Electrician At Large. DANAGER!

Made the drive up to the Bolt Hole today. And what a glorious day for a drive it was. The sun was out, the temperature in the upper 60s and low 70s, a slight breeze blowing to keep things cool--just beautiful. Almost wished I had a convertible, but that would look silly on a pick-up.

Found the cabin had not burned down in my absence (yet) and the grass, while green and healthy looking not yet demanding I get out there and mow. And that's a good thing. I'm only going to be here a couple of days and hope to get the electrical stuff all straightened out.

Got a start on it as soon as I unpacked. Put a new junction box in the attic from which I ran a line to the kitchen ceiling light and the second to the front porch light. Wired the kitchen light and it's switch and then the switch for the porch light--which I still have to purchase. As soon as I get that fixture, the wires that will bring juice to those two lights can be connected in the basement.

I also worked on getting the proper power for the hot water heater by putting in a 30 AMP double breaker and making the connection in the breaker box by taking out the breaker that serviced the old and unused water pump, and moving another breaker down in position.

The old water pump was in slot #1, Basement lights #3, and water heater in #5. (All slots on the left side of the board are odd numbers. The right side has even numbers.) Number 1 was first emptied (no need for the old water pump). Then #5 was disconnected (underpowered 20 AMP breaker for the heater). Number 3 was moved down to slot #5 and the new 30 AMP double breaker got installed in the #1 and #3 slots.) When done, I flipped the water heater's breaker and heard it come alive. A half hour later I had extremely hot water coming from the kitchen faucet so I must have done something correctly.

Early tomorrow, I head down the hill for some breakfast and then to get a light fixture fro the front porch. I thought the one we had was still usable, but, aside from the glass globe, that is definitely not the case. Once that light fixture is installed, I'll be able to power it up and test it out.

I'll also play with the circuit board again and pull out a double breaker that is currently set up to provide electric baseboard heat to the bathroom and upstairs bedroom. I never use the electric heat as it is damn wasteful in a drafty place like this. (The former owner--the one who installed the baseboard heat--had a fear of fire and would not use the wood stoves for heat.) One of the slots will be used to attach the downstairs bedroom to the circuit board. It's all wired and ready to go. The wire is run to the circuit board and is waiting for juice.

The other slot will--eventually--become the upstairs bedroom circuit. Just as soon as I find the damn junction box where the old canvas covered wire meets the new 12-2 wire. It's buried up there in the cathedral ceiling of the bedroom--behind the sheetrock. And with no juice running through it, there are now super special tools that will help me locate it. Aside from my utility knife, that is. Kinda like ice fishing, in a way. Except I've got to make my hole right where the box is. All the jigging in the world will NOT get that box to come to me if I open up the wrong spot. Should be fun.