Water can cause big problems with electrical service equipment, especially your main breaker panel. It can enter into the outside meter box, causing rust and corrosion that can damage the connections and cause a safety hazard. Water can also make its way into the main breaker panel often coming in thru the service entrance cable.

It’s important that the insulation covering your service entrance cables are in good condition so water can’t penetrate. The picture below shows a old rusted out meterbox in Landenburg, PA. The top photo shows the replacement installation, featuring a 200 amp service.

There are many things to consider when wiring and lighting your barns, garages and out buildings. Open bulb light fixtures can be unsafe because they can ignite fires if the bulbs are broken and even just the heat of an open bulb can ignite a fire.

Its a good idea to protect lights, switches, outlets and wiring from physical damage from farm tools, equipment and machinery as well as livestock and even rodents can chew through unprotected wires. Also its important to keep out the moisture as well as dust, debris and insects.

The two first pictures above show unsafe open bulb lighting and an unprotected switch and wiring at a sheep barn in Oxford, PA. The three final pictures show the new, safer lighting and wiring that we installed.

Sub-panels are smaller electrical panels that can be used to extend the feed from the main panel. They can be installed in your home to increase the branch circuit capacity in a certain area. They can also be installed in out-buildings, garages and barns.

Installing a sub-panel for a remodel job such as finishing a basement or an addition can make the project easier and is a safer way to go. Using sub-panels can also be more cost friendly and cuts down on the need for long runs of expensive copper wire for your branch circuits. Having breaker switches closer to the area that they are protecting is safer and more convenient to turn off and to reset.

The top photo shows a sub panel that we installed in a basement in Cochranville, PA in Chester county, and below is another from a garage in Cochranville.

The picture above shows 2 surge protectors that blew out from downed utility wires that caused a surge from outside a house in West Chester. They did their job and none of the equipment in the house was damaged.

Surge protectors and lightning arresters are a important part of a home’s electrical system. They protect our expensive electronics, TVs, stereos, computers and appliances. They come in different varieties, from small power strip types to receptacles that recess into the wall and also whole house surge protectors that are installed at the main panel.

This second picture shows a newly installed Delta whole house lightning arrester at the main panel in a home in West Grove, PA.

Ceiling fans are a great way to save not only in the summer but the winter too. Ceiling fans help to move the hot air that rises and gets trapped in the ceiling, moving it down, circulating and making your heaters work more efficiently, especially in homes with high ceilings.

Also, fans can be controlled by remote control, speed control switches and even by pull chains. Remote controls work great but can be susceptible to surges. We recently replaced a blown remote for a customer. A better option in many cases is to control the fan from the wall with a speed control switch.

Hurricane Irene slammed into the east coat over the past weekend and caused record power outages, some people are still out. Generators were a hot item and sold out quickly along with the related equipment such as generator transfer switches, generator panels, cords and plugs.

If you prepared ahead of time and had your generator wired and ready to go you where probably unaffected by the storm. People who had the automatic standby generators and even portable generators were glad they did, with all that rain it was important to keep the sump pumps running to prevent basements from flooding.

Please be sure to have your generator wired with the proper transfer equipment to prevent generator power from going back out on the utility lines that could cause injury to the lineman. Also remember to always run your generator out doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

This photo shows William Brown of Landenberg, PA had his generator wire up back in the early summer and was prepared for the storm; just roll it out of the garage and plug it in.

This picture shows 30 amp outdoor twist lock generator plug.

Ceiling fans can save you money on your electric bill all year long. In both winter and summer, ceiling fans help circulate the air in the house allowing your heating and cooling systems to run less.

With your heating and cooling running less, you can save money on your monthly electric bills. Most ceiling fans use about the same energy as a 100 watt bulb and they come in many different varieties. Southern Chester County Electric can install the ceiling fan that fits your style quickly and without hassle. (more…)

Large buildings such as warehouses and garages with high ceilings require powerful lighting to illuminate. Using 400 watt metal halide bay light fixtures are a good choice.

These light fixtures are low maintenance, energy efficient and have a long bulb life. Pictured above is George Goglia (me) and Mike Venti with his new garage lights installation at M&S Venti Trucking in Glenolden, PA.

Recently we were able to help support the Sacred Heart Golf Tournament.

Long time custoner Pat Kennedy of Newtown Sq. Pa with his new portable generator.