Patio Refrigerator and Freezer Question?

[Diggin It]

Housing rental inspector? What’s that.

Holy cow…..What crazy rules. Would drive me nutz

It's why so many of us no longer live in cities.

 

[jaxs]

Historically other states have adopted rules,laws and way of living a few years after California put them in place. If you don't approve of how people must live in California,don't be complacent with how things are in your state. The pandemic has opened a door to fast track many changes to California ways.

 

[ultrarunner]

This is true...

Outward migration of those with means and not necessarily a true appreciation/respect for where they land will likely continue.

The transformation here started roughly 40 years ago with with a simple and might even say workable rent control but things seldom stay simple once established.

Hope today to make a site visit...

The widow of the original owner told me the patio outlet was put in at the time the permitted patio cover built and it was only used for a radio listening to the Oakland A's and hedge trimmer...

The wife didn't appreciate a long extension cord running out her back kitchen door!

At least dealing with frozen water pipes has only been a problem for me once in 38 years when temps dropped to single digits.

Can't imagine the typical mild climate tenant would fare well in a climate where snow is normal.

 

[ultrarunner]

Transitioning from rentals with beds to commercial NNN has been a godsend...

Just a few legacy remain... mostly good people but in 35+ years seen a lot... especially since I started out managing Section 8 properties others had given up on.

One move that had greatly cut down service calls is no longer furnishing any freestanding appliances...

No more $500 of meat spoiled on 4th of July or ruined Thanksgiving dinner because stove not working... so far tenant caused.

Plumbing is always at top of list... great down drain, toys in toilet... etc.

One "Free" call and then billed accordingly thereafter...

 

[EddieWalker]

I admire your ability to deal with tenants and the government. Seems like both are trying real hard to force you out of business and make life as hard as possible. With so many restrictions, will you be able to sell everything and retire when the time is right?

 

[ultrarunner]

If only a crystal ball...

Liquidating always an option but can't help but feel we have not seen real inflation yet.

This morning replaced domestic water regulator... probably original and buried in the dirt... had to find it first.

Utility water pressure 200+/- which cause all kinds of problems from toilet valves to water heater pressure relief...

New one in place and now 55 psi which is plenty.

Tenant with freezer at work now so not able to access... maybe later today?

 

[dlctcg]

I would think that if the unit in question failed even after 3 months would not be covered under warranty... unless it was rated for outside use... which would be a much more expensive appliance... I completely understand keeping a good tenant... but if they supplied an outdoor rated appliance & it failed I would be looking at this differently... I don't think this is the case..

 

[grsthegreat]

If appliance is under a cover, and not getting direct rain on it, i don’t see why being outdoors would be an issue. I see lots of units in garages and beck covered porches and still work good after years.

 

[ultrarunner]

Update....

I spent some time mapping the circuit...

It is a 15 amp with outlets in Dining Room and Rear Bedroom and single Back Porch Outlet and two patio lights.

The Extension Cord is 14ga and 15' long...

At the buss I get 122 volts, at the breaker 121 volts and at patio GFCI 119 volts.

House wired in the 1960's and all two prong except kitchen is grounded and patio GFCI.

On a side note the house is full of outlet strips with lots of electronics and rice cooker, micro, toaster oven, hair dryer, etc

Tenant today said he is willing to pay for a 20 amp breaker and I said it doesn't work that way unless the wire is also sized for 20 amp.

To add a dedicated patio circuit which would mean a new split half size breaker as all panel slots used.

 

[Torvy]

That should be a big enough upgrade to raise the rent, no?

 

[ultrarunner]

So far city has frozen increases and evictions.

If tenant were to freely vacate home would rent easily for $800 a month more... just like SF with some paying $600 and the identical apartment down the hall is $3,000

 

[4570Man]

So far city has frozen increases and evictions.

If tenant were to freely vacate home would rent easily for $800 a month more... just like SF with some paying $600 and the identical apartment down the hall is $3,000

I expected that was the case when you made the first post. I wouldn’t pay a dime for a new refrigerator or to add additional circuits. It meets electric code. He can pound sand or spend his own money if he doesn’t like it. Did you perform a load test? Just measuring voltage doesn’t prove a lot. Try plugging in a hair dryer and measuring the load at the same time. You should probably use the low heat setting for a fair test since bathroom circuits are 20 amp therefore a hair dryer wasn’t intended to work on 15 amps.

 

[ultrarunner]

I expected that was the case when you made the first post. I wouldn’t pay a dime for a new refrigerator or to add additional circuits. It meets electric code. He can pound sand or spend his own money if he doesn’t like it. Did you perform a load test? Just measuring voltage doesn’t prove a lot. Try plugging in a hair dryer and measuring the load at the same time. You should probably use the low heat setting for a fair test since bathroom circuits are 20 amp therefore a hair dryer wasn’t intended to work on 15 amps.

Yes… with Load Tester.

current passed but voltage drop failed… i.e. exceeded 10% drop.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I'd rather pay to upgrade the house than to pay to buy a fridge or freezer.

 

[4570Man]

I'd rather pay to upgrade the house than to pay to buy a fridge or freezer.

Not the landlords problem IMO. He lives in a house built in the 60s and he has a refrigerator in the kitchen that works fine. The other 2 are optional. The tenant can pay the cost of adding a dedicated circuit to run the second refrigerator and freezer.

 

[4570Man]

Yes… with Load Tester.

current passed but voltage drop failed… i.e. exceeded 10% drop.

How much drop did you get under what load?

 

[4570Man]

Yes… with Load Tester.

current passed but voltage drop failed… i.e. exceeded 10% drop.

Just out of curiosity I did a load test in my garage which is 12 gauge wiring. Under no load 123 volts. Running my heat gun on full output it dropped to and maintained 116 volts. Then I plugged in a 25 foot 14 gauge cord on the same outlet and repeated the test plugged into the cord. This time it dropped to and maintained 111 volts. That’s actually less drop than I expected although the test didn’t last long. I would expect it to drop more as the cord heated up.

 

[grsthegreat]

Just out of curiosity I did a load test in my garage which is 12 gauge wiring. Under no load 123 volts. Running my heat gun on full output it dropped to and maintained 116 volts. Then I plugged in a 25 foot 14 gauge cord on the same outlet and repeated the test plugged into the cord. This time it dropped to and maintained 111 volts. That’s actually less drop than I expected although the test didn’t last long. I would expect it to drop more as the cord heated up.

Now, place an amp meter on the heat gun plugged directly into outlet, then read it when plugged into extension cord.

 

[4570Man]

Now, place an amp meter on the heat gun plugged directly into outlet, then read it when plugged into extension cord.

That’s what I did. No load voltage of the outlet 123 volts. Heat gun on max, voltage 116, heat gun on max plugged into the cord 111 volts.