Fish building/man cave build!

dantimdad · Mar 13, 2022

I almost forgot. I went back over everything electrical that I am going to use. The total amperage draw is way less than what I thought. I put it all in a spreadsheet that totals the wattage then converts to amps. I made a separate sheet for each breaker to keep track.

This brings the cost down because I will have 3 less circuits than I thought so not as many GFCI outlets (which are outrageous now!) also not as many runs of wire (which is also stupid expensive now)

This also means a lot less work pulling wire.

Eagle_Steve · Mar 13, 2022

dantimdad said:
I almost forgot. I went back over everything electrical that I am going to use. The total amperage draw is way less than what I thought. I put it all in a spreadsheet that totals the wattage then converts to amps. I made a separate sheet for each breaker to keep track.

This brings the cost down because I will have 3 less circuits than I thought so not as many GFCI outlets (which are outrageous now!) also not as many runs of wire (which is also stupid expensive now)

This also means a lot less work pulling wire.

How many gfci plugs you need? I think I have a box in the garage full. Again, I think lol. Let me know. I will look today, as have to replace all the axles in the De-Forester lol.

Note to self: next time I jump a dirt mound and then proceed to climb rock piles, video it lol. Axles lived through the jumps, just not when “bouncing” rocks lol.

dantimdad · Mar 13, 2022

Eagle_Steve said:
How many gfci plugs you need? I think I have a box in the garage full. Again, I think lol. Let me know. I will look today, as have to replace all the axles in the De-Forester lol.

Note to self: next time I jump a dirt mound and then proceed to climb rock piles, video it lol. Axles lived through the jumps, just not when “bouncing” rocks lol.

4 to be on the safe side. Thanks! The 4 of them would cost more the the breaker box!

dantimdad · Mar 13, 2022

OSB almost done! Having a dang dizzy spell. Sherry put a stop to work for the day.

dantimdad · Mar 14, 2022

all the OSB and punch out is done! The wrap is done except for a thin strip at the top of two of the walls and the gable.

I went and picked up all the luan and wainscotting for the interior walls. I need to get a breaker box tomorrow so I can install outlet boxes and start running wire this week. With a little luck, I will start on insulation this weekend and still be able to go to the frag show in Birmingham. (Not THAT Birmingham @najer )

I am hoping to find a door and get the vinyl ordered tomorrow too. I really should have ordered it a couple weeks ago.

dantimdad · Mar 15, 2022

Guy coming out to measure for vinyl today. Should know cost and order shortly after that.

I have to travel for work from the 17th to the 21st of April. Hopefully, most of this will be done before then.

dantimdad · Mar 17, 2022

picked up the wire and breaker box last night.

Box is in, most of the outlet boxes are nailed in.

I will start drilling holes for the wire tonight and finish nailing up the outlet boxes. Might even run some wire.

And, if you think my addiction to all things aquatic is bad, I got another 3d printer via fedex just now. LOL!

dantimdad · Mar 17, 2022

I know everything has gone up but, 14/2 went to nearly $100 for 100 feet after tax. That's just stupid.

Rant over.

Sean Clark · Mar 17, 2022

dantimdad said:
I know everything has gone up but, 14/2 went to nearly $100 for 100 feet after tax. That's just stupid.

Rant over.

Lol right. Better run 12 though. For your build you are going to want all that extra POWER!

dantimdad · Mar 17, 2022

I have a spreadsheet with all the things being run and extra.

I will need 4x15 amp breakers and 1 x 20 amp. And that still leaves breathing room.

Some of the things in the carport were already on their own breaker so no sense in rerunning wire.

I don't think most people stop to add up everything and see just how little power they are using if they buy energy efficient equipment. For instance, all the lighting for the saltwater stuff is on one breaker with the power heads. The total draw is 7.9 amps at full power. We all know that lighting hardly ever gets run at full power and usually power heads don't either.

The biggest energy hog in the whole thing is the fridge and it's already on it's own outlet and breaker. It will draw a maximum of 13 amps on startup.

dantimdad · Mar 17, 2022

Well, I came to the stark realization that I have to run the over head lighting first. DOH! Even with work lights, it's hard to see in there and I really need to be safe.

I will get that done tomorrow evening. I will run the led tubes off an extension cord until I get the wiring in the ceiling for them and the breaker box done.

Sean Clark · Mar 17, 2022

dantimdad said:
Well, I came to the stark realization that I have to run the over head lighting first. DOH! Even with work lights, it's hard to see in there and I really need to be safe.

I will get that done tomorrow evening. I will run the led tubes off an extension cord until I get the wiring in the ceiling for them and the breaker box done.

For one reason or another this reminded me of this post:
Post in thread 'Good Morning!' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/good-morning.336291/post-10011804

dantimdad · Mar 18, 2022

Sean Clark said:
For one reason or another this reminded me of this post:
Post in thread 'Good Morning!' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/good-morning.336291/post-10011804

HAHAHAHA!

dantimdad · Mar 20, 2022

Today my buddy is coming to tie in the subpanel to the main panel. I should have all the wiring run and the overhead lights on their switch.

I honestly hope to have the fridge moved (temporarily because the insulation and paneling aren't started) to give me a sense of layout for that side of the room.

IF (big IF) I get this all done, then insulation starts tomorrow night, followed by paneling. Then scrape the ceiling, patch and start painting!

While I am painting, I will build the 187 stand and paint it and repaint the 12 foot stand.

If it weren't for going out of town twice in April, I would have water in the tanks by 4/30. Alas, work sprung a week long trip on me and Sherry and I are heading to Mentone for a much needed long weekend.

I said that I hoped to have it weather tight by the end of March and that goal will be reached. I am comfortable with where this huge project is at.

dantimdad · Mar 20, 2022

The room is all wired!

Waiting on my buddy to tie in the box.

I am going to clean up a bunch of stuff and go ahead with the insulation since I got done way earlier than I expected.

dantimdad · Mar 21, 2022

Started on insulation. My buddy couldn't come tie in the box. Somethine came up.

I got the last little bit of wrap done and a bunch of the mess cleaned up.

Pretty sure the insulation and paneling will be done by saturday.

I need to take some pics...

Eagle_Steve · Mar 21, 2022

dantimdad said:
Started on insulation. My buddy couldn't come tie in the box. Somethine came up.

I got the last little bit of wrap done and a bunch of the mess cleaned up.

Pretty sure the insulation and paneling will be done by saturday.

I need to take some pics...

You are hauling rear on this man.

Yes, we need pics lol.

dantimdad · Mar 21, 2022

My buddy just left. He came over this morning and tied in the box. I need an 80 amp breaker and the building will have power. I had to get up in the attic and re-fish the wire down. We couldn't get it through the place in the box I intended.

All's well that ends well. I also forgot to run the wire over to the mini split. DOH! That's simple enough and I will do that today.

Ordered the adapters for pulling a vacuum on the unit so as soon as insulation is in, we will hook it up and start regulating the temp in the room so it's comfortable while I am doing finishing work.

The goal for today has changed. Now, I want to scrape the ceiling, install the over head lights and run the HVAC power. Easily done in a couple hours.

dantimdad · Mar 21, 2022

One thing I meant to say was that the best tool I have for this project has got to be a dry erase board.

I layed out a check list from the beginning. When that one was done, erase and start a new one from the notes I took while finishing the first check list.

This way, I know where I am at a glance:

I also numbered the wires and the boxes to match the breaker they will go to. I will number the outlet plates when I put them on as well.

And here is the box tied in:

It's a 125 box but only running 80 amp service to it and only using 65 amp total of the 80 available and that's if every single thing is running at full capacity all at once.

I decided to leave the fridge on the circuit it was already on and just move the outlet.

dantimdad · Mar 23, 2022

Moving right along...

I am starting on the 187 stand today and working more on insulation and ceiling scraping after that.

I changed the plan on the stand (big surprise, huh?) I was given a C channel steel beam that is long enough to make the entire top frame out of it and that way I won't have to have center support legs. It'll leave a bunch of room to make the refugium bigger than originally planned. I am going with a 75 gallon tank I think. And leave the front open so it will be a display fuge.

Do you think the 187 setup deserves a different build thread? Or will that just make it hard to follow everything?