Category Archives: Electrical

Plan and install electricity

From Tesla Solar Panels to Solar Roof

Posted on July 12, 2020 by ellen

When the new glass roof tiles from Tesla were in the media, I was intrigued because we eventually needed a new roof and we live in the Hail Alley of Colorado which means hail is frequent and often damages roofs. … Continue reading →

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Buried Pool Power

Posted on July 3, 2020 by ellen

When I applied for a permit for the pool the requirement was to have a separate 20 amp GFCI line for it. The electricians installed that back in 2016. I have been using a long extension cord for the pool … Continue reading →

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Shower Niche Light Issues

Posted on April 1, 2020 by ellen

The niche light was a disaster. It did not go as planned. What I wanted to do and what happened were not the same. I wanted a sleek row of LED lights that were waterproof or damp proof in the … Continue reading →

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Why Shopping is Not Research

Posted on March 20, 2020 by ellen

My normal practice is to research every part of the house remodel. I usually spend hours on the internet gathering information about the best way to design and complete a project. But every once in a while I forget to … Continue reading →

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Direct Wire Under Counter LED Lights

Posted on May 3, 2019 by ellen

My son’s house had under counter LED lights which are nice, but they were the plug in type which looked messy. They each had to be turned on separately. With a switch for the light over the sink right there … Continue reading →

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Going with Lutron Wifi Switches

Posted on February 7, 2019 by ellen

This is for my son’s new house but I’ve been enjoying installing them. I purchased the first Lutron Caseta switch and bridge to control the ERV with wifi. But I was not able to get the signal to match what … Continue reading →

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Hanging A Painting

Posted on September 4, 2018 by ellen

We need to get the last of the decorative items out of storage and decide what to do with them. I have always liked this serene painting that I bought at a second hand store in Indiana years ago. It … Continue reading →

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Installing a JuiceBox 220v 40 Pro Charger

Posted on June 11, 2018 by ellen

I decided to upgrade to a Level 2, 220v EV charger in order to charge faster during the highest solar production time of day. After researching various options, it appeared the JuiceBox delivered the most bang for the buck. Some … Continue reading →

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More ERV Controls

Posted on April 21, 2018 by ellen

I spent another day on ERV controls. It is unbelievable that these controls are taking so much time. I was gratified that I finally got the variable speeds to work with the Lutron Caseta wifi dimmer and the GRX-TVI control … Continue reading →

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UltimateAir ERV WiFi Control

Posted on April 19, 2018 by ellen

It has been just over a year since I last tried to hook up the ERV to a WiFi dimmer. But with my son’s advice and encouragement the deed was finally accomplished. He designed a circuit for me to convert … Continue reading →

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Solar is Up! Day One

Posted on April 18, 2018 by ellen

Yesterday the Xcel technician stopped by about 4 PM to install the solar meter. That completed the setup for our solar system. She gave me a hang tag that said the system was ready to bring online! After she left … Continue reading →

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Passed the Final Inspection

Posted on April 1, 2018 by ellen

April Fools!  But we did have the inspector come out at the end of February and we are very close. We had three things that needed to be done to pass: first, finish the showers; second, caulk around the bathroom … Continue reading →

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Solar System Commissioned

Posted on March 24, 2018 by ellen

Commissioning was basically a test of functions. I had the Tesla app open on my phone so I could follow along with the tests. The commissioning was early in the morning so the system was not yet producing full power. … Continue reading →

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Tesla Solar!

Posted on March 21, 2018 by ellen

The solar photovoltaics were installed yesterday and “commissioned” today. I’m thrilled. This seems like another major step in the process of putting together a truly energy efficient home. And it is another case of purchasing a complete system with installation … Continue reading →

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Fire Alarms

Posted on November 9, 2017 by ellen

I finally got the fire alarms installed after having the item on multiple lists since the electrical was finished. I’m trying to check off all the requirements for our final inspection. LEED requires that we have a carbon monoxide alarm … Continue reading →

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Adding a Shower Light

Posted on November 6, 2017 by ellen

The family room shower is big and it was dark inside. It really needed a light but I didn’t specify one in the electrical drawings so I had to add it as a retrofit. The light I bought came with … Continue reading →

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Haiku Energy Star Ceiling Fan

Posted on August 26, 2017 by ellen

I have already replaced the craigslist ceiling fan that I installed for my brother’s visit. There is a LEED requirement to install Energy Star ceiling fans and I was hoping to find a deal on a Haiku L series for … Continue reading →

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Finding a Ceiling Fan

Posted on August 16, 2017 by ellen

I saved a relatively new ceiling fan from the Arizona house. Before we sold it the real estate agent recommended that I replace the old antique brass fans with something more modern, i.e. oil rubbed bronze. But I could not … Continue reading →

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Stove Hood Light Fixture

Posted on June 28, 2017 by ellen

After a frustrating afternoon trying to snake a light cord through the wall behind the stove, Dave suggested I try getting a camera. Seemed like a good idea to me so I went to Amazon and bought an Endoscope/Borescope which … Continue reading →

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Light Fixtures

Posted on June 16, 2017 by ellen

A few more light fixtures were installed. The closet light was reused from the original house and it took all afternoon and three tries to get it working. First I had to find screws that were long enough to fit … Continue reading →

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