Commercial kitchens face increased danger of electricity because of the risk of water spills and grease, fires, worn electrical cords on countertop equipment, faulty wiring or equipment, damaged outlets or connectors, and improperly used or damaged extension cords, just to name a few.

Electrical Tips for Kitchen Safety

Most restaurant fires start in the kitchen, so it’s important for all restaurant employees to respect the power of electricity and to report potential electrical hazard to managers immediately. When working with electrical equipment, there are several things commercial kitchen workers can do to prevent serious accidents, electrocution and the potential for fire:

• Know how to shut off all power in case of an emergency
• Keep the power cords away from hot surfaces and ovens when in use
• Pull on the plug itself, not the cord when unplugging equipment
• Use ceiling or wall outlets rather than running cords across a potentially wet floor
• Avoid touching the prongs of a plug while inserting it into an outlet
• Do not plug something in if the cord is wet or if you are touching a wet surface
• Do not use extension cords that are warm when in use
• Use ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs)
• Use power strips to help keep circuits from overloading
• Properly label all circuit breakers or fuse boxes to corresponding fixtures and outlets
• Be careful when cleaning around lighting, fans, exhaust hoods, etc.  

To ensure proper operation, safety and insurance coverage in case of a claim, all commercial kitchen electrical equipment should be installed by a licensed electrician. The Licensed Electricians at American Electric of Jacksonville have all the experience and technical knowledge to properly install all your electrical equipment – to local electrical and safety codes. We also provide full Electrical Safety Inspections, and make affordable recommendations to resolve any electrical safety or operational issues.

Contact American Electric of Jacksonville for an Electrical Safety Inspection Today! Call: 904.271.4044

There are many simple ways a business can reduce electricity usage and costs. Approximately 40% of most businesses’ energy expenses come from lighting. One of the easiest ways to save money on lighting is to use the right kind of lightbulb. Old school incandescent bulbs use a lot of electricity and 90% of it ends up released as heat. More efficient bulbs have replaced incandescent bulbs. LEDs, halogen incandescent bulbs, and compact fluorescent lamps might be more expensive than other bulbs, but the energy they save more than makes up for it. Halogen bulbs are simply a more efficient version of the traditional incandescent bulb, and thus cheaper. LEDs and CFLs also have more customization options, like a wider variety of colors.  Another way to save energy on lighting is to use dimmers to alter light levels and timers or occupancy sensors, which can automatically turn off lights when they’re not in use.

Another way to save energy is with office equipment. Always turn off computers, printers, and other electronics during inactive hours. One way to do that is installing an automatic power management system for your equipment. Also, laptop computers are generally more energy efficient than desktops. In situations where individual workstations need multiple powered devices, consider using a plug load controller, which can help to manage power usage. When looking for new office equipment, make sure it’s ENERGY STAR approved, as they will generally be more energy efficient.

Involve Your Staff:

Businesses should also make sure to get their employees involved with energy saving. Properly educating your staff about energy efficiency is crucial, as a vigilant staff can reduce the need for energy consumption and increase your energy savings.

Have an Energy Audit:

Talk with the licensed electricians at American Electric of Jacksonville about conducting an energy audit. Energy audits are a cost effective way of detecting energy waste and identifying components and solutions that will save you money.

Contact American Electric of Jacksonville about an Commercial or Industrial Energy Audit and Start Saving on Energy Costs Today! Call: 904.271.4044

American Electric of Jacksonville continues with their electrical contract at the United States Postal Service Hub in Jacksonville, FL.  It was time for Loop 3 to be rewired, one of (3) loops that moves and sorts mail from the shipping docks while traveling throughout the complex and back to the shipping docks.

The loops connect to the loop controller, a super-computer that handles the automation, determining the speed, switches and scanners along the track while determining the packages destination.  Our electricians and electrical technicians worked between the controller, loop and VFD (Variable Frequency Drives).

The VFD connects to the loops motors and provides a circuit which can be changed gradually, allowing less electricity to pass to slow when the carts need to stop or speed up when more power is supplied. This comes in important use as carts move to different switches along the loop in route of the final location.  This control in easing the amount of electricity not only decreases wear and tear on the carts and motors but also helps keep the mail inside the carts.

Keeping these machines maintained with new wiring is needed as they are used every day. At any point there were to be a disconnect in the system, it would cost much more than labor to fix as mail would be delayed throughout the city. It is up to these automated systems to ensure that the mail is delivered on time to the people of Jacksonville.

American Electric of Jacksonville was contracted by Etchasoft Inc., a web and software development company located in Jacksonville’s Southside, to replace a 30 AMP electrical circuit with a 60 AMP circuit.  The electrical work needed is for new air conditioning units being installed in the same week.  This required a flexible scheduling on top of the mess Hurricane Matthew left, which caused much electrical damage throughout the area.  An appointment was made to first assess the job, the needed materials were ordered and an electrician was provided to complete the project.

Wesley and Mike worked in between the conference room, where the breaker panel is, and the AC maintained room in the attic space.  The cabinets have been previously removed allowing access to the breaker panel and the casing was removed.  The old 30AMP circuit was removed, then the 60AMP circuit was installed and wired to the AC system.  Breakers were shifted within the panel allowing space for the new breaker which was then installed.

As natural disasters occur and electricians are needed, many electrical contractors become overwhelmed with the mass load of work. At American Electric, we have the ability to schedule flexible hours when a job needs to be completed.