Homeownerinburb
Member
Hey guys,
I'll be doing a fair bit of work on a home that is changing hands in a few weeks.
Among the items to do, the main service panel will be getting replaced. Currently there is a separate meter a foot or so above a very dated and scary 100 amp (in fact, there is not even a main breaker) Zinsco nightmare. Both are flush fit in a stucco wall, and this wall is adjacent to the driveway, so the new needs to be flush fit as well.
We are going to put in a 200 amp panel (although really 100 amps is enough) and for these purposes I like a Murray JA2040B1200F. This is a nice combination flush fit that has the meter in a section above space for 20 breakers, I like this as opposed to those split vertically as it really is snug working the wires in those combination panels.
The power company has speced out a 2" mast rising 54" above the roof line, as the whip passes over the driveway, and the power company wants as much of 16' as they can get without forcing me to use a guy wire to support the mast.
The Zinsco nightmare is less than 14" wide, but happily the stud pocket is full width, there is a hinged cover that is not part of the actual panel but is just a weather cover.
Now, here's the question: when I pull out the weather cover, hopefully not destroying any more of the stucco than is essential, I would just as soon take off the flanges that Murray gives me to mount the panel to the stud faces, as if this was new work. This is retrofit, and I'd rather just run for 1 1/2" lag screws sideways thru the side of the panel into the studs, in order to do the least damage to the stucco as practical.
Anybody know if that is incorrect? "The equipment shall be used the way the manufacturer intended" or something like that?
Lord knows I'll be making enough of a mess as it is. I need to cut all the stucco above the new panel away, to the top plate. I need to install two 2" x 1/4" straps with beefy U bolts to restrain the riser, and I need to cut a BIG hole in the top plate for the riser. I prefer to place the riser all the way forward such that I just cut a deep slot in the top plate, then I can scab over it with a nice thick steel mending plate, to help reinforce the top plate. This is earthquake country and one should not just go cutting up structure willy nilly.
For the benefit of the stucco meister, I'll break out all the stucco on the wire that needs to go, and cut away the wire up the center, and cut the tar paper neatly about 2" from the studs. The stucco meister should be able to pull that back together and make a successful patch, I would think.
Any thoughts short of actual derision much appreciated.
I'll be doing a fair bit of work on a home that is changing hands in a few weeks.
Among the items to do, the main service panel will be getting replaced. Currently there is a separate meter a foot or so above a very dated and scary 100 amp (in fact, there is not even a main breaker) Zinsco nightmare. Both are flush fit in a stucco wall, and this wall is adjacent to the driveway, so the new needs to be flush fit as well.
We are going to put in a 200 amp panel (although really 100 amps is enough) and for these purposes I like a Murray JA2040B1200F. This is a nice combination flush fit that has the meter in a section above space for 20 breakers, I like this as opposed to those split vertically as it really is snug working the wires in those combination panels.
The power company has speced out a 2" mast rising 54" above the roof line, as the whip passes over the driveway, and the power company wants as much of 16' as they can get without forcing me to use a guy wire to support the mast.
The Zinsco nightmare is less than 14" wide, but happily the stud pocket is full width, there is a hinged cover that is not part of the actual panel but is just a weather cover.
Now, here's the question: when I pull out the weather cover, hopefully not destroying any more of the stucco than is essential, I would just as soon take off the flanges that Murray gives me to mount the panel to the stud faces, as if this was new work. This is retrofit, and I'd rather just run for 1 1/2" lag screws sideways thru the side of the panel into the studs, in order to do the least damage to the stucco as practical.
Anybody know if that is incorrect? "The equipment shall be used the way the manufacturer intended" or something like that?
Lord knows I'll be making enough of a mess as it is. I need to cut all the stucco above the new panel away, to the top plate. I need to install two 2" x 1/4" straps with beefy U bolts to restrain the riser, and I need to cut a BIG hole in the top plate for the riser. I prefer to place the riser all the way forward such that I just cut a deep slot in the top plate, then I can scab over it with a nice thick steel mending plate, to help reinforce the top plate. This is earthquake country and one should not just go cutting up structure willy nilly.
For the benefit of the stucco meister, I'll break out all the stucco on the wire that needs to go, and cut away the wire up the center, and cut the tar paper neatly about 2" from the studs. The stucco meister should be able to pull that back together and make a successful patch, I would think.
Any thoughts short of actual derision much appreciated.
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