Low Voltage

Don't have any pictures, but here is an update of what happened this week so far.

The security system was a PAIN in the arse.  Why, because every sensor (47 of them) needed to be run into nearly impossible recessed windows, that are all encased in foam and concrete.  Most of them I had to drill from the ICF window buck out the top of the top plate, then snake the sensors and wire back behind the window frame.  I used foam peanuts in some cases to hold the wires back there, but I am worried the drywall and trim guys will hit a wire...  So, the security system took the better part of 3 days, and I thought I could bang in out in 1 day.  Oh, the iron door was a special pain in the arse.  Turns out you can't use a normal sensor because the steel of the door interferes with the magnet, so I had to bore a 3/4 inch hole in the iron door and jamb, then use a 6 foot bit to drill through wood and foam to get over the top of the entryway groin ceiling, then crawl out there in the rafters (about 120 degrees and full of mud dobbers, hornets, and wasps, and about 16 inches tall) and pull all the wire up.  While I was there, I ran the wires to the lighting panel, security system, intercom (inside and out).  Secured everything with staples, and routed it all where it needed to go. 

I think you get the picture of why this wasn't fun. 

Oh, the sensor for the iron door is bigger so they can have a strong magnet in the center that isn't surrounded by metal so the thing will work.  I checked it when we got done with my ohm meter and it worked perfectly, but I was sweating it a bit....  literally.

Nothing really new for me to underestimate the amount of time or work something will take...

So, tonight my wife got a babysitter and she came out and helped me with the lighting control wires.  I have a map of each keypad, which panel it connects to, how many Cat5e wires to run, what color, how many buttons, and even which switch addresses will be used.  She helped me run the first few, but I stayed out there late (as usual) and finished off all the wires for panel number 1.  But, the wires aren't terminated on either end, so I have to route all the wires correctly to each switch panel still.

The good news is that this went MUCH faster than the security system.  So, as long as I can find a good place for routing the wires, hopefully I can bang the rest of panel 2 and 3 out tomorrow...  Probably the majority of the intercom stations too, and may even get to some camera wires...  Maybe I am reaching there...

OH, also, the geo guys came out, covered up the trenches, fixed the leak, welded everything back together, and they are completely done.  Without saying names, these guys were absolutely fantastically nice, and their attitude is that they wouldn't do anything for you unless they would want it that way for themselves.  I was sad to see them go...

OK, must sleep more than the 3 hours I got last night....  work 18, sleep 3, Work 21, sleep 5...  hmmmm..

goodnight...

Geo Loop Connections

As usual I just worked 15 hours straight at the house, and didn't get as far as I liked or needed.  I have been installing the security system, which has been tedious, because I decided to go a little overboard on things so I can monitor them in the future with the automation.  Even though my windows are often just little awning windows below bigger fixed windows, I want the security system to tell me they are open before we leave to go somewhere.  Anyway, it takes time, and everything has to be run through the foam, soldered, and then run to the panel, and tested. 

The geo guys were back and installed the manifold and hooked up all the connections to the loops from the house.  This is a shot of dirt covering that manifold,  but it's basically 1 1/4 inch pipe that necks down to eventually  3/4 inch.  To get the resistance in each loop right, they switch the positions of in and out so that each loop is balanced.  This is about 4 feet under the surface, and the loops are guaranteed for 50 years.  The pipe is fusion welded, which is a pretty cool process I got to see today inside the house as they hooked up the pumps.

This is the pipe on it's way into (or under) the garage.  It goes into the 6 inch pvc conduit, and then travels over to the pumping station.  The red tape is actually electrically conductive, and you can hook up an electrical current to it and locate the pipes later on if you are digging for treasures...  The geo driller swears by using a copper rod bent in his hands for finding electric and pipes.  He has been drilling for years and years, and has been super patient.  Today, after they got everything all hooked up, he found a leak in a brass fitting, but he has to cut the PE pipe so he can turn the fitting.  Then, his backhoe blew a hydraulic hose fitting and they had to quit for the day.

Actually, the picture above is from last week, but it rained and filled the trenches up with water...  yucky nasty water that my kids wanted to jump into... ah, no!

This is a picture of them fusing the pipe to the fitting at the pump station.  They heat the two pieces to 500 degrees for about 15 seconds, and then slide the two together.  The result is that the two basically melt together as one.  The joint will never come apart.  Incidently, the fitting on the right is what caused the problem and needs to be tighted more, but you can't turn the fitting once it's connected to the pipe...which is kind of silly, but very common problem in plumbing...  The two pumps are shown, one pushes the return water, and one pushes to the loops.  Together they make about 18 gallons per minute, and the higher flow translates to more effeciency in the unit.  The purge station hooks to the sides of the pump station, and there are two valves that allow them to direct the flow of water in any direction they want when they are hooked up to the purge cart...

Speaking of the purge cart... Here it is.  It pumps water through the system at a massive high flow rate to remove air, and filter out any dirt or gunk that may have gotten in there.  They took some temperature readings and we are basically at 72 degrees...exactly what I suspected based on underground temperature map data.  Without the cart in place, the water comes in through the garage floor, up and over down into the pump station, and then through the wall to the unit just on the other side of that staircase. 

Here is a picture looking down into that 6 inch conduit.  It was subsequently filled with foam and then capped.  Never to be seen again... hopefully.  They insulated the return line to keep it from swapping energy with the outgoing loop pipe.  Good idea...

Central Vac.  Can't remember if I told you about that, but these were the fittings that mostly got used up during the install.  I probably saved about 1500 dollars in two days by doing this myself.

I was up on the roof at dusk the other night measuring the cupola, and the light was good.  Took some shots of the tile from up there.  Yes, kind of stupid to even be on the roof, let alone at night. 

Till next time...