fee Caution and Avoid Blackouts
Rise and shine, amateur elec
trieans. The Christmas lighting
season is at hand.
Bat, first check that outlet. In
spect that socket and test all
wires.
A careful examination of holi
day lights and equipment, as you
take them out of storage boxes,
can prevent a blackout of yule
lights and avoid fire-dangerous
electrical shorts.
Some home decorators will try
a job no more complicated than
stringing a few bulbs around a
shiall tree. Others will undertake
the ambitious job of achieving
sparkling Christmas brilliance for
home and yard.
A Check List
For the latter, electrical experts
offer these suggestions:
Check your home’s electrical
capacity. Some home systems can
easily be overloaded because the
average American family today is
using more appliances than even
a few years ago.
If your electric capacity is lim
ited, keep your outdoor lighting
simple. A lighted doorway, pic
ture window or rows of illuminat
ed window boxes may be as eye
catching as more ornate and com
plicated arrangements.
The best source of power for
all outdoor lighting decorations
is a grounded, weather-proof out
let. Such an outlet should have a
cover and an additional opening
for grounding. For extensive out
door wiring, there should be at
least one weather-proofed ground
ed outlet for each 15 feet of ex
terior lighting. A garage light
socket or porch light may also be
used, but do not overload these
sources.
Indoor receptacles may be used
for. outdoor lighting by raising a
window slightly, and inserting a
snug-fitting board with a drilled
hole to bring the wire outside.
Use Proper Equipment
Never use indoor lighting equip
ment for outdoors. If you use
string, flood or spot lights make
sure they are designed for exterior
use. Special bulbs, wire, sockets
and fixtures made for outdoor use
bear the seal of approval of the
National Board of Fire Under
writers.
If you must use extensions, al
ways use two-way conductor out-'
door rubber cord with weather
proof plugs. Make sure all connec
tions a’-e covered, or have a
weather-proof wrapping.
Never place cords where they
can be walked on, and never
stretch them across your drive
KNUDSEN’S
way. a
When wiring for flood or spot si
lights, use one of many adjust
able weather-proof lampholders
available on the market.
Tape wires wherever they may
rub against metal hooks or abra
sive areas.
Equipment List
There are four kinds of outdoor
lighting equipment available in
stores for the holidays:
1) Ready-made lighting devices,
featuring snow men, Santa Claus,
stars, candles, wreaths, trees.
These illuminated pieces are made
of plastic, metal or glass. They
range from ornaments a few
inches high to figures several feet
in height.
2) String lights — these are
not the same type as you use
on a tree indoors. They are strings
of heavy wire , wjth weather-proof
NEVER USE INDOOR LIGHTING
EQUIPMENT FOR OUTDOORS
light sockets and special exterior
bulbs. The bulbs should be either
C-7% or C-9% in size. Buy these
string lights with safety fuses at
tached.
3) Spot lamps and flood lamps
—these should be used with out
door-type extension wire and
weather-proof lamp holders. For
this form of outdoor lighting, ask
for 150-watt projector flood and
6pot bulbs. (Color cap lenses are
r
mailable to fit these bulbs. Mak
ire the lamp is not touching an
e wires, wood or other inflammable
y material when you set it in plaee.
J\lWq
Kodiak B.P.O.E. No. 1772
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KODIAK MOTORS, INC.