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Is ground tied to neutral in that generator? In that case, you need to disconnect the bonding wire so they float separately. Ground and neutral should only be bonded one place.

Well, the SCE rebate has already gone though. Online shows a $200 credit on my account. That was fast, especially as they say it may take up to two months.

I went though this with my old Zinsco panel, as the breakers started to go bad. Zinsco's are dangerous, thermal-trip only breakers, with a crappy overheating buss system. Get a Square D HOM panel, if he is really on a budget. If you want cheap, get a permit and add a main disconnect between...

The Square D breakers are still the fastest tripping mini-breakers made. You want to use them, even if something else does fit the panel.

FYI, you can find sodium hexametaphoshate powder in 6 lb and 50 lb sizes at soapgoods.com.

Yup, SCE. I know I missed it the first few times I looked at the (confusing) list they provide at https://www.sce.com/wps/portal/home/residential/rebates-savings/rebates/ There is also a typo in the PDF application, making it look like the window units must be purchased between Sep 1 2015 and...

Yucca Valley, CA. Out here in the Mojave (High) Desert, just north of the Joshua Tree National Park. As with AZ, we get some monsoonal moisture for a few weeks in the summer (when the AC may go on), but the rest of the time the humidity is plenty low enough for swam coolers to be effective...

I just installed a Bonaire Durango evaporative cooler through-wall in my uninsulated, 1000 sf, 1955 house. I love it! Installed in the back bedroom, and it shoots straight down the hall to the rest of the house It was 92 yesterday, and humidity was 10%. The Durango was blowing 58 degree, fresh...

Installing a swamp cooler soon, and was wondering where the heck can I buy this sodium hexametaphoshate powder, at a reasonable price mail order? BTW, seems to also go under the names Hexametaphosphate, sodium salt; SHMP; Metaphosphoric acid, hexadosium salt; Sodium polyphosphates

Take a look at the Square D HEPD80 for your whole house surge suppressor. $85 on Amazon, 80,000 amp Surge Current Rating, 25,000 amp SCC. Indoor or outdoor install. 5 year warranty, $50K connected equipment warranty. Best rated for the capacity and money. PS: Completely off topic, but as...

Bingo. The old mechanical meter was probably under billing (common). The new electronic meters are more accurate (and more sensitive to low loads), so you are now paying for what you truly use. Just hope the electric company does not come after you for the years of under billing. Some have...

My 1955 home wiring is in fine shape. Cloth jacket, but seems to have PVC-like insulation for the wires. For 90C lighting fixtures, add a junction box next to the fixture and splice in at least an 18" section of 90C THHN wire (NEC 410.67C). No need for new wire, unless the insulation (rubber)...

Yes. MWBC wiring would be an issue, and a normal breaker would be needed there.

If you want to avoid CAFCI breakers potentially safety tripping, when power is resumed after an outage, I believe the solution is to install a whole house surge suppressor at the main panel. At least that seems to have cured the issue for my house.

Even if CACFI breakers are not required, they are still a very good idea. You will have a new panel, but the same old wire and insulation (possibly overheated) in the walls. Older houses tend to have a lot fewer circuits anyway, so the cost of going all CAFCI is not a big deal, and will meet...

Youtube has test video of CAFCI breakers being demonstrated. They work as intended *now*, and stop potential fires, so it's pointless to rehash the problems of the first gen devices. First gen electronics always have bugs/hitches, but you don't find them until the devices are out in the real...

I've had good luck with the Honeywell RCWL300A1006 for the last 4 years. I really didn't have high hopes of the buttons lasting more than a year or two in the desert sun, but they are still going strong. I just added a Honeywell RPWL3045A1003/A Wireless Converter/Extender to the system and now...

The peanut gallery on every electrical forum always bashes AFCI and GFCI. Other than some first gen stuff, the CAFCI (and GFCI) breakers don't commonly nuisance trip. If they are tripping, they are doing their job. Your equipment is likely worn out, or defective. The last thing I would...

Is your service panel the main disconnect or do you have a separate main disconnect? Changing a panel is simple, repetitive work; assuming you have a separate main disconnect to kill the power first. Get a quote for adding a separate main disconnect, then change out the panel yourself.

My house was wired for either an electric or gas oven. For whatever reason it's a 50A / 6 Ga circuit, so at least some ovens must need that much. Just thinking of the future. BTW, OP, what panel are you using to replace that FPE?