Slashdot Mirror
Solving a Wiring Mess?
FueledByRamen asks: "While trying to run a new power line for a large Sun mass-storage cabinet (located nowhere near a 220 outlet of course), I had the misfortune of needing to pop the lid on my main power distribution panel (previously opened in the late 80s). The whole thing is a rats nest and probably a fire hazard - old-style wiring with broken-down cloth/plastic insulation strewn everywhere, and the utility's incoming power cables have some sort of junction in them that's the size of a 1-liter bottle (on each wire) and is covered in layers of electrical tape. Even (gently) putting the panel back on jiggled something important, and there was a nasty cracking noise and half the breakers blew (all breakers in one of the 2 columns). I've worked with mains voltage in the past (wiring new rooms, installing lighting), but nothing on this scale, both in terms of complexity and potential for death. How do you industrious Slashdot readers go about fixing a mess like this (on a tight budget, no less) without getting a mains-induced glimpse at the great beyond?"
Yeah not the favorite option. Not the most time saving option. However, it is the safe option. Cut the damn power and start it from scratch. If you take it all apart and rewire the whole rig, then use some kind of an electric safe adhesive to keep all the cords arranged in a less-likely-to-tangle way, you'll never, ever run into this problem.
If I were you, I'd track down the original guy who wired it all and ask him what his damn problem was for creating such a mess.
You're right, I wouldn't steal a car. But if it were possible, I sure as hell would download one!
Hey jackass....
If you had any common sense, you'd know that for small databases, access is orders of magnitude easier and faster than any of the major SQL daemons. MySQL can't touch Access for databases with less than 5 tables or 100,000 rows.
--
Use Vobbo for Video Blogs
Oooh - 220v ooh deadly ooh .. y'all have no idea what you talk about ...
Now, the FACTS for all the people posting bad advice - North American 220v is still only 110v (2phase) to ground or neutral. 220v is basically the potential difference between the 2 active phases. In other words, you are no more likely going to be killed by a North American 220v outlet (to ground) than you are 110v outlet to ground. WHAT ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT ?
Now, as to the danger: China, Australia, New Zealand ... EUROPE all supply 220v or 240v to the home as general purpose outlets. Most of these countries use 380v or 415v between the phases (3 phase). It's not the potential difference that kills you (only), it's if you touch the wires when they're turned on, 110v or 220v !
As some people allude to, using large guage wires of different metals causes all kinds of bad news and you had better know what you're doing but this is only for REALLY big panels. Most panels still use simple brass and copper junctions. Make sure you know what you're doing if you go there.
So, pulling 220v at 20 amps is no more dangerous as pulling 2 110v wires at 20 amps.
The most important point : IF YOU HAD TO ASK /. YOU'RE IN BUG TRUBBEL IF YOU DO IT YERSELF.
Advice in negotiating with your electrical contractor : Ask first now much it will cost to pull a 110v outlet. GET A PRICE. Then ask how much it will cost to pull a 220v outlet. If the price is more that 20% higher loose the contractor. Contractors regularly charge WAY more than they should for 220v work because they are "buisness rates".
Disclaimer - all voltages cited above are RMS (root mean square)- peak votages are normally 1.4x (sqrt(2)) higher.