# Todays upgrade



## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

Gettin started for now....


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

Getting started on a device after noon?


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## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

I see waaayyyy to sharp of a bend in those conductors in the second pic....:whistling2::laughing:


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Cletis said:


> Gettin started for now....


Nice project.


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*after*



Chris1971 said:


> Nice project.


Oh, that's not the after pics yet. It's a 2 day job. Just settin up today. All kinds of problems/obstacles....


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

Cletis said:


> Oh, that's not the after pics yet. It's a 2 day job. Just settin up today. All kinds of problems/obstacles....


Is this to minimize the down (no service) time? 

I've often wondered if it's better to build a multi-family service in the shop and transport it to the site.


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Cletis said:


> Oh, that's not the after pics yet. It's a 2 day job. Just settin up today. All kinds of problems/obstacles....



I kind of figured that. Still a nice little project.


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*Yep*



Magnettica said:


> Is this to minimize the down (no service) time?
> 
> I've often wondered if it's better to build a multi-family service in the shop and transport it to the site.


Yes, trying not to inconvenience the customer. Tasks for tomorrow. 

- Core out a 2.5" hole and set LB and run, mount, and pull conductors for lateral

- Run the #2 Cu GEC from gutter to water main and get finished.

- drill a hole in floor above (ok'd by owner) and try to drive 8 ft ground rod in a 6' 4" basement 

- add 150 amp sub panel in garage and attatch to already ran 2/0 SER

- start marking circuits and such

-get plywood ready to go. will have to set a whole 4' x 6' sheet wed. old one is rickety

- pre-assemble gutter and meter bases and get all nipples, locknuts, and misc items pre-done

- clean up

Tomorrow is a descent day in itself

Wed

Drop Service and start ripping everything out

- as you can see we need to cut back existing 2" conduit about 12". We are going to have to cut pipe with conductors in them if possible and mount gutter up near joist to gain as much space as possible

-we are setting a LR for new feeder right at left wall as well wed

- put panels on, mark out, test, clean up and out of there

Long Day I predict...progress pics to come


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## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

Is that a piercing locknut?

Could you drive the rods at 45's?


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Cletis said:


> Gettin started for now....



Home depot likes you.:jester:


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

3xdad said:


> Is that a piercing locknut?
> 
> Could you drive the rods at 45's?


Not sure(obstacles) but that is backup plan. I plan to pre drill a 2ft hole with masonsry to shorten rod length


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*funny*



Chris1971 said:


> Home depot likes you.:jester:


That's funny. I didn't buy any of that from HD actually. That was all from 4 different supply houses in town.


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Cletis said:


> That's funny. I didn't buy any of that from HD actually. That was all from 4 different supply houses in town.



Did you buy all the material off of craigslist?


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*noNE*

no. nothing from craigslist. Actually, Greybar, FD lawrence, Grainger and some other locals. Those polaris taps were $90 per. That was $2,400 sittin on that floor. Nothing used at all


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Cletis said:


> no. nothing from craigslist. Actually, Greybar, FD lawrence, Grainger and some other locals. Those polaris taps were $90 per. That was $2,400 sittin on that floor. Nothing used at all



What size service will you be installing?


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*4*

400 amps


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Cletis said:


> 400 amps


How big of a crew will you have to do this job?


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*?*

not sure. YOu know how help is these days. 

Probably 2 guys 2 big days or 3 guys 2 normal days I"m guessing. There are a few things that are going to be trickier than normal on this one. Could go either way a few hours


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## electricalwiz (Mar 12, 2011)

So what are you charging for the whole thing


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*$*



electricalwiz said:


> so what are you charging for the whole thing


$ 8,250.00


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## electricalwiz (Mar 12, 2011)

Cletis said:


> $ 8,250.00


 
good for you, you should make some decent money


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*plan*



electricalwiz said:


> good for you, you should make some decent money


that is the plan. I first priced him on a nice modular 400 amp all in one meterbase main. I think that bid was like $11,300 mostly cause unit was $3500 itself. I said well, I can do it old school like the one you have for about 3K less and it's code and safe just takes me more time to assemble. He agreed.


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## electricalwiz (Mar 12, 2011)

Cletis said:


> that is the plan. I first priced him on a nice modular 400 amp all in one meterbase main. I think that bid was like $11,300 mostly cause unit was $3500 itself. I said well, I can do it old school like the one you have for about 3K less and it's code and safe just takes me more time to assemble. He agreed.


I think rewire has a 5 unit meter stack for sale, 

I think the stack meter looks better, but if it meant not getting the job, I would do exactly what you are doing


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*this*

You wouldn't believe the hard time I had today trying to find 3 of these. I could only find a 6 port. Now I have to do a damn 6 port to 3 port. Plus I got screwed on price


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*8 port*

8 port


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

Todays updates. Suspense builds...


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

More pictures please!!!!!


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

Since you're right next door in Georgia, it shouldn't be a problem for you to come get this 5-stack meter center from me. It's real cheap.:whistling2:


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Cletus how's the service upgrade going?:laughing:


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

Chris1971 said:


> Cletus how's the service upgrade going?:laughing:


Finishing tomorrow


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Cletis said:


> Finishing tomorrow


Pictures please!


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## randas (Dec 14, 2008)

I would have used H-taps @ $1.xx a piece instead of those polaris blocks and blew the $300 I saved on hookers and blow


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

randas said:


> I would have used H-taps @ $1.xx a piece instead of those polaris blocks and blew the $300 I saved on hookers and blow



Is a Canadian hooker a polar bear?:laughing:


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*?*



randas said:


> I would have used H-taps @ $1.xx a piece instead of those polaris blocks and blew the $300 I saved on hookers and blow


How does that work for joining 7 conductors ? Don't have a crimper anyhow


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

Cletis said:


> $ 8,250.00


 nice score... good luck with it... may the no lox be with you..


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

captkirk said:


> nice score... good luck with it... may the no lox be with you..



He got this job from his facebook posting....:whistling2:


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

Chris1971 said:


> He got this job from his facebook posting....:whistling2:


 what ever it takes.... Im acually happy for people when they do well, unlike others..


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

End of a 16 hr day. Gotta go back mon to finish. 

One question though. I had no clue how to bond all this so i guessed. Does it look ok????


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

WTF? It was better the way it was...


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

InPhase277 said:


> WTF? It was better the way it was...


Yeah, but hows my bonding/grounding though? I have my #2 cu water and#6 cu ground rod gec's under split bolt on nuetral going to my 150 amp meter. Thats really all im concerned about


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

Cletis said:


> Yeah, but hows my bonding/grounding though? I have my #2 cu water and#6 cu ground rod gec's under split bolt on nuetral going to my 150 amp meter. Thats really all im concerned about


That looks like aluminum URD/USE with a copper wire and copper split bolt slathered in Noalox. Fail. More than two wires under one split bolt. Fail. You might have used a bond bushing where the SEC's enter the trough from that LR too. No phasing on the meter conductors either.:no:


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*...*

URD ...So

copper , alum ground no lox So

Bond bushing not needed no eccentric/concentric

1 am not done. going back tomorrow to phase and other things

Actually, I had main poco guy down there and he told me to do the split bolts over the polaris. He says they do that all the time in troughs. No problem with multiple wires with him.


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## randas (Dec 14, 2008)

Cletis said:


> How does that work for joining 7 conductors ? Don't have a crimper anyhow


An H-tap dose not have to be at the end of the wire. You take your feeder and strip a foot off and tap off for each meter with an H-tap then tape it up. :thumbsup:

No crimper? You could have bought the crimper and the taps and still saved a few bucks over the polaris blocks.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

randas said:


> An H-tap dose not have to be at the end of the wire. You take your feeder and strip a foot off and tap off for each meter with an H-tap then tape it up. :thumbsup:


Or you can just window strip where you need to tap and then use the snap on H tap covers.


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## donaldelectrician (Sep 30, 2010)

*Battle Ship Grey*

Battle Ship Grey ! or Flat Black for the " MOD " Look !

Charge more for "MOD" Look !


PAINT THEM backer BOARDS !!!






Donald " Outstanding Citizen of the Conch Republic "


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

Cletis said:


> Yeah, but hows my bonding/grounding though? I have my #2 cu water and#6 cu ground rod gec's under split bolt on nuetral going to my 150 amp meter. Thats really all im concerned about




Well, it looks good from my house. :whistling2:


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*ok*

posted on wrong thread. here you go


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## jefft110 (Jul 7, 2010)

You pissed in the corner again because of no bathroom access, didn't you?:no:


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

WTF those panel covers are overlapping!!!! 

A 6 on a scale of 1-10. 

And a damn good deal for the sale price.


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*OI*



Magnettica said:


> WTF those panel covers are overlapping!!!!
> 
> A 6 on a scale of 1-10.
> 
> And a damn good deal for the sale price.


That's an optical illusion with shadows actually. 4th one barely touches. I docked the guy who measured it 2 hrs pay anyhow. In his defense there wasn't much space to work with really if you look at gutter. 

Next time, pvc nipples. I'd of probably saved $750 in extra material and labor. I was just experimenting anyhow

You think I'll get red tag or green tag monday ?


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## Theriot (Aug 27, 2011)

Our electric company would never let you remover the meter cover with a meter in it


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*?*



Theriot said:


> Our electric company would never let you remover the meter cover with a meter in it


I'd hate to live where you are. We drop services, reconnect, drop and reconnect laterals, work on live gutters, etc... 

All illegally though...:whistling2:


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## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

What size was the original service?


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*200*



3xdad said:


> What size was the original service?


200 amps


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## Theriot (Aug 27, 2011)

All meter banks have to be outside and accessible so they can pull the meter if you don't pay


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

You docked the guy 2 hrs? Seems a bit harsh...

I would be pissed about getting docked over something so little. You didn't have to go back and fix it right?


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

Unless you are jesting and you are the one who measured... :lol:


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## troublemaker1701 (Aug 11, 2011)

Cletis said:


> That's an optical illusion with shadows actually. 4th one barely touches. I docked the guy who measured it 2 hrs pay anyhow. In his defense there wasn't much space to work with really if you look at gutter.
> 
> Next time, pvc nipples. I'd of probably saved $750 in extra material and labor. I was just experimenting anyhow
> 
> You think I'll get red tag or green tag monday ?


My money's on red.I think multiconductors on Kearney will get you.


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*no zone*

that's not my inspectors territory. He is from meter down. He has no authority there. Gutter is locked up tighter than a catholic virgin anyhow. Poco said it's fine to use split bolts for multiple conductors. That's what they do for same situation here...


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## GDK 13 (Oct 6, 2009)

why wouldn't you put the trough of the bottom, meters, then panels on top? Would have looked a lot better. And offset nipples are your friend.


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## ptcrtn (Mar 14, 2011)

Cletis said:


> that's not my inspectors territory. He is from meter down. He has no authority there. Gutter is locked up tighter than a catholic virgin anyhow. Poco said it's fine to use split bolts for multiple conductors. That's what they do for same situation here...


\\//


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## MasterE (Dec 31, 2011)

Two questions #1 Why not use a Multi position Meter socket http://www.milbankmfg.com/Products/MultiPositionSockets/index.asp and #2 Why is the Ground rod installed in the basement. Or did I misunderstand about the hole in the floor.


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*...*



MasterE said:


> Two questions #1 Why not use a Multi position Meter socket http://www.milbankmfg.com/Products/MultiPositionSockets/index.asp and #2 Why is the Ground rod installed in the basement. Or did I misunderstand about the hole in the floor.


1. Customer went for bargain price 

2. Why not? That's where mains are


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## rrolleston (Mar 6, 2012)

Theriot said:


> Our electric company would never let you remover the meter cover with a meter in it


They all say that around here too but if I cut a tag to do some repairs and just call them and they replace it next time they are out checking meters.


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