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ELECTRICAL FAQ
T8 Fluorescent Lighting New PDF File
What types of jobs require permits?
When do I need a wiring permit?
What are the costs of a wiring permit?
What causes delays in processing my application for a wiring permit?
When will my power be connected?
Do I have to upgrade/increase my electrical service?
Do I have to replace the aluminum wiring throughout my house?
Do I need a permit to do electrical work in my own home?
How do I coordinate an inspection time?
I'm concerned about safety. Is your work tested?
Do you guarantee your work?
Are Imperial Diesel Generators Designed for prime power, or are they just back-up generators?
Why is a diesel generator better than a gasoline generator?
How can I reduce lighting cost
How much can I save?
Can I improve?
How can I instantly save?
T12 vs. T8?
Renovating:Upgrade or replace?
The fire alarm system in my area is faulty. What do I do?
I have discovered a fire extinguisher that is damaged/has been used what should I do?
How do I choose a contractor?
Do we need to sign a contract?
What types of jobs require permits?
Check with your local building department. The rules change. Usually the rule is if you add to an existing circuit or if you install a new circuit you need to pull an electrical permit.
When do I need a wiring permit?
Permits are required for all work performed by electricians, work done by home owners requesting inspections, re-installation of meters removed by utilities and low voltage work such as data, non-utility phone, burglar and smoke alarms.
What are the costs of a wiring permit?
The most common causes of delay are lack of proof of liability insurance when required, lack of workman's compensation insurance when required, owing taxes or fees to the City, absence of the utility sequence number, no Fire Department fire alarm or oil burner forms.
What causes delays in processing my application for a wiring permit?
The most common causes of delay are lack of proof of liability insurance when required, lack of workman's compensation insurance when required, owing taxes or fees to the City, absence of the utility sequence number, no Fire Department fire alarm or oil burner forms.
When will my power be connected?
When will my power be connected?
Do I have to upgrade/increase my electrical service?
Existing electrical services are not required to be upgraded; however, mortgage companies may require a minimum 100-amp, 240-volt service with circuit breakers.
Do I have to replace the aluminum wiring throughout my house?
Aluminum wiring is not required to be replaced.
Do I need a permit to do electrical work in my own home?
A permit is required for all electrical work except for persons making minor repairs and replacements to existing wiring in their own home. Generally, this exception applies to replacing an existing switch, receptacle, or light fixture, but not to extending or installing circuit wiring. Working without a permit is a violation and subject to a civil penalty of $1,000.00.
How do I coordinate an inspection time?
You and your contractor should coordinate your inspection requests so that they can be provided in a timely manner
I'm concerned about safety. Is your work tested?
All our work is tested in accordance with 16th Edition Wiring Regulations.
Do you guarantee your work?
All our work carries a 12-month guarantee from the date of installation.
Are Imperial Diesel Generators Designed for prime power, or are they just back-up generators?
Imperial Diesel Generators will meet any power need, but they are designed to meet the strenuous demands of continuous use by farms and industry, when sufficient power is difficult to acquire.
Why is a diesel generator better than a gasoline generator?
Because of the way diesel engines are built they will last many times longer than a gasoline powered engine. Diesels are far more efficient, as well.
How can I reduce lighting cost
Though the energy used by a single light is small, if you use energy-efficiency practices with all your lights, the savings can add up. To reduce your lighting costs, consider:
- Evaluating your lighting needs (in case of an overlit facility, delamping might be appropriate).
- Replacing T12 fluorescent lights with more energy efficient T8 lights and electronic ballasts.
- Replacing old exit lights with new energy efficient ones that use fluorescent or LED technology.
- Installing controls such as timers, time clocks or photocells to ensure that exterior lights are turned off at the appropriate time.
- Replacing incandescent lights with ENERGY STAR®-qualified compact fluorescent lights that can reduce lighting costs by up to 70 percent and last up to eight times longer.
How much can I save?
Determine the percentage of your electric use that can be attributed to lighting. For most commercial facilities, lighting is responsible for 30 percent of the electric bill. If you will implement energy-efficiency practices that reduce your lighting load by half, your bill will see a cost reduction of 15 percent.
Can I improve?
Look around. If your building has multiple incandescent lights (standard, flood, halogen) or T12 (1 1/2-inch diameter) fluorescent lights, it is probably a good candidate for a lighting retrofit. Call your utility company and ask them to conduct a free energy audit. You may discover a very attractive payback by improving your lighting system. In addition, you will have opportunity to better assess your building lighting needs and adjust them accordingly
- Turn off non-essential and decorative lighting, especially in unoccupied areas.
- Replace flickering, dim and burned-out lights.
- Clean fixtures and diffusers (at least annually).
- Color-code or mark light switches and circuit breakers that can be turned off when not needed.
- Use task lighting to directly illuminate work areas reducing the need for general lighting.
- Lower the height of light fixtures if possible to increase usable light.
- Replace burned out lights with lower wattage lights or energy-saving lights wherever possible.
- Replacing interior incandescent lighting systems with compact fluorescent lights.
- Replace exterior incandescent security flood lighting with high-pressure sodium fixtures.
- Replace existing T12 lighting systems with energy-efficient T8 lighting and electronic ballasts.
- Install more efficient security and parking lot lighting. High-pressure sodium fixtures are more efficient than metal halide, mercury vapor, fluorescent or incandescent fixtures.
- Install time clocks or photoelectric cells to control exterior lighting, advertising sign lighting and some interior lighting.
- Paint dark walls and ceilings with lighter colors to maximize the effect of existing light sources.
- Maximize natural lighting by installing skylights or windows and dim or separately switch off perimeter lighting fixtures during daylight hours.
- Install dimmer or occupancy switches where appropriate to lower energy use such as in stairwells, copy rooms, restrooms.
- Schedule janitorial services during the day, or use a minimum number of lights when cleaning.
- Color-code switches that should remain off when janitorial crews are cleaning.
- Implement a group re-lamping schedule, and re-lamp at 70 percent of rated light life. Lights that run longer than 70 percent of their rated life actually cost more in terms of the ratio of energy use to light output.
- Trim bushes and trees away from outdoor lighting to maximize illumination and prevent shadows.
T12 vs. T8?
If you replace your existing T12 lighting system with T8 lights and magnetic ballasts with electronic ballasts, you will see a reduction of lighting energy by 17 to 48 percent depending on the specific lights and ballasts. In some instances, you may want to remove some of the existing T12 lights and not replace them. You may also use one electronic ballast to serve four lights instead of one magnetic ballast for two lights previously installed. Or, you may use specular reflectors to further enhance light distribution. The overall result may bring 50 percent savings without compromising the quality of delivered light.
Renovating:Upgrade or replace?
It all depends on your particular situation. As you are well aware, building renovation involves compliance with the current building code which may affect your decision one way or the other. Your design team (architect, engineer or contractor) should be able to advise which scheme is more beneficial to you.
Generally, if your renovations are modest and you are not changing your lighting system in any major way, most older systems can be retrofitted to use less energy. You should probably retrofit your lighting system if:
- The fixtures are not being moved and your design team recommends retrofitting the fixtures in place.
- You have a relatively modern lighting system that require simple cleaning and retrofitting of T8 lights and ballasts. Retrofit reflectors may permit delamping to further reduce energy use.
- You have an open commercial or industrial lighting system that can be easily retrofitted in place.
You should probably replace your lighting system if:
- It is an old style lighting system that is no longer suitable for modern office environment. Modern office space with computers generally should be updated to either parabolic troffers or suspended indirect lighting systems, and the energy savings will often pay for the cost of the new lighting system.
- The existing lighting system is sufficiently worn, broken, or damaged to warrant a new system. The cost of disassembly, repair, washing, new reflector, wiring, ballast and lights and re-installation may well exceed the cost of removing the fixture, disposal and a new fixture purchase and installation.
The fire alarm system in my area is faulty. What do I do?
Routine testing of fire alarm systems helps to allow identification of any faults that may develop. If you become aware of a fault in an alarm or detection system you should bring it to the attention of your Area Fire Officer (AFO) (or Deputy). If you do not have an AFO, or if they are unavailable, then you should contact the University Fire Officer or Central Services Main Gatehouse who will arrange to have an engineer attend.
I have discovered a fire extinguisher that is damaged/has been used what should I do?
You should bring it to the attention of your Area Fire Officer (AFO) (or Deputy). If you do not have an AFO, or if they are unavailable, then you should contact the University Fire Officer who will arrange for replacement or repair.
How do I choose a contractor?
Here are some factors you should consider when choosing a contractor:
1. references
2. workmanship quality
3. professionalism
4. communication abilities
5. member of a building association
Finding a contractor with whom you can develop a strong, trusting working relationship is key.
Do we need to sign a contract?
Yes, you should always have a written agreement between you and your contractor which outlines the scope of work, warrantees, timelines, budgets, liability etc. There needs to be a clear picture of what the contractor is providing.