temporary eelect service

[LARRY DILLARD]

new to the forum
can a temporary elect. service be more than ( 2 ) 20 amp 120 volt circuits ?

 

[iwire]

Yes it can be as many circuits as you need.

Think of the temp service needed at a large building.

 

[kenman215]

Yes it can be as many circuits as you need.

Think of the temp service needed at a large building.

Biggest I've ever had to do is 400A 3 phase 120/208

 

[iwire]

Biggest I've ever had to do is 400A 3 phase 120/208

We often provide 400-1000 amp 480 volt temps. We often need the 480 to provide power to elevators, HVAC equipment etc.

 

[kenman215]

We often provide 400-1000 amp 480 volt temps. We often need the 480 to provide power to elevators, HVAC equipment etc.

We're never lucky enough to have service elevators or really large scale hvac. Usually have to settle for cranes and our legs to get ourselves and materials to upper floors. Jealous

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[iwire]

Don't be, we still walk.

The elevator power is for the elevator installers to do their work.

 

[kenman215]

Don't be, we still walk.

The elevator power is for the elevator installers to do their work.

My last job I actually got to trigger the heat detector at the top of shaft during the elevator test and ride it down six stories to the basement. Got to cross that off of my inner twelve year old's bucket list...

 

[iwire]

My last job I actually got to trigger the heat detector at the top of shaft during the elevator test and ride it down six stories to the basement. Got to cross that off of my inner twelve year old's bucket list...

 

[LARRY DILLARD]

temporary elect. service

temporary elect. service

where can i get documentation that tells me a good general size for temp service for a small com job?

 

[JFletcher]

I think you'll need to figure the loads based on the size of the building and if it has temporary lighting.

Back when I did commercial comm work in hotels (65-150 room), temp power could be anything from 4 receptacles 125' away from the building and no lights to 8 receptacles/floor and full incandescent lighting every 10-12' or so.

Personally, if it were in the budget/contract, I would allow every trade a dedicated 20A receptacle, maybe 2 or 3 for the carpenters. There are few things more aggravating than going down 4 floors of temporary steps, out into a hot, wet, and mosquito and deerfly filled field, 5x a day, to reset a breaker because someone else plugged into a receptacle and ran a chopsaw or air compressor while you were trying to drill. or, this time of year, being limited to an 8 hour day because there are no temporary lights.

 

[kwired]

where can i get documentation that tells me a good general size for temp service for a small com job?

Really depends on what loads will be needed during the usage of that temporary service.

Small projects can often get by with just a couple 120 volt receptacles. Sometimes you get a contractor that uses some 240 volt equipment - though in more recent years you are seeing less of that on small projects. Used to see masons with 240 volt brick saws or framers with a 240 volt heavy duty radial arm saw, but those just aren't around so much anymore. The masons maybe have gas powered saws if they need something that needs more then they can get from a 20 amp 120 volt circuit, just because it is too big of a hassle to deal with getting them the right receptacle - plus they always want to bypass GFCI (mostly because they don't understand it and only see trip events as a nuisance)

 

[J.P.]

100A will usually cover small commercial jobs that I do.

 

[iwire]

100A will usually cover small commercial jobs that I do.

At 240 volt that is about one heated office trailer.

 

[J.P.]

At 240 volt that is about one heated office trailer.

Jobs that I do.....
Maybe the generals has a trailer with a 30A window unit..... I live in N.W. Oklahoma most of my jobs are single story oil field offices or shops.

Well, not now because the oilfield has been killed by low oil prices.

 

[Johnnybob]

Jobs that I do.....
Maybe the generals has a trailer with a 30A window unit..... I live in N.W. Oklahoma most of my jobs are single story oil field offices or shops.

Well, not now because the oilfield has been killed by low oil prices.

That's funny! High oil prices almost killed off the domestic auto industry. They were always low, till someone got greedy and decided, "heck, we'll just make the consumer pay our overhead, then it'll be nothing but profit!"

 

[iwire]

till someone got greedy and decided, "heck, we'll just make the consumer pay our overhead, then it'll be nothing but profit!"

Ahh, the consumer always has to pay the overhead or the company is going out of bussness. :huh:

 

[Johnnybob]

Ahh, the consumer always has to pay the overhead or the company is going out of buisness. :huh:

B.S! General maint., repairs and equipment replacement should be paid for before dividend checks are issued. Not like, "oh geez, this equipment thats been making us all this money is getting worn out! We'll have to raise our rates and make our customers pay for it!? Wrong, that's called overhead, and needs to be planned for! I cut logs for alot of years, and I can tell you for a fact, that I didn't raise my rate every time I wore out a saw, or had to buy new tires! What a maroon!