View Full Version : Relocating eletrical panel (Southern Calif) - costs, feasibility
WallyYoung
Aug 16, 2008, 11:53 AM
We're looking into what it would take to relocate the eletrical panel in our home. Currently the panel is located on the outside wall adjacent to our son's bedroom wall, and we're seeing an extremely high reading of EMF all throughout his room, particularly on the wall where the panel is, but also at the ceiling (in the attic looks like all the feeder cables from the panel are running above his room too). We'd like to move the panel about 50+ feet away to the garage. Questions: is this feasible? What would the costs be approx. I'm assuming we would need to contact Edison (our local electrical company) and get permits pulled as well. Obviously getting a licensed electrician to do the work. Just curious how big (and costly) a job this might be before we get bids. Thanks.
stanfortyman
Aug 16, 2008, 01:54 PM
How are you measuring these "EMF's"??
I have to say, without trying to insult you, the whole EMF thing with regard to low-voltage (120/240v) household wiring is a bunch of nonsense IMO.
If you think the amount of EMFs in a typical house are affecting you then I truly feel sorry for you. There are MUCH more important things to worry about.
If you really want to move the panel I'm sure there is a qualified electrician local to you that will be more than willing to take your money.
In Cali be prepared to pay BIG bucks for such a job. I would guess no less than $2500.
benaround
Aug 16, 2008, 11:06 PM
Wally,
EMF's can usually be eliminated, the problems that cause EMF's are downstream N/Grd
Connections and Neutral connections made from other than the source circuit. IMO, you
Would be wiser to get rid of the problem, than to just relocating it. Depending on how an
Electrician did the work, he could relocate the panel but not relocate the wiring inside the
Wall and the same amount of EMF's would still be in your son's room.
The key to this is to get the right person for the job, someone with a track record and a
Good ' Gausse' meter. Good Luck,
stanfortyman
Aug 17, 2008, 05:53 AM
EMF's can usually be eliminated, the problems that cause EMF's are downstream N/Grd
connections and Neutral connections made from other than the source circuit. In a typically wired home this is NOT an issue. These are serious code violations and if that is the case I would worry more about electrocution and other physical issues first.
Also, not that I am an EMF expert by any stretch, I question that this would actually be a source of measurable EMFs. I mean, more than would normally exist.
The key to this is to get the right person for the job, someone with a track record and a
good ' Gausse' meter. I'd like to do an impromptu survey.
I have been an electrician for 20 years, and involved with the trade for almost 27 years.
I have NEVER know, nor heard of, any real electrician who even owns a gauss meter.
Do any of the "real" electricians around here have one or know of someone that does??
donf
Aug 17, 2008, 08:12 AM
Stan,
In all the years I have been dealing with electricity and electronics the only place I have ever seen a Gauss meter used was in a data center inside of one of the remote building on a GE Campus in Suffolk, VA. This was back in 1980 or there-abouts.
We were fighting a random corruption of data sets when there was foul weather in the area. The Gauss meter was used to measure the magnetic flux near the tape drive to determine if it was corrupting the drive.
The actual problem was a grounding problem. The water pipes were metal inside this building until they left the building. Once outside, they switched to PVC. We caught that one with a Dranetz meter.
Once the ground was corrected a serious amount of technical problems went away on all the computers and electronic gear in that one building. :)
benaround
Aug 17, 2008, 05:17 PM
In a typically wired home this is NOT an issue. These are serious code violations and if that is the case I would worry more about electrocution and other physical issues first.
Also, not that I am an EMF expert by any stretch, I question that this would actually be a source of measurable EMFs. I mean, more than would normally exist.
I'd like to do an impromptu survey.
I have been an electrician for 20 years, and involved with the trade for almost 27 years.
I have NEVER know, nor heard of, any real electrician who even owns a gauss meter.
Do any of the "real" electricians around here have one or know of someone that does???
stanfortyman, Home after home after home in the USA are wired from the start with these
Issues, and it's done by 'real' electricians, this is a fact not just something I think.
It is also a fact, not a guess, that those are the leading causes of EMF's in resd. Homes.
My statements are from the reports of experts in the research of EMF's. I have been in
The trade for 41 years, and have only known of EMF's for the last few of them.
You may have noticed that I recommended to the OP that getting the right people to help
Them out was the key. I'd like to know why you think you are a 'real' electrician, other
Than your ego or lack of facts to back up what you say .
I also don't own a gauss meter, but I am keeping it real.
stanfortyman
Aug 17, 2008, 05:40 PM
Skippy, I never stated anything that needed fact to back it up. I said right out, I don't know much about EMFs other than much of it is bunk. And this I know only from what I have read or heard from logical people. So take that for what it's worth.
I KNOW I am a "real" electrician because I know what I am talking about, and I do the right thing. Bottom line.
If this is called ego, cool. I am OK with that.
If I am wrong, I admit it and find out why. Then I try not to be wrong again.
Home after home after home in the USA are wired from the start with these
issues, and it's done by 'real' electricians, this is a fact not just something I think.Sorry, I totally disagree with you here. These are serious code violations and would not be tolerated by any inspectors. I also don't know of any "real" electricians that would create such violations and sleep well at night.
By this I mean the
"downstream N/Grd connections and Neutral connections made from other than the source circuit."
You mentioned earlier.
Under certain circumstances this was allowed in older codes, such as for dryers and ranges, but these exceptions have been gone for quite some time now.
If you seriously say is fact and this is still being done in new homes I sure would like to see YOUR facts to back up what you are suggesting.
benaround
Aug 17, 2008, 05:57 PM
Karl Riley's book on EMF's
Skippy,
stanfortyman
Aug 17, 2008, 06:04 PM
That book proves that "downstream N/Grd connections and Neutral connections made from other than the source circuit." are still being done??