July 25, 2022 - The insulation of our home or business is not as noticeable during the warmer months of the year (Spring, Summer and Fall), and you probably will not notice any issues until sometime during the winter months.
For example, last February, I needed to replace a dimmer switch in a junction box located on an exterior wall. When I removed the faceplate cover, I could feel cold air pouring into the… Read More
July 25, 2022 - Lighting fixtures designed for use in health care facilities, must provide effective illumination and satisfy several demanding lighting and power requirements. Engineered Products Company’s (EPCO) Fixture Whips are the common thread among all health care and medical care facilities.
Throughout our years servicing the electrical marketplace, EPCO has manufactured well over 200+ fixture whip… Read More
March 11, 2022 - Switching from fluorescent-based lighting to LEDs is becoming a no-brainer. Improved lighting quality, significantly higher energy efficiency and reduced maintenance due to longer lifespans are all factors weighing in LED technology’s favor. However, the choice of which LED option to choose from, especially with the ubiquitous commercial office troffer, can be a bit more complicated. Whether to… Read More
December 29, 2021 - NFPA CODE CHANGE FOR 2022
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A new guideline will take effect in January 2022 for our Illumination Control Fixture Whip (ICFW). This code change is in response to the 2020 Edition of National Fire Protection Association* (NFPA 70), Article 410.69. Just so you know, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) changed the guidelines for 0-10 Volt… Read More
November 1, 2021 - Product customization and pre-fabrication services is a time and labor-saving investment for Distributors and Contractors that have taken advantage of this service from EPCO. Why? Because our customization and prefabrication service are built exactly to Distributor and Contractor specifications to meet their application requirements.
GOOD PROJECT PLANNING
Prefabrication involves identifying… Read More
December 3, 2020 - To follow up on the article from earlier this summer (Updated Vapor Tight Luminaires), some of the key takeaways mentioned in addition to our vapor tight lighting products configurability were:
“End-user” applicable LED Luminaires
Light fixtures using T5/T8 LED lamps
Fluorescent light fixtures (still relevant and manufactured)
Design Lights Consortium (DLC) Certification
The reference to the… Read More
December 3, 2020 - by Allen Guidry, III Marketing Manager
So I received a call from a contractor that just opened a lighting retrofit business. He was retrofitting an old warehouse and the lighting system was strip-type light fixtures using old T12 fluorescent lamps. He told me the building owner was on a very tight budget and wanted to get the best sustainable lighting at the lowest possible cost. In addition, he… Read More
September 15, 2020 - It’s no secret that EPCO’s LED Vapor Tight Linear Luminaires are essential for industrial, commercial, and retail buildings, warehouses, convenience stores, manufacturing production, food service facilities, car washes — basically anywhere a reliable and durable, indoor and outdoor water-resistant lighting solution is required that will operate for years while withstanding the exposure to cold… Read More
May 21, 2020 - As more energy efficient products continue to flood the marketplace, EPCO responded in the summer of 2019 by introducing the Power Equipment Whip (PEW). This new, lower cost equipment whip was developed to electrically connect two (2) or more devices using 12 AWG conductors which cost-effectively supports the transfer of electrical power without using 10 or 8 AWG heavier gauge conductors.
How It… Read More
April 17, 2020 - Health care was one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy prior to the current worldwide Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Now, it is in extremely high demand as more and more people test positive for the virus every day. Hospitals are struggling to keep up with the pandemic. To prepare and accommodate the anticipated coronavirus surge, existing buildings (ex: dormitories, former nursing… Read More
October 30, 2019 - I might be dating myself, but I remember a time when an LED was a simple indicator light. Now, as Bob Dylan said... “The Times They Are a-Changin”.
One major change in the electrical construction industry over the last three years has been the use of LEDs for job site lighting. Lamp-based string lighting has been the standard on the construction job site for decades, and we all know it as not… Read More
July 25, 2019 - Does the color of our sustainable LED Utility Luminaires matter? That depends on the application. Different colors have different meanings. EPCO’s ProSeries LED Color Luminaires are an investment essential to visual messaging, ensuring public safety, and there is important consideration when selecting the appropriate LED indicator color. So how do you know what color is best for your application… Read More
May 6, 2019 - Most utility rebate programs will incentivize networked lighting control systems. While traditional lighting system rebates have been remarkably stable over the past 10 years, rebates for “networked” lighting controls are very different from one utility to another. Design Lights Consortium (DLC) has introduced their new Networked Lighting Control (V3.0 Category) for "networked" lighting controls… Read More
February 27, 2019 - Convert your existing linear fluorescent fixture to LED lighting without needing a comprehensive reinstall. LED lamps are ideal for those seeking high energy savings with minimal installation time. These are the three (3) LED Lamp Types:
TYPE A LED LAMP - EASIEST INSTALLATION: LED Lamp with Integrated Driver – Works with Existing or New Linear Fluorescent Lamp Ballast
Type A Lamps are designed… Read More
July 21, 2017 - Engineered Products Company’s (EPCO) Motion Sensing LED Closet Luminaire was featured on the TV Series Ask This Old House: Season 15, Episode 3. The LED Closet Luminaire is a simple solution to upgrade small spaces to sustainable, energy efficient LED lighting.
The Energy Star Rated Motion Sensing LED Closet Luminaire provides more lumens per watt and includes a three-way operating mode switch,… Read More
September 12, 2016 - EPCO’s LED Closet Luminaire provides Significant Energy Savings and is a reliable and sustainable LED Lighting solution for small areas!
June 14, 2016 - In a perfect world, all electrical connections for landscape lighting luminaires would be performed correctly. Splices would always be tight and circuits would always be properly grounded and free of potential shock hazard. But in reality, the quality of outdoor electrical installation varies among electricians and accidents do occur. While it is not feasible to protect against every unwelcome… Read More
February 24, 2015 - In addition to overcoming early performance problems with heat, moisture and color, improvements in LED technology have significantly lowered the cost of LED luminaires and lamps. Not only are today’s LEDs more energy efficient as a light source compared to the 1980’s when they were used as equipment indicators, but also produce more lumens per watt. Energy Star LEDs are rated at more than 100… Read More
June 26, 2014 - After one of the harshest winters on record in Minnesota (and many other parts of the country), summer is finally here. Our thoughts have turned to the great outdoors, lawns and landscaping. For us, that means landscape lighting, and more specifically safety.
The National Electrical Code Section 314.17(B) for Conductors Entering Boxes Conduit Bodies or Fittings has been updated to preclude… Read More
April 28, 2014 - Since the release of our “new” ProSeries LED Utility Luminaire and LED Luminaire Upgrade, the response on these products in all markets has been very favorable. While the benefits and features of these lighting products are significant, we recommend using some type of “surge” protection system during the installation process.
In a commercial office building or an agricultural environment the… Read More
March 18, 2013 - I’d be surprised if there were an electrical contractor who isn’t looking to make fixture installation easier and faster. That’s exactly why EPCO came up with a brilliant short cut for installing our 4-, 8- and our new 2-foot gasketed fluorescent luminaires—a way that gets rid of the cost and time it takes to install a fixture whip and junction box cover plate. With the Surface Mount Bracket (SMB… Read More
February 7, 2013 - Tube guard users, rejoice! If you’ve considered T5HO fluorescent lamps for their many virtues (excellent performance, good lumen maintenance and efficacy, long-rated life, good color rendition, virtually instant re-strike, more efficient than T8s), but were concerned about heat dissipation, read on.
T5HO lamps dissipate about 85% of their total lamp power as heat, so we found a way to outsmart… Read More
July 10, 2012 - CFLs and LEDs have found the spotlight (and scrutiny) with the impending disappearance of incandescents. Nearly everyone finds a reason to complain about these newer lamps and stock up on incandescents. Bad experiences and rumors have caused prejudice and shortsightedness among facility managers and consumers. Here’s an update to share.
CFLs
CFLs in their early years flickered shed poor color,… Read More
June 5, 2012 - Many of you have asked, what is the life expectancy of a tube guard? We have your answer.
The typical life expectancy of a polycarbonate tube guard depends on a number of factors; the spectral output of the lamp being used (generally less harmful to plastics than sunlight), the indoor or outdoor location, as well as other environmental conditions that may also influence the weathering… Read More
February 6, 2012 - With the phase-out of the Edison-base lamps, we are seeing much advancement in energy efficient lighting technology, like vapor tight fluorescent and led luminaires. However, the Edison base bulbs are not quite dead and only have a brief reprieve. They will still be available, but only short term. So why push to switch to energy efficient lighting – What’s In It For Me (WIIFM)?
Saving energy for… Read More
February 6, 2012 - Fluorescent linear T12 lighting was the most widely used technology in commercial buildings until about 10 years ago. Now a declining technology, the rising popularity of its challengers T8 and T5 is due to better performance and energy efficiency—and most important for building owners and managers, savings in lighting costs. I’ve seen savings as high as 75% in some estimates, depending on which… Read More