A Slight Glitch

Now what is a project without a setback here and there? Let me tell you about it while we are in the middle of it. I have all the outlet and switch boxes installed and have the wires run for all of them. Now to figure out what to do with them. I think a few may not be correct. That’s a long story and I’ll figure it out later. Can you find the wires?

Here’s the kicker. My electrician – the one who is going to install the new electric panel, Tony by name – came to look things over. He discovered we only have a 125 amp panel. He also discovered that our meter – the one in the alcove under the roof – is also only 125 amps. We need 200 for the new addition. Question: do we only have 125 amps coming from Portland General Electric’s transformer located out back somewhere – in the neighbor’s yard or in a neighboring street, I don’t know where it is. This, of course means we have to involve Portland General Electric. They come out, discover our meter is under the roof in an alcove, and that our electric service comes in under the new addition. I knew this and I actually had the permission of a rather non-caring PGE employee to  go ahead and do this. The caveat being that if we ever had a problem with the line we would have to install a new meter at the back of the addition and run the service wire in the attic to the electric panel. We do have 200 amp service from the elusive transformer to our house (a buried cable, if you haven’t already figured that out).

Well, the above unnamed employee didn’t exactly speak for the company hierarchy so we have to install the new meter NOW. This involves getting the guy who locates power lines and other things, digging down and finding the power line, installing the new meter base, running the new service wire, getting this inspected and approved – then calling PGE to come and reroute the incoming buried cable. Tony is taking care of all this except the digging. Here is my friend Charles from our church digging the hole. Note how BIG the meter base is!

Charles found the line without electrocuting himself. Tony is leaving on vacation. Oh yeah, I should mention that. He is going to visit his dad in Puerto Rico for a couple weeks. So I will do my part by getting the electrical IN the house inspected and (I hope – pray about this) approved. Then get the wall insulation installed. Tony will do his part when he gets back.

And that’s the way it is. The drama continues.