When you have your own handyman business, you must have a wide skillset so that you can take on many jobs and maximize your income. One area that is worth focusing on that could give you a competitive edge and take on more work is working with photocells, which would enable you to take on many lighting installation jobs.
What is a Photocell & What Does it do?
So, what exactly is a photocell? Essentially, this is a switch that detects light levels that can then turn a switch on or off depending on its usage. This allows for automated lighting devices, which are commonly used for garages, street lamps, garden lights, and light switches in the home. Using the example of a street lamp, the photocell would detect when the sun has set so that the light can then be switched on to illuminate the street. This can be helpful in terms of safety and security, plus it can provide energy-saving opportunities as lighting is only used when required.
Getting to Grips With Photocells
It is worth getting to grips with photocells because this would allow you to take on lighting applications in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. You need to have one photocell switch that is wired into the circuit, which would then control all of the lighting fixtures. Photocells have a red wire (load line), black wire (supply line), and white wire (neutral wire).
How to Install
To install a photocell, you should first always make sure that you are sourcing photocontrols from a reputable supplier to deliver the best results for your customers. You also need to make sure that you are wearing protective equipment as working with electrics will always pose a threat, so you need to have safety goggles and protective gloves. The load wire will connect to your lighting installation and the neutral wire will go through a circuit breaker and is looped to all of the lights. You then run the supply line through the circuit breaker and this provides the photocell with power. As you can see, installing a photocell is a relatively straightforward task, and once you have done it once it will be something that you never forget.
A handyman should always be looking to add to their skill set so that they can take on as much work as possible. One of the best new skills to learn is installing photocells, which would allow you to take on many lighting jobs in residential, commercial, and industrial settings and this can lead to a lot more work. Automated lighting based on light levels is incredibly useful for individuals and businesses, especially in a time when people are looking to make energy savings, so this could be a great new skill to have in your arsenal.
Steph King is a content writer from the UK with a passion for writing about Business and Marketing.
