Any Electricians out there?

[teejk]

Not likely.

I'm betting you are correct...Still don't know if the OP has a subpanel in the shop but guessing he does (would be a lot of wire to run from the house to the shop if he has 240v and 2 120v circuits out there which would also mean 3 breakers on the house side or the electrician took 240 out and split the legs for the 120v circuits in some type of junction box (which can't be "buried"). The "run" to my shop is probably 100' or so and it was much cheaper to install a subpanel in the shop using fat aluminum wire off a 100a breaker at the house (was building the house and hired a trencher for the well anyway so ran a water line and shop electric at the same time). My guess is he has a GFCI somewhere in the circuit...they fail. I guess I'm supposed to use them in my shop but it is dry and I refuse to use them other than one next to the door (on a separate circuit) where I might need one. It's basically the same configuration that I have in the basement of the house...one GFCI outlet close to the panel, that's it. Was done under NEC code existing in 2009...maybe it has changed.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Had half the house stop working in Virginia. The ground had settled around the service pole and pulled one of the underground feed wires loose from the meter connection.

 

[k0ua]

So what is the story 2lane, you gonna take a look at it or hire someone? Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[teejk]

Had half the house stop working in Virginia. The ground had settled around the service pole and pulled one of the underground feed wires loose from the meter connection.

He is feeding from the house off a breaker...so I think that is not his problem. Interesting with your problem though...did your electrician lose his allen wrench when connecting the service? They are normally cranked pretty hard!

 

[teejk]

So what is the story 2lane, you gonna take a look at it or hire someone? Enquiring minds want to know.

Vegas opened a book...odds are that he called a guy...if he's not comfortable then I have to commend him for that. I know a guy that is afraid of snakes and will pay for removal. I know a lot more people that will never touch electricity.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

So what is the story 2lane, you gonna take a look at it or hire someone? Enquiring minds want to know.

In all honesty, I think I will call the guy who wired it for me and have him come out and fix it. I need a couple other things done, so he needs a bit more to make the trip worth while. This time I'll watch him and maybe learn enough to figure out what you guys are talking about. It's time I stretched my mind a bit and assimilated something new.

I had a similar problem in the house a couple years ago and he fixed it. Needed a new breaker, and some new receptacles...I think he said it was lightening, but not sure. He works very reasonably, so I know he isn't trying to run up the bill. .

 

[downsizingnow48]

He is feeding from the house off a breaker...so I think that is not his problem. Interesting with your problem though...did your electrician lose his allen wrench when connecting the service? They are normally cranked pretty hard!

Yep I wondered about that too. Couldn't tell after it had pulled out. Was only about 1/16" short. Took a while to dig out around the wire enough so I got about an inch slack then re-connected. Tight.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I didn't think they did that procedure anymore...did your eye doc have a bone in his nose?

No bone; but I have cataract in one eye and a prosthetic lens in the other, so I think he wants to know what's going on in there. Also, I think my age has something to do with it. Makes the drive home exciting!

 

[teejk]

In all honesty, I think I will call the guy who wired it for me and have him come out and fix it. I need a couple other things done, so he needs a bit more to make the trip worth while. This time I'll watch him and maybe learn enough to figure out what you guys are talking about. It's time I stretched my mind a bit and assimilated something new.

I had a similar problem in the house a couple years ago and he fixed it. Needed a new breaker, and some new receptacles...I think he said it was lightening, but not sure. He works very reasonably, so I know he isn't trying to run up the bill. .

Hey...if you ain't comfortable, then leave it to a guy that is. Have had lightening hits before but always only affected an outlet or other device. A few years ago the National Electric Code required "single point grounding" to eliminate "potential imbalance"...meaning everything on your house (your service, your cable/satellite, etc.) and outbuildings has to come back to whatever you have for "ground" for your main electrical service). Your house was built before that so lightening might be a problem. A GFCI has circuitry in it that is vulnerable and even without lightening they can fail over a voltage spike or just wear out. If you really crave knowledge, a great resource ishttp://www.wiringsimplified.com/WS/wiring.html. If it helps you any, I was a finance guy and not a trained electrician. I just figured it out on my own.

 

[bcp]

Colorblind electrician?



Bruce