Some good stuff happening

[Watermann]

I got lucky with my garage, 24' x 26' with the power meter base 18" away. A 100 amp service panel was an easy install. I didn't add an AC but I did have to add a 220v heater :lol:

 

[BWR1953]

Yeah, 18" would be great! But alas, it's 25 feet from the house to the garage. And I need to deal with that slope as well.



Can ya see the orange extension cord? :lol:



Slope needs to be filled and graded on the left side. Tapping into the meter panel is the cheapest way to go but I'm not sure about it being the best way.




The aforementioned transformer. Just 80 feet from the garage. Expensive run!

 

[jbcurt00]

IMO, if you have room in the existing panel to add the service and carry the loads you want/need now, plus what you expect to need in the future, there is no question, add it to the current panel.

Dont forget, if they run a new line of service from the transformer, thats likely a whole new metered panel. Thats got to be more expensive then adding it to the current panel, before you add the additional 55ft of buried electrical, 25ft from the house vs 80ft to the transformer. 55 additional feet of the necessary wire to carry the load is not going to be inexpensive.

If the current meter panel cant carry the load, thats different.

You might be able to upgrade that service for about the same, or less, then adding a whole new line.

Does the power company require their lineman to make the connection in the existing meter panel? They will to tie new service into the transformer, that wont be inexpensive either.

 

[BWR1953]

IMO, if you have room in the existing panel to add the service and carry the loads you want/need now, plus what you expect to need in the future, there is no question, add it to the current panel.

Dont forget, if they run a new line of service from the transformer, thats likely a whole new metered panel. Thats got to be more expensive then adding it to the current panel, before you add the additional 55ft of buried electrical, 25ft from the house vs 80ft to the transformer. 55 additional feet of the necessary wire to carry the load is not going to be inexpensive.

If the current meter panel cant carry the load, thats different.

You might be able to upgrade that service for about the same, or less, then adding a whole new line.

Does the power company require their lineman to make the connection in the existing meter panel? They will to tie new service into the transformer, that wont be inexpensive either.

Based on my research, a 100 amp service will be way more than sufficient for my needs, now and going forward. The pic below shows the current metered panel.

The power company will only get involved if I bring power from the transformer. They simply refused to hook me up from the existing panel. The engineer I spoke with says it "weakens the existing connections" so they don't do that. Sounds like money-making malarkey to me!

I'm guessing, based on what I see, that there's room to add another breaker to the existing box to allow me to add a sub-panel in the garage. :noidea:

 

[BWR1953]

In addition to being safe, I also have to make sure that I'm legal when I hook into the existing panel. Hooking up before the meter is a big time no-no! :nono:

 

[jbcurt00]

Yep to all that

Its been a while, but thats what I remember from a job that seems a long time ago.

And hooking into existing sounds a lot less expensive.....

 

[BWR1953]

Yep, hooking up to the existing service will definitely be cheaper. I just have to pay for the panels, parts and whatnot.

Am thinking that I'll hire a licensed electrician to provide code advice and have him inspect the work to make sure it's all good.

Still undecided on whether or not to get a permit. I know it's better to have it but am not sure if it will be worth the added complexity and delays.

 

[Watermann]

Permit smermit, start digging! :lol:

 

[BWR1953]

My young bud came over today and we spent an hour talking about garage stuff.

I'll order the fill dirt delivery tomorrow and he'll figure out how to get it moved. The "small" loader that he used last year has been sold and his big John Deere tractor loader is busticated. It can't move forward. He's pretty sure that he knows what it is and can fix it but it requires a complete transmission tear down. He can do the work but just hasn't had time available. He still has his "little" Massey with a box blade, so he can do a bunch with that. The rest will have to be done with a wheelbarrow and shovel. That's definitely his bailiwick, not mine! :lol:

He also said that he can do all the electrical work, including the inside stuff. Good news there! And he also "encouraged" me to simplify my plans. I reluctantly agreed but I can clearly see his points. Simpler is better. So now I'm in the process of completely redrawing all my wiring diagrams and layouts. :doh:

And he also convinced me to bring in 240V to the garage, not just 120V. I'd pointed out that I can't see me ever needing it for anything. So he simply said "maybe the boy will want to weld someday." D'oh! :facepalm: I hadn't even thought of that. And he's completely right on that one for sure! I've been teaching the boy about "hands on" work in addition to all his school work.

So plans are changing, but also moving forward.

Maybe if I'm really lucky I'll be able to get some boat work done in March! :biggrin-new:

 

[jbcurt00]

Plus w 240V available, that shed could become a complete full blown workshop some day. For you, your son, or whoever....

 

[BWR1953]

So this happened today.

It was the explosions that got my attention! Must have been ammo stored inside.

The fire started in a neighbor's shed, immediately adjacent to the south end of my property. Had the wind been more from the south, my place would have been involved. :faint2:

As it was, it did get started on my buddy's place next door to me on the east side at the south end of his place. Fortunately, the fire department did get there in time to stop the progress. My bud's horses were very focused on the goings on since the fire was in their pasture! :lol:

Fully engulfed.



The fire spread quickly to the east, involving a couple more neighbors.


Fireman oblivious to the flames behind him.


The fire started to the right of the Chieftain's nose and spread rapidly to the east. All that smoke has flames underneath.


The aftermath.


Two lots further east burned as well.


This is the southeast corner of my place. Fire still smoldering on my neighbor's place some 6 hours later.


The area involved.

 

[jbcurt00]

Glad your place wasnt involved.

 

[nrf414]

BWR that was a close one!

 

[BWR1953]

Yep, we got lucky. Dodged a bullet for sure. :flame:

I'd stepped out of the house on my way to the garage when I heard a low, deep sounding "poom!" which got my attention. When I looked up I saw the structure on fire. I immediately called 911 but they stated that units were already on the way. So I went out to get some pix and video and to see where the fire was headed.

I saw that the wind was shifting a bit more towards the east but wasn't sure if the fire would still hit my place. So I stayed and monitored. A couple times there were more explosions as ammo and maybe paint cans blew up. I could see stuff flying around from that building while I was hiding behind a double-trunk oak tree for cover. :lol:

Latest reports are 4 structures destroyed and 1 damaged. At least one abandoned home was damaged/destroyed. One injury for smoke inhalation. The cause is still under investigation. It was initially reported as a brush fire but there is no burned area prior to that burning shed that I recorded. So time will tell. :nod:

I'm sure glad that I cleared out my "back 40" last year while preparing the property for the garage. It was pretty brushy and messy back there previously. Am now thinking that I will clear some of the lower hanging branches on the remaining trees back there as well as clearing any ground debris with my little tractor and box blade. :nerd:

 

[BWR1953]

Back to the garage progress...

I did order the next load of fill dirt. It will be here tomorrow morning.

And I'm back to being confused about my wiring layout. :lol:

My young buddy had me pretty well convinced to just simplify everything and turn lights and fans on and off with the pull-string switches that they come with.

But I was talking about that with 2 of my old buddies yesterday and they both said to go with my original switching and wiring plan. They both pointed out in two different conversations that I'm not getting any younger and that using my original plan will serve me better as I get older. And they both know my health history too. Plus they mentioned that having a dozen pull-strings dangling overhead would be tacky at best. :laugh:

Jeez. I dunno... :noidea:

It's certainly a bit cheaper to go simpler but in the grand scheme of things a few hundred bucks out of the budget isn't going to matter much in the long run.

 

[BWR1953]

Dirt delivered. Notified my buddy. And now I wait. :yawn:

 

[BWR1953]

Well, my buddy came over and started moving the dirt this afternoon. His loader is still broken so he used his small Massey Ferguson with box blade.

He got started but shortly thereafter was interrupted by other obligations and will have to complete the grading later. I may need to add another load of dirt. He doesn't think so but I do have 40 years more experience with being caught behind the power curve than he does. We'll see. :lol:

 

[Watermann]

Looks good, no rocks at all. You need to get that boy out there with a rake to level around the edges of the building. I remember having a boy around with boundless energy just waiting for direction. :lol:

 

[BWR1953]

Looks good, no rocks at all. You need to get that boy out there with a rake to level around the edges of the building. I remember having a boy around with boundless energy just waiting for direction. :lol:

I like it! :lol:

 

[BWR1953]

Latest info...

Am still waiting for my young buddy to finish grading the dirt. Wait, wait, wait...

It's almost there, but not quite. It's nearly level; just a little bit high.





The area highlighted in blue needs to be bulked up. My bud thinks he can get it done without me having to buy another load of dirt. I'm okay with it either way. I don't mind paying for another load of dirt if it comes to that. It's the waiting that gets to me. :lol: