Monday evening I fixed up our spa, filled it, started the acid-aeration process to knock down my fill TA of 325 ppm, and made some homemade pizza. I started catching a whiff of something that smelled dead/rotten. Eventually I realized it was coming out of the vents, and traced it to the basement. I thought it was odd, as usually when something dies (like a mouse) the smell starts gradually, but this came out of nowhere and was strong.
I sniffed around the basement and all the likely spots had the least smell. I was quite puzzled, as it seemed to be coming from the corner of the basement with the deep freezer/dehumidifier. Nothing over there. I started catching a whiff of hot/burnt electronics, and neither the dehumidifier or freezer smelled like that. But there was one other thing in that corner, our electric panel...
The smell was coming from the panel, and the spa breaker and main (100 A) breaker were both hot. I pulled the cover and was greeted with this sight at the main breaker.
I quickly went outside and shut the spa off at the disconnect. I then returned to the basement and shut the dryer off. After debating about it for a minute I decided the best course of action was to shut the entire house off, so I switched off the main breaker. This was at 9 PM yesterday evening. I then called up the electrician who was in the process of quoting a pool outlet install and main panel/service upgrade and told him what happened. After I sent him a picture he recommended we have the utility come pull the meter to make sure it was off. He said he'd rearrange his schedule for tomorrow (today) and send guys out first thing in the morning. So basically I'd get my service upgrade ASAP.
I used a few extension cords and my small Honda generator to run the fridge and chest freezer overnight, and spent the night on the couch just in case anything were to happen with the generator and extension cords. The electricians showed up at 7:10 AM and started ripping out the old panel and wires/conduit between the panel and the meter and upgrading them. Before lunch the new panel was in and the new feedlines were run.
Before long the main lines were connected to the panel. The inspector showed up around 1:30 PM and gave the go-ahead to have the service reconnected and called the utility. The utility was out within 15-20 minutes and restored power to the house (electrician just had the main breaker off as he finished reconnecting the circuits to the new panel). By 4 PM they had cleaned up and left and we had a brand new panel, 200 A service, and room for expansion. And more importantly, our house had power again!
Obviously, they had their hands full with the service upgrade and changing around some wiring that wasn't quite to code in the basement, so the pool outlets are not installed yet. Plus, I said I'd dig the trench, and that's not done yet either, so they couldn't install outlets yet anyway. I won't even start that until I get my pool and fence permits, after which I'll request a utility marking and
then I will start the trench dig.
I think I'll have them install an extra outlet on the deck for whatever, an outlet on the side of the deck for our new Saltron Mini for the spa (my first SWCG!), and at least one more outlet in the basement where I plan to put a workbench.
What I don't know is how much this all just cost me, as it was done before I ever got my quote back. Didn't really have a choice, unless I wanted to live without power. I imagine there might be a surcharge for the rapid response. I was told I should have the bill by the end of the week.
In any case, this was fun. I'm off to go turn power to the spa back on and finish the acid aeration process I had to abandon last night. Oh...right after I order more DPD powder! I have enough left for 2, maybe 3 tests. I really should have ordered more earlier!
I have seen it go both ways. Either it looks like it’s all marked but they are stuck waiting on one holdout marking (water for example) that holds up the whole project. When a company wants to do work, it’s high on their list but not always a rush for everybody else.
Other times everybody involved comes right away and the marking sit there for a month or more until everything lines up for the utility doing the work. Many times the project needs several special crews and if one or more of them are stuck on other projects, it waits.
Other, other times, the utility is finally ready to go but something more important elsewhere ties up a critical crew and again you wait.
True. It could be a phase two planning as well or something like that. Especially as right now only electric has been marked, the other marking company which marks phone and cable has not yet been out. When I marked for pool planning purposes both marking companies showed up on the same day, the day before my "dig date".
