http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65?format=rss Tribe.net. Local Connections http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#463ea083-d438-428f-a42e-88878a3db695 LOCK OUT/TAG OUT! I've got so used to using it at work I always use it at home as well. Even if its just a note and a zip tie, it still keeps things like this from happening. Glad you came out of it ok! Fri, 30 May 2008 20:49:02 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#463ea083-d438-428f-a42e-88878a3db695 Snowlover 2008-05-30T20:49:02Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#4db0d01d-64bd-4b05-9010-7bb576aca518 Kudos on the safty call. Fri, 30 May 2008 14:08:46 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#4db0d01d-64bd-4b05-9010-7bb576aca518 Dan 2008-05-30T14:08:46Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#08956395-8836-40e4-a1e2-9eddcb5241a9 "Always wear leather gloves when working near live circuits." ehhhhhhhhh....... suspect advice. They only decrease dexterity, don't have a gauntlet, enlarge the profile of your hand in tight spaces and don't do shit for any real current looking for that painful path to ground. There are specific rubber, gauntleted gloves made for handling live service lines, rated for voltage. They are also well defined inspection practices for the usage of such gloves : testing for airtightness, inspecting for cracked or worn sheen on the exterior finish, checking that there is stamping and rating visible on the exterior, resistance testing with high ranged ohmmeter etc. >>>"The white wire is never supposed to be hot. If it must be (e.g. 220V using 10-2 romex), tape it. I prefer red, since there is usually already a black wire. The white neutral wire is never supposed to be switched; do not run the neutral wire to a breaker or a switch. If it's actually a hot wire, again, phase it red to mark it as such.">>> To second and add to Sam: Ever come upon 3 way or 4 way switches with a white in the loops hot? All the time. Working on a remodel and coming upon previously done, backwords, crossfed or sloppy work? All the time. Commercial conduits with tons of single thhn lines in a rainbow of colors? all the time. Imported fixtures / appliances with weird colors? all the time. Or ancient cotton insulated or exterior landscape or hippy dippy recycled wire job where everything is black? all the time. I think this is essence of what you were warning about, Sam. But better yet, - as I was taught, in the biz of constantly dealing with somebody else's work - Forget the colors completely - Don't get hung up on them when diagnosing something - Assume nothing. - And don't let anybody's previous mistakes go unrectified - when you let them go they become YOUR mistakes. This goes way, way beyond what the OP is getting into but I couldn't let some dangerous advice go unanswered, namely the glove thing. Fri, 30 May 2008 09:10:15 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#08956395-8836-40e4-a1e2-9eddcb5241a9 grouchosuave 2008-05-30T09:10:15Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#eef44f9f-9971-4595-a871-331aa209f74a Electrical work isn't really hard, you just have to respect it; electricity can kill you right quick if you don't know what you're doing. I humbly offer some electrical safety tips for living to be an old do-it-yourselfer: Always wear leather gloves when working near live circuits. Don't work live. Turn off the breaker whenever you can. Test it before you trust it. Use a voltmeter on the wires before you work on them, even if you just turned off the breaker! Check that the meter is set up properly (e.g. set to measure VOLTS not AMPS -- POP!) on a known source before you use it (e.g. test a known live outlet to see that it reads 120 Volts). When you shut off a breaker to work on a circuit, tape it off with red electrical tape and write on it "WORKING - LEAVE OFF" in Sharpie. Better yet, lock out tag out like the pros do. Give yourself space to work. Code requires roughly a 3 foot cube in front of the equipment you're working on. Most stuff isn't up to code, but make and take all the room you can get. Wear safety goggles. Sparks in your eyes are bad, mmkay. I might add that you are much more likely to encounter sparks if you are not a professional electrician. The white wire is never supposed to be hot. If it must be (e.g. 220V using 10-2 romex), tape it. I prefer red, since there is usually already a black wire. The white neutral wire is never supposed to be switched; do not run the neutral wire to a breaker or a switch. If it's actually a hot wire, again, phase it red to mark it as such. Wire neatly. A rat's nest of wires is much more dangerous than a cleanly wired box. Fri, 30 May 2008 07:17:31 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#eef44f9f-9971-4595-a871-331aa209f74a Sam 2008-05-30T07:17:31Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#bb98fbf5-42d4-4f17-a194-674ec3ff42bb I took 220VAC once while standing on top of a ladder... I was blown off the circuit, fell 8 feet and then rolled down the hill, injuring myself on a small and sharp tree stump. I do not recommend it... still have scars on my hands 20 years later. I had turned the circuit to the Halide lamp I was replacing but the HOA president saw the cabinet open and the breaker off---and flipped it back on. I came very close to killing him that morning... Fri, 30 May 2008 00:22:39 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#bb98fbf5-42d4-4f17-a194-674ec3ff42bb Băd-Dăwg 2008-05-30T00:22:39Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#4553a8a4-8c4a-4e4c-96f3-7092f2ad017f >>>Of course, I do dumb stuff like work on circuits without shutting of breakers (something I learned from certain so-called pros) so maybe I should be more careful about what I tell folks to avoid!>>> I once gave an old timee Hungarian electrician on a job of mine shit about running to the panel to kill the breaker before he troubleshot a switch. He then lifted his shirt and showed me a wide tentacular scar that wrapped his right shoulder and went down his back: He caught a couple thousand volts on a service change back in Hungary where the safety practices especially on insulated ladders wasn't so great. Wide eyed, I shut the hell up. Thu, 29 May 2008 19:27:57 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#4553a8a4-8c4a-4e4c-96f3-7092f2ad017f grouchosuave 2008-05-29T19:27:57Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#e2989075-f43e-475c-a9d4-53ea6d1ac3e7 ***********If you have to ask, you should probably be hiring a pro.************** >>>>>>>>>>>>>hey, check it out... the name of this tribe is diy (do it yourself), not hip (hire a pro).<<<<<<<<<<<<< I agree with papa. Thu, 29 May 2008 18:21:19 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#e2989075-f43e-475c-a9d4-53ea6d1ac3e7 ALLAH God of all 2008-05-29T18:21:19Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#32a3083a-cc3b-4de0-9f72-25b8398d3a76 I have no idea, it was a while back, and it is my mom's house, not mine. I'll def. do some investigating, but as a seperate issue- either way, I want to get the gas heater put in. Thu, 29 May 2008 16:11:29 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#32a3083a-cc3b-4de0-9f72-25b8398d3a76 MEgAN 2008-05-29T16:11:29Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#508f3938-15c2-4f9d-844c-9eb820bbc969 I'm torn about this- I really love cooking on a gas stove, but with the rising cost of gas, I'm suffering. I live in a rental, and the only thing that's electric is the AC and the lights/appliances. Our heat, water heater, stove, even our fireplace is gas... and it is SO costly, especially the heating. When/if I'm able to move into a place that I own, I will probably go electric so that I can use a wind turbine/solar panels. I'll also get an instant water heater. :-) Thu, 29 May 2008 16:09:46 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#508f3938-15c2-4f9d-844c-9eb820bbc969 MEgAN 2008-05-29T16:09:46Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#e70da943-66f7-4537-9e8e-187dc7568a63 *********************The gas leak is in the line, not in the house or in the houses appliances.********** EEEEKKK~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ************The Gas company told us there was a leak***************** The line on the company's side of the gas meter or on your side of the meter? If their side they pay to fix it. On your side you pay to fix it. You absolutely must address the leak issue as a matter entirely apart from any appliance issues. You said that the inspector couldn't find the lead? This is all very confusing. What inspector? Some home inspector? Or a licensed plumber? There is a world of difference. In many states home inspectors are people who failed to make it in the home construction business. Whereas a plumber has a real bona fide skilled trade which he has mastered. I'd trust the plumber every time over the home inspector. And as an aside what exactly did the gas company say about the leak, what did they do to verify that there was a leak, and when was this done~? Thu, 29 May 2008 14:23:59 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#e70da943-66f7-4537-9e8e-187dc7568a63 ALLAH God of all 2008-05-29T14:23:59Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#92348b71-a8c6-47a4-9778-77f324e9a0c7 ***************She said that the gas water heater was the only gas appliance. Shouldn't there be a cutoff at the street or something? ( never lived in a city, mycellf so unsure about these things).**************** Yah probably some 20 year old valve. EEEEK~!! Thu, 29 May 2008 14:17:47 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#92348b71-a8c6-47a4-9778-77f324e9a0c7 ALLAH God of all 2008-05-29T14:17:47Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#ef55cdc5-6f4f-4a01-b7b3-c8f518855a91 Dealing with 220, if a person really does not know what they are doing, i think "hire a pro" is most excellent and practical advice. Thu, 29 May 2008 08:36:18 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#ef55cdc5-6f4f-4a01-b7b3-c8f518855a91 wil 2008-05-29T08:36:18Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#1fb1f868-beb9-460f-add4-946b6a7d2904 no worries ...just tried a little humor to keep ya in check. ...good advice about the tape. I saw an electrician do that before, but had forgotten about it. ...still slowly learning the ins and outs of a typical residential service panel. Thu, 29 May 2008 03:34:50 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#1fb1f868-beb9-460f-add4-946b6a7d2904 papa tom 2008-05-29T03:34:50Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#ec45ffe3-97a6-423c-bf6a-3e9ca0c9e0a2 It wasn't my intent to offend with the "hire a pro" comment. What went throught my mind but never made it out was "electricity can be deadly and if the house isn't up to electrical codes and standards the risk factor is greatly heightened." You can burn the place down, you can kill someone (maybe the person who comes in to fix things later). I guess I would add that I like to see black tape wrapped around the last couple of inches of the white wire in a 2-wire 220 setup. It just reinforces that both legs are "hot". Of course, I do dumb stuff like work on circuits without shutting of breakers (something I learned from certain so-called pros) so maybe I should be more careful about what I tell folks to avoid! Thu, 29 May 2008 03:12:49 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#ec45ffe3-97a6-423c-bf6a-3e9ca0c9e0a2 Richard 2008-05-29T03:12:49Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#68d2c4aa-3c0f-4f1b-9fdb-0839119a7a67 H2O heaters are almost always 30 amp, 220volts and require a 10/2 wire. There shouldn't be a nuetral/common so the white wire will go along with the black wire to a 30amp two pole breaker. The bare copper wire is the ground and goes to the bus bar (where the other uninsulated wires are.) You can do this if you are confident around electricity, don't mind pulling the wire from the electrical panel to the tank and hooking it up on both ends. You must be sure to use proper connecters for the wire entering the top of the tank and to enter the panel. You can disconnect power to the panel while you are working in it by switching the disconnect off (presuming there is a disconnect/main breaker switch that says off). You will need to find a path for the wire where it will be protected. I would like to throw in here that electricity can be deadly and if the house isn't up to electrical codes and standards the risk factor is greatly heightened. That said, if you do decide to do it: Get a measurement for the length of wire (better a bit long than too short, though copper is pricey), Buy 10/2 romex, the two connecters (usually 3/4 two screw romex), a two pole 30 amp breaker of the same brand as your electrical panel, a couple of mid size wirenuts and some means of securing the wire. I don't think you need a permit to do this yourself. Good luck. Thu, 29 May 2008 02:53:24 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#68d2c4aa-3c0f-4f1b-9fdb-0839119a7a67 Lance 2008-05-29T02:53:24Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#19f53fec-86fb-4c91-8760-78c5891f6bcb mmmmaybe I'm asking because I want to learn something? hey, check it out... the name of this tribe is diy (do it yourself), not hip (hire a pro). Thu, 29 May 2008 02:39:52 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#19f53fec-86fb-4c91-8760-78c5891f6bcb papa tom 2008-05-29T02:39:52Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#3d0041f0-4481-44d8-a879-95b3dbb5deff Yeah mine too, I definitely understood that the water heater was the only gas appliance. I was just dreaming of a gas stove in my own home and mentioning wanting to convert more of my appliances to gas, rather than go the opposite way like you are. Thu, 29 May 2008 02:10:18 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#3d0041f0-4481-44d8-a879-95b3dbb5deff Dan10things 2008-05-29T02:10:18Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#db56e32d-a410-4fd0-b1ef-ead96e2c036c The stove is already electric. Wed, 28 May 2008 23:21:27 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#db56e32d-a410-4fd0-b1ef-ead96e2c036c MEgAN 2008-05-28T23:21:27Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#eadf4e05-af81-451d-8ccc-5bdd5833419d I can't believe the gas company wouldn't fix the leak. If it's in the line to the house it's before the meter, they are losing money and will be at risk to be sued if there are say, any explosions. I would never convert back from gas to electric... I want to convert more of my appliances to natural gas if I can, especially my stove, I love gas stoves over electric stoves. Wed, 28 May 2008 20:19:35 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#eadf4e05-af81-451d-8ccc-5bdd5833419d Dan10things 2008-05-28T20:19:35Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#0b6d1b97-a13c-4fae-b91c-6ef057e7c0e9 And the gas company told us there was a leak. Wed, 28 May 2008 18:25:51 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#0b6d1b97-a13c-4fae-b91c-6ef057e7c0e9 MEgAN 2008-05-28T18:25:51Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#ae7c5e3f-c3da-43d7-bd05-fbecc2bc1586 The gas leak is in the line, not in the house or in the houses appliances. With everything already electric, it is just easier to go fully electric than to dig up the yard, etc. at considerable expense, which may or may not be reimbursed by the city at some future point that may or may not exist. We've shut off the gas to the house at the street, so there are no problems there. Wed, 28 May 2008 18:25:18 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#ae7c5e3f-c3da-43d7-bd05-fbecc2bc1586 MEgAN 2008-05-28T18:25:18Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#4879df9f-62df-4e0d-b218-23e8e59359f5 Continuing to take this discussion sideways, here's a useful publication I cam across while trying to find relative cost comparisons between electric and gas. It really doesn' t address the electric vs. gas question but has a number of useful tips on installation, maintenance, and to a lesser degree cost modelling (the cost model it uses is interesting, but poorly documented, over-simplified and inflexible). http://egov.oregon.gov/ENERGY/CONS/RES/docs/appntwht.pdf Wed, 28 May 2008 14:29:35 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#4879df9f-62df-4e0d-b218-23e8e59359f5 Richard 2008-05-28T14:29:35Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#01fd792c-1ea8-4f68-8424-4befc050a718 She said that the gas water heater was the only gas appliance. Shouldn't there be a cutoff at the street or something? ( never lived in a city, mycellf so unsure about these things). Wed, 28 May 2008 14:21:57 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#01fd792c-1ea8-4f68-8424-4befc050a718 wil 2008-05-28T14:21:57Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#cdfac340-89a1-492d-9d67-67cc6956b5c0 As an aside: 1.) There was a leak. 2.) This leak is the reason you want to replace the unit AND go electrical. 3.) you will still have gas line entering your home and terminating somewhere near where the old heater was. 4.) you won't have found the leak unless the leak was in the heater. 6.) if the leak was not in the heater you will still have a leak. Why not just replace the heater with a new gas fired high efficiency model? If the leak isn't in the lines then it's in the heater. AND you never articulated what it was that told you there was a leak in the first palce. A funny smell? Could it be a flue leak? There is a flue for a gas heater. Maybe that pipe has a pin hole? Wed, 28 May 2008 13:09:39 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#cdfac340-89a1-492d-9d67-67cc6956b5c0 ALLAH God of all 2008-05-28T13:09:39Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#b5fa1754-4ab1-4351-85a8-d577a360bbe6 In the cellar ( or garage or other out of the way location) will be a big gray box with circuit breakers. That's the main panel. If a huge assed cable runs away from that to another gray box with circuit breakers in it that is a sub panel. Looking in the main you will see that the white wires and the bare wires all go to the same buss bar. The Bus bar is a a metal strip with screw fasteners holding the wired in place. In the main panel the common and ground are bonded. This merely means they are all going to the same buss bar. The black ( or red) wires go to the circuit breakers. A sub panel is only different in that the common and ground go to two seperate buss bars and in the sub are not bonded. Both panels will have a ground leading to the building's main ground wire. Google has so very much information that'll pop up if you do a search. Lots of pictures too. Gas to Elec conversion http://tinyurl.com/3uh27t more http://tinyurl.com/4qflz4 more: http://tinyurl.com/4k3fqk Tue, 27 May 2008 18:58:32 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#b5fa1754-4ab1-4351-85a8-d577a360bbe6 ALLAH God of all 2008-05-27T18:58:32Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#575493c6-0819-406f-8d8f-68698f61d576 3 wire 220 Red Wire --> leg #1 110V Black Wire -->leg #2 110V White Wire -->NEUTRAL! (same neutral as ALL the other white wires in box) If you have to ask, you should probably be hiring a pro. Tue, 27 May 2008 18:07:02 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#575493c6-0819-406f-8d8f-68698f61d576 Richard 2008-05-27T18:07:02Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#6fbbd5c9-ce8b-42e9-aed0-bdeb405147af with a 220 circuit, doesn't the white wire go to the breaker along with the black wire (one wire on each post)? Tue, 27 May 2008 17:36:07 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#6fbbd5c9-ce8b-42e9-aed0-bdeb405147af papa tom 2008-05-27T17:36:07Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#ef9673f6-567b-4c13-9453-b2b14907c059 I need an electrician's dictionary to figure out the last bit there, Cliff. :-) I've never even installed a light switch, so I'm not sure that I want to start too big. I'm going to hit up the exhibits department where I work(science museum) and see if they have any advice, or even specific instructions for wiring the thing in. Failing that, I have a friend that does all of his own home improvements and might be able to walk me through it. First things first though, I'm fixing her leaky bathtub faucet. Tue, 27 May 2008 16:30:00 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#ef9673f6-567b-4c13-9453-b2b14907c059 MEgAN 2008-05-27T16:30:00Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#01f78228-b6fb-4a1b-a43c-0796bf454f63 I suggest that you not be intimidated at the electrical thing and just accept that it's exactly like plumbing only lots easier. A substance ( energy) flows along a pathway ( the wire). It needs valves ( switches) to turn it on and off. It needs breakers to regulate how much will be drawn by the appliance being fed. Just like in plumbing ( where you don't want to cross the pipes) you don't want to cross the wires with each other. I suggest you get a look at a recent electrical water heater installation. Trace all the wiring back to the breaker box examine everything maybe take a couple of pictures and duplicate that. It's really simple stuff. Now wiring several lamps in a circuit with more than two multiple pole switches will require some planning and thought. But a water heater? Naaah. Just remember that the white wire and the bare wires go to the neutral buss bar in the main breaker box. But not if the box is a sub-panel in a sub-panel you don't bond neutral to ground. Tue, 27 May 2008 14:24:18 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#01f78228-b6fb-4a1b-a43c-0796bf454f63 ALLAH God of all 2008-05-27T14:24:18Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#031c26db-b617-4dac-b609-6c071ab5607b I'm guessing I'll have to hire an electrician then- I can deal with plumbing, but electric is a bit outside for me. Thanks for the tips! Mon, 26 May 2008 21:25:17 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#031c26db-b617-4dac-b609-6c071ab5607b MEgAN 2008-05-26T21:25:17Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#06e25f1a-2adc-4119-98e5-e1e39e9c4ebd You don't typically need permits for that. Running the electrical service is less than $600 bucks ( the starting point for permits around here) and a homeowner is completely entitled to replacing their own appliances. A new gas install on the other hand would require some city inspection. An electrician (or you) will have to loop a new circuit from the panel to a weatherproof junction box at the heater. Should be a relatively easy job. Mon, 26 May 2008 20:38:04 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#06e25f1a-2adc-4119-98e5-e1e39e9c4ebd grouchosuave 2008-05-26T20:38:04Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#8698b88a-5524-47c4-9748-9d6061b1a0c5 The gas heater is in a little aluminium closet deelie, with all of the water hookups, outside on a covered porch. If I don't need permits, I'll do a happy happy dance. Mon, 26 May 2008 20:24:08 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#8698b88a-5524-47c4-9748-9d6061b1a0c5 MEgAN 2008-05-26T20:24:08Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#2cb2e4fe-c33c-48aa-a0e0-89d26f77be85 You'll need a 220 volt circuit and outlet to plug it into. You might need an electrician for that if an appropriate outlet isn't close by. Electric is a lot easier hookup than gas, really. You need a permit for that? You sure wouldn't here. Not sure what you mean about the housing. They each come in their own housing, i would think. Mon, 26 May 2008 18:58:07 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#2cb2e4fe-c33c-48aa-a0e0-89d26f77be85 wil 2008-05-26T18:58:07Z http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#c8f1a25d-e0f1-4987-8a17-d654f359e560 My mom has purchased an electric water heater to replace her old gas one- her house had a leaky gas valve somewhere, and as everything else in the house is electric, she figured it would be cheaper to go fully electric than to track down and repair a leak even the inspector couldn't find. I know I need to go to the city for permits, but how hard is it to replace a gas with an electric heater? Can it be placed in the same housing? Mon, 26 May 2008 17:46:58 GMT http://do-it-yourself.tribe.net/thread/7c3f058c-e438-4d2d-951d-52957b84ff65#c8f1a25d-e0f1-4987-8a17-d654f359e560 MEgAN 2008-05-26T17:46:58Z