 Some History on the Beginning of Electricity In HawaiiLet’s go back to the official home of Hawaii’s last monarchs. Why? Because it was electric!
In 1882, King Kalakaua finished building Iolani Palace on the island of Oahu. It still stands today and is known as “one of the most recognizable buildings in Hawaii.” It’s a monument of history that brings us back to the time and lives of Hawaii’s former royal family. More so, Iolani Palace is a historic account of Hawaii’s role in electric power. In 1886, it was the first building in Hawaii and one of the first royal occupations in the world to have electricity. King Kalakaua’s interest in Thomas Edison’s light bulb sparked his decision to implement them in the palace. On his birthday, November 16th, in 1886, the palace was fully lit with lightbulbs. Two years after the palace was given electricity, Princess Kaiulani flipped the circuit switch that sent electricity to light the streets of Honolulu for the first time. By 1890 over 700 Hawaii homes had electric lights while the majority of the United States didn’t. The Hawaiian Electric Company, Ltd. was then established in 1891. In a short span of less than a decade, Iolani Palace led the way for electricity in Hawaii. It had electricity before Buckingham Palace and even before the White House. Not to mention it also had indoor plumbing and a telephone system. Innovation through technology being brought to Hawaii led it to being one of the more advanced places to be in the late 1800s. Since then, and especially now, electrical solutions have always helped Hawaii flourish. Utilizing technology leads to improved productivity and reduced costs, better quality of products and services to meet customer needs, a larger product range for higher sales and profit, better handled legal and environmental issues, added value for businesses, and more staff retention for businesses as well. So next time you go to Oahu, go see the palace and think about how cool it is to be looking at one of the first buildings that utilized electricity in Hawaii! Help our blog grow by commenting your thoughts below and suggesting industry familiar topics you'd like to read about next. Feel free to like and share as well! Mahalo!
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 WESTERN WAR MACHINERY IN KING KAMEHAMEHA’S KINGDOM?On December 22nd, in 1871, Kamehameha V chose June 11th as the day the Hawaiian kingdom would honor his grandfather, King Kamehameha “the Great.” Unlike other monarchs before him, King Kamehameha conquered the Hawaiian islands and brought them under his ruling authority.
Though other ruler’s also had gun power at the time of his conquests, they didn’t utilize it the way he did. King Kamehameha obtained guns long before he began his attacks on other chiefs but his plans to unify the islands took off when he found two men named John Young and Isaac Davis. They were foreign, western, allies who helped him rise to power with war machinery that included cannons and muskets. Davis’s ship was attacked by a Big Island chief and his entire crew died. He was said to be the only survivor. Davis was rescued and not only became one of King Kamehameha’s trusted advisors, but also a close friend. Young was also a sailor. After going ashore to see what Happened to Davis’s ship, he was detained by King Kamehameha and within a couple days his own crew left Hawaii without him. He met Davis, and also became an advisor and confidant of the king. Both men offered western strategic battle advice and ended up serving as commanders of King Kamehameha’s infantry. They had voices of influence over most circumstances in the Hawaiian Kingdom under the king’s ruling and also taught the king’s men how to operate and maintain the weapons that were acquired on Davis’s ship. Today you can find petroglyphs at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park on the Big Island that distinctly show images of muskets and men. King Kamehameha became a skilled warrior at a young age, but after witnessing the first attacks of Captain Cook's sailors using firearms, he was said to be intrigued by the powerful weapons. This proved true when his army grew to nearly 11,000 armed warriors and over 900 war canoes by 1795. Though many Hawaiians lost their lives in the battles won by the king, the islands were unified and brought under his single ruling. On June 11th, Hawaiians remember the powerful warrior King Kamehameha was, the strategies and war machinery that aided in his inspiration, and his efforts of bringing the Hawaiian islands together.  9 Tell-Tale Signs You Need to Get a New ThermostatIn our previous blog post we mentioned that thermostats are one of the best automations to implement in a buyers home or office because of climate control. Now we have some things to say to those who already own a thermostat. It’s important to know and recognize the signs of an unusable thermostat so you don't waste time, energy, or finances. Here are the 9 Tell-Tale Signs You Need to Get a New Thermostat: Your HVAC Doesn’t Shut Off / Doesn’t Turn OnGo figure. If your thermostat was previously working fine and now it doesn't work at all, then it's definitely time to get a new thermostat. Your HVAC Turns On / Off Too OftenLike the above, if heat and cooling are no longer being regulated, you might want to get a new thermostat. The Temperature Is Not What You Set It AtWhen the air temperature should be 60 degrees but feels like 89 degrees, there’s a problem. Either the thermostat has been installed in the wrong area, or you simply need a new one. Accurate temperature readings are the core of a thermostat’s purpose. A well functioning thermostat should be doing it’s job correctly. Rapid Temperature ChangesAside from temperature misreading's, thermostats may go completely haywire, swinging between different temperatures. When this happens, it's time for a new thermostat.  Skyrocketing Energy BillsNotice an unusual rise in your electric costs? Don’t worry, the neighbors aren’t tapping into your electric line, the thermostat may be to blame. Consider replacing it with a new one to continue saving money. Thermostat Technical IssuesIf your thermostat has stopped displaying information on screen there could be a list of foolproof factors causing it; check the batteries, there may even be a blown fuse or the wires have been covered in dust. If all of these check out, your thermostat may be done for. It Turns Off or On Before It's Supposed ToThis issue can be traced back to a thermostat’s location. Make sure that a professional is installing or relocating your thermostat so it is not put too far from the rooms receiving heat/cooling and can accurately measure temperatures. On the other hand, you may just have a broken thermostat and need a new one. Thermostat AgeThermostats aren’t eternal. They will eventually age and need to be replaced. In rare cases, the lifespan of a fully functioning thermostat can last up to 10 years with no problems or technical difficulties. Regardless, some thermostats will need to be switched out long before that. Newer thermostats use better technology that makes them more efficient for better use, so it’s ideal to replace them more frequently.  If you’re noticing any of these signs, contact We Are More so we can do a full assessment and lake sure a new thermostat is what you need before you buy one. We also install and supply multiple thermostats for a customized solution that fits your specific needs.
Help our blog grow by commenting your thoughts below and suggesting industry familiar topics you'd like to read about next. Feel free to like and share as well! Mahalo! |
Our AuthorSamara Towers does We Are More's PR & Marketing which includes writing our blogs! She was born and raised in Hawaii and graduated from Corban University with a Bachelors Degree in Creative Writing. She produces content to give our audience more insight and opinions on technical solutions big and small. 
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