​Deck the halls with boughs of holly… and a few lights while you’re at it! Tis the season to create a winter wonderland with twinkling lights and festive decorations. While Christmas lights bring a smile to our faces, unless you’re the Scrooge, there’s also potential risk that comes along with hanging them. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Christmas lights cause 40% of Christmas tree fires, and overall decorations caused more than 15,000 injuries resulting in an emergency room visit – with falls being the highest at 34%, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Let’s take a look at the top 10 safety tips to ensure decorating your home goes without issue:

• Replace old or damaged Christmas lights. It’s important to check your light strings before plugging them for any cracked bulbs or frayed and exposed wires.
• Only use indoor and outdoor lights where approved. It is not safe to expose indoor lights to the elements and cold temperatures.
• Utilize GFCI outlets for outdoor lights. These outlets prevent injuries from shock and do not allow the circuit to overheat which can lead to electrical fires. They can also be exposed to rain and snow.
• As a rule of thumb, never plug more than three sets of lights into a single extension cord – depending on the wattage of your light strings and the max capacity of the plug.
• Always use your ladder appropriately and with great care. Make sure to place your ladder on level ground, move the ladder necessary to avoid over-reaching and never stand above the recommended safe-standing level marked on your ladder.
• Keep your Christmas tree hydrated. Dry tree needles can be cause for electrical fires.
• Use the proper tools and accessories to hang your lights. Nails or screws should not be used as they can damage the wiring leading to shock or failure of the lights. You should also secure loose strands with electrical tape or ground staples to prevent personal injury.
• Turning your lights off before bed or after long periods of use. Timers are a fantastic lighting control to make sure your lights are on during peak hours and are turned off each night.
• Make the switch to LED. They are cool to the touch, operate well in cold temperatures and use significantly less energy.
• At the end of the season, store your lights properly to avoid broken bulbs, frayed wires and damaged plugs. Use a container that seals well to prevent possible water damage and pesky rodents that may chew on the cords.

 
*As always, if you should have technical questions, please consult an electrician in your local area.
 
Lighting Supply has a great selection of Christmas lights including replacement bulbs, string lights, rope lights and more! With these safety tips in your back pocket and our stock at your fingertips, we hope you are able to bring the magic of Christmas to your home this holiday season! If you have questions about our Christmas light selection, please give our Customer Service Team a call at 877.231.2852 or leave a comment below.

Founded and celebrated by the National Fire Protection Associate (NFPA), October is Fire Prevention Month. This year, Fire Prevention Week is October 6th – October 12th. In commemoration of the Great Fire of Chicago in 1871, local Fire Departments will educate their community and encourage everyone to practice fire safety by checking your smoke alarms and creating an escape plan in case of fire.
 
Three out of five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no working smoke alarms and the #1 cause of accidental home deaths is Carbon Monoxide. Smoke and CO alarms should be checked monthly and replaced every 7-10 years. Both alarms should be installed in each bedroom and on every level of the home, including the basement. You should also have a fire extinguisher on every level of your home, plus in the kitchen and garage.
 
Being prepared is key in any emergency situation. To help ensure your safety before and during a fire eliminate clutter that can easily become a fuel source or block exits, store flammable chemicals properly, ensure all exits are easily accessible, have a list of emergency contact information and an escape plan that is well-practiced.
 
Be proactive, not reactive – protect your family from potential disaster. Lighting Supply offers many fire safety products including smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers and escape ladders. Give our expert Customer Service Team a call or leave a comment below and we will be happy to point you in the right direction!
 
Sources: First Alert, Safety Resources
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NEW BRAND SPOTLIGHT!
​Founded in 1886 by a blacksmith, Channellock’s beginnings are humble and proud. George B. DeArment began hand-forging farrier’s tools in a small factory and then sold them in town out of the back of his wagon. His business eventually became known as the Champion Bolt & Clipper Company. DeArment founded his company on four guiding principles still followed today: good management is never far from the factory floor, people are more important than machines, bigger doesn’t always mean better and dedication to excellence is the surest way to surmount adversity and to prosper. 

In its earlier years, Channellock expanded their product line to include nippers, pinchers and open-end wrenches. After DeArment retired in 1911, his sons, Almon and J. Howard, took over the company and expanded the line again to include hammers. In 1933, a breakthrough year for the company, they developed multi-purpose, tongue and groove, and slip-joint pliers coined “Channellock”; 33 years later, the company changed their name to Channellock to protect its trademark.

Channellock is proud to be an All-American company and LightingSupply.com is excited to offer 200+ Channellock products - including wire strippers, screwdrivers, wrenches and pliers. For more information, give our Customer Service team a call at 877.231.2852 or email us here.

It’s mid-summer and by now we’re well acquainted with those pesky bugs who keep us company in the evenings while spending time out on the patio. We’re faced with the dilemma of keeping the bug-attracting lights on or turning them off and sitting in the dark. Maybe we don’t have to make that choice after all! 

​Insects are only able to see three colors on the visible light spectrum – ultraviolet, blue and green. Since they are unable to perceive yellow, it has become a popular color choice when it comes to bug lights! Not to be confused with a bug zapper, bug lights do not repel or kill bugs, they simply use a filtered yellow glass to deter them better than traditional light bulbs, such as incandescent and CFL bulbs. Bugs are also attracted to the heat produced by a light – making incandescent bulbs the worst choice for your outdoor patio lighting. LED bulbs with warm color temperatures (yellow orange) are the most effective since they also produce little to no heat. Red light bulbs work even better but do not produce enough visible light for humans to see.

With a worldwide population of around 7.4 billion people, you can only imagine how much energy we consume. To quantify it, we use BTUs to measure how much energy we produce. A BTU roughly equates to the amount of energy released when a single match is lit. According to Inside Energy, we produce 78 million BTU per person, per year, worldwide – that’s 2.5 match strikes, per second, per person! America makes up 1/6th of the world’s energy consumption. We can all do our part to cut down on our energy usage. One small way to make a difference is by switching to LED lighting. LED lighting can reduce energy usage by about 60% and lasts 25 times longer than older technologies like incandescent, fluorescent and CFL. Per Energy.gov, by replacing your home’s five most frequently used light fixtures or bulbs with LED products that earned the ENERGY STAR, you can save $75 each year!
 
Not only are you going to be able to save money by making the switch to LED lighting, there are many other benefits not just for you, but also for the environment. Let’s take a look at a few of the perks of LED lighting.

• LONG LIFE: LED lighting has an average life of 30,000-50,000 hours as compared to incandescent and CFLs that last for 1,000 hours or 8,000-10,000 hours, respectively. LEDs never “burn out” but simply dim over time. 

 

• ENERGY EFFICIENT: LED lighting uses about 50%-60% less energy than incandescent and halogen bulbs. It is also directional so there is no wasted light output or energy and it reduces the need for reflectors and diffusers that can block the light. LED lighting is so efficient that it’s becoming more common in streetlighting, parking lots, parking garages and on building facades where the amount of energy used is significant. 

 

• SAFETY & DURABILITY: LED light bulbs do not utilize a filament or glass casing, therefore making them extremely durable. Since most are made of plastic, there is very little chance of the bulb shattering if dropped. Also, as compared to incandescent bulbs that lose 90% of their light output to heat, LEDs do not produce heat, so they don’t become hot to the touch even after being illuminated for hours. This calls for less risk of accidental fires or burns.

 

• COLOR RENDERING: LED lighting has fantastic color rendering, or CRI. It produces a light that shows an item’s truest color and doesn’t wash it out, making them perfect for use in displays and retail applications. 

 

• ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY: CFL and fluorescent bulbs contain mercury and can be dangerous if broken and must be disposed of properly once they burn out. LED lighting contains no mercury and can be disposed of easily and are recyclable. The production of one LED bulb saves material and production of 24 incandescent bulbs! 

 

• NO UV EMISSIONS: LED bulbs produce little to no UV emissions which makes them great for use in museums and clothing stores. The LED light will not deteriorate the artwork or fade the clothing.

 

• GREAT IN EXTREME TEMPERATURES: LED lighting operates extremely well in cold temperatures unlike older technologies that require warmer temperatures to start. LED bulbs are ideal for use in refrigerated displays, cold storage and freezers. As a result, outdoor lighting is also seeing a rise in LED lighting upgrades in parking lots, building exteriors and signage.

 

• CONTROLABILITY: Older technologies are not as versatile as LED lighting. LED lighting can be paired with smart systems and controlled with remotes, timers, sensors and even your smart phone! Most have incredible dimming capabilities that can dim down to 10% light output, whereas some other technologies will only dim to 30%. 
  

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​Let our Customer Service team help you upgrade your current lighting to LED today! They are knowledgeable in all aspects of lighting and will be able to recommend the best option to fit your specific needs and applications. Call 877.231.2852 or send an email to get started. ​​​Check out our latest ​​flyer with popular, top-selling LED products that will start saving you money on your energy bills.

NEW BRAND SPOTLIGHT!
For the past 126 years, Bryant Electric has been serving the industrial, commercial, institutional and residential markets. In 1888, founder Waldo Calvin Bryant, received a patent for the first push-pull switch that put the wiring device industry on the map. Bryant’s superior engineering has led to many innovative products including the Quick-Tech connectorized receptacles that easily wire – cutting down on installation costs. Bryant also takes pride in their CIRCUITPRO Self-Test GFCI receptacles. These receptacles not only track ground faults, but they self-test every minute to guarantee that they are working properly.
 
Bryant Electric has a expansive offering of wiring devices and accessories including switches, sensors, wallplates, covers and motor control products. They also have an incredible selection of durable, impact-resistant nylon construction plugs and connectors that they introduced to the market more than 40 years ago. Their outstanding performance continues to make Bryant a respected leader in the wiring device industry.
 
Visit LightingSupply.com to check out the 8,600+ Bryant products we now offer! For more information, give our Customer Service team a call at 877.231.2852 or email us here. 

Properly lighting a large commercial building can be intimidating to many building owners, however, it is essential. Commercial buildings such as professional offices, medical centers, shopping malls and retail stores require a tremendous amount of light for the safety and productivity of the space. From potential visitors seeing the building from the road to guests experiencing the indoor space, lighting plays a key role. There are many factors to consider including indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures, tools and accessories needed to bring the space’s lighting to the next level. Let’s take a look at some popular commercial lighting options.

​INDOOR COMMERCIAL LIGHTING
​HIGH BAY FIXTURES & SENSORS
Light your commercial space with high bay fixtures to maximize efficiency and safety. They produce a ton of light and are ideal for ceilings that are 20 feet or higher. Traditionally, they use high output fluorescent tubes or high intensity discharge (HID) bulbs such as metal halides and high-pressure sodium lamps. However, these technologies have many drawbacks including long warm up times, poor color rendering and high energy costs. Upgrade your high bay fixtures to LED and start saving on your energy bill – either with LED corn cob retrofit bulbs, LED tubes or install fully integrated LED high bay fixtures. Want to save even more on your energy bill? Add a motion sensor to your high bay fixture to control your lighting usage by having them turn on only when needed.
 
TUBES: FLUORESCENT VS LED
Tubes are a popular choice in lighting when it comes to commercial spaces. For those looking to save on energy costs as compared to HID bulbs, fluorescent tubes are a good choice. Offered in different color temperatures, wattages and lengths, fluorescent tubes allow for customization in any space. However, they do have their downfalls when compared to their LED counterpart. LED tubes operate well in cold weather, produce little to no heat, turn on (full brightness) immediately, have an extremely long life and are the most energy-efficient choice on the market. LED tubes are quick and easy to install with plug and play options that work with many instant start ballasts or direct wire options that bypass the ballast, so it’s no longer needed – saving you even more money on replacement ballasts!

​HIGH INTENSITY BULBS: HID VS LED
HID bulbs are the most common choice in lighting technologies for commercial spaces. They are great for tight budgets, as they have low initial costs. However, they do not offer much variety and have a short lifespan. With the rise of LED technology, HID bulbs are being used less and less. LED corn cob bulbs produce a powerful, bright light and are more energy efficient than HID bulbs. They allow for fixtures to be retrofitted quickly and easily – offered in different styles in order to fit any fixture, including shoeboxes, wall packs and high bays. Not only are your standard shapes offered, some LED corn cobs also offer multi-directional lighting with adjustable beam spreads to suit your need.

​TEMPORARY & WORK LIGHTS
Enjoy the freedom of being able to move your light source with you while on the job site! Temporary work lights are ideal for new construction and renovation projects. The portable lighting creates a safe environment that is easy to maintain in the chaos of construction. Temporary work lights can be installed on a job site for the duration of the project and then packed up and installed at the next job. Most temporary lights come with metal guards to protect the durable fixtures and can be hung from the ceiling to provide 360-degree lighting. Others can be set up on the ground using a tripod with a bright light source mounted on top. One of the most popular choices for temporary lights is a temporary light stringer – with multiple sockets for lamps enclosed in cages for protection. Whatever option you choose, all are damp location rated and vibration resistant!

​OUTDOOR COMMERCIAL LIGHTING
​WALL PACKS
Keep your commercial building’s exterior well-lit with a wall pack! Wall pack fixtures will add a level of security to your parking lot – helping your guests feel safe. They’re also great for making your commercial space more visible for after-dark visitors and improving the appeal of your building. Wall pack fixtures have traditionally used inefficient HID bulbs, which rely on reflective lighting since the light produced by an HID bulb is not directional. About 30% of an HID’s light output is “lost” in the fixture and is never projected outward. However, with LED corn cob retrofit bulbs for existing fixtures or fully integrated LED wall pack fixtures, the produced light is directional, and no light output is lost. They also have a considerably longer lifespan than their HID counterparts. 

FLOOD LIGHT FIXTURES
Flood light fixtures offer directional lighting and are commonly used to illuminate parking lots, building facades and landscape elements. Many parking lots have a dim, orange appearance as a result of using HID bulbs. This can give your commercial building an unattractive character – leaving guests feeling unsafe and unwelcome. Consider upgrading to fully integrated LED flood light fixtures instead to allow for a clear, bright white light and eliminate the need for frequent bulb replacements. Plus, you will lower your energy costs! LED flood light fixtures deliver consistent, even light distribution and help to improve the overall appearance of your commercial building’s exterior. When choosing flood lights for your building, consider the area you are looking to highlight. For smaller areas, like gardens or entryways, use a flood light with less lumens and a warmer color temperature (between 3000K-3500K) so you don’t overwhelm guests or create unwanted glare. For larger areas, such as parking lots, use a flood light with a high lumen count and a bright white color temperature (between 4000K-5000K).

​ELECTRICAL TOOLS & INSTALLATION ESSENTIALS
ELECTRICAL & INSTALLATION
From start to finish, you’ll want to make sure all your bases are covered when it comes to electrical and installation essentials. From wall switches and outlets to plugs and connectors, there are many products needed to complete the job. Other items to be aware of include mounting brackets and hanging kits, boxes and panels, wire connectors and sockets. Every toolbox should always have tape, zip ties and nuts and bolts.

​TOOLS
There’s nothing worse than being on the job site without the proper tools. With trusted brands like Garvin, Caddy and Ideal, Lighting Supply has you covered! Lamp changers and your other basic hand tools like screwdrivers, crimpers, pliers and wire strippers are essentials every professional should carry. When working with electrical currents, it's important to have test equipment handy such as light meters, ballast testers, lamp testers and receptacle testers. Lastly, don’t get caught in a dark basement or crawl space without your flashlight! To ensure a working flashlight, always keep a healthy stock of batteries in your tool bag or box – or upgrade to an LED flashlight!

We’ve all experienced the violet glow at arcades, nightclubs and bowling alleys and gave credit to the blacklights. However, “blacklight” is not necessarily the correct term when referring to these fun light bulbs. There are two types of blacklights – blacklight bulbs (BL) and blacklight blue bulbs (BLB) – and they each serve different purposes. The difference between the two bulbs is the amount of ultraviolet light they emit in relation to visible white light. All fluorescent light bulbs have a special phosphor coating, which determines what amount of visible light is seen. Let’s take a look at a few other fundamental differences between the two blacklight bulb types.

 BLACKLIGHT BLUE BULBS
Blacklight blue bulbs have a dark blue, almost black, coating. They use “Wood’s Glass”, a nickel-oxide coated glass, which blocks all visible light – allowing a faint violet glow to escape. When the phosphors are activated it’s known as luminescence and this makes objects near them appear to glow. Blacklight blue bulbs are commonly used for special effects, forensics, dermatology and medical applications, such as phototherapy for newborns with jaundice.

BLACKLIGHT BULBS
Blacklight bulbs appear white in color like a typical fluorescent tube when they're turned off. Turn them on and they glow electric blue through UV transmissive glass. Contrary to their name, blacklight bulbs have a bluer light than blacklight blue bulbs, which appear violet. They are ideal for use in bug zappers since flying insects can see their emitted UV light and are attracted to it.
 
Instead of attracting bugs, which blacklights are good for, yellow bug lights are great for keeping those pesky insects away. Most insects cannot see yellow light so they will not be drawn to it.

​​Still a bit confused? Whether you’re looking to attract insects or set your party aglow, our Customer Service Reps will be able to assist you in choosing the right blacklight (or blacklight blue) bulb. Give them a call at 877.231.2852 or leave a comment below.

Spring is in full effect and the days are getting longer. With more sunlight there’s a greater opportunity to save energy and money on your outdoor lighting – and you don’t even need to lift a hand. Leave the burden of turning on/off lighting to outdoor controls, including dusk to dawn fixtures (with photocells), timers, solar lights and motion sensors. All of these options are simple to use and will put your mind at ease.

DUSK TO DAWN
Perhaps the most hands-off approach, dusk to dawn light fixtures use a photocell to control lighting fixtures. Photocells detect natural light to turn on and off when the sun sets and rises, respectively. This option is a big energy saver as there’s no unnecessary usage. They also account for seasonal shifts in daylight as they will automatically conform to longer days and shorter nights – unlike a timer that must be manually adjusted. Photocells can easily be added to most fixtures to convert them into dusk to dawn fixtures.

TIMERS
While timers do need to be manually adjusted based on differing daylight hours, they are still a fantastic tool to control your lighting – allowing you to set the timer to the exact minute you want your lights to be active. They are especially beneficial during the spring and summer when paired with outdoor string lights on your deck or patio.​

SOLAR LIGHTS
Solar lights are a “set it and forget it” type of lighting. They require little to no maintenance and typically use LED lights, making them even more energy efficient. Solar lights work by using a solar cell that converts sunlight into an electrical current. The sunlight is stored in the fixture during the day, then in the evening, a photoreceptor senses the darkness and turns on the light. The solar cell stops working and gets weaker and eventually turns the light off. The process of collecting sunlight then begins again the next morning.

MOTION DETECTOR
Do bumps in the night keep you on edge? You can relax and take comfort in knowing that your motion detector light fixtures will turn on when they sense movement nearby. Motion-activated fixtures have sensors that detect infrared waves, or heat waves that are emitted by moving objects. Install them on your garage, by entry ways or directed towards your driveway for peace of mind.

Whether you spend your spring and summer nights outside on the patio, or just want added home security, Lighting Supply will have the best outdoor lighting controls for your application. We carry hundreds of options and our Customer Service department is standing by to answer any questions. Give them a call Monday through Friday from 7:00 am – 6:00 pm ET or leave a comment below!

With LED lighting becoming the norm, more people are becoming aware of the benefits of upgrading outdated lighting. However, this does not mean the switch is always straight-forward; there’s room for error. To avoid these issues, check out these common mistakes first-time LED users tend to make.

​Assuming your fixture accepts LED bulbs.
Think of any light bulb imaginable; chances are there’s an LED replacement. There are numerous terms to describe the usability of these products. You may see terms like “ballast compatible”, “plug and play”, "instant fit" or “direct wire”. Ballast compatible, plug and play and instant fit all essentially mean the same – remove your current bulb and simply replace it with its LED counterpart. If you have a direct wire LED bulb, you will need to remove the ballast, or power supply, and hard-wire the LED bulb and socket. Always read the manufacturer’s specifications and your fixture’s guidelines to ensure the proper use and acceptance.

​Not taking light output into account.
When replacing standard light bulbs, we are accustomed to comparing the wattage and finding one that matches the light output we are looking for. With LED bulbs, the comparison is not always so simple. To get a more accurate LED replacement, you must check the lumen output, or the amount of visible light a bulb emits. For example, a 60 watt A19 bulb – think the standard light bulb in your home – produces about 800 lumens. Its LED counterpart that produces the same number of lumens will use, on average, only 10 watts. Learn more about lumen comparison here.

​Choosing the wrong color temperature.
Identifying the right color temperature, measured in Kelvin, is important when lighting a room. Color temperature has nothing to do with the actual heat a bulb produces, but rather the color tone of the bulb – ranging from warm to cool to daylight. For some bulbs, it’s simple to figure out their color temperature as it is stamped on the bulb itself. However, some will not be so obvious. For example, if you are replacing an incandescent bulb with an LED and want it to emit the same warmness, choose a bulb with a Kelvin rating of 2200K-2700K. For halogen bulbs, choose a color temperature around 3000K-3200K, as most halogens have a warm color tone.

​Not considering the light pattern the bulb will produce.
When choosing an LED replacement bulb, be sure to check the beam angle and light pattern. Not all light bulbs are omni-directional; meaning the light shines in all directions. Also, not all bulbs will project the same light pattern you’re aiming for. For example, an A19 bulb is omni-directional and is great for general lighting purposes. Whereas a PAR-shaped bulb is highly directional and is ideal for highlighting landscape elements in front of your home. Bulbs can also have different beam spreads that can vary from narrow to wide, depending on their application.
 
Not using a compatible dimmer.
Incandescent and halogen bulbs are fundamentally dimmable with any dimmer switch as long as the voltage and wattage requirements are met. However, not all dimmer switches are compatible with LED bulbs and not all LED bulbs are dimmable. If you experience flickering, strobing, unresponsive bulbs, or bulbs that turn off before reaching the lowest dimming range, it’s likely that your dimmer is not compatible with your LED bulb. Ensure that you are using an LED dimmer so the bulbs function properly.
 
Not doing your research.
With the demand for LED products on a steep incline, it seems there are new companies popping up each day with the “latest and greatest” technology. However, many of these products are made in foreign countries with no direct customer service – making returns of damaged or defective products nearly impossible. Many of these new companies are not reputable and may be producing low quality products that will fail quickly. Research the brands and companies you are ordering from and be aware of their history, return policy, warranties and customer reviews.

With so many LED options on the market, it can be hard to make the right decision. Let us give you a hand. Lighting Supply been around for 35 years and we're focused on strong customer support and selling trusted brands. Our knowledgeable Customer Service Representatives are here to help guide you in the right direction. Give them a call at 877.231.2852 or leave a comment below.