Ideas and Tips page

Thank you for visiting our tips page! We will always strive to provide information and products designed to save you time and money.

Save Electricity with Fluorescent Lamps	Simple Home Networking
Dual Purpose Fax Line	Peak Generator Performance
Utility Company Requirements	The Truth About Sales Tax
Why should you choose Northside Power?	Have you checked your Generator Lately?
Honda Power Equipment!	Renewable Power the beginning!

When you decide to invest he money in the purchase of an Automatic Home Standby Generator, do you want to have your new system installed by just any body? you wouldn't have an Automotive mechanic repaint your car, or your local Plumber install your HVAC system! Then you need to hire the Company that specializes in Generator service and installation. Northside Power is that Company, we have years of specialized experience in engine work, electrical systems, electric motors, and electrical controls. At Northside we understand power consumption in your home or business and can help you decide the right size generator for your application without selling you an oversized system, that uses entirely to much fuel and cost to much cash in the beginning. We provide Preventative Maintenance Agreements to insure your generator is operating correctly. A Preventative Maintenance Agreement will save you money in costly repairs and wasted fuel, not to mention the frustration of your automatic home standby generator not operating when the power goes out! Northside Power is fully licensed insured and bonded for your protection, and we provide a 2yr installation warranty with every installation we complete! I'm sure that any electrical or mechanical buddy that you have can complete the installation successfully, but will they provide you with a 2yr warranty against any installation defects that they may have caused? Not only will we install your Home Generator system but we also complete the factory recommended startup and test all of the generators safeties, and operational parameters to insure top performance! For a limited time we are offering a 10% discount on the complete generator system including installation just click on the internet specials to print the coupon.

Now if you really would like to install the system yourself or have a local friend help you that's OK we can still come out and check the installation, complete the startup and test your new generator for proper operation. We understand when a person has a tight budget and we want to help any way we can. Some times a new generator will have a warranty problem fresh out of the box. When this happens wouldn't it be nice to have a factory trained generator specialist on hand to make the repairs and complete the installation so you have a fully functional system at the end of the day.

If you have additional questions or would like our help you can email us at greg@northsidepower.com or call us at 501-315-7213! We are here to help you avoid the uncertainty of a power outage.

Did you know that you could change your existing incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent lamps and save a bundle throughout the year on your electric bill!! That's right. How many light bulbs do you have throughout your home today? 10 maybe 20 or 30. Well if you changed just one 60watt incandescent light bulb to a 13watt compact fluorescent lamp you could save $11.00 each year!!!! What if you changed 20? That's $220.00 per year. Guess what? The new compact 13watt fluorescent won't compromise the amount of light you are comfortable with either because it has almost the same lumens output (Lumens is the standard measurement of lighting output). But the best part is fluorescent lamps last an average of 10,000 hrs instead of just 2,500 hours like incandescent lamps!! That's 4 times as long, which means you wont be standing in a chair to change those bulbs near as often!!!

We have designed a test house to see what could be potentially saved if we used fluorescent lights instead of incandescent. You know what? That house is saving approximately $50.00 per month because of the lighting alone! That's $600.00 per year add interest and invest that until you retire and it equals almost $83,000.00 dollars in 27 years based on an annual interest return of just 9%!!!!

All of the above calculations are based on an average usage of 8 hours per day and an 8 cents per kilowatt cost for electricity. Your actual saving will vary depending on your area and usage.

EMAIL us at greg@northsidepower.com or call us at 501-315-7213 today for more information about these great lamps. They are manufactured in a variety of styles to fit in most basic fixtures. You can also select from several different styles of fixtures if you wanted to replace your lights and give the house a face lift!!

Are you still using the same dial-up ISP today that you used a few years ago? If you are, you have probably noticed how long some of the new flash files take to download. Your Modem connection is operating at a range of between 15kbps to maybe 36kbps (kilo bytes per second). Most of the smallest files that load web pages today are 700kb and more.

Most people today have more than one computer in the home as well. What seems to be the single biggest problem with the home internet today? Slow speed and only one user at a time is able to use the telephone line to connect.

The solution is DSL (high speed broadband through the phone Company), Broadband cable modem (provided from your cable Company), and the Direcway satellite system. All three of these systems offer high speed reliable internet communications, with speeds around 800 to 1100kbps. Pick the system that is right for you.

Monthly cost for High Speed internet is also a big plus. High Speed internet will cost around $50.00 to $60.00 per month. But you will not require a separate ISP account at around $20.00 or 2nd telephone line at around $30.00. So you can see for about the same cost as standard modem access, you can have the blazing speed of broad band internet! Plus everyone can access the internet at the same time.

But the best help is a small home network! With modern technology, we can now reliably operate a home network wirelessly. Linksys and several other manufactures provide equipment for this purpose. They all operate at a communication speed of approximately 11mbps (11 mega bytes per second). Although most hardwired networks provide speeds up to 100mbps, your internet connection speed will be well below the 11mbps speed of your wireless network. Now depending on which high speed system you use, which will determine the equipment, you will need to share you internet connection across your home network.

With Cable and DSL, you will need a wireless router. This equipment connects to the high speed modem and provides traffic control for all of the computers on the network. It also provides a wireless gateway for the remote PC's in your home. You will also need wireless network cards for each remote PC. These cards are designed to be installed directly into your computer, or slide into the little card slot (pcmcia slot) on the side of the Lap-top or plug into the USB port on your PC. The PC located next to the high speed modem will need a standard NIC card (network interface card). This card is installed directly into the case and provides a direct connection to the router using a Cat#5 patch cable. Then assemble the equipment according to the manufactures instructions, load your software, and configure your router. Now you are off and running with all the computers on the internet surfing and checking email at the same time.

With Direcway Satellite systems, you will need to have Windows ME or better on the main computer, a wireless gateway and wireless cards for each remote PC, same as above. One big difference is that you really do not require a router. You only need a wireless gateway with a network switch or network hub. Once the equipment has been properly installed for each PC, you will want to go to the Windows ME system click on the start button, select the help menu, choice the index tab, and type internet connection sharing. Follow the instruction for each PC on your network to activate this feature on Windows ME or better operating system. If you have other windows systems such as win95 or win98 the Internet Connection Sharing Wizard provides for creating a disk that will enable those PC's to share your internet connection as well. With the Direcway system you, must be sure to leave the main PC turned on the entire time you are using you internet connection. This PC directs the internet traffic real similar to the router in the previous method.

All of the above information is intended to provide a basic understanding of the necessary equipment to share your high speed internet. If you are not comfortable with the programming required, a trained network professional can assist you in setting up this system.

EMAIL us at greg@northsidepower.com or call us at 501-315-7213 today for more information about this great communication opportunity for your home.

Do you have a dedicated fax line in your Home/office? How often do you need a second voice line to make a call while your primary line is being used?

There is a simple solution to the problem of needing three lines on a two line budget. The Stick is an electronic component that is installed at the head of your fax line. When the telephone line rings, the Stick answers the call and listens for the infamous fax machine hand shack. If the tones are present, the Stick routes the call to the appropriate jack to connect the call to your fax machine. The Stick also generates a ring voltage so your fax machine knows to answer the call.

Now if the Stick does not hear the hand shake tone, it will route the call to the appropriate telephone extension so you can answer the call with confidence that someone really wants to speak with you. The Stick also generates a ring voltage allowing your telephone to ring as normal.

If the party sending a fax does not operate their fax on automatic, the hand shake will not be present, therefore, the Stick will route the call to the telephone. If this should occur a simple 2 digit code will force the call back to your fax machine for flawless reception by your fax machine.

Since the Stick does not let the call through until it decides where to send it, your fax machine can be set to pick up the call on the 1st ring which greatly reduces irritable noises in the home/office! The stick also prevents you from accidentally picking up your telephone line while a fax is in progress, so you don't get the ear pain from the digital fax transmission. This is accomplished because the Stick will connect the appropriate jacks automatically as needed.

The Stick is affordable when compared to the perpetual cost of a 3rd line at around $30.00 per month. The Stick is a one time cost of around $100.00. In less than four months, you will save the cost of this device. The installation is very straight forward and simple with the enclosed instructions. That are provided with each unit. The Stick also has a 3rd port for use by a computer modem. This will prevent accidentally picking up while your PC is surfing the internet as well.

EMAIL us at greg@northsidepower.com or call us at 501-315-7213 today for more information about this great communication opportunity for your home.

Are you the proud owner of a portable generator, purchased for work, play or in case of an emergency? Do you think about your generator at anytime other than when you need it for auxiliary power?

If you don't think about your generator, it will probably not be ready when you need it! Today's modern gasoline does not have a very long shelf life. Gasoline will begin losing it's power in a matter of months. But you can take a few extra precautions to insure your generator is ready when you need it.

The most important thing you can do for your seasonal equipment lawnmowers, snow blower, garden tractor, generator, Etc. is to keep the fuel system clean and in optimum condition. One of the best ways to do this is by using a readily available fuel stabilizer. These products are available at all of the leading automotive stores and will greatly increase the engines ability to start after long dormant periods. Be sure to start the engine and allow it to reach it's normal operating temperature every other month or so, as this will keep all of the seals lubricated and allow the fuel system to flush. It will also let the moisture that has collected in the engine oil to be evaporated so oil breakdown does not occur as rapidly.

If you anticipate the engine will set longer than a few months, you need to drain the fuel system and remove the battery (if equipped with electric start). Every month the battery should be placed on a trickle charger for 24hrs to maintain it's proper charge. A battery will go bad fast if it is stored on metal or concrete. So locate it on a wooden surface for storage. Some of the new batteries are designed so that storage on a concrete surface will not damage them. You should check with the Battery Manufacturer for this informatin.

When you place the unit back into service, you should reinstall the battery after testing it's electrical charge, fill the fuel system with fresh fuel, remove the spark plug and check it for proper gap and clean surfaces. After reinstalling the spark plugs, it's time to start the engine. Run the unit until it reaches the normal operating temperature. Then turn off the engine and proceed to change the oil. Even if the oil has very little run time, it's very important to keep good oil in the crankcase that does not have any moisture present.

With most small air-cooled engines, a good synthetic oil (such as Casterol or Mobil I) is the best since it tends to work longer under adverse conditions, such as high temperatures or moisture.

After replacing the oil, the unit should be ready for full service according to the manufactures recommendations.

All of the above information is intended to provide a basic understanding of the necessary procedure to store a small air-cooled gasoline engine. If you are not comfortable with the maintenance required, a trained small engine professional can assist you. Under no circumstance should this information be used in substitution of the original equipments owners manual.

EMAIL us at greg@northsidepower.com or call us at 501-315-7213 today for more information about servicing your electrical generator system.

Although most out of state sellers do not charge the customer sales tax on products shipped into the state of Arkansas. That does not remove your obligation to pay sales tax. There is no free lunch. If you buy without paying sales tax, either the tax was calculated as part of the price of the product or else you are responsible to the government to pay that sales tax. There could also be additional penalties for the time that elapses from your purchase until you are charged the sales tax as well. Please visit the Arkansas sales Tax web site http://www.arkansas.gov/dfa

Act 951- Effective date: 3/31/97 This act requires an out of state vendor to collect use tax when

The odds are that if you have not checked your generator to see if it operates correctly it probably does not! As we approach the spring season, when the weather becomes a little rough, everyone should test their generator system. Whether you have an Automatic Home Standby system or a portable generator, it should be checked. Items like the engine oil, spark plugs, fuel, belts hoses, loose bolts, and electrical output should be tested. Now I know that some of you have a state of the art Home Standby System and your saying " it checks itself every week so why do I need to Worry? " Well have you heard it run lately? Have you checked the hour meter to verify it is operational? How about the trouble lights, have you looked to see that they are not indicating a problem? If you have an Automatic Home Standby Generator and the starting battery is dead, it will not start in a power failure. Let's all go see if our generators operate before the power goes out! Oh and for those of you who own a portable generator you might want to check the stored fuel and make sure it is new! Old fuel means big problems when it's time for your generator to produce power.

While your spring cleaning is a good time to check your generator, check your fuel, and just make sure your ready for a Thunderstorm that might slip into your neighborhood!

EMAIL us at greg@northsidepower.com or call us at 501-315-7213 today for more information about servicing your electrical generator system.

Are we really ready to embrace Solar, Wind, or Hydro power for our own personal use? With the rising cost of fossil fuels and the damage to our environment I think the time is here. The only problem is the technology does not appear to have caught up yet. Yes we can take Wind, Sun light, and Water movement and produce electricity in large enough volumes to power our homes. The quality of the electricity is equal to that of the Utility Companies. It's just that the initial investment cost is still to great for the payback ( speaking strictly financially )! The cost for a single solar panel is around $200.00 dollars but can only produce 160watts. Now some of you are going to say that you can get more power than that and your right, there are a lot of types of cells at varying prices and production levels but this seems to be about the average power for the dollar. Any way, 160watts is produced only during peak sunlight, which is not all day long. Each geographical area is different. www.eia.doe.gov/fuelrenewable.html has links that can help you determine your available sunlight, but here in Arkansas we average about 5hrs of productive sun light. Simple math will show you that it will take several 160watt panels to operate just the lighting requirements in your home. On the average you could expect to pay around 20 to 30 thousand dollars for a solar system capable of providing your power. that would be solar panels, invertors, install labor, miscellaneous materials, and batteries to store excess power during production for use later when there is no sun. This system could effectively replace a $200 or so per month electricity bill. So how long will it take to get your investment back? possibly 12 or more years, not figuring maintenance cost into the equation since the batteries will fail as they age and have to be replaced, one of the weak links is that battery technology hasn't changed much. You could reduce the initial cost if you down size the system but be aware that you may have to be energy conservative to operate on the smaller system. Speaking of being energy conservative, why couldn't we use energy efficient products, be conservative and combine our renewable power with the Utility Company. Save a little money, but best of all help our environment? That is currently what makes the most sense. Instead of building a system large enough to operate all of your home all the time, size the system as large as you can afford to reduce your grid power. Most Utility Companies will net meter you electric production and credit it against your future use.

Ok now your thinking about the possibilities of using solar, wind or water for electricity, I will begin adding articles with information regarding the cost and feasibility of doing that. Check back from time to time and see what new articles have been released.

Northside Electric has just added Honda to the generator line up! We now offer the full line of Honda generators and power equipment to make all of your outdoor work easier. Northside has the super quiet inverter series generators that has made Honda the number one choice for contractors across America. If you camp where power is not available check out the Honda EU1000i or the EU2000i. Both of these units weigh less than 50lbs and can operate for over 8hrs on one tank of fuel. The noise level is 59db, that is less than common speech! The Honda inverter technology is perfect for sensitive electronics for clean on the go power! With the EU series from Honda they can be paralleled and double the output capacity. We can use 2 EU2000i's with the RV ready parallel kit and plug your 30amp RV plug straight into the proper receptacle. This provides quiet, clean power for all of your camping experience even when the great outdoors does not provide electricity! Drop by and let the Northside team help you with any of your outdoor power needs!