Electrician · Bothell, WA · Member since 2014 · 241 posts · 96 votes
I've been an electrician in Washington (the real one..) for 10 years, residential, commercial, and industrial. I've learned a ton from BP so this is me trying to give back with knowledge of something I know very well. Hit me up anytime.. even if you're reading this a year from now..
Sometimes I look at older homes that have old break boxes or have brands that are known to be bad. I ask my electrician about changing out the breaker box and he gives me a price. That part I get. Then he talks about changing out the service as well. What all does changing out the service include?
it means everything from the riser, the rain head, the cam, the meter, the wire from the meter to the pane..
look at this pic... it's from the "weatherproof fittings" to the "Service wire holder".
Electrician · Bothell, WA · Member since 2014 · 241 posts · 96 votes
9y
Yep there's a tab between the gold screws on the outlet you need to snip to separate the screws' continuity.
You should have one outlet with an extra wire, probably red, that needs to be landed on its own gold screw as described above... this will be your switched location.
Investor · The worst town to live in, KS · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
9y
Adding a 230 volt 15 amp window unit air conditioner. The unit is about 70 feet away from the breaker box. Wiring will go up into the attic from the breaker box, across the attic, then down to the receptacle. Total run about 90 feet. What gauge wire should I use?
Loren Thomas Hi, we bought a duplex and the inspector noted on the report that he found several outlets with improper grounding. Can you please explain to me what this means? And is it expensive to have an electrician fix it? The outlets work fine so I don't know what can happen if it's not corrected. Thanks!
If you perform the voltage drop equation using #12 AWG solid wire (VD=2KID/CM) you will drop approximately 5 volts over the 90 foot distance. If you home is 240v, that brings you down to 235v, which is about a 2% drop. According to NEC 210.19 (A) Informational note 4, branch circuits are allowed a 3% drop in voltage.
The simple answer: You can safely use #12AWG Wire for for your AC unit. Make sure you follow all code requirements when running the Romex and/or conduit.
Improper grounding is a little ambiguous, but I'm guess the previous owner replaced old 2-prong outlets with the new 3-prong outlets. This is fairly common. According to NEC 406.4(D)(2)(b) "a nongrounding type receptacle shall be permitted to be replaced with a ground-fault interrupter type receptacle(s). These receptacles shall be marked with "No Equipment Ground."...
The simple Answer: Replace the improperly grounded outlets with GFCI outlets. These can be purchased at any home improvement store. These outlets come with small stickers that read: "No Equipment Ground" Make sure you put that sticker on the trim plate. This is an easy task for a DIY homeowner. However, if you don't feel comfortable doing it, it shouldn't take an electrician long to do it for you.
Investor · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 885 votes
9y
@Loren Thomas When I turn on the switch, does the electricity actually go from the dam to my home and back to the dam again? Also, is it the same electron in my bulb or does one bump the next in a "chain reaction" and if it is a chain reaction why doesn't it blow up like an atomic bomb since that is also a chain reaction. On second thought, don't worry about it, it's the holiday so I'll just go fishing. Thanks.
Rental Property Investor · Douglas County, MO · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
9y
I'm going to be looking at a house in the next few days, and driving by I noticed something -
The breaker box is on the outside of the house.
If we buy this it will be a big rehab project, possibly a gut, probably an almost total rewire. So my question is, do I need to move the breaker box to the inside, or is it okay where it is?
Blue Springs, MO · Member since 2015 · 481 posts · 313 votes
9y
Disclaimer: I am not a professional electrician.
@Sylvia B. Are you sure that's the breaker box? That sort of looks like where a meter should go. On the other hand, the meter could be at the pole - off to the right in the picture above.
Another possibility... in the real estate listing for that house, it looks like there is a little workshop/garage/something back behind the main house. It could be that the box on the front porch just has a couple of breakers in it - one big one (like 100 A) for the main house, and another one, possibly smaller, for the workshop. Then, the house and workshop would each have their own breaker box, with all of the branch circuit breakers. If that's what you have, then you probably don't have to change that box on the front porch, unless you are upgrading the entire electrical service from the utility (like, going from a 100 A service to a 150 A or 200 A service). You might need to change the breaker boxes in the house or the workshop.
It isn't unheard of to have the breaker box outside, but usually it happens where the weather is better (drier) than southern Missouri. I have seen it on houses in Arizona before. The sheet metal of the box is built a little differently, so it can stand being rained and snowed on, but the breakers that go inside it are the same as any other breaker box of that same brand.
If that box on the porch is the one and only breaker box for the whole house, the only thing I would wonder about its current location: is it possible for somebody to actually operate the breakers in it if they're not real tall? It looks like you'd have to stand on the porch and lean over, or stand on the steps and reach up.
As the electrical code gets newer, more things are required to be on their own circuit, and in the newest code, some things need special breakers (bedrooms on AFCI breakers). If the panel that's there is a well-known brand (like Square D, General Electric, or Cutler-Hammer) and has a few extra empty spaces in it, you might be OK with re-using it; you'll easily be able to get new breakers that fit it, and there is space for them to go. You might have to install a bigger conduit from the breaker box into the house, if the conduits that are there are fairly full.
If it's an oddball brand, or if it's nearly full, then you might have to replace it... if you do that, you should at least ask the electrician about the pros and cons of moving it inside.
Electrician · Bothell, WA · Member since 2014 · 241 posts · 96 votes
9y
Sorry y'all my life got a bit busy this summer.
I don't see any misinformation from others so I'll just respond the the outdoor electrical panel.
You CAN have the panel on the exterior of the house if certain clearance criteria is met. That said, if your gutting it... I'd say best to move it inside... if nothing else because a new owner may have the same questions you have now...
It's not wrong, but it's usually done for a cheap way to replace an old fuse box... and it shows...
Laurel, MD · Member since 2017 · 17 posts · 4 votes
9y
@Loren Thomas I have ceiling fan (no light) in bed room. I want to add a light to it using the light kit, but when I look in the switch the electrical wire is two wire (no red). So I am not sure how I can add a light to the fan if there is no three wire at the switch for the light. What do you think?
Electrician · Bothell, WA · Member since 2014 · 241 posts · 96 votes
9y
In that situation you are only going to be able to switch the light in the fan at the same time. You can use the pull strings that normally come attached to the fixture to control them individually, but even then the switch would have to be on for it to function as such.
Brookfield, WI · Member since 2016 · 191 posts · 108 votes
9y
Hey Mr. Thomas, pretty cool of you to dedicate your time to answering these questions. I am planning to go for my Master Certification sometime soon here. I also plan to continue to do Residential Investment. I have a couple of questions related to this. Do you find any issues with pulling your own permit for work on your properties from a liability issue? Second, any tips on what topic in the exam you didn't expect to see emphasized so heavily?
Electrician · Bothell, WA · Member since 2014 · 241 posts · 96 votes
9y
Around here homeowners are allowed to do their own electrical work and pulling a permit to do it isn't difficult. Investors must use a licensed electrical contractor.
Grounding/bonding was unexpectedly emphasized for me. Labor and industries is the authority around here, and they provide a list of how many questions are from what sections of the NEC.
I need to extend the hydro buried service wire to a home I am flipping. Service is presently disconnected at the pole. I have completed the splice with appropriate connectors and am wondering as to how the splices need to be wrapped. The line is direct buried.
I need to extend the hydro buried service wire to a home I am flipping. Service is presently disconnected at the pole. I have completed the splice with appropriate connectors and am wondering as to how the splices need to be wrapped. The line is direct buried.
I don't fully understand. What is a hydro buried splice? Are we talking about conductors from the utility to the house?
Investor · New York City, NY · Member since 2017 · 15 posts · 4 votes
9y
Hi @Loren Thomas and anyone who cares to jump in, I am a beginning investor and need your help on my situation below. Both are SFR:
#1 - I just got off the phone with my home inspector on a SFR for which I signed a contract to buy. The property was built in the 60s and I was told that the electric wiring is aluminium, not copper. I read from this thread earlier that this is a negative. What are all available remedies and related costs, approximately? Inspector said there are ~30 outlets in the house. Is this something I can ask the Seller to fix or adjust the purchase price on? Should I even mention this to the insurer?
#2 - on a different SFR in another state, the home inspector tested some of the outlets and turned out they are not grounded. When I mentioned this to the Seller, Seller said the electric panel has grounding feature (I might not have the right terminology); hence each individual outlet needs not be. There's no risk of tenants being electrocuted. Is this BS or valid? Is there an easy fix?
Electrician · Bothell, WA · Member since 2014 · 241 posts · 96 votes
9y
#1. Aluminum wire is not wrong or bad. The wire just needs to be larger than it's copper counterpart at a given ampacity. If it's from the 60s though, it's probably not grounded, and that is a problem.
#2. This is bogus as far as I'm concerned, unless all The breakers are GFI beakers. The safest solution is to install GFIs in all outlet locations, or load up the electrical panel with GFI breakers.
Savannah, GA · Member since 2016 · 58 posts · 108 votes
9y
@Loren Thomas I just put a bid in on a property that was built in 1942. It has a fuse box so I am sure I need to upgrade the panel. Does that mean I also need to upgrade the wiring throughout the home? What kind of a price range should I expect for something like this?
Investor · Bronx, NY · Member since 2014 · 115 posts · 37 votes
9y
Hi .... I have a question regarding panel boxes. Does the building code allow for a panel box to be placed on the exterior of a house? I am looking at a property that has one on the outside of the house. My electrician stated that this is the first he has seen one on the exterior of a house. The tenants informed us that the lights flicker from time to time. Could this be due to moisture getting inside the box?
@Loren Thomas I just put a bid in on a property that was built in 1942. It has a fuse box so I am sure I need to upgrade the panel. Does that mean I also need to upgrade the wiring throughout the home? What kind of a price range should I expect for something like this?
If the wiring is original then yes I would recommend you replace it all. Price varies a lot. I'm in Seattle, I have to assume it'll be drastically different than georgia.
Hi .... I have a question regarding panel boxes. Does the building code allow for a panel box to be placed on the exterior of a house? I am looking at a property that has one on the outside of the house. My electrician stated that this is the first he has seen one on the exterior of a house. The tenants informed us that the lights flicker from time to time. Could this be due to moisture getting inside the box?
If it's done correct, it's fine to have the panel outside... it's just not ideal. Is there rust or anything inside the panel?
Electrician · Bothell, WA · Member since 2014 · 241 posts · 96 votes
9y
I have decided to set up my own Electrical Contracting Company.... again. It's going to take me a month or so to get it set up, but I would love to get some electrical bids out there or even just connect with Seattle area general contractors and see what you're working on!! King and Snohomish Counties are my target demographic. Commercial / Multifamily / Flip / Single Family. I am trying to book work starting in October..
Investor · San Jose, CA · Member since 2015 · 76 posts · 64 votes
9y
Congrats on starting your own company! Hopefully some BP members that are in your market can help you book some work. It might be helpful if you posted a quick blurb about your experience and maybe a few pictures of some work that you have done recently. Best of luck!