Written by admin on 09 September 2010
LED Lighting, is it ready for the general public?
I have spent the last ten years in the lighting world in one way or another. Every year a new technology would emerge and I would think to myself, is this really the right answer? Well I’m here to tell you that LED’s are a viable option for not only commercial customers but residential ones too. Both consumers need a little education on the products so they can be a little savvier when making an investment in this technology.
The cost of these fixtures/ lamps (lamps/bulbs) has come down considerably. Most manufactures have corrected color shifting issues and premature failure. When it comes to the lowest price for an LED alternative; lower price doesn’t equate to better. Make sure that whatever product you select has LM79 & LM80 data. The data can only be provided by a third party testing laboratory. The laboratory checks to see if the printed information on the specification sheet matches their findings. The manufacture will not get the certification if there are any discrepancies. These tests are the preambles to energy star rating. NO LED MANUFACTURERS HAVE ENERGY STAR RATINGS YET. This will change in the next month or two. Till then anyone who claims to have this certification is misrepresenting their product. The only way to know for sure that you are purchasing a quality product is by the LM79 & LM80 results.
Consumers need to pay attention to the Kelvin temperature on the fixture/ lamp before purchase. For those who don’t know; Kelvin temperatures are based off heating steel. The lower the temperature the warmer the color (reddish Orange) and as the temperature rises the bluer the steel becomes. When purchasing for a home you want to make sure that the Kelvin temperature is in the 2700K to 3000K range. Kelvin temperatures higher than 3000K you will have a very cold sterile looking environment that is not really conducive for a home. Generally you will find the higher color temperatures in offices and industrial settings. A quick side note about LED’s and Kelvin temperatures. The higher the Kelvin temperature the greater the LED’s lumen output is going to be.
The last thing everyone should know about before choosing a LED product is the CRI. CRI or Color Rendering Index is a scaled that runs from 0-100. The higher the number on the CRI scale the better the ability of the light source to reproduce the colors of various objects in comparison with sun light. Most LED manufactures products are in the low to mid 80’s on the CRI Index. There are a few exceptions that are in the 90’s. In my opinion these numbers are great for a home in every area but the kitchen. I don’t know about you, but my food needs to look right or I’m not going to eat it.
I hope you found this to be interesting and informative. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
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Written by admin on 09 September 2010
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New Haven Cheap Electricity: The state of Connecticut has some of the country’s highest energy costs. Our state government adopted legislation in May of 1998 that allows consumers to choose their own energy supplier. This can be a confusing topic for most people. That’s why www.mycheapelectricity.com was formed. Now you have an interactive solution to a tricky and confusing option. I’m sure most of you get mailers each week from alternate supplier telling you to switch to their service. But how do you know you are getting the best possible price? Why would I want to use a variable price over a fixed price? Do I have to sign a contract or will my credit have any implications on this process? What happens if my power goes out? Will CL&P or UI get mad at me for switching to another supplier? These are very real concerns and we going to answer these questions.
How do I know I’m getting the best possible price? New Haven Cheap Electricity This is a tricky answer and can only be found by doing historical research. Some suppliers offer what is known as a “teaser rate” that will adjust after a set amount of time. As a rule of thumb you want to stay away from suppliers who use contracts. I will go over that later in more detail. Currently one of www.mycheapelectricity.com suppliers has had the lowest rate in the state for the past year and half.
Why would I use a variable price over a fixed price? This all comes down to risk management. The variable prices are generally lower than the fixed prices so your savings are going to be greater if the rate doesn’t rise. However there is a possibility that the price will go up. This all depends upon supply and demand of the energy markets. A fixed price offers the consumer assurance that no matter what the market does their price will remain intact for the remainder of the year as New Haven cheap electricity.
Do I have to sign a contract or will my credit have any implications on this process? If you sign up with www.mycheapelectricity.com, you will never be asked to sign a contract nor will we ask for your social security numbers, credit card information, or banking information. Even if you do not use www.mycheapelectricity.com as your energy broker, we strongly suggest that you never provide that information to any broker or supplier. There is no need to enter into a contact for residential clients and we would be very weary of anyone who suggests the contrary.
What happens if my power should go out? You still contact CL&P or UI. The local utilities are still responsible for all the equipment and lines.
Will CL&P or UI get mad at me for switching to another supplier? Actually CL&P & UI prefers if you use an alternate supplier.
If you have more questions please feel free to write to me and I will get back to within 24 hours. New Haven Cheap Electricity
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Written by admin on 01 September 2010
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Aggregation is the process in which consumers join together to buy electricity or natural gas. Groups such as multiple property owners, health care facilities, manufacturers and municipalities can aggregate to purchase energy for the entire group. By purchasing energy in large blocks, aggregated groups may possess greater bargaining power than individual consumers. Each consumer can join or “opt in” to the program to take advantage of the discounted aggregated price and terms.
Tags: Electricity Aggregation
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Written by admin on 01 September 2010
What does energy deregulation mean?
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Today, there are 22 states involved in some form of energy deregulation program. Many other states have deregulation legislation on the docket moving forward. Prior to deregulation, organizations were forced to buy electricity and natural gas from local utilities that monopolized the power industry. Deregulation allows individuals and companies to choose their energy service companies (ESCOs) from a variety of energy supply sources. The competition leads to lower natural gas and electricity rates and increases the level of customer service because energy companies are now competing for your business.
How does the deregulation of energy work for your business?
Your energy service is broken into three distinctive parts.
1. Suppliers – the energy companies responsible for selling you, the
Customer, the energy product.
2. Transportation and Distribution Centers – the companies that are responsible for transporting the energy supply from its source to the receiving station of the utilities.
3. Local Distribution Center – the utility that delivers the electricity by wires and natural gas via pipes to your home or business.
We specifically work with the suppliers to secure the best possible rates.
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Written by admin on 31 August 2010
Cheap electricity: Connecticut has the highest cost of electricity in the continental United States. Therefore, it came as no surprise to us when many of our customers, strategic partners, friends and family continued to ask us “Can you save me money on my electricity at home?”
Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/horiavarlan/
Well the answer to that question is “YES!”
Start saving up to 20% off the generation portion of your bill.
- Free On-Line Enrollment
- No fees to Switch
- No Credit Checks
- Service & Billing still provided by CL&P or UI
- 50% & 100% Renewable Energy Option
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