It's electric

[greatbear]

This dreary weather has not been kind to my achy joints, hay fever and general disposition. Since I can't do anything outside, I've been finishing up the electrical upgrades to the downstairs workshop. All that remains now is to replace the actual feed from the main panel to the sub panel in the shop. I have to pick up some 4 gauge/3 conductor w/ground cable from a local electrical supply house that does not have evening or weekend hours, and none of the local hardware stores or home centers carry this stuff. The panel is still being fed by the 40 amp feed I put in at least 15 years ago. Little did I know that it would become outgrown not much later. The 12-slot breaker box I had started with had long since been replaced with a 20 slot, and there is a mere two remaining unused slots. The exact same thing happened about a dozen years prior as I upgraded another subpanel used for the rest of the house.

Did I mention I spec'd this place out for a 400 amp electrical service before I even built it? The garage has it's own 200 amp service. The electric company loves me. I even got a chance to specify the transformer I wanted on the pole. Being that this is an all-electric house, I got the efficiencies of most things up pretty high, and will eventually seek some sort of solar assist system.

When the place looks less like a bomb went off inside and the machinery and all is in it's final home, I will take pictures. Some of youse guys on my flist might enjoy them.

Can I have some sunshine this week?

Comments

[restoman.livejournal.com]

I would love to see some photos of your workshop! It sounds like it is better outfitted than mine!
What kinds of things do you make in your shop?

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

I make just about anything. The biggest thing to come out of the shop was the deck on the back of the house, more precisely, the railings, trim, rail posts, pickets and other detailed stuff I 'mass produced' in the shop (the house smelled like cedar for months!). I've made anything from furniture to little trinkets, but it seems mostly the tooling is used to make components that are part of some larger project. A friend wanted brick molding for around an interior door made of oak (to match oak trim installed everywhere else in the rooms), and could not find any. I cranked out a set off the table saw and nothing else. The only difference is the little curved ogee detail often found in brick moulding was a simple chamfer, but it did the trick. I did the same before to repair the rotted ends of the moulding on the back kitchen door of the house, using a good section of the chunk I cut off as a pattern and setting the saw from it. Took all of about five minute, no measuring or fuss, just using the original to set the fence against and the blade height. I joined it to the remaining moulding with biscuits. It's still holding up strong today, and, in fact, I found the chunk of remaining homemade molding I had left over tonight when cleaning up the shop.

The push to get the shop back in order is so I can make up some fancy trim for the sunroom project I never finished entirely (stalled at the 80% completed stage for for about six years now), as well as jamb extensions and trim for the two French doors I installed on the back of the house replacing the crummy Pease doors that leaked internally and rotted out the subfloor (which I also had to cut out and replace in two rooms) going on 4 years ago. So much was put on hold after I was in a car accident and later I had to help Mom go through cancer treatments and her eventual death. I am finally coming to grips with things and getting back on track somewhat. I figure I need to get some major stuff done as well as build up the shop and garage so I can have something to do when (if) I finally retire.

[normalcyispasse.livejournal.com]

I am tremendously jealous!

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

The roles are reversed when I see all those motorcycles you have. As well as the powerlifting abilities and your travels around the world. :)

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

Solar is nice, but if you've got hot rock without going incredibly deep - geothermal would be 24/7/365! ;)

Oh, and ... Got Wind? :)

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Around here there is some fair amounts of wind, but not generally constant enough for a turbine to be effective. Some people use geothermal for heating-a/c efficiencies around here. 20 years ago I designed the house with a sunroom as a passive heat source, and it's been keeping us warm ever since. The end of the house has a southwest exposure, and the opposite interior wall is brick, which gets heated by the low-lying sun in the winter months. That, and the ceramic tile floor hold the heat into the evening. In the summer months, the sun is high, so the brick and the floor don't get the direct exposure. Two big skylights get opened in the summer to let out the accumulating heat, and blinds keep the sun out for the most part. As part of an upgrade a few years back I replaced the leaky manual skylights with automatic ones that close when rain hits sensors in the frame.

With all the electric usage I am capable of, photovoltaics seem to be my best bet, since electricity is my largest monthly bill. Gas service has come to the area in recent years, and I have thought of adding a high efficiency furnace to supplant the heat pump (which needs to be replaced, it's 20 years old now). I have zoned electric heat in most rooms, and a pair of woodstoves for the really cold days.

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

I meant a geothermal-powered electric generator, silly bear. ;)

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

I know. I just dont happen to live near any active volcanoes. I'm hoping for Mr. Fusion. ;)

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

As much as youre trying to sound grumpy about this, I'm pretty sure you're actually looking forward to it.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

The weather and slow progress are indeed ramping up the grump factors, but actually making headway and all is something to look forward to.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

All of this week is going to be cold and rainy, and it's probably gonna affect the weekend again as well. Blargh.

[budmassey.livejournal.com]

I love that Wakeman album!

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Me too. I have in on vinyl too. I'm old.