Enough of COVID...what are you doing to the house? | Page 256 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Enough of COVID...what are you doing to the house?

mimico_polak said:
Thanks. From the sounds of it you're more than just some rando! LoL
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But codes do change.

As an example the inspector did not like that on my main panel I had ground to the panel ground screw and neutral to neutral bus and the green screw tying them together (always did it this way). Instead he wanted the ground to go directly to the neutral bus and the panel's ground was then through the green screw only.... seems less safe to me but that is what he wanted.
 
mimico_polak said:
Thanks. I didn't consider the ground/neutral question. Thought that would be taken care of with the main grounding that is going to the water line.

Regardless...it's quite convenient that the ground can be run directly to the same water line as it's a straight shot b/w the joists in the ceiling (thankfully going parallel) right to the water line.
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I would not be running a separate ground to the water line. Main panel is the boss, subpanel only connects to main panel and circuits. With a separate ground path, you can get in a situation where the 60A breaker in the main panel does not trip with a fault.
 
GreyGhost said:
I would not be running a separate ground to the water line. Main panel is the boss, subpanel only connects to main panel and circuits. With a separate ground path, you can get in a situation where the 60A breaker in the main panel does not trip with a fault.
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So basically just connect the cable I have, and then let it do it's thing. Without adding paths for the circuit to run.
 
mimico_polak said:
So basically just connect the cable I have, and then let it do it's thing. Without adding paths for the circuit to run.
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Yes. And if you re-use old main panel, very important to separate neutral and ground. Easier to do this and test that neutral and ground are isolated prior to hooking up any wires.
 
My only other thought on the sub panel. I believe code will require AFCI (technically CAFI--Combination Arc Fault...) for most 120v circuits of 20 amps or less as this is a new panel. Depending on when your main panel was installed it may not have been required there and will be grandfathered in. What is new is new, It will just apply to new circuits in the new panel. Another thing to verify.

Many people do not like arc fault as they have nuisance trips mostly due to craft problems IME. #1, put the damn wires properly under screws and do not use the "spring loaded" backstabs on receptacles....
 
backmarkerducati said:
My only other thought on the sub panel. I believe code will require AFCI (technically CAFI--Combination Arc Fault...) for most 120v circuits of 20 amps or less as this is a new panel. Depending on when your main panel was installed it may not have been required there and will be grandfathered in. What is new is new, It will just apply to new circuits in the new panel. Another thing to verify.

Many people do not like arc fault as they have nuisance trips mostly due to craft problems IME. #1, put the damn wires properly under screws and do not use the "spring loaded" backstabs on receptacles....
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When he sees what a panel full of AFCI's costs he may decide to punt this project. MP, AFCI and combo AFCI and GFCI breakers are often not far apart in cost. Worth considering depending on circuits you are installing.
 
You guys are ruining the fun of any project. /s But thanks for the info!

200A panel was installed about 3 years ago, and did not require the magic GFCI/AFCI breakers.

Not looking to add circuits, just clean up the birds' nest of junction boxes that were Kevined in.
 
mimico_polak said:
You guys are ruining the fun of any project. /s But thanks for the info!

200A panel was installed about 3 years ago, and did not require the magic GFCI/AFCI breakers.

Not looking to add circuits, just clean up the birds' nest of junction boxes that were Kevined in.
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Someone might do this without a permit if they were confident in what they were doing safely

Sent from the future
 
When I needed about 20GFI receptacles and a bunch of AFCI breakers , I went to Buffalo for the weekend bought the bunch at Lowes , savings paid for tickets to a Buffalo Minor A ball game , dinner and a decent hotel. I was shocked at the price difference on electric components one hour away.


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crankcall said:
When I needed about 20GFI receptacles and a bunch of AFCI breakers , I went to Buffalo for the weekend bought the bunch at Lowes , savings paid for tickets to a Buffalo Minor A ball game , dinner and a decent hotel. I was shocked at the price difference on electric components one hour away.


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I've heard this more and more nowadays. Once I am ready to pull the trigger on my reno...I'm going to the US to pick up electrical cables / components and whatever else I can fit into the Odyssey.

Not sure how it'll work with duties and taxes...but will have to look into that more.
 
mimico_polak said:
I've heard this more and more nowadays. Once I am ready to pull the trigger on my reno...I'm going to the US to pick up electrical cables / components and whatever else I can fit into the Odyssey.

Not sure how it'll work with duties and taxes...but will have to look into that more.
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They upped the duty free limits and lowered the time you need to be over the border a few years ago.

Make sure components you buy are ok in canada. Lots of stuff is the same but missing a csa stamp so you arent allowed to use it.
 
When I needed stuff the exchange was only 15% ( while ago) and I paid no duty coming back, I declared a bottle of scotch and some lights switches on sale at Lowes, he did not ask value and I didn’t offer any more info. VMMY


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GreyGhost said:
They upped the duty free limits and lowered the time you need to be over the border a few years ago.

Make sure components you buy are ok in canada. Lots of stuff is the same but missing a csa stamp so you arent allowed to use it.
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Yet again you ruin my fun lol. My buddy works for CSA. I'll ask him for some stickers.
 
LOL , my brother got a call from a random CSA inspection of compressors being sold through a TSC store in Oshawa, they were the compressors he imported and had CSA stickers on them, just not from the CSA . Chinese factory had counterfeit labels and was skipping the inspection fees . Same thing happened a year later with a container of generators. Both containers got sold off to a Caribbean island where the CSA didn’t matter .


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crankcall said:
LOL , my brother got a call from a random CSA inspection of compressors being sold through a TSC store in Oshawa, they were the compressors he imported and had CSA stickers on them, just not from the CSA . Chinese factory had counterfeit labels and was skipping the inspection fees . Same thing happened a year later with a container of generators. Both containers got sold off to a Caribbean island where the CSA didn’t matter .


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So I’ll ask for Intertek stickers. That was his last job lol

But it’s def a concern if the stickers are missing. Not sure about any differences between the US and CAD codes.

We pay a lot of money for that to be explained to us.
 
At one point US had UL labels ( underwriters laboratory) and we had CSA , I remember something about them being now considered interchangeable as North America manufacturing got sick of paying double certification. I’m sure somebody here is smarter than me and knows that part.


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A COVID problem is still inventory, looks like cost now. When I did my panel I had to get some from Lowes, some from HD, Some from Amazon, and some from Canada Breakers. As no one had all I needed in stock or even the specific ones I needed. Prices in Canada were not too bad then.... I just looked at the costs here again, good thing I was sitting down!

If you require them (again verify this, they are pricey) plug on neutral is cheaper but it requires a special plug on neutral panel. With GFCI and/or CAFI the neutral and hot wire are connected to the breaker. Regular (old style) have a neutral pigtail on the breaker that then connects to the neutral bus (messy). Plug on breakers do not have the pigtail, instead there is a neutral bus and a hot bus they snap into. Cleaner panel (no pigtails), faster and they are cheaper! If I was doing it again today, plug on all the way.

Looking at pricing, I paid around $80 (CAFI only) to $120 (DF GFCI/CAFI) for a pigtail (not plug-on) breakers, some 15 amps some 20 amps. HD has the 15A DF for $180 CDN now (plug on is $120)! The HD cost in the US is $64 USD!!!!
 
backmarkerducati said:
A COVID problem is still inventory, looks like cost now. When I did my panel I had to get some from Lowes, some from HD, Some from Amazon, and some from Canada Breakers. As no one had all I needed in stock or even the specific ones I needed. Prices in Canada were not too bad then.... I just looked at the costs here again, good thing I was sitting down!

If you require them (again verify this, they are pricey) plug on neutral is cheaper but it requires a special plug on neutral panel. With GFCI and/or CAFI the neutral and hot wire are connected to the breaker. Regular (old style) have a neutral pigtail on the breaker that then connects to the neutral bus (messy). Plug on breakers do not have the pigtail, instead there is a neutral bus and a hot bus they snap into. Cleaner panel (no pigtails), faster and they are cheaper! If I was doing it again today, plug on all the way.

Looking at pricing, I paid around $80 (CAFI only) to $120 (DF GFCI/CAFI) for a pigtail (not plug-on) breakers, some 15 amps some 20 amps. HD has the 15A DF for $180 CDN now (plug on is $120)! The HD cost in the US is $64 USD!!!!
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Be careful with amazon breakers. I ordered a Siemens breaker and they shipped me a different brand. Not cool. Trying to explain why I had to return something that was useless to me was a few minutes of banging my head against the wall. They couldnt confirm that if I reordered a siemens breaker I would get a siemens breaker next time. Bollock.s
 
GreyGhost said:
Be careful with amazon breakers. I ordered a Siemens breaker and they shipped me a different brand. Not cool. Trying to explain why I had to return something that was useless to me was a few minutes of banging my head against the wall. They couldnt confirm that if I reordered a siemens breaker I would get a siemens breaker next time. Bollock.s
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I bought the ones supplied by Square D.... I guess they could have sent me a Homeline instead of a QO but I had no issues... :(

There is also counterfeit stuff out there, like everything. Buy the seller not the product, I skipped over many to be safe.

Amazon was my last resort when I could not get the specific item anywhere else.
 
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