How did we manage that?

Last week was a good week and quite a lot was achieved. First up, I made a start on the wiring and was helped by Tex and Kieth, who is now working with/for Tex. We started in the North Wing, which took two days to get everything done with three different types of circuits. AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) protected circuits (blue 14/2 wire) for the bedroom receptacles (sockets for UK readers) onto which we also put the bedroom lights, not because they have to be AFCI protected but simply to save wire, of putting a different circuit in just for them. We put in five baseboard heater circuits (red 12/2 wire) with one heater per circuit and finally three regular circuits for all the main room receptacles and lights, two of which are on three way switches.

These are not very exciting photos but, they do give you some idea of what is involved. The reel is mounted just for ease of unrolling the cable from it.

The first step is to decide how many of each different type of circuit is required in the area you are wiring, with a mind to how the hidden wiring is going to be routed. Then for each circuit in turn decide what type and where the boxes are required. If you look carefully, at the bottom of the wall in the foreground of this photo, you will notice two boxes facing inside the bedroom (far side of the wall) served by blue 14/2 cable indicating they are on an AFCI circuit and two boxes facing into the main room that are served by standard white 14/2 cable. Note also the red 12/2 cable coming up from below to provide power to a baseboard heater that will go between the two receptacles. As far as the building regulations are concerned the baseboard heaters will be the primary heating system in this part of the house and the wood burning stove will be the backup system. In practice it will be the other way around. If you were paying attention, I have already told you this.

There are generally four different types of boxes - receptacle boxes, light boxes, switch boxes and junction boxes. At this stage of the process most of them look the same but, their positioning, wiring and covers are all different and often restricted or guided by the electrical code. Plastic or metal boxes can be used and I have used a mixture of the two depending on where a box goes and what its function is.

I also connected the sub-panel to the main panel using a very heavy duty #3 cable. The sub-panel is now quite full and I am planning to put only another three circuits onto it. The wiring system here is very different to the UK but, it makes a lot of sense and despite the heavy code requirements is not difficult to grasp. Like all the building trades here, the system is designed for self builders like myself to be able to do it with the aid of good guide books and a rigorous inspection system.

Remember this from last week well, ….

…. it now looks like this. Note the really heavy duty cable on the left of the photo. This is the #3 cable bringing power from the main box in the basement. Note also that each cable is labelled and there is a table on the box cover plate, that hides all the wiring, that also indicates what each circuit is for. If you look carefully you may be able to identify the AFCI breakers. They are the three breakers with white coiled tails and white labels. They are wired differently with the neutral wire coming back directly to the breaker before going onto the neutral bus bar. Arc faults are therefore detected by the breaker before the circuit is completed thus reducing the time it takes to cut the circuit down to about 4/100 of a second. 

We also managed to do the wiring for the main bathroom, number 2 bedroom, the utility area and the garage. Three more circuits are required in these areas but, as they are circuits that require specific heavy duty wire, which I don't have yet, they will go in later. They are for; the dryer which has to be on its own 240 volt/30 amp circuit; the oven for the main kitchen and the range for the kitchen in the North Wing, each of which require their own 240 volt/40 amp circuits. All three require 2 pole circuits, if that means anything to you.

The main bathroom and number 2 bedroom. Again, you can see the white wiring for the bathroom and the blue for the bedroom. The receptacles in the bathroom will be GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) protected. This can be done at the receptacle itself or by a GFCI breaker in the panel. The former is the cheaper method in most cases (where there are only a couple of receptacles).

Most of the garage fixtures I have placed on the beam. This will keep the wiring from under the feet/car/larger bench tools and provide power to the lights. You can also see here some of the hidden wiring for the North Wing rooms above the garage. Eventually most of what you see here will be covered by the white board ceiling of the garage. Note the conduit for the wiring which is required to protect the bare wire.

At the workshop end I have put plenty of outlets. From left to right; standard double 110 volt/15 amp receptacle, split 110 volt/15 amp receptacle with top half controlled by a switch for the florestant light that will be plugged into it, the bottom receptacle will be live the whole time; standard double 110 volt/15 amp receptacle; Single 240 volt/20 amp receptacle for my UK power tools; and finally, another standard 110 volt/15 amp double receptacle. Got that, questions at the end.

Conduit and box for switch for light above garage entrance.

Not the garage entrance light but, recessed light above entrance to main cabin from the garage. This is controlled by three way switches in the garage and the threshold of the main cabin.

We also got some work done on the stairs to the upper level. I was going to install them today but discovered a little more work needs doing on the platform first. The bottom of the platform is at the right level but the top needs to be raised 3" - how did we manage that? Anyway, I have worked out a couple of ways we can do it without having to take it all down. I will discuss them with Kevin tomorrow.

Two views of the platform for the stairs up to the top floor.

It won't take that long to raise the top of the platform 3". I might need to buy some more wood to do it but it will be cheaper than starting again. The bottom of the framing has to stay at the same level in order to support the runners - bottom left of photo.

Last night the temperature dropped to below -20c and it froze the pipes under the cabins where I am staying. Kevin and Tex were away for the weekend at a game (animal) show in Pincher Creek in Alberta and so Keith was up nearly all night trying, in vain, to keep everything going. Even some of the lines in the main house froze. Luckily, everything is now back on line, thanks to Keith, so I got my weekly wash done - sad aren't I. I always keep 10 litres of water in a plastic can for just such occasions and so at least I had something to drink when I got up this morning.

There will not be a blog next week. I am going back to the UK on Wednesday for a week to see family - a late Christmas. I will post again in a fortnight - 'quinze jours' for my French friends, पखवाड़ा (Hindi) or پھواڑے (Urdu) to my friends in India, whoever you are.

The last thing I need at the moment

Not the most exciting week in terms of progress but some solid planning and preparation nevertheless and we all know what PPPPPPP stands for. Electricians charge an arm and a leg for their labour and so I have decided to do all the wiring myself and it has taken me a couple of days to work out what my initial material and tool requirements are, which I have now bought.

I have continued reading up on the electrical code for installing all the wiring. There is a lot to take in. Most of it is pretty straight forward and just involves reading what is required for all the various tasks around the house. Different parts of the house are subject to specific requirements. Bedroom outlet circuits (as opposed to lighting circuits) for example must be protected by Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter breakers at the service panel. Kitchen and bathroom outlets within 1.5m of the sink/bath etc must be protected by Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, either in the plug or with a GFCI breaker at the service panel, and so it goes on and on and on.

The more complicated stuff involves calculations for such things as the number of circuits required; the load on each circuit; what size wire and breaker each circuit requires; what footage of electrical baseboard heaters is required to heat a room (square footage adjusted by the number of outside doors and walls, ceiling height etc). It really does go on and on. It is not difficult stuff but, it does require attention to detail.

Some of the book work I have been boning up on. The little yellow book, which belongs to Tex, is particularly useful. It has over 40 different circuits illustrated, including two, three and four way switches - very handy. The Black and Decker book also comes with a CD but it is disappointing. What's on it is very good but, and it is a big but, there isn't much on it. If only they had made it more comprehensive it would be outstanding. There is also the internet, which I have found can provide most of the answers to questions I have about building your own home.

I have also had to obtain a homeowners electrical installation permit, which authorises me to do the work and which (as I mentioned last week) specifically forbids me now from employing anyone to help me. Unpaid friends and family are permitted but there aren't too many of them around here at the moment. I thought that the process of obtaining a permit was going to be tedious and lengthy but in the event it was neither. Maybe it was because I applied over the holiday period and the only person in the office was a little old lady who didn't ask too many difficult questions. All the inspectors were on leave.

I have started the work already. This morning I installed the sub-panel that will distribute power principally to the garage, north wing and utility area. 

Cable, different colours for different jobs. Blue for AFCI circuits in the bedrooms; Red, thicker cable for baseboard heaters; Yellow, same gauge as red for kitchen circuits. Loads of breakers, connectors, boxes, staples, nuts and steel plates for protecting cable where it could be damaged by screws or nails.

The sub-panel in place.

Other work has included getting rid of the half wall that was on the left hand side as you enter the cabin. A full sized wall is now required to support the landing for the stairs going up to the top floor. Kevin came out to the cabin on Friday and we discussed the options for the staircase. I was hoping to put in a spiral staircase for this section of the stairway but, the local authority building inspector has informed me that they are no longer permitted. Apparently, fireman can't carry people down spiral staircases. I didn't bother to point out to him that my place isn't covered by any fire fighting service (reflected in my insurance by the way). I didn't want to irritate him. You know how difficult minor civil servants can be if they are so minded and one of those is the last thing I need at the moment.

The new wall.

 I also did a little plumbing work. After the water line was installed I just left it coming into the basement without trimming it or attaching anything else to it. I thought it was timely to tidy things up as I will shortly be doing more work in this area and didn't want the excess pipeline getting in the way.

3/4 inch plywood ready to take the water manifold and other plumbing.

Closer up you can see the elbow joint and shut off valve. Next up will be a pressure reduction valve, then a metre and then the manifold that will distribute the water around the house. 

Today the sun came out for more than five minutes for the first time since the roof was finished and it brightened everything up, from the sky to my spirits.

I also light the stove occasionally not that it heats the house up at all. The heat just rises and goes out through the eves. It does keep the local area nice and warm however and it is good for morale, especially when I use it to warm up my lunch.

I should have some contractor help next week. Tex and Keith (who was living next door to me but has now moved to one of the other cabins, which is more suitable for him and his wife and daughter because it has two bedrooms) are coming out to help. Keith is a wizard with small engines and so I am going to get him to tune up my quad, which has been playing up a bit recently and which is desperately needed for snow ploughing.

A few people have been in touch with me recently expressing concern about my health and morale. I imagine there are other readers who have similar thoughts. I publicly thank you all for your concern and would like to reassure you all that I am in good shape physically and my morale is high. I don't take much time  off because things have dragged out long enough and I want to be able to receive visitors, especially family, as soon as I can. Those of you that know me well will also know that I am not very good at doing nothing. I like having something to do, actually at the moment I need something to do, especially something I enjoy doing and I am still enjoying this, including the challenges that it involves - well most of them at any rate.

A few people have being trying to get in touch with me via email, with limited success. The best email address for me is christopher_walch@hotmail.com. Feel free to drop me a line if you wish.