Weekend update

[Farmwithjunk]

This has been such a productive weekend, I just had to share all the fun!

My workshop would have been a posterchild for how NOT to wire a building. When I bought the place, first thing I did was to pull the circuit breaker out of the panel. It was a fire hazard from the word go. There was 24 duplex recepticles, 2 exhuast fans, and 14 light fixtures ON ONE 20 AMP CIRCUIT. When I "demo-ed" the old wiring, I cut out approx. 400 feet of 2-12 WITHOUT GROUND romex, again, all on one circuit.

So this weekend was re-wire the shop time. New 200 amp service. dedicated circuits for the welder, air compressor, lights, then 4 seperate receptical circuits. Another circuit for the 2 garage door openers, and one for the refridgerator/microwave/tv in the "employee lounge"/bar. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif (AKA shop office)

It was a fun job for at least the first hour. 2 days, totalling 15 hours later, and including 2 episodes of amature electro-shock therapy later, It's safe, well lit, meets NEC, as well as local codes. Everything in conduit. Everything grounded properly, and the best part, IT'S DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The only thing I'd do different next time? I'd call a real electrician. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Robert_in_NY]

The only thing worse then getting shocked while being too lazy to cut the breaker is getting shocked a second time on the same outlet. After the third time you get real mad at the outlet. The fourth time you realize the humor in it and finish the job. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Actually, the house we were working on was one of those fun jobs where they left the bare minimum amount of wire to attach the outlet. I had to replace it with a GFCI as it was over the sink and I didn't feel like cutting all the breakers in the house to find the right one (I didn't have one of those handy breaker finders at the time /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif)

I am glad you got your barn re done. It is amazing at what some people will do with wires. Plumbing is also another thing that amazes me when you see some of the jobs that people have done over the years /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Have fun.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have an Imglo wheelbarrow air compressor that I can have set to either 110 or 220. I leave it on 110.

I've always just pluged it into the closest outlet, but for my workshop I'm giving it a dedicated outlet under my metal workbench.

I was planning on wiring it to the other outlets for that workbench, but your post mantioned a dedicated outlet for your air compressor.

Why? What's the advantages to doing so?

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[ScottAR]

Compressers generally have quite a current draw on startup; especially shop sized uprights.

I accdentially tripped the breaker to the entire kitchen once while in the garage with my 30 gallon compressor. Apparently, since the garage and kitchen shared a wall, they shared a circuit. That house only had a 100 amp service and the wiring was... strange. We solved the problem by moving... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Robert_in_NY]

You nailed it. We have the twin tank Emglo compressor (actually we have a few), and when we take it on a job and plug it in we will occasionally pop a breaker. Usually it is when the peoples kids come home and turn the TV on. Thats when we know what circuit we are plugged into. The worse time is when we are on the end of a long line as the line doesn't have the amperage to start the compressor when it is cold and there are other things running in the house.

Small compressors don't need their own line but it doesn't cost much to give it to them and not worry.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have an Imglo wheelbarrow air compressor that I can have set to either 110 or 220. I leave it on 110.

I've always just pluged it into the closest outlet, but for my workshop I'm giving it a dedicated outlet under my metal workbench.

I was planning on wiring it to the other outlets for that workbench, but your post mantioned a dedicated outlet for your air compressor.

Why? What's the advantages to doing so?

Thanks,
Eddie

)</font>

It's a rather large "portable" compressor. If it happens to kick on while something else is on the same circuit, generally, it will kick the breaker. Just seemed like a good thing to do, giving it a circuit of its own. In my old shop, the compressor was on a circuit with a couple lights. When it would start up, the lights would go dim for a few seconds. Just didn't like that either.

(Compressor is located less than 10 feet from panel. conduit and wiring took all of 20 minutes. So easy, why not?)

In addition to the bigger "Ingersol Rand" compressor, I've got an Emglo "suitcase" compressor. Amazing what that little bugger will do. It's designed to run an air nailer, which it does from time to time, but it's also blown up a many a tire in its day.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The only thing worse then getting shocked while being too lazy to cut the breaker is getting shocked a second time on the same outlet. After the third time you get real mad at the outlet. The fourth time you realize the humor in it and finish the job. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

FOURTH TIME? Sounds like that shock was getting good to you!

After getting all ready for bed last night, I had to walk out to the shop and turn on the lights ONE MORE TIME, just to see the product of my handywork. Sure nice to see everything working as it should.

After 2 days of playing electrician, I now understand better why I chose to be a carpenter. Splinters are much less thrilling than electric shocks.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

It was just one of those days and the outlet was a Pain in the ... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[escavader]

ELECTRICITY GUIDLINES;
115 VOLTS ,ONLY A MILD TINGLE,HAD MANY THE OLD LADY CANMAKE ME UGLYER
DC POWERED FENCE,HURTS LIKE HEEEDBLEHOCKEY STICKS ESPECIALLY IF YOU PEE ON IT,dont ask me how i know
240 volts reminds you to turn off the breaker.dont ask me how i know
one leg of 3 phase feels like someone hits you in the butt with a base ball bat dont ask me how i know

yes my nick name is sparky,and theres a reason for it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
ALAN

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I got in to one leg of a three phase circuit once upon a time with the end of a screwdriver. Had it shorted out against the side of the panel box. Exciting to say the least. I got quite a jolt. It ran through my arm and jumped to a steel column from out of my elbow. Still have a NASTY scar some 25 years later. (Imagine your elbow as a welding rod /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif)

And I don't stick screwdrivers under lids of live panel covers anymore either.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Nasty135]

Once upon a time , I worked for an electrical company and one day I was sent with "THE GRIZZLED VETERAN" We had to work at a Harley Davidson dealer in VA. (This was a long time ago but I remember as if it were yesterday) OLD JOE sent me to the truck way out in the parking lot when I hear this muffled "AHH-WHUMMMP" I really didn't know where it came from being in a very congested business part of town, So I walk back in the showroom heading toward the rear of the shop and notice SMOKE rolling out the door and permiating the ceiling area ,Suddenly (I can be a little slow) It dawns on me AH-WHUMMP was HERE.... WHERE"S OLD JOE!!

It seems OLD JOE was just starting to take the screws out of a 600 VOLT panel and the last screw was laid up next to one of the feeds in the panel , AS he turned the screw it cut into the insulation, the result was something he won't soon forget.

It blew the screw driver(what was left of a screw driver)straight back flying out of his hand and at the same time the ARC(explosion) blew the panel at him knocking him accross the room to the floor(which actually saved him from being BURNT more severley than just losing his eyebrows. He was very shook up understandably so. He was lucky to be alive ,I ended up driving him to the hospital for treatment on his FLASH BURNS and just in general because as I stated initially OLD JOE was just that , and I knew that whether he had taken a jolt or not this kind of excitement could be hazardous to his health.
He was a good electrician and this was not his fault ,It could happen to anyone. It gave me a very healthy respect for electricity .
I'm sure he has been retired for years buy now, But I'll bet you he still remembers the day he had this rookie with him.
You know , He never took me with him again after that incident , I wonder?HMMMM /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Was I his JINX /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Robert_in_NY]

My father learned a similar lesson with a panel box. He loosened a screw and a bar fell out. So he picked the bar up and put it back up where it fell from and ZAP /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

An electrician friend of ours showed us a picture of a job he had to do. Somebody decided to nail a 16 box nail thru the wall. Well, the panel box was between the studs on the other side of the wall and the nail went thru the back of the box and blew it up. The picture was neat as the box looked like someone squished a spider as every breaker blew out of the box and was hanging on to the wires still in a 360 circle around the box. I would have loved to been there to see the guys reaction that put that nail in /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif