[Build] intro

[jim]

On Sat, 2009-08-15 at 19:23 -0700, neil maclean wrote:
> I'm a bit concerned about the lack of a plan both for the space and for 
> the process of building the space, but I'm really encouraged by the 
> sense of making it work that I'm seeing.
> 
   seems we demo first and hope we don't get too ambitious 
and then flake out at a mid-point: hopefully we'll build 
up the littlest we need to have a workable space. i kind 
of like the wall location indicated by the blue tape 
(per saturday late am). 


> PS to Jim: I was hoping to run into you at the meeting last night. If 
> you want me to plug in with the electrical let me know.
> 
sure, have at and big welcome. 

   first, remove stuff that's funky: flex hanging off lights, 
old wiremold at the floors, flex on walls. 
   second, investigate and repair broken or weird stuff, e.g. 
four square boxes with pushed in duplexes, what's in various 
1/2 inch EMT that's sticking out of walls.... 
   third, pull out most of the breakers in the front room's 
primary, three-phase sub-panel and disconnect the wires. 
   put the single pole breakers in positions 1, 2, 13, and 
14; put the two-pole 100A breaker in positions 16 and 17 and 
hope the wires reach the smaller split-phase sub-panel to 
the right. 
   fourth, trace the circuits from all sub-panels: label 
pipes and devices as to sub-panel and circuit breaker 
position. 

   hopefully the community will have an improved idea as to 
where to put light switches. whenever that happens, install 
normal light switches to control whatever groups of lights 
are voted to be switched as a group. 
   at some point there'll be some obvious needs for 
receptacles, so install them whenever we get some idea. 
   at some point there'll be some decision as to an electric 
stove, all-electric on-demand water heater, dedicated 20A 
GFCI in the ADA bathroom, etc. i'm figuring we'll run pipe 
across the ceiling from the rear sub-panel to the corner 
where the bathrooms are, hopefully we can extend the pipes 
that are sticking out of the walls near the front door 
(from the stairs). 
   best we use 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch EMT. i worry that we 
shouldn't use one inch or greater pipe, only because if an 
inspector ever shows up, a shiny new large pipe might suggest 
that someone's recently been doing electrical work without 
a permit. 

   at some other points we'll learn about some electrical 
needs and then we'll figure out how to extend pipe runs that 
are there or run new pipe from some sub-panel. 

   i generally buy stuff from B & K under the freeway 
between mission and valencia. i go to maltby for specialty 
stuff (e.g. square d QO or westinghouse or some such). i might 
go to laner if b&k is out of something. where do you buy stuff? 

with thanks, 
jim 
PS: i generally go home and go to bed between 7 and 8 PM or so, 
so i rarely make evening things. i also have tons of family and 
other commitments on weekends. i have a lot of spare time 
weekdays, what with being unemployed. got time during the week? 
I'll buy.