Well, at least the first six of them.

If you’ve been following this blog, you might know that I decided to be “the electrician” for my new home. That means I’ve taken on the task of designing the electrical system, doing all the in-wall wiring, and ultimately hooking up all light fixtures, ceiling fans, and outlets.

These posts will give you an idea of what I’ve been up to with the electricity since buying my property in July 2013:

• The Little Dig, August 25, 2013
• Temporary Power: Cleaning the Box, August 26, 2013
• I’ve Got the Power!, September 4, 2013
• Construction: The Final Ground Work, September 13, 2014
• Construction: Setting Up the Power, September 14, 2014
• Construction: Wiring the Shed, September 15, 2014
• Construction: Wiring My Shop, October 7, 2014
• Construction: The Heat is On, December 18, 2014
• Construction: January 8 Walkthrough, January 8, 2015
• Difficult Decisions that Shouldn’t Be, January 10, 2015
• Construction: Wiring My Home, January 14, 2015

Wow. I didn’t think I’d written so much about electrical power, but there it is.

Electricity is an important part of our lives. We don’t think much about the electrical power in our homes. Flick a switch, a light goes on. Plug in a device and power flows through it. We only notice it when it goes out or we get our bills. We normally don’t think much about what’s going on behind the scenes, inside the walls. The planning that puts outlets and light switches and ceiling fans in the “right” spot. The wires, the connections. Amperage. Circuits. How does the power get from the transformer on your property to your microwave oven? Most people have no idea of what a “home run” — as it relates to power in their homes — really is.

I do. I have a vast, intimate knowledge of all the power in my home because I’m the one who designed the system and ran all the wires.

With a little help from friends, as I’ve mentioned elsewhere.

The Panel

After creating all the circuits you can read about in the last few entries listed above, I wound up with about 20 lengths of Romex wire dangling out of a cavity in the wall between my stairs and RV garage. Each length of wire represented one circuit, from the lights in my living room to the outlets, lights, and exhaust fan in my bathroom, to my water heater, to my stove/oven.

Romex is good stuff, mostly because each gauge — or thickness — is color coded. 14 gauge for 15 amp circuits is white, 12 for 20 is yellow, 10 for 30 is orange, and 6 for 50 is black. This would make it easy to match the wire to the correct circuit breaker amperage.

As I ran each home run, I used a Sharpie to write on the end of the wire, labeling it for its circuit. For example, KIT 1 and KIT 2 were my two kitchen circuits, BATH was for the bathroom, and LR TV was for the northeast side of the living room while LR OFFICE was for the northeast side. Although I never came up with a formal electrical plan for my place, I did keep track of each circuit on a sheet of paper. This helped me keep track of which circuits I had, what amperage it needed, and what my progress was on each one.

Of course, what I had at the circuit panel end was a big mess. Everyone who looked at it — especially the county and electrical inspectors — wondered how I was going to get the wires into the circuit panel neatly, without the Romex being exposed below 8 feet. I wondered, too.

My friend Tom is a retired union electrician. He’d been giving me a bunch of advice for the past few months and had helped me with some of the more difficult tasks, such as getting conduit to my shed up to code, helping run the circuit panel and outlet ends of my RV garage’s 30 amp RV circuit, and installing fixture bases for my outside wiring. These are tasks that I could have done on my own, but it would have taken much longer and I likely would have gotten it wrong several times before it was right and to code. He knew all about the job that was ahead of me at the panel and he also knew that I’d be depending on him for help.

He said he thought a lot about it while I was on vacation. He said he worried about it.

But when he came by yesterday, it didn’t take long for him to figure out how to get the job done. I cut another piece of wood to complete the wire channel and we notched it so the wires could come out neatly in one big bunch, high above the panel. The drywall guys, who hadn’t done that area yet, would be able to work around the wires and then close up the space in the notch with fire tape.

The wires then came to the wall over the panel where they’d be secured before coming down the wall and into the panel. 8-foot lengths of 2×4 lumber, which I happened to have handy — doesn’t everyone keep lumber around their home? — would be secured to the posts on either side of the panel. The drywall guys would lay in one 8-foot long sheet of drywall, with a hole cut to the size of the electrical panel, and fasten it to the 2x4s. Result: a neat panel area with no Romex exposed below 8 feet.

And that’s the way things went. Tom and I worked on the panel for a few hours, stopping only for some grilled sausage sandwiches I cooked up for lunch and the occasional cigar break. The day was beautiful, with scattered high clouds, lots of sun, and temperatures in the high 50s. We had lunch outside in the sun. I opened the big garage door beside the panel about halfway to let in lots of fresh air. We worked as a team with Tom doing most of the connection work and me handing him circuits and marking the slot each circuit was connected to on my master list. Later, when the door was put on the panel, I’d label each slot on the sticker provided. At the end, we found that I’d failed to label three home run wires: by process of elimination, we figured out the 20 amp wire and know which two are the 15 amp wires — I’ll know exactly which is which when I finish wiring them and turn them on.

We had them all done by around 3 PM. All except the 50 amp range circuit. That needed a 3/4 inch connector, which I did not have. (The others used 1/2 inch connectors and I had plenty of those.) I’d finish it up on my own before inspection. I’d also have to attach the wires to the wooden board behind the panel.

But at this point, I had all of my other home runs wired to the circuit panel. That meant I could begin wiring light fixtures, outlets, and other devices.

When Tom drove away, he stopped and said out his window, “We did pretty good. I didn’t think we’d finish in one day.”

He wasn’t the only one. The task had seemed overwhelming. But with his know-how and my help — not to mention being organized and having everything we needed on hand — we’d knocked it out in less than five hours.

Wiring the First Circuit

While I was away, the light fixtures I’d ordered for my living room about two months before finally arrived. The six boxes were stacked neatly by my drywall guys in my shop area.

The living room light circuit was one of the easiest to do. There were only the six fixtures on it. I’d run the circuit with 14/3 Romex with the idea of having two separate switches. I wasn’t sure if I wanted each switch to operate every other light or if I wanted one to do the north side of the room and the other to do the south. The benefit of using 14/3 wire (instead of 14/2) is that I could make just one run, from fixture to fixture, rather then two separate runs, each of which went directly to the lights I wanted connected to each switch. I could decide now which lights would be controlled by each switch but could easily change it later if I wanted to.

I decided to run the first three lights on one switch and the last three on the other. So the red wire brought power to the last three fixtures on the run and the black wire brought power to the first three fixtures on the run. I wish I had a decent drawing app to show how it was done. It’s actually quite interesting — if things like this interest you. (Which they might if you’ve read this far.)

It was getting dark, so I started by running an extension cord up the stairs and plugging in my portable shop lamp. I put it high up on my scaffold, which had been parked in my office area. I also brought up my radio and old iPod. I figured I’d be doing a lot of work upstairs in the coming weeks and some music of podcasts would be nice to listen to. Then I brought up all my electrical tools, the boxes of light fixtures, and a step stool. I put on some music and got to work.

The light fixtures I bought were rather ornate. They’re sconces, each of which has a metal twig sculpture that holds a colored glass shade. Installing them was a remarkably easy multiple-step process:

1. Use a yellow wire nut to fasten together the two unused power lines (in and out, red or black, depending on the fixture’s location) to allow power to continue down the circuit.
2. Adjust the length of the central post in the metal base.
3. Screw the metal base into the blue fixture box.
4. Attach the ground wire from the fixture to the metal base.
5. Use a provided wire nut to fasten together the grounding wires.
6. Use a provided wire nut to fasten the fixture’s white wire to circuit’s white wires.
7. Use a provided wire nut to fasten the fixture’s black wire to the circuit’s power wire (black or red, depending on the fixture’s location).
8. Use the decorate nut to fasten the fixture to the metal base on the wall.
9. Set the glass shade into place.
10. Use a level to adjust the angle of the fixture and shade.

It went pretty smoothly. If I hadn’t stripped two screws for attaching the metal base to the blue box, I probably would have finished at least 30 minutes sooner. I took a break for dinner after the first two fixtures, still not sure whether I’d get it done that night.

In hindsight, I wish I’d taken some progress pictures. But I think I was too excited about getting it done that night. I was driven. I wanted to have the whole thing done at night so I could light them and see exactly how much light they cast so I worked as quickly as I could.

When the last fixture was installed, the only thing left to do was wire the switches. These switches would be at the top of the stairs in a box that held switches for three different circuits. I pulled out the mess of wires that, like the ones in the blue fixture boxes, were covered with paint overspray. I sorted out the ones I needed for my circuit and made the necessary pigtails for the black and white wires.

Then my brain shut down. I knew how to do it, but they way I thought it needed to be done didn’t seem right. I didn’t want to bother Tom — especially after I’d texted him earlier, assuring him I knew how to wire the switches. So I grabbed my electrical how-to book, opened it to the page with the wiring diagram that applied, and studied it for a moment. Yes, I did know how to do it. I closed the book, went back upstairs, and finished wiring the switches.

But did I have lightbulbs? I did! I think I’d picked up a box at Home Depot or Costco not long after ordering the fixtures. I found them in my shop, exactly where they belong. I wasted no time twisting them in.

Then I texted Tom:

I’m flicking the switch. If you don’t hear back from me in 2 minutes, I got it very wrong.

After all, if I electrocuted myself, it might be a good idea for someone to collect my smoldering remains before the drywall guys came in the morning.

I went downstairs, consulted my master sheet of circuits, and determined I’d wired circuit 15. I counted down the board three times to make sure I’d flick the right switch. Then I flicked it. No smoke, no fire. So far, so good.

I went back upstairs and flicked the first switch. The first three lights went on. I flicked the second switch. The other three lights went on. No explosions, no fire. It worked.

I texted a photo to Tom. He congratulated me and I responded that I couldn’t have done it without his help.

I turned off the shop light. The room was fully illuminated by the six lights. At first, I was a bit disappointed by the amount of light each fixture cast. But as the bulbs “warmed up,” the light brightened.

Here’s an iPhone pano shot of all six lights in my living room. There are two on each wall.

I’d used the equivalent of 60 watt bulbs. The fixtures can support up to 100 watts. But I like the gentle light they cast. Not only can you see the fixtures when you look right at them, but the light is mellow enough that you can still see the city lights out the window, even when sitting away from the window. The light doesn’t overpower the room and make everything outside look black. I like that.

Milestone Achieved

Once again, I can’t describe the amazing feeling of accomplishment I get every time I knock off a little part of my construction project. To me, this is yet another milestone — the first circuit in my living space completed. The ball is back in my court and it’s all coming together quickly now.

Later today, I’ll wire some of the outlets upstairs so I can get rid of the extension cord on the stairs. And, as the days go by, I’ll wire one circuit after another, flicking each one on to test it before the final electrical inspection. Before long, my electrical work will be behind me and I’ll be on to other tasks.

This evening, I’ll fill my freshly painted and lighted space with friends and the smell of smoked ribs and the sound of music and laughter. Another milestone achieved, another celebration with friends.

My home gets a cozy inside blanket.

My new home is a pole building. That’s a type of construction where heavy duty posts are anchored into the ground, a frame is built with horizontal girts, and the roof is constructed with trusses, glulam beams, and purlins. The whole thing is covered with a metal skin.

What I Started With

I ordered my building with R-8 insulation in my shop and RV garage — that’s the big open area beside my car garage and living space. It’s minimum insulation, mostly to take the edge off winter cold and summer heat. The insulation in that area was placed between the girts/purlins and the metal skin. You can see it being installed in one photo; the other photo shows what it looks like on the inside.

The living space was not insulated, mostly because it required more insulation than what could be installed between the building’s frame and its skin. Instead, I’d have the insulation done as part of completing that space. The builders added a vapor barrier to the walls but left the ceiling bare.

Because I didn’t want the posts to show in my finished space, the framer built a house frame inside the building’s frame. This gave me a very generous area between the inside and outside walls. The roof sat on the purlins and glulam beams. I wanted the beams to show in my living room, kitchen, and bathroom; the ceiling would be attached to the purlins.

What I Needed

There was some confusion at first about how the roof would be insulated. Apparently, my construction isn’t anywhere near standard for a home. (Surprise, surprise.) It was finally decided that I’d get my total of R-38 insulation in the roof with an R-25 layer of insulating foam and R-13 batting beneath it. The walls would be R-21 batting and the floor would be R-30 batting, placed under the subfloor in the garage rafters.

Following all this so far?

The Foam Goes In

Getting the foam insulation wasn’t a big deal. I called two contractors and got two bids. They were pretty close. In the end, I went with the company that included insulation for the pony wall between the roof of the RV garage and the roof of my living space. Although it wasn’t required to meet code, if the cost was the same, why not do it?

They came on October 29 with a big truck that had a generator and sprayer in it. The covered my walls and floors and glulam beams with plastic. Then they covered up with paint suits and masks and went at it with their spray hoses.

I stayed out of the way. I did go up to take a peek at their progress when they took a break for lunch. I had no idea what I was looking at, but I took pictures for my scrapbook.

When they were done, they stripped off most of the plastic, leaving (at my request) the plastic between the living space and RV garage. This would later help me contain heat in various heated parts of my building — at least until the rest of the insulation went in.

A friend of mine stopped by to see it when they were finished. He said they’d done a terrible job. I called the guy who’d given me the quote and voiced concerns. He came over with a stiff metal wire marked with the thickness the foam was supposed to be. He climbed a ladder in various places to test it. Although it wasn’t even, even in the thinnest areas it met the requirements.

Of course, all that really mattered was what the inspector thought. He came by to take a look and was thrilled. He signed off and I was ready for the next step.

I should mention that the added benefit of the foam insulation is that it adhered tightly to my metal roof panels, thus adding strength to my roof.

The Batting Goes In

Time passed. For a while, I sat on the fence about moving forward this winter with construction or waiting until spring. I decided in early December to move forward. That meant I needed insulation done.

I got handful of bids. One of them was for a company that could do the insulation, drywall, and painting of the entire place for just a bit more than another guy wanted for drywall only. I went with the all-in-one solution, knowing that it would make the process faster — no need to coordinate multiple contractors for tasks that could be done in quick succession. And because my walls were so thick and R-25 insulation cost the same as R-21, they’d put R-25 in the walls.

I scrambled to get my electrical rough-in done and inspected. And the plumbing rough-in gone and inspected. And fix a few things the county wanted done. January 15 was set as the start date.

Five minutes after the electrical inspector left that morning, he called me from his cell phone. “Were you expecting the insulation today?” he asked.

I confirmed that I was.

“Well, a truck and trailer filled with insulation has jack-knifed on your road.”

Long story short: despite the icy condition of the road I live on, the insulation guy, Bill, had decided to give it a go in 2-wheel-drive. That was the day he’d learn the valuable lesson I’d learned the year before: If you have 4-wheel-drive and have to drive in ice or snow, turn on 4-wheel-drive.

I climbed into my truck with my 10,000 pound tow strap, and headed out to find him and offer assistance. His Ford F-150 pickup truck was pointing away from my home and his trailer was off the road on about a 45° angle to it. Must have been some slide! There was no way the hitch could be undone. I drove around the inspector, who was apparently doing paperwork while he waited for the road to clear and managed to drive around the truck by straddling the ditch on one side. (No matter how much I dislike my big, ugly one-ton diesel pickup, I have to admit that it’s a real workhorse.) The inspector followed my tracks and got on his way. We transferred some of the bales of insulation to the back of my truck and Bill offloaded the rest from the trailer. Then, as I watched, he managed to get the truck and mostly empty trailer back on the road. I headed home at his urging, leaving him to reload the trailer and follow.

The only thing I regret is not getting a photo of his mishap. It was quite impressive.

He arrived an hour or so later. I was finishing up some electrical fixes with my electrician friend when he started offloading the insulation and stowing it in my garage and living space. Rather than lose him for another hour or more while he went to get lunch, I grilled up some chicken sausage and served it with a salad. I could tell he appreciated it.

A while later, his helper arrived and they got right to work. They managed to do a good portion of the space before calling it quits for the day. They did notice that they’d gotten the wrong width insulation for the ceiling — the purlins were 24 inches on center instead of 16. Bill made a phone call and, before leaving for the day, pulled all of the wrong R-13 insulation bundles aside.

Here’s a look through my kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom with the insulation in the north wall.

They came back the next day and continued working. Bill loaded up the wrong insulation and drove off to meet the delivery guy, returning a while later with the right stuff. They started work on the ceiling, using thin metal rods to hold the batting in place. When they were almost done upstairs, they went downstairs and got started on the garage ceiling — a task that required me to work with them to move the cars out and the boat aside. They used the manlift that the HVAC guys had kindly left behind for our use. I think that saved them a ton of time and effort — my garage ceiling is 10 feet up.

I had to do some work, too — we needed nailers above the garage doors. I spent some time on a ladder with cut 2 x 4s and my impact driver, getting it ready for the drywall.

The work continued on Monday. As the wall between the living space and RV garage filled in, my living space became noticeably warmer. The heater even shut itself off — it finally reached the desired temperature. At the same time, my RV garage and shop got cooler — no more heat from above!

On Tuesday morning, the drywall guys showed up. The inspector came by not long afterwards to look at the insulation and gave us a thumbs up to keep going.

We were ready for the next step: drywall.