If you graduated from any private of public school in the last 50 years, chances are pretty good that you know who discovered electricity and the light bulb.

Old Ben Franklin and Thomas Edison are locked in the folklore of modern inventors. Without them, we could still be in the dark, literally.

While our homes and cities are bathed in the light of Edison, the inventor of wall switch plates is unknown, lost in the annals of discovery and invention.

If you think about it, it was a pretty good invention. While we rarely come into contact with the light bulb on the ceiling, hardly a day goes by when we don’t flick a light on. And protecting us from 110 volts of sizzling electricity that could literally curl your hair are the venerable, trusty wall switch plates, courtesy of Anonymous.

Thank you Mr. Anonymous whoever you are. Without you we would be reaching into the wall and connecting two wires together, hoping they wouldn’t turn on us in the process.

Of course, switch plates aren’t just about safety any longer. Today they’re about style. Where they once came in white, beige and brown, switch plates come in a cornucopia of colors and styles that would have old Tom and Ben standing there for days in Home Depot, going over their options.

So, what do you look for in wall switch plates for your home? The first thing you need to do is take an inventory. How many single switches, how many doubles, triples and quads do you have in your home?

Back in the day, light switches just had two buttons, one for on and one for off. Today there are paddle switches, sliders, dimmers and the old flip switch. Look at each switch and figure out which ones you need. Watch out for the trickier combinations, such as two paddles and a dimmer. These can affect your choices when you go shopping.

If you’re just replacing cracked or discolored wall switch plates, you can probably find a match at a local hardware store. If you’re looking to replace all the switch plates in a room or your entire home, you can not only shop your local mega hardware store but also go online. There are literally thousands of choices out there, in every color, style and material.

If there is a theme, hobby or interest out there, you can find switch plates to match. Plastic is the old stand by, but you can get switch plates in porcelain, steel, aluminum, copper, ceramic or even blown glass. Each has its own unique style and fit in your home.

One of the great things about wall switch plates is they are all standard. The screw holes on all plates are standard, so all you have to worry about is the number of switches you have and the type. From there, you can find a design and material that fits your needs. And if you can’t find the right wall switch plates for that dimmer switch in your home, get a plate for a regular switch. The post the dimmer knob fits in goes right through and the round knob covers the slot.

A barcode helps in automatic data identification and collection. This was first invented in 1952 by Bernard Silver and Joseph Woodland. This barcode basically has parallel lines or bards of different width and thickness. The bars represent the binary numbers 0 and 1, and the sequence starts from 0 to 9 which are processed with a help of a computer. This information on the barcode can be read only with the help of a barcode scanner, which needs an optical laser connected to a computer system to read. The code can be read by moving the laser or the barcode pen across the bars, and the computer gets the information embedded in the barcode(s).

So what is this barcode scanner or reader and how does this work? A barcode reader is an electronic gadget which reads the information embedded inside the barcodes. The barcode scanner consists of a light source, photo conductor and a lens. Here the optical impulses are converted into electrical impulses. Most of the barcode scanners contain a decoder circuit that analyzes the image of the barcode with the help of a photo conductor and this is sent to the scanner’s output port. There are three kinds barcode readers; the handheld readers are use for semi-automatic reading, the fixed mount readers are used for automatic reading and finally, the reader gates are used for automatic scanning.

There are four kinds of technologies being used these bar code scanners. The pen type readers have a photodiode and a light source; to read what is on the barcode, the pen has to be moved gradually across the bar. The laser scanner also works just like the pen type reader, here a laser beam is used instead and the light source is just the same. A CCD reader also called as LED scanners use an array of many tiny light sensors which are arranged in a row at the head of the scanner/reader. The main difference between the pen reader and the CCD reader is that, the CCD reader measures the emitted ambient light from the bar; however laser scanners and pen type readers measure the reflected light of a particular frequency originating from the scanner. The newest and the latest type are the camera-based readers which are 2D imaging scanners, which uses a tiny camera to capture the barcode’s image. Here the video camera uses the same technology as in CCD, the only difference is that the CCD scanner has a row of sensors and the camera had hundreds of sensors in two dimensional arrays which can produce an image.

The structured wires come in many styles, which are usually used for wiring electrical or other components in a residential environment. The purpose is to distribute several signals of data that channel through the home. The signals channel to telephones, cable television, networks, and other items around the house.

The options for wiring a home depend on your needs. You want to consider the different types of structured wiring before you make a purchase. The coax cables are the twisted pairs of RG-6 cables of high quality and are available in the CAT-5 series. The fiber optic cables include the high-end wiring. Coax cables employed to structure wiring have basic purposes and are used to connect televisions to cable, or VCR, DVD to television. Some of the RG-6 types are low grade while others are high grade. The lower grade wiring can reduce the quality of your audio and pictures. Some of the twisted pairs are the cables that connect telephones and they often run to phone jacks and to the electrical outlets. The twisted pairs are known as such because there are a couple of wires that twist about the other and twists can improve the signal, which in turn improves your quality. The CAT-5 is one of the best-structured wirings with indicators that give you the best quality. The higher-grade indicators give the best quality as well, yet these wiring structures are different. For instant, the CAT-5e has a higher grade of quality than the CAT-5.

One of the cables is the bundle or suite that has a plastic coat. Bundles are the easiest structured wiring systems to install. The wires are stronger as well and help to shield wires that are weaker. The CAT-5 is usually weaker than the RG-6. When you have high quality wiring systems, you have guaranteed performance without worrying about the interferences. Usually the bundles run from the wall and to the outlet, which the plates are sized to fit the common face plates on a wall. It depends on the wires, but some of the wiring bundles have up to eight various ports that are attached to a device for wiring. The bundles with four wiring structures, such as the latter wiring, most have dual jacks so that you can connect two phones or cables. In other words, you connect one end of the cord to the computer for example, and the other end of the jack to your router.

A home’s electrical system is routinely inspected at the time of purchase, in fact, usually more than once. The seller usually has their home inspected prior to putting it on the market to avoid complications further along in the transaction, namely when the buyer is applying for a mortgage. Likewise, it’s also common for a buyer to hire their own inspector before placing a bid on the property.

These two inspections are in anticipation of a final inspection by the lender prior to granting the buyer a loan. No house can be mortgaged that does not meet state and local building codes. Furthermore, homeowner insurance hinges on compliance with federal, state and local codes, which include standards for electrical wiring. By the time a homeowner moves into a new residence, it has passed several inspections and measured up to safety standards. A new homeowner, having obtained a mortgage and purchased insurance for the dwelling, can rest assured their electrical wiring is ‘up to code,’ even in a 100-year-old home.

Electrical codes aside, the owner of an older home is wise to replace or upgrade an outdated electrical system that was installed more than twenty years ago. Modern technology, on one hand, has greatly increased the energy load on old electrical systems, while at the same time providing new features to enhance safety, improve efficiency and cut energy costs.  A professional electrician can test and evaluate the electrical system’s breaker panel, receptacles and switches and make necessary repairs and upgrades to enhance overall performance and prevent major, costly repairs in the future.

A common electrical upgrade involves installing ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) on receptacles and arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) on breakers. In new construction, GFCI receptacles are required by code where electricity and water are in close proximity, as in the bathroom, kitchen, garage, swimming pool area, crawl-space, unfinished basement, or on exterior outlets. The Electrical Safety Council estimates GFCIs have reduced electrocutions in the U.S. by 70 percent. AFCIs, installed near standard circuit breakers, can be retrofitted into existing electrical panels. These interrupters are the single greatest protection against electrical fires in walls. They are highly recommended for fire protection in homes with older wiring. The 2008 National Electric Code (NEC) requires AFCI breakers for circuits leading to bedroom, living room and family room.

Most state electrical codes require 100-amp electrical service but older homes were built when energy requirements were far less and 60 amps were sufficient. Owners of homes built more than 20 years ago should hire an electrician to help evaluate power demands required by contemporary appliances and electronic equipment. The electrician will use a meter to determine if the home’s usage is over 75 percent of the system’s amperage. If not, the present system is adequate; otherwise you might consider upgrading to a higher amp system. The age of an electrical system is not important, only the amount of power needed to service the household is a factor.  A 50-year-old, 60 amp electrical system is perfectly fine if energy consumption averages, for example,  around 60%.

One indication of a wiring problem is flickering lights for no reason at all. It’s normal for lights to occasionally flicker at the beginning of a heavy energy pull, or during the cycling of a clothing iron, but if this isn’t the reason, consult a licensed electrician. Other warning signs of major electrical problems are outlets or receptacles that have burn marks or are hot to the touch. These issues need to be addressed immediately and should not be ignored.

A wise homeowner recognizes that electrical work is serious business which should not be treated casually by the do-it-yourselfer trying to keep down repair costs. Electricity is dangerous. In the United States, there are hundreds of deaths every year among non-professionals who attempt electrical installation and repair. Electrical and fire safety officials warn that one misconnected wire can be deadly. The average homeowner without electrical training or experience is advised to hire a licensed professional to work on components of an electrical system.

RESOURCES:

National Electrical Code, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169 (617) 770-3000.

www.nfpa.org

“Fact Sheet on Home Electrical Fire Prevention,” U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), Federal Emergency Management Association, Emmitsburg, MD 21727 (301) 447-1000.

www.usfa.dhs.gov

There are many specialised companies that offer you installation services as well as designing services to help you with the location of the lights. If you want your building to be a landmark then getting it lit up with some LED lights and fiber optics will immediately put it on the map of the city.

Some Applications of Specialised Lightings

Corporate Buildings
Corporate buildings are the basis of many offices and business houses and can create a favourable impression if the building is impressive and classy looking. There are many ways to achieve this look. You can make sure that the landscape is very well maintained and so is the façade of the building. Another thing that really helps is the lighting of the building. You can achieve a striking look by using LED lights and fiber optics. You can highlight the name of the building with lights and also the names of all the business houses in the building.

Shops & Stores
A well-lit shop will always be noticed by the passing crowd, which makes up many of its potential clients. Shops can be very creative and have a very interesting signage placed outside attracting the customers. Another advantage of installing the lighting for the shop or store is that it becomes an easy landmark for people to remember or spot your shop.

Water Features
Water Features like fountains and pools look even more stunning if they are well lit for the night. A well-lit fountain can even be a great focal piece for a building or office space. Some other water features you can light up with specialised lighting are:
-Swimming Pools
-Portable Spa
-Fountains
-Pools
-Jacuzzis
-Waterfall Features

Energy Efficient lamps
Energy efficient lamps are nowadays very important as the average spending of a house hold on energy products like lamps, heating and cooling is only increasing day by day which is also having an adverse effect on the environment. Specialised lights for energy saving can not only save you some money but will also help in reducing the green house gas effect.

Indoor Features
You can use specialised lighting indoor as well to light up special features in the house. You can use it in places like :
-Bar
-Highlight Paintings & Statues
-Dance floors
-Steps and Staircases
-Bathroom Lights

Outdoor Features
You can use specialised lighting for the following outside features:
-Path Lights
-Steps Lights
-Highlighting a particular feature
-As a flexible floodlight
-Garden Lights

Under cabinet lighting is a great way to brighten up any kitchen. A set of recessed lighting can liven up and show off your countertops. It used to be a major undertaking to try and install under cabinet lighting but luckily there are kits available now that make it a snap. There are a few ways to do the job so read on for a few under cabinet lighting how too tips.

When choosing under cabinet lighting you have a few options available. You can go with either a small direct spot light or full length recessed fluorescent tubes. Both offer an attractive look to accent the kitchen. It just boils down to personal choice.

For the sake of simplicity let’s look at installing a set of lights that doesn’t need to be hardwired back to your main circuit panel.

The first step is to head down to the hardware store and pick out an under cabinet lighting kit.
Once you’ve picked out the right light for your kitchen, installation is a breeze.

Measure the entire length of your cabinets. This will determine how many lights you need. A good rule of thumb is to use 1 spot light every 18 inches.

Start the first light far enough from the end of the cabinets to allow for equal spacing of all the lights.

Use a few small finish nails to tack the lights to the bottom of the cabinets. Make sure the nail is short enough that it won’t protrude completely through the bottom of the cabinet.

Continue tacking lights up until you reach the end of the string.

Place an inline splice into the under cabinet lighting wiring as close as possible to an electrical outlet. The cabinet lighting kit should have this included in it.

Now splice the power switch to the lighting into this wire. Cut off any excess line and connect up an electrical plug to the end of the wire.

Next use a staple gun to staple up the wiring. Be careful to center the wire in the staple to avoid cutting into the wire. If the wire is too long to lay flush in a straight line between the lights you can snake it along the underside of the cabinet. Since the wires and lights are hidden it doesn’t matter how the wiring is run, you can’t see it.

The final step is to finish work on the lights. Working down the light string, pop bulbs into the sockets making sure they’re tight. After all the lights are installed simply snap on the decorative covers and that’s it, you’re done!

Plug in the lights and flick the switch. Stick your head under the counter to make sure that all the lights come on.

These few under cabinet lighting how too tricks can help simplify the installation of a new kitchen lighting system. There are plenty of options available, all you need to do is spend a little time looking for just the right one that works for your kitchen.