Vanity- Need advice from an electrician

Vanity | 01/17/2013 | Self

[petercooper]

Hello Freepers, I am seeking some insight from any electricians out there before I proceed. I have a house at the beach in Long Island, NY which was hit with 5 feet of water under the house. The electrical panel was under water, but is fairly new (maybe 6 years.) The question I have is, does the entire panel box have to be replaced, or would it just be the individual breakers? LI Power will require signoff from a licensed electrician before they restore power. Also, if you could provide some rough estimates of what it should cost out there for both scenarios. Thanks

[Rodamala]

In the General/Chat forum, on a thread titled Vanity- Need advice from an electrician, reg45 wrote:

Good opportunity to update and improve the entire service.

...and for God's sake, have the EC install a panel with enough room for spare breakers.

[Bulwyf]

Need a job? I can’t get any apprentices to do that here (nice neat wire work and labelling heh.)

Like others have said, I would replace the whole thing.

[entropy12]

One of the circuit breakers in my house is weak. It trips even when I plug the vacuum cleaner in it’s circuit, while none of the other breakers trip with the same vacuum in other rooms.

Can I replace the breaker myself, or should I get an electrician. I know enough to shut off main power off first. I am not clear on how to remove the individual circuit breaker from the panel. Any hints appreciated.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Yes, you must replace the entire panel AND you have to replace all wiring fro 18” above water line on down.

[central_va]

1. Find a flash light
2. Open main breaker
3. Remove entire front panel
4. remove wire from breaker
5. lift breaker out
6. push in new breaker
7. reattach the wire
8. replace front panel
9. close main breaker
10. turn off flashlight

[Blood of Tyrants]

Circuit breakers just snap in place. Turn off the Main and remove the wire, then pivot the offending breaker away from the center and remove it. If it gives you trouble take a large straight slot screwdriver and place it between the two opposing breakers and pry a little.

Look at the bottom of the new breaker and you will see how it attaches. Hook the tabs on the outer rail and then pivot it back in place. Replace the wire and panel and flip on the Main. Shouldn’t take you more than 15 minutes tops.

If you still have a problem, get an electrician.

[Gaffer]

Are the other circuits that you put the vacuum cleaner on the same amperage as the one you think is weak?

Also, is this particular breaker you’re having trouble with a Ground Fault Circuit breaker, or on a circuit that has a Ground Fault Circuit Outlet on it? If so, sometimes motored items plugged in can cause the GFCB or GFCO to trip....

If you want to replace the breaker, go to Home Depot and have the guy in electrical supplies go over it with you.... he/she can show you how to pop out the breaker...it would be good to write down the type of panel and breakers before going though...

[TSgt]

Obviously I would check state and local laws, permits, etc.. but I believe you can do the work yourself if you get it inspected.

You CAN NOT do work for others unless you are licensed.

Replacing breakers in electrical panel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIEWWK4jLC8

There are other things you need to know about like grounding, preventing oxidization of aluminum wires, wire gauges, etc...

I did my homework first including talking with electricians.

[TSgt]

If it pays what I’m making now I’ll take it. I hate sitting at a desk all day.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Here is a youtube demonstration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmWhDaF1cPU

[OldEagle]

Call an electrician. It might be a weak breaker or it might be a lot of other things. Different brands of breakers come out differently.

[The Cajun]

Replace the panel, expensive, but the old panel will just give you fits in the future.
Continued corrosion will happen and is dangerous.
A corroded hot connection or return will generate heat and can cause a fire, a corroded ground connection can kill you.
I'm a retired oilfield electronic tech, worked on electronic equip, AC generators and etc that were exposed to saltwater.
And as another Freeper said, have the new box with space for additional breakers in the future, do it right, do it once.
Basically been there, done that.

[Sparky1776]

Not only does the entire panel and all the breakers need to be replaced, so should the meter enclosure if it was underwater. If your service entrance cable was also underwater replace that too, with copper conductors since you’re located on the ocean. Use No OX on the copper just as one would do with aluminum connections.

If you’re in a flood zone you might be required to relocate the panel above anticipated flood levels, you might consider having the main breaker installed outside in a combo meter / disconnect enclosure with a second one inside at the panel.

Make sure the service entrance cable equals the rating of the main CB. Do not install a 200 amp panel onto a 100 amp cable.

You may be required to upgrade to arc fault (AFCI) breakers for some of the circuits.

Make sure your grounding is updated - either tied into the foundation steel or two copper ground rods six feet apart, or a copper water pipe. Bond all you interior piping.

You might consider throwing in a generator transfer switch or upgrading to a panel like a Reliant that has them built in.

[Vigilanteman]

You forgot the most important step:

1.5. Turn off the main breaker.

For beginning electricians who can't remember where black and white wires go, I remind them that most white people get silver hair when they get old and most black people get gold hair. So match the screws with the appropriate colored wire when repairing circuits or installing breakers.

NEVER work on a panel with the main switch still on. I've known pros who told me they can do it if you're very careful, but it isn't a chance worth taking. The inconvenience of working with a flashlight pales next to the real possibility of frying a panel or electrocution.

[Bulwyf]

Up here in Alberta as a journeyman electrician you can make 37 an hour for working 8 hours a day in town. Start working out of town and it goes up quite a bit.

[central_va]

Here is what I posted:

1. Find a flash light

2. Open main breaker

3. Remove entire front panel
4. remove wire from breaker
5. lift breaker out
6. push in new breaker
7. reattach the wire
8. replace front panel

9. close main breaker

10. turn off flashlight RTFM

[American in Israel]

most breakers are snap in. they have a grip clip in the side to the center. you have to pull the breaker straight up on the side to the center of the panel to unhook it.
Tad bit tricky, but pretty easy none the less. Just kill the main outside the house before you go in to play and you should be just fine.

While your at it, snug up all the screws on all the breakers and the terminal strips. Breakers can age and get trippy on you, but a loose wire on the breaker can cause the same issue. The loose wire adds resistance, and it heats up the wire fooling the breaker that more power is being pulled than the internal heaters are indicating.

[trebb]

Replace it. Saving a few hundred and leaving the chance for problems down the road don’t compute. The new breakers will probably cost as much as the new box itself.

[PapaBear3625]

The price of the panel is minor relative to the price of the set of replacement breakers and the cost of the electrician’s time. I would do like the others have suggested and just replace the whole thing.

[Domangart]

Add each item that is on. You are asking for an electric fire.