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Pilfered Pallbearers posted:Where about are you located? NYC everything is more expensive (looking at that $1500 permit charge), so I want to get some kind of reasonable understanding. Is that 1500 permit fee for real? I'd call your building department and check, because I've never seen a residential electrical permit cost anywhere near that. For reference, my Oregon town charged me $237 when I converted my garage to a second dwelling, and that included wiring the whole place + new subpanel.
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Aug 1, 2022 23:11
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Pilfered Pallbearers posted:Where about are you located? NYC everything is more expensive (looking at that $1500 permit charge), so I want to get some kind of reasonable understanding. SE Michigan just outside Ann Arbor. I guess I'm not understanding the need for that length of #2 THHN if your meter is 10ft away. Or what the conduit is for, unless they're quoting to replace the wire all the way back to the pole?
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Aug 1, 2022 23:16
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H110Hawk posted:The inside door/cover of your panel should have a sticker on it saying what it is - is a 200A compatible panel? I'll edit a photo in a moment, but the sticker says 200amp. That being said, the panel is full and I do suspect I need more breaker space for HVAC so it's hard to know. I'm not particularly familiar with anything electrical.  Sloppy posted:Is that 1500 permit fee for real? I'd call your building department and check, because I've never seen a residential electrical permit cost anywhere near that. For reference, my Oregon town charged me $237 when I converted my garage to a second dwelling, and that included wiring the whole place + new subpanel. Don't know how to read this exactly, but here's the permit form for NYC https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/buildings/pdf/ed16a.pdf https://www1.nyc.gov/site/buildings/property-or-business-owner/electrical-permit.page NYC permitting process is kind of insane from what I understand. Sirotan posted:SE Michigan just outside Ann Arbor. I was told by the electrician here that the wiring from meter to pole is fine, and is rated 400amp.
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Aug 1, 2022 23:25
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Pilfered Pallbearers posted:I'll edit a photo in a moment, but the sticker says 200amp. That being said, the panel is full and I do suspect I need more breaker space for HVAC so it's hard to know. I'm not particularly familiar with anything electrical. $1500 is probably the fee to "deal with the city" and inclusive of hard costs of permits and inspections, plus their time spent talking to them. At significant "I don't wanna" markup. Make sure it includes city costs. Basically if you want more power draw you need more spaces in your panel. You can get those through two guaranteed methods and one "it depends" method. 1. Replace the whole panel, as quoted; 2. Add a sub panel and move some breakers to it; 3. Install some compact breakers if your panel supports it (those orange arrows in your inspection picture.) For the main breaker, that breaker itself is legal in that panel near as I can tell, and if that's the case technically all that needs to be done is re-pull the wire from the meter base to the main breaker if it's undersized. If your meter base is within literal arms reach it probably needs to be 2/0 copper wire. If you can like, zoom in on your phone on the wires there with the cover off (or ask the electrician) what size they are that should inform your answer. $8k for a panel replacement (and all new weather head setup etc at 50' (150/3) of run?) seems steep. I thought you just needed to go from meter base to panel? Can you take a picture? Where is your new sub panel in regards to this for your EV charger? Could you hang your new HVAC and stuff off that panel? Those all use double-width breakers like the one bottom-right in your picture (that only has one side used?)
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Aug 2, 2022 01:05
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There is no reason whatsoever to replace the panel. If your Eaton is rated for 200-amps, then you should have no problem putting in whatever you want in the way of electrical draw. So the issue is the gauge of the wire from the pole to the meter & thus on to the panel. The ground issue is easy & cheap to resolve with an 8' ground spike (maybe two in parallel, depending on your soil conditions) and some solid wire to bond into the panel. I would consider getting a second opinion and start out by asking whether or not the run from the meter will handle 200-amps.
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Aug 2, 2022 01:59
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I'm looking to install lifeproof vinyl plank on a concrete slab. The slab is pitted in places, ranging from 0-1/2" divots or so, and the floor instructions call for flatness within 1/4". I'm guessing there's 50-100 sqft of floor that needs patch. I'm not concerned with the finish since I'm covering it, and I'm not worried about levelling as it's acceptable. I also have the luxury of time. What would the most cost effective way to flatten it be? Sand/topping mix might not feather that well. Could mortar or thinset work? I figure the worst case is I use self-leveller, but it seems pricier and a bit annoying to work with.
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Aug 2, 2022 03:12
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Is it flat with divots, or is it a crumbly texture of up and down, and some larger holes Flat with some gouges from a tile-remover hammer is different from an uneven floor Thinset to fill the largest holes seems like a not terrible plan. Might also be able to mix a bag of cement with a bag of sand for cheaper depending on what is on sale that week. Concrete base is concrete base, filler material doesn't matter much so long as it is roughly the same expansion ratio as the underlying concrete
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Aug 2, 2022 03:22
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Hopefully these pictures give a better idea of what I mean. Spalled is probably more accurate. I'd say this counts as crumbly texture. 
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Aug 2, 2022 03:38
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Thinset
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Aug 2, 2022 03:42
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Hadlock posted:Thinset Thanks!
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Aug 2, 2022 15:49
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cleaned all the windows + screens this weekend, exterior included. Lubed all the casement tracks, etc while I was at it. Pain in the rear end but worth it, there’s no longer the clear imprint of a bird on the window above our front door.
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Aug 2, 2022 16:05
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Beef Of Ages posted:Good luck selling a house with an active infestation. Replying to an old post, but my friends know that if they sell their house it will be as a tear-down. Not because it's actually in tear-down condition (aside from the raccoons), but because everything sold in their neighborhood is being torn down. It's a bit demoralizing to have put in years of work into improving your house and making it as nice as possible, only to know that you when you sell, it will just be leveled. (Though I'm sure the fact that they can sell for >3x the original purchase price helps the hard feelings.)
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Aug 2, 2022 16:55
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How big of a deal is replacing outlets? We have a bunch that need to go (just old, gross looking) but prices for electricians in our area right now are loving insane. Is this the kind of thing someone with zero prior electrical experience but who is willing to go slow and learn can DIY? Or am I at risk of burning out house down by making a dumb mistake? Also what are the insurance implications, if any? Is it one of those things where if you do it and do it wrong you're hosed if something happens?
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Aug 4, 2022 19:26
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Just replacing the physical outlet is a piece of cake. All you need is a screwdriver and the ability to turn off power at the breaker. Couple minutes, tops. Did I mention turning off the power? Cause you need to do that. If you have to replace the box securing the outlet, or replace wire, it’s significantly more involved.
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Aug 4, 2022 19:30
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Yeah replacing switches/outlets themselves are super easy. Just turn off the proper breaker, get some kind of voltage tester/multimeter so you can
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Aug 4, 2022 19:33
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Really dumb question. I'm in Denver-ish, and we're "getting smart meters soon!". I may already have one but if I do, I don't know about it. So I looked at the website for xcel energy and apparently there are various times of the day when power is cheaper or more expensive. I set my AC to let the temperature go higher from 1-7 (1-3 is almost-peak and higher prices, 3-7pm I think is peak and the highest price.) I looked at my bill and everything is charged at a single rate. I read somewhere that if you use more than a certain amount, depending on the company, it may be charged all at the highest rate. We have solar power too so that may not apply to us, IDK. But then I thought "do they need us to have a smart meter in order to know when we used our power?" so I thought I'd ask that here. edit: VVVV Thanks! redreader fucked around with this message at 21:22 on Aug 4, 2022 |
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Aug 4, 2022 20:09
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redreader posted:"do they need us to have a smart meter in order to know when we used our power?" Yes.
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Aug 4, 2022 20:17
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Rasputin on the Ritz posted:How big of a deal is replacing outlets? We have a bunch that need to go (just old, gross looking) but prices for electricians in our area right now are loving insane. I just did all of the outlets in my house with minimal previous electrical experience, it was pretty easy. Included changing out some outlets for USB A/C combo outlets. I also did a bunch of 2 and 3 pole switches, but did run into a few things that were wired … unconventionally and ultimately did have an electrician come sort a few items out. If you’re just worried about outlets you should be fine, but make sure to do some prep before you start buying things or taking fixtures apart. A few YT vids were all it took for me to get going, and I want to do more so I got the “basic wiring” Black and Decker book, looking forward to digging into that. Buy an outlet tester and a non-contact tester, they are fairly cheap and a must-have based on my own limited experience. I got Klein Tools versions from HD but there are a wealth of options.
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Aug 4, 2022 21:41
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Don’t assume all your outlets are wired the same or correctly and maybe even snap a photo of the connections before changing each one if you’re not confident.
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Aug 4, 2022 21:50
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The Dave posted:Don’t assume all your outlets are wired the same or correctly and maybe even snap a photo of the connections before changing each one if you’re not confident. Yeah this is a great point, I took photos of each side of the outlet before taking anything apart. Also use tape or something to mark things (line vs load, for example) if it’s not painfully clear.
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Aug 4, 2022 21:55
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Anza Borrego posted:Buy an outlet tester and a non-contact tester, they are fairly cheap and a must-have based on my own limited experience. I got Klein Tools versions from HD but there are a wealth of options. Just seconding this. Turn off the power at the breaker, use the non-contact tester on the outlet to confirm it’s off, then use the outlet tester to check you’ve wired everything correctly after you turn the power back on
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Aug 4, 2022 21:56
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hypnophant posted:Just seconding this. Turn off the power at the breaker, use the non-contact tester on the outlet to confirm it’s off, then use the outlet tester to check you’ve wired everything correctly after you turn the power back on This always test some dumb rear end could have wired two breakers or circuits together!
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Aug 4, 2022 22:26
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One of the outlets in my living room gets 20 or 25V even when the breaker is off. Found out the un-fun way. Always test!
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Aug 4, 2022 22:32
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Rasputin on the Ritz posted:How big of a deal is replacing outlets? We have a bunch that need to go (just old, gross looking) but prices for electricians in our area right now are loving insane. https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3090739 Come on down, bring pictures and your non-contact voltage tester. When was your home built? Older wiring can get hairy quickly. WithoutTheFezOn posted:Just replacing the physical outlet is a piece of cake. All you need is a screwdriver and the ability to turn off power at the breaker. Couple minutes, tops. Did I mention turning off the power? Cause you need to do that. The only thing you really need is a non-contact voltage tester or multi-meter. Everything else you can wing with sufficiently strong fingernails and calluses. I turned off the power to this cluster gently caress: 
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Aug 4, 2022 22:38
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H110Hawk posted:https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3090739 Come on down, bring pictures and your non-contact voltage tester. When was your home built? Older wiring can get hairy quickly. As stated above, NC volt tester will not tell you if it is wired wrong and still hot.
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Aug 4, 2022 23:14
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Welp, the washer and driver just showed up three weeks after I ordered them. Both dented, so back to the warehouse they go. The drivers were very sheepish and apologized, and I assured them it wasn't their fault, and they started filing the necessary papers with Costco. The website shows them in stock, so we'll see what happens.
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Aug 4, 2022 23:20
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Inner Light posted:As stated above, NC volt tester will not tell you if it is wired wrong and still hot. You need both and they’re like $8. I don’t know why anyone would argue. The outlet tester helped me catch that my entire basement was reverse wired Tiny Timbs fucked around with this message at 23:28 on Aug 4, 2022 |
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Aug 4, 2022 23:24
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Tiny Timbs posted:You need both and they’re like $8. I don’t know why anyone would argue. I was just pointing out the lack of tool to verify the functionality of the alleged correct breaker in that one post. Y'all are correct about needing tools.
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Aug 5, 2022 00:31
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redreader posted:Really dumb question. I'm in Denver-ish, and we're "getting smart meters soon!". I may already have one but if I do, I don't know about it. You probably already have a special meter for net metering though? However I'm not sure if Xcel is smart enough to send the right flyers to you rather than blanket the neighborhood. The smart meter they install is easily identified by the white housing. Edit, like this one... I'm between the steps of having the smart meter and having the net meter installed for my PV system. 
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Aug 5, 2022 01:46
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Motronic posted:Yes. "Smart" by a very loose definition - just needs a reliable internal clock and a means to count up two different meters instead of just one. SRP has offered time-of-use since at least the '90s here in AZ. Though at this point I'd expect every utility company to be pushing smart meters on everyone who won't screech about the dangers of radiation just to eliminate the need to send meter readers out all the time. redreader posted:I looked at my bill and everything is charged at a single rate. I read somewhere that if you use more than a certain amount, depending on the company, it may be charged all at the highest rate. We have solar power too so that may not apply to us, IDK. You also need to check with your utility company to see what rate plan you're on. Looks like Xcel offers both fixed-rate and time-of-use plans.
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Aug 5, 2022 03:52
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How does one drive an 8' grounding rod into hard pack earth I have a sneaking suspicion most hurricane generator owners don't ground their setup, or if they do they're using an aluminum tent stake (pretty conductive in hurricane flood conditions?), or just clamp to their natural gas meter temporarily despite local laws
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Aug 5, 2022 07:39
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A hammer drill.
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Aug 5, 2022 11:46
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If your house already has one you could tie onto it. Also if you have a proper generator interlock installed it's already using your existing homes grounding system. If you need to drive one into the ground anyway, an SDS hammer drill is the way to go.
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Aug 5, 2022 14:53
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Thanks for the power company answers everyone. I have another q: Our garage is uninsulated so gets pretty hot on the hot days, and stays hot for a while. We keep our chest freezer in there. It's not an issue in that the food keeps cool, but I'm wondering if it would be better to have the chest freezer inside? is it sucking a billion times more power in the garage which gets to about 90, than it would be in my house at 72ish?
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Aug 6, 2022 17:06
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redreader posted:Thanks for the power company answers everyone. I have another q: Our garage is uninsulated so gets pretty hot on the hot days, and stays hot for a while. We keep our chest freezer in there. It's not an issue in that the food keeps cool, but I'm wondering if it would be better to have the chest freezer inside? is it sucking a billion times more power in the garage which gets to about 90, than it would be in my house at 72ish? It's using more power in the hot garage yes.
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Aug 6, 2022 17:28
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it's using more power in the hot garage, but it also isn't making your AC use more power
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Aug 6, 2022 18:17
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Do I need to pull dandelions from my lawn? I’ve been trying to but they keep sprouting up because all of the neighbor’s yards are completely overrun. But they actually look pretty - lovely fields of yellow. Should I even bother or should I just let them take over? Neighbor’s yard for comparison: 
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Aug 6, 2022 18:22
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Harriet Carker posted:Do I need to pull dandelions from my lawn? I’ve been trying to but they keep sprouting up because all of the neighbor’s yards are completely overrun. But they actually look pretty - lovely fields of yellow. Should I even bother or should I just let them take over? "Need" is a strong word. That depends entirely on you and local codes. Are you gonna get your hand slapped by the city/HOA if you let them run amok? Aside from external concerns such as that, it's your yard - if nobody is going to punish you for keeping 'em - and you want to keep 'em - then keep 'em. I know when I was a homeowner, they didn't bother me so I didn't bother trying to control them - just ran 'em over with the lawnmower when I cut the grass. Everyone has different philosophies on yard maintenance, though.
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Aug 6, 2022 18:26
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Dandelions are early sources of pollen for bees. They're good! I pull the biggest ones and don't worry about smaller ones. If there's more than I like I'll use a few targeted shots of broadleaf weed killer, but overall I don't worry too much. I also purposefully spread clover seed to keep the yard greener and provide more flowers for bees. This year I spread wildflower seed mix in an 8' wide meadow border in my backyard. Next year I'll probably do the same in an area of the front yard with some decorative grasses. 
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Aug 6, 2022 18:29
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StormDrain posted:Dandelions are early sources of pollen for bees. They're good! I pull the biggest ones and don't worry about smaller ones. If there's more than I like I'll use a few targeted shots of broadleaf weed killer, but overall I don't worry too much. Do you purposely not mow that 8' wide strip to let it run wild like that?
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Aug 6, 2022 18:30
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