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Thread: RE: Off topic . . . electrical needs

  1. #11
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    sheesh I need to read these things before I reply to them, I think I pretty much repeated what everyone else said.

    IT NOT PLAGERISAM I SWEAR!! IT'S ALL IN MY OWN WORDS!!! AHHHH 5TH GRADE FLASHBACK!!!!! AHHHH!!
    Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

  2. #12
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    You may get more from a back up generator than extra capacity.

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by tat
    You may get more from a back up generator than extra capacity.
    That's for sure! If you live out here in the woods like we do, a generator to run the water pump is a GREAT help in keeping the toilets functioning. (The alternative is another thread, as I recall... LOL!)


  4. #14
    d’76 Guest

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    Was that thread about a thunder bucket or a forced flush because I remember the story about the leaves and all

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mainiac1957
    I however am an electrician. If you are using propane for cooking as well as clothes drying, and I will assume either gas or oil to heat and make your hot water. A 100amp 32 circuit panel will more than meet your needs The cost to go from 100 to 200 amps at the service level is quite alot. There are factors that will determine how much more. Is it overhead or underground? How far back from the road is the house? We rarely use 200a services unless there is a great demand. The average home just doesn't need that much. Now if your building a 5000 sq ft plus monster then 200a would be appropriate.
    Thanks for the reply. After asking around it seems like a lot of folks recommend 200 amp . . . except for certified electricians. All of the electricians I have spoken with have asked me what I plan to hook up.

    At this point the plan is to build a relatively small house of approximately 1,700 square feet with a two-car over-sized garage so I can fit in the beater car and a few of my "toys."

    I plan to cook with propane (I despise electric ranges and ovens) and switch over from our old, beat-up electric dryer to a propane dryer (I've heard they work much, much better . . . and this was an electrician who told me this) and use a propane hot water heater (in my existing house we had the domestic water hooked up to the boiler and I didn't like it since a) the boiler was constantly running to maintain the temp, b) we would often run out of hot water and c) since our water is hard the coil was always getting gummed up from the mineral deposits.

    Heat for the house will be with a Biasi or Pensotti oil boiler. Hopefully I will be able to afford the cost and mate the oil boiler with a Tarm wood boiler for back-up heat.

    I believe the only thing I will have that requires a large electrical draw continually will be the hot tub and while we were originally going to keep it outdoors my wife now wants to put it in the basement. Her reasoning: A) She doesn't like being outdoors in the wind when it's cold, B) She doesn't like to be in the hot tub at night when I'm not around and C) Last night I heard a blood-curdling scream while she was in the hot tub. Since I was fooling around with the electrical panel originally I thought I might have somehow shocked her . . . which of course made me feel really bad . . . until I went out and discovered her climbing out because something had "touched her in the water." Cue up the Jaws music here . . . The something incidentally turned out to be a dead maple leaf . . .

    My electrician (and also the trailmaster of our snowmobile club) and a former electrical inspector/electrician (now a Fire Inspector) told me the same as you . . . it sounds as though I will only need a 100 amp service. The electrician also told me that moving up to 200 amp service for a 125 foot underground run would be about $1,200 more . . . and so I think I'm going with the 100 amp service.

    My wife was a bit concerned as she asked me, "What about when we're old. Maybe we'll want an electric stove then so we don't have to worry about the open flame of a propane stove." To this I responded: "If we're that bad off we probably shouldn't be living by ourselves or we'll get Meals on Wheels to make regular deliveries."
    "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

    "Death is only one of many ways to die."

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hiram357
    Now here's a topic I can help ya with. I've done a lot of remodel work and new houses for friends (I'm not an electrician but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night) I would go with the 200A if you have a garage (tools and air compressors draw a lot of amps) or if you plan having a lot of electrical appliances i.e. a stove, water heater, clothes dryer. So you really need to ask yourself how much power do you plan on using? and how much do you use now compared to how much you will use with your adittion. If most of your stuff will be gas and you don't plan on using any heavy duty stuff, then to be more cost effective stick with the 100amp service, but if you plan on doing more and have the extra $$ to spend then I would go with the 200A. Another thing to think about is the future, will you add on more? will you sell in the future (having a good elect. service is a good home seller)

    P.S.
    I work for beer.
    If you look at the above post I think I've come to the conclusion that 100 amp service should be fine. I will have a garage, but nothing more than the usual 110-powered hand tools.

    As for selling this house . . . I intend to die there . . . hopefully that will be a while though since I'm only 35.
    "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

    "Death is only one of many ways to die."

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hiram357
    sheesh I need to read these things before I reply to them, I think I pretty much repeated what everyone else said.

    IT NOT PLAGERISAM I SWEAR!! IT'S ALL IN MY OWN WORDS!!! AHHHH 5TH GRADE FLASHBACK!!!!! AHHHH!!
    Sure is plagiarism! I have a copyright on the expression "sheesh"! LOL!


  8. #18
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    Jake

    We have been talking about a hot tub for quite some time now. We almost got one last year. But will most likely have one by the end of next year and before next winter. They are awesome to have outside especially in the winter. Every year the wife and I take a week vacation and go snowmobiling in Jackman. The place we stay at has an outdoor hot tube and it is about 50 yards from our room. The year before last it was -30 out one night and we went out to get in the hot tub. It was just far enough so that you had to hurry to get to it. But once in it we stay in it for over one hour. When we got out we made it back to the room without getting cold and we walked. The tub is so hot that your body is about the same temp as the tub when you get out and if don’t stand around and chit chat after you get out of the tub you will be fine. When we get our hot tub we are going to put it outside. It is an awesome feeling sitting out in the middle of winter when it is snowing out.

    One other thing to think about when building a house and if you are going to have a garage. Will you have a welding unit? If so you may want the 200 amp.
    Blazing Troll

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by attroll
    Jake

    We have been talking about a hot tub for quite some time now. We almost got one last year. But will most likely have one by the end of next year and before next winter. They are awesome to have outside especially in the winter. Every year the wife and I take a week vacation and go snowmobiling in Jackman. The place we stay at has an outdoor hot tube and it is about 50 yards from our room. The year before last it was -30 out one night and we went out to get in the hot tub. It was just far enough so that you had to hurry to get to it. But once in it we stay in it for over one hour. When we got out we made it back to the room without getting cold and we walked. The tub is so hot that your body is about the same temp as the tub when you get out and if don’t stand around and chit chat after you get out of the tub you will be fine. When we get our hot tub we are going to put it outside. It is an awesome feeling sitting out in the middle of winter when it is snowing out.

    One other thing to think about when building a house and if you are going to have a garage. Will you have a welding unit? If so you may want the 200 amp.
    Rick:

    Our hot tub currently is outside and personally I like it there just fine. I find it refreshing when the wind whips the steam across your face and it cools you down, but my wife has this thing about the wind (also the reason she says she doesn't particularly like riding the ATV with me or going snowmobiling) and believe it or not she hunkers down in the hot tub so only her head is above water and even then she says her face is cold . . . and since she is the one who really wanted a hot tub I'm thinking we'll be moving it inside.

    I plan to have a garage, but will only have simple hand tools (i.e. circular saw, drill, table saw, etc.) For most of my welding needs I see my cousin who is a professional welder . . . incidentally you have got to see the snowmobile/ATV/general purpose trailer I had him make for me . . . other than the pressure treated plywood deck and a diamond plate aluminum snow shield it's all made out of stainless steel pipe -- looks wicked sharp if I say so myself.
    "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

    "Death is only one of many ways to die."

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by attroll
    The year before last it was -30 out one night and we went out to get in the hot tub. It was just far enough so that you had to hurry to get to it.
    Just be careful you don't get frostbite on any important extremities.
    "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

    "Death is only one of many ways to die."

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