Z'Electrical Gazette October 2008 Volume 10

Malibu Lights has many different low voltage and solar voltaic cell lighting options at a fair price. Solar lighting is the safest and easiest kind of outdoor lighting to install. Each light fixture contains a scientifically designed solar collector panel that converts sunlight into electrical energy. This energy is stored in highly efficient rechargeable batteries used to light the fixture at night. Solar lights utilize the LED technology and provide sufficient light to mark entrances, accent walkways and steps, and to indicate the location of darkened obstacles at night.

I have experimented with the Malibu three spotlight kit. I wanted to see how well they worked. With my first experiment, I used each spot to high-light three different trees, it was not super bright but there was illumination that was fair at a close distance. Then, I high-lighted one tree with three spots and the results were impressive. The tree could be clearly seen from a distance and the high-lighting effect was what I was seeking. About 4am in the morning, the battery was weakening and one light would shut off. By 6am, the battery had discharged. Keep in mind this was done in the winter. I then disconnected one spot and used two to illuminate my business sign. It provided enough illumination for motorists to see what was on the sign and with only two spots, the battery lasted the entire night.

Zotz Electrical was called to a home because of a lightning strike to the property. What we were told was that a lightning strike had struck close to the home and had shot a plug-in transformer across the room from a particular receptacle and some of the receptacles in the room did not work. We immediately went to the home to check it for fire safety. What we found was that the receptacle was ruined by the lightning strike and it was repaired, along with a check of the rest of the circuits in the home. All seemed well, but there is more to the story.

A week later, we received a call again from the home owner saying that some power did not work in his detached garage. We found that one of the phases had no power, probably from a broken wire in the ground. We readjusted the breakers in the panel so all the electrical openings in the garage would work. The homeowner said he would call us later to repair the underground service line. Two weeks later we received a call from him again saying that there was no power in the garage. With the help of Mid Minnesota Damage Prevention, we were able to locate the broken line and do the repair with an underground splice kit. See pictures below.

What caused these conductors to break, I really do not know. If it was just one, it could be a faulty coating or maybe damaged when it was transported or buried. Seeing as it was both hot (line) conductors and it appeared that at the break they were melted, in a different way than I have seen arcing before, I think the lightning strike occurred near it. The repair was made and all works well again.

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