Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

February 18, 2015 // Paul Buckley

German energy harvesting wireless technology company EnOcean is offering a LED control system for the North American market based upon innovative self-powered sensors and switches, combined with LED fixture controllers and commissioning tools to simplify installation and setup.

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With the offering, EnOceans OEM customers benefit from significantly shorter development timelines, reduced investment, enabling them to focus on the quickly evolving LED market opportunities. Employing EnOcean modules, OEMs can develop products on their own leveraging established LED control applications. Those OEMs seeking a ready-to-use solution can employ finished products to speed time-to-market and reduce development effort.

The building blocks include:

The LEDR/LEDD controllers use wireless technology to communicate at 902 MHz with other self-powered EnOcean-based products. The controller provides a simple solution for dimming control of a single fixture or a zone of multiple daisy-chained LED fixtures. In addition, it supports daylight harvesting scenarios, occupancy control and manual dimming processing data from EnOcean-based self-powered wireless occupancy sensors, light level sensors, and switches. The compact size enables flexible installation inside of or next to electrical boxes and fixtures so it can be easily wired out of sight using standard wiring practices.

German energy harvesting wireless technology company EnOcean is offering a LED control system for the North American market based upon innovative self-powered sensors and switches, combined with LED fixture controllers and commissioning tools to simplify installation and setup.

With the offering, EnOceans OEM customers benefit from significantly shorter development timelines, reduced investment, enabling them to focus on the quickly evolving LED market opportunities. Employing EnOcean modules, OEMs can develop products on their own leveraging established LED control applications. Those OEMs seeking a ready-to-use solution can employ finished products to speed time-to-market and reduce development effort.

The building blocks include:

The LEDR/LEDD controllers use wireless technology to communicate at 902 MHz with other self-powered EnOcean-based products. The controller provides a simple solution for dimming control of a single fixture or a zone of multiple daisy-chained LED fixtures. In addition, it supports daylight harvesting scenarios, occupancy control and manual dimming processing data from EnOcean-based self-powered wireless occupancy sensors, light level sensors, and switches. The compact size enables flexible installation inside of or next to electrical boxes and fixtures so it can be easily wired out of sight using standard wiring practices.

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Energy harvesting wireless LED control system simplifies installation

February 19, 2015 // Graham Prophet

LTC2875 is an exceptionally rugged, high voltage tolerant CAN (controller area network) transceiver designed to greatly reduce field failures without the need of costly external protection devices.

In practical CAN systems, installation cross-wiring faults, ground voltage faults or lightning induced surge voltages can cause overvoltage conditions that exceed absolute maximum ratings of typical transceivers. The LTC2875 features 60V overvoltage fault and 25 kV HBM ESD protection on the data transmission lines, protecting bus pins during operation and shutdown. Whether a circuit is transmitting, receiving or powered off, the LTC2875 tolerates any voltage within 60V without damage, increasing the robustness of typical CAN networks.

The CAN bus has a well defined protocol stack, with support for standalone controllers, FPGAs and ASICs, making implementation easier over alternative interfaces, such as RS485. The LTC2875 provides the flexibility to be powered from a 3.3V or 5V rail, which is very useful in industrial applications where a 5V rail may not be present. In addition to the high fault and ESD protection, the device features a low electromagnetic emission (EME) driver with a transmit data (TXD) dominant timer to prevent faulty controllers from clamping the bus, as well as a high electromagnetic immunity (EMI) receiver with an extended 36V common mode range to enable operation in electrically noisy environments and in the presence of ground loops. The LTC2875 features a high speed data rate of 4 Mbps with an adjustable slew rate for data rates as low as 1 kbps. A shutdown mode brings all of the LTC2875s outputs to high impedance and reduces power consumption to 1 A.

The LTC2875 is offered in commercial, industrial, automotive and military (-55C to 125C) temperature grades and is available in 3 x 3mm DFN-8 and SO-8 packages, with industry-standard pinouts. Pricing starts at $1.72 (1000).

Linear Technology; http://www.linear.com/products/CAN_Transceivers

Displays & Interfaces,Analog & Mixed Signal ICs,Power components

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4 Mbps CAN transceiver with 60V fault protection

Window Cleaning Goes Awry! Out of Control Scaffold!
A scaffolding with workers goes terribly out of control high above in the air with strong gusts of violent winds, causing it to smash and break glass windows of the skyscraper/building of where...

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Window Cleaning Goes Awry! Out of Control Scaffold! - Video

Window Cleaning Services | Reisterstown, MD Summit Building Services
Light the light shine in brighter with expert window cleaning services! About Us: Since 1988, Summit Building Services, Inc. has provided professional cleani...

By: Summit Building Services, Inc.

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Window Cleaning Services | Reisterstown, MD Summit Building Services - Video

Thinking of Adding Window Cleaning to Your List of Services?
In this video I lay out some of the truths about starting a window cleaning business.. Send me mail: Keith Kalfas 13854 Lakeside Circle Suite #213 Sterling Heights , MI 48313 #lawncare...

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Thinking of Adding Window Cleaning to Your List of Services? - Video

Glass by Alex Christofi (Serpents Tail, 12.99)

POPULATED with ambiguous characters, Glass is a pretty confident and frequently adroit first novel from Alex Christofi.

In it, the young Gunter Glass lives up to his surname in a Tom Jones-like escapade as he pursues a window cleaning career. It takes him ever higher in the architecture of capitalism and he ends up in the upper reaches of Londons Shard.

Recoiling from the death of his mother and the descent of his father into alcoholic self-pity, Glass is talent-spotted by John Blade, a celebrity window cleaner with distinctly fascist sympathies.

Christofis narrative moves from the stuffiness of ecclesiastical Salisbury to Boris Johnsons London, replete with its all too obvious contradictions and extremes of poverty and wealth.

Yet, unlike Henry Fieldings hero Tom Jones, Glass remains something of a naive young man throughout. As he plaintively says of himself: I didnt seem to be able to understand events until after theyd occurred.

The material glass acts as a constant metaphor for an uncertainly defined object that can distort as much as it can faithfully reflect an accurate view of the world.

Christofi comes across as a pretty clever chap and hes obviously well-read in European literature. Yet hes maybe too ambitious in showing off his literary and historical knowledge and this occasionally threatens to overwhelm the novel.

Aside from the nod to German novelist Gunter Grass, Christofi offers us insights into the Cagoule movement a French fascist terror group in the 1930s and gives us the Steppenwolf, a rather feral writer living in a cork-lined room. Its all a bit redolent of Herman Hesse and Marcel Proust for dummies.

The book also introduces a new punctuation mark the interrobang which is a combined question and exclamation mark, qualifying a sentence that seems like a question but invites no answer.

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Glass by Alex Christofi (Serpents Tail, 12.99)

CHARLESTON COUNTY, SC (WCSC) - For Cale Senterfitt, it's business as usual.

Despite record-breaking low temperatures across the lowcountry Thursday, the owner of Charlestowne Window Cleaning Services spent most of the afternoon outdoors.

"It comes with the territory," he said. "I've been doing it 12 years now."

Senterfitt, who's company specializes in window cleaning, pressure washing and deck cleaning, joins the likes of construction crews and utility workers, unable to escape the season's arctic blast.

He says worked has slowed during the winter months, especially January and February.

"Hopefully you can just squeeze as many jobs in toward the end of the year as you can," Senterfitt said.

"If you're fortunate enough, you'll have steady work."

Insulated gloves, and warm water were among a few of the must-haves for the Florida native. He says he'll often add additives to his cleaning solution, to prevent freezing on contact.

"It could freeze up pretty instantly. It's actually pretty amazing."

While Senterfitt braves the cold as part of his job, for one group of Charleston volunteers, their decision is by choice.

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Outdoor workers brave bitter cold

NEW RIEGEL - New Riegel Police Chief Steve Swartzmiller reported citizens are questioning the ordinances he is citing when warning them about keeping sidewalks cleared after snowfall. A copy of the Ohio Basic Code will be available for public viewing at the municipal building.

The village's new snow plow certainly has been put to use with recent snows, and street worker Leon Weinandy said the job goes much faster, but he is having some difficulty plowing close enough to the curbs.

Diana Bouillon with New Riegel Right to Life requested use of the municipal building during the Community Garage Sales April 16-18. Council approved use of the facility.

The village is advertising for a fiscal officer and applications must be received by March 10. The personnel committee will be reviewing the resumes at 6:30 p.m. March 12.

In other matters, council:

Approved a resolution for the 2015 permanent budget, waiving the three-reading rule.

Approved the ordinance accepting the 2015 Ohio Basic Code, waiving the three-reading rule.

Announced the Seneca Regional Planning Commission meeting has been rescheduled for Feb. 26.

Will be examining village signs.

Council is to meet at 6:30 p.m. March 17.

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Rules for sidewalk cleaning discussed

Homeowners... If you don't have hot water, don't panic!!

Thinking of a new water heater installation using a licensed plumbing professional, but you don't want pay thousands of dollars for a simple water heater installation? Would you like to take advantage of government tax credits without having to endure the expense and uncertainty of a tankless water heater installation? Just call...

KNIGHT PLUMBING - Water Heater Heroes

Call 414-423-7376 for an appointment today!

WHYshould you call Knight Plumbing for your next water heater installation in Milwaukee , Racine, or Eastern Waukesha counties? The answer is simple...

We give you a two hour window in which we GUARANTEE we will arrive. Many Plumbing Contractors that do water installations will ask you to wait around all day, and then might not show at all if they have something better come up. At Knight Plumbing, we respect your time. So no matter if your new water heater installation is in Milwaukee, Bay View, St. Francis, Franklin, Cudahy, Oak Creek, Racine, Greenfield, or any other local area, trust Knight Plumbing for your water heater installation.

Unlike the big orange box or other large home improvement stores, we have no subcontractors for your water heater installation or plumbing repair. Why is that a good thing? You know you are getting properly trained and licensed plumbing technicians who have years of experience in water heater installations that are fully insured for your protection. Do you know who is coming to your house with the other guys? No, you don't. When looking for a South Milwaukee water heater installation, ask them what company they're subcontracting for your new water heater installation. They won't tell you. So, what does that tell you? Will the subcontractor care about you and your home or are they only concerned about making the big box happy? Does the subcontractor have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau like us, Knight Plumbing? Does the subcontractor have references upon request like us, Knight Plumbing? All of these questions may not be that important to you, but what will happen when that inferior water heater installation doesn't work after a year? Who will come out to fix it? Can they fix it? Or worse yet, will they fix it? So many questions with unknown answers. Our answer is we can and we will, CALL Knight Plumbing for your next South Milwaukee water heater installation.

The reality is not all water heaters are made equal and the Milwaukee area big box home improvement stores do not have high quality water heaters we have. It's not just lip service, here are some of the differences. Did you know you should drain your water heater every year? Our water heaters have a brass drain valve instead of a plastic one so that it'll last over the years for this critical maintenance. Foam insulation instead of fiberglass batting makes the water heater more efficient. The new icon gas regulator on our standard water heaters makes adjusting temperature and checking your water heater pilot light easier since the government legislated FLVR program. Along with that, the way the combustible air enters the combustion chamber has a better design than most big box products. This will help keep dust and debris away from shutting your water heater down over time. Because of the FLVR program, water heaters have become much more complicated and therefore more expensive. Our exclusive line of water heaters are only sold to licensed professionals and you cannot find them at a big box home improvement store.

Most of our professional level water heaters come with a 6 year warranty with the ability to up it for extra money to 10 years. That's great! Now you don't have to worry about the last paragraph about Better Water Heaters right? What they don't tell you is that you may get a warranty on the water heater but you WILL have to pay for the time it takes to install or repair the new one. Not so with us, we provide you with a full, parts AND labor warranty. With everything else, isn't that the best reason of all to call Knight Plumbing for your next Milwaukee area water heater installation.

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Water Heater Installation Milwaukee | Gas and Electric ...

In anticipation of an another round of frigid weather that will impact the area Thursday into Friday, Aqua Pennsylvania has recommended several steps that homeowners can take to prevent frozen pipes as well as what to do if pipes freeze.

Aqua says homeowners should have a supply of heat tape and pipe insulation, as well as a portable space heater and hair dryer on hand, in case pipes freeze. Wrap pipes with insulation material or heat tape and wrap indoor water meters with a blanket. Proper and safe use of portable space heaters can also keep exposed pipes in drafty areas from freezing.

For interior plumbing located on an outside wall, such as a kitchen sink, install heat tape to the pipes beneath the sink. If no small children are in the house, open cabinet doors beneath the sink to allow warm air in the home to reach the pipes.

Shut off and drain any outside faucets, including those for lawn sprinkling systems. Shut off and drain any outside faucets, including those for lawn sprinkling systems. Prevent drafts in unheated areas, such as crawl spaces and basements, by replacing broken glass or making repairs. Prevent drafts in unheated areas, such as crawl spaces and basements, by replacing broken glass or making repairs.

When temperatures remain near 10 degrees, residents should leave a very thin stream of water running continuously from at least one tap, preferably the one farthest from the meter. The additional cost of the water is cheaper than the cost of repairing ruptured pipes, Aqua said.

If a pipe freezes, homeowners should locate the frozen area, use a hand-held hair dryer or heat tape to thaw the area. Homeowners should also locate and mark the master valve, typically found at the front of a home, so the water can be turned off in case a pipe breaks. Also, it is advised to make sure lids on outdoor meters are not broken or missing.

If your pipes do break, homeowners should call 1-877-987-2782 to reach their local Aqua representative.

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Aqua gives advice on prevention, solutions to frozen pipes