falls in the range of 60-90.&nbsp; The lower the quality of power, the more power your utility company has to have set aside in reserve in case you need it.&nbsp; Essentially you are having 120% of the power you need delivered if your Power Factor is 80.&nbsp; You pay for the extra power in reserve for your facility.</p> <h3>How Will Power Monitoring Help With Power Factor?</h3> <p>With a Power Monitoring system, you can monitor your PF in real time.&nbsp; This allows you to manage the up line (utility side) and down line (your facility side) in order to bring your Power Factor as close to 100 as possible.&nbsp; This alone could fully justify and pay for a Power Monitoring System for several years.</p> <h2>2-Power Monitoring Lets You Allocate Energy Cost</h2> <h3>Do You Know How Much Energy Goes Into Each</h3> <h3>Product?</h3> <p>Do you make a lot of products or have a division that uses more power than another?&nbsp; Power Monitoring will allow you to accurately allocate costs to the specific product being manufactured.&nbsp; Power monitoring data will give you the necessary information to determine the profitability of your product or service.</p> <h2>3-Power Monitoring Will Help Reduce Peak Demand</h2> <h3>Peak Demand Charges are Expensive</h3> <p>Peak demand should be called a demand penalty.&nbsp; This hits businesses very hard</p> <p>that utilize a lot of energy during normal working hours.&nbsp; Even if you only hit a high peak for a few short minutes, you will pay for that peak for the next 30 days.</p> <h3>Know Where Your Power Is Going</h3> <p>By utilizing a Power Monitoring system, you will know where your energy goes and</p> <p>when.&nbsp; By analyzing the data, you will be able to make production decisions based on factual data from the machinery.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Get an Alert When You are Reaching Peak Demand...</h3> <p>Power monitoring systems can provide alarms to alert you when you are reaching peak capacity that could severely penalize your business for energy consumption.&nbsp; This could mean a 5 minute shutdown on 1 particular machine to save thousands over the next month.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Interested in Finding Out if Power Monitoring Would Benefit Your Business?</h2> <p>Hovey Electric has been working in industrial environments for over 32 years.&nbsp; Large manufacturers have been monitoring their power use for over 20 years and Hovey Electric has been there to install the equipment and provide that data back to the owners for critical decision making.</p> <p>Hovey Electric provides installation and monitoring of Power Monitoring systems for companies with several hundred machines down to just a few machines.&nbsp; An investment in Power Monitoring equipment can pay for itself several times over.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835" id="hs-cta-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835"> <a href="/free-power-monitoring-analysis" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-power-monitoring-analysis"><img id="hs-cta-img-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/8d3da64b-09c1-44ef-93fc-72ecec758b64-1310409108534/have-your-facility-analyzed-for-free.png?v=1310409108.88" alt="Have Your Facility Analyzed for FREE!" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/8d3da64b-09c1-44ef-93fc-72ecec758b64-1310409108534/have-your-facility-analyzed-for-free.png?v=1310409108.88" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4fce6219-d9f2-4482-b746-a4508bad3835").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65520/3-Reasons-Why-You-Need-a-Power-Monitoring-System&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 13 Jul 2011 11:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:65520http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/66125/Learn-How-to-Make-Air-Handlers-More-Energy-Efficient#Comments1,387Learn How to Make Air Handlers More Energy Efficienthttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/66125/Learn-How-to-Make-Air-Handlers-More-Energy-Efficient<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Are Your Air Handlers Energy Efficient?</h1> <h2>VFD's On Air Handlers for Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>If your a business owner with a medium to large sized building chances are you have at least one air handler on your facility.&nbsp; Air handlers provide your heating and cooling.</p> <p>All air handlers have a motor, and most of these motors are not <strong>energy efficient</strong>.&nbsp; By adding a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD), we can make your existing air handlers <strong>energy efficient</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Let's look at the benefits of adding a variable frequency drive to one of these units and the energy savings that can be achieved.</p> <h2>An Example of 6 Air Handler Units...</h2> <p>I am going to use facts from an actual project that had 6 air handler units all being identical. The units all run 24/7 to maintain airflow throughout the building.</p> <p>Each of the units contain a 60 hp motor that run across the line, meaning no control. The motors have an efficiency rating of 95%. The cost per Kwh is $.10 cents.....sounds pretty good right?</p> <p>Well let's take a look and see.</p> <h2>Does the VFD Make the Air Handler Unit Energy Efficient?</h2> <p>The table below shows estimated energy savings before and after the installation of a variable frequency drive.</p> <p>Remember that originally this unit ran full speed. The intended purpose of the vfd is to tune the airflow to the needs of the building making the air handler more <strong>energy efficient</strong>.</p> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/ahu savings-resized-6001.jpg" border="0" alt="learn-how-air-handler-vfd-benefits-energy-efficiency" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Added Benefits of More Energy Efficient Air Handler</h2> <ul> <li>Able to reduce full airflow throughout the night while the building is unoccupied.</li> <li>Able to reduce flow in morning and evening when manpower is ramping up and ramping down for the day.</li> </ul> <h2>Energy Efficient Air Handler Reduces Carbon Dioxide Emissions by 50%</h2> <p>Just by adding the VFD, CO Emisions drop from over 145 tons per year to just under 75 tons per year dropping by nearly 50%.</p> <h2>Profiting with Energy Efficient Air Handler; Payback In Less Than 6 Months</h2> <p>The VFD will make the system more <strong>energy efficient</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <p>The existing system used 415,568KWH per year to operate, at .10 per KWH thats roughly $41,556 dollars per year!</p> <p>Reducing 212,286 Kwh nets an annual energy savings of $20,000.&nbsp; After installation costs, payback is less than 6 months.&nbsp;</p> <p>Even when the vfd for air handler cost $8,260, your investment will return $91,757 dollars over 5 years.&nbsp; Very nice ROI!</p> <h2>Air Handler VFD Energy Savings at 50%</h2> <p>The drive controlled system uses 212,286 Kwh per year compared to the existing 412,468 Kwh.&nbsp; The reduction equates to $21,228 per year. A savings of around $20,000 per year!!! In this scenario, your 6 air handler units would now be <strong>energy efficient.</strong></p> <h3>Even with an $8,260.00 installation cost we still see a net gain of $11,743 dollars in our first year.</h3> <p>Can you show me an investment that you can easily implement into your business that gives a return like that? Making your air handlers <strong>energy efficient</strong> can be a great investment for your business with long term beneftis.</p> <h2>Want to Learn More About How to Make Your Air Handlers More Energy Efficient?</h2> <p><a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="Download a FREE copy of our e-book, Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency." target="_self">Download a FREE copy of our e-book, Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.</a>&nbsp; We will show you the benefits of making your business more <strong>energy efficient</strong> and how to calculate energy savings in 7 simple steps.&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/66125/Learn-How-to-Make-Air-Handlers-More-Energy-Efficient&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolMon, 11 Jul 2011 18:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:66125http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65488/How-To-Calculate-Occupancy-Sensors-Energy-Savings#Comments180How To Calculate Occupancy Sensors Energy Savingshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65488/How-To-Calculate-Occupancy-Sensors-Energy-Savings<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Do Occupancy Sensors Save Big Money?<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/occ sens.jpg" border="0" alt="How-to-calculate-occupancy-sensors-energy-savings" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>I have written in the past about which sensors are for various applications, however a common question I hear is "how much electricity do they save?". In this article I will run through a common scenario and show the benefits of adding them to your lighting system.</p> <h2>Example Using T5 HO Fluorescent Highbay's:</h2> <p>Let's look at a production floor with 50 - 6 lamp, 340 Watt T5 highbay's.</p> <ul> <li>Burn time will be 3,120 hr. per year(12hr. per day)</li> <li>We will assume a utility rate of .10 cents per kwh.</li> <li>50% of the area is heavy usage.&nbsp;</li> <li>50% is low usage.</li> </ul> <h2>Energy Cost With No Occupancy Sensors</h2> <p>Normal operation with no sensors would be:</p> <p>(50 X 340Watts (W)) / 1000 = 17kilowatt (Kw)</p> <p>17 kw X 3120 hr per yr = 53,040 kilowatt/hour (Kwh)</p> <h3>53,040 kwh X .10 per kwh = $5,304.00 per year to run the lights.</h3> <h2>Energy Costs With Occupancy Sensors Installed</h2> <p><strong>Now lets look at it with occupancy sensors controlling 50% of the lights:</strong></p> <p>25 fixtures with no sensors = $2,652.00 per year (half of the above cost)</p> <p>25 fixtures with sensors off 70% of the time = $557.00 (30% of the $2,652.00)</p> <h3>$2,652.00 + $557.00 = $3,209.00 per year.&nbsp;</h3> <h2>The Difference?</h2> <p>Without - $5,304.00 Per Year</p> <p>With - $3,209.00 Per Year</p> <p>($5,304.00 - $3,209.00 = $2095.00)</p> <h3><strong>Thats a $2,095.00 savings on your yearly cost of electricity!</strong></h3> <h2>Occupancy Sensors = Energy Savings:</h2> <p>In the example above I used Fluorescent highbays to prove a point. Many consider T5 highbays fixtures excellent upgrades to older Metal Halide lighting...and they are, but by utilizing occupancy sensors you can take those savings much farther.</p> <p><a href="/Default.aspx?app=LeadgenDownload&amp;shortpath=docs%2fdimmer+calculator.xlsx" rel="nofollow" title="Try our free sensor calculator and see what energy savings you could have." target="_blank"><strong>Try our free occupancy sensor calculator to see how much money you could save!.</strong></a></p> <p>If your looking for a sure fire way to cut operating costs look no further than the lighting above you. With utility rebates and tax incentives there is no better time to invest in upgrading the lighting of your facility.</p> <p>Give us a call and let us take the hassle and guess work out of upgrading your place of business. More questions about occupancy sensors?&nbsp; Put your question in the comment section below.</p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" alt="Download Your FREE Business Owners Guide" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> &nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/65488/How-To-Calculate-Occupancy-Sensors-Energy-Savings&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolThu, 07 Jul 2011 11:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:65488http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64952/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Inductive-Crushes-400-Watt-Metal-Halide#Comments591Energy Efficient Lighting: Inductive Crushes 400 Watt Metal Halidehttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64952/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Inductive-Crushes-400-Watt-Metal-Halide<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Are Inductive Fluorescents Better Than 400 Watt Metal Halide?</h1> <h2>Yes, we think so, and here's why:</h2> <h2>Reason #1 50% Less Wattage</h2> <p>You can replace a 400 Watt Metal Halide with a 200 Watt Inductive Fluorescent fixture.&nbsp; By doing this you reduce your total fixture wattage by over 50% which in turn reduces your utility bill 50% for your lighting.&nbsp; Doesn't seem possible?</p> <p>At <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57309/How-Auto-Dealer-Found-Ways-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency" title="Crippen Automall in Lansing Michigan, we went even further" target="_self">Crippen Automall in Lansing Michigan, we went even further</a>.&nbsp; We replaced 1000 Watt Metal Halide fixtures with 250 Watt Inductive Fluorescent.&nbsp; We utilized lights from <a href="http://www.everlastlight.com/compare_hid_lighting.html" title="Everlast Lighting located in Jackson Michigan" target="_self">Everlast Lighting located in Jackson Michigan</a>.&nbsp; In this application, we actually reduced the wattage by more than 75% making Crippen more <strong>energy efficient</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <p>You are likely still thinking that is not possible.&nbsp;&nbsp; The next 3 reasons explain why this <strong>IS</strong> possible.</p> <h2>Reason #2 Consistent Lumen Output</h2> <p>What is Lumen Output?</p> <p>Lumens is a measurement of light perceived by the eye. In effect, this is an indication of the level of brightness of a particular type of lighting.</p> <p>Lumen Output declines over time. This means that the bulb you put in 3 years ago will not be producing the same Lumen rating as when it was installed.</p> <p>Older bulbs, especially Metal Halide lose 70% of their Lumen output in a 3 year period.</p> <p>An Inductive Fluorescent fixture on the other hand, only loses 10% of the output over the life of the system.</p> <p>10% may still sound significant, but the life of a typical 400 Watt Metal Halide Bulb is <span style="text-decoration: underline;">20,000 hours</span> and the life of an inductive bulb is <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>100,000 hours</strong></span>.&nbsp; A 10% degradation over a period of 20 years will hardly be noticeable.&nbsp;</p> <p>You will notice that the inductive fixture seems brighter and the next couple of reasons show you why.</p> <h2>Reason #3 Higher Kelvin Value&nbsp;</h2> <p>The Everlast fixtures have a high Kelvin value.&nbsp; Kelvin is used to compare the quality of <img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Lumen Output - Bright Sunshine.jpg" border="0" alt="Reasons-why-inductive-fluorescents-crush-400-watt-metal-halide" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />indoor light to light experienced outdoors.&nbsp; In normal daylight conditions, typical Kelvin values are between 5000 and 6000.&nbsp; The inductive lamp is very close to true, natural daylight as the bulbs have a Kelvin value of 5000K.</p> <h2>Reason #4 Higher Color Rendering Index</h2> <p>The <strong>color rendering index</strong> (<strong>CRI</strong>) (sometimes called <em>color rendition index</em>), is a quantitative measure of the ability of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_source" title="Light source">light source</a> to reproduce the colors of various objects faithfully in comparison with an ideal or natural light source.&nbsp;</p> <p>100 is natural daylight, so the higher the CRI index, the closer the light source is to natural light.&nbsp;</p> <p>Standard 400 Watt Metal halide lamps have a CRI of 65. The Inductive bulbs have a CRI rating of 90+ making it one of the closest light sources to natural light.</p> <h2>Interested in Making Your Facility More Energy Efficient?</h2> <p>Still not sure if energy efficiency is right for your business?&nbsp; <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="Download our FREE e-book, Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.&nbsp;" target="_self">Download our FREE e-book, Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.&nbsp;</a> The 36 page e-book looks at the 5 benefits of energy efficiency and shows you the 7 steps to calculate your energy savings for any type of energy efficiency upgrade you are considering.</p> <p>Have more questions regarding inductive fluorescent lighting?&nbsp; Just leave us your question in the comment section below.</p> <span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" alt="Download Your FREE Business Owners Guide" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span> <br />Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64952/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Inductive-Crushes-400-Watt-Metal-Halide&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 06 Jul 2011 15:35:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:64952http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64650/Be-One-of-the-First-Electric-Vehicle-Charging-Station-Locations#Comments775Be One of the First Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locationshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64650/Be-One-of-the-First-Electric-Vehicle-Charging-Station-Locations<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Have You Seen a Electric Vehicle on the Road Yet?</h2> <h3>For Real....Electric Vehicles?</h3> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/electric vehicle.jpg" border="0" alt="be-one-of-the-first-electric-vehicle-charging-locations-locally" width="356" height="236" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>Electric vehicle charging station locations will become a regular sighting in the next 5 years.&nbsp; Do you know where your nearest electric vehicle charging station is located?&nbsp; Not likely, because the infrastructure is not yet in place.&nbsp;</p> <p>Your business should be one of the first to install vehicle charging stations at your place of business.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Why Be the First?</h3> <h2>Electric Vehicle Market is Growing</h2> <p>I just saw my first Volt parked at the dealership this week, so I believe we will begin to see electric vehicles among other vehicles.&nbsp; It has even gottten me to think...hey how far is my commute to work...maybe this would work for me.&nbsp; Obviously, there are a lot of other folks out there thinking the same thing.&nbsp; Take a look at some numbers.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.pikeresearch.com/newsroom/hybrid-fleet-vehicle-sales-to-surpass-740000-units-per-year-in-2015" title="Hybrid Fleet Vehicle Sales to Surpass 740,000 Units per Year in 2015 (Pike Research)" target="_self">Hybrid Fleet Vehicle Sales to Surpass 740,000 Units per Year in 2015 (Pike Research)</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.pikeresearch.com/newsroom/more-than-1-3-million-plug-in-electric-vehicles-to-be-in-corporate-and-government-fleets-by-2015" title="More than 1.3 Million Plug-in Electric Vehicles to be in Corporate and Government Fleets by 2015 (Pike Rearch)" target="_self">More than 1.3 Million Plug-in Electric Vehicles to be in Corporate and Government Fleets by 2015 (Pike Rearch)</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.plugincars.com/breaking-extension-electric-car-charging-station-incentives-snuck-tax-cut-extension-bill-106565.html" title="Government incentives covering the installation costs of installing charging stations on commercial or private property (up to $2000 private, up to $50,000 commercial) have been extended until December 31st, 2011. (Plug-In Car)" target="_self">Government incentives covering the installation costs of installing charging stations on commercial or private property (up to $2000 private, up to $50,000 commercial) have been extended until December 31st, 2011. (Plug-In Car)</a></li> </ul> <p>It is obvious that the electric vehicle will be a normal sighting within the next five years.&nbsp; When will you get your business involved?</p> <h2>Generate Green, Positive PR for Your Business</h2> <p>In 10 years there will be electric vehicle charging stations everywhere.&nbsp; Early adopters will have the advantage of being one of the first to host an electric vehicle.&nbsp; This would be a perfect opportunity to make the news and create some interesting PR for your business. There aren't many charging stations around, so it would be relatively easy to get your charging station in the news.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Additional Line of Business-Profit Center</h2> <p>You can offer a charge for FREE or you can charge for a charge.&nbsp; There will be businesses who will be charging for this service, just like a gas station. This may not be a huge sales generator, but would likely be enough to justify the investment in setting up a charging station.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Take Advantage of Government Incentives</h2> <p>Government incentives are there now..and who knows when that will end.&nbsp; There is only 6 months left to take advantage of 50% incentive against the cost of installing a vehicle charging station, up to $50,000 for businesses.&nbsp; This is especially beneficial to businesses who know that their client base will be driving cars.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Interested in Finding Out Your EV Options?...Call Hovey Electric</h2> <p>Hovey Electric has been in the electrical business for over 32 years.&nbsp; We are know electrical and are ready to help your business move into the future by helping you to design and install your electric vehicle charging station.&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/be-first-to-install-electric-vehicle-charging-station-at-your-business/" title="Do you have questions about Electric Vehicle Charging Stations?" target="_self">Do you have questions about Electric Vehicle Charging Stations?</a>&nbsp; Leave your question below or <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/be-first-to-install-electric-vehicle-charging-station-at-your-business/" title="log your question on our Electric Vehicle Charging Station page " target="_self">log your question on our Electric Vehicle Charging Station page </a>and we will be glad to help you out.&nbsp;</p> <p>Interested in learning more about Energy Efficiency, check out our latest e-book, <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency." target="_self">Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.</a>&nbsp; This is a <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="FREE download that will show you the benefits of energy efficiency " target="_self">FREE download that will show you the benefits of energy efficiency </a>and how to calculate the cost of energy efficiency initiatives.</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64650/Be-One-of-the-First-Electric-Vehicle-Charging-Station-Locations&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 30 Jun 2011 18:15:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:64650http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64122/How-to-Determine-if-Your-Motor-is-Energy-Efficient#Comments732How to Determine if Your Motor is Energy Efficienthttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64122/How-to-Determine-if-Your-Motor-is-Energy-Efficient<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Are Energy Efficient Motors A Good Investment?</h1> <h2>Steps to Calculate the Cost of Your Existing Motors</h2> <p>In order to determine if upgrading to more energy efficiency motors is a practical consideration for your business, you must first calculate the cost of your existing motors.&nbsp; We show you how to calculate those costs here:</p> <h2>Step 1 - Determine the<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/motor1.jpg" border="0" alt="Energy-efficient-motor" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> Voltage and Amperage of the Motor</h2> <p>In order to determine what the cost of running an electric motor is we first need some facts.</p> <p>Almost every motor in the last 30 years has a steel tag attached where you can find this information. Once you know the voltage and amps multiply them together to get your wattage.</p> <p>So for example:</p> <p>240(Volt) X 30(Amps) = 7200Watts</p> <h2>Step 2 - Determine Number of Hours Per Day the Motor Runs</h2> <p>Lets say the motor above runs 13 hours per day. Now we can take that information and complete the next step.</p> <p>Multiply your wattage by the hours of usage.&nbsp;</p> <p>7200(Watts) X 13hrs. = 93,600</p> <p>Once you have this number divide it by 1000 to get your KWH.</p> <p>93,600 / 1,000 = 93.6KWH</p> <h2>Step 3 - Figure Out Your Electric Rate</h2> <p>Find one of your utility bills and see what you pay per KW. Some providers list the rate at the top of the bill, others make you do the math and figure it out.</p> <p>A simple method is take the total of your bill and divide it by the KWH usage. It's not exact but it will get you pretty close to what your rate is.</p> <p>Now multiply your KWH by your rate. For the sake of this article we will say its $.10 cents</p> <p>93.6KWH X $.10 cents = $9.36 per day.</p> <h2>Step 4 - Look at the Bigger Picture</h2> <p>$9.36 per day doesn't sound like much money,and it's not, but many overlook the larger picture. $9.36That money is for one motor running one day. Lets look at it for 1 month with 5 day work weeks.</p> <p>$9.36 X 22 days = $205.92 per month</p> <p>$205.92 X 12 months = $2,471.00 per year.</p> <p>Still feel like that's not much to swallow?</p> <p>Let' look a little deeper, most businesses don't have just one motor....it's usually many more.</p> <p>Let's use a modest number and say your business has 10 motors this size.</p> <p>Thats over $24,000 per year to operate your 10 motors!</p> <p>What if you could cut that cost by 50%?</p> <h2>Step 5 - Have Hovey Electric Determine if Your Motor is Energy Efficient</h2> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Why should you calculate the cost of your motors?&nbsp;</span></em></p> <p><strong>Energy Efficient</strong> Motors typically pay for themselves in less than a year.&nbsp; Add a VFD to the mix and you could see a significant reduction in your energy costs.</p> <p>It is likely that you have no idea how much it costs to run the motors in your facility.&nbsp; Most business owners don't even realize how many motors are in their facility.&nbsp;</p> <p>We have installed thousands of motors and we can show you how to save money by finding the most <strong>energy efficient</strong> motor for your application. But first, you need a complete energy efficiency assessment to find out how your facility is performing.</p> <p>We can help your business calculate the cost of running your motors and find ways to reduce energy usage, find incentives from utilities and take advantage of tax incentives to help you pay for your project.&nbsp;</p> <p>We have the expertise to asses your facility and make recommendations. We can help with all the calculations and show you how any changes you make can substantially decrease your monthly operating costs and put money in your pocket month after month.</p> <p><a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Schedule a FREE Energy Efficiency Assessment " target="_self">Schedule a FREE Energy Efficiency Assessment </a>for your facility to begin saving on your energy costs.&nbsp; OR if you would like to learn more about ways to improve energy efficiency, <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="Download our FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency." target="_self">Download our FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.</a></p> <p>Have a question?&nbsp; Leave us a comment below and we will answer your question in our next post.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" alt="FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide to En" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/64122/How-to-Determine-if-Your-Motor-is-Energy-Efficient&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolFri, 24 Jun 2011 11:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:64122http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/63499/How-to-Maximize-Energy-Efficiency-with-a-Power-Monitoring-System#Comments388How to Maximize Energy Efficiency with a Power Monitoring Systemhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/63499/How-to-Maximize-Energy-Efficiency-with-a-Power-Monitoring-System<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Can You Control Something You Can't Measure?</h2> <p>No, I don't think you can.&nbsp; If you go into a hospital or have a problem, what do they do first?&nbsp; They hook you up to monitor to measure what is going on.&nbsp; Why do they do that?&nbsp; They are looking for abnormalities, issues with vital organs, and to predict if there is an imminent failure.&nbsp; It gives medical professionals a baseline of where to begin.&nbsp; Monitoring the power in your business is the same. You can't live without your heart and likewise, most businesses can't live without some source of power or energy. <img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Heart Monitor.jpg" border="0" alt="power-monitoring-system-can-you-measure-what-you-cant-see" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />&nbsp;</p> <p>Many companies take their power for granted and only pay attention when they have a problem.&nbsp; Installing a power monitoring system can help business owners make intelligent decisions about one of the most expensive overhead items, energy expense.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Monitor Your Power</h2> Technology has come a long way even in the past 5 years with the advent of the web.&nbsp; Google has even popularized power monitoring through their Google Power Meter function.&nbsp; All of this has brought a great deal of attention to energy efficiency.&nbsp; <p>Even with all the information out there, most business owners are simply taking a passive approach to energy efficiency.&nbsp; In this article, we will show you how to develop a energy strategy that helps your company manage your energy consumption in real time. Here are the 3 phases to a solid Energy Efficiency Strategy.</p> <h2>Phase 1- Passive Energy Efficiency Strategy</h2> <h3>Fix the Basics</h3> <p>Most facilities that we visit have many of the obvious basic needs when we perform an energy efficiency assessment.&nbsp; Lighting is typically the most obvious and among the "low hanging fruit" for projects.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li> <h4>Lighting</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Motors</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Compressed Air</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Motion Sensors</h4> </li> </ul> <p>Fixing the basics just makes common sense.&nbsp; Most "obvious" improvements to system infrastructure will pay for itself in less than 2 years.&nbsp; There are numerous tax deductions, utility incentives and financing options for owners who want to improve the basics of their facility.&nbsp;</p> <p>Improving electrical systems can be one of the best investments you can make.</p> <h2>Phase 2 - Active Energy Efficiency Strategy</h2> <p>Phase 2 works to control as many variables as possible to achieve maximum efficiency.&nbsp; By monitoring your existing energy infrastructure you are able to</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Optimize Your Energy Sources</span></h3> <h4>Peak load shedding -</h4> <p>If you are aware of when you are using the most energy in the most expensive parts of the day...peak load..then you can find ways to optimize your schedule in order to reduce your peak load.&nbsp; Peak load shedding is the ability to shift demand to other parts of the day that are less expensive allowing you to reduce your energy costs.&nbsp;</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Regulate Energy Systems</span></h3> <p>By regulating various systems in your energy infrastructure you can control when you are consuming energy.&nbsp; Some examples of control measures are:</p> <ul> <li> <h4>HVAC Controls</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Lighting Controls</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Variable Speed Drives</h4> </li> </ul> By placing controls, you will be able to adjust appropriately when you move to phase 3 and monitor your system. Continuous monitoring is critical to managing all the variables from the systems that consume energy. <h2>Phase 3 - Real Time Energy Efficiency Strategy</h2> <p>Integrating power monitoring into your energy efficiency strategy will allow you to manage 3 core energy efficiency functions; Monitoring, Maintaining and Improving.&nbsp;</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Monitor</span></h3> <p>Monitoring your energy consumption in real time allows for you to see where your resources are going.&nbsp; Most systems allow for alarms to be set up which go outside of your normal expectations for your system. Detecting abnormal conditions can help reduce costs, system failures and preventative maintenance.</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Maintain</span></h3> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Maintaining your energy systems will help you to isolate problems.&nbsp; Isolating problems can mean a significant savings in time and money.&nbsp; If you system is down, you will immediately know if the problem is up line (utility problem) or down line (your problem).&nbsp; Just waiting for the utilities to show up can take several hours.&nbsp; A real time system will tell you immediately where the problem exists.&nbsp; Immediate information, measurement, will allow you to isolate and fix the problem much faster than without the real time data.</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Improve</span></h3> <p>Real time measurement allows you to determine the best time to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>improve your existing system.&nbsp; You will know when a failure is imminent and the problem can be repaired on your time, not in an emergency situation.&nbsp; Predicting systems failure could potentially save your company millions of dollars in saved downtime.</p> <h2>Is Power Monitoring Affordable?</h2> <p>Companies that we work for have been using these technologies for decades.&nbsp; They are global companies who can't afford to be down for any period of time.&nbsp;</p> <p>Technology advancements have made power monitoring affordable for a single critical circuit to a global network of millions of circuits.&nbsp; Utilizing these simplified technologies within your business can be to a business of any size.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Do You Know the Answer?</h2> <p>Do you know when the next motor will fail?&nbsp; Do you know if your system is sized right based on your demand?&nbsp; Do you know what equipment uses the most energy?&nbsp; Have you analyzed options for replacing the most inefficient equipment?&nbsp; Have you had a recent system failure and don't know why?&nbsp;</p> <p>Power Monitoring can answer all of those questions above.&nbsp; Not sure where to begin?&nbsp; Start with our <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency" target="_self">FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency</a></p> <p>So Can You Control Something You Can't Measure?&nbsp; Can you live without your Heart......or POWER?&nbsp; Tell us what you think in the comments below.</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/63499/How-to-Maximize-Energy-Efficiency-with-a-Power-Monitoring-System&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 10 Jun 2011 18:21:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:63499http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62167/Learn-How-to-Choose-the-Right-Type-of-Motion-Sensors#Comments338Learn How to Choose the Right Type of Motion Sensors http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62167/Learn-How-to-Choose-the-Right-Type-of-Motion-Sensors<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h3>Infrared, Ultrasonic, Dual Technology, which do I choose?</h3> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hubb motion.jpg" border="0" alt="Learn-how-to-choose-the-right-motion-sensor" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></p> <p>In a previous post <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62067/Motion-Sensors-101-Energy-Efficiency-Savings-from-Occupancy-Sensors" title="&quot;Motion Sensors 101&quot;" target="_self">"Motion Sensors 101"</a>, I listed the functions of motion sensors.</p> <p>I am going to discuss the different technologies and what applications they are best suited.</p> <h2>Infrared:</h2> <p>(PIR) or infrared sensors are activated by the movement of a persons body heat through a zone. The style commonly used mounts in a normal switch box and usually replaces a standard light switch.</p> <p>This type of sensor is best used in small enclosed spaces such as a private office. Typically no extra wiring is needed. The down side of PIR sensors is they cannot see through windows, walls, or partitions. Occupants must be in direct site.</p> <h2>Ultrasonic:</h2> <p>Ultrasonic sensors operate on a similar principle to radar. Low frequency sound patterns are sent out from the sensor into an area, moving objects altering the signal activate the sensor.</p> <p>These are best suited where there isn't always a line of site of the room occupants. A typical application for this type of sensor is restrooms. The hard surfaces make minor motion detection much easier.</p> <h2>Dual Technology:</h2> <p>Dual technology sensors use....well you guessed it, both types of technologies. This type of sensor virtually reduces any false triggering when no one is in the space.</p> <p>The minor drawback to this type of technology is that it does cost slightly more.</p> <h2>Motion Sensors and Energy Efficiency:</h2> <p>Motion sensors are a perfect fit for energy efficiency applications.&nbsp; It only makes sense to turn the lights off in an area that is not occupied at the time.</p> <h2>Learn More?</h2> <p>Want to learn more about energy efficiency and how motion sensors can help your business?</p> <p>Download our FREE Guide:Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency to learn about how energy efficiency can make your business more profitable.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" alt="FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide to En" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width: 0px;" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;" height="55" width="584"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"><!-- (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); // --></script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <pre>photo source drillspot.com</pre>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62167/Learn-How-to-Choose-the-Right-Type-of-Motion-Sensors&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolTue, 31 May 2011 19:45:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:62167http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62568/Why-You-Should-Download-Our-FREE-Energy-Efficiency-Guide#Comments47Why You Should Download Our FREE Energy Efficiency Guidehttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62568/Why-You-Should-Download-Our-FREE-Energy-Efficiency-Guide<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Building Owners Guide for Blog580px.jpg" border="0" alt="free-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency-lighting-solutions" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /> <h2>New E-Book Released</h2> <p>I developed this E-book as an information product for business owners or anyone interested in understanding energy efficiency.&nbsp;</p> <p>My goal is to show business owners how it is possible to save a lot of money in utility costs by implementing an energy efficiency strategy.</p> <p>Saving money is one thing, but understanding how that is possible is another.&nbsp; I put together the basics that every business owner should know. I show you how to do the calculations yourself to see that it is a real deal, no scams involved, just the facts.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here is what I have included for you:</p> <h2>How Energy Efficiency Can Cut Your Annual Energy Expenses</h2> <p>Improving energy efficiency in your business is one of the easiest ways to reduce overhead expenses.&nbsp; Few people really understand the amount of money that can be saved on a annual basis.&nbsp; We will show you how BIG money can be saved.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Understanding the basics of watts and how it impacts energy efficiency</h2> <p>It all comes down to a Watt.&nbsp; Took me awhile to get it but once I did, I realized energy efficiency really comes down to a simple mathematical problem.&nbsp; Learn how reducing wattage can impact your monthly utility costs.</p> <h2>Learn the 5 Business Owner Benefits of Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>There are likely more than 5 benefits to implementing an energy efficiency strategy in your business.&nbsp; The 5 we discuss in the E-book are the big ones that seem most important to the business owners we talk to.&nbsp; Get an explanation of what they are and how they can benefit your business.</p> <h2>Learn the 7 Steps to Calculating Energy Savings</h2> <p>Those darn monthly utility bills.&nbsp; Most people open up their bill, look at the total and just take a deep breath, throw it in the payables and pay it when it comes due without any analysis.&nbsp; Every utility company does it a little bit different which makes it very confusing.</p> <p>You know if you don't pay it, they will shut you down!</p> <p>We have seen bills as high as $20,000 per month. IF you could save 20% (VERY Possible!) that can save over $4,000 per month.&nbsp;</p> <p>We want you to understand how you can calculate savings.&nbsp; Once you do, you will never look at your bill the same way.&nbsp; We show you how.</p> <h2>Look at 3 projects That Are Already Saving BIG Money</h2> <p>Many people are still skeptical about energy efficiency and are just sitting on the sidelines waiting another day to do anything.&nbsp; Here are 3 examples of owners who took action and are saving BIG money each and every month.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li> <h4>Northwood University - Hach Gymnasium</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Northwood University - Exterior LED</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Crippen Automotive - Interior - Exterior Inductive Fluorescent</h4> </li> </ul> <h2>Easy to Get, Easy to Read, Easy to Understand</h2> <p>We don't want to bore you with the traditional blah..blah..blah..boring information.&nbsp;</p> <p>We make it EASY to GET...because I think this information will be valuable to any business owner.</p> <p>We made it EASY to READ...because I hate boring publications that leave you with nothing after reading.&nbsp; This 36 page guide is easy to read and very informative.&nbsp;</p> <p>We made it EASY to UNDERSTAND...because if you don't get it, you won't do anything about it.&nbsp;</p> <p>Of course we would like to talk to you about doing an energy efficiency project, but we are passionate about helping business owners understand the value of energy efficiency and the type of impact it can make on your business.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Just click <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="here" target="_self">here</a> or on the button below to download your <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="FREE 36 page Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency-Lighting Solutions." target="_self">FREE 36 page Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency-Lighting Solutions.</a></p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" alt="Download Your FREE Business Owners Guide" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width: 0px;" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;" height="46" width="587"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"><!-- (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); // --></script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/62568/Why-You-Should-Download-Our-FREE-Energy-Efficiency-Guide&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 25 May 2011 19:15:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:62568http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/60799/Learn-How-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency-in-Home-or-Business#Comments423Learn How to Increase Energy Efficiency in Home or Businesshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/60799/Learn-How-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency-in-Home-or-Business<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Simple, Practical Energy Efficiency Tips for Homeowners and Businesses</h2> <p>These are some simple tips than anyone can implement for immediate energy savings.&nbsp; I know, because these are the very same things I did in my home.</p> <p>I am a Journeyman Electrician, but as you will see as we move through the tips that there is more to energy efficiency than electricity.</p> <p>This process has become a game for me.&nbsp; I constantly think of way that I can get my energy bills to go down.&nbsp; I hate writing that check every month when I know there are ways I could have saved energy.&nbsp;</p> <p>Let's take a look at the tips from the past two weeks;</p> <h2>3 Tips, 3 Hours Your "Homework"</h2> <p>Did you do your "Homework" last week?&nbsp; <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/60798/Tips-4-6-Simple-1-Hour-Energy-Saving-Tips-For-Homeowners" title="Did you forget? Here is the link to last weeks tips 4-6" target="_self">Did you forget? Here is the link to last weeks tips 4-6</a>&nbsp; or the <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59818/Simple-1-Hour-Energy-Saving-Tips-For-Homeowners-Tips-1-3" title="Tips from week 1, tips 1-3." target="_self">Tips from week 1, tips 1-3.</a> No problem if you didn't, but the sooner you make the changes, the sooner you put money in your pocket.&nbsp;</p> <p>Each one of the 9 Tips (3 per week for 3 weeks) should take you about an hour to implement...or about 9 hours.&nbsp; Maybe you just do 1 per week and it takes you 9 weeks...it doesn't matter as long as you have a plan.</p> <p>The energy efficiency solutions I implemented took me about an hour to do each one.&nbsp; It may take you a little more time, but don't worry, your saving money when you are saving energy.</p> <h2>Tip #7 - Don't Forget About Outside</h2> <p>If you live in remote areas or have flood lights on all night to<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/outside-sunset-green-blue-young man walking.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-saving-tips-homeowners-businesses" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> illuminate your yard or driveway, I highly recommend looking into some of the newer lighting technologies like LED or Inductive fluorescents.</p> <p>The older HID lighting consumes a lot of energy to do it's job and those are typically the lights that are on for the most time.</p> <h2>Tip #8 How HOT is Your Hot Water Heater?</h2> <p>Next look at your water heater, is it on the hotest setting?</p> <p>Ever since I moved into my home I never bothered to look.</p> <p>I didn't realize that for years I was paying to heat my water to temperatures so hot it would cause burns to the skin.</p> <p>I have it set now to a temperature of around 102-104 degrees, anything hotter is money wasted.</p> <p>Don't worry about your dishes or clothes not getting clean, modern soaps and detergents will work in cold water.</p> <p>If your water heater is old and needs to be replaced I suggest using the new tankless style, while they are more of an investment they are far more efficient and cost much less to operate in the long run.</p> <p>Quality is important here as well.&nbsp; Most new water heaters will give you estimated costs of operation.&nbsp; Quality usually equals higher efficiency.&nbsp; Do the math and make sure it makes sense.</p> <p>You will spend a little more up front, but what that gets you in return is typically a better product that lasts longer and is more efficient.</p> <p>Oh and the gas portion of my daily costs, it's right around $5.05 per day. That's for my water heater and furnace.</p> <h2>Tip #9 Saving For Savings-Long Term Projects</h2> <h3>Windows</h3> <p>My next step will be new windows. I will pay more for the higher end materials but I know in the long run I will be ahead. Windows are one of the best opportunities for energy savings.&nbsp;</p> <p>Can't afford new windows?&nbsp; Take a look at energy savings blinds or even the plastic you can put over windows in the winter time.&nbsp;</p> <p>Little things can make a big difference.</p> <h2>Is it Worth it?&nbsp;</h2> <p>My goal is to get my daily costs down to $1.50 per day for my gas fired appliances; water heater and furnace. $5.05 to $1.50....doesn't seem like much, the $3.55 difference.&nbsp;</p> <p>BUT...$3.55 everyday for 365 days = $1,277.00 per year savings.&nbsp;</p> <p>So even if the savings doesn't look like much, don't forget to multiply this out.&nbsp;</p> <p>This could be a vacation for my family...a new toy...a weekend away with my wife...OR you can look at the $1,277.00 as the budgeted amount you have to make the improvements you need.</p> <p>That amount of money can go a long way toward improvements....One thing is for certain...you will give that money to the utility if you don't make ANY improvements!!</p> <h2>Shift Your Thinking</h2> <p>It really does take effort to change your habits. I was raised with the mentality of look at "how much it costs", my new way of thinking is "how much does it cost to operate".</p> <p>Just being aware of opportunities for savings can have a major impact on your energy consumption habits.</p> <h2>Here's Your Homework:</h2> <ol> <li> <h4>Take Inventory of your exterior lighting.</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Turn down the thermostat on your hot water heater.</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Consider all options; windows, roofing, etc. You can save for bigger improvements over time.&nbsp;</h4> </li> </ol> <p>3 Tips, 3 Hours, How Long Did It Take You? Let us know in the comments below if our 1 hour per tip is accurate.&nbsp;</p> <p>Don't forget to be safe, use ladders the right way and be smart around electricity.</p> <p>Still trying to figure out Energy Efficiency?&nbsp; <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/55242/Watt-s-a-Watt-How-to-calculate-watts-for-energy-efficiency" title="Take a look at this article written by Jimmy Hovey, &quot;What's a Watt?&quot;" target="_self">Take a look at this article written by Jimmy Hovey, "What's a Watt?"</a></p> <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Interested in a FREE Energy Audit of your facility?&nbsp; Hovey Electric specializes in analyzing facilities with at least 10,000 square feet and at least 5 years old. Schedule your FREE visit today. Offered in Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee.&nbsp;" target="_self">Interested in a FREE Energy Audit of your facility?&nbsp; Hovey Electric specializes in analyzing facilities with at least 10,000 square feet and at least 5 years old. Schedule your FREE visit today. Offered in Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee.&nbsp;</a> <p>Leave a comment and share with us what ideas you have for saving energy in your home or business!</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/60799/Learn-How-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency-in-Home-or-Business&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolTue, 17 May 2011 13:03:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:60799http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59818/3-Ways-to-Improve-Energy-Efficiency-in-Less-than-1-Hour#Comments4483 Ways to Improve Energy Efficiency in Less than 1 Hourhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59818/3-Ways-to-Improve-Energy-Efficiency-in-Less-than-1-Hour<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Simple, Practical Energy Efficiency Tips for Homeowners (Works for Small Businesses TOO!)</h2> We recently got some feedback on our blog that told us we were way too technical on our blog, not easy to understand.&nbsp; <p>I thought about it a little and decided...hey, I am doing all I can at home for energy efficiency...why not talk about tips that can help homeowners save money as well?</p> <p>Here are some tips for simple changes that can make a real big difference in your energy bill. I know because I made these improvements in my own home.</p> <p>I have fun tweaking things to get maximum performance. Let's take a look at some ways to do this.</p> <h2>3 Tips, 3 Hours Your "Homework"</h2> <p>Each one of the 9 Tips (3 per week for 3 weeks) should take you about an hour to implement...or about 9 hours.&nbsp; Maybe you just do 1 per week and it takes you 9 weeks...it doesn't matter as long as you have a plan.</p> <p>The energy efficiency solutions I implemented took me about an hour to do each one.&nbsp; I am a Journeyman Electrician, but as you will see energy efficiency impacts much more than your light bill.</p> <h2>Tip #1 Learn How to Read Your Energy Bill</h2> <p>Recently my electricity provider changed the way our bill looks.</p> <p>One nice<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/analyzing-team-meeting-conference room.jpg" border="0" alt="3-ways-to-improve-energy-efficiency-in-less-than-1-hour" width="283" height="424" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" /> feature of this that I discovered is it now shows me how much money it costs to run my household per day. Take some time and get comfortable with your bill.</p> <p>The worse thing you can do is just look at the total, pay the bill and wait for the next bill.&nbsp; If there is one consistent bill in your mailbox, it is the energy bill.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Tip #2 Calculate Per Day Energy Cost</h2> <p>When I found this information on my bill I was actually shocked. It costs me $1.38 for electricity to run my house per day, and that's with two teenagers in the house!</p> <p>Your probably thinking how is that even possible?</p> <p>Is this guy a hermit?</p> <p>Does he live in a cave?&nbsp;</p> <p>Actually none of the above, I simply made a conscious effort to see how efficient I could make my home which was built in 1969.</p> <h2>Tip #3 - Identify Your Energy Management Goals</h2> <p>You hear energy management thrown around a lot in reference to larger businesses, why not apply it at home?</p> <p>Think of your budget for utility bills as a businesses operational costs. Businesses are always seeking ways to reduce there costs and maximize profit.</p> <p>Homeowners should too! When you adopt this mindset for your home it actually becomes a type of game, at least it did for me.</p> <p>Make a simple game plan.&nbsp; If you don't have all the money at once, just do a little at a time.&nbsp; If you plan out your changes, you can budget your changes over time.&nbsp;</p> <p>Once you set your goals, work the plan until you complete it. Check off what you have accomplished and before long you will notice a change in the cost of operating your home.</p> <p>I have fun tweaking things to get maximum performance. Let's take a look at some ways to do this.</p> <p>Let us know how you do with your 3 hours of implementing energy saving tips....Get ready for next weeks 3 tips!! Leave us a comment below on what you are doing to save energy in your home.</p> <p>Interested in learning more about how to improve energy efficiency?&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="Download our FREE e-book: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency." target="_self">Download our FREE e-book: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.</a>&nbsp; Learn the benefits of energy efficiency for your business and more detail on how to calculate the cost of your energy.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf" id="hs-cta-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/801b477c-5cd8-4c1e-81ac-0b4b74e21e49-1308931019793/download-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficienc.png?v=1308931020.08" alt="DOWNLOAD Business Owners Guide to Energy" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/801b477c-5cd8-4c1e-81ac-0b4b74e21e49-1308931019793/download-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficienc.png?v=1308931020.08" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59818/3-Ways-to-Improve-Energy-Efficiency-in-Less-than-1-Hour&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolSat, 23 Apr 2011 11:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:59818http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59740/Ways-to-Improve-Hazardous-Area-Lighting-for-Energy-Efficiency#Comments792Ways to Improve Hazardous Area Lighting for Energy Efficiency http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59740/Ways-to-Improve-Hazardous-Area-Lighting-for-Energy-Efficiency<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>No Solutions for Energy Efficient Hazardous area lighting?</h2> <p>I drive to work every morning and see large chemical process facilities burning inefficient HID lighting.</p> <p>They look like small cities with acre upon acre of meter spinning lights.</p> <h2>Lighting Up Hazardous Locations</h2> <p>Recently I attended a local trade show focused on energy efficiency.</p> <p>In visiting with various vendors I discovered that Appleton now offers an <a href="/Default.aspx?app=LeadgenDownload&amp;shortpath=docs%2fAppleton+Induction+Fluorescent-Explosion+Proof.pdf" title="inductive fluorescent version" target="_self">inductive fluorescent version</a> of their <a href="http://www.appletonelec.com/FlashZC/Mercmaster_III/Mercmaster_III.htm" title="very popular Mercmaster light. " target="_self">very popular Mercmaster light. </a></p> <p>It's identical to the fixtures that are currently being installed inside a lot of processing plants, paper mills, manufacturing plants, and marine facilities.</p> <p>The fixture itself is offered in 55, 85, and 165W versions.</p> <p>This is a much needed change to the trend of using metal halide and mercury vapor to light hazardous areas.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/merc_s.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-hazardous-area-lighting-solution-appleton-induction" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;">Energy Savings</span></p> <p>Now that we know there's a solution let's take a look at the benefits of implementing energy efficient fixtures in hazardous areas.&nbsp;</p> <p>I have worked on numerous chemical process structures and it is not uncommon for them to have 50+ fixtures in a multi level structure.</p> <p>Typically these fixtures are 175W Metal Halide, the fixtures that are in difficult to reach areas typically have burned out lamps or ballasts causing possible safety issues.</p> <h2>Cost to Operate 175 Watt Metal Halide Fixtures</h2> <p>For an example we will use 60 of these fixtures.&nbsp;</p> <p>(60 X 182W = 10,920W) /1000 = 10.92KW</p> <p>10.92W X 4015 hrs = 43844 KWH (4015 is annual hours of usage)</p> <p>43844 KWH X .11 =</p> <h3>$4,822.84 &nbsp;a year to run (.11 is electric rate)</h3> <h2>Cost to Operate 85 Watt Inductive Fixture-Hazardous Location</h2> <p>Take the same formula and use the new 85W fixture:</p> <p>60 X 85W = 5100W) /1000 = 5.1KW</p> <p>5.1KW X 4015 hrs = 20476 KWH (4015 is annual hours of usage)</p> <p>20476 KWH X .11 =</p> <h3>$2,252.36 &nbsp;a year to run (.11 is electric rate)</h3> <h4>So in a small 60 fixture structure I reduced the cost of lighting the structure by 50%.</h4> <p>Apply that to large chemical plant campuses or industrial campuses and the savings would be staggering since most of these facilities have thousands of these types of lights.</p> <h3>Reduced Maintenance:</h3> <p>Remember I made mention of the metal halide lights being burned out?</p> <p>It's not by choice, but a lot of these fixtures are located in hazardous areas that are difficult to work in.</p> <p>Compile that with the short life of metal halide lamps and you quickly see your fighting a losing battle.</p> <p>The new generation of <a href="/Default.aspx?app=LeadgenDownload&amp;shortpath=docs%2fAppleton+Induction+Fluorescent-Explosion+Proof.pdf" title="Inductive Fluorescent fixtures" target="_self">Inductive Fluorescent fixtures</a> from Appleton offer 100,000 hr lamp life and yet the lamp itself only has a 30% depreciation in light output &nbsp;after 60,000 hrs.</p> <p>Comparing that to metal halide it's easy to see that the days of little or no light in crucial areas when it's dark would be gone.</p> <h4>Reducing Costs:</h4> <p>Owners of these types of facilities already utilize VFD's to try and make there processes as efficient as possible, I can't say that I blame them, every dollar they spend on electricity to make there product is one less in their pocket.</p> <p>Not much in industry is controllable, raw material costs fluctuate, and energy costs are rising.</p> <p>By utilizing new lighting technology, implementing VFD's and installing new energy efficient motors you can take a substantial chunk out of your operational costs for years to come.</p> <h2>How Much Could You Save?</h2> <p>Interested in finding out how much you could save?</p> <p>Schedule a <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="FREE Evaluation of your facility today.&nbsp; No cost, No fuss, No pressure just a quick evaluation to see if you could be saving 50% today!" target="_self">FREE Evaluation of your facility today.&nbsp; No cost, No fuss, No pressure just a quick evaluation to see if you could be saving 50% today!</a>&nbsp; You can't afford to wait....</p> <p>Comment below on the types of hazardous environments you would like to light up.&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59740/Ways-to-Improve-Hazardous-Area-Lighting-for-Energy-Efficiency&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolFri, 15 Apr 2011 16:32:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:59740http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59226/Employment-Opportunity-Seeking-Qualified-Journeyman-Electricians#Comments34Employment Opportunity: Seeking Qualified Journeyman Electricianshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59226/Employment-Opportunity-Seeking-Qualified-Journeyman-Electricians<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Hovey Electric is Hiring Journeyman Electricians!</h1> <p>It's cold outside, but work is picking up at our Midland, MI location.&nbsp;</p> <p>Interested in joining a growing company?&nbsp;</p> <p>Know of someone looking for a change? Here is a description of the type of person (or persons) we are looking for....</p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Job Title:</strong> &nbsp;Journeyman Electrician<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/hfortwitter.jpg" border="0" alt="hovey-electric-is-seeking-qualified-journeyman-electricians" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Reports To:</strong> Job Leader</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Key Result:</strong> To create an the best environment for completing all Hovey Electric jobs safely and as close to budgeted hours and material estimates completed for each job.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Strategic Responsibilities:</strong> Manage time, understand conditions impacting the successful completion of the job, effectively communicate with others, learn and ask questions to further the experience the Electrician&rsquo;s experience level, help other less experienced Electrician&rsquo;s understand the trade, abide by all Company rules and policies, work safely, be aware of site conditions in order to complete projects in the estimated time established by Company Management.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tactics: </span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Arrive at job site each day on time and ready to start work at time established by Job Leader.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Leave job site at the end of the day at the established time.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Log in to job site at beginning of day utilizing the Time clock assigned to the job.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Log out of job site at lunch.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Log in to job site after you complete lunch break.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Log out of job site any time you leave the job site on personal business; re:&nbsp;doctor&rsquo;s appointments, family emergencies.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Log in to job site any time you return to job site from personal business; re: doctor's appointments, family emergencies.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Log out of job site at the end of the work day. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">9.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Understand tasks assigned to you individually or assigned to the work group. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Provide training and guidance to less experienced Apprentice Electrician. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">11.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Install materials and equipment according to job specifications and production standards established by the job estimate and Job Leader. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Inform Job Leader when running low on materials; GOAL: to have materials in place to complete your next week&rsquo;s worth of work.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">13.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Attend all safety meetings required by job owner or specific job site requirements. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">14.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Complete daily scorecard assigned to you by your immediate Job Leader. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">15.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Turn in Scorecard to your Job Leader before leaving the jobsite for the day. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">16.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Keep job site and immediate work area clean by cleaning up after every task.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">17.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Make sure job site is clean by not allowing any clutter, storing materials and equipment in a safe, organized, and accessible to insure a safe working environment. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">18.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Inform Job Leader immediately of any issues affecting your ability to complete task in estimated amount of time established by your Job Leader. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">19.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Maintain Company equipment by keeping it clean, making sure it is operational, safe, and keeping the equipment from being damaged by inappropriate usage.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">20.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Promptly report any equipment that does not work or is unsafe immediately to your Job Leader. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">21.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wear all approved Personal Protective Equipment required by specific safety requirements established by the job Owner, Job Leader and job Safety Representative.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">22.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Report any unsafe behavior immediately to Job Leader or Safety Representative. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">23.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Other duties or tasks may be assigned on an as needed basis.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">24.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perform all job duties in accordance with Company policy, Job Description and Safety Requirements of the job.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">&nbsp;</span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Desired Results:</span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Work is completed safely according to project schedule.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Meet or exceed daily production estimates. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Become the best trained Electricians in the area. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Long term job security.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Stable, educated workforce. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Create and develop future leadership. </span></p> <h2><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Go Here to complete the <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/hovey-electric-is-seeking-experienced-journeyman-electricians-0/" title="Journeyman Electrician Employment Opportunites Questionaire" target="_self">Journeyman Electrician Employment Opportunites Questionaire</a></span></strong></h2> <h3><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Know Someone who might be interested?&nbsp; Just hit the "Email" button at the top of this post to forward to a friend.&nbsp; Thanks in Advance.</span><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></strong></h3>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59226/Employment-Opportunity-Seeking-Qualified-Journeyman-Electricians&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 28 Mar 2011 18:03:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:59226http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59223/Employment-Opportunity-Hovey-Electric-is-Seeking-a-Safety-Director#Comments22Employment Opportunity: Hovey Electric is Seeking a Safety Directorhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59223/Employment-Opportunity-Hovey-Electric-is-Seeking-a-Safety-Director<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h1>Hovey Electric is hiring in Midland, MI!</h1> <p>Good news as business is beginning to pick up. Hovey Electric is serious about safety and is looking for the right person to lead our safety team here in Midland, MI.&nbsp;</p> <p>Know of anyone who might meet the following requirements?</p> <p><strong>Job Title:</strong> Safety Director</p> <p><strong>Reports To:</strong> Project Supervisor Team</p> <p><strong>Reporting Function: </strong>&nbsp;Safety Manager reports directly to the Project Supervisor Team and is expected to communicate with the Project Supervisor Team 2-3 times per day to review safety of all Hovey Electric employees and jobs.</p> <p><strong>Key Result:</strong> Utilize years of experience and knowledge to motivate, train, monitor, evaluate, track and enforce Company policy to work toward creating the best environment for completing all Hovey Electric jobs safely per client specific requirements, job specific requirements and Hovey Electric requirements.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Strategic Responsibilities:</strong> Oversee the safety of all jobs assigned, Train Electricians, Assist employees in any way deemed necessary to the safe installation of a job. &nbsp;Monitor and track the safety, problem solve, keep projects on track, assist with better ways to complete jobs, support all levels of employees below the Project Supervisor, Job Leader, effectively communicate with subordinates, job owners and management of Hovey Electric.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Tactics: </strong></p> <p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Walk through the jobsite(s) daily and monitor the crew and conditions for safety.</p> <p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Keep within the bid amount of hours for the Safety Manager for the project.</p> <p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Inform workers on how to produce a safe working environment.</p> <p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Perform and submit audits and associated documentation required of each job or project.</p> <p>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Perform weekly safety meetings that are relevant to the project.</p> <p>6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Report all safety violations to the Project Supervisor/Job Leader.</p> <p>7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Keep records of safety classes or courses required for workers to be on the project.&nbsp; Safety records need to be accessible for Project Supervisors on a weekly basis.</p> <p>8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Write safety activity plans for project.</p> <p>9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Attend Pre-job Safety Meetings for awarded projects.</p> <p>10.&nbsp;&nbsp; Verify that all subs are actively performing all aspects of the safety program per the site specifications.</p> <p>11.&nbsp;&nbsp; Keep records of the crew&rsquo;s safety courses as well as inform the Project Supervisor/Job Leader and Project Manager of the status.</p> <p>12.&nbsp;&nbsp; Keep inventory and condition of safety equipment and material supplied by Hovey Electric, Inc.</p> <p>13.&nbsp;&nbsp; Keep informed and familiarized of all of the current safety rules and regulations.</p> <p>14.&nbsp;&nbsp; Submit all documents and attend all meetings required in the event of an accident on the jobsite.</p> <p>15.&nbsp;&nbsp; Accompany any workers receiving medical treatment for a work related accident.</p> <p>16.&nbsp;&nbsp; All duties asked to be performed by Hovey Electric, Inc. rules and regulations written in the employee handbook.</p> <p>17.&nbsp;&nbsp; Utilize the time machine assigned to the job.&nbsp; Badging in and out for arrival, departure, and lunch breaks.</p> <p>18.&nbsp;&nbsp; Audit of Safety Reps record keeping.</p> <p>19.&nbsp;&nbsp; Attend and or present a minimum of 1 safety meeting each month for every Hovey Electric, Inc. job.</p> <p>20.&nbsp;&nbsp; Attend a minimum of 1 monthly walk through with customer safety representative for every Hovey Electric, Inc. job.</p> <p>21.&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide safety representatives with relevant material for meeting and audit meeting records for participation and context.</p> <p>22.&nbsp;&nbsp; Responsible for the Hovey Electric Safety Manual, including updates.&nbsp; Include MSDS to the Hovey Electric Safety Manual.</p> <p>23.&nbsp;&nbsp; Responsible for record keeping and reporting procedures.&nbsp; Maintain records on the Hovey Electric, Inc. server.&nbsp;</p> <p><a title="Go to the Safety Director Qualification Questionaire here" href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/hovey-electric-is-seeking-experienced-safety-director/" target="_self">Go to the Safety Director Qualification Questionaire here</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Do you know someone who may be interested?&nbsp; Just hit the "email" tab at the top of this post.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p> <br />Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/59223/Employment-Opportunity-Hovey-Electric-is-Seeking-a-Safety-Director&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 28 Mar 2011 17:54:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:59223http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/58857/Why-You-Should-Compare-Induction-Lighting-vs-Metal-Halide-vs-T5HO#Comments194Why You Should Compare Induction Lighting vs Metal Halide vs T5HOhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/58857/Why-You-Should-Compare-Induction-Lighting-vs-Metal-Halide-vs-T5HO<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>More Options beyond Metal Halide and T5 HO?</h2> <p>A little over a month ago I published an article where we compared 400W Metal Halide lighting to T5 HO Fluorescent high bays.</p> <p>While T5 HO fluorescents are a great energy saving alternative to Metal Halide, they are by no means a solution for all applications.</p> <h2>Induction Lighting for Interiors?</h2> <p>In addition to exterior applications inductive fluorescents are a great application for interior applications&nbsp; as well. I will show you how the benefits are nearly equal for both exterior and interior applications.</p> <h2>Interior Inductive Fluorescent Lighting</h2> <p>Standard Linear fluorescents do a great job of lighting up large areas very efficiently.</p> <p>However they still suffer from lamp failure at around 36,000 hours, as well as decreased light output in non climate controlled areas.</p> <p>In cases such as this it's hard to compete with the Inductive Fluorescent.</p> <p>While it consumes roughly the same wattage as a T5 HO fixture (215 watts), it's robust design allows for &nbsp;reliability and good lighting levels down to -30 degrees F.</p> <p>It will go all the way up to 140 degrees F.</p> <p>In contrast the T5 lamps are designed for optimal lighting at around 90 degrees F.</p> <h2>Exterior Induction Lighting</h2> <p>Take any parking lot area and you will see either high pressure sodium or metal halide fixtures lining the rows.</p> <p>It's not because the owner likes to pay for ridiculously high energy usage, up until recently it was due to lack of options.</p> <p>Inductive fluorescent provides a means to cut power usage in parking lots by 50 % and in some case as much as 75%!!</p> <p>Auto dealerships, parking lots, and anywhere else that illuminates an outdoor space can all benefit greatly from this technology.</p> <h2>Induction Reduces Maintenance Costs!</h2> <p>I thought that heading would get your attention! Getting your attention is one thing, but that is the fact with Induction lighting fixtures.</p> <p>In reality no equipment is truly maintenance free.&nbsp; In some applications, we have used fixtures from <a href="http://www.everlastlight.com/" title="Everlast Lighting, based in Jackson Michigan." target="_self">Everlast Lighting, based in Jackson Michigan.</a> &nbsp; We like them because the fixtures are backed with a 10 year warranty and offer 100,000 hr lamp life.</p> <p>In the world of lighting fixtures that's as close to maintenance free as you can get, especially in places with existing Metal Halide High Bays.</p> <p>If you have your fixture lit for 4000 hours per year, that is 25 YEARS of lamp life!!&nbsp; You won't find that in many other types of fixtures.&nbsp;</p> <p>The chart below show you some of the costs differences between different lighting technologies.</p> <img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/capture-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="inductive-fluorescents-versus-metal-halide-versus-t5ho" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /> <h2>Even Better........You get Better Light!</h2> <p>The last point that needs mentioning is CRI or Color Rendering Index.</p> <p>Simply put, its a rating showing how close artificial light is to natural sunlight.</p> <p>The higher the CRI number the better color is rendered in that light. Higher CRI allows the eye to see with better definition as well as reducing eye strain.</p> <h2>Inductive: Higher Upfront Cost....but Long Term Benefits....</h2> <p>Induction lighting does have more of an upfront cost, however the labor to install it is the same as lighting used today.</p> <p>When you start weighing the benefits of induction lighting such as energy savings, reduced maintenance and upkeep, and better lighting quality, your return on that initial investment will be recouped relatively quickly.</p> <p>The only way to find out which application is right for your facility, is an onsite visit.&nbsp; <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="We are offering a free onsite or telephone consultation to help point you in the right direction.&nbsp;" target="_self">We are offering a free onsite or telephone consultation to help point you in the right direction.&nbsp;</a></p> <p>Let us know in the comments what you think about Inductive Fluorescent lighting.</p> <h2>Want to Learn More About Energy Efficiency?</h2> <p>Download our NEW e-book, Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.&nbsp; We published this 36 page e-book to help you understand the benefits of energy efficiency and the 7 steps to calculating your energy costs.&nbsp;</p> <p>Understanding where to find savings is the first step in understanding how to implement energy efficiency strategies.</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf" id="hs-cta-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/7db923ec-c6dd-4b01-ba86-480004baf4c0-1308931107621/free-download-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effi.png?v=1308931108.07" alt="FREE Download: Business Owners Guide to " class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/7db923ec-c6dd-4b01-ba86-480004baf4c0-1308931107621/free-download-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effi.png?v=1308931108.07" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-a5b8bb9b-9f86-48b6-bc62-82c38ca77cdf").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/58857/Why-You-Should-Compare-Induction-Lighting-vs-Metal-Halide-vs-T5HO&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolThu, 24 Mar 2011 11:56:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:58857http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57618/How-toTake-Advantage-of-Incentives-for-Energy-Efficiency#Comments754How toTake Advantage of Incentives for Energy Efficiencyhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57618/How-toTake-Advantage-of-Incentives-for-Energy-Efficiency<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Consumers Energy announces results from 2010 energy efficiency incentive program. <img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/EndsofT8-resized-600.png" border="0" alt="Energy-efficiency-news-consumers-energy-awards-11.3-million-in-incentives-2010" width="396" height="335" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /></h2> <p>Hovey Electric has customers who took advantage of the utility incentive programs last year.&nbsp; Consumers Energy posted the facts today from the 2010 program.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>In 2010:</strong></span></p> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Total Utility Energy Efficiency Incentives:</em></span></h2> <h3><strong>2,450</strong> Businesses took part in the program.</h3> <h3>Those <strong>2450</strong> Businesses received <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">$11,300,000</span></strong> in incentives.</h3> <h3>That is an average of <strong>$4,612</strong> per business.</h3> <h2><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Total Annual Energy Savings</span></em></h2> <h3>2,450 Businesses will save total of <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">$15,400,000 </span></strong>annually.</h3> <h3>That is an average of <strong>$6,285</strong> per business.</h3> <h3>Saving <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">124,700,000</span></strong> kwh annually and <strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">322,000</span></em></strong> Mcf of natural gas annually.&nbsp;</h3> <h3>Total Utility Incentives paid out by Consumers Energy over the life of the program: <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>$17,000,000</strong></span></h3> <h2><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Energy Efficiency Incentive Money available for 2011: </span></em></h2> <h3><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">$36,000,000</span></strong> available for energy efficiency upgrades.&nbsp;</h3> <pre style="clear: both;"><em>(Source: Consumers Energy)</em></pre> <p style="clear: both;"><a href="http://members.questline.com/Article.aspx?articleID=18484&amp;accountID=4676&amp;nl=10560&amp;userID=5016022" title="Take a look at the article, Consumers Energy Customers Savings Surpass 2010 Energy Efficency Goal By 17 Percent" target="_self">Take a look at the article, <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Consumers Energy Customers Savings Surpass 2010 Energy Efficency Goal By 17 Percent</span></strong></a></p> <p><a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Interested in finding out how much of that $36 million could be yours?" target="_self">Interested in finding out how much of that $36 million could be yours?</a></p> <p>What could you do with an extra <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>$523.75 </strong></span>(Average Energy Savings of $6,285/12=$523.75) in your pocket?&nbsp; <strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Let us know in the comments below. </span></em></strong></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57618/How-toTake-Advantage-of-Incentives-for-Energy-Efficiency&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyTue, 01 Mar 2011 20:22:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:57618http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57309/How-Auto-Dealer-Found-Ways-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency#Comments177How Auto Dealer Found Ways to Increase Energy Efficiencyhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57309/How-Auto-Dealer-Found-Ways-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><p>Dave VanTol from Hovey Electric interviews Jeff Crippen, President of Crippen Auto Mall located in Lansing, MI.&nbsp; Jeff and Dave discuss some of the unique challenges encountered on the project and&nbsp;how Hovey Electric&nbsp;was able to conquer those challenges.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p> <object style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> <param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zKn4pgyMgoI?hl=en&amp;fs=1" /> <param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zKn4pgyMgoI?hl=en&amp;fs=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed> </object> </p> <p>Crippen added new energy efficiency lighting to many areas of his facility including the service department, body shop, get ready area and exterior parking lot lighting.&nbsp;</p> <p>Although a bit reluctant at first, Jeff Crippen was interested in learning more about energy efficiency and eventually decided to pursue the project with Hovey Electric, Inc., Midland, MI.</p> <p>Toward the end of the video, Jeff Crippen notes that his energy bill has dropped by almost 10,000 kwh per month.&nbsp; That is a significant reduction in his energy cost.</p> <p>Hovey Electric is a family owned business located in Midland, MI. Using our 32 years of experience, we offer energy efficiency services for our clients.&nbsp; Our services include energy audits, energy efficiency lighting and energy efficient motor solutions.</p> <p>Leave us a comment and let us know what you think of our video.&nbsp; This is our first video blog so we would appreciate any input.&nbsp; <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Interested in finding out how much your facility could save?" target="_self"></a></p> <p><a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Interested in finding out how much your facility could save?" target="_self">Interested in finding out how much your facility could save?</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57309/How-Auto-Dealer-Found-Ways-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 25 Feb 2011 17:38:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:57309http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/56369/How-Wine-Society-Exceeds-Warehouse-Energy-Efficiency-Projections#Comments3,609How Wine Society Exceeds Warehouse Energy Efficiency Projectionshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/56369/How-Wine-Society-Exceeds-Warehouse-Energy-Efficiency-Projections<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2><strong>Beating Forecasted Energy Savings<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Sprinter Winning Race.jpg" border="0" alt="How-wine-society-exceeds-forecasted-warehouse-energy-efficiency" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />&nbsp;</strong></h2> <p>This is a great story about how green designs for a warehouse can actually provide better than anticipated energy savings.</p> <p>The 35,000 square foot green warehouse built for the <a href="http://www.greenbuildingpress.co.uk/article.php?article_id=687">Wine Society at Stevenage</a> in Hertfordshire is demonstrating the power of sustainable building designs as a way of exceeding warehouse energy efficiency projections.</p> <p>The new warehouse has attained the following energy savings results:</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Gas consumption:</span></h3> <ul> <li> <h4>predicted to be 384,948 mcft per year;</h4> </li> <li> <h4>actual consumption was 52,628 mcft.</h4> </li> </ul> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Electricity consumption: </span></h3> <ul> <li> <h4>predicted to be 358,961 kWh per year;</h4> </li> <li> <h4>actual consumption was 295,490 kWh.</h4> </li> </ul> <h2>Actual Consumption proves to Save $23,000 over predicted cost.</h2> <p>And these amazing outcomes of the green building designs were achieved despite a very harsh winter in 2009.</p> <p>The resulting carbon dioxide emissions savings are about 90 tons annually and the dollars saved somewhere in the neighborhood of $23,000 annually.</p> <h2>Energy Efficiency Technologies used</h2> <p>Perhaps the most successful green building design in the wine warehouse is the use of energy-saving pre-formed wall panels of energy saving material called <a href="http://www.lhoist.co.uk/tradical/hemp-lime.html" title="Tradical Hemcrete" target="_self">Tradical Hemcrete</a>.</p> <p>This exterior wall cladding material has outstanding insulation properties that provides a stable internal air temperature even during cold winters and hot summers.</p> <p>The building also makes use of daylighting designs through the use of Kalwall, <a href="http://www.kalwall.com/walls.htm" title="a glass fiber insulating panel" target="_self">a glass fiber insulating panel</a> that provides 50% light transmissions. This reduces the electricity needed for lighting indoor spaces.</p> <p>The roofing is also highly insulated.</p> <h2>Energy Efficiency Designs can Save more than Predicted</h2> <p>This is another excellent example of how effective green building designs are for achieving tangible energy and financial savings.</p> <p>You can find out more about this green building project by reading <a href="http://www.morgansindall-casestudies.com/attachments/article/47/014_WineSociety_v2.pdf">this case study</a> on the subject.</p> <p>If you can't change the design of your building, you can simply retrofit with other options.&nbsp; See <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/northwood-university-lights-up-hach-center-gymnasium/" title="Northwood University - Hach Gymnasium" target="_self">Northwood University - Hach Gymnasium</a> for more information.</p> <p><span style="color: #000000;"><em>(Photo Source:<a href="http://flic.kr/p/77MRbS">http://flic.kr/p/77MRbS</a>)</em></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/56369/How-Wine-Society-Exceeds-Warehouse-Energy-Efficiency-Projections&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 14 Feb 2011 13:01:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:56369http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/56353/How-Honda-Found-Ways-to-Improve-Energy-Efficiency#Comments178How Honda Found Ways to Improve Energy Efficiencyhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/56353/How-Honda-Found-Ways-to-Improve-Energy-Efficiency<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Automobile Manufacturers and Energy Efficiency;</h2> <h3>Honda&rsquo;s East Liberty and Marysville High-Performance Auto Plants Save Energy and Money-BIG TIME!&nbsp;</h3> <p>Honda<a href="http://www.honda.com" title="(www.honda.com)" target="_self"> (www.honda.com)</a> has a new <a href="http://www.hpbmagazine.org/images/stories/articles/Honda.pdf">Green Factory initiative</a> that aims to make a big environmental impact while also keeping operational costs low.</p> <p>Two plants &ndash; one in East Liberty and the other in Marysville, Ohio &ndash; are demonstrating how new energy efficiency technologies can seriously benefit the bottom line.</p> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/honda motors-oddysy van-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="Honda's-examples-of-energy-efficiency" width="547" height="311" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;" /></h2> <p><a href="http://automobiles.honda.com/odyssey/exterior-photos.aspx">Source: (http://automobiles.honda.com/odyssey/exterior-photos.aspx</a>)</p> <h2>Methods Honda has used for energy efficiency improvements</h2> <p>Here are some of the energy efficiency standards they&rsquo;re employing to save money in these two plants:</p> <h3>Honda moves to High-efficiency lighting technology:</h3> <ul> <li> <h4>High-efficiency T8 and T5 lamps and compact fluorescent or LED fixtures in office and break areas</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Metal halide lamps with centralized controls in assembly areas</h4> </li> <li> <h4>High-bay lighting are removed where shifting needs necessitate upgrades</h4> </li> </ul> <h3>Honda Upgrades to High-efficiency motors and VFD's:</h3> <ul> <li> <h4>High-efficiency electric motors</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Variable speed drives on gas and liquid flow systems</h4> </li> <li> <h4>High-pressure blowers instead of compressed air in blow-off and cooling applications</h4> </li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Reducing Electricity and Natural Gas use Reduces Greenhouse Gas&nbsp;Emissions&nbsp;</h2> <p>In these plants, the main source of greenhouse gas emissions come through the electricity and natural gas used in manufacturing.</p> <h4>Electricity&nbsp;&ndash; electricity for running things like robots used in welding, painting, and assembly, energy for motors driving pumps and fans, chillers, and compressed air systems;</h4> <h4>Natural gas-&nbsp;building and water heating, conditioning fresh air, etc.</h4> <p>Electricity and Natural gas account for&nbsp;<a></a>96% of the total CO2 emissions.</p> <h2>Honda achieves reduction of 12.6% energy use even in poor econonomy</h2> <p>Despite a slow economy and rising energy intensity of automobile production of 9.7%, Honda global has achieved average energy use savings for each automobile produced of 12.6% over the past five years.</p> <h2>Honda Achieves ENERGY STAR ratings</h2> <p>Both of these auto plants have achieved <a href="http://www.energystar.gov" title="ENERGY STAR " target="_self">ENERGY STAR </a>ratings since 2006, the first year the award was given, which has gone a long way to ensure their energy savings.</p> <h2>Honda is Saving Money through Energy Efficiency</h2> <p>The bottom line is that these energy efficiency improvements are helping Honda save money.</p> <p>Honda requires most investment projects &ndash; including those for saving energy &ndash; to have a payback of 2 years or less, and these have proven to achieve that result.</p> <p>To learn more about energy efficiency upgrades, download facts about <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/northwood-university-lights-up-hach-center-gymnasium/" title="Northwood University Hach Gymnasium " target="_self">Northwood University Hach Gymnasium </a>to see the real benefits of lighting efficiency upgrades.</p> <p>Want to learn more about ways to improve energy efficiency for your business?&nbsp; <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="Download our FREE 36 Page E-book: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency. " target="_self">Download our FREE 36 Page E-book: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency. </a>This guide shows you the 5 main benefits of an energy efficiency strategy and the 7 steps to calculate your cost of energy.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/56353/How-Honda-Found-Ways-to-Improve-Energy-Efficiency&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 10 Feb 2011 13:01:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:56353http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/56085/How-to-Drive-Down-Energy-Costs-with-VFD-s-for-Motor-Efficiency#Comments364How to Drive Down Energy Costs with VFD's for Motor Efficiencyhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/56085/How-to-Drive-Down-Energy-Costs-with-VFD-s-for-Motor-Efficiency<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Steps to "Drive" down energy costs with Variable Frequency Drives</h2> <h3>When should I use a <a href="http://products.schneider-electric.us/products-services/services/power-quality-solutions/power-factor-correction-and-harmonic-mitigation/multi-pulse-transformersconverters/" title="variable frequency drive" target="_self">variable frequency drive</a>? &nbsp;</h3> <p>It's a valid question, one that I think needs to be asked more often in fact.</p> <p>Lets take a look at a very common scenario that could utilize variable frequency drives to not only cut down on electricity cost, but also help with motor efficiency.</p> <h3>VFD Basics</h3> <p>There are some basic things that need to be pointed out about using VFD&rsquo;s.</p> <ol> <li>The Hz or frequency of the power going into your motor will control the speed.</li> <li>The voltage being applied to the motor will control the torque it is outputting.</li> </ol> <h3>What about the air handler on my roof?</h3> <p>A perfect example in a <a href="http://www.trane.com/webcache/un/rooftop%20air%20conditioners%20(rt)/service/rt-svx09e-en_03012009.pdf" title="roof top air handler unit" target="_self">roof top air handler unit</a>. Often overlooked, this is a great place to&nbsp;implement a drive.</p> <p>Most AHU&rsquo;s run full out with no control on the motor speed.</p> <p>Do we really need 100% air flow when no one is in the building?</p> <p>Do we really need 100% air flow<a></a> in the morning and evening when manpower is ramping up and down?</p> <h3>Sample of Varying Motor Efficiency.</h3> <p>Using a Variable Frequency Drive, we can now create 3 scenarios for achieving much lower energy cost and higher motor efficiency:</p> <ol> <li>C<a></a>ut that motor on the air handler back to 70% of full speed in the evening</li> <li>Run it at 80% at the beginning and end of the work day,</li> <li>R<a></a>un it at 90% during peak time to see what happens with the electricity.</li> </ol> <h2>Example of VFD efficiency and cost savings<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/ahu drives-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="How-to-drive-down-energy-costs-with-vfd" /></h2> <p>We get a very nice reduction in our KWH usage! How good was it?</p> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/ahu savings-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="How-to-find-energy-efficiency-savings-with-variable-frequency-drives" width="580" height="359" /></p> <p>So, even after an almost $8,300 dollar installation cost we get $20,000 dollars in energy savings in the first year.</p> <p>That's over $11,000 dollars in your pocket after you pay for the drive and installation.</p> <p>I don't know of many investments that will show that kind of payback in the first year!</p> <h2>VFD saves on Maintainance and Power Factor.</h2> <p>All of the savings you see above are what I like to call "cake". It's the whole reason you would use a VFD in this scenario, however every good cake needs some"icing" so let's talk about what you don't see in the analysis.&nbsp;</p> <p>We have all heard the big air handlers in a&nbsp;gymnasium&nbsp;turn on and start&nbsp;squealing. That is the belt on the motor slipping because of the motor turning on full speed from a dead stop.</p> <h3>VFD's save money on annual maintainance cost of air handlers.</h3> <p>I know from talking with maintenance&nbsp;personnel&nbsp;that not only is that belt fairly expensive to purchase, it's also a very time consuming operation to replace.</p> <p>With a VFD we have the ability to slowly ramp up the motor to eliminate the&nbsp;squealing&nbsp;and slippage.</p> <p>That belt that usually has to be replaced every year,now will last 4-5 years.</p> <h3>VFD's correct Power Factor</h3> <p>I could write an entirely&nbsp;separate&nbsp;article on what power factor is and how we calculate it, but I will save that for another time.</p> <p>For &nbsp;now I will just state that the lower the power factor is on your utility bill the more it is costing you to run any kind of motor.</p> <p>If your utility bill is showing a power factor below .90 than you may want to think about adding drives to your motors.</p> <p>One of the benefits of using a VFD on any motor is that the power factor on the electricity going to the motor is now between .92 and .95, regardless of how inefficient the supply voltage to the VFD is.</p> <p>This results in a motor that can more efficiently use the power being supplied to it, resulting in less cost to operate.</p> <p>These are all secondary benefits that running motors on VFD's offer. Beyond the energy savings and higher motor efficiency, we get:</p> <ul> <li>corrected power factor and</li> <li>reduction in motor and system maintenance.</li> </ul> <p>Many utility companies are<a></a> offering incentives to help offset the costs of installation.&nbsp; Examples of utility incentives for <a href="http://www.consumersenergy.com/eeprograms/BHome.aspx?id=4096" title="Consumers Energy" target="_self">Consumers Energy</a> or to find incentives in your area, click on the <a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/" title="Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency" target="_self">Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Now is the time to upgrade and implement variable frequency drives into your facility.&nbsp;</p> <h4>Key Takeaway: Because of numerous utility incentive programs, now is the time to investigate all the options that your facility may have to take advantage of Variable Frequency Drives.&nbsp; VFD's will&nbsp;save energy, save maintaiance, and enhance the facilities power factor.&nbsp;</h4> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" alt="Download Your FREE Business Owners Guide" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/56085/How-to-Drive-Down-Energy-Costs-with-VFD-s-for-Motor-Efficiency&bvt=rss">Dave VanTolWed, 09 Feb 2011 13:01:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:56085http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50996/Learn-How-to-Find-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives#Comments11Learn How to Find Energy Efficiency Incentiveshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50996/Learn-How-to-Find-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2><strong><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/C--Documents and Settings-jphovey.HOVEY-My Documents-My Pictures-Picasa-Exports-EPAct-Hach Before After.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficiency-incentives-for-gymnasium-lighting" width="377" height="248" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> </strong>$30 Million in DOE Energy Efficiency Retrofits Awards</h2> <p>The US Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced nearly <a href="http://www.energy.gov/news/9467.htm">$30 million in awards for state energy efficiency projects</a> that are pretty exciting.</p> <p>The DOE funds are allocated to 12 states and territories that demonstrated competitiveness through the <a href="http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wip/sep.html">State Energy Program</a>.This program provides financial and technical assistance for state energy priorities.</p> <p>These communities will receive the funding to work on whole-building, energy saving retrofits to help create jobs, save energy for consumers and businesses, and hopefully stimulate greater interest in energy efficiency projects and technologies.</p> <h2>Energy Efficiency Could Save $40 Billion Per Year</h2> <p>The DOE estimates that retrofitting commercial and residential buildings using existing, proven energy efficiency technologies like insulation, caulking, lighting upgrades, and sealing ducts, etc could save the country $40 billion in energy bills every year, with a total of 40% reduction in energy consumption. States will be awarded funds in two categories,</p> <ol> <li>Strengthening Building Retrofit Markets focused on actual retrofitting markets</li> <li>Stimulating Energy Efficiency Action to support energy policies and program frameworks.</li> </ol> <h2>Examples of Energy Efficiency Projects that Benefit</h2> <p>The funds allocated by this program are exciting because they provide real funds for projects such as:</p> <ul> <li>Expansion of Nevada&rsquo;s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program for retrofitting 5% of the state&rsquo;s single-family homes by 2021.</li> <li>Outfitting 300,000 homes over several states with energy efficiency improvements, with programs that include community engagement and education, policy development, and innovative financing.</li> <li>Working with multi-family buildings to upgrade energy efficiencies within the building and reduce power consumption.</li> <li>Create self-sustaining financing programs for energy efficiency retrofits in retail food service businesses.</li> </ul> <h2>Federal Incentives Make Energy Efficiency a Great Investment</h2> <p>This is just one of many federal financing programs that should go a long way to making it easier for businesses and consumers alike to adopt the real savings available through energy efficiency improvements.</p> <p>Without a doubt, making building energy efficiency improvements is one of the simplest and most straightforward ways businesses can achieve operational savings in tough economic times.</p> <p>Our customers are always impressed with how significant the savings are and how quick the return on investments can be with lighting improvements and other energy upgrades we make to their buildings</p> <h2>Want to Learn More About Energy Efficiency Incentives?</h2> <p><a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="Download our FREE Guide: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.&nbsp;" target="_self">Download our FREE Guide: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency.&nbsp;</a> This is a Free resource that we developed to help business owners understand the basics on why you should consider an energy efficiency strategy for your business.</p> <p>Looking for Energy Efficiency Incentives for your area?&nbsp; <a href="http://www.dsireusa.org" title="You can find out more about Energy Efficiency Incentives that apply to your state or territory by going here." target="_self">You can find out more about Energy Efficiency Incentives that apply to your state or territory by going here.</a>&nbsp; This is the most comprehensive list of <a href="http://www.dsireusa.org" title="Energy Efficiency Incentives state by state.&nbsp; " target="_self">Energy Efficiency Incentives state by state.&nbsp; </a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50996/Learn-How-to-Find-Energy-Efficiency-Incentives&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 24 Nov 2010 21:09:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:50996http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50994/Auto-Dealer-Using-Induction-Lighting-Featured-Distributed-Energy#Comments112Auto Dealer Using Induction Lighting Featured-Distributed Energyhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50994/Auto-Dealer-Using-Induction-Lighting-Featured-Distributed-Energy<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Energy Efficiency Project Featured in Distributed Energy</h2> <p>Hovey Electric's project at <a href="http://www.crippencars.com" title="Crippen Automotive" target="_self">Crippen Automotive</a> is featured in <a href="http://distributedenergy.com/" title="Distributed Energy-The Journal of Energy Efficiency and Reliability" target="_self">Distributed Energy-The Journal of Energy Efficiency and Reliability</a>. Crippen recently upgraded all of the lighting both inside and outside of their facility.&nbsp; One of the most drastic changes was utilizing 250 watt Induction lighting technology to replace 1000 watt Metal Halide Fixtures.&nbsp;</p> <p><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/GMC Truck Grill-Crippen.jpg" border="0" alt="Inductive-fluorescent-exterior-lighting-project-crippen-gmc-buick-mazda-volvo" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" />Crippen replaced (37) 1000 watt Metal Halide fixtures.&nbsp; The replacement made one of the biggest changes in Crippen's energy demand.&nbsp;</p> <p>The switch saves Crippen 750 watts per fixture.&nbsp;</p> <p>Why Change?</p> <h2>Problem 1 -1000 Watt Metal Halide Too Expensive to Operate</h2> <p>We were able to show Crippen how to save 75% on his exterior lighting costs.&nbsp; This was eye opening as the 1000 watt metal halide's accounted for a majority of his lighting costs.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Problem 2 -Too Expensive to Maintain</h2> <p>Crippen spent between $2500 to $3500 per year on maintenance of his exterior lighting.&nbsp; While the light quality was excellent after the maintenance was completed, he noted that it "seems like a few more burn out as soon as the truck leaves the driveway".</p> <h2>Problem 3 -Poor Lighting Quality</h2> <p>While the lighting was excellent after maintenance was completed, the quality of light still never equaled the lighting levels experienced when the lighting was completely new.&nbsp;</p> <p>Even after a Metal Halide is new, the light quality falls off nearly 70% in the first 3 years.&nbsp; Lighting quality begins to fall off immediately after the fixtures are new.&nbsp;</p> <h2>3 Expensive Problems, 1 Solution - Induction Lighting For Exterior Parking Lot</h2> <h3>Hovey Electric replaced all (37) 1000 watt metal halides and resolved Crippens 3 primary problems.&nbsp;</h3> <ol> <li>The new lighting reduced the energy demand by 750 watts per fixture leading to significant energy savings for Crippen.</li> <li>The new inductive fluorescent fixtures are rated for 100,000 hours of operation so bulb replacement and ballast replacement are significantly reduced as the annual maintenance will not be required.&nbsp;</li> <li>Because the inductive fluorescents have a Kelvin value of 5900 and a CRI index of 93+, the eye perceives the light to be brighter than a foot candle meter will indicate.&nbsp; This provides a truer, daytime lighting quality that shows the real color of the automobiles at night.</li> </ol> <p>Energy efficiency starts with understanding what type of lighting and fixtures that you currently have in place.&nbsp; Not sure what you have?&nbsp; We can help your company fix the expensive problem's related to 1000 watt metal halide fixtures. <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="Contact us to schedule a FREE Energy Efficiency Analysis of your facility. " target="_self">Contact us to schedule a FREE Energy Efficiency Analysis of your facility. </a></p> <p><a href="http://www.distributedenergy.com/the-latest/dealership-everlast-lighting.aspx" title="Click here for the link to the article: Distributed Energy " target="_self">Want to see the article in the Distributed Energy Website....here you go...just click here for the link to the article: Distributed Energy </a></p> <p>Want to learn more about energy efficiency?&nbsp; <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="We created a Free Downloadable e-book titled: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency where you can learn more about the benefits of energy efficiency.&nbsp; " target="_self">We created a Free down loadable e-book titled: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency where you can learn more about the benefits of energy efficiency.&nbsp; </a></p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;" > <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" alt="FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide to En" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/ea264aca-9e56-47de-99f2-247bc789b10e/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-effici.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p> <p><a href="http://www.distributedenergy.com/the-latest/dealership-everlast-lighting.aspx"></a>Got an energy efficiency question?&nbsp; We will be glad to answer your question, just use the comment section below.&nbsp; We look forward to helping you out.</p> <h2>Related Articles:</h2> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50991/Reasons-Why-Inductive-Fluorescents-provide-Greater-Savings-than-LEDs" title="Reasons Why Inductive Fluorescents provide Greater Savings than LEDs">Reasons Why Inductive Fluorescents provide Greater Savings than LEDs</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50997/Energy-Efficient-Induction-Lighting-Project-Makes-the-News" title="Energy Efficient Induction Lighting Project Makes the News">Energy Efficient Induction Lighting Project Makes the News</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68555/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Applications-LED-Inductive-Fluorescent" title="Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED ,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent">Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED ,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/82015/Induction-Lighting-An-Amazing-Breakthrough-In-Fluorescent-Lighting" title="Induction Lighting: An Amazing Breakthrough In Fluorescent Lighting">Induction Lighting: An Amazing Breakthrough In Fluorescent Lighting</a></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50994/Auto-Dealer-Using-Induction-Lighting-Featured-Distributed-Energy&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyMon, 22 Nov 2010 20:48:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:50994http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50997/Energy-Efficient-Induction-Lighting-Project-Makes-the-News#Comments70Energy Efficient Induction Lighting Project Makes the Newshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50997/Energy-Efficient-Induction-Lighting-Project-Makes-the-News<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Energy Efficient Automotive Dealership&nbsp; Gets Headlines</h2> <p>Hovey Electric, a Energy Efficiency Services contractor recently completed a<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/istock_000006518803xsmall.jpg" border="0" alt="energy-efficient-project-makes-the-news" class="alignRight" style="float: right;" /> major Energy Efficiency project for Crippen Automotive in Lansing, MI.&nbsp;</p> <p>The lighting fixture manufacturer wrote an article about our project and it was featured on WWJ 950 News Radio.</p> <h2>HUGE&nbsp; Savings With Energy Efficient Induction Lighting</h2> <p>The project discussed here utilized new technology called induction lighting to light up an existing automobile dealers lot that was utilizing older technology. By using inductive fluorescents, we were able to give Crippen the most <strong>energy efficient</strong> outdoor lighting available.</p> <p>After an initial test using 4 inductive fluorescents compared to the existing 1000 Watt Metal Halide technology, it was determined that the lighting quality was far superior to the existing 1000 Watt Metal Halide.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Energy Efficient Lighting= Better Light Quality</h3> <p>The Everlast Inductive Fluorescent fixture has a CRI value of 93+ and a Kelvin Value of 5900.&nbsp; What does this mean?&nbsp; The light emitted from these fixtures is as close to daylight as you can get.&nbsp; Mr. Crippen noted, "you can actually see the real color of green grass at night".&nbsp;</p> <p>They also appreciated the true color representation of the multiple new and used vehicles offered for sale on the Crippen lot.</p> <h3>Energy Efficient Lights=Lower Maintenance</h3> <p>The Everlast fixture is rated for 100,000 hours which should roughly be 25 years for the Crippen facility.&nbsp; Crippen typically paid $2500 to $3500 per year for ballast replacement and bulb replacement.&nbsp;</p> <p>This savings alone over 20 years could add up to over $50,000 in savings.</p> <h3>Energy Efficient Lights = Big Savings</h3> <p>By using a 250 Watt Inductive fixture versus a 1000 Watt Metal Halide, Crippen is reducing his energy use by 75% on these fixtures.&nbsp; Crippen was very focused on making his dealership more <strong>energy efficient</strong>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>He did a very extensive lighting upgrade to all areas of his dealership, but the exterior lighting shows the most impressive drawback of energy consumption.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>See our <a href="/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/57309/How-Auto-Dealer-Found-Ways-to-Increase-Energy-Efficiency" title="video titled where Jeff Crippen discusses how his dealership is using 12,000 less kwh per month. " target="_self">video titled where Jeff Crippen discusses how his dealership is using 12,000 less kwh per month. </a></p> <p>Here is the link to the article:</p> <p><a href="http://wwj.cbslocal.com/2010/11/15/jackson-firms-induction-lighting-goes-to-work-in-lansing/">http://wwj.cbslocal.com/2010/11/15/jackson-firms-induction-lighting-goes-to-work-in-lansing/</a></p> <br />Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50997/Energy-Efficient-Induction-Lighting-Project-Makes-the-News&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyFri, 19 Nov 2010 21:18:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:50997http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50991/Reasons-Why-Induction-Lighting-provide-Greater-Savings-than-LEDs#Comments345Reasons Why Induction Lighting provide Greater Savings than LEDshttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50991/Reasons-Why-Induction-Lighting-provide-Greater-Savings-than-LEDs<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Lighting Systems Upgrades Provide Quickest Energy Efficiency Savings</h2> <p>We have found consistently that one of the most cost-effective, quickest energy improvements buildings can undertake are lighting retrofits.</p> <p>One of the most innovative and energy saving options available right now are the inductive fluorescent lighting systems.</p> <p>We’ve been using this technology with many clients to date with excellent results, both in light quality and performance as well as hard energy savings.</p> <h2>Advantages of Inductive Lighting<img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/Induction_UCD_Vet_Med_3.jpg" border="0" alt="Reasons-why-inductive-fluorescents-outperform-LED-everlast-lighting" width="599" height="399"></h2> <p><strong>Inductive lighting</strong> offers many advantages, making them, in some ways, superior to even LED (light-emitting diode) lighting options.</p> <p>Here’s how the <a href="http://www.everlastlight.com/">Everlast Inductive Lighting</a>, one of our preferred products, compares to some competitor’s LED lighting:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li> <h3>The Everlast lighting provides 50% higher energy efficiency compared to some LEDs</h3> </li> <li> <h3>Clients find their lighting energy bills drop by up to 60% compared to metal-hallide lamps and similar technologies</h3> </li> <li> <h3>Comparing light distribution, Everlast’s provide 25% better coverage</h3> </li> <li> <h3>These inductive lighting systems cost about one-fifth that of LED lighting systems</h3> </li> <li> <h3>Everlast lighting comes with a 10 year warranty, which is double that of many LED lights, and covers approximately 100,000 hours</h3> </li> <li> <h3>Inductive lighting provide two times more light output, with 6400 lumens compared to 3208 lumens of some LEDs, and they maintain lumens superbly with 70% retention over 10 years</h3> </li> <li> <h3>This lighting provides instant re-strike with unlimited on/off cycles, reducing always-on energy costs</h3> </li> <li> <h3>In many cases, inductive fluorescents can replace metal halides one-for-one and are easy to install and retrofit existing systems</h3> </li> <li> <h3>Inductive lighting also operate up to 700 degrees cooler than HID light sources, which helps to reduce indoor cooling costs</h3> </li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>In our experience, these savings and advantages prove true again and again, demonstrating that smart, energy efficient lighting is not only good for a company’s green reputation, they’re also excellent for the bottom line.</p> <h2>Interested in Seeing What Lighting Technology is Best For You?</h2> <p><a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="DOWNLOAD our FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency to find out the advantages of energy efficiency and the 7 steps to calculating energy savings for your facility." target="_self"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">DOWNLOAD</span></strong> our FREE E-book: Business Owners Guide to Energy Efficiency to find out the advantages of energy efficiency and the 7 steps to calculating energy savings for your facility.</a>&nbsp;</p> <p>We can also evaluate your facility to see which technology may be best for your facility.&nbsp; We find all available utility incentives, tax deductions and look for the best return on your investment for your dollars spent.&nbsp; <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/reduce-your-energy-bill-with-a-free-energy-needs-analysis/" title="You can schedule a FREE no obligation consultation here.&nbsp; " target="_self">You can schedule a FREE no obligation consultation here.&nbsp; </a></p> <h2>Related Articles:</h2> <p><strong>Articles We Wrote:</strong>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68555/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Applications-LED-Inductive-Fluorescent" title="Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED ,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent">Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED ,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/58857/Why-You-Should-Compare-Inductive-Fluorescents-vs-Metal-Halide-vs-T5HO" title="Why You Should Compare Inductive Fluorescents vs Metal Halide vs T5HO">Why You Should Compare Inductive Fluorescents vs Metal Halide vs T5HO</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50994/Auto-Dealer-Using-Inductive-Fluorescent-Exterior-Lighting-Featured" title="Auto Dealer Using Inductive Fluorescent Exterior Lighting Featured">Auto Dealer Using Inductive Fluorescent Exterior Lighting Featured</a></p> <p><a href="hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/68555/Energy-Efficient-Lighting-Applications-LED-Inductive-Fluorescent" title="Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED ,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent">Energy Efficient Lighting Applications: LED ,Inductive &amp; Fluorescent</a></p> <p><strong>Articles Others Wrote:&nbsp;</strong></p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.wearepolitics.com/1/post/2012/08/wearepolitics-exclusive-dallemand-induction-lighting-and-2-million-dollars.html">WeArePolitics Exclusive: Dallemand, <b>Induction Lighting</b> and $2 Million</a></strong></p> <p>When I started doing this article, I had no earthly idea what <em>induction lighting</em> was. I have since taken a crash course in it and will break it down for you. By the end of the article, you'll understand why I did. <em>Induction lighting</em> was <b>...</b></p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=10001175">Whole Foods Takes Advantage of New <b>Induction Lighting</b> Technology</a></strong></p> <p>Trammell Bell, an energy efficient <em>lighting</em> solutions company located in Nashville, TN, partnered with Whole Foods Market in a concerted effort toward more energy efficient <em>lighting</em>. "The big thing that they really wanted was <b>...</b></p> <p><strong><a href="http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/07/18/induction-lighting-saves-tennessee-firm-big-money/"><b>Induction Lighting</b> Saves Tennessee Firm Big Money « CBS Detroit</a></strong></p> <p>Full Spectrum Solutions said a Tennessee manufacturer saved thousands of dollars on installation and will save thousands more in lower energy bills by installing Full Spectrum's EverLast "shoe box" <em>lighting</em> fixtures at its <b>...</b></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/50991/Reasons-Why-Induction-Lighting-provide-Greater-Savings-than-LEDs&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyWed, 17 Nov 2010 20:25:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:50991http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/48407/Industrial-Electrical-Contractor-Hovey-Electric-Locates-in-Guthrie-KY#Comments810Industrial Electrical Contractor Hovey Electric Locates in Guthrie,KYhttp://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/48407/Industrial-Electrical-Contractor-Hovey-Electric-Locates-in-Guthrie-KY<img id="img-1328558708484" src="/Portals/47330/images/hei logo.jpg" border="0" alt="describe the image"><h2>Welcome To My Very First Blog</h2> <p>As I am writing this first blog, we are actually traveling at 70 mph heading south to the newest location of Hovey Electric.&nbsp;</p> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/HEI Logo.jpg" border="0" alt="Industrial-contractor-hovey-electric-locates-new-office-in-guthrie-ky" width="364" height="87" class="alignRight" style="float: right;"></h2> <p>We could think of no better way to kick off our blog with an exciting announcement about our new location.&nbsp;</p> <h2>New Hovey Electric Office located at 129 Commerce, Guthrie, KY</h2> <h2><img src="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/Portals/47330/images/c--documents and settings-jphovey.hovey-my documents-my pictures-hei-images-guthrie, ky-hovey electric satellite office guthrie, ky-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="new-hovey-electric-location-129-commerce-st-guthrie-ky-42234" width="257" height="171" class="alignLeft" style="float: left;"></h2> <p>Effective October 10th, 2009,&nbsp;Hovey Electric, Inc. Southern Division will be located at&nbsp;129 Commerce,&nbsp;<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=s_q&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=126+commerce,+guthrie,+ky&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;hq=&amp;hnear=Commerce+St,+Guthrie,+Todd,+Kentucky+42234&amp;z=15" title="Guthrie, KY" target="_self">Guthrie, KY</a>&nbsp; We are just accross the border from the new Hemlock Semiconductor facility being built in Clarksville, TN.&nbsp;</p> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>Industrial Electrical Contractors - Commercial Electrical Contractors</h2> <p>Hovey Electric has over 32 years of experience in both Industrial and Commercial Markets.&nbsp; We have been anticipating opening a second location for more than 2 years now choosing to locate where there is significant construction taking place in numerous business segments.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Energy Efficiency Services</h2> <p>Our newest division is focused on helping business owners improve energy efficiency.&nbsp; We <a href="http://classic-archived-site-47330.web4.hubspot.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions/" title="recently published a new e-book that can be downloaded for free showing business owners the benefits of energy efficiency and how to calculate the cost of energy" target="_self">recently published a new e-book that can be downloaded for free showing business owners the benefits of energy efficiency and how to calculate the cost of energy</a>.&nbsp; Hovey Electric is offering FREE Energy Efficiency Assessments in Michigan, Kentucky and Tennesee.</p> <h2>Thank You Guthrie Community</h2> <p>We have been very pleased with the welcoming that the Guthrie community has provided and we look forward to becoming an active participant in this vibrant community.&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="hs-cta-wrapper-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" class="hs-cta-wrapper" style=" border-width: 0px;"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" id="hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857"> <a href="/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions" data-mce-href="http://hoveyelectric.com/free-e-book-business-owners-guide-to-energy-efficiency---lighting-solutions"><img id="hs-cta-img-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857" src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" alt="Download Your FREE Business Owners Guide" class="hs-cta-img" style="border-width:0px" mce_noresize="1" data-mce-src="//d1n2i0nchws850.cloudfront.net/portals/47330/6820702b-65f3-4761-adae-ddf5984a6dca/download-your-free-business-owners-guide-to-energy.png" data-mce-style="border-width: 0px;"></a> </span><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){ var hsjs = document.createElement('script'); hsjs.type = 'text/javascript'; hsjs.async = true; hsjs.src = '//cta-service.cms.hubspot.com/cta-service/loader.js?placement_guid=4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hsjs); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='hidden'}, 1); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("hs-cta-4228e551-df58-4a76-9e53-255e669bb857").style.visibility='visible'}, 2000); })(); </script><!-- HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <!-- hs-cta-wrapper --></span></p>Hovey Electric, Inc. 2936 Venture Dr. Midland, MI&nbsp; 48640 <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=47330&k=14&bu=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/&r=http://hoveyelectric.com/hovey-electric-power-blog/bid/48407/Industrial-Electrical-Contractor-Hovey-Electric-Locates-in-Guthrie-KY&bvt=rss">Jimmy HoveyThu, 14 Oct 2010 03:10:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:48407