With the roof structure installed, the interior of the cabin is somewhat protected from the elements, so rough-in electrical installation can begin. "Roughing in" refers to installing the infrastructure for the electrical wiring -- including the meter base outside the house, the panel box for the circuit breakers, the main wiring that leads into the house and the wiring that leads to individual outlets and switches. At this stage in our project, we bring in licensed electricians who will install the wiring according to proper specifications. We also determine the location for a backup propane generator. Ensuring that electrical power is provided to every place where it's needed requires good planning, carefully following your blueprints, and having a clear line of communication with your electrician. Remember that in addition to light switches and standard outlets, you'll need power to bathroom receptacles, floor heaters, kitchen appliances, garbage disposal, etc. The electricians start by installing the meter base on the side of the house (figure A). Since our circuit-breaker box inside the house will be located more than 5' away from this meter base, the building code requires that we also install a main shutoff switch called a disconnect (figure B). Heavy-duty clippers are used to cut through the main feeder wire that connects the meter base to the circuit-breaker box. The heavy main feeder wire is bent at a right angle so that it can be fed from the outside of the house into the crawlspace (figure C). Inside the house, the electricians pick a location in the hallway for a circuit-breaker box and install it between two studs (figure D). They are careful to mount the front of the box 1/2" away from the studs to allow for the drywall, which will be hung later. The main feeder wire from the meter base outside the house enters through a hole that is drilled in the floor beneath the circuit-breaker box (figure E). They drill several additional holes for the wires that will travel through the crawlspace to the outlets and switches around the cabin (figure F). One electrician feeds the wire up from the crawlspace under the floor as an assistant pulls out enough to reach the circuit-breaker box. Plastic boxes for light switches are placed it the recesses that the carpenters had earlier cut into the outside log walls (figure G). For the partition walls a slightly different style of outlet box is used (figure H) -- one that has two mounting nails already built into the housing. Even with good advance planning, many decisions have to be made on-site. It's recommended that you go over the blueprints with your electrician, checking on the precise location of the walls, outlets, switches, bathroom fixtures, etc. Placement of electrical outlets will be effected by such things as the dimensions of you refrigerator, placement of kitchen cabinets, oven location, etc. Some kitchen appliances need be on separate circuits, so getting the wires in a proper location is critical. Up on the ladder, the electricians drill holes through the rafters so that they can run the wires to connect canister lights and ceiling fans to their respective switches (figure I). Since the cabin in our demonstration was built in a rural area -- where temporary power outages due to weather are not uncommon -- the decision was made to install a propane generator . A generator will provide backup power to critical circuits (e.g., refrigerator, kitchen appliances and main lights) during power outages. The generator is placed on a concrete pad just outside the house (figure J). Installation is relatively simple but does require a qualified electrician to make the hook-up from the generator to your panel box.
RESOURCES :
Log Home Repair and Restoration Services
Log Home Repair and Restoration Services
Website: www.loghomerepair.com
Special Thanks for DIY Build a Log Cabin workshop
Blossman Gas
Website: www.blossmangas.com/
Propane
Propane
Washington, DC Phone: 202-452-8975
Fax: 202-452-9054
Website: www.propanecouncil.org/
The Complete Guide to Building Log Homes
ISBN: 0806974869
Author: Monte Burch, Richard J. Meyer, Lloyd P. Birmingham
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com
Log Homes Made Easy: Contracting and Building Your Own Log Home
Model: 0811728471
Author: Jim Cooper
Stackpole Books
Website: www.stackpolebooks.com
The Cabin: Inspiration for the Classic American Getaway
Model: 0879056711
Author: Dale Mulfinger, Susan E. Davis
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
Hands-On Log Homes
ISBN: 0879058056
Author: Cindy Teipner Thiede
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com
American Log Homes
ISBN: 0879054581
Author: Arthur Thiede, Cindy Teipner
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com
The Craft of Modular Post & Beam: Building Log and Timber Homes Affordably
Model: 0881791318
Author: James Mitchell
Heritage House/Hartley & Marks
Website: www.heritagehouse.ca/hartleymarks/hartleymarks.html
Small Log Homes: Storybook Plans and Advice
ISBN: 1586850431
Author: Robbin Obomsawin
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com
Log Spirit
ISBN: 0879059257
Author: Linda Arms White
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com
Inside Log Homes: The Art & Spirit of Home Planning and Decor
Model: 087905963X
Author: Cindy Teipner Thiede, et al
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com
The Log Home Book: Design, Past and Present
Model: 0879056711
Author: Cindy Teipner Thiede, Arthur Thiede, et al
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com
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