Real Estate Update

I'm in the process of setting up my air compressor in my new shop. Ran the main line weeks ago and dead-ended it in the approximate area the compressor was gonna go. 6/3 with ground, hooked to a 30 amp 2 pole breaker.

Got the compressor placed yesterday, wired up the motor starter today. Flipped the breaker on, flipped the start switch and....nada. Da Fuq? Flipped the breaker off and back on just to be sure it was on. Nada.

Went back to the compressor room and verified that the connections on the motor starter were correct and tight. All good, that's not it. Hmmmm.

Got my meter and check voltages at the motor starter. Red leg, 120V to ground - good. Black leg, some insignificant value. Hmmmmm.

Went back to the panel and checked at the breaker. Same results, hot on red, nada on black. Da Fuq? Bad breaker?

Killed the main, disconnected the leads at the bad breaker, disconnected the leads at the welder breaker and swapped the welder breaker into the air compressor breaker position. Et Voila! Power! Compressor starts and runs like it should. Cool, bad breaker. That happens, especially these days.

Popped the bad breaker in the welder position just so I wouldn't have hot lugs exposed in the panel with the cover on. Just for gits and shiggles, I checked the power again and...WTH? Both sides are hot. Hooked the leads back up for the welder outlet and plugged a welder in...all good.

I'm very confused.

Still gonna replace it just because I don't need/want a 50 amp breaker on the compressor.
 
Funny stuff, that electricity... At least the "smoke" stayed in the breaker! It's a real pain, having to take a defective part back to the store. *note: Some places have a "No return" policy on electrical things, like you did it wrong or something.... :doh:
 
I'd stick the (initially) bad one back in the compressor slot and see if it works there now. Stranger stuff has happened.... :shrug:
 
I was thinkin' of the possibility some plastic casting flash was interrupting the contact on the inside... and you moving it dislodged the flash.
 
I was thinkin' of the possibility some plastic casting flash was interrupting the contact on the inside... and you moving it dislodged the flash.
That could happen!

I had a problem a year ago. Power went out and the estimated time for repairs from power company was several hours. So decided to drag out the gas powered generator and hook it up. To protect the people working on the main line I flipped the main switch next to the meter and then connected the generator to a 220 outlet in the garage. Worked just fine till I got the robo call from power company saying power restored. Disconnected the generator and flipped the main switch next to meter. Now only some things worked.

Finally called an electrician and after some quick checks to make sure power from pole was good on both legs decided the main switch next to meter was at fault. He used some jumpers to by-pass the switch till he could get back in a couple days with new switch. He left the old switch so I decided to investigate. After drilling out rivets that hole the switch together found the problem, literally a bug in the switch holding one set of contacts open!
 
That could happen!
Finally called an electrician and after some quick checks to make sure power from pole was good on both legs decided the main switch next to meter was at fault. He used some jumpers to by-pass the switch till he could get back in a couple days with new switch. He left the old switch so I decided to investigate. After drilling out rivets that hole the switch together found the problem, literally a bug in the switch holding one set of contacts open!

Had that happen in a well pump switch, pretty common
 

20 second video tour of the mostly completed shop. Got the shelves up and most of my "stuff" moved in today. Couple more things I need to decide if I'm going to move and if so, where the hell to stash them. Torch cart, fer instance. LOVE to have it down there, no idea where to cram it. (Careful Scooter, I heard you thinking that!)

Waiting on the flexible isolation connector for the compressor and need to finish up the duct work and chimney on the furnace.
 
Dang DE! That came out nice! Your wife is going to have to pry you outa there.
37A84ADA-124B-439F-9007-BBAFAFA7BE15.jpeg
 
Just a thought, appliance bulb have heavier glass globes so maybe they are keeping in the heat from the filament? Maybe try a standard low wattage bulb?
 
Cool! I have heat!

Finished up installing the exhaust on the furnace in the shop yesterday.

I've sorta been waiting for my furnace guy to come bleed it, fire it up and check it out, but he's right out straight this time of year so I decided to try it myself. How hard can it be, right?

So, bled it, turned the thermostat up and flipped the breaker on and PRESTO. Fire in the box and fairly quickly warm air coming out of the plumbing on the shop side.

I was a little confused at first when I turned the thermostat back down and the furnace didn't quit. Turns out the burner did shut off, but the fan has a sensor and runs until the heat exchanger cools down. Obvious when you think about it.

It brought the shop up about 3 degrees in 10 minutes or so. 55° to 58.x° Little smell of fuel oil, but I think that's from the bleeding process. CO detector in the shop never twitched.

I'll still have the guy come down and tune it up, check the nozzle, etc.
 
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