panel makeup

[mdshunk]

marc I can tell from your statement of "one minute per panel space" that you put quantity in front of quality.

No, I want you to do a good job. I just don't want you to take forever doing it.

Check back in 10 years.

 

[izak]

what will be different in 10 years marc?

 

[izak]

i had never really thought about it, but this forum is really a contractor's forum more than anything...

 

[izak]

kindof a retarded statement since I DID post in the Contracting and Estimating/Management area....

Owell....

 

[HighWirey]

i had never really thought about it, but this forum is really a contractor's forum more than anything...

Looks like a good mix here, to me.

Best Wishes Everyone

 

[brian john]

A thought on tywraping conductors in panels.

Make it a royal pain to trouble shoot.
Gives us something to IR during a scan, tightly packed conductors especially if the center of the bundle is the higher current carrying conductors.

 

[BryanMD]

profit is not a dirty word.

izak: aside from theory, just about everything else in this work is *directly* related to making a profit from the exercise. If your boss isn't concerned about that, I'd suggest you start making contacts for your soon to be next employer cause this one won't be around very long.

The flip side of that is if you want to grow as an employee of an electrician or ever become one yourself, you'll need to look at material and technique *choices* from the standpoint of earning that profit.

 

[bikeindy]

If I had a guy take 4 hours to make up a panel I think it had better be the first panel he ever did. I wonder do you fold all your wires so nice in each receptacle box with little wire ties on them? Maybe in can light boxes as well. I don't see how all the wire ties and nice 90 degree bends makes it a better quality job electricity flows just as well through a 84 degree bend and less heat is produced if there is no bundling. AS for trouble shooting wait a while till you have more experience and you will find out what everyone is talking about.

 

[quogueelectric]

I would expect without horsing around an long walking distances involved that that panel be dressed at that nice level (Nice job mine look like its twin brother)
First let it be said that I have over 35 yrs experience and secondly I ALLWAYS label all conductors except grounds.
In about 2 hrs. With that said let me also say that I see 38 circuits and only 15 neutrals.
I dont see any 2 or 3 pole breakers on your multiwire branch circuits.

 

[iwire]

marc I can tell from your statement of "one minute per panel space" that you put quantity in front of quality.

The fact that one panel is 'prettier' then another is no indication of a quality job.

I value Quality above ALL and while im doing it as best I can, it is always at the front of my mind to get it done as fast as i can without sacrificing quality.

Thats great when it's your dime.

The president of the company i work for told me a couple days ago that if it costs one dollar to do it right the first time, it will cost 10 dollars to fix it if it wasnt done right.

I agree with that, it always cost more to go back.

But I can guarantee Marc does not have to go back and 'fix' a panel make up.

usually when I get done I sign my name in a panel. As well as the company's name.

That just tells me you think that you are an artist and I have no place for artists on a construction crew.

 

[iwire]

izak, just so you don't think I make up ugly panels

Now I know these panels are not that loaded, but I think they give a view of how I do it. Fairly neat but not anal.

 

[bikeindy]

just so there is no confusion on what I expect from my guys.

Before

After

It is as nice as it needs to be as a replacement. This took him 3.5 hrs from start to finish.

Here is a wonderful example of what not having quality is about, I don't know the hack that did this but needless to say the homeowner didn't save a buck.

so we fixed it. AND

 

[jrannis]

hey I would like to get some input on how different contractors figure time for panel trimout/makeup.

how long do you expect it to take someone to make up a panel (assuming it is full)


does quality matter very much, or do you just want it done?


and the burning question behind this post:
how long would you allow for these panels posted as pics?

Very nice.
But, Im not a big fan of pulling solid wire in EMT or using lots of ty-wraps in the panel

 

[bikeindy]

couldn't finish editing my post... in the last pic we did replace the breakers that didn't belong shortly after that pic was taken... didn't have the breakers in the van at the time.

 

[iwire]

just so there is no confusion on what I expect from my guys.

Great pics and IMO the way the finished product should look.

IMO if it looked like all the conductors where put in with an iron it indicates a waste of time with no added value to the customer.

 

[iaov]

Like Bob said said ,"neat but not anal". My panels are a bit neater than some shown, but not as "industrial" in appearence as the OP's. I also don't like the bundling. Let those conductors breath!!:smile:

 

[brian john]

Bob's panel is not quite as neat as I like here is an example of a panel I tied in.

I would have taken a picture of the complete panel but this is an educational photo on how to connect neutrals.

 

[realolman]

The OP's panels couldn't be better looking as far as neatness goes.

I know that you need some ty-raps here and there, but I don't like any more than is absolutely necessary. It does seem that there would have to be some sort of heat retention in the center of that bundle, and I just don't see any reason it needs to be that neat.

Back when I was working for a contractor in a factory, I thought the local electricians didn't know anything, putting boxes everywhere.

Having moved to the other side of the factory wall, I know that I will be much happier if you install lots of j- boxes, long wires, and few ty-raps, because I'm gonna have to trace stuff, take amp readings, and move stuff around constantly.

I am sure the facility in which the stuff is installed makes a difference, but I think one should, whenever possible, leave generously more than enough length of wire than is necessary to hook up . You can route it so that it looks nice... and always try to leave some place to put a clamp-on ampmeter.

Once the lid is on, they're all gonna look the same.:smile:

 

[dwellselectric]

Very nice make up but one question. I see the panel is finished but why are there unused connectors in the front?

 

[ohm]

Has anyone actually seen a temperature problem in a residence due to bundling? How far apart should NM cables be? Ever work the formula the Code has for "Engineered Solutions?