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Electric panel questions.

Dusty

(Bill)
Premium Member
Rent a concrete saw.

Better yet put a cement cutting blade in your hand grinder and cut a straight line across your slab of cement say about 1" deep. As you break the cement away with a sledge the underneath cement can be rough. This setup has worked for me.
 

Tom O

Ultra Member
7 feet worth I think I’d rent at least price it out otherwise if I had a diamond saw at my disposal I’d try the grinder minding the dust being kicked up that the lungs won’t break down.
 

Perry

Ultra Member
DSC_3858.JPG DSC_3857.JPG


Well for the price of a concrete blade for my angle grinder I was able to rent this from HomeDepot. $15.00 for 4 hours.

Only cuts down 1 1/8" (The site state 1 3/8") but deep enough to make a nice straight score.

The larger machines that would cut all the way thru are much more expensive and then you need to rent a blade also.

Cuts fast and clean. Makes a lot of dust.
 

Perry

Ultra Member
Just an update for you gents. :)


First estimator came back with a $7200 for gas and electrical. He set up an appointment with an electrical inspector to talk about the line clearance in the alley.

In post number 19 I said...
"Moving the mast to the other end of the garage with a 90mm mast on the peak solves the 5.5M height requirement, but they prefer that you do not run the cable over the roof line and if you do, the cable must be a minimum 1 meter above the roof line. (Well that doesn't work well with a maximum mast height of 900mm. )"

The inspector said that part of the code means they prefer you do not run the cables over the peak of the roof and if you do then you need a clearance of 1m from the peak of the roof to the cable. This allows me to use my plan of moving the mast farther from the alley to meet the clearance requirements. (Hope this might help someone else down the line)

With the lower estimate I decided I might as well put the furnace in at the same time. Did a lot of reading and I think I'll be installing a Reznor. My garage has 8'6" walls. Just not high enough for the radiant to maintain all the required clearances. (When moving things/vehicles around and such) Also in my research I read that the radiant energy can cause your skin to age faster and may be harmful to your eyes.


I thought I was done digging my trench.
DSC_3873.JPG
My back yard is lower then the slab around the house. I followed the grade and kept my trench at 20" deep. This would be find if you bury a cable in the ground. The electrician would prefer to put the cable in a conduit. You are only allowed two 90 degree bends in the conduit. So this means the trench must be the same depth from house to garage. Tomorrow I need to dig a 7 foot section down another 20-24".

I know the horizontal exhaust is more expensive then the vertical because stainless is required. I'm happy with the vertical unless you gents know of any reasons I should be choosing the horizontal.

Work starts Wednesday.


Happy Thanksgiving gentlemen. :)
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
When I dug my trench the electrician encouraged me to lay in a (I'll call it) communication cable. Not sure if this is completely outdated with better strength Wifi & such. My signal in the shop isn't great but neither is my laptop & maybe influenced by position of transmitter in the house. Anyways, I've heard of people who install routers or boosters. Same idea - stuff in what you can while the trench is open even if it means a conduit you can pull things through. Because you probably don't want to b back in there anytime soon.

And then there was some kind of marking board to lay on top (that goes 'clunk' against a shovel if the next guy ever does some deep digging). Maybe that's code, not sure, but sounded like a good idea.
 

Dusty

(Bill)
Premium Member
Just an update for you gents. :)


First estimator came back with a $7200 for gas and electrical. He set up an appointment with an electrical inspector to talk about the line clearance in the alley.

In post number 19 I said...
"Moving the mast to the other end of the garage with a 90mm mast on the peak solves the 5.5M height requirement, but they prefer that you do not run the cable over the roof line and if you do, the cable must be a minimum 1 meter above the roof line. (Well that doesn't work well with a maximum mast height of 900mm. )"

The inspector said that part of the code means they prefer you do not run the cables over the peak of the roof and if you do then you need a clearance of 1m from the peak of the roof to the cable. This allows me to use my plan of moving the mast farther from the alley to meet the clearance requirements. (Hope this might help someone else down the line)

With the lower estimate I decided I might as well put the furnace in at the same time. Did a lot of reading and I think I'll be installing a Reznor. My garage has 8'6" walls. Just not high enough for the radiant to maintain all the required clearances. (When moving things/vehicles around and such) Also in my research I read that the radiant energy can cause your skin to age faster and may be harmful to your eyes.


I thought I was done digging my trench.
View attachment 17612
My back yard is lower then the slab around the house. I followed the grade and kept my trench at 20" deep. This would be find if you bury a cable in the ground. The electrician would prefer to put the cable in a conduit. You are only allowed two 90 degree bends in the conduit. So this means the trench must be the same depth from house to garage. Tomorrow I need to dig a 7 foot section down another 20-24".

I know the horizontal exhaust is more expensive then the vertical because stainless is required. I'm happy with the vertical unless you gents know of any reasons I should be choosing the horizontal.

Work starts Wednesday.


Happy Thanksgiving gentlemen. :)[/QUOTE

Hey Perry nice work, well done. Appears from your photo the cement broke away reasonably clean. When the trench is filled in and furnace running you'll never regret doing it regardless of a sore back and blisters the're just part of the fun. Everything should settle nicely over winter, please keep us posted with additional pictures.
 
Last edited:

YotaBota

Mike
Premium Member
Comms is a good idea, I worked a comms install shop for a few years. I would run three Cat5e cables in a separate conduit on the opposite side of the trench from the power. Three Cat5e cables - one for the network, one for phone, a spare and a pull string in case you ever need to add (coax) or replace a cable. I don't remember seeing any distance from the shop to the house mentioned but Cat5e is reliable only to about 100m.
At the very least run the conduit so you have the option to run cables later.
Not trying to tell you what to do, just my 2 cents
 

Perry

Ultra Member
@ Dabbler, Brent H
Thank you for the input. I could not see any reason not to go vertical but you never know.

@ PeterT, Tom O, YotaBota
I already have security cameras installed on the garage. These are Wifi based. With the electrical going under ground I figured I would do the same to the data lines from the alley. Cleans up the overhead cables in the back yard. They will enter the garage and then there will be a separate conduit with CAT5 and Coax and a few pull strings going to the house. The cameras will be changed over to network connection when this is finished.

@ YYCHM
"Did you dig that trench by hand? How long did that take?"
I used a shovel. My hands are too soft. :p It took about 7-8 hours. This includes cutting and breaking up the concrete.

I had to do it over a few days. My grandmother is 104 years old. She has been having a few things going on the week I was digging this. She needed to go in for an IV twice a day in the hospital in Canmore. I was doing the evening appointments. I would head out every afternoon. Take her in for her 8:00pm visit and get back late to Calgary. I'd get two to three hours of digging in prior to heading out.

When ATCO came out for the gas quote the gentleman commented on my trench. Made me feel pretty good. lol

Here is the trench today before I headed out to Canmore. Hard to see but the area closer to the house is now level with the rest of the trench. Ready for conduit.

DSC_3892.JPG

@ Dusty
The cement broke just like I had hoped it would. Thank you for your input earlier. I'm surprised, no blisters or sore back. Maybe only doing a couple hours a day was in my favor. I will update the thread as it progresses.


Have a great night guys. Thank you for the comments.


Off to read about my electrical for the garage. I'm planning on getting an electrical permit to wire the garage myself. This will be the next stage of the project after the electrical panel and the gas are finished.


P.
 

Perry

Ultra Member
Prepping the garage for the furnace install this evening. The furnace will be located in the corner ceiling area. This area is in the top right of the attached photo.

This requires me to disassemble my industrial shelving/workbench to make room for the furnace. The right side of my shelving is made of 8' beams. The left side are 12' beams. Trading those 12' beams for 8' beams would seem to be my best solution.

Is there anywhere in Calgary that deals with this used industrial shelving? I would like to purchase four 8' beams and hopefully get rid of four 12' beams.

DSC_3903.JPG
 

RobinHood

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Perry, I have similar industrial shelving that was too long. I took an angle grinder with a cut-off disc and ground off the end cap welds so I could remove the mounting flange on each of the four beams. Then I shortened the beam (also with the cut-off wheel) and welded the flanges back on. Worked very well.

I do not know if there is a place where they sell used shelving in YYC. There probably is though.
 

Perry

Ultra Member
Well COVID is messing with my plans.

Apparently there is a shortage of mechanical supplies due to COVID. My estimate has been raised 10%. :(

Even after agreeing to the new cost, the contractor can not get all the items he needs to complete the job. The panels and some wire are on order.

On the good side he agreed to come out today and complete the "in ground" items. Inspectors scheduled for Friday, which means I should be able to get the trench filled in before the snow flies.

Slow and steady.


Originally I was not going to install the furnace until I had completed the insulation and drywall. With the "cheap" estimate I decided to go ahead and do the furnace at the same time. This means there is no drywall in place yet.


Do you gents recommend installing one sheet of drywall on the ceiling where the furnace will be mounted before they install the furnace? I figure this might be easier then trying to work around it afterwards? Vapor barrier under the one sheet and leave the rest of the vapor barrier just hanging for later install after I insulate?

DSC_3912.JPG
 

Dusty

(Bill)
Premium Member
Question: Do you gents recommend installing one sheet of drywall on the ceiling where the furnace will be mounted before they install the furnace? I figure this might be easier then trying to work around it afterwards? Vapor barrier under the one sheet and leave the rest of the vapor barrier just hanging for later install after I insulate?

Sounds like a perfect solution to me to finish the ceiling above your furnace installation area first. You definitely don't want to be buttoning things up after the fact. Been there done that, pain in the rear.
 

cuslog

Super User
Premium Member
My furnace was installed at the same time as the "rough in" wiring. I installed insulation, V/B and drywall above the furnace location, where the chimney went (horizontal) through the wall (before furnace). Also where the 3/4 plywood will go for the panel. Built access hatches in the ceiling where the wiring goes up and branches out across the ceiling, another one beside the garage door opener (used that one already after the opener broke down recently ).
 

Perry

Ultra Member
That's why I like you guys. Cuslog, I never even though about behind the panel. I was thinking the panel would be installed between the studs. Haven't thought this thru 100%.

I know I seen panels mounted flush with the drywall and all wiring hidden in behind. Also seen the plywood mount, with all the branches visible.
Guess I better start reading.

I was planning one access door. Might have to rethink that also.

Thank you
 

Perry

Ultra Member
@YYCHM, on the left you have the new feeder cable in a conduit from the garage to the house. (The main 200 amp panel will be in the garage). The center is a conduit for the data lines. Cable, phone, network. The right is the gas line. It still has the pressure test gauge on it for the inspector to check on Friday. (They test underground gas line at 50psi. In a house they test for 15psi. I'm learning. :)


Or were you asking about the leaves? I'm just happy it's not snow.
 
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