Hi Jacked Thread - Solid vs Stranded and Other Prewire issues

["Bob La Londe" <usenet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Bob Worthy" <securinc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:QcFLf.39534$bW.8125@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> "Robert L Bass" wrote in message
>
>
>> For most systems the wiring is simple enough.  Using 22/4 solid
>
> or stranded. I see more problems with solid down the road, than with
> stranded, but that is open to opinions. Nothing says you have to use one
> over the other.

There are advantages and disadvanatages.  I can't say I have seen any
problems with solid over stranded once an installation is complete.  There
are a couple things that enter in for a prewire during construction.  Any
wire tags that wind up hanging out of doors or windows tend to get torn up
from opening and closing.  The stranded tends to hold up marginally better
to this abuse.  Unfortunatley the stranded is much more limp making it
difficult to leave a bit of slack up in the wall or ceiling.  I use the
solid because I can make an accordiin bend back and forth in my hand about
five times and leave it inside the frame of the house.  This gives me abut 2
feet of slack to work with.  When I come back to do a tie down I grab the
wire hanging out of the hole and pull it down.  Then I completely cut off
the stub that was sticking out.  This totally eliminates any wire damaged
from the opening and closing of the door or window.

It has taken me some time to education the construction supervisors and the
door and window trim guys I work with but I have most of them pretty well
trained.  I don't know how many 3/8 drill bits I have given away to guys I
have cornered and explained that I will invoice for charge backs if I have
to cut a hole in the wall to find my wire, but I have very few problems with
my installs.

I even have most of the drywall and lathe guys watching out for my boxes.
About ten years ago I had a drywall guy cover half dozen boxes on three
houses in a row.  I tried to talk to him about it and all I got was a loud
guffaw!  "Haw Haw HAW!"  About the thrid gufaaw he broke the dry wall in two
walls.  He accidentally fell down and when he fell he went right between the
studs in the first wall and smashed into another wall.  When I helped him up
I might have accidentally walked through another section drywall in the same
wall with my shoulder so I get to him quickly and help him up.  I year or
two ago I stared telling that story around construction sites for
contractors I work with regularly.  My drywall problems still happen, but
its almost always an honest mistake now, not just too lazy to measure a box
and make a cut.

The funny one, was a lathe guy.  About a year ago this guy comae over to a
house I was prewiring and asked me how much I would charge back for covering
a box on the outside of a house.  I explained that it is difficult to
precisely locate a box undcer chicken wire and stucco.  This often leaves
you cutting out a larger section of stucco and hoping you can find the box
in the first cut.  If its just a box with conduit and that doesn't have any
wire in it then its even harder.  Then you have to break out an angler
grinder to make the cut with a masonry blade or a circular saw with a
diamond blade.  A dirty nasty job.  If all goes well then you just have to
get somebody out to patch the stucco.  Then you have to come back after the
stucco patch is done to finsih the job.  Including extra travel it can cost
you several hours of time.  Thats if you have the right tools to do the job.
I don't imagine that many residential low voltage contractors carry and
angle grinder and a cable locator in their truck.  They probably have a tone
and probe, but it just doesn't work well through chicken wire and stucco.
Add on that many guys don't label their prewires.  They tie down devices and
then work backwards to determine which wire they tied down.  This means that
before you can located a covered wire you have to identify the other end.
"So, Mr Lathe guy?  What did this electrician charge you to locate his box?"
Oh, and don't forget while he is doing several extra hours of work because
of your mistake he is falling behind on this job, and other jobs that should
be making him money aren't getting done.  "Did I tell you about the drywall
guy who laughed so hard about covering my boxes that he fell down
accidentally breaking through two walls?"


--
Bob La Londe
http://www.YumaBassMan.com


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