Wiring Thread: This stupid safety device started alerting that there wasn't safety!

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Hobbies, Crafts, & Houses > Wiring Thread: This stupid safety device started alerting that there wasn't safety!

«‹›494 »

Mimesweeper: Mar 11, 2009; Smellrose

4 is the most common, 2 would be a good way to future proof, no idea about the rest.

# ? Aug 16, 2016 22:26

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 10, 2024 00:06

kid sinister: Nov 16, 2002

Steampunk Hitler posted:

I'm wondering what people generally do to handle running wires from an unfinished basement to an unfinished attic? We had electricians out here who did this and cut holes in the drywall inside the attached garage to get up there, but I want to patch these holes over to prevent CO/Heat/Air/Bugs/Fire from traveling between the garage and the basement. I however want to make it easy to run future wires into the attic for further network expansions and I thought since we have these holes there now, we might be able to do something before I patch the dry wall up.

The house is a 2 story house with a partially finished basement (insulation, electric, hvac, no drywall or interior framing) and an attached garage which has a finished ceiling and the attached wall is finished. The garage sits about 1.5 feet down from the first floor, so you can access the top of the basement via the bottom of the garage. The master bedroom extends out over the garage but right above the wall that attaches the garage to the house is an empty-ish wall cavity that is used to frame out the closets which appears to be a straight shot into the attic (and that's what they did previously when they ran my two cat6a runs). I thought about trying to run conduit in the wall here prior to closing it up, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea (or even really doable). Where the garage meets the basement is flat 2x4 (bottom plate?) that they had to drill through to get the wire from the basement into the garage wall cavity, it appears I can maybe get a 1" through this legally (not more than 40% hole) and then it's a straight shoot to the top of the garage wall, where we run into problems, the electricians notched out the top plate of the garage wall slightly to allow the two wires to go in, but they also had two notch out part of what looks to be 2x10s or so sistered together sitting on top of the top plate to make this work. Once they got above the top plate, they then took a 90 degree turn into the garage ceiling for about a foot then straight up again. It looks like you're not allowed to notch very far at all into this (I'm assuming it's a floor joist) and since it's kind of sitting on top of the top plate, there's no way to get a conduit through it without doing that. Even if we do all of that, the conduit would still end up with 2 90 degree bends which would make pulling through harder.

So given all of this, I can think of a few options, but I'm not sure if they're any good or not.

1. Leave the holes, but put access panels in (is this even allowed in the wall/ceilings of an attached garage where it attached to the rest of the house?) and just manually run wires through them just how the electricians did previously, without having to cut the drywall next time.
2. Put conduit through the bottom plate of the garage, up to the top where I put a surface mounted box that is mounted on both the ceiling and the wall (essentially in the corner between them) with conduit then running from that box up into the attic space as well, essentially a surface mounted pull box that also allows the wires to go around the top plate and the joist instead of through them).
3. Close all of the holes up now, and when it comes time to run wires again, cut a hole in the exterior basement wall, and run a conduit up alongside the exterior of the house, and then cut a hole in the attic exterior wall and run the conduit inside the attic through there.
4. Give up, patch up the holes, and when we run more wires in the future live with the fact we'll have to open the walls up again.
5. Some other idea?

1. That usually isn't allowed for attached garages. You want to keep CO and CO² out of the house.
2. We would have to see pictures in order to tell you how feasible that is.
3. That could work, but the next owner could think that it looks ugly.
4. Sounds OK to me. Just how fancy is this garage?

# ? Aug 17, 2016 03:42

Comrade Gritty: Sep 19, 2011; This Machine Kills Fascists

kid sinister posted:

1. That usually isn't allowed for attached garages. You want to keep CO and CO² out of the house.
2. We would have to see pictures in order to tell you how feasible that is.
3. That could work, but the next owner could think that it looks ugly.
4. Sounds OK to me. Just how fancy is this garage?

1. Fair enough, we'll take this off the table then.
2. Here are some pictures http://imgur.com/a/6HKpr, the hole in the ceiling basically extends directly up into the attic, and the hole in the bottom plate extends directly into the top plate of the basement.
3. Yea, I'm not *super* worried about that, there's already a big radon pipe on the side of the house that we'd run it up and there is chimney that juts out so we could hide it in the corner of that worst case.
4. The garage isn't fancy at all (see pictures), this is mostly just about avoiding the extra work of cutting and patching dry wall to pull additional wires (I hired an electrician to do the first two drops just so I wouldn't have to locate a path from the basement to the attic in a new (to me) house. I plan to do further runs myself).

If 2 doesn't seem feasible then I'll just patch up the holes tomorrow and whenever I get around to wanting to put extra drops upstairs (I plan on it, but have higher priority things) I'll just deal with either putting a conduit or cutting and repatching holes then.

Thanks!

# ? Aug 17, 2016 04:21

Safety Dance: Sep 10, 2007; Five degrees to starboard!

I somehow managed to switch my dishwasher off yesterday, and without this thread, I would not have thought to hunt around and find the switch on my backsplash. Thanks, thread!

# ? Aug 17, 2016 15:22

Mimesweeper: Mar 11, 2009; Smellrose

Safety Dance posted:

I somehow managed to switch my dishwasher off yesterday, and without this thread, I would not have thought to hunt around and find the switch on my backsplash. Thanks, thread!

Haha, I think your dishwasher is plugged into what's intended for the garbage disposal.

# ? Aug 17, 2016 22:32

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

So I'm in the process of replacing my electrical outlets (my favorite part is the flathead screws filled in with 40 years of paint) and I just realized I've been putting 15 amp outlets on a 20 amp breaker. Do I have to do it all over with 20 amp outlets?

I mean it's 12 gauge wire and I don't know how I'm going to put 20 amps through one plug in a bedroom, right? I guess you could make it happen if you wanted to.

edit- Oh gently caress, I just found an aluminum wire backstabbed into one of the outlets with copper wire also backstabbed in there. This is the first time I've ever seen aluminum wire, will I die? I was going to put a GFCI outlet in the bathroom here.

This was definitely added later and I don't know where it goes. gently caress it, I'm disconnecting it.

loving ghetto engineering, one of the previous owners is the type of dude who would reuse flathead screws and do who knows what with the new Phillips head. Probably a stolen receptacle that didn't come with screws at all.

FogHelmut fucked around with this message at 01:33 on Aug 18, 2016

# ? Aug 18, 2016 00:19

Zhentar: Sep 28, 2003; Brilliant Master Genius

15 amp outlets are safe to use on 20 amp circuits.

But random aluminum wire? Make sure your smoke detectors are working :v:

# ? Aug 18, 2016 01:39

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

The aluminum and copper grounds were sandwiched together. The copper ground was covered in white powder. I have no idea where this wire was leading to. I haven't yet found anything that's not working.

Like literally gently caress this previous owner. The chandelier over the dining room table was screwed into the box with one correct screw and one drywall screw.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 02:07

Zhentar: Sep 28, 2003; Brilliant Master Genius

Oh, aluminum grounds aren't so bad. Particularly on a GFCI protected circuit. They don't get the kind of thermal expansion & contraction that you get with the hot & neutral conductors, since they rarely carry any current at all.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 02:28

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

magic mountain posted:

Haha, I think your dishwasher is plugged into what's intended for the garbage disposal.

Switched outlets for dishwashers are very much a thing in some areas. In the city I just moved from, code requires that there be a switch near the dishwasher - it was usually next to the garbage disposal switch.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 03:11

kid sinister: Nov 16, 2002

FogHelmut posted:

So I'm in the process of replacing my electrical outlets (my favorite part is the flathead screws filled in with 40 years of paint) and I just realized I've been putting 15 amp outlets on a 20 amp breaker. Do I have to do it all over with 20 amp outlets?

That's only necessary for single outlet circuits, like dedicated circuits for appliances.

FogHelmut posted:

The aluminum and copper grounds were sandwiched together. The copper ground was covered in white powder. I have no idea where this wire was leading to. I haven't yet found anything that's not working.

Is that white powder just paint? Also, how were they "sandwiched together"? One of the proper methods for joining copper pigtails to aluminum wiring involves a very high pressure crimp.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 04:11

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

Zhentar posted:

Oh, aluminum grounds aren't so bad. Particularly on a GFCI protected circuit. They don't get the kind of thermal expansion & contraction that you get with the hot & neutral conductors, since they rarely carry any current at all.

It wasn't just the ground, it was like 12/2. It looked thicker though, dunno if 10/2 would sound reasonable.

kid sinister posted:

That's only necessary for single outlet circuits, like dedicated circuits for appliances.

Is that white powder just paint? Also, how were they "sandwiched together"? One of the proper methods for joining copper pigtails to aluminum wiring involves a very high pressure crimp.

Like the hot and neutral were stuck into the back of the outlet, and the aluminum ground and the copper ground were on top of each other held in with the outlet's ground screw.

Maybe it was dust? It just brushed off.

I still haven't found where it was going. There's no extra outlets or fixtures anywhere in the bathroom. It's upstairs, I haven't checked the attic to see if it's run through there. But the side wall off of there is on a room with a vaulted ceiling. On the upper half of the wall, when the light hits it right, you can see it's a patchwork of old repairs. Maybe there's buried stuff, who knows.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 05:21

kid sinister: Nov 16, 2002

FogHelmut posted:

It wasn't just the ground, it was like 12/2. It looked thicker though, dunno if 10/2 would sound reasonable.

Like the hot and neutral were stuck into the back of the outlet, and the aluminum ground and the copper ground were on top of each other held in with the outlet's ground screw.

Maybe it was dust? It just brushed off.

I still haven't found where it was going. There's no extra outlets or fixtures anywhere in the bathroom. It's upstairs, I haven't checked the attic to see if it's run through there. But the side wall off of there is on a room with a vaulted ceiling. On the upper half of the wall, when the light hits it right, you can see it's a patchwork of old repairs. Maybe there's buried stuff, who knows.

Back when aluminum wires were used for branch circuits, aluminum wires were one gauge thicker than copper, so that makes sense that it's thicker.

So it's just a random aluminum wire going into the back of the box? Weird. Still, grounding screws are only allowed one wire under them. You would have to fix that.

Also, is that outlet a backstab?

# ? Aug 18, 2016 06:45

Hashtag Banterzone: Dec 8, 2005; Lifetime Winner of the willkill4food Honorary Bad Posting Award in PWM

My walls are plaster over solid brick. I want to add a new circuit and outlet for my TV. Would it be crazy to drill down like 12" at like a 60 degree angle through the brick and chisel out room for an outlet? I can see the bottom of the brick wall from the basement. I hate the look of the surface mounted outlets.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 14:57

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

kid sinister posted:

Back when aluminum wires were used for branch circuits, aluminum wires were one gauge thicker than copper, so that makes sense that it's thicker.

So it's just a random aluminum wire going into the back of the box? Weird. Still, grounding screws are only allowed one wire under them. You would have to fix that.

Also, is that outlet a backstab?

It was backstab. I replaced it with a GFCI in the bathroom. The aluminum is now disconnected, capped off, and tucked away in the back of the box.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 15:07

Safety Dance: Sep 10, 2007; Five degrees to starboard!

magic mountain posted:

Haha, I think your dishwasher is plugged into what's intended for the garbage disposal.

I wish. I don't think any of these condos came with a garbage disposal.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 16:31

kid sinister: Nov 16, 2002

FogHelmut posted:

It was backstab. I replaced it with a GFCI in the bathroom. The aluminum is now disconnected, capped off, and tucked away in the back of the box.

...you might want to hook that aluminum one back up. Grounds are generally safe to leave hooked up, plus that wire might go to some telecom connection or antenna. Grounding them usually improves their signal, or it could create a ground loop, but generally it helps.

Hashtag Banterzone posted:

My walls are plaster over solid brick. I want to add a new circuit and outlet for my TV. Would it be crazy to drill down like 12" at like a 60 degree angle through the brick and chisel out room for an outlet? I can see the bottom of the brick wall from the basement. I hate the look of the surface mounted outlets.

Surface mount might be your best bet, but I do know a couple tricks for mounting outlets in brick walls. We need more info about your walls. 1. How thick are your walls?
2. What are they made of? My house has plaster-4" concrete block-exterior brick around my back door.
3. Is this an exterior wall?
4. Would a floor mounted outlet be out of the question?

Safety Dance posted:

I wish. I don't think any of these condos came with a garbage disposal.

Look under the sink. Is there a duplex under there or a single outlet?

# ? Aug 18, 2016 18:28

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

kid sinister posted:

...you might want to hook that aluminum one back up. Grounds are generally safe to leave hooked up, plus that wire might go to some telecom connection or antenna. Grounding them usually improves their signal, or it could create a ground loop, but generally it helps.

What would be a safe way to do that with a GFCI outlet now in place?

# ? Aug 18, 2016 18:37

Safety Dance: Sep 10, 2007; Five degrees to starboard!

kid sinister posted:

Look under the sink. Is there a duplex under there or a single outlet?

There are no outlets under the sink. From what I've read, putting the dishwasher on a switch is quite common in Chicago.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 18:46

Hashtag Banterzone: Dec 8, 2005; Lifetime Winner of the willkill4food Honorary Bad Posting Award in PWM

kid sinister posted:

Surface mount might be your best bet, but I do know a couple tricks for mounting outlets in brick walls. We need more info about your walls. 1. How thick are your walls?
2. What are they made of? My house has plaster-4" concrete block-exterior brick around my back door.
3. Is this an exterior wall?
4. Would a floor mounted outlet be out of the question?

Walls are double brick, tho they are 150 years old so that could make it trickier.

It;s an exterior wall.

Floor mounted would work but that seems even less ideal than surface mount.

Maybe I should just suck it up and surface mount the outlet. I just hate the idea of drilling through my original wood floor and moulding.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 19:16

kid sinister: Nov 16, 2002

FogHelmut posted:

What would be a safe way to do that with a GFCI outlet now in place?

Get another copper wire for a pigtail, twist all 3 grounds together, cap it off, attach the pigtail to the outlet.

Safety Dance posted:

There are no outlets under the sink. From what I've read, putting the dishwasher on a switch is quite common in Chicago.

Is your dishwasher hardwired? It is also a thing to have a duplex in your cabinets somewhere, with one outlet of the duplex always on for a cord to the dishwasher, and the other outlet of the duplex on a switch for a cord to the disposal. If you have one of those, then your solution is as simple as swapping the plug to the other outlet.

Hashtag Banterzone posted:

Walls are double brick, tho they are 150 years old so that could make it trickier.

It;s an exterior wall.

Floor mounted would work but that seems even less ideal than surface mount.

Maybe I should just suck it up and surface mount the outlet. I just hate the idea of drilling through my original wood floor and moulding.

Ouch. There's no way you're going to get a flush mount outlet there unless you chisel out all the brick and plaster down to the basement, use some MC or conduit, then mortar and plaster over it. It would be a big mess and it would be hard to get the pieces out right at the floor level.

You wouldn't even be interested in a pretty brass floor box? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Raco-Sin...0BR-5/202605739

You might want to look into wire mold, as well as getting an oscillating tool. They're great for making plunge cuts, like cutting out a hole for a floor box (any old work box, really) and you could cut a slot in your existing floor moulding without needing to take it off the wall.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 22:11

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

kid sinister posted:

Get another copper wire for a pigtail, twist all 3 grounds together, cap it off, attach the pigtail to the outlet.

Oh just the ground, I thought you meant the whole thing.

# ? Aug 18, 2016 22:23

AFewBricksShy: Jun 19, 2003; of a full load.

This seems like a good idea, but is that safe? It would be great for an outlet I have in my bathroom.

# ? Aug 19, 2016 14:18

kid sinister: Nov 16, 2002

AFewBricksShy posted:

This seems like a good idea, but is that safe? It would be great for an outlet I have in my bathroom.

It should be. LEDs use almost no power. The problem you might have though is with their "no hookup required" tabs. It looks like they are designed to press against the screws of a regular duplex. Well, the screws are spaced different on GFCIs.

# ? Aug 19, 2016 20:15

AFewBricksShy: Jun 19, 2003; of a full load.

kid sinister posted:

It should be. LEDs use almost no power. The problem you might have though is with their "no hookup required" tabs. It looks like they are designed to press against the screws of a regular duplex. Well, the screws are spaced different on GFCIs.

I think the Ground Fault is in the breaker, it's currently just a standard outlet in bathroom. I guess I'll check that to make sure before I do anything.

# ? Aug 19, 2016 20:58

Slugworth: Feb 18, 2001; If two grown men can't make a pervert happy for a few minutes in order to watch a film about zombies, then maybe we should all just move to Iran!

Alright folks, a head scratcher. I have yet to see this, but my girlfriend reports that if she is using the oven (gas) and then runs the microwave, the circuit breaker trips. A gas oven can't possibly be appreciably drawing more power while cooking, can it? I mean, the power draw would be.... a thermostat?

# ? Aug 20, 2016 03:49

babyeatingpsychopath: Oct 28, 2000; Forum Veteran

Slugworth posted:

Alright folks, a head scratcher. I have yet to see this, but my girlfriend reports that if she is using the oven (gas) and then runs the microwave, the circuit breaker trips. A gas oven can't possibly be appreciably drawing more power while cooking, can it? I mean, the power draw would be.... a thermostat?

A common thing is to have a gas stovetop and electric oven. That may be the case.

AFewBricksShy posted:

This seems like a good idea, but is that safe? It would be great for an outlet I have in my bathroom.

There are other brands. I saw some in a hotel that used a tiny pigtail to go back to the wires. They looked really, really good. I looked them up and they were only about $6/ea individually, and much cheaper by the 20- or 100-pack. Unfortunately, I can't find the exact model right now.

# ? Aug 20, 2016 03:55

kid sinister: Nov 16, 2002

Slugworth posted:

Alright folks, a head scratcher. I have yet to see this, but my girlfriend reports that if she is using the oven (gas) and then runs the microwave, the circuit breaker trips. A gas oven can't possibly be appreciably drawing more power while cooking, can it? I mean, the power draw would be.... a thermostat?

Is she using the oven or the range? Which is electric and which is gas?

# ? Aug 20, 2016 04:37

Slugworth: Feb 18, 2001; If two grown men can't make a pervert happy for a few minutes in order to watch a film about zombies, then maybe we should all just move to Iran!

kid sinister posted:

Is she using the oven or the range? Which is electric and which is gas?

Oven, and unless I'm fairly well confused, the whole thing is gas - The outlet is only 120v. I thought maybe I had figured it out, and that what was causing the trip was her microwaving while using the exhaust fan built into the microwave, but no, apparently the exhaust fan was not running either time. The fridge is on the same circuit, for what it's worth, so it's definitely got a bit of a load on it. I just can't figure what a gas oven is doing to be that last straw.

# ? Aug 20, 2016 13:39

tater_salad: Sep 15, 2007

Slugworth posted:

Oven, and unless I'm fairly well confused, the whole thing is gas - The outlet is only 120v. I thought maybe I had figured it out, and that what was causing the trip was her microwaving while using the exhaust fan built into the microwave, but no, apparently the exhaust fan was not running either time. The fridge is on the same circuit, for what it's worth, so it's definitely got a bit of a load on it. I just can't figure what a gas oven is doing to be that last straw.

Gas ovens use to have a gas pilot light which when list would light the oven when the burner went on, that wasted gas, smelled bad and caused issues, and would be a PITA if they went out as in today's day and age they'd require thermocouples and the like so you aren't filling your house with gas.

NOW they have a glow plug which uses electricity to get very hot quickly to ignite the gas and get things all toasty.
It's different than the CLICKCLICKCLICK lighters on the stove-top.. it's an electric element that gets hot and when it reaches temp the gas valve opens up and you get the oven burner on.

# ? Aug 20, 2016 14:52

H110Hawk: Dec 28, 2006

Slugworth posted:

Oven, and unless I'm fairly well confused, the whole thing is gas - The outlet is only 120v. I thought maybe I had figured it out, and that what was causing the trip was her microwaving while using the exhaust fan built into the microwave, but no, apparently the exhaust fan was not running either time. The fridge is on the same circuit, for what it's worth, so it's definitely got a bit of a load on it. I just can't figure what a gas oven is doing to be that last straw.

How many watts is the microwave? You could be using 100% of the circuit just with the microwave. If it's a 1400 watt microwave that is 80% of a 15 amp 120v circuit. Combine that with the compressor on your fridge and you're in for a bad time.

# ? Aug 20, 2016 15:38

Otteration: Jan 4, 2014; I CAN'T SAY PRESIDENT DONALD JOHN TRUMP'S NAME BECAUSE HE'S LIKE THAT GUY FROM HARRY POTTER AND I'M AFRAID I'LL SUMMON HIM. DONALD JOHN TRUMP. YOUR FAVORITE PRESIDENT.
OUR 47TH PRESIDENT AFTER THE ONE WHO SHOWERS WITH HIS DAUGHTER DIES; Grimey Drawer

tater_salad posted:

Gas ovens use to have a gas pilot light which when list would light the oven when the burner went on, that wasted gas, smelled bad and caused issues, and would be a PITA if they went out as in today's day and age they'd require thermocouples and the like so you aren't filling your house with gas.

NOW they have a glow plug which uses electricity to get very hot quickly to ignite the gas and get things all toasty.
It's different than the CLICKCLICKCLICK lighters on the stove-top.. it's an electric element that gets hot and when it reaches temp the gas valve opens up and you get the oven burner on.

Probably this. If it's a newer stove the glow plug stays lit while the oven is on.

# ? Aug 20, 2016 18:05

kid sinister: Nov 16, 2002

For the record, is this a GFCI or AFCI breaker that is tripping?

# ? Aug 20, 2016 19:01

Slugworth: Feb 18, 2001; If two grown men can't make a pervert happy for a few minutes in order to watch a film about zombies, then maybe we should all just move to Iran!

drat you, glow plug! That certainly sounds like the likely culprit. I assumed the oven lit with a little piezo like the stove top burners.

And not GFCI or AFCI. In any case, I guess I'll need to see about running a new circuit, assuming the very crowded conduits in this place aren't at code capacity.

# ? Aug 21, 2016 03:31

Gunshow Poophole: Sep 14, 2008; OMBUDSMAN
POSTERS LOCAL 42069; Clapping Larry

Hey uh I am reasonably handy but replacing the MR16 lightbulbs in the cans in the ceiling of my kitchen apartment has me a bit confused:

A) should I be turning off the power at the breaker to do this? the "metal plate with tiny holes for wires" setup is freaking me out

B) I pulled the first bulb out but instead of coming out of the actual SOCKET, the wires stripped out of the lightbulb (it fell and shattered all over the floor, reflector is fine) and are now sticking bare out of the socket holes. Do I... I've gotta get those out before I put a new one in, obviously, but can I just grab em and yank with a pair of needlenose pliers?

Probably all much less dangerous than the fact that I'm on the top rung of a stepstool to do this but I figured I'd ask.

# ? Aug 22, 2016 18:46

glynnenstein: Feb 18, 2014

MR16 is 12 volts, so don't be too intimidated; you would have to make some effort to really hurt yourself badly, though care is still warranted. Most MR16 bulbs get REALLY HOT so you encounter a lot of bulbs falling apart like that. Just turn off power, check that it is de-energized, then use pliers to remove the parts that are still in the socket. Double check the socket that it's in decent shape since they can get heat-damaged too, then put the bulb back into whatever sort of holder the can has and you're all set. If the bulb doesn't have a lens built-in make a point not to touch the inner bulb.

# ? Aug 22, 2016 19:42

Gunshow Poophole: Sep 14, 2008; OMBUDSMAN
POSTERS LOCAL 42069; Clapping Larry

glynnenstein posted:

MR16 is 12 volts, so don't be too intimidated; you would have to make some effort to really hurt yourself badly, though care is still warranted. Most MR16 bulbs get REALLY HOT so you encounter a lot of bulbs falling apart like that. Just turn off power, check that it is de-energized, then use pliers to remove the parts that are still in the socket. Double check the socket that it's in decent shape since they can get heat-damaged too, then put the bulb back into whatever sort of holder the can has and you're all set. If the bulb doesn't have a lens built-in make a point not to touch the inner bulb.

Cool thanks for the confidence boost, I'll take all this poo poo out and have an opportunity to clean the glass, maybe for once I'll have adequate light for cooking!

# ? Aug 22, 2016 19:47

H110Hawk: Dec 28, 2006

We've received 2 basically identical quotes to re-wire our house, including a new 200A main panel. :rip:

Kid Sinister's Glory Hole. We've left a message with a third electrician in the area. Both claim they're going to do it to NEC and handle permits with the city. Their licenses check out with the state website. The utility came and put a sticker on our wall for the new meter/panel location. I've asked them both for a sample switch, outlet, panel, and breaker model number so we can make sure they are what we want. (Wife wants Decora rocker switches, but regular outlets.) We're doing this as part of a larger project to repipe, rewire, insulate, and upgrade the bathroom exhaust fan to exhaust outside the house project.

Both quotes came in at ~$8,800 for ~1250 sq ft 3bd/2ba and trenching to the garage w/ 50A subpanel. (We have 60A service today. :ohdear:

) Neither includes patching & paint for lathe and plaster.

Anything we should be asking them about or checking? Anything we should do "while we're in there" ? We have ceiling fans in 3 rooms (2 bd + living), and light fixtures in every room already. Is there a way to pay a reasonable amount extra to somehow keep dust under control? We both have asthma, and plaster dust is low on my list of things to have coating the whole house.

# ? Aug 24, 2016 04:25

kid sinister: Nov 16, 2002

H110Hawk posted:

We've received 2 basically identical quotes to re-wire our house, including a new 200A main panel. Kid Sinister's Glory Hole. We've left a message with a third electrician in the area. Both claim they're going to do it to NEC and handle permits with the city. Their licenses check out with the state website. The utility came and put a sticker on our wall for the new meter/panel location. I've asked them both for a sample switch, outlet, panel, and breaker model number so we can make sure they are what we want. (Wife wants Decora rocker switches, but regular outlets.) We're doing this as part of a larger project to repipe, rewire, insulate, and upgrade the bathroom exhaust fan to exhaust outside the house project.

Both quotes came in at ~$8,800 for ~1250 sq ft 3bd/2ba and trenching to the garage w/ 50A subpanel. (We have 60A service today. ) Neither includes patching & paint for lathe and plaster.

Anything we should be asking them about or checking? Anything we should do "while we're in there" ? We have ceiling fans in 3 rooms (2 bd + living), and light fixtures in every room already. Is there a way to pay a reasonable amount extra to somehow keep dust under control? We both have asthma, and plaster dust is low on my list of things to have coating the whole house.

There sure is: get a hotel room or stay at a friend's place. Another option would be to replace your furnace air filter with a really good one before the work happens, then consider it sacrificial. Once all the dust has settled, start cleaning.

I remember that post, kinda. How much of your existing wiring is reusable? Any aluminum that needs replacing?

How many bays do you have in your garage? You may want to plan ahead for electric car chargers in each bay. The fastest chargers take 40 amps each. How handy are you? Will you want to be doing any big 240v work out there, like a welder?

Also, make sure your electrician does all your AFCI and GFCI updates. Those 2 are probably the biggest changes since your wiring was first installed.

# ? Aug 24, 2016 05:27

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 10, 2024 00:06

H110Hawk: Dec 28, 2006

kid sinister posted:

There sure is: get a hotel room or stay at a friend's place. Another option would be to replace your furnace air filter with a really good one before the work happens, then consider it sacrificial. Once all the dust has settled, start cleaning.

I remember that post, kinda. How much of your existing wiring is reusable? Any aluminum that needs replacing?

How many bays do you have in your garage? You may want to plan ahead for electric car chargers in each bay. The fastest chargers take 40 amps each. How handy are you? Will you want to be doing any big 240v work out there, like a welder?

Also, make sure your electrician does all your AFCI and GFCI updates. Those 2 are probably the biggest changes since your wiring was first installed.

Staying with the inlaws who live 3 miles away. Already have spare ultra high filtration filters, a Dyson vacuum with a HEPA rated filter, and our ductwork is getting replaced with the insulation job. Everything else cover with plastic and pray? I'm more worried about residual dust than "in progress" dust. Should we have one of those vacuum's in a truck come by and suck every surface off and outside?

75% of our wiring is not modern romex (which I realize is the brand, NM?) It's crumbling rubber and fabric coated wire from 1947. What is romex was done by someones uncle jimmy who overfilled boxes, left them uncovered, put dimmers on the fans, and didn't use pigtails where necessary. Also most rooms have 2 outlets at most, we have a GFCI (singular) on a dogleg as it doesn't interrupt anything but itself.

Garage is effectively 1 regular car or 2 ultra compacts if you use any of it for storage. The driveway is sort of an odd angle to get two cars in, I tried. A welder or car charger is very likely. (Though the welder would be for my wife and dad. He has a stable of them.) There is an extra room in the back as well. If you squint you can see exposed romex ~4' off the ground on the left. This runs into a semi-concealed (but accessible I believe, it's reachable to attach a cover with a screwdriver) jbox that doesn't have a cover and may not have anything securing the wire but I haven't look in a while. The garage is currently only attached to the house by conduit and cement. All of this is getting fixed and a city inspector will see it.

(Picture was from the day I got the keys to the house a year ago. There is now more... stuff. Note all that paint with legible paint codes!)

I take it go up to 100A / higher gauge wire? Run length main to sub is ~50' but I haven't measured it. Roughly double that to reach the furthest corner or the room behind the garage from the subpanel via the walls.

Oh and our meter is handily 7' off the ground. The handy pamphlet SCE gave us and meter spot sticker both say that 4'0" to 6'3" to center is code.

To my knowledge they are, but that's why I'm asking for sample models. I will double check. As I've understood it from this thread AFCI breakers, GFCI outlets in wet areas/garage. I want exactly 0 punch list items from our inspector when this is done.

# ? Aug 24, 2016 06:26

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Hobbies, Crafts, & Houses > Wiring Thread: This stupid safety device started alerting that there wasn't safety!

«‹›494 »