neglected TT,our home for awhile (w/blackwater problem)

[working on it]

The diagram of the electrical requirements looks different from what I've seen in the NEC code. Is it a local power utility requirement?

• The diagram I had posted isn't the local service company's code, but one I had on my pc. I thought most codes were the same, but my local company's is always a bit different, I hear. Here's a page out of their guideline pdf file:

• 

  Oncor service mast requirements.JPG (194.15 KiB) Viewed 1260 times

  I hope my contractor used the right materials!
• My real concern is three-fold:
• 1) He put the service mast too close to a tree, so the service input line will pass within inches of the trunk. If the tree must go, that's gonna be tough, since the house is now in the way...another $1000+ for the tree guys.
• 2) Now that I looked over the drawing again, there are other differences from the requirements...maybe it'll pass, maybe not. Items 2,6, and 7 haven't been done. Hope I can get him back before Tuesday, to fix them, or I'll have to.
• 3) The guideline book says "all manufactured or mobile homes" must use a free-standing service pole, not a wall-mounted one. We wanted to get away from the pole, after ours rotted and started to fall earlier this year, so we asked if the normal wall mount was OK, in several phone calls to Oncor, describing in explicit terms that we had a "double-wide manufactured home". No one had a problem with that, but the guidelines show several pre-requisites must be met, that we have no paperwork to prove. So, we're at the mercy of the guys from Oncor that come out next Tuesday. On a side note: there are at least three houses (manufactured, mobile homes) much like ours, but years older, located nearby, that have wall-mounted service masts, not poles. And our contractor insists that that rule is only for RV-type mobile homes, never meant to be "rooted" in one location, nor have anything attached to the wall. I'm at the mercy of strangers here, and my time and money are flying fast from my life...I need a break soon, or I'll just give out. If it goes right, it was good luck. If it goes wrong, it's my fault. This has been as bad, or worse, than the job pressures that drove me into retirement, before I had planned.

[working on it]

...I hope my contractor used the right materials![*]My real concern is three-fold:[*] 1) He put the service mast too close to a tree, so the service input line will pass within inches of the trunk. If the tree must go, that's gonna be tough, since the house is now in the way...another $1000+ for the tree guys.[*] 2) Now that I looked over the drawing again, there are other differences from the requirements...maybe it'll pass, maybe not. Items 2,6, and 7 haven't been done. Hope I can get him back before Tuesday, to fix them, or I'll have to.[*] 3) The guideline book says "all manufactured or mobile homes" must use a free-standing service pole, not a wall-mounted one. We wanted to get away from the pole, after ours rotted and started to fall earlier this year, so we asked if the normal wall mount was OK, in several phone calls to Oncor, describing in explicit terms that we had a "double-wide manufactured home". No one had a problem with that, but the guidelines show several pre-requisites must be met, that we have no paperwork to prove. So, we're at the mercy of the guys from Oncor that come out next Tuesday. On a side note: there are at least three houses (manufactured, mobile homes) much like ours, but years older, located nearby, that have wall-mounted service masts, not poles. And our contractor insists that that rule is only for RV-type mobile homes, never meant to be "rooted" in one location, nor have anything attached to the wall. I'm at the mercy of strangers here, and my time and money are flying fast from my life...I need a break soon, or I'll just give out. If it goes right, it was good luck. If it goes wrong, it's my fault. This has been as bad, or worse, than the job pressures that drove me into retirement, before I had planned.[/list]

• My contractor didn't return this morning, as he had promised, to rectify the electrical pole shortcomings, or at least to fix some other, more minor problems. He didn't even answer my calls or texts, so I left a voicemail complimenting his efforts, such as they were, because he was the only one willing to take them all on, when we really needed help, ASAP, but saying that his electrical knowledge wasn't up to code on the power situation, and that I'll go another direction on that. He was going to install gutters, but I guess that's off the schedule now...too bad, I liked the kid.
• Once again, our electrical engineer neighbor comes to the rescue. He has already sourced the parts needed to rectify the errors of the contractor, besides those I bought yesterday, and we'll get'r done tomorrow. He's going to consult with his company's certified electrician, just to see if everything will meet the Oncor code, but he did his own install last year, without a hitch, so I think I'm in good hands, now. We only have a couple of weeks before the deadline for acceptance testing passes; we need everything tested, including the not-yet-installed HVAC outside unit, if we're going to get the factory to fix anything. The clock's ticking....
• Pictures:

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  power service entrance upgrades in progress.png (915.3 KiB) Viewed 1209 times

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  problems to fix.png (760.87 KiB) Viewed 1209 times

• 

  filling-in the topsoil surrounding the retaining wall & patio.png (747.46 KiB) Viewed 1209 times

[working on it]

• Today, I built a ramp to move some heavy items into the new house. I only moved a few things, because my wife had a crew of her co-workers )that move things as a part of their normal job) come out to move the really heavy stuff in rental Pod #2. Now empty, we can let the Packrat Pod people come pick it up, so we don't have that expense. We're keeping Pod #1 for another month, giving us time to move more heavy stuff in from my garage, before we bring in all the boxes of clothes, housewares, and of course, my wife's collectibles and books from Pod #1. We probably won't be inside and unpacked completely for another month.
• I used a ramp kit from Northern Tool (also offered by Amazon) that we ordered last week, anticipating today's need for a ramp to load heavy items thru the sliding door. I was too busy to take a picture of it in place, before we stowed it in the garage a few minutes ago, but it worked great, despite my problems assembling it this morning. If I had followed the included plans, and made it a folding ramp as designed, there wouldn't have been any problems. But, we decided yesterday to not make it a folder, but use one solid piece of 3/4" plywood, 72" x 32", instead of cutting that in half, lengthwise. We didn't want a gap in the middle, and the kit wasn't designed for a gap-less fit. After I inletted the plywood to allow for the folding hinge to fit a one-piece board, it went together OK (of course, all my wood tools are buried in the back of the garage, so I used a drillbit and my pocket knife to cut the notches).

• 

  West ramp from Northern Tool.JPG (61 KiB) Viewed 1175 times

  works great, but probably easier to build if I followed the instructions
• The EE neighbor texted me earlier that he had consulted his certified electrician co-worker, and that his plan to complete my new house's electrical service connection is valid. So, he will purchase the parts needed after work, and we'll begin work tonight, if the cold front and rain hold off for awhile. We can hardly wait to get the power up, so we can get the lights, heat, and air conditioning all up and running, and move into the house, and out of this cramped 20-ft travel trailer. It was OK for a short-term stay, even with two birdcages on top of the stove and sink (no cooking, limited sink use), and seven dogs (sadly, now only five left) underfoot. We might just be in the house before Thanksgiving, though with not all the furniture in, or belongings arranged, until later.
• One of the pictures I posted yesterday showed the rear door from the utility/laundry room, with the temporary steps we made Saturday/Sunday. It also shows the septic tank filler pipe, now a larger 4" diameter (the original was 3', with a 2" pipe inside it ????), and the access/clean-out pipe that I had the contractor tee into it (I'll cover it with a protective/decorative over; perhaps a fake fire hydrant for the dogs!). It took me awhile to fill in the holes left by the various contractors, especially since I had to carry it all, one shovel at a time, from the front yard (what used to be a yard), since I thought I could do it without a wheelbarrow. Over two hundred trips (at 75 feet each way), I have the septic area covered, and it made a decent surface to place the temp steps on. Plus, we brought the entire contents of the pod in over that area, so it needed to be done quickly. But, before I level the other side, I'm converting our utility wagon into a four-wheeled barrow, just to save my knees...that was a lot of walking.

• 

  working on the rear (utility room) door steps & area.png (803.37 KiB) Viewed 1175 times

PS...After using the small wagon all morning, moving boxes into the house from the other pod, I decided it wasn't up to the job of transporting sand/dirt/concrete materials, so I bought a 6 cubic foot wheelbarrow with a flat-free tire, already assembled, from Home Depot. I'm sure it will work out better, in the long run.

[working on it]

• A partially good day. Good: emptied half of the remaining pod, but difficult to put away, since the major furniture for half the rooms is still in the garage or the large shed. Good: except for the electrical mast stand-offs, the service entrance panels are ready (I also need to re-do the flimsy support strapping, holding up the under-house conduit, with good metal strap, instead of the plastic strapping). The Bad: two faucet feed lines, under the master bath sink, are leaking. My wife tried tightening them, twice, and the leak got worse. I reversed them, and the leaks reversed ends (they have the same 1/2" FIP fittings on either end). So, I bought a different brand of flexible feed lines, while at HD, and added local shut-off valves to each, and both leaked worse. Then, using Teflon tape (some say to use it on plastic FIP fittings, some do not), and one stopped leaking, while the other still dripped. We texted the house manufacturer, as we were informed to do, in case of any electrical or water problems. No response, after 24 hours.
• So, after I complete the electrical details tomorrow, I'll go buy some liquid, non-hardening, pipe dope, to better seal the plastic FIP threads. And, after the walkthrough/acceptance/factory repair deadline has passed, I'll cut off the cheap plastic FIP fittings from the PEX supply risers, and use Sharkbite quick disconnecting fittings under every sink and toilet, with quarter-turn shut-off valves installed. Not all at once, but as needed, like I had done on the old house. They fixed all visible leaks there (not the under-floor line breaks I never could repair), and I trust them.
• As a side note: had several incidences of vertigo today, where everything started spinning. I had a slight case of it last night, just as I was going to bed, and upon rising this morning, it was worse. Eventually, it faded away about three hours later, but it was weird. It must be associated with my developing cold, aggravating my sinuses, after getting soaked/frozen in a driving rain Wednesday, while waiting out front for a microwave delivery, scheduled for 8 am (they were late, came at 8:20). Or maybe it was because I took some Melatonin sleeping aids, three instead of my usual two; a chemical cause for the symptom?? much like every time I get an allergy shot, I hiccup a lot for three days afterwards. Who knows?

[Padilen]

Vertigo is the worst.
Hope it clears up and you get better.
You've got a lot done!

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[working on it]

Vertigo is the worst.
Hope it clears up and you get better....

• I had it most of the day, and at times, it was even worse. I even stumbled a few times, but found that if I stopped and tilted my head to the left (the side with the earache I've had for three days, also), it would get better immediately, if not completely. My wife had to drive me to Home Depot, to get some more electrical and plumbing parts; I didn't trust myself to drive, with the condition. Then, at home, she went up on the ladder to attach some mast clamps, while I did the work on the ground. I guess it's time to admit I'm getting old, and eventually, my 14 years younger wife may become more able than I to do some things.
• Though the former contractor wrapped the exposed pipes under the house (no skirting has been done, yet), it was done so poorly that we did it over, better, and more completely (again, my wife did 90% today, and I just helped). And, though I bought the non-hardening pipe sealant I wanted (I think it will seal the imperfect match of cheap PVC fittings that are not mating properly), I just didn't feel up to spending time under the sink to attempt (for the third time) to stop the leaks. Maybe tomorrow, if the vertigo lessens.
• I told my wife back in August and September, when I was working outside in the heat, pulling out bushes and removing fences, then trees, that this project was liable to kill me...looks like I may be (partially) right; I'm not taking any medication (Benedryl, Melatonin) tonight, to see if that changes my "vertiginous" condition. I take no prescription meds, so there isn't a chemical cause for it, unless the OTC sleep meds are suddenly causing me problems.

[working on it]

Vertigo is the worst.
Hope it clears up and you get better....

...And, though I bought the non-hardening pipe sealant I wanted (I think it will seal the imperfect match of cheap PVC fittings that are not mating properly), I just didn't feel up to spending time under the sink to attempt (for the third time) to stop the leaks. Maybe tomorrow, if the vertigo lessens.

• Either the vertigo is receding, or I'm learning (subconsciously, intuitively) to avoid triggering it, I have only felt a twinge or two of it today. My head just feels "buzzy", a weird feeling like I'm partially underwater???, with an earache to boot. Still, much better than before.
• So, despite it raining a bit, I went under the sink with the pipe dope, and sealed the leak that remained after using Teflon tape, earlier. Then, I returned to the meter box, and turned on the water, again, a bit at a time. After my wife confirmed that the leak had stopped, via cellphone, I turned the pressure all the way up. Barely a trickle came from either side of the faucet (either supply side, on a single spout faucet). Strange, very strange. We turned on the other faucets in the house, sinks and showers, and the two toilets (by flushing them), and I also tested the hot water pressure release (not hot yet...no electricity), and the showers and toilets had normal pressure, as did the heater, but the kitchen sink and the secondary bathroom faucet, just slightly less (but adequate). Only the master bathroom sink had barely a trickle. I have used Teflon tape for years, and pipe dope too, so I didn't block the flow of the sink lines, if that's what you're thinking! In addition, the two outside spigots are flowing with great force, so if we still have the pressure that was present with the old house, so why are the various faucets/showers/toilets/spigots all running at such different flow rates? There are no visible cut-off valves, or flow restrictors anywhere to explain this.
• I still haven't heard back from the house manufacturer, nor will the fired contractor who tied in the new waterlines return my calls (but I watched him hook it up, and no valves were present). Only the water heater has a shut-off, as is normal. I'm stumped. But, tomorrow I will remove the now-leak-free hoses, and test their output, and see if either/both are plugged internally (as supplied by the mfg). That would also explain why they alone leaked (I will try to blow air thru the faucet, to see if there is an internal restriction, but my 20+year-old compressor won't start and I'll have to get another to replace it). Problems after problems, money down the rabbit hole...neverending.

[Padilen]

My mom's TT kitchen faucet does that. Not all the time but if you over tighten it shutting off or something you get a trickle.
I had an issue the other day. My well sucks all my Wells have sucked. This one about 12 years old has sucked the day it was drilled. Guy knew he screwed up- didn't go deep enough. So it sucks sand. I have a filter and change it , dump the sand and I'm good right. Until I took a cold shower that night. I have an outdoor boiler for heat and domestic hot water. But units are both propane fired when boiler is not in use. So I check the obvious water temp @boiler fine. Pump seems to be working. It's been very cold and heat isn't cycling overly often. So I grabbed my hot water line from heater to hot water tank. Cold, heater is hot. Decided to turn on gas and get temp up and see if that "bump starts" my boiler unit. Nope that didn't work. So while I wondered if it was an air pocket I couldn't figure how it could not have worked it's way out in 2 days. Bugged me enough that I started tapping on it and lines. Opened/closed some valves and drained some water off. Was late and I went to bed.I got up this morning and had hot water, with a big rush of air.

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[working on it]

After my wife confirmed that the leak had stopped, via cellphone, I turned the pressure all the way up. Barely a trickle came from either side of the faucet (either supply side, on a single spout faucet). Strange, very strange. We turned on the other faucets in the house, sinks and showers, and the two toilets (by flushing them), and I also tested the hot water pressure release (not hot yet...no electricity), and the showers and toilets had normal pressure, as did the heater, but the kitchen sink and the secondary bathroom faucet, just slightly less (but adequate). Only the master bathroom sink had barely a trickle.

My mom's TT kitchen faucet does that. Not all the time but if you over tighten it shutting off or something you get a trickle....

• Though we're currently living in a TT, the new house is 1400 square feet, and built to a different design than a TT. It uses some RV-type parts, but for the main part, the fixtures and exterior are more stick-built home-type, but of lighter weight. The flooring is plywood, not OSB, and the siding (and skirting to follow) are of LP Smart Siding (a Hardie board competitor).
• Even so, I will check out the faucet's inner workings, either tomorrow or Tuesday (the electricity is scheduled for hook-up tomorrow; I hope it goes without any more delays or expense). If it is the faucet fixture itself, at fault, I will gladly replace it with another, and not so gently place it on the unresponsive customer service rep's desk, in person.

[Socal Tom]

Check to little aerator/screen in the faucet. All the work on the plumbing probably loosened up some crud that just plugged it up a little.
Tom


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[working on it]

Check to little aerator/screen in the faucet. All the work on the plumbing probably loosened up some crud that just plugged it up a little.
Tom

Simple fix, not usual in my experience, at least lately. Yep, that was the problem with the blocked flow (initially, the lines were leaking, but that was another problem). Anyway, thanks to Padilen for the suggestion that the faucet itself was a problem, and especially to you, Tom, for hitting the nail on the head! There was grit plugging some sort of aerator/flow restrictor inside the screw-on filter. The operative hole in that piece was almost completely plugged by sand, and some black grit. I completely removed that aerator piece (because I couldn't get the black Plastic? grit out of the hole), and it runs fine, now. I guess I'll inspect all the other faucet filters for more grit. Thanks!

[Socal Tom]

You are welcome, anytime I turn off the water to the house and restart it this happens to me.
Tom


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[working on it]

• The saga continues, today on a good note. We have water, and electricity, both working in one day (not the usual week+1/2 of every step before). The simple fixes for the water this morning, followed by Oncor sub-contractors running a new cable from the common pole shared by me and my EE neighbor, in under an hour. So, by noon, we had nearly everything ready for occupancy.
• I got the water heater set and running, the furnace going and outlet vents opened, the smoke detectors set, stove and refrigerator plugged in and programmed, and proceeded to have a late breakfast, in the new house (first cooked meal at home in 6 weeks...English muffins w/eggs & cheese). After that, I restored power to the trailer and garage (cut when the new house was powered-up), so I & the pets can still reside there until the house is dog-ready. They will only have "unlimited" access to the utility room, kitchen, dining room, hall, and my "exile" room (my office/dayroom), all with vinyl flooring. The master bedroom, spare bedroom, and my wife's office are carpeted, so dogs are invited in or not at all. The living room, also with vinyl flooring, will be dog-free, and for guest/family visits, but we put vinyl in, just in case the dogs crash thru the barrier (doggy/baby gate). We have unopened boxes everywhere, tools and un-assembled furniture (both new and some taken apart for moving), and no barriers up yet, so the dogs aren't going in, yet.
• I switched the water for the trailer from our neighbor's house to our supply, and ran a 12 gauge extension cord from an exterior GFCI outlet on the new house to our garage, for powering the wireless router and old refrigerator (holding most of the food from the old house) located there, and with enough power left over to keep the lights/fan/converter going in the trailer, for the immediate future (there's not enough amperage to power the 13.5k btu A/C, but I don't think I'll need it). Once the food is moved to the new fridge, and AT&T moves our router to the house (we're going cellphone and wifi only, no phone landline or TV from now on), then I will have enough amps to also charge my trucks' batteries. Perhaps this weekend, our neighbor can put in a 60 amp breaker in the new exterior box, so I can get the garage hooked back up (we didn't do it prior to the utility co. visit, because it will probably not be up to code, using hidden/buried cable w/o conduit. It worked for 44 years, so why change?). After the inspection, then the garage can be up and running again (I have no lights there, nor does the opener have any power).
• I'll tell you this, those people who actually plan to live in a tiny house, or are already doing so, are a special breed. Lots of conveniences must be forsaken, and losing the simple comforts, like having room for just stretching out, are a trial for an old guy like me, very set in my ways. A dog-lover, my temper has flared up at my pets for simply being underfoot at night or in bad weather. I'm sure tiny houses, or even larger cargo conversions, are probably planned by each owner/builder for their specific needs and desires, and are better suited for their circumstances than our impromptu move into our 20-ft TT. Our trailer was never designed for this, nor were we able to achieve adequate cleanliness, "sanitizing" after so many pets in such a small space, surrounded by the dirt of a construction site (even when things were normal, before, the super-sandy conditions made cleaning very difficult).
• The finish line is visible now, so I don't feel as overwhelmed as I did just awhile earlier. I always liked gradual changes, and the past 3+ months has thrown too many changes at me for my liking. But, as they say, it's all good.

[Padilen]

Sounds like Thanksgiving is happening in new house!

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[aggie79]

Congrats on the successful utility swap-overs! And enjoy your new home!

I agree about the whole tiny house thing. My wife and I are loners and although we enjoy each other's company we need our own space. Our home is pretty small - 1300 s.f. - compared to what they're building nowadays - and sometimes that is not large enough for "breathing room". There is no way we could do the tiny house gig.