Getting a sparky to connect 3 phase to a new workshop / shed

[Timless Timber]

Thanks guys...

It's the old one step two step... (one step forward and two back).

The sparky came back to me after inspecting with his "cheap" sharpened pencil quote, at $2.5K (After I've already supplied all the bits n bobs I got 2nd hand cheap)!

So I am looking around - for just such things as recovered cable etc.

I'm onto some down in Henderson and have offered the guy $100 for a 50 meter run of 6mm, 5 core 2nd hand. It's the weekend and its a factory unit, so have to wait till next week to hear back from him!.

Still need to find a sub board, mains switch, and some 15 amp GPO's, another 3 phase rcd for the main switchboard, and a 2nd 4 pin 3 phase outlet and switch in case I need it later for a 2nd machine.

I've seen a used 3 phase meter for $150on gumtree and was thinking to grab that as well so I can monitor my useage in the shed against the house main meter!. (With power bills what they are and going up each day seemingly - I figure if I know what I'm using - I can factor that into my prices...when I do little jobs, or sell pieces, so I am not subsidizing my output by paying exorbitant household power bills.

I recall when I had the factory with the electric ebac kiln operating 24/7 and all the fans etc - that power was never under $3000 every quarter!

I don't want it to get back to a situation like that again anytime soon. The separate meter for the shed might help avoid that hopefully!

I can get other bits n pieces here n there and some of them cheap ($50) BUT sometimes the distance to go & get them, uses another $50 in fuel there n back so they end up being 'not so cheap' when you start going north to Yanchep and south to Mandurah for "a bargain".

Just a question of remaining positive - keeping an eye out and "enjoying the journey".

I'm determined to not just "throw $ at this problem in large chunks until it goes away"....

I will be patient, and shop around and shop wisely and whatever I save will be $ that can go toward the ClearViewMax dust extractor unit that I eventually want.

Tomorrow I'll take a notebook and pen & head to the wood show... and start on another list of tools and other bits n pieces I'd like - who sells them - their contact details and prices etc.

In the mean time I'll gather all the parts I can cheap 2nd hand for the 3 phase install, as long as I don't have to travel too far!.

Also I'll keep a look out for a sparky who needs some work done by a cabbie joiner... for a house build or reno project, who's willing to do some swap labor type deal or something along those lines.

I will get there eventually... one way or another.

The reward of patience... is patience!

[Ed..]

So if this guy reckons it will take a day at most and you are supplying all the materials, then he is charging you between $624/ hour ($2.5K/4 hours) or $312/hour. ($2.5K/8 hours). I personally would tell him to shove it and not nicely either!

Ring around the sparkies in your town and ask them for their hourly rate and explain that you will supply all the bits and they will be charging for their time only.

Cheers

Ed.

[Timless Timber]

Verbatim - this is one of the recent quotes.

Supply & Install, 3 phase circuit breaker at meter box at front of house, run 6mm^2 4 core & earth circular cable (50meters) to shed, switchboardon east wall of shed where orange conduit comes up. 2 double power points on same side, along with along with 3 phase outlet, with safety switch protection One double power point on west wall. Connect up 8 lights on 2 separate switches adjacent door.

All power points & lights RCD protected. All power points and lights RCD protected All cables run in conduits and saddled, earth shed!

Exclusions.
lights supplied by customer. Access to be provided in shed so to be able to do work (Help from customer to pull cable thru underground conduit).

Contract price $2500.00 inc of GST

Note...

This doesn't include a 2nd 3 phase switched outlet in case I need it later.
It also doesn't include a 15 amp GPO to run a ClearViewMax DC later on either.

I have on hand already thus far

32mm orange electrical conduit with 500 mm radiused bends buried 650mm underground in between house and shed, with 200 pound sash chord pull thru already in place.

Clipsal Switched 3 phase 32 amp outlet.
1 x Australec 3 Phase mains switch
2 x C16 RCDs
1 x C10 RCD
The 8 x double flouro battens already hung.

I'm currently sourcing the 50 meters of 4 core +earth 6mm^2 cable
The sub board
another Clipsal Switched 3 phase 32 amp outlet
A 15 amp GPO & Block Mount
4 10 amp GPO & Block Mount
Double light switch & Block Mount.
3 Phase circuit breaker for the main switchboard.
3 Phase Power Meter

The second quote I got yesterday was

$740 materials (Allowing for the 5 switch and RCD Items I already have above).
$1550 Labor + $155 GST

Total... $2445.00

By my calculation - that allows 9 & 2/3rds hours each for 2 sparkies... @$80 an hour each!
If the one sparky does it in 1 day then he's on more than $160 an hour.

That's why I am still looking....

[A Duke]

As a retired sparky, Why aren't I rich.
Regards

[Kingfisher]

I built a shed last year wired for 3 phase. I ran the cable and had a mate (retired sparky) do the connections at both ends - to the fuse box on the power pole and the meter box on the shed. I supplied all materials to his specs and in hindsight should have sourced them second hand as you plan to.
It took him about 3 hours which equated to 2 cartons of Mr Boags finest which we both enjoyed. It's NOT a big or difficult job!
(250m of trench with cable and conduit to match is another story)
Mark

[Timless Timber]

I too believe this is not a big or difficult job.

That said - I also know that running a business these days - paying your mortgage, and feeding clothing and educating your kids, means you can't undervalue your skills.... As my old accountant once wisely advised me - "you'll never go broke making a profit".

If I had $2.5K spare, I'd gladly hand it over to get a contractor to do the whole job, it's not that I begrudge a guy his income / livelihood.

Likewise with the clear view max - if I had $2.5K spare right now, I'd gladly hand it over for one!

Trouble is after buying the shed and erecting it and buying the machine etc - My reserves are pretty tapped out.

I have the workshop and machine and a client wanting to pay me to make cabinets....(which would help offset the cost of power connection).

I'm so close to being operational I can smell it, and its frustrating having to wait and save like crazy... but that is my choice so I have to do as Bob said and just learn to appreciate the journey. Adversity builds character....apparently.

If I could find a sparky that needed some timber work in swap labor I'd be set.... but it seems those days of barter deals between trades are dieing fast.

In the meantime my search for used 3 phase cable goes on, tried and exhausted gumtree & scrap metal recyclers.... new its $6.23 a meter (+gst) and I need 50 meters.

I still need a sub board, 3 more RCD's and other bits and bobs, GPO's, conduit and 1 phase 240 for the lights and power circuits.

Half the battle is, I don't understand electrical speak... 3 phase wire with 5 wires in it is called 4 core and earth go figure!

I'll get there eventually.

[Timless Timber]

Thanks to a really nice guy who's a sparky - I now have 3 phase onto the shed!.

Took us from 7am to midday - just going easy to run the 3 phase cable, and put in the sub board in the shed and rcd's etc, and connect it all into the switch board...

In fairness to all the sparky's out there, it was much harder work than I imagined - the 6mm^2 cable is quite thick and took a lot of pulling and "monkey juice" (cable lube) to get it thru the 32mm underground conduit etc. Also crawling thru the roof space took a little doing.

When he has a few spare hours next week he will pop back and hook up my light battens and put a few power outlets around for me.

In the meantime I'm working out quantities & cutting lists, to renovate his kitchen cupboards for his missus in coming days & weeks.

Thanks for the input guys (And thanks to the good Lord) & Richard the sparky for helping me out!

What a relief, this whole electrical thing was starting to freak me out.

Breath deeply - enjoy the journey.... (Thanks for the kind and wise words Bob)!

It's like Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance.

[Ed..]

Good to see that it all worked out for both you and the sparky, is he a member of this forum?

Many years ago when I did a long cable pull to put power up to our greenhouse and another but smaller shed on our property, I used baby powder (Talc) on the cables which made the job much easier.

Cheers

Ed.

[Evanism]

So, gauging from your quote and the 7am to 12 job, they were going to charge you $1700 for 5 hours work?

Jesus.

Time to get some competition over there I'd say....or it's time to become an electrician.

They must be living like kings.

[Kingfisher]

Excellent stuff! And I'm sure he'll be stoked with his cupboards - or at least his missus will be

[Timless Timber]

I sure hope she will be happy with them - I don't want to let them down - really nice couple.

She has cupboards in almost pristine condition - but 25 years old - so a little out dated.

They are a fraction under 600 deep (half a 1200 sheet) and being so deep she finds that seldom used stuff gets buried at the back of the cupboards - she has to get down on her knees and remove acres of pots n pans to get at a certain infrequently used dish that's made its way to the back, and its dark back there so hard to see what she wants.

I'll just remove the cupboard doors & hinges, and make 2 deep pot type drawers on Blum soft close runners, (above and below the existing shelf) for each cabinet, and then fit all new faces to the drawers - maybe something vinyl wrapped....

This way everything at the back is easily visible and accessed...and easy to see - should make her kitchen much more "user friendly" and with fresh facia all round... The laminate tops look like new still - she is a fastidious house keeper - the kitchen's a real credit to her after 25 years.

It's already well laid out and very ergonomic design, except for the excessively deep cabinets, and all at ground level... making it harder for women as they age - having to get down on knees and scrabble round in the back of dark over crowded cupboards.

I hope it will make her life much easier and look nice into the bargain!.

It's making me now re - look at the 2 kitchens in this house.....

Damn I hate it when that happens.