new home electrical problem

[strutaeng]

I researched doing underground when I was doing my 2-story addition.

I had to dig a trench 3' deep and use 3" conduit. It was going to cost me about $3000 just to do that.

It's only 24" here from grade to top of conduit. Conduit is 2" diameter. My trench guy dug 27-30" deep. Electric company here charges around $1500. I'm told on new construction they give you option for overhead or underground at not cost up to a "budget."

Trench guy was like $600, but had gotten another bid for twice as much! Conduit was less than $200. Total horizontal run was about 80' from power pole.

The problem that I had was that I live very shallow to limestone. Trench guy had to use demolition hammer to get to the required depth in some locations.

Clearly, the cost of the conduit is minimal considering all other expenses. This builder thought he was rollin', LOL.

 

[kbuhagiar]

The builder.

Bank is involved and not happy, all I can say.

Wow.

Unfortunately some builders cut corners and skirt regulations on a regular basis (and usually know how to get away with it long enough to escape liability).

My BIL bought a brand new home in Sparks, NV a few years back. His AC unit self-destructed 15 months after he bought the house. I don't remember the specifics, but it turns out that the builder installed all of the AC units incorrectly, and in such a way to induce a 100% failure rate in his neighborhood (approximately 34 units) within 18 months, but it was too late for any recourse (or so I was told).

Hope your issues get resolved; good luck.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Wow.

Unfortunately some builders cut corners and skirt regulations on a regular basis (and usually know how to get away with it long enough to escape liability).

My BIL bought a brand new home in Sparks, NV a few years back. His AC unit self-destructed 15 months after he bought the house. I don't remember the specifics, but it turns out that the builder installed all of the AC units incorrectly, and in such a way to induce a 100% failure rate in his neighborhood (approximately 34 units) within 18 months, but it was too late for any recourse (or so I was told).

Hope your issues get resolved; good luck.

statue of limitations on something like that would be 2-3yrs in california.

also, if it was installed wrong, homeowner could go after contractors bond.

 

[Mike007]

When the A/C is trying to run it's making enough of a circuit to power the other half of the house, that's why some of the lights will work when the A/C is trying to run.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

First time I encountered this scenario, I was a young cocky tech, thought I knew it all. An elderly woman told me her A/C isn't working and her TV only works when she turns her thermostat to cooling.

I laughed and told her that was impossible. There's no way that could happen. Then she turned the thermostat to cooling and the TV and cable box turned on. I think I almost fainted.

After a lot of head scratching, I determined it was exactly what Brewchief described. Power to 1/2 the panel was lost, the windings in the compressor were energizing the dead side of the panel thru the compressor windings when the cooling was turned on. That's when I realized I wasn't as smart as I thought. Humbling at the time, but it actually made me a much better tech.

 

[Sevenhills1952]

First time I encountered this scenario, I was a young cocky tech, thought I knew it all. An elderly woman told me her A/C isn't working and her TV only works when she turns her thermostat to cooling.

I laughed and told her that was impossible. There's no way that could happen. Then she turned the thermostat to cooling and the TV and cable box turned on. I think I almost fainted.

After a lot of head scratching, I determined it was exactly what Brewchief described. Power to 1/2 the panel was lost, the windings in the compressor were energizing the dead side of the panel thru the compressor windings when the cooling was turned on. That's when I realized I wasn't as smart as I thought. Humbling at the time, but it actually made me a much better tech.

I'm an electronic technician also (retired), don't feel bad. I have to confess my stupid mistake years ago. At work next door there was an industrial cleaning service business. One day a couple workers asked for my help. They had this very large steam cleaner that they couldn't get to work.
It ran on 240v , had this large (guessing about 5hp) motor. Then I saw it had two long extension cords wired with 120v plugs going into a control box.
The shop owner wasn't there, and I should have used common sense since it had been working!
Instead I said no wonder it doesn't work, and proceeded to rewire it, put a 240v plug on it. Plugged into a 240v outlet...voila! It worked fine!
Later the owner saw me. He said...thanks, but...now he couldn't use it. The reason it had two 120v cords was lots of places he used it didn't have a 240v outlet...so you plug one in, then find another outlet that's out of phase, so it's 240v.
I "fixed" something that wasn't broken, and learned not to mess with something if the owner isn't there!

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

 

[reader2580]

I researched doing underground when I was doing my 2-story addition.

I had to dig a trench 3' deep and use 3" conduit. It was going to cost me about $3000 just to do that.

I tore down a house with overhead service. I expected the new house on same lot would also be overhead service. The power company ran the service underground at no cost to me. I was happy about that. (Of course, still overhead at the street.)

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I'm an electronic technician also (retired), don't feel bad. I have to confess my stupid mistake years ago. At work next door there was an industrial cleaning service business. One day a couple workers asked for my help. They had this very large steam cleaner that they couldn't get to work.
It ran on 240v , had this large (guessing about 5hp) motor. Then I saw it had two long extension cords wired with 120v plugs going into a control box.
The shop owner wasn't there, and I should have used common sense since it had been working!
Instead I said no wonder it doesn't work, and proceeded to rewire it, put a 240v plug on it. Plugged into a 240v outlet...voila! It worked fine!
Later the owner saw me. He said...thanks, but...now he couldn't use it. The reason it had two 120v cords was lots of places he used it didn't have a 240v outlet...so you plug one in, then find another outlet that's out of phase, so it's 240v.
I "fixed" something that wasn't broken, and learned not to mess with something if the owner isn't there!

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

Actually, you did the right thing.

That was a jury rigged mess and no bueno...

 

[ard]

statue of limitations on something like that would be 2-3yrs in california.

also, if it was installed wrong, homeowner could go after contractors bond.

FWIW....there are some qualifiers that relate to 'hidden defects'. If a construction defect is hidden and take time to become apparent, the statue can be extended to only begin when the defect shows.

based on some litigation with a pool contractor a while back.....

 

[ddawg16]

FWIW....there are some qualifiers that relate to 'hidden defects'. If a construction defect is hidden and take time to become apparent, the statue can be extended to only begin when the defect shows.

based on some litigation with a pool contractor a while back.....

Agree to 'some extent'....

But....if it was done wrong in the first place according to existing code....there is some liability...........translation..court case.

 

[MBfreak]

House wiring is not that complicated.
Get a licensed electrician with good reputation and have him repair.
Finding the fault should take les than an hour.
Can not predict repair time since I know next to nothing of US residential wiring.

Why feed the ambulance chasers?

Ola

 

[wyliesdiesels]

House wiring is not that complicated.
Get a licensed electrician with good reputation and have him repair.
Finding the fault should take les than an hour.
Can not predict repair time since I know next to nothing of US residential wiring.

Why feed the ambulance chasers?

Ola

Apparently, you didnt read previous comments.

The fault is underground due to the service wire being direct buried in gravel

The whole line needs to be ripped out and replaced.

 

[carterbeauford]

Why feed the ambulance chasers?

....

 

[carterbeauford]

more

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Thats a brand new house?

Damn! Who is building this sh*t?

 

[carterbeauford]

13 months old.

Name withheld until the situation is resolved.

 

[ttpete]

Surprised to see a concrete block basement. There has to be a reason the block is saturated above the service entrance that appears to be in Pex instead of copper.

 

[AntonLargiader]

What am I missing in the pic of the receptacle? Sheetrock looks like it was cut with a spoon but I've seen worse.

EDIT: is it just that there isn't a cover?

 

[carterbeauford]

What am I missing in the pic of the receptacle? Sheetrock looks like it was cut with a spoon but I've seen worse.

EDIT: is it just that there isn't a cover?

Builder never did a punch list and left a new home without outlet covers in violation of electric code. $2 and 5 minute fix but it's still a code violation.

 

[fitter30]

At least your.house didn't burn down.

 

[AntonLargiader]

But it might split in half and just collapse.

 

[dcg9381]

Missed it:

"The fault is underground due to the service wire being direct buried in gravel"

YIKES!

 

[jbwilkins]

statue of limitations on something like that would be 2-3yrs in california.

also, if it was installed wrong, homeowner could go after contractors bond.

Try 7 years.......

 

[jbwilkins]

Wow.

.

My BIL bought a brand new home in Sparks, NV a few years back. His AC unit self-destructed 15 months after he bought the house. I don't remember the specifics, but it turns out that the builder installed all of the AC units incorrectly, and in such a way to induce a 100% failure rate in his neighborhood (approximately 34 units) within 18 months, but it was too late for any recourse (or so I was told).

He has 6 years from construction complete to bring a construction defect lawsuit in NV.....The warranty may have expired, but not the builder's liability.....

 

[carterbeauford]

At least your.house didn't burn down.

I would have preferred that it did.

 

[carterbeauford]

Sold home, sued builder, lost, sent a subpoena for his bond information then distributing it to everyone else in the neighborhood with similar problems.

 

[carterbeauford]

1 year old home

 

[nadogail]

Thanks for sharing.

 

[nadogail]

We bought a new tract house several years ago and had a problem with the lights dimming when the vacuum cleaner was started. The builder passed me off to the Electrical Subcontractor, who said he built it to code. I went to the City and the city's electrical inspector came to the house and tightened the lugs in the meter base.

Problem Solved.

 

[Norcal]

I researched doing underground when I was doing my 2-story addition.

I had to dig a trench 3' deep and use 3" conduit. It was going to cost me about $3000 just to do that.

You are in EUSERC territory, 3" conduit required for UG service, it is strange to see 3" on a 100A service.


EUSERC = Electric Utility Service Entrance Requirements Committee, covers a lot of the West Coast.

 

[strutaeng]

1 year old home

What in the world are we seeing? 12V irrigation wiring?

Please don't say that's your main underground feeder!

 

[carterbeauford]

What in the world are we seeing? 12V irrigation wiring?

Please don't say that's your main underground feeder!

Main feed direct buried in gravel.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Direct buried in gravel? Ooy vay

Who the hell in their right mind would think thats a good idea?

 

[carterbeauford]

https://www.angieslist.com/companyl...eander-homes-construction-reviews-4555225.htm

most recent review is mine