Advice for my first big job

[OldandWorn]

Congrats on passing your inspection Oldandworn. Yeah grounding differs a little bit from state to state. The lug provided on the neutral bar is for bonding a metal nipple. It has been a while since I have done a split meter and panel. Playindirt is right about the power company wouldn't be happy to find a ground wire in there. After having that said, I am reminded that the grounded conductor from the panel bonds the meter base. The earth ground goes to the main panel. I am getting old and worn myself. I forget a lot of things. :Banghead I want to ask you. You said you got a tamper proof outlet. This is in your shop correct? Or barn? I didn't think they are required in a garage or shop or barn? Only in residences. I know that code keeps changing all the time, and me and my co-workers have been talking that eventually they are going to require them for everything except commercial and industrial installations. I am not up to speed on residential code. Maybe it is like that already for all I know. Did you check and find out it was required? Or did you just assume?

Hey thanks ijoker! Just to be clear and placing the metal nipple bonding aside, there are some power companies (not the NEC) that require the ground rod wire to go directly into the meter socket. There is even a small knock out in the bottom of this meter for that wire to pass through and connect to the small lug.


Here is the wording that applies from the 2008 NEC:

406.11 Tamper-Resistant Receptacles in Dwelling
Units. In all areas specified in 210.52, all 125-volt, 15-
and 20-ampere receptacles shall be listed tamper resistant
receptacles.

210.52
(G) Basements, Garages, and Accessory Buildings.
For a one-family dwelling, the following provisions shall apply:
(1) At least one receptacle outlet, in addition to those for
specific equipment, shall be installed in each basement,
in each attached garage, and in each detached garage or
accessory building with electric power.
(2) Where a portion of the basement is finished into one or
more habitable rooms, each separate unfinished portion
shall have a receptacle outlet installed in accordance with this section.


That being stated, I asked the inspector if I needed tamper resistant receptacles in the barn and he said no. He either didn't know or he adjusted the code to what made the most sense to him. I didn't want to fail and have him come back so I installed one just to be sure.

 

[oceanobob]

Over on one of the better electrical forums, they were critiquing this subject and it seems the 'eleven' electrical code book helps clarify the accessory to the residence concept thus bringing the detached garage into the realm ....maybe that outlet was a good investment for the future?

 

[Scout_1969]

Hi O&W-
It looks like you have a 1 foot bucket for your backhoe. I have a JD 310B and just aquired a 1 foot bucket.

How do you like your bucket?

Does soil stick in the bucket often?

 

[OldandWorn]

Over on one of the better electrical forums, they were critiquing this subject and it seems the 'eleven' electrical code book helps clarify the accessory to the residence concept thus bringing the detached garage into the realm ....maybe that outlet was a good investment for the future?

Hi Bob....I'm not following what you wrote but in this case I will do what the inspector wants only because I have a thorn in my side about the pussification of the human race. I stuck a paperclip in a receptacle when I was 5 and the results were spectacular. There is more of a chance of being bit by a rattler than an outlet in this structure.

 

[OldandWorn]

Hi O&W-
It looks like you have a 1 foot bucket for your backhoe. I have a JD 310B and just aquired a 1 foot bucket.

How do you like your bucket?

Does soil stick in the bucket often?

Well, I like it because of less mess and backfill work but it was a horrible choice for this project because the trench was too deep and narrow to work in. So, I guess it comes down to what kind of project you are doing and the surrounding circumstances. The biggest issue was trying to glue the joints in the bottom of the trench. If I would have had constant help so I could have glued outside of the trench (or lifting at an angle), worked everyday, and was only laying 1 conduit, then the 12" would have been the perfect bucket. In my case an 18” would have been sweet and also provide enough separation for 2 conduits at the same depth.

Other than an excessive amount of rocks I’m very happy with the soil that I dug through and didn’t have many sticking problems. There was about a 40’ length of moist clay close to the pole barn that gave me fits. I had to scratch along with the bucket not filling it very full. Even then there was a lot of shaking involved getting it to release. There was also some blue clay in the creek beds but I think any bucket would have had a bad time with that damn stuff.

 

[ijoker]

Thanks for educating me oldandworn. Like I said I am not up to speed on residential code. It has changed since last I looked at it.:Banghead And yes. I know that about the meter. I have put ground wires in them before. I have been dealing with commercial and industrial new construction the last few years and these services pretty much always have a ufer ground with the ground wire going to the MDP. All conduits and nipples are metal. So every thing is bonded. Sometimes an inspector will want a wire ran from the main panel to the meter, but it isn't necessary when everything is bonded. Sometimes we argue with them, other times we just do it knowing it's not necessary. :notworthy

 

[OldandWorn]

Power company switched toward the end of the project. First company didn't want to replace the pole but the second company did. Instead of coordinating with the phone company so they could pull the old pole, they just installed a new one in a location where my power conduit would still reach the new pole. If the old pole is removed (supposed to be) I’m going to have to rework the phone. :Banghead

 

[mitch504]

I bet it feels good to see that wire snaking through there...

 

[OldandWorn]

My rope from the 900’ pull. It has been in the conduit almost 2 years and I thought it would be really nasty but it looks like brand new. The rope from the lowlands with the 2 other creeks was also clean and dry (bottom pic).

 

[OldandWorn]

The final 400’ run was nice and straight so they pulled it by hand.

The old company just wanted a flat gravel pad for everything but the new company wants a buried box. They told me I had to install one for the transformer but the junctions can stay the same. Now the linemen don’t know what to do. They have to try and find the old style precast concrete pad but the new style box they brought supposedly won’t fit.

 

[OldandWorn]

They set the transformer and left. No word on when they will be back to finish but the nail biting part is done. :drinkup

 

[OldandWorn]

I bet it feels good to see that wire snaking through there...

OMG was it ever!!! :thumbsup It would be major suckage to dig that conduit back up. I hate rework with a passion.

 

[CM1995]

Congrats on a job well done!:thumbsup

 

[OldandWorn]

Congrats on a job well done!:thumbsup

Thanks CM....and a bunch of thanks to all of the HEF posters that guided me along. :notworthy :drinkup

 

[oceanobob]

I will always think of this post as the challenge of a trench too narrow .....

 

[Tinkerer]

My congratulations too O&W. I have followed your progress from the beginning. It sure has been an interesting and educational job ! Over 62,000 views of your thread and still counting. keep us up to date . I would like to see the first time your yard light gets turned on.

 

[OldandWorn]

I will always think of this post as the challenge of a trench too narrow .....

Ummm....would that be the WWI version of a Bridge Too Far?

 

[OldandWorn]

My congratulations too O&W. I have followed your progress from the beginning. It sure has been an interesting and educational job ! Over 62,000 views of your thread and still counting. keep us up to date . I would like to see the first time your yard light gets turned on.

Thank you Tinkerer. My original thought was a simple light bulb but it may have to change to an army of smart chargers. I'm normally good at keeping up on my batteries but with the main focus of getting this trench done I let my 955 Cat sit too long. I tried to start it a few weekends ago and got nothing but a click. The next weekend I brought up a bigass charger to see if I could revive the batteries. The only thing I have big enough to power the charger is my military generator which is also a 24 volt system. Well....wouldn't ya know, I just got a click out of generator as well.

I removed the generator batteries to take them home and noticed the end cells were frozen. So now those batteries are boiling away on chargers at home trying to bring them back to life.ointhead

 

[OldandWorn]

The power company might be back this week but I don't know if they will be able to finish up in one day. Because of the restructure they have a long travel time to the far edge of their service area. Between travel time both ways and lunch, it doesn't leave much work time. The old power company is just a few miles down the road.

I was able to restore the generator batteries to good condition. The end cells float/almost float all 4 balls but the fourth ball is lazy. I got the 955 batteries up to 50% with the generator and small charger so hopefully that was enough to keep them from freezing until I can get the big charger going.

 

[OldandWorn]

Nice and straight.....perfectly centered.
Why did I even bother making a square pad.:cussing









They did a much much better job on this one. Very straight and almost centered but close enough not to bother me. Thanks a lot though for leaving me a sticker from hell and even more shrink wrap residue. I can't really fault the linemen for not cleaning this crap off but it shouldn't be on there in the first place. They did pick at the sticker but gave up pretty quick. :tong