My Christmas Present

Good luck and Congrats Erik!

 

 

 

John, you should really think about introducing your painter to the concept of using masking tape.

 

After I took the picture I noticed it. ( It's only about 16" off the floor) Good thing he's still working on the kitchen. Gotta add that to his "punch list"

After I took the picture I noticed it. ( It's only about 16" off the floor) Good thing he's still working on the kitchen. Gotta add that to his "punch list"

 

 

I had the same issue recently in one of my properties, I can't figure out why the dumb fcuk wouldn't just take the cover off before painting or mask the damn thing off!

Never ceases to amaze me how lazy people are today. Now he's going to have to spend and hour cleaning it.

Im getting carpeting....

 

 

And... That looks like blood on your thermostat....

 

Things are definitely heating up in your bathroom.

 

What are you implying?

 

 

It does work, and it's pretty cheap to install. Hire an engineer to do the math for you, he will be able to give you a break down of costs and efficiencies of a system designed specifically from your house. Don't listen to the contractor, listen to the engineer. Many engineering professors consult, so talk to one of them.

 

 

But it's easier to find a good Mechanical Engineer from an MEP consulting firm that does this day in and day out than to ask a professor.

 

And more cost effective.

I had the same issue recently in one of my properties, I can't figure out why the dumb fcuk wouldn't just take the cover off before painting or mask the damn thing off!

You should know better. I pay somebody to clean my toilets but even I know if I hire a painter that I need to remove the outlet covers myself or the idiots will half ass it and splatter paint all over them.

I have heated floors in 90% of my house. The new tubing they use can expand to 2.5 it's original size. so freezing isn't an issue. The tubing is joined the same way PVC is, so there is no concern for separation.

 

 

At the very least, electric tubing in the bathrooms is cheap and easy. You can get the electric mats pre-cut in advance tailor made to your bathroom and it's a risk free install for the electrician.

 

But it's easier to find a good Mechanical Engineer from an MEP consulting firm that does this day in and day out than to ask a professor.

 

And more cost effective.

 

True, I forgot he is in California too.

Solar is....well...I'd only go that route if it were free.

 

Diddo. Considering your payback period, you might as well install a windmill too.

So I think you've all convinced me. Heated floors in the master bath at least (and maybe the boy's bathroom).

 

I have another question. Say I wanted to run electrical down to the lake. The house and main service is going to be about 100 yards away. Can that be done and how?

So I think you've all convinced me. Heated floors in the master bath at least (and maybe the boy's bathroom).

 

I have another question. Say I wanted to run electrical down to the lake. The house and main service is going to be about 100 yards away. Can that be done and how?

 

I don't see why it couldn't be done. Just dig up and run an underground conduit and thread the proper wires through that and hook it up to a box, or pole? Am I close? Do I win a prize?!

Congrats on the Kentuckiana property.

 

From a Hoosier to a whatever they hell they call you guys in the South. Kentuckians?

So I think you've all convinced me. Heated floors in the master bath at least (and maybe the boy's bathroom).

 

I have another question. Say I wanted to run electrical down to the lake. The house and main service is going to be about 100 yards away. Can that be done and how?

 

What are you planning to power by the lake?

 

You could run electric cables underground in PVC, 2-3". Depending on your electric setup, you will probably want to have a separate disconnect switch at your main service just for the lake area. I'm not sure what you want to run, but you might need a dedicated panel with a main circuit breaker down by the lake area...

 

Voltage drop for 300 feet will increase the size of the wires you will run underground, and how much will depend on whether you have single phase or three phase service....3 phase would help a lot, but if not you could always put in a step up transformer by the main service and step down transformer by the lake if you have to.

 

You would go from 120/208V or 120/240V up to 277/480V like a high rise commercial building, and then back down where you started. If you just wanted to do lighting, you could run them at 277 volts and forego the step down transformer (most likely....in commercial definitely, residential is iffy as they normally don't like high voltages for safety reasons).

 

That should give you a general idea of what you're looking at. I just did the design of a local baseball field a few months ago...running power for new lights with long underground runs...I'll take a look and see if anything stuck out.

Solar is....well...I'd only go that route if it were free.

 

Like Captain said, there are a government incentives for green energy solutions right now. I am by no means an eco warrior, but when you can spend someone elses money to save your own $ in the long run, I start paying attention. The only green I worry about has pictures of dead guys.

 

My boss recently installed solar on his house, and the check he got from Obama nearly covered all the out of pocket expenses. Since Colorado has net metering, he will get credits on his electric bill for energy he puts back into the grid. Many states don't offer net metering which reduces the savings you will realize from solar. Solar power won't eliminate his utility bill, but he will see his energy consumption from the power company cut by at least 50% which adds up quickly on a 6,000+SF home.

 

 

Like Captain said, there are a government incentives for green energy solutions right now. I am by no means an eco warrior, but when you can spend someone elses money to save your own $ in the long run, I start paying attention. The only green I worry about has pictures of dead guys.

 

My boss recently installed solar on his house, and the check he got from Obama nearly covered all the out of pocket expenses. Since Colorado has net metering, he will get credits on his electric bill for energy he puts back into the grid. Many states don't offer net metering which reduces the savings you will realize from solar. Solar power won't eliminate his utility bill, but he will see his energy consumption from the power company cut by at least 50% which adds up quickly on a 6,000+SF home.

 

Hard to deny the benefits of solar in new construction for a large home in the country.

What are you planning to power by the lake?

 

You could run electric cables underground in PVC, 2-3". Depending on your electric setup, you will probably want to have a separate disconnect switch at your main service just for the lake area. I'm not sure what you want to run, but you might need a dedicated panel with a main circuit breaker down by the lake area...

 

Voltage drop for 300 feet will increase the size of the wires you will run underground, and how much will depend on whether you have single phase or three phase service....3 phase would help a lot, but if not you could always put in a step up transformer by the main service and step down transformer by the lake if you have to.

 

You would go from 120/208V or 120/240V up to 277/480V like a high rise commercial building, and then back down where you started. If you just wanted to do lighting, you could run them at 277 volts and forego the step down transformer (most likely....in commercial definitely, residential is iffy as they normally don't like high voltages for safety reasons).

 

That should give you a general idea of what you're looking at. I just did the design of a local baseball field a few months ago...running power for new lights with long underground runs...I'll take a look and see if anything stuck out.

 

 

Thanks!

 

You lost me a LITTLE in the middle.... I know long runs need higher gauge but I just dont know how much... Especially since Im looking at almost 600 feet to get down there.... Wasnt sure if I should run it right out of the main panel, run a sub panel at the service, or even run a dedicated metered service to a panel closer to the water given the distance....

 

Id like a light pole or two with Sodium type lights... Im thinking I want to be able to light that lake up at night (probably from INSIDE the house) for evening festivities (or for spotlighting my target when some dumbshit teenager decides to get jiggy with his girlfriend on my lake...)... OKAY.... Who am I kidding???? I want to be able to light up the whole goddamned yard like Stalag 17.....

 

And then maybe some low voltage stuff as well....

 

What I know is, if I want to do it, I need to have a path OUT OF THE BOX, and OUT OF THE HOUSE, laid out and run before I pour a foundation.

Hard to deny the benefits of solar in new construction for a large home in the country.

 

 

Now that Ive got a property... The house design is really coming along.... I take it for solar I want the panels on a southern exposure? Ill need to look at where that would be (I think the length of my garage roof will face south.... One downside, its also the approach road to the house, so it might be a bit of an eyesore)

Now that Ive got a property... The house design is really coming along.... I take it for solar I want the panels on a southern exposure? Ill need to look at where that would be (I think the length of my garage roof will face south.... One downside, its also the approach road to the house, so it might be a bit of an eyesore)

 

 

You definitely want the panels facing south. I don't know how much sun Kentucky gets, but Denver averages 330 days of sun per year which is why solar is so popular here. I don't have any idea what the average number of days needed to really see year round benefits.

 

Solar technology and the panels specifically have advanced a lot in the last 5 years alone, along with becoming more affordable. Think of a big screen TV from the 80s vs today's LED TV. The panels come in many different colors, frame finishes, and profiles. Some of the setups are so clean these days, you won't notice them unless you are focusing your attention on the roof. The panels my boss used were less than 2" thick.

 

If you are seriously considering it, you can google rebates/incentives by state. Also, check with the electricity provider to see if they offer net metering. Net metering means, during the day when nobody is home, and the house isn't using much energy, but the solar array is most productive, you will be putting energy back into the grid for use by the power company. The electricity meter on your house would essentially be a two way street (in/out) vs normal one way meter (in). The power company will actually credit your bill for energy your house puts back into the grid.

 

Knowing your always be prepared attitude, I am assuming you are also planning to have some sort of emergency generator. As I am sure anyone of the mid-western members can tell you, ice storms are very common in the fall. In a rural area you won't have buried power lines, which means you will run a good chance of losing power anytime an ice storm comes through.

Thanks!

 

You lost me a LITTLE in the middle.... I know long runs need higher gauge but I just dont know how much... Especially since Im looking at almost 600 feet to get down there.... Wasnt sure if I should run it right out of the main panel, run a sub panel at the service, or even run a dedicated metered service to a panel closer to the water given the distance....

 

Id like a light pole or two with Sodium type lights... Im thinking I want to be able to light that lake up at night (probably from INSIDE the house) for evening festivities (or for spotlighting my target when some dumbshit teenager decides to get jiggy with his girlfriend on my lake...)... OKAY.... Who am I kidding???? I want to be able to light up the whole goddamned yard like Stalag 17.....

 

And then maybe some low voltage stuff as well....

 

What I know is, if I want to do it, I need to have a path OUT OF THE BOX, and OUT OF THE HOUSE, laid out and run before I pour a foundation.

 

No problem!

 

When you get your architect, you should also be getting your mechanical, plumbing and electrical engineers to coordinate all of your services, as well as to design all the utilities for your house.

 

As far as what gauge wire you'll need, that'll depend on how much current ("amperage") you'll need. It doesn't matter if you're running 120 volts or 13,200 volts, only the current matters for sizing wire (which is why you want to push for a higher voltage/3 phase service when possible).

 

Your lighting loads will probably be small...I'm guessing somewhere between 50-100 amps, unless you want to make a small stadium, lol.

 

50-100 amps is tiny wiring....#8 and #3 respectively:

 

And 200 amps would be #3/0. Take a look here (use the 75 Centigrade Copper column, which is the 3rd column)

 

http://www.houwire.com/products/technical/article310_16.html

 

But the voltage drop is what will make the wire bigger...usually a few sizes bigger than listed in the table. For 600 feet, you're definitely going to want to step up the voltage to 277/480, otherwise you will be running big wire in a few conduits.

 

I can give you a better idea when I get to the office tomorrow, but I doubt you'll be bigger than say 350 or 500 kcmil, which normally fits in about 2 1/2"-3" EMT or Rigid conduit (would guess PVC is not much different). Anything bigger than say 600 kcmil, you'd just split up into multiple conduits. Absolute worst case scenario, I figure 2 separate 3 1/2" conduits running 500-600 kcmil....it's hard to imagine more than that, if even that much.

 

I would really push for a 3 phase service, even if it's only 208-240V 3 phase because you can then get 480 volt 3 phase with a transformer. Otherwise you're just limited to 480 volt single phase...not bad but every bit helps.

 

You'll most likely be running a disconnect switch in your main service to a dedicated panel (this would make servicing easy). From that panel you can connect it to a lighting control panel which would be ideal for this special application of yours. I'm not a lighting guru really so I'll have to ask my lighting guy more what the most ideal way to skin this cat would be.

 

Fun little project....I like when homes start to take on commercial like applications.

 

Ice storms and just all the thunderstorms that go through will knock the power out. I'd want a whole house generator... http://www.generac.com/Residential/

 

And don't forget southern Indiana is in tornado country too... http://www.tornadosaferoom.com/

Knowing your always be prepared attitude, I am assuming you are also planning to have some sort of emergency generator. As I am sure anyone of the mid-western members can tell you, ice storms are very common in the fall. In a rural area you won't have buried power lines, which means you will run a good chance of losing power anytime an ice storm comes through.

 

LOL, how could I forget the generator.

 

The only question now is not whether RD will go for a generator but whether he will connect it to an automatic transfer switch?

LOL, how could I forget the generator.

 

The only question now is not whether RD will go for a generator but whether he will connect it to an automatic transfer switch?

 

The generator is useless without the automatic transfer switch.

Someday.

 

RD massive congratz, the property looks fantastic.

 

I want to come there and help you plan the house

 

Ditto for the gas stuff in the kitchen.

 

I prefer induction, just as fast if not faster than gas and very easy to use.