Question on side job

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beachbumjeremy

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To start, I am a second year apprentice, and I do small side jobs from time to time. My friends house has a problem with flickering lights when the stove is on. It's a 200 amp service, and the stove is on it's on 50 amp circuit, with 8awg. I checked the panel, and the service lateral to the meter from sdg&e is 2awg, which is rated for 125amp. From the meter is 2/0
It seems to me that the service conductors are the problem, but I want to know a few things.
Who's responsibility are the service conductors? Is SDG&E required to pull new conductors. Is there anything else that you think it oculd be?
Also someone told me there is a transformer you can put into a panel to boost the amperage, but I've never heard of this. Is this common?
Anything ideas?
Thanks
 
Re: Question on side job

Jeremy, welcome to the forum.

You should not be doing side jobs (especially of this nature) unless you are licensed and insured and the jobs are permitted and inspected, is this the case here?

The lateral may very well be the problem, but it is not uncommon to see some dimming when heavy loads come on.

If it's extreme, then the POCO should be called to investigate their side.

Roger

[ November 26, 2005, 05:50 PM: Message edited by: roger ]
 
Re: Question on side job

Very doubtful the size of service conductors are causing the lights to 'flicker'.

Besides that the power company does not use table 310.16 to size their conductors.

Flickering is usually an indication of loose connections.

Undersized conductors will cause lamps to dim as load on the conductors increases and the lamps will not brighten again until the load decreases.
 
Re: Question on side job

The flickering only happens when the stove is turned on, and it is a flickering, not a diming. Tje lights were run with 12awg and the stove with 8awg. So there should be change in the load on the lighting circuit conductors when the stove is turned on.
Is there any resources as to the guidelines that the power company is required to follow?
As to the transformer in the panel, have you heard of soemthing like that?

Roger---I do not do work that I am not capable of doing. When I come to a situation that I feel uncomfortable or that I don't have sufficent knowledge to complete, I don't do it. However, problems like these help so much with learning, becasue the guidlines for what we learn in school teach us nothing about trouble shooting.
 
Re: Question on side job

Check the bus bar and the breaker for the range.Either one or both might be showing arc marks.Also tighten all the connections.Check the range plug and cord as well.Please be carefull doing side jobs.While you are friends now if something goes wrong this might change.Working without insurance and licensing could land you doing time.
 
Re: Question on side job

Originally posted by beachbumjeremy: I do not do work that I am not capable of doing.
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How many of us are really capable of recognizing that which we are not capable of doing? The more we have done, the better we get at recognizing our limitations. That is why there is a difference between being licensed to work independently and licensed to work under the supervision of another.

Welcome to the Forum. This is one place where we all can learn from each other.
 
Re: Question on side job

i know of no transformer that can be put in a panel to boost the amperage.

electric utilites engineer their wire sizes, lenghts and such. equipment under the control of a utility, used for distribution of power is not covered in the nec.
 
Re: Question on side job

As long as jobs remain under $500, licensing and insurance is not required, but I will pay careful attention to the warnings.

Is there a reference anyone knows of for arc protection, I'd like to read up more on that, and I'm still new to the site
 
Re: Question on side job

Originally posted by beachbumjeremy:
As long as jobs remain under $500, licensing and insurance is not required,
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in my state anyone who takes any money for doing electric work is required to be licenced.

A homeowner doing work in his own home, who is not renting any part of that home to any kind of tennant, can legally do his own work, but he better call his insurance company first. They are not required to cover damage caused by a fault in the work that is done.
 
Re: Question on side job

Beach bum where does this $500.00 limit come from?In 32 years I have never heard of a $$ limit on someones life limited to $500.00.That is why there are licences,required insurance (that includes jobs under $500.00)
I think my life is worth at least $501.00 :D
 
Re: Question on side job

In California a contractors license is required for any job where the material and labor cost exceeds $500. There are no insurance requirements except for workers compensation if you have employees.

Beachbumjeremy, you should contact the utility and they will probably be willing to investigate the problem. The utility in my area (PG&E) will install a chart recorder to monitor the voltage if no obvious problem can be found.
 
Re: Question on side job

I can see how easy this could be misused.Rewire bathroom $499.Same house same day,wire and install ceiling in 3 bedrooms $450.Install dryer outlet $235. Could just write seperate bills and treat them as seperate jobs.Intire house could get rewired using this $500 limit.
 
Re: Question on side job

Originally posted by curt swartz:
In California a contractors license is required for any job where the material and labor cost exceeds $500.
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wow, does that include electrical contractors?

i was refering to the home owners insurance, not the contractors liability insureace. in this state, since the contractor is required to have insurance, the insurance company is not required to cover work done by a contractor. or a homeowner if the work is not done correctly.
 
Re: Question on side job

Does anyone no a good information website or a link on this site that will give me more infornation regarding arc fault?
 
Re: Question on side job

Jeremy, are you asking about the NEC AFCI requirements?

Roger
 
Re: Question on side job

Originally posted by jimwalker:
I can see how easy this could be misused.Rewire bathroom $499.Same house same day,wire and install ceiling in 3 bedrooms $450.Install dryer outlet $235. Could just write seperate bills and treat them as seperate jobs.Intire house could get rewired using this $500 limit.
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My thoughts exactly!

Her's another great ruling: In MA, a permit is required for doing jobs "for hire". If you do work a buddy and are truly not getting paid, then permit not required. License, yes; permit, no. An inspector recently brought a contractor to the state board for doing work at a church for which he truly was not getting paid, and the state ruled permit not required. Like some other rules MA has regarding licensing, this was probably not the intent when written, but an interpretation which has since been made.
 
Re: Question on side job

This does not help beachbum but regardless of the size of the job if something goes wrong who pays for the damage or any consequent law suit? That is what the insurance is for. I cannot get angry for a young lad trying to earn a few extra bucks but that is why contractors PAY for the liability insurance to cover such incidents. They are rare but when they happen, life really sucks. In Washington there is a hefty fine for doing work without proper license and insurance, that is, not having a contractors license.

Dan McQuiston
Master Electrician
Washington State
 
Re: Question on side job

Back to the issue at hand...assuming everything has been wired correctly and on separate circuits. Loose connections at the range or range breaker would only cause a voltage drop on the range circuit. Wouldn't it be more likely that there is a loose connection in the service connections causing that whole phase's voltage to drop? I'm just trying think logically and definitely could use some reinforcement from the more knowledgeable guys here :)
 
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