[Noisebridge-discuss] Electrical team

[jim]

   my available time is mainly during week days, 
when other people go to their jobs. i get sleepy at 
night and have lots of family and other obligations 
on weekend days and nights. 
   seems to me we should vet each other as to how 
to divide the jobs. the primary skills are: 
* can use screwdriver 
* can do basic arithmetic 
* knows what voltage is 
* not color-blind 
* can bend pipe 
   these map to 
* demo 
* help screw pipe and boxes and such 
* pull wire through pipes 
* replace receptacles and breakers 
* install conduit 
* plan circuit branches 


   both sub-panels ("breaker cabinets") need work, 
the front one a lot. we'll have to buy some new 
breakers at some point. mainly the work is to shut 
off and then pull out a breaker, unscrew the wires, 
then do what needs to be done (varies for each 
circuit). 

   meter turned on is the same process as getting 
the billing going (in NB name). 

   verify overhead tracks is a matter mainly of 
opening the junction box that feeds the track to 
verify that it's feeding 120 VAC, then determining 
which rails inside the track are hot, return, and 
ground, then verifying that a gizmo plugged in 
presents the right voltages to the right pins in 
the receptacle. 
   probably good to verify the mechanical goodness 
of connection between the gizmo and the track. 

   evaluate circuits will be a bit of a bitch (no 
offense). best way is to turn off all breakers then 
turn just one on, follow the pipes, verify voltage, 
mark the pipe and devices with the slot number of 
the sub-panel, turn the breaker off, turn on the next 
breaker and so on. 
   as a rule, try to have receptacles on their own 
circuits (don't put lights and receptacles on the 
same circuit). 
   examine each circuit branch to ensure that there 
aren't too many receptacles on any one branch. 

   move and or add receptacles probably begins with 
removing the broken ones and ensuring that power is 
delivered to everything. verify hot, return, and 
ground. there are some receptacles that should be 
replaced. probably best to add pipe runs to the ends 
of existing pipes to get power to places we want to 
have power. 

   raise fixtures above walls is probably no biggie, 
with two possible problem areas: the flex that 
delivers power to the fixture may droop too much, 
and might have to be shortened; the flex between 
the light fixture and the switch should be removed 
from the switch and connected to a new junction box 
above head level that has pipe running down to the 
light switch box. 

   i don't know what other light switch problems you 
might have spotted. 

---------ALSO-------------

   get all flex off the walls. flex to and from 
ceiling light fixtures is okay (see above). 

   remove the two-pole 50 Amp breaker box and pull 
the #8 wire out of the 1/2 inch pipe, all the way 
back to the sub-panel. 

   take all pipe off the non-load bearing walls. 

   run more power to the "kitchen" area, probably a 
couple more twenties as well as a 220 VAC circuit for 
a cooktop (hopefully we won't have to power an oven). 
   this will probably be one or two pipe runs across 
the ceiling. 

   run a dedicated 20 Amp circuit acoss the ceilin to 
the new bathroom and install a GFI receptacle. 

   if we get an electrical "on demand" water heater, 
we'll need to run a dedicated circuit to that. 

   at least one receptacle box (against the north wall 
in the rear space) is powered by wires that are not 
protected. we can see them as we stand nearby in the 
room. i'm guessing there are more. 



On Sat, 2009-08-08 at 19:03 -0700, Rachel McConnell wrote:
> Jim, Ted and Mike cc'd above mentioned they'd like to help out with  
> electrical work.  I dunno how many people will be needed for this work  
> but we have four ready to go now.
> 
> I had a couple additional thoughts on electrical tasks after you left  
> last night. Here's the full list as I see it, please add anything I  
> left off.
> 
> - fix front breaker cabinet
> - get front meter turned on
> - get electricity into NB name
> - verify overhead tracks
> - evaluate circuits (coordinate with walls team, kitchen team, hvac  
> team about their needs)
> - move and/or add outlets if needed
> - raise existing fixtures above level of new walls
> - change and add light switches (current switch situation is really  
> weird)
> 
> I'll volunteer to call PG&E on Monday and deal with the meters.
> 
> I can be around for a lunch meeting sometime this week, Jim, although  
> I know Mike works down the peninsula. When would be good for you?
> 
> -Rachel
>