Electrical Wiring

Repair help for the do-it-yourselfer.
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Moderators: Greg, Mark, mhrAJ333, JD

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StanD
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 2:15 pm

I have overloaded circuits (breaker tripping when running dryer, AC and ironing) and free space in the breaker panel. Right now, I have a coffee pot, fan and one light on. The APC unit for this PC is tripping on/off and the readout shows 111 volts. I am thinking of hiring an electrician to run some additional circuits and maybe some ceiling fans.

There are two 50 amp circuits at the pedestal, one trips, one doesn't. There is one sub panel in the home. I assume each side of this double wide is on 50 amp? It seems 75% of the circuits are on one 50 amp circuit.

The pedestal has two heavy plugs running from it to the home. Can those be hardwired? (Occasionally I have to clean the lugs)

Can/should the plug that goes from one side of the home to the other be hardwired?

The ceiling panels have a narrow strip in between them. I assume you remove the strip and can then remove the panel? Is there room to fish wire up there or should the electrician run it under the home and up through the floor? I'd hate to disturb the insulation underneath.

Sorry for so many questions and thanks for the help.
Last edited by StanD on Tue Jun 07, 2016 8:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Greg
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Posts: 5696
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

Electrical work is about the only area that we shy away from giving advice. No one here knows your skill & comfort level, one wrong move can have deadly results and no one here wants that.

My best advice is to contact a qualified electrician.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
StanD
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 2:15 pm

I do plan to hire an electrician. I'd just like some background on wiring mobile homes, ceilings and underbellies.
Thanks.
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Greg
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Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

The electrical systems in most mobile homes are far from top notch. most homes that I have seen have ALL of the outlets on maybe 3 breakers and the outlet & switch boxes that use the pierced wire method in my opinion should be band. I am sure that once you have a qualified electrician look at it he will give you many ideas for improvement and upgrade. You will have to decide what your best options are.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
HouseMedic
Posts: 342
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:14 am
Location: Delaware
Contact:

I agree with Greg,
Don't take the chance of burning your place down or worse getting hurt. There are many things that could be popping the breaker so getting a quality licensed electrician to at least check everything out is the way to go.
Be safe,

Ron
StanD
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 2:15 pm

I am expecting that an electrician may not know mobile homes. Maybe I am naive in that regard.
That's why I asked the specific questions, so maybe I will be a little better informed when talking to him/her.
yakima4$
Posts: 83
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 11:02 pm

Have your electrician/contractor perform a Megger / Hypot test on whole house and all electrical circuits.
This would show any shorts in the wiring. It should tell you if you have staples, lags, or wood screws penetrating wires.
You may want this done after they correct your current problems.
Mark440
Posts: 279
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:33 am
Location: Anna, Tx

Stan - Electrical wiring is electrical wiring. Most contractors will at least try to meet code when doing repairs/remodels.

Based on what i have seen under my place, the mobile home industry did their due diligence in getting NEMA concessions for the way our homes are wired. The clip on connectors are cheap - and can pretty much be installed by $7.50 an hour labor. Have your electrician replace every single outlet and switch from one end to the other.

And leave some funds for surprises - because he WILL find some. Not because he is looking to make an extra buck - but because some of the wiring is so gawd-awful. I have a water line that runs from the hotwater tank on one end - all the way to my washer on the other end. And, physically attached to the water line is romex wiring - with a splice out in the middle of it.

I recently replaced every 220v wiring run. It was a major PIA....but it is now all in pvc conduit - without the loops and wads that were there before - not to mention the insulation breaks at staples. My next project will be to eliminate every clip-on "joiner" that I can find.

Get it done -and get it done right.
Opportunity has a shelf life.
StanD
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 2:15 pm

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it.
StanD
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 2:15 pm

Had a breaker arcing on the bus bar. Electrician replaced that but wan't interested in any of the other projects except installing ceiling fans. But he would only do it by running conduit on the walls and I don't want that.

He didn't know if the pedestal could be hardwired or something better that the plugs be used.

Also learned that one 50 amp circuit was for AC, other for home. 20 amps circuit to my 10X8 shed though.
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Greg
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Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

Time to find another Electrician. Sounds to me like he just plain didn't want anything to do with a manufactured home.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
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