CONTRACTORS’ CORNER | EDITOR’S COLUMN
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Good vibes only for 2026
I don’t know how things are going on your side, but over here, 2026 has started with a bang! It’s like someone suddenly took their finger off the pause button and hit fast-forward instead. So much excitement in the air. January was all about Happy Holidays for me. With my box of hopeful entries in tow, I stopped by each sponsor to draw the prize winners for our annual competition. After all, why should December be the only time you get presents? It’s great to spread a little cheer at the start of the year too. What I enjoyed just as much was touching base with the various sponsors and chatting about their 2026 plans. Despite the uncertainty in the global political and economic landscape, everyone I spoke to seemed overwhelmingly positive about the coming year. You can’t get a South African down, hey; we are resilient. Wherever I stopped with my box full of competition entries, I was greeted with wide smiles and big plans. The local electrical and lighting companies have been hard at work allows the installer or end user to select the most appropriate setting, either at installation or later if requirements change. From a technical standpoint, 3CCT effectively leverages the inherent flexibility of LED technology. Instead of full colour tuning, which can be costly and unnecessary for many applications, 3CCT focuses on three carefully selected presets that suit most real-world environments. This keeps electronics straightforward and reliable while still delivering meaningful choice. For installers and specifiers, it reduces uncertainty at the selection stage, as one product can cover a wide range of applications. There are also clear maintenance advantages. If one colour temperature degrades over time, the fitting does not need to be replaced immediately. Switching to an alternative setting can extend the luminaire’s usable life, reducing waste and long-term costs. Energy efficiency is equally straightforward. Choosing an appropriate
bringing new and exciting opportunities to market this year and beyond. It gives me hope. Perhaps all is not lost. Perhaps we can still have a great year filled with growth and achievement. Scrap that “perhaps” actually. I know all is not lost. Because if there is one thing we know how to do as a country, it’s make a plan and rise above our circumstances. If anyone can have a great year despite all the instability and uncertainty, it’s the “Saffas”, as they call us. We all have choices. You can sit and bemoan the fact that the world isn’t perfect right now, or you can accept that fact and give 2026 your all anyway. Who knows, maybe this is the year everything changes for you. Speaking of good things happening, who did win those Happy Holidays prizes? Check out our spread on pages 4 and 5 to see who is starting their year with a bit of cheer. Thanks again to our amazing sponsors for making this happen. Our feature themes for this edition are Energy Efficiency and Solar (from page 7), colour temperature helps avoid over- lighting. Warmer light suits relaxed, low- activity areas and typically requires less output than cooler light used in task-focused spaces. When combined with dimming or occupancy controls, energy savings increase further. As LED-based products, 3CCT fittings also offer long operating lives, often exceeding 50,000 hours. Available across downlights, panels, battens and linear fixtures, 3CCT lighting is suitable for residential, commercial and light-industrial settings. It supports better lighting outcomes without increasing wattage or complexity. As energy costs rise and efficiency expectations grow, 3CCT represents a balanced solution that is flexible, efficient and practical for modern spaces. For many projects, it is simply the most logical, adaptable approach to lighting design available today across diverse applications and budgets worldwide right now.
Distribution Boards, Switches, and Sockets (from page 13), and our regular Lighting section (from page 15). A diverse range of articles across industry interests to make sure you start your year off right. There’s plenty to dig into, so whether you read our magazine in print or online, or just follow our LinkedIn stories, don’t miss out. Let’s make February awesome! For now, happy reading. Ilana Koegelenberg
sparks@crown.co.za
3CCT LED BACKLIT PANELS ELARA EXPERT ILLUMINATION FOR EVERY ENTERPRISE NEW PRODUCTS!
Understanding 3CCT lighting: concept, functionality, and energy-saving benefits L ighting has evolved well beyond a simple choice between “warm” and “cool”. One of the most practical recent developments is 3CCT lighting,
TOGGLE 3CCT selectable CCT
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which adds flexibility without unnecessary complexity or cost. It reflects how spaces are actually used and how lighting requirements often change over time. MCE Electric explores this topic further. CCT, or Correlated Colour Temperature, describes the appearance of light and is measured in Kelvin (K). Lower values, such as 3000 K, create a warm, comfortable atmosphere, while higher values like 6500 K produce a cooler, daylight-style output. Traditionally, luminaires were supplied with a fixed CCT. Once installed, the colour could not be altered, and if the space was repurposed or the result felt unsuitable, replacement was often the only option. 3CCT fittings overcome this limitation by providing three colour temperatures in a single luminaire, typically 3000 K, 4000 K, and 6500 K. A simple switch on the fitting
IP 20
Available in: 600x600mm 600x1200mm
3CCT LED BATTEN LIGHTS dynamO
TOGGLE 3CCT selectable CCT
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Available in: WHITE & BLACK
Enquiries: www.mce.co.za
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3CCT LED WEATHERPROOF FITTING
TOGGLE 3CCT selectable CCT
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Available in: 40W | 130lm | 1180MM 50W | 104lm | 11480MM
VISIT US AT: WWW.MCE.CO.ZA
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SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS
FEBRUARY 2026
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