How to Protect Your Electronics

summerheatpalmtree-587117Ahh, Summer.  It’s already  one of the hottest years on record for much of California, and in light of  soaring temperatures, it’s an important time to closely monitor your valuable electronics and data centers.  You’ll want to make sure air-conditioning and water-cooling systems are working properly, but there are more steps you can take to ensure your electronics survive the heat.

Fact:  Electronic devices tend to run 10-20 degrees higher than room temperature. If temperatures become too hot, outside cooling and ventilation is needed to prevent overheating.  While air-conditioning may fit the bill, in some cases you may want invest in an environmental monitoring system to ensure your electronics keep safe. Continue reading How to Protect Your Electronics

Holiday Safety: Outdoor Decorations

lightsNow that the inside of your house is ready go, time to tackle the outside! There are several mistakes that people often make, and Quail Electronics wants to make sure none of those happen!

We’ve said it a million times, but we’ll say it again.  Check to make sure all the wires of your lights are not frayed.  It may seem basic, but it’s something that can be overlooked and lead to a major fire hazard. Christmas lights aren’t made to last a long time.  Also, perform a test run of your lights. Plug them in briefly to an outlet to check if any lights are burn out.  Mark the ones that are burn out with a small piece of masking tape. Then unplug the lights before replacing the bulbs. Continue reading Holiday Safety: Outdoor Decorations

Holiday Safety: Indoor Decorations

treeI love the holiday season.  I love the holiday coffee cups, the constant barrage of Christmas carols, and the gentle wafting smell of pine.  But while it’s easy to want to dive right into decorations, I always have to pause and review holiday electrical safety.  Part one will cover ways to keep your decorations inside your home festive and safe, while part two will review outdoor electrical safety. Continue reading Holiday Safety: Indoor Decorations

Halloween Electrical Safety

HalloweenPowerCordIt’s that time of year again, when things get a little spooky.  The stairs creak a louder, there seems to be more sounds in the dark, and even though you know it’s your neighbor’s dog, you can’t help but think “Werewolf” when you hear it howl at night.  The spookiest thing for me, though, is Halloween electrical safety.

With all of your lighting and blow up vampires and ghastly decorations, it’s very easy to get swept up in the holiday spirit.  However, Halloween electrical safety is very important.  The first thing to check when unloading old decorations is that there are no frayed or exposed wires.  Decorations can sit in storage for so long that you never know what little creatures may have chewed through the wire, or what kind of damage they may have suffered. Continue reading Halloween Electrical Safety

Conductor Colors

wiresI’ve already declared my unbridled love for color, so there is no more of an appropriate time than the present to talk even more about colors.  However, in this post, we are discussing conductor colors.  In every standard cord, there are three conductors connecting the wires to the proper slot; ground, neutral or live, and providing inner insulation.  Matching up each wire to the proper conductor is very important to ensure electrical safety, so each conductor is color coded! Continue reading Conductor Colors