Replacing Zinsco panels

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Originally Posted By: OilFilters
Originally Posted By: jhellwig
Originally Posted By: OilFilters
So glad I can do this stuff myself. Heck, I do it for fun. IMO electricians are overpaid...


Right.....this sound like a comment from a “it’s only 120volt” kind of guy.


You have no idea what you are talking about. You haven't got the slightest clue what I know or what my background is. *sigh*

Changing a panel is easy...and HUGE profit for an electrician. If you are the homeowner no reason you can't get permits for it.

I've installed dozens of them. Legally, I might add.


I am a licensed master electrician. What are you?
 
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Originally Posted By: jhellwig
I am a licensed master electrician. What are you?


Not relevant. You don't have to be a "master electrician" to install a simple panel. It's not a difficult job, and it's a huge profit margin for the electrician. There is a reason Home Depot has an entire aisle dedicated to them where mostly DIYers shop.

I can't stand so called "professionals" that think they are the only ones capable of doing what they do...
 
Originally Posted By: OilFilters
Originally Posted By: jhellwig
I am a licensed master electrician. What are you?


Not relevant. You don't have to be a "master electrician" to install a simple panel. It's not a difficult job, and it's a huge profit margin for the electrician. There is a reason Home Depot has an entire aisle dedicated to them where mostly DIYers shop.

I can't stand so called "professionals" that think they are the only ones capable of doing what they do...


At the same time plenty of fires, hack jobs, hazards, and handy man work out there by DIY. Work can be performed DIY however understanding relevant codes, experience and also acceptability of DIY work vs licensed professional due to local codes matters.

My entire electrical panels(3) was reworked for over $2000 on previous owner(hacker) dime as condition of sale because it was a plain hazard.
 
Originally Posted By: madRiver
At the same time plenty of fires, hack jobs, hazards, and handy man work out there by DIY.


Same can be said about cars. Electricians charge WAYYYYYY more than mechanics for easier work. Do we need to start enforcing codes and permits for car repairs?

In most areas of the country a homeowner can get a permit to replace a panel - WITH AN INSPECTION...that prevents the hack jobs. It's the idiots that don't know what they are doing and don't get a permit that cause problems.

Originally Posted By: madRiver
My entire electrical panels(3) was reworked for over $2000 on previous owner(hacker) dime as condition of sale because it was a plain hazard.

My guess without knowing all the details is that would be at most a few hundred dollars in parts and two days of work. Pretty good payday for the electrician!

Yes, if you don't know how to do it you shouldn't be doing it...I never said anybody should. All I said is electricians are overpaid for an easy job that doesn't require a college degree.
 
So I got the formal estimate last night and it was a bit higher, but was pretty complete and included things I didn't think of like driving in new grounding poles. We gave him the go ahead for the project.

I appreciate all the insight. I am completely able to do electrical work, I have built a couple harnesses for friends racecars, but when it comes to my house, I defer to a professional.
 
Originally Posted By: OilFilters
Originally Posted By: jhellwig
I am a licensed master electrician. What are you?


Not relevant. You don't have to be a "master electrician" to install a simple panel. It's not a difficult job, and it's a huge profit margin for the electrician. There is a reason Home Depot has an entire aisle dedicated to them where mostly DIYers shop.

I can't stand so called "professionals" that think they are the only ones capable of doing what they do...


edit...never mind. You aren’t worth the rant.
 
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Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
So I got the formal estimate last night and it was a bit higher, but was pretty complete and included things I didn't think of like driving in new grounding poles. We gave him the go ahead for the project.

I appreciate all the insight. I am completely able to do electrical work, I have built a couple harnesses for friends racecars, but when it comes to my house, I defer to a professional.


Good. Now if anything goes wrong you have some backing to get it straightend out.
 
As an update, we are still in a holding pattern. Southern California Edison is dragging their feet on setting up a time to come out and do the survey for the underground supply. We knew there would be a 4-5 week wait, but now they are saying around 8 weeks due to the Montecito Mudslide cleanup. Our electrician has offered to try to go up the chain of command there for us, which is really nice but we have been busy making 3x3' around every switch and outlet possible.
 
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Edison came with my electrician this morning and approved everything. Apparently they don't have to trench which means at some point 200A service was laid up to the meter. That means we don't have to trench which will save a decent amount of money.

The electrician is going to come out either tomorrow or Thursday and do the main panel. Then do everything else probably at some point next week. Stoked the finally get this all moving.
 



They came out today to do prep work for replacing the outside panel. I was at work all day, but my mom was home and said it was ungodly loud. However the workers were extremely nice to her and any questions they had they were patient while she texted me at work. I think they are coming back Friday to swap the panels.
 
Cutting stucco usually is noisy! So weird to see how they used to use MC in residential installs.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Cutting stucco usually is noisy! So weird to see how they used to use MC in residential installs.


The estimate includes fixing the stucco and making everything look normal again. We still have some paint from when the house was painted if they need it. I think the loudest part was them driving in new grounding rods. They broke a pipe my grandpa laid for the sprinkler system. We haven't used the sprinklers in probably 3 years because of the drought, but they already fixed it.

Also one of the guys was crawling around in the attic space above the garage and his knee went through, they are taking care of fixing the drop ceiling even though I would have assumed it was already there. I am convinced there is a water leak somewhere around there because when I use the bathroom right there I hear water dripping from the bathroom over that one. However they didn't mention anything and I would think an electrician would at least let me know.
 
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