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Troubleshooting Electronic Devices

Once we upgraded our home by adding a new sound system and home theater system, we found ourselves neck-deep in electrical device problems. It seemed like no matter how hard we tried, we just couldn't figure out how to troubleshoot some of the devices. It was frustrating. Fortunately, a friend of ours took the time to come over and teach us more about figuring out electrical issues. After a little work, we were able to get all of our systems working beautifully. I wanted to make this blog to help other homeowners who might be bad with electronics. Read on to learn how to troubleshoot your gadgets.

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Troubleshooting Electronic Devices

Five Mistakes To Avoid When You Purchase LED Light Bulbs For Your Home

by Summer Li

LED light bulbs are a great choice for your home because they are efficient and also come in a wide variety of styles and colors. However, you need to take some important considerations into account to choose the right bulbs for your particular lighting situation.

The following are five mistakes to avoid to make sure that you select the right LED light bulbs for the right situations:

1. Selecting bulbs that don't match your existing sockets

Depending on the condition and design of your sockets, you may need to replace both your sockets and your bulbs to switch over to LED bulbs.

While LED bulbs were designed to fit in traditional sockets, some traditional sockets might be too deep or not properly shaped for LED bulbs. Also, sockets can become corroded over time and require replacement. Inspect your sockets before buying bulbs to make sure that they are the right shape and don't need to be replaced. 

2. Not understanding what different lumen values mean

With traditional incandescent bulbs, you can use the watts to determine how bright a bulb will be. LED bulbs work differently and use lumens instead of watts to determine brightness. Generally, a 100-watt bulb will have approximately the same brightness as an LED bulb with 1600 lumens. Before you purchase a bulb, familiarize yourself with lumens and make sure you're choosing a bulb that will offer the appropriate amount of brightness. 

3. Assuming you can't use LED bulbs on dimmer lights

Some people make the incorrect assumption that all LED lights won't work on dimmer switches. However, this is not the case. Some LED bulbs may be able to work on a dimmer switch. However, it's possible that the dimmer switch will have to be switched out as well as the bulb if you're switching over to an LED dimmer setup. If you're not sure, you should consult with an electrician to see if your original dimmer switch will work with new LED bulbs. 

4. Choosing to put LED bulbs in a location that is subjected to temperature extremes

LED bulbs won't necessarily work well in situations where very high or low temperatures are frequently reached. Hot temperatures can fry the typical LED bulb cluster. Also, LED bulbs will be likely to die quickly if they are used in very cold environments. Limit LED bulb use to areas around your home or property where temperatures remain moderate. 

5. Putting LED bulbs in your garage

Another environment that's not really ideal for LED bulbs is a garage environment. LED bulbs might not work well with typical garage door sensors. Also, a garage door vibrates when it opens and closes, and this vibration could damage the diodes of an LED bulb. 

To learn more about LED lighting, contact a company like Trade Source Inc. 

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