AS A RETIRED ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR OF COURSE I WATCHED YOUR EVERY MOVE, LOL. WELL DONE MY FRIEND! TWO THUMBS UP! PLUS, THE WIRE STRIPPERS YOU USED.... I HAVE THE EXACT SAME KIND!
I second that well done for sure the only thing I would recommend is that make sure all your screws on your outlets and switches are screwed all the way in just to try to prevent any possible arcing.
Well thats says something doesn't it. Besides yanks love of wire-nuts (banned in most countries for good reason), you didn't pickup on the use of installation TPS used as flex for the power station.... Solid conductors are NOT for flex use.
Patrick. I just wanted to thank you for your amazing and in depth video. As a new (very novice) off grid person I have been learning a lot from your videos. Today I finished my electrical in my cabin based off of your video and lo and behold I have actual working power outlets (and no fire lol). You definitely got me (charged up-electrical pun lol). Thanks again!!!
Loved the solar install. Sadly looks like we are coming to end of this series. I got hooked in by your 'smart' floor with the insulation sandwiched between plywood sheathing, and I haven't missed an episode. Two tips for wiring I think would appeal to you. I always wrap the top of my wire nuts with tape that runs perpendicular to the tape wrapped around the nut and extends down to the wires. Then I wrap the wire and nut with tape. This makes it virtually impossible for the wire nut to come loosed. Second, once I have wired a receptacle, I will wrap the sides and top of the receptacle with tape so the screw connectors are covered with tape and insulated. You using plastic boxes so less of an issue, but if someone down the road opens up the box and forgets to turn off the circuit the chances of touching something and arcing are lowered. Like you I am also not an electrician, but do my best to understand, meet or exceed the code to make up for it!
Ah thanks for the tips! Not sure why, but I completely forgot to tape those screw heads as I was planning. Thanks for watching this series. On to the next!
Hi Patrick, good to be back on the job site! You know watching electrical work is about as exciting as watching sanding! You take care of yourself Patrick and I’ll see you soon.
Make it easy on yourself in small boxes with large fixtures use Wagos not wire nuts. Gives you much more space in the box. When wire nutting you twist the wires together which stiffens the conductors making them harder to bend into the box. Wagos keep each separate and the result is they bend much easier, especially helpful if you are using #12 or larger. They make two kinds both Wago and Ideal make a push to connect variation while Wago makes the lever lock in several styles for splices end to end as well as parallel connections with room for two or more conductors. The lever locks can be opened and closed making testing and reconnecting a breeze or changes down the line quick and easy. A huge improvement in what one thought was the epitome of efficiency already! A real life saver when upgrading a 'short wired' installation of old.
10:54 Yes I did. And cloth. Had a couple places with knob and tube wiring. Not to mention the telecom industry still runs a lot of copper lines over paper insulated conductors to this day.
Spring is always a nice time of the year. Right now I’m using a small generator to power my 16’x20’ cabin build. Got it all dried in. Using a 500 watt Bluetti to assist as I need. An 1800 watt unit would surely get rid of the noisy generator. Good information. #Bluetti. Thanks from Hells Canyon, Frank.
My Dad was an electrician at Good Year our last name is Watts his Knick name at work was Kill O Wat LOL He had me help him run wire ect I know enough to be dangerous lol Nice power station and panels !!!
Hello from Midway, Texas, Hey Patrick, I need a advance on my payroll this coming week and maybe for 2 weeks or I just might not make it to work next week 😂, I sure would appreciate that 😂 !!!
Hey, Patrick. Another Friday, another Off Grid Cabin episode. Thanks for starting my weekend off with some mellow, stress-free viewing. My eyes went wide when I saw the white-headed screws, then a sigh of relief a minute or so later when you said you would paint 'em. Thanks for addressing my electricity curiosity, but now I have a new question: what's the ultimate purpose of this cabin? Is the loft for a bed? If not, what's the purpose of the loft? Will there be a chair or two for seating on the main floor? No sink, no 'fridge, so it doesn't appear that there'll be any long-term habitation. If you're going to have chairs and/or a couch, you may want to consider another light or two, perhaps mounted to the face of the loft shining down onto the area below. Just my two cents. Always remember to stay safe, my friend.
Ah thank YOU for watching! For now, just a dry cabin used as a very short getaway or maybe an extra bedroom. I appreciate your comment! Be safe, as well.
hey Patrick, if you have bare wires [ ground ] you should always wrap the receptical or switch body in tape so they can't touch inside the box when you push them in...
Pretty sure it has nothing to do with any codes, just my personal ocd/perfectionism, but I always put the "hooked" wire around the screw in the same direction as tightening (clockwise) that way it will drawing in as it tightens, as opposed to possibly untwisting and pushing it out. I think this comes from doing industrial wiring (stranded, not solid wire). Regardless, it looks great!
That was brilliant Patrick! Another step toward being a finished project, although when is a construction job ever really done (modifications, additions, touch up etc.)?
6:35 Only thing I noticed was you putting the wire on the screw opposite the direction the screw tightens. Back when I was a boy you put it on in the direction of the screw tightening but backed off the wire so it wouldn't bind. More important with multi conductors than with just one wire like you have here. It was just the ground wire now that I look at all of it.
Only thing I do differently is, I always screw the unused screws on the outlet all the way in so there's less chance of it ever touching the ground wire when pushing it in.
I think that was more important on the older build houses from 30 plus years ago when most boxes were metal and very narrow. Less need for it in the all plastic boxes but it couldnt hurt. Does make the outlet gummy with adhesive residue though if you have to get it there years down the road. @LifeontheMoose
Love this video on wiring, I am in the process of wiring an office and bathroom in my building. When you finish the project are you going to let us come and stay the weekend in it. (Like a bread and breakfast, where we have to do our own cooking?
You can get a wire box that goes on the outside of your house and you plug the solar panel in it. And then you plug a short plug from the power box to that wall plug on the inside. And you don't have to drill a hole all the way through your wall
Set your screws in even if they are empty, then take a couple of wraps of electrical tape around the terminals. Lessens the likelihood of any erroneous contact.
My Famliy was Shocked to find out I am not a good electrician. Very Bright idea with the Solar Power Battery system. Very Illuminating! Will you be renting these cabins out?
black is power and white is common and copper is ground unless you are on a military installation then the white is power, black is common and copper is ground. and each box is rated on how many wires you can put in that box.
Hi, Patrick... I like to work with electrical installations but I'm not an electrician also. So I just do small things at home. Your video brings lots of information. Thanks for that. It's not exactly the same here in Brazil, but it's really good to know how it works there. And just a question: what happened with your hand? It seems you hurt it. Hugs from Brazil! 😊😉
Indeed I’ve received comments from other countries about a few differences. My hand…a lawn mower injury. Actually I just scraped it as I was cleaning the mower deck…while the engine was off!
Newbie Electric question... Can you test each fixture as you wire it to the main power or do you have to wait until the last outlet is wired at the end of the line to test them all?
I was hoping for bear lasagna but sometimes game can become pretty deer. At times you just have to get your head out of the clouds and come down to ground, Chuck. Sorry, Pat.
I sure like this episode and the way you SOCK IT to us. No really the way you made the CIRCUIT around the cabin was TRANSFORMING. You're such a CUT UP when it comes to insulation trimming. And that power supply, you really PLUGGED it on that presentation. And you still out did all of us so far. Maybe I've never noticed before, but is this the first time you've used a camera crew other than your head or tripod? Another job well done and I'm sure that "it'll be okay".
I lived off grid in North Dakota … Yamaha generator and 4 batteries with a power inverter … no reason for the battery to be in a box with a $1400 inverter … how do you change out the battery ?
I have no idea! This is rated to have more cycles than I’ll ever use in this cabin, so I shouldn’t have to worry about that. If this was a permanent and year-round residence, I’d probably go a different route.
@3:59 , you said don't reverse the black wireson the switch- not so my friend. Doesn't matter, it's the supply side you've got connected with the 3 black wires.
@@LifeontheMoose sorry, nope. Think where your common point hot is. It feeds the switch. Common-pigtail-switch-load. Pass-through is from common hot, not switch. 😀
@@johnknoper7556 I think we’re saying the same thing differently. Supply side on the off position? Perhaps not the same black wires I was referring to? No matter, what you’re saying is true. 🙏
Pure sine wave is better for today’s electronics. Old school generators tend to produce a square wave output. There are lots of pure sine wave generators out all over now.
pure sine wave when your equipment needs power and you are off grid. pure sine wave is like fresh milk to the equipment. modified sine wave is like the milk is a little sour.
AS A RETIRED ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR OF COURSE I WATCHED YOUR EVERY MOVE, LOL. WELL DONE MY FRIEND! TWO THUMBS UP! PLUS, THE WIRE STRIPPERS YOU USED.... I HAVE THE EXACT SAME KIND!
I second that well done for sure the only thing I would recommend is that make sure all your screws on your outlets and switches are screwed all the way in just to try to prevent any possible arcing.
Yes! Good advice.
Wow thank you! I’m honored. 🙏
Well thats says something doesn't it. Besides yanks love of wire-nuts (banned in most countries for good reason), you didn't pickup on the use of installation TPS used as flex for the power station.... Solid conductors are NOT for flex use.
Patrick. I just wanted to thank you for your amazing and in depth video. As a new (very novice) off grid person I have been learning a lot from your videos. Today I finished my electrical in my cabin based off of your video and lo and behold I have actual working power outlets (and no fire lol). You definitely got me (charged up-electrical pun lol). Thanks again!!!
Ha! That’s awesome. Glad to be any part of it. As long as there’s no fire! lol.
Appreciate you being here.🙏
This was all quite illuminating. I do like light humor.
With all this illuminating discussion, I can see the results.
Nice! I was hoping for a few more! 👍🏻😂
When ì was younger and I wired outlets and switches, I learned it as "white on bright and black on brass."
That’s a great way to remember!
Loved the solar install. Sadly looks like we are coming to end of this series. I got hooked in by your 'smart' floor with the insulation sandwiched between plywood sheathing, and I haven't missed an episode. Two tips for wiring I think would appeal to you. I always wrap the top of my wire nuts with tape that runs perpendicular to the tape wrapped around the nut and extends down to the wires. Then I wrap the wire and nut with tape. This makes it virtually impossible for the wire nut to come loosed. Second, once I have wired a receptacle, I will wrap the sides and top of the receptacle with tape so the screw connectors are covered with tape and insulated. You using plastic boxes so less of an issue, but if someone down the road opens up the box and forgets to turn off the circuit the chances of touching something and arcing are lowered. Like you I am also not an electrician, but do my best to understand, meet or exceed the code to make up for it!
Ah thanks for the tips! Not sure why, but I completely forgot to tape those screw heads as I was planning.
Thanks for watching this series. On to the next!
What an ELECTRIC episode!
Boom!
Man, you inspire me brother!!
Wow thanks! I’m honored.🙏
Thanks for keeping us current on your project! ⚡
Very enlightening episode. 💡
Nice ones!
Hi Patrick, good to be back on the job site!
You know watching electrical work is about as exciting as watching sanding!
You take care of yourself Patrick and I’ll see you soon.
lol Good to have you back!
Thanks you for this video. I definitely learned a lot!
Thank YOU for watching!🙏
I am really AMPED up after watching this video, I think I will go and wire the dog house!
lol. Do it!
As always relaxing episode...and the music "unplugged" is perfect. Thank you
Ha that’s great!
A really powerful episode. Cabin is coming together great. Nice to have power a big step.
🙏indeed!
That looks great, especially at night when it's lit up! I always enjoy your videos thank you for sharing.
Hey thank you so much! Glad you’re watching. 🙏
Yes, it is the pure sign wave converters that are the best for putting out power for computers and all that other
Ah excellent. Thank you!
My friend is an electrician and I always let her check my shorts.
lol! Good friend!
It's like it is alive when you turn those lights on at nite. lov from South Alabama.
So true! Lov back!
Make it easy on yourself in small boxes with large fixtures use Wagos not wire nuts. Gives you much more space in the box. When wire nutting you twist the wires together which stiffens the conductors making them harder to bend into the box. Wagos keep each separate and the result is they bend much easier, especially helpful if you are using #12 or larger. They make two kinds both Wago and Ideal make a push to connect variation while Wago makes the lever lock in several styles for splices end to end as well as parallel connections with room for two or more conductors. The lever locks can be opened and closed making testing and reconnecting a breeze or changes down the line quick and easy. A huge improvement in what one thought was the epitome of efficiency already! A real life saver when upgrading a 'short wired' installation of old.
Good stuff to share. Thank you!
As always, great jokes, excellent entertaining video! 😂👍
Nice job, cabin with light looks very sweet..
Thank you so much!
10:54 Yes I did. And cloth. Had a couple places with knob and tube wiring. Not to mention the telecom industry still runs a lot of copper lines over paper insulated conductors to this day.
Yup…the old knob and tube. Scares most young home buyers to death now days.
I see by your right hand that you have some skin in the game.
Ha yes! Trying to squeeze my hand into places it shouldn’t have fit cleaning the lawn mower. It wasn’t running at the time!
Enlightened as always 👍🏴
Ha thanks!
Spring is always a nice time of the year. Right now I’m using a small generator to power my 16’x20’ cabin build. Got it all dried in. Using a 500 watt Bluetti to assist as I need. An 1800 watt unit would surely get rid of the noisy generator. Good information. #Bluetti. Thanks from Hells Canyon, Frank.
Thanks, Frank! Love nice Spring days, for sure.
Is it Friday all ready? 😂 I loved your jokes as you performed your electrical duties. Another fun and entertaining video Patrick.
Thank you!🙏
Thank you for the continuity of your episodes
lol. Sure!
My Dad was an electrician at Good Year our last name is Watts his Knick name at work was Kill O Wat LOL He had me help him run wire ect I know enough to be dangerous lol Nice power station and panels !!!
Good story! 🙏
Hello from Midway, Texas, Hey Patrick, I need a advance on my payroll this coming week and maybe for 2 weeks or I just might not make it to work next week 😂, I sure would appreciate that 😂 !!!
I’ll just mail you a signed blank check.
I know you’re good for it!
@@LifeontheMoose that’s why I like working for you 😂😂😂
I put the screw in vertical just like you. I did it to tell if someone mess with the fixture Ha Ha
Ha you noticed! I can’t help it…
Hey, Patrick. Another Friday, another Off Grid Cabin episode. Thanks for starting my weekend off with some mellow, stress-free viewing. My eyes went wide when I saw the white-headed screws, then a sigh of relief a minute or so later when you said you would paint 'em. Thanks for addressing my electricity curiosity, but now I have a new question: what's the ultimate purpose of this cabin? Is the loft for a bed? If not, what's the purpose of the loft? Will there be a chair or two for seating on the main floor? No sink, no 'fridge, so it doesn't appear that there'll be any long-term habitation. If you're going to have chairs and/or a couch, you may want to consider another light or two, perhaps mounted to the face of the loft shining down onto the area below. Just my two cents. Always remember to stay safe, my friend.
Ah thank YOU for watching!
For now, just a dry cabin used as a very short getaway or maybe an extra bedroom.
I appreciate your comment! Be safe, as well.
Great episode
Thanks!
Very usefull in these remote area's
Indeed!
Nice power system.
Eating inside. You're moving up in the world!
Ha indeed!
22:04 The light is on the back for mood lighting, it's more romantic...
I’m shocked at how easy you made it look..,
🙏
hey Patrick, if you have bare wires [ ground ] you should always wrap the receptical or switch body in tape so they can't touch inside the box when you push them in...
Indeed! Thanks for mentioning. Was planned, but not executed.
Normally it would bug me, but the white screws on black plates is kind of a cool look in that particular space. I don't think they need paint.
Definitely agree 👌🏻
I believe your porch roof is facing southwest. Not a bad direction for mounting the solar panels on.
True!
Use some tea cup hooks to hang the solar panel. Easy on and easy off and it will tilt.
Thank you for that idea! 🙏
My guesstimation, 15.57, pointy and sunsety. 😁
Pretty sure it has nothing to do with any codes, just my personal ocd/perfectionism, but I always put the "hooked" wire around the screw in the same direction as tightening (clockwise) that way it will drawing in as it tightens, as opposed to possibly untwisting and pushing it out. I think this comes from doing industrial wiring (stranded, not solid wire). Regardless, it looks great!
Indeed! I thought I caught that, too when I watched the video back.
That was brilliant Patrick! Another step toward being a finished project, although when is a construction job ever really done (modifications, additions, touch up etc.)?
True! Thank you. 🙏
I prefer the Bluetti power station... hopefully they see this and sponsor you 😊
I reached out to them earlier… I guess I’m not quite ”big” enough for them!
@@LifeontheMoose eventually you will be 😉
Neat trick...
Use the stands on the back of the panels against the cabin to keep them at an angle for better charging.
Shocking!
Ha!
@ 7:15 this is where the black Magic Marker trick will fix those white screw heads
I use a black Sharpe on my white outlet screws.
Another hitm thank you
6:35 Only thing I noticed was you putting the wire on the screw opposite the direction the screw tightens. Back when I was a boy you put it on in the direction of the screw tightening but backed off the wire so it wouldn't bind. More important with multi conductors than with just one wire like you have here. It was just the ground wire now that I look at all of it.
I was specifically watching for that the whole time. If you look back, though, he has them in the correct direction.
Only thing I do differently is, I always screw the unused screws on the outlet all the way in so there's less chance of it ever touching the ground wire when pushing it in.
Yes! And I could have taped those, as well.
I think that was more important on the older build houses from 30 plus years ago when most boxes were metal and very narrow. Less need for it in the all plastic boxes but it couldnt hurt. Does make the outlet gummy with adhesive residue though if you have to get it there years down the road. @LifeontheMoose
@@Steve_G_Maine 👍🏻
Cute Place
Love this video on wiring, I am in the process of wiring an office and bathroom in my building. When you finish the project are you going to let us come and stay the weekend in it. (Like a bread and breakfast, where we have to do our own cooking?
Thank you! 🙏
At this point…just for personal use.
Not that I wouldn’t want to invite you over!
You can get a wire box that goes on the outside of your house and you plug the solar panel in it. And then you plug a short plug from the power box to that wall plug on the inside. And you don't have to drill a hole all the way through your wall
Electrifying!
👍🏻
Boy that i jury to your hand must have been a “shock” to your system😮
Ha! I real zinger!
" Green is ground the world round"
I like that!
@@LifeontheMoose That question was on my Boiler Engineer exam. Never forgot it
Set your screws in even if they are empty, then take a couple of wraps of electrical tape around the terminals. Lessens the likelihood of any erroneous contact.
Indeed!
Love your video, new subscriber.
Welcome! I appreciate that. 🙏
I found this episode to be "Positively Electrifying!"
A two-fer! 👍🏻
Not really required on dwelling switches but the industry standard is line(source) on top and load on bottom.
What an Electricfying vid 👏 😳🤷👴🐕🚜🫘🏆🏆
Perfect!👍🏻
Good job on the electrical👍. Just wonder why you didn't just buy some black plates instead of painting those white ones? Won't the paint scratch off?
$! I already had the paint and the covers and the screws. I’m sure it could scratch off.
Thank you! 🙏
My Famliy was Shocked to find out I am not a good electrician. Very Bright idea with the Solar Power Battery system. Very Illuminating! Will you be renting these cabins out?
Ha! 🙏
Probably not… at least at this point.
Are those receptacles TR rated? Tamper resistant! Code now requires them to be in dwelling structure
Thank you!
black is power and white is common and copper is ground unless you are on a military installation then the white is power, black is common and copper is ground. and each box is rated on how many wires you can put in that box.
Interesting!
I quit my job as an electrician to become a monk. I quit that, too, after I found out all they would say is “Ohm”.
Oh nice!
How’s the family?
It'll all be okay...
Exactly!
Hi, Patrick... I like to work with electrical installations but I'm not an electrician also. So I just do small things at home. Your video brings lots of information. Thanks for that. It's not exactly the same here in Brazil, but it's really good to know how it works there.
And just a question: what happened with your hand? It seems you hurt it.
Hugs from Brazil! 😊😉
Indeed I’ve received comments from other countries about a few differences.
My hand…a lawn mower injury. Actually I just scraped it as I was cleaning the mower deck…while the engine was off!
@@LifeontheMoose Great! It's good to know it wasn't a deep injury. 🙂
Newbie Electric question... Can you test each fixture as you wire it to the main power or do you have to wait until the last outlet is wired at the end of the line to test them all?
You can test as you go with the outlets, since there is a continuous/unbroken circuit created by the pigtail.
Thanks for asking!
WATT?!? No Sanding??? Woohooo!! There's your sticker 😁
Alright! 🙏
Cool 😎
So you had ALL outlets being powered by the solar box?
My electrician dad always liked telling me, "Electricity never leaves home unless it can get back."
That’s good!
I was hoping for bear lasagna but sometimes game can become pretty deer. At times you just have to get your head out of the clouds and come down to ground, Chuck. Sorry, Pat.
I like it! 😂
I try to stay Neutral but I do find myself a little Short ! ! ! 😂
As do I on occasion!
Do you not need a breaker? I just built a cabin and trying to figure out electricity lol
You don’t need a breaker with this system, but I’ve seen others use in-line fuses.
Let me know how it goes!
"I know enough to get by. Frankly, I know enough to be dangerous. Lol
I sure like this episode and the way you SOCK IT to us. No really the way you made the CIRCUIT around the cabin was TRANSFORMING. You're such a CUT UP when it comes to insulation trimming. And that power supply, you really PLUGGED it on that presentation. And you still out did all of us so far.
Maybe I've never noticed before, but is this the first time you've used a camera crew other than your head or tripod? Another job well done and I'm sure that "it'll be okay".
Good ones! 😂
No crew, just head gear!
You're supposed to tape around the screws. Put tape around where the screws are, so you don't short out to the ground wire
Yes! Planned, but forgotten. It’ll be fine.
Plastic boxes-- unlikely to short the screws on it 😉
I always wondered... using a power station where does the ground come from and go......
Good question! 🤔
You need to amp up your videos 😃 well you started it!
lol indeed!
I lived off grid in North Dakota … Yamaha generator and 4 batteries with a power inverter … no reason for the battery to be in a box with a $1400 inverter … how do you change out the battery ?
I have no idea! This is rated to have more cycles than I’ll ever use in this cabin, so I shouldn’t have to worry about that. If this was a permanent and year-round residence, I’d probably go a different route.
@3:59 , you said don't reverse the black wireson the switch- not so my friend. Doesn't matter, it's the supply side you've got connected with the 3 black wires.
Actually it does matter, unless you want everything past this switch to be controlled by the switch. Thanks for watching!
@@LifeontheMoose sorry, nope. Think where your common point hot is. It feeds the switch. Common-pigtail-switch-load. Pass-through is from common hot, not switch. 😀
@@johnknoper7556 I think we’re saying the same thing differently. Supply side on the off position? Perhaps not the same black wires I was referring to? No matter, what you’re saying is true. 🙏
Pure sine wave is better for today’s electronics. Old school generators tend to produce a square wave output. There are lots of pure sine wave generators out all over now.
Ah thank you!🙏
Well, now you've proven you're just as good at electrical work as you are with comedy acts! 😜
I’m not positive that’s a compliment, but thanks!
I have no idea WATT you're talking about...kind of an OHM moment i reckon.
I like it!
Electrical puns! Ohm, my! I’m resisting…
Love it!
Oh, rats! I was going to ask you if that was Bear Lasagna (ha ha ha!)
😂
Also dont forget a wood burning stove.
💖💖💖💖🙏
🙏🙏
Summer is approaching rapidly in the lower 48....will you be losing the Grizzly Adam's look any time soon?
Ha! I do clip more often as it warms. 🙏
pure sine wave
when your equipment needs power and you are off grid.
pure sine wave is like fresh milk to the equipment.
modified sine wave is like the milk is a little sour.
Thank you for that analogy!
are you going to put in a wood stove in there ?
Not at this time.
Everybody is hot on these power stations but if they don't have a GFI I am very much less than neutral about them...
👏🙏
11:49 Be careful of electrical socks...
You noticed!
waiting new video
🙏
You missed the flow of electricity about 13:00 time of the video for one of your puns. Lol
Right?! I noticed that AFTER I was finished editing. Thanks for mentioning!
Didn't they just use the other set of screws on the plug fixtures to continue the circuit in the past? Industry just want to sell wire nuts?
I know right?!
I'm writing all of this down.
Don’t write down where you got the information! 😅😂
Are you going to build a outhouse?
Not plans for that. Thanks for asking!