On Fri, 13 Jan 2006 15:01:22 -0600, Jon Elson
wrote:
Ignoramus18851 wrote:

On Thu, 12 Jan 2006 13:37:45 -0800, Glenn wrote:

Don't overlook the incoming power feed.

Yes, I will definitely check that. My incoming power lines are
connected to the electrical panel with Allen style set screws. They
are before the main breaker, so, I will have to be very careful
tightening them, as they cannot be turned off.

Those things scare the HELL out of me, and I work on live 240 V gear
all the time. I can't think of ANY safe way of tightening those, without
making a special tool. If that L-shaped allen wrench touches anything else,
like the electrical box, the explosion will be totally awesome, and you
don't want to be anywhere near it. If you are not familiar with the term
"arc flash" you might want to read up on it. A 240 V residental service
doesn't really supply the watts that can get into serious arc flash
territory,
but it could still send you to the hospital.


The electrical lines coming into the house are underground.


Yes, here, too. The phenomenally incompetent guys that put in a water main
managed to cut our phone service 4 times, the gas main once, and nicked the
insulation on the buried electric feed. Water got in and ate the conductor.
Somebody turned on the stove one day, and most of the lights in the house
went out. The electric co. strung a bundle of #6 wire across our back
yard and
just left it like that for about SIX WEEKS!

Jon

Use a 3/8 inch drive hex wrench/socket (a socket with a
short hex wrench in it), suitable extension and a ratchet.
Tape up the extension if you so wish. Find a nice piece of
dry wood, plywood, 2x8, 2x10... whatever you fill
comfortable with not falling/stepping off from and stand on
that. Look over exactly where the hex lug is and what could
possibly get in the way when you turn/wrench on it. Then
carefully crank them down.

Don't get too carried away with this. That is more than
enough wrench. If you pop/split one (been there, done that)
it is a pain-in-the-xxx to fix and it HAS to be fixed.
Especially on a hot panel in current use for important
things, like keeping beer in your fridge cold.

If you feel really uncomfortable doing this, find an
electrician that works on commercial/industrial stuff. They
will torque them down with a big grin on their face and
maybe help you drain some of that cold beverage in the
fridge afterwards ;-) There is even a good chance they won't
bother with the wood either. Some of my old work boots were
okay, some gave you a small tingle and some would knock you
on your butt if you weren't standing on something insulated
grin.

I really think you need a small pony motor to bring the big
10hp idler up to speed first though... or at least partially
spin it up shrug.
--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
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