Warning! Hazards with Improperly Installing Lighting Retrofit Kits

Even for the most savvy and skilled of Do-it-yourselfer, the prospect of installing a lighting retrofit kit to save money on the installation and operations is very attractive.  But the premier safety science organization this week announced that there may be some adverse consequence for the un-educated and or novice electrical worker.

The 120-year old global independent safety company UL sent out a warning to building owners, installers and consumers that  there is a growing number of reports of improperly installed and non-certified retrofit lighting kits that may pose a fire or shock hazard. 

The move to more modern and efficient lighting fixtures is a positive step towards energy savings and sustainability, but care must be taken to use certified retrofit kits and install them properly. A qualified electrician must complete the retrofit according to accompanying installation instructions, as improper installation may pose a fire or shock hazard.

UL say that many retrofit installations are completed in ways that create safety hazards where none existed before, creating unintended consequences in the name of energy efficiency. The components used in the retrofit may have individual certifications, but if the kit (including the accompanying installation instructions) is not certified per the applicable Standards for Safety, problems can occur. 

"The common thinking is that LED retrofits are low-voltage. This is not true. All retrofit kits will include branch circuit connections, and should be treated with proper safety precautions," said UL Lighting Division Principal Engineer Bahram Barzideh.  "A retrofit kit is more than just parts. When a luminaire is modified using off-the-shelf parts, there is no way to know if the luminaire is compliant or even safe." 

UL urges those installing a lighting retrofit to use only third-party certified retrofit kits and follow the accompanying installation instructions. UL Certified lighting retrofit kits can be verified in UL's Certification database found on ul.com at http://iq.ul.com/ssl/ and selecting LED Retrofit Kits from the product category pull-down. 

GET,LLC can provide you with one of those kits-the Deco Lighting Linea LED Kit. They come in 1x4, 2x2 and 2x4 configurations. We have seen these kits in action already as the Guam International Airport Authority is utilizing the Deco Lighting Linea Kits as part of an Emergency Lighting Pilot Project in the main terminal of the A.B. Won Pat International Airport.

To learn more about the lighting products that GET, LLC provides, including the LED lines of our partners, Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc., please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or call us to discuss solutions for your important lighting needs-All Made in America!!!

Certified Fiber Installer Training Coming to Guam in May 2014

GET, LLC is proud to announce that our friends at Fiber Optic Marketplace have confirmed that they will be holding a a Certified Fiber Installer Course in Guam from May 19-22, 2014.  The  joint TFS/ETA Certification course is geared towards those who layout, install or maintain fiber optic cabling systems.

The Fiber School is known as the premier certification body in Fiber Optics, as well as many other telecommunications areas including wireless, pro audio and video, fiber optics for wind turbines and much, much more.

Thousands of technicians have gained Electronics Technicians Association certifications since 1978, including over 28,000 fiber optics installers and thousands in each basic or specialty segment of electronics. Some reasons for choosing an ETA certification include the modeling of  its electronics certification exams after international competency standards including the International Certification Accreditation Council (ICAC), the National Skills Standards Board’s feasibility study concluded the ETA electronics certification programs were among the best industry certifications available, and educators, practitioners, students and employers have the opportunity to provide regular feedback (to discuss individual exam question wording, practicality or fairness) for added reliability, validity and consistency.

The program will identify you as an installer able to demonstrate a practical knowledge of fiber optic theory, codes, standards and practices widely accepted in the fiber optics industry. In addition, the program will incorporate two days of individual hands-on training validating installer skills, including fiber terminations, cable preparations, fusion splicing, OTDR and optical loss testing. These skills are applicable to all the requirements to safely and competently install, maintain, and test fiber optic cabling systems. 

Also, the fiber optic installation course will be offered with a self-paced, online lecture and a hands-on workshop. This innovative approach to Fiber Optic Training and certification allows students to minimize expense, time and travel by learning at their own pace, on their own schedule (using online e-Learning to complete the lecture portion of the class.) Students will then complete the hands-on portions of the class at any of our scheduled sessions around the world (and can review the material within one year of registering for the course.)

For more information, please give us a call at 671-797-0789 or drop us a line at www.get-guam.com for more information on the related products and services we provide-though our friends at Cisco Systems, Panduit and Fiber Optic Marketplace LLC.