My legs ache. My arms are heavy. It was one of those good old-fashioned summer-time weekends where you lay there in the morning wondering what kind of train hit you. It all started out innocently enough. If your definition of innocence is intentional ass-hattery. Received a call Wednesday AM. Inspector said the electrical installation looked top notch and he was releasing permission to the PoCo to put the meter in that afternoon. Huzzah! Electricity.
Received a call mid-day from major-jerko at the utilities. They concurred, the install was top notch. But he was not going to hook me up. Sorry. He'd like to see that meter a good 2' higher. I went round-and-round citing exceptions, but eventually gave in, taking it as a personal challenge unto myself to correct the situation before this guy had time to even consider resting on his laurels. Sidebar: this chump has been a grade-A jackass since my dealings started last year. Additional sidebar: You cannot simply move the meter up 24+ inches. There's 50' of heavy cable underground, already cut and installed in the base and plumbed through a maze of conduit and connected at the other end.
Weighed my options that evening and acted on my bill of materials Thursday, calling chumpo to let him know I would be ready for the flowing electrons Friday PM. He was caught off guard and tried to wiggle out…."the crews don't work on Fridays". I found this hard to believe. Later, "they work but must have a call by 1PM for dispatch". OK, then, I said I'd give him a call. I also was not in the mood for additional surprises and told him what would be waiting Friday PM when they got out there. I could see his face twist up over the phone; he figured I'd have to pull 50' of 4/0 triplex and replace it with 52' of 4/0 triplex. I was installing a disconnect. This would cost me some change but would not require total rework of what was in place. Additionally, my underground feed would now be protected. A win-win.
Next thing I know I'm getting a call from an inspector summoned by chimpo. I explain it to him. I get a canned answer back about grounding. I explain why that's not necessary in this situation according to the code. He pauses confusedly, and says I better talk to the other inspector. Sidebar: neither meter nor disconnect are located on a structure, both are paired and over 100' from the main point of service.
Friday: 7:30AM busy working at the lodge getting things ready. New struts in the ground, couplers in place, enclosures properly located. One problem. Can't get a hold of the inspector. Clock is ticking to get CFU out there. He finally calls and I tell him to drop by. He has a different take on grounding and I offer up code-compliant alternatives. He was a nice guy, don't get me wrong, but it all seemed to slide in one ear and out the other without processing. If burying a ground wire will appease, so be it. He gets chimpo-chump of the POCO on the hotline. That's agreeable to them, but they will not be coming out today. Mind you, it's 11:30. I'm still an hour and a half away from even needing to let them know whether or not to come out. The inspector passes my words on that I'll have it all set in the next hour and a half, but chumba-whumba has made up his mind and no crews will be visiting today.
Spent the rest of the day toiling in the sun. Staining, painting and prepping the shear wall for wall covering. Called it quits around 5, totally beat, and headed in to clean up. Then it was box-store trifecta for returns and materials, topping the evening off with a Pan-Normous and a viewing of The Godfather.
Saturday, a break from the mundane, but more taxing than you might think. We went over to the parents to help pull up carpet and pad, and yank all the little staples out of the subfloor in preparation for new carpeting. This included moving all the furniture too ('56 RCA, anyone?). We pulled up the living room, dining room, library, two sets of stairs, hallway, both downstairs bathrooms, the landing and the guest room. Plus snuck in an oil change on Cara's car. By nightfall we were really feeling it. Headed home and collapsed.
Sunday up and at 'em. Gorgeous day to say the least. Cara got started mowing after a bit of mower jerry-rigging. First mow of the season. I started digging the trench and laying the ground cable. After buttoning up that little issue, I headed onto the pumphouse roof with a bucket of glue and a roller and started adhering the rubber roof membrane, fighting to keep air pockets to a minimum. Got the job done in a couple hours but what a mess. Later, trimming and clamping. Then mowing. Then hauling brush. We hobbled to the truck around 5 and limped ourselves back to the apt to cleanup (after a delightful Mc'Ds shake and some forever stamps). Then put in a big Chinese order to surprise my mom for mother's day, eating in a kitchen that included lamps, tables and a piano.
Today, then, we find out whether or not there'll be power. I moved out there to escape this bureaucratic nonsense, and barely got in under the wire.
PostScript: Rolled up at 4:30 to find 2 PoCo trucks and 3 guys....installing 1 meter. We are officially ON THE GRID!
Received a call mid-day from major-jerko at the utilities. They concurred, the install was top notch. But he was not going to hook me up. Sorry. He'd like to see that meter a good 2' higher. I went round-and-round citing exceptions, but eventually gave in, taking it as a personal challenge unto myself to correct the situation before this guy had time to even consider resting on his laurels. Sidebar: this chump has been a grade-A jackass since my dealings started last year. Additional sidebar: You cannot simply move the meter up 24+ inches. There's 50' of heavy cable underground, already cut and installed in the base and plumbed through a maze of conduit and connected at the other end.
Weighed my options that evening and acted on my bill of materials Thursday, calling chumpo to let him know I would be ready for the flowing electrons Friday PM. He was caught off guard and tried to wiggle out…."the crews don't work on Fridays". I found this hard to believe. Later, "they work but must have a call by 1PM for dispatch". OK, then, I said I'd give him a call. I also was not in the mood for additional surprises and told him what would be waiting Friday PM when they got out there. I could see his face twist up over the phone; he figured I'd have to pull 50' of 4/0 triplex and replace it with 52' of 4/0 triplex. I was installing a disconnect. This would cost me some change but would not require total rework of what was in place. Additionally, my underground feed would now be protected. A win-win.
Next thing I know I'm getting a call from an inspector summoned by chimpo. I explain it to him. I get a canned answer back about grounding. I explain why that's not necessary in this situation according to the code. He pauses confusedly, and says I better talk to the other inspector. Sidebar: neither meter nor disconnect are located on a structure, both are paired and over 100' from the main point of service.
Friday: 7:30AM busy working at the lodge getting things ready. New struts in the ground, couplers in place, enclosures properly located. One problem. Can't get a hold of the inspector. Clock is ticking to get CFU out there. He finally calls and I tell him to drop by. He has a different take on grounding and I offer up code-compliant alternatives. He was a nice guy, don't get me wrong, but it all seemed to slide in one ear and out the other without processing. If burying a ground wire will appease, so be it. He gets chimpo-chump of the POCO on the hotline. That's agreeable to them, but they will not be coming out today. Mind you, it's 11:30. I'm still an hour and a half away from even needing to let them know whether or not to come out. The inspector passes my words on that I'll have it all set in the next hour and a half, but chumba-whumba has made up his mind and no crews will be visiting today.
Spent the rest of the day toiling in the sun. Staining, painting and prepping the shear wall for wall covering. Called it quits around 5, totally beat, and headed in to clean up. Then it was box-store trifecta for returns and materials, topping the evening off with a Pan-Normous and a viewing of The Godfather.
Saturday, a break from the mundane, but more taxing than you might think. We went over to the parents to help pull up carpet and pad, and yank all the little staples out of the subfloor in preparation for new carpeting. This included moving all the furniture too ('56 RCA, anyone?). We pulled up the living room, dining room, library, two sets of stairs, hallway, both downstairs bathrooms, the landing and the guest room. Plus snuck in an oil change on Cara's car. By nightfall we were really feeling it. Headed home and collapsed.
Sunday up and at 'em. Gorgeous day to say the least. Cara got started mowing after a bit of mower jerry-rigging. First mow of the season. I started digging the trench and laying the ground cable. After buttoning up that little issue, I headed onto the pumphouse roof with a bucket of glue and a roller and started adhering the rubber roof membrane, fighting to keep air pockets to a minimum. Got the job done in a couple hours but what a mess. Later, trimming and clamping. Then mowing. Then hauling brush. We hobbled to the truck around 5 and limped ourselves back to the apt to cleanup (after a delightful Mc'Ds shake and some forever stamps). Then put in a big Chinese order to surprise my mom for mother's day, eating in a kitchen that included lamps, tables and a piano.
Today, then, we find out whether or not there'll be power. I moved out there to escape this bureaucratic nonsense, and barely got in under the wire.
PostScript: Rolled up at 4:30 to find 2 PoCo trucks and 3 guys....installing 1 meter. We are officially ON THE GRID!
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