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Okay, so this is a rant, of sorts.
A few years ago the pastor of my church paid a professional electrician $5,000 to do a bunch of work. I'm now going around fixing what he did. He connected three rooms together that are all heavy draws, they've been popping the breaker regularly during the winter. At the same time he has another breaker that has only two outlets (used for desk lamps) and a 75w ceiling light on it. Guess where one of those three rooms is going.
Next, he was supposed to extend a 3-phase outlet used for a steamer from the kitchen to the hall. He ran the wire. 12 gauge wire. This is to power a 4,000w steamer. The original outlet used 10 gauge. This is job 2, replace the 12g with 10g.
He also ran two new outlets in the storage room, at least he was supposed to run them. The wires are there, with power, just hanging in the outlet box with a cap on the black wires.
He doesn't return calls, in fact his phone line is now disconnected. Professional???
Okay, rant over. Thanks for listening.
Mike
I work on the 50-50-90 rule: If there's a 50-50 choice, I'll pick the wrong one 90% of the time! 
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(02-22-2019, 03:46 PM)Scouter Wrote: Okay, so this is a rant, of sorts.
A few years ago the pastor of my church paid a professional electrician $5,000 to do a bunch of work. I'm now going around fixing what he did. He connected three rooms together that are all heavy draws, they've been popping the breaker regularly during the winter. At the same time he has another breaker that has only two outlets (used for desk lamps) and a 75w ceiling light on it. Guess where one of those three rooms is going.
Next, he was supposed to extend a 3-phase outlet used for a steamer from the kitchen to the hall. He ran the wire. 12 gauge wire. This is to power a 4,000w steamer. The original outlet used 10 gauge. This is job 2, replace the 12g with 10g.
He also ran two new outlets in the storage room, at least he was supposed to run them. The wires are there, with power, just hanging in the outlet box with a cap on the black wires.
He doesn't return calls, in fact his phone line is now disconnected. Professional???
Okay, rant over. Thanks for listening.
3 phase 208 V will only draw about 11 amps for 4000 watts, less at higher voltages. 12 gage would be fine. I'm not suggesting his work was adequate, but his choice of wire seems OK for that application.
John
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(02-22-2019, 05:27 PM)jteneyck Wrote: 3 phase 208 V will only draw about 11 amps for 4000 watts, less at higher voltages. 12 gage would be fine. I'm not suggesting his work was adequate, but his choice of wire seems OK for that application.
John
Ran it by a local guy I trust, he puts the draw at 19.
Mike
I work on the 50-50-90 rule: If there's a 50-50 choice, I'll pick the wrong one 90% of the time!
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02-22-2019, 06:37 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-22-2019, 06:39 PM by carwashguy.)
(02-22-2019, 05:54 PM)Scouter Wrote: Ran it by a local guy I trust, he puts the draw at 19. Looks like he calculated for 208 but not 3 phase. correct answer is 11.11 amps.
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Regardless of the 3 phase, that guy sounds like some of the contractors from my area.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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"He doesn't return calls, in fact his phone line is now disconnected."
No- That wasn't a professional.
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really depends on the capacity of the breaker though, don't want the wire to protect the breaker from blowing
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Ditto. 4kW/208V = 19.23A. When it’s three-phase, you also divide by the square root of 3, so 19.23A/1.73 = 11.12A. Less if it’s 240V, but I’d be surprised if it is. What the sparky did was fine.
Tom
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(02-23-2019, 10:07 AM)daddo Wrote: "He doesn't return calls, in fact his phone line is now disconnected."
No- That wasn't a professional.
Actually it probably was and he has now changed the name and numbers of his company as many of the shadier contractors do to avoid call backs/lawsuits. Professional in that he does that for a living, has nothing to do with the quality of his work.
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Having worked as an electrician for 44 years I have seen just about everything. I have worked as an apprentice, journeyman, foreman, general foreman, super, estimator and project manager. I have had customers tell me what they want and they were usually on the money. Some customers tell you one thing and want something else and expect you to pony up for the difference. Three offices on a circuit is not unusual, were electric heaters discussed because that changes things. The contractor can only go by the drawings and specs or what the customer says they want. Most contractors put things in per code, they are liable if not. Code and opinions are two different things.
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