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stealie72 posted:Not sure this is the right thread for it, but: Leave out a cheap tablet. Or call up a certified Crestron installer.
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Jun 21, 2017 15:28
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I'm looking into running cat5/6 to a newly renovated house. They already redid all my electrical before I bought, though that may or may not be relevant. I'm starting with a basic knowledge of networking and a decent knowledge of computers. Each room has a wall plate with coaxial and an RJ11 jack(which I'll never use). I have access to both the attic space and the crawl space under the house. Now, my guess is that I can simply follow all the coax lines under the house to their respective boxes and replace the phone line with network cable, replace the wall plate, and affix it all to the wood under the house, and then have all of them terminate at some point where I want to put a switch. I'm also looking at putting some security cameras externally, which will run powered over ethernet, but probably through the attic. While I understand the scope of what I'd need to do, I've never done this stuff before. Is it something that is pretty easy for a homeowner to do, or am I out of my depth?
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Jun 21, 2017 20:55
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Sounds like you've got a pretty solid handle on the basic process. Replacing an existing line definitely helps make it easier since you can use the old wire as a pull string in some cases if needed. I'd definitely say it's within the range of anyone who can operate basic tools without visiting the emergency room. It's relatively easy, just sometimes tedious. I'd recommend you run extra wire anywhere you think you might need it at any point in the future. It doesn't take much more time or cost much more to be sure you won't have to do it again any time soon.
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Jun 21, 2017 21:48
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Is there any type of outdoor inline switch for like a lampcord? This is for an outdoor hanging lamp under my patio cover. I don't really want to wire things, I'd rather use an extension cord to an existing GFCI power outlet. Edit: does the lamp need a ground wire if it's plugging into the GFCI outlet? FogHelmut fucked around with this message at 05:21 on Jun 22, 2017 |
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Jun 22, 2017 04:07
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stealie72 posted:Not sure this is the right thread for it, but: Phillips makes an LED that changes color temperature with switch flicks, nothing special needed http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-60W-Equivalent-Daylight-Soft-White-Warm-Glow-SceneSwitch-A19-LED-Light-Bulb-464867/207053953 They also have one that changes temperature based on dimmer level
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Jun 22, 2017 18:34
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I was disappointed with the amount of color temp change on those warmer-as-dimmer philips bulbs. I had the r30 floods. However, I have seen some candelabra bulbs at HD, can't remember what brand, and they do the same thing and go SUUUUUPER warm at dimmer levels, like down to 2200k, they're pretty awesome.
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Jun 22, 2017 18:53
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Thanks for all the input. Provided they don't suck, those phillips bulbs may be exactly what I'm looking for! I'll get a test one at HD.
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Jun 23, 2017 03:14
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stealie72 posted:Thanks for all the input. Provided they don't suck, those phillips bulbs may be exactly what I'm looking for! I'll get a test one at HD. they've actually been really impressive, both the Hue system and also the rando 12-pack of generic 8.5w LED bulbs i got while i was moving into my new place the only external difference between them is a little 'hue' written under 'phillips'
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Jun 23, 2017 05:18
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Looking for some advice/expertise... My dad passed away last year and one of the last projects he was working on at the time was wiring up the pole barn for power/lights. The main feed has already been trenched out to the barn and the panel is in place and wired up. I'd like to finish this project but have a few questions. 1. From what I've read, the outlets should go on a dedicated 20 amp breaker and lights on a dedicated 15 amp breaker. True? 2. Since it is a barn where wiring will be exposed to the room, I should use conduit to protect it, right? Should I only run conduit up to a certain height? Say like 10 feet high or should I enclose all wiring in conduit? PVC or metal or does it matter? 3. This pole barn is enclosed on 3 sides and open to the South. How far back from the open side do outlets need to be? Is there a risk for shorting out if a large storm comes through and blows rain in? 3b. Should I use GFCI outlets or standard outlets? Would GFCI be better to prevent problems due to the elements? Any other advice is certainly welcome. He purchased most all of the stuff needed to complete the project already so the wiring, outlets, lights, etc are already there. They live out in the sticks so a permit won't be needed and code won't be a problem but I'd still like it to be done right and intelligently.
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Jun 29, 2017 18:37
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Scrapez posted:Looking for some advice/expertise... 1. It depends on your total light load. Figure up your total wattage and divide by 120V to see how many amps you'll draw. In houses you can often go with a 15 amp circuit and save a couple bucks using #14 romex. 2. In my state, inspectors use how the property is taxed to determine which codes apply. If it's a farm building, you could use UF and no conduit. If it's on a residential property it may be treated as a non-attached garage. If it's commercial then everything will have to be metal-clad. 3. Not sure if there's a hard and fast rule here, but if it's reasonable to think it's exposed to weather you'll want weather resistant devices and wiring methods ie bell boxes and WR GFIs. 3b. Definitely GFI if it's possible that it will be a damp location. Depending on your local authority and property use, you may not be required to have GFI protection, but I would given the openness. Blackbeer fucked around with this message at 19:17 on Jun 29, 2017 |
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Jun 29, 2017 19:11
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How many codes does this violate assuming everything is connected properly and grounded?
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Jun 29, 2017 20:23
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Scrapez posted:Looking for some advice/expertise... I built a workshop in my back yard, which the city treated as a garage. I expect that your barn falls under similar (though probably not identical) code. quote:1. From what I've read, the outlets should go on a dedicated 20 amp breaker and lights on a dedicated 15 amp breaker. True? quote:2. Since it is a barn where wiring will be exposed to the room, I should use conduit to protect it, right? Should I only run conduit up to a certain height? Say like 10 feet high or should I enclose all wiring in conduit? PVC or metal or does it matter? quote:3. This pole barn is enclosed on 3 sides and open to the South. How far back from the open side do outlets need to be? Is there a risk for shorting out if a large storm comes through and blows rain in? quote:Any other advice is certainly welcome. Use metal 2-gang boxes for everything. You can get single-outlet face plates for them, and they give you a lot more room to work with than a 1-gang box does. Don't use plastic boxes; they're not as sturdy. Make certain that you have clamps for every wire-to-box connection. If you're using flex conduit, you use a different kind of clamp than if you're using ordinary romex. Good luck!
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Jun 29, 2017 20:29
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Appreciate the responses. The barn is fed from a dedicated circuit separate from the house and the panel is in a small building that no-one uses. I'll definitely make sure no-one is near it while I'm working, though. It's just my mom living there so shouldn't be an issue unless a great horned owl decides to fly over and flip the breaker with his talon in which case I'll die in the most original god drat way. I'll go ahead and do gfci breaker for the outlets. Excellent advice of wiring up the lights first so I can see what the hell I'm doing for the rest. (Though with one side of the barn open, it's pretty bright in there.) I'm going to have to take inventory of what my dad bought for the project. I'm two states away so I'm not sure what all is there. I'm thinking he just had romex but I could be wrong. It's definitely no problem to buy new stuff if it's going to work better/be safer. He was the kind of guy that did things the right way and overengineered everything and it's been killing me that this project has sat incomplete for this long. It would drive him crazy to know that there was something left unfinished. Hopefully, I can finish it and not die or do something stupid in the process.
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Jun 29, 2017 20:52
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FogHelmut posted:How many codes does this violate assuming everything is connected properly and grounded? Why would it? It's a cord-and-plug device.
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Jun 29, 2017 21:40
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IOwnCalculus posted:Why would it? It's a cord-and-plug device. Didn't mention this was outside. Does it need conduit? I wouldn't think, I don't otherwise need one for an extension cord.
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Jun 29, 2017 21:41
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FogHelmut posted:Didn't mention this was outside. Does it need conduit? I wouldn't think, I don't otherwise need one for an extension cord. If this isn't permanently attached to the building's structure, then it's just another thing you plug in. If it is permanently attached, then the extension-cord is the illegal bit. If it's permanently attached and you hard-wire it, you can't use extension cord wire for that.
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Jun 29, 2017 23:22
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:If this isn't permanently attached to the building's structure, then it's just another thing you plug in. If it is permanently attached, then the extension-cord is the illegal bit. If it's permanently attached and you hard-wire it, you can't use extension cord wire for that. What makes something "permanently attached"? Like the light would be on chain and hanging from a hook under a pergola. The switch would have to be attached to something so you can operate it and so it's not swinging around. FogHelmut fucked around with this message at 00:02 on Jun 30, 2017 |
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Jun 29, 2017 23:59
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IOwnCalculus posted:Why would it? It's a cord-and-plug device. technically extension cords are intended as temporary-use devices. i mean it's pedantic but so is the rest of every variety of code ever. i mean that said, no, i also wouldn't run conduit just for that unless i absolutely had to
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Jun 30, 2017 00:06
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FogHelmut posted:What makes something "permanently attached"? Like, if you screw the thing to a wall. Hanging from a chain is fine. If the switch gets screwed to the wall, then it's permanent. Double-sided tape, though, and it's not permanent. Nobody's going to give you a hard time for something like this. Yeah, it's not up to code and nothing a professional would charge money to do, but it's your house, and the device is safe, so w/e. Don't be surprised if an actual electrician shows up at some point and says "hey man, that's, like, super ghetto."
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Jun 30, 2017 00:11
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Sounds good to me. Everything is going to be grounded and nothing exposed and is otherwise outdoor rated.
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Jun 30, 2017 00:22
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Barn talk: Don't use mc cable in damp locations. If this is a farm barn, use UF. If this is a residence and you don't want to put up a door, then it's probably a damp location and you'd have to use conduit. If you put up a door, you could use flexible metal raceways. Protecting nm wire means protecting it all the way, whether it's by drilling through the center of studs in an enclosed wall or protecting it with conduit. You can't just protect it up the wall and then leave it exposed to the elements or occupied room. edit: or metal flex in damp. Liquid-tite or seal-tite are ok. Blackbeer fucked around with this message at 03:05 on Jun 30, 2017 |
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Jun 30, 2017 02:43
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Blackbeer posted:Barn talk: Don't use mc cable in damp locations. Why not? The cladding is aluminum, right? So there should be no concern about rust.
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Jun 30, 2017 03:22
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:Why not? The cladding is aluminum, right? So there should be no concern about rust. poo poo, looked up a product page and 330 in the NEC and you're right. Never used it outdoors or underground myself and just assumed it didn't have XHHW in it. Edit: Oh, was looking at PVC clad MC cable. Pretty sure regular MC isn't listed by the manufacturer as being suitable for damp or wet locations. edit edit: yeah, no regular non PVC clad mc is suitable for damp or wet locations. Never seen the stuff, probably p expensive. Blackbeer fucked around with this message at 03:56 on Jun 30, 2017 |
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Jun 30, 2017 03:36
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:Why not? The cladding is aluminum, right? So there should be no concern about rust. Aside from the code mandating following manufacturers' instructions, I can only think of a couple reasons. The segmented metal isn't as water resistant as emt or pvc conduit. Regular mc isn't rated to carry the ground on the metal shell and so (theoretically) in a damp/wet area there's a greater chance of energizing the metal coating compared to emt. I've personally found that regular mc cable coating has a solid measurable ground (shock-worthy even), not that I'd ever depend on it for a ground. They do make mc where the coating is rated to carry ground, but that's not really applicable. Blackbeer fucked around with this message at 05:49 on Jun 30, 2017 |
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Jun 30, 2017 05:21
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For whatever it's worth, the most common way I see an open pole barn wired is with weatherproof boxes for receptacles and switches, and pvc conduit run up to the ceiling joists to serve as a chase for UF or NM cable. The cable can just be run open and stapled up in the roof.
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Jun 30, 2017 11:49
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I'm getting tired of my old gas mower, and thinking of getting an electric one. My yard isn't that big so I was thinking corded. And basically I've fallen down a rabbit hole of wire gauges and amperage. My house only has one "exterior" outlet, in the back porch, such that if I were to reach the front yard I'd probably need over 100 feet of extension cord. The mower I'm thinking of is 13 Amps. So my understanding is that the longer the distance, the thicker the extension cord has to be. But actually what matters is the wire gauge all the way to the breaker box. So first I'm curious what wire gauge would be "normal" for in house wiring, and if it'd be enough to theoretically run 150 feet (the outlet itself is very close to the panel so I'm not sure there's much distance there). And second I'm wondering how easy it would be to add a 20 Amp circuit and run a new outlet to the outside. The basement is open so I can run the wire, and there's a good spot on an exterior wall where I can put the outlet that makes it a much better location for lawn mower reaching. But if I run it myself I figure I can get really beefy wire and be safe as well. Is this the kind of thing a person could reasonably do themselves?
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Jul 3, 2017 18:28
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I have a corded electric mower and it was fine when my yard was a big rectangle of grass, but then I started adding landscaping and it sucks a lot. You spend as much time wrangling and directing the cord as actual mowing. If you have a 20 amp breaker, it should be 12 gauge. 15 amp would normally be 14 gauge. Edit - you should be good with 143 ft of 12 gauge at 13 amps without significant voltage drop https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/41969/what-is-the-maximum-12-2-wire-length-from-a-20a-breaker-to-a-baseboard-heater FogHelmut fucked around with this message at 18:46 on Jul 3, 2017 |
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Jul 3, 2017 18:42
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FISHMANPET posted:Is this the kind of thing a person could reasonably do themselves? Phoneposting, but yes, this is doable. Just do your research and stay the gently caress away from live wires.
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Jul 3, 2017 18:48
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The outlet in question is probably only 15 amp, so that's likely only going to be 14 gauge. Also, all electrical work in Minnesota requires an inspection as far as I can tell (is that normal everywhere?). And this is actually a house I'm renting, which actually means that technically all work has to be done by a licensed contractor. I was thinking of getting a corded mower because it was simple and cheap, but after digging some more, a battery mower is looking nice and nicer...
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Jul 3, 2017 18:56
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FISHMANPET posted:I'm getting tired of my old gas mower, and thinking of getting an electric one. My yard isn't that big so I was thinking corded. And basically I've fallen down a rabbit hole of wire gauges and amperage. As usual, I'll just throw this out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ_wWQuyA4E
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Jul 3, 2017 21:21
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I've actually used a reel mower in the past, I've got a tree that drops a ton of branches onto the grass and it's a huge pain to deal with those. Also I'm pretty lazy and never mowed often enough to keep the grass low, if it gets too tall the reel mower can't handle it.
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Jul 3, 2017 22:17
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I'd just go battery if your budget allows one that looks good. Probably end up cheaper than upgrading electrical, and you won't have to drag around a cord (that you'll definitely also run over).
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Jul 3, 2017 22:26
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FISHMANPET posted:I've actually used a reel mower in the past, I've got a tree that drops a ton of branches onto the grass and it's a huge pain to deal with those. Also I'm pretty lazy and never mowed often enough to keep the grass low, if it gets too tall the reel mower can't handle it. That's why you also keep a scythe.
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Jul 3, 2017 22:27
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Got a question. I recently decided fans and layers of shades weren't cutting it, and got a window AC unit for my room. However, I knew the room was on the borderline for power. I'm fairly sure every bedroom in the house has its own circuit, and that's all, so I can't just outlet juggle. I tried using my computer with the AC on, and the computer promptly shut off when I turned the AC on (thus learning my UPS' batteries are bad). It did it twice more when the AC changed its cycle, so I know it's not tenable to have the AC on the same circuit as my PC/console rack, even assuming the UPS gets replaced. I was looking at our breaker panel, and noticed that the house has three double-width breakers just for our hardwired in-wall electric heaters. Since we of course won't be using the heaters while the AC is running, is it feasible/legal to get an outlet installed off that circuit, and use it solely for AC? Assuming it's OK to do, what sort of cost would I be looking at to have it done, since I'm not comfortable doing it myself? It'd only be a ~12 foot run, assuming going under the floor is OK (we have a crawlspace where it could be done relatively easily). Google tells me a typical outlet installation runs around $200, but this may be a bit more involved.
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Jul 4, 2017 22:20
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Pyroclastic posted:I was looking at our breaker panel, and noticed that the house has three double-width breakers just for our hardwired in-wall electric heaters. Since we of course won't be using the heaters while the AC is running, is it feasible/legal to get an outlet installed off that circuit, and use it solely for AC? Assuming it's OK to do, what sort of cost would I be looking at to have it done, since I'm not comfortable doing it myself? It'd only be a ~12 foot run, assuming going under the floor is OK (we have a crawlspace where it could be done relatively easily). Google tells me a typical outlet installation runs around $200, but this may be a bit more involved. I doubt anything I'm about to say is legal, OK in residential, nor cheap. I wonder if you could do a transfer switch where it goes double pole breaker -> Tandem transfer switch. A side is the heater, B side is one or more outlets. Then you could never have both energized at the same time. Do you own or rent? If you own, just pay to have another circuit installed. If you rent, turn down the resolution on your video games.
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Jul 4, 2017 23:20
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Anything look out of code for my guest bath and laundry room addition? Yellow and Red circuits already exist. I would be adding Green, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Purple, and White. The spot they all meet at is an existing cavity for HVAC that I'm going to use to get down to the basement. Light Blue is the only weird circuit and that's because it's going to control an inline bathroom fan that will have 3 switches. I wasn't planning on running electrical service for a dryer because I have a gas dryer, tho I guess I might as well add that in huh? 
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Jul 5, 2017 01:13
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Am I correct in my assumption that if I have a sub panel with a 60 amp breaker in it, the panel that feeds power to that sub panel would have a corresponding 60 amp breaker?
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Jul 5, 2017 16:29
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Scrapez posted:Am I correct in my assumption that if I have a sub panel with a 60 amp breaker in it, the panel that feeds power to that sub panel would have a corresponding 60 amp breaker? If there is only one circuit in that subpanel, then it's just a continuation of the circuit from the main panel. There is no gain in protection from daisy chaining multiple breakers of the same type on a single circuit. You could have a single breaker at either end and be fine. Now if there's a 60 at the main panel and the subpanel has several 15s, 20s, etc. that's a different story. Edit: About that "no gain in protection from daisy chaining multiple breakers"... If you want to split hairs, technically *FCI outlets have breakers in them, so putting a 15 amp GFCI outlet on a 15 amp plain circuit breaker would in fact gain extra protection from multiple breakers on the same circuit. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 17:08 on Jul 5, 2017 |
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Jul 5, 2017 17:03
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My problem is that I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what is feeding this sub panel. The largest breaker the main house panel has is 50 amp and that feeds the electric oven. The panel I posted a picture of has no power coming into it so I'm just really not understanding where it is routed from. I'm dead in the water until I figure that out.
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Jul 5, 2017 17:10
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Scrapez posted:The panel I posted a picture of has no power coming into it so I'm just really not understanding where it is routed from. Then you need to trace those big fuckoff wires and see where they lead. They should stick out like a sore thumb anywhere you look compared to normal stuff. Have you taken the cover off your main panel to see if they're in there with the rest of the spaghetti?
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Jul 5, 2017 17:15
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