# My new pedestal is done



## Tackdriver (Dec 3, 2010)

A little bit ago, I posted about a 200A meter main I was doing at my home. Now its done. Almost. Its running on a temp permit now. The thing is this. The POCO handbook said that if you used a 6x6 post, concrete encasement was not required. So I didnt put it in. But the City inspector wanted it there. He said it was wiggly in the dirt. It was a fresh backfill, and I happen to think that after 6 months of rain, it would be locked up tight as a drum, but I didnt want to argue. So today I dug it back, knocked up a form and poured the crete. Ill call them back on Tuesday.

Both the APS lineman and the inspector said my wiring was very good, and the city inspector seemed impressed that he was able to find the water bond, gas bond, and two ground rods.

Im sure glad the old thing is gone. Ive been having trouble, the fuseholders were getting burned, as was the wiring to the AC. But the old thing was so rusty I didnt trust taking it apart until today, when there was no power. I had no idea it was as bad as it was, and my wife and I are glad its gone. 

So Ive been playing around with industrial controls for years. Ive been thinking about a better/different/self employed career path. I sure had fun doing this service upgrade. Maybe I can get my Jman lic. and start a little business doing service upgrades. Ive been asking around, and there seems to still be demand for them, and money in them. Something to think about.

So Ive attached some pictures for you guys to look at.


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## leland (Dec 28, 2007)

Looks good.

How hard was it to dig out with that shovel (last pic)? :laughing:


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

leland said:


> Looks good.
> 
> How hard was it to dig out with that shovel (last pic)? :laughing:


:laughing::laughing:

I use a spoon on my trenching jobs :laughing:


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## Tackdriver (Dec 3, 2010)

You know, that little thing sure was valuable. You're digging with a spade, and you come to a hard spot, you can whip it out and tell right away if its a rock (most of the time), or a GAS Line???? without damaging it. Slow this way, but there was so much "pollution" under the dirt, a trencher would have gotten me in BAD BAD trouble.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

There's always a demand for services, we do at least 1-2 per week. In order to make money at them, you must ba able to do it quicker than 30-45 days:laughing:


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Installation of equipment: A+
Wire and terminations: C- (wires were just slopped around inside of the panel and it doesn't look like any effort was made to look good like I would expect from a controls and automation electrician).
I only mention this due to the fact that it may be helpful to you in the future when you are selling this type of work to a customer.


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## Tackdriver (Dec 3, 2010)

Yeah, it took a while, way longer than something similar at work. But the thing is, I had to buy it on the "one piece at a time" plan. HeHe


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Tackdriver said:


> Yeah, it took a while, way longer than something similar at work. But the thing is, I had to buy it on the "one piece at a time" plan. HeHe


 
I'm just picking, but expect no mercy from me. You're the WORST type of contractor to bid against. One who doesn't use his contracting to make his living. He makes his living elsewhere, including benefits, and contracts FOR FUN. I hate competitors such as you. Nothing personal.


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

mcclary's electrical said:


> I'm just picking, but expect no mercy from me. You're the WORST type of contractor to bid against. One who doesn't use his contracting to make his living. He makes his living elsewhere, including benefits, and contracts FOR FUN. I hate competitors such as you. Nothing personal.


No doubt. These guys can really kill a contractor. I have a job to go look at soon, which one contractor gave a price at 10k to finish and a friend of friends' cousin who is an "electrician" can do it for 1800...The materials are gonna be around 1500...

Oh well, what can you do?


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

NolaTigaBait said:


> No doubt. These guys can really kill a contractor. I have a job to go look at soon, which one contractor gave a price at 10k to finish and a friend of friends' cousin who is an "electrician" can do it for 1800...The materials are gonna be around 1500...
> 
> Oh well, what can you do?


 
It happens alot. Full time electricians for other companies, working weekends doing services and renovations on homeowner permits.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

mcclary's electrical said:


> It happens alot. Full time electricians for other companies, working weekends doing services and renovations on homeowner permits.


If that happens here it is usually a middle class income level customer. I started targeting higher income customers and I don't have that problem too much anymore. Plus here the homeowner has to take a test to do his own work so they just do it without a permit in most cases.


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## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

Your black and red phases are swapped on the right hand breaker. :laughing:

Other wise, not too shabby. :thumbup:

Welcome to the jungle here...


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

mxslick said:


> Your black and red phases are swapped on the right hand breaker. :laughing:
> 
> Other wise, not too shabby. :thumbup:
> 
> Welcome to the jungle here...


 
That's one of those new services with a red "a" phase & a red "b" phase


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

NolaTigaBait said:


> No doubt. These guys can really kill a contractor. I have a job to go look at soon, which one contractor gave a price at 10k to finish and a friend of friends' cousin who is an "electrician" can do it for 1800...The materials are gonna be around 1500...
> 
> Oh well, what can you do?


Isn't that "All Star Electric" in a nutshell?

When I talked to my foreman when working down there he said the owners got into the electrical business just because the could. They came from money and now own one of the the largest (if not THE largest) electrical companies in new orleans. Not only that, but everyone I talked to says they pay their employees pennies.


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

Frasbee said:


> Isn't that "All Star Electric" in a nutshell?
> 
> When I talked to my foreman when working down there he said the owners got into the electrical business just because the could. They came from money and now own one of the the largest (if not THE largest) electrical companies in new orleans. Not only that, but everyone I talked to says they pay their employees pennies.


I believe that guy now owns a part of Galatoires on Bourbon st. also...


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## woodchuck2 (Sep 18, 2009)

Looks good IMO, your wiring will get neater as you get more experienced. You guys are allowed to use a 6X6 for a single post huh? Here we have to use two 6X6's with at least 5/4X6 decking or 2X? boards for the backing. The only way i can get away with a single post is either an 8X8 or a utility pole. A couple pics of the last 8X8 i did. I prefer these to keep the pedestal small and easier to hide, this one was hidden by shrubs after the landscaping was done.


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

If the breaker on the right is more than 60 amps, the ground needs to be #8 or larger. It's hard to tell, but it looks like #10, but I could be wrong. 

Rob


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## Tackdriver (Dec 3, 2010)

No, it is #8 for a 100 A ckt.


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## randas (Dec 14, 2008)

No offense but looks kinda rough to me. I can see the effort was there but the experience was lacking. I'm not sure what the earth dose in arizona but up here with extreme temperature change from winter to summer the ground moves like a mofo and that single post would be at a 30° angle within 5 years.


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## Tackdriver (Dec 3, 2010)

Yeah, here we can use a 6x6, a 8 round, or a 3" Galvanized in concrete. The POCO said the 6x6 or 8 did not need concrete. So I didnt put it in. But the city guy wanted it so I had to dig back and pour. We can also use either a one post or a "H" frame if we have subs or transfer switches or something like that to install. They have also started letting us use a block wall in some locations.

I liked the 6x6 because it gives a flat surface to build on.I should say that this is on the APS side of town.

We actually have two POCOs here in town. APS and SRP. Im on APS and they were just a sweetheart of a POCO. I loved to deal with them. SRP on the other hand gave my employer just one fit after another when we moved our plant. And from what Ive heard about a church remod a little bit away our experience was not an isolated case.

Other power companies Ive dealt with are Norris Public Power (Nebraska) and REA (Nebraska). Those two were somewhere in the middle of these two I guess.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Looks pretty good. 

I would have sunk 2, 2 inch GRC's and put strut between them, or 2 4x4's with a piece of plywood for the equipment and some strut across for the pipe. I never liked trying to build off a little pole or a post.


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

some inspectors want a plastic bushing on that 2" underground even though its pvc the conductors look larger than # 4


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## CADPoint (Jul 5, 2007)

If that mound of dirt was what it took to do the job than yes so be it, and yes I'd be glad that's over.

What I don't understand is the need to slam CCC to the side of a box to make it look Good!


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## frank (Feb 6, 2007)

Tickles me no end to see US/Canadian service inputs. I can see the logic in them but they look so ................... different.


Frank


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## doubleoh7 (Dec 5, 2009)

mcclary's electrical said:


> I'm just picking, but expect no mercy from me. You're the WORST type of contractor to bid against. One who doesn't use his contracting to make his living. He makes his living elsewhere, including benefits, and contracts FOR FUN. I hate competitors such as you. Nothing personal.


 

I have priced some work for people who have had some relative or something do the work for them, because I was "too expensive". We are experiencing freezing rain right now and the trees and power lines are starting to sag.:thumbup: I hope some of these a55holes have the overhead services ripped off of their houses. When they call, they will be put at the bottom of the list. Or, I may let them sit wothout power for two days, then tell them to call someone else.:laughing: My good customers go at the top of the list in emergencies.


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## code_compliant (Feb 14, 2008)

In these parts, the above meter main is the most common. 200 amp lever by pass w/ feed thru lugs and an 8 breaker space. Simple and quick. Panel cost: ~$450.


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

code_compliant said:


> In these parts, the above meter main is the most common. 200 amp lever by pass w/ feed thru lugs and an 8 breaker space. Simple and quick. Panel cost: ~$450.


 this has a bypass


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## code_compliant (Feb 14, 2008)

ampman said:


> this has a bypass


Yep. Tried to find a pic with the cover off but couldn't.


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