Carol Shenkenberger wrote in a message to Roy J. Tellason:
RJT> Actually,  you don't need a meter to see if an outlet is live,  a 
RJT> lamp will do just as well.
 CS> True, but we know enough at least about electrical things to 
 CS> check it that way if we needed to.  Thats how we know what 
 CS> grounds are functional and what ones are just '3 prong
 CS> looking'.
For that kind of a test,  one of those little outlet testers is good.  You 
can pick 'em up at radio shack or many other place like hardware stores,  
c.

 CS> I think we have more outlets than our power box can handle. 
RJT> What's the rating on your main fuse or breaker?
 CS> 200amps
Not bad.
 CS> 4 switches say '30', 5 say '20',, 4 say '15', and 4 slots are 
 CS> unused, 2 with breakers unlabeled that appear by testing, to go 
 CS> to no existing outlets (and we tested to be sure they werent 
 CS> the furnace or AC).
You'll never pull all of your circuits to the capacity marked on the breaker, 
though.
Another thing you can do if you're careful is to remove the cover on the 
breaker box.  Then you'll be able to _see_ whether some of those "unused" 
breakers actually are unused,  or what...
RJT> It's not a question of how many of them are going to be in use,  but 
RJT> of how much power is being pulled on the whole circuit.
 CS> True.  The primary rooms *are* rewired.  Previous owner had it 
 CS> done same time as he ripped out all the walls, to insulate the 
 CS> house.  He literally had the wires all replaced in those rooms 
 CS> as it was so easy to do then and installed the best insulation 
 CS> I have ever seen, then lovely real wood patterned walls.
It sure is a lot easier that way.  I have snaked wires through walls and such 
and it's no fun.
RJT> is concerned there are an awful lot of variables involved,  and 
RJT> inspecting the site is really the only way that can be estimated.  If 
RJT> new wire has to be run,  for example,  it's going to cost more than 
RJT> if existing wiring can be used.  And that's only one variable.  I'd 
 CS> Yes, but I was looking for a general idea.
 CS> Lets say for example, wires have to be replaced and all outlets 
 CS> on the porch, and connected to an existing *decent* powerbox.  
 CS> Now the porch is such that getting to the outlets will be easy. 
 CS> Don and I can take down the interior 'walling' in less than a 
 CS> day and put it back up in about the same amount of time.
 CS> 2,000$ or 5,000$ or 500$?  Its 7 outlets which have old type 
 CS> wiring, not using the grounding plug.
It's been so long since I had to use the services of an electrician that I 
really couldn't begin to guess at it.  The rates those guys charge are going 
to be different in different areas,  too.

RJT> FAQ_ELEC.LZH   42598 12-09-95  [   1] FAQ on electrical wiring
 CS> Cool!  I'll grab it.
I saw that it had gone out.  I hope you find it useful...
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