(Jan 13th 2011 10:25AM) Electric solar panels, technically known as photovoltaic -- or pv -- panels, are a very clever way to harness the power of the sun to provide direct current power for home and commercial use. Large arrays of electric solar panels are used to completely power a residence or office. Smaller pv panels will easily ...
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(Jan 6th 2011 10:58AM) LED (light emitting diodes) are frequently found in state of the art lighting fixtures (outdoor security, kitchen pencil lights); they\'ve moved on to the small flashlight business and may now be found there, as well. The principle advantages are that they provide immense illumination, for their size, and require ...
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(Dec 15th 2010 1:30PM) Heat tape -- also known as heat trace -- is a low-voltage heating cable designed to protect your water lines, meters, gutters, or any pipe or conduit that may be subject to freezing in an unheated area of your home. You attach the cabling to the pipe, insulate it (to distribute and prevent heat loss) and plug the ...
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(Oct 13th 2010 9:27AM) Rope lights -- also called string lights -- are perfect for Christmas decorations. They are available in a variety of colors and may be strung, end to end, for up to about 300\', depending on the manufacturers recommendation. They are totally flexible, so you can bend them around corners and make unusually shaped ...
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(Sep 28th 2010 4:47PM) Whenever I\'m in a confining public place -- restaurant, grocery store, movie theater -- I unconsciously look for a way out in the case of an emergency. Not that I\'m paranoid (well, not all that much) but I know most people don\'t give any thought to an emergency egress and I don\'t want to be stuck behind them ...
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(Jun 16th 2010 1:53PM) It\'s HOT; and in many parts of the country, it\'s going to stay that way for a while. If you need to keep your cool while you\'re working in a normally non-air conditioned space, your best -- maybe your only -- relief is by using a portable air conditioner. Fortunately, there are scads of them available on the ...
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(May 5th 2010 8:56AM) Triple tap outlets have to be one of the best electrical gadgets ever offered to the homeowner -- you get the convenience of multiple outlets at one site on a wall. No more dragging extension cords around the place to allow you to operate multiple accessories. And, for occasions like the holidays, when you need ...
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(Jan 28th 2010 8:47PM) I like security lights -- I have them strategically located around the perimeter of my home. Admittedly, some are landscape lights that emphasize the specimen trees and shrubs, but they serve the same purpose in keeping the exterior of my home well-lit to welcome visitors and discourage those unwanted. If you ...
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(Dec 11th 2009 5:48PM) Work lights -- for a homeowner or a contractor, you just can\'t get along without one, or two, or three. They are light-weight, powerful, heavy-duty, and convenient. What\'s not to like? Below the fold, a look at some nice work lights. ...
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