Posted: 5/3/2011 12:30:48 PM EDT
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Alright fellas and ladies, finished my last college exam today and I'm graduating next week. I'm giving the moron that has been renting my house back home the boot, and I'm going to stay with my grandparents for a few months while I get my house remodeled.
This is going to be a multi-step undertaking, but to start off I'm getting the 1930s electrical box and wiring replaced and central heat and air put in. I'm hoping that in doing so they'll need to rip out all of the plaster walls, and it will give me an excuse to go ahead and replace them with drywall. When I get the electrical replaced, I'll be having Cat5 cable run throughout the house for a surveillance system I hope to install this time next year. I'm also having a main breaker box installed that can be hooked directly to my Generac 10,000 generator. The help I need is in securing the doors and windows. This was my great grandmother's house and is a 1 bedroom 1 bath rancher with a front bedroom I use as an office. When my parents got divorced my dad and I lived there for awhile, and it was broken into 2 times in 1 year. Both times they came in through the windows and back door by busting out the glass. My first attack on the security issue is to get the 13 windows in the house replaced with Gorell Armor Security Glass The windows are original and suck at keeping people and air out. Secondly the large glass back door and cheap wood front door need to be replaced. This is where I need some help. I have no idea what to look for in a security door. Lastly I believe I'm going to put up a wrought iron security fence with pikes around the back yard instead of a simple picket fence. This will likely be done in the fall of 2012, and I may decide to carry it all the way around the house. I'm worried about rust though since I sit right on a salt marsh creek. Any help with the doors or other suggestions is appreciated. Forgot I'm also looking for suggestions on security lights. I'm planning on putting flood lights on the corners of the house, but I need them to be able to be tied to a switch since I typically have people at my office next door at night that I would rather not blind every time they get in their vehicle. This will be an ongoing test for my future project, Operation Urban Compound when I do the renovations on another large piece of property my family owns. |
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Install a Strikemaster Pro on every door. I just did this and cannot say enough good things about the product. With those properly installed, kicking in your door will be insanely difficult. http://www.asafehome.net/ |
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When I was a college student I had a CD player, a few towels and enough clothes to fill a suitcase. You are a college student and have a 10,000 watt generator? I'm not your typical college student. I have no debt, a paid off late model car, and no trust fund. I sometimes work 30+ days straight and typically pull 80+ hours a week. That was when I was considered part time. Starting as a full time employee at my family business on Thursday, which comes with a reduction in hours and an increase in pay. Can't work more than 60 hours a week due to state regulations while I'm getting my certificate. All of my IT and handyman jobs will switch to contract piecework, and I'll still work close to 80 hours. I paid my dues early on in life and pay cash for everything. The generator cost was split between my dad, myself, and our business. My dad has his own 6000 watt generator at his house. I live right next door to my office, and if power is out like during a hurricane or snow storm, our phones get transferred to my cell and I just put a sign on the door to knock on my house door if people need something. If we have to have people in the building, I disconnect from my house, roll the generator the 15 feet to my garage and tie in panel at the office, and flip on the lights. Hopefully going to get a larger fixed diesel generator at the office in the next 3 years, and I'll buy my dad and the office out of their share of the generac. ETA I'll post generator pic porn when I get home on Thursday if Arfcom demands it. |
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Why not use cat 6? Well, two reasons 
He's likely not running anything that'll know the difference nor will he in the foreseeable future. There's a fair chance he'll route the wire in a less than ideal fashion, and a very good chance that the punchdowns will be sloppy through inexperience and crappy tools. Now why should he? Well, it really aint that much more, and there's the unforeseeable chance that he'll be glad for it at some point. Technology does change rapidly, but wiring specs aren't operating systems. They move sloooowly
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Why not use cat 6? Well, two reasons
He's likely not running anything that'll know the difference nor will he in the foreseeable future. There's a fair chance he'll route the wire in a less than ideal fashion, and a very good chance that the punchdowns will be sloppy through inexperience and crappy tools. Now why should he? Well, it really aint that much more, and there's the unforeseeable chance that he'll be glad for it at some point. Technology does change rapidly, but wiring specs aren't operating systems. They move sloooowly
Honestly I had no idea there was such thing as CAT6. I've been wireless for years. My plan is to have a camera on the front door, porch door, backdoor, driveway and maybe on the backyard. Also planning on tieing in a weather monitoring station. Basically my own little 900 sqft urban fort. |
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Why not use cat 6? Well, two reasons
He's likely not running anything that'll know the difference nor will he in the foreseeable future. There's a fair chance he'll route the wire in a less than ideal fashion, and a very good chance that the punchdowns will be sloppy through inexperience and crappy tools. Now why should he? Well, it really aint that much more, and there's the unforeseeable chance that he'll be glad for it at some point. Technology does change rapidly, but wiring specs aren't operating systems. They move sloooowly
Honestly I had no idea there was such thing as CAT6. I've been wireless for years. My plan is to have a camera on the front door, porch door, backdoor, driveway and maybe on the backyard. Also planning on tieing in a weather monitoring station. Basically my own little 900 sqft urban fort. are the cameras network cameras? or are they a analog kit that uses cat 5 to carry power and an anolog signal? most "kits" will be analog, as network cameras cost around 500.00 a piece retail. |
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Why not use cat 6? several times more expensive and unneeded in his application. True, but it leaves an option for a wired home network in the future. Just saying. in that case the right thing to do is run cat 5 for the cameras, and cat 6 to properly installed wall jacks. |
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Install a Strikemaster Pro on every door. I just did this and cannot say enough good things about the product. With those properly installed, kicking in your door will be insanely difficult. http://www.asafehome.net/ That looks cool. |
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Why not use cat 6? Well, two reasons
He's likely not running anything that'll know the difference nor will he in the foreseeable future. There's a fair chance he'll route the wire in a less than ideal fashion, and a very good chance that the punchdowns will be sloppy through inexperience and crappy tools. Now why should he? Well, it really aint that much more, and there's the unforeseeable chance that he'll be glad for it at some point. Technology does change rapidly, but wiring specs aren't operating systems. They move sloooowly
Honestly I had no idea there was such thing as CAT6. I've been wireless for years. My plan is to have a camera on the front door, porch door, backdoor, driveway and maybe on the backyard. Also planning on tieing in a weather monitoring station. Basically my own little 900 sqft urban fort. are the cameras network cameras? or are they a analog kit that uses cat 5 to carry power and an anolog signal? most "kits" will be analog, as network cameras cost around 500.00 a piece retail. The cameras will be network cameras. I don't skimp on the important stuff. The IT guy I contract with to do all of my office stuff is willing to help me out with the wiring in exchange for Booze and Burgers. I've read extensively on the CCTV thread in the survival forum, and plan on a 5-6k budget on the surveillance system. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Install a Strikemaster Pro on every door. I just did this and cannot say enough good things about the product. With those properly installed, kicking in your door will be insanely difficult. http://www.asafehome.net/ That looks cool. Its badass, and the company is great. I talked to the owner of the company and he was very helpful. |
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Why not use cat 6? several times more expensive and unneeded in his application. True, but it leaves an option for a wired home network in the future. Just saying. in that case the right thing to do is run cat 5 for the cameras, and cat 6 to properly installed wall jacks. And gel filled cat5 outside. 
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I don't skimp on the important stuff. The IT guy I contract with to do all of my office stuff is willing to help me out with the wiring in exchange for Booze and Burgers. He'll know then, it aint rocket surgery. Now unless you got a laser printer broke or a spongebob episode on, I'll leave you to guys who know about strong doors and shit.
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Single mode fiber?
The network cable is good - Cat 5. will carry any network camera made or likely to be made in the next 15 years. Make sure you step up your digital cameras to the "megapixel" models for the higher quality. Make sure you avoid the analog recorders/DVR's and monitors if you're going digital. I went analog running mini-coax and 12VDC power to the corners of my home and to the overlooks above my gate and doors. The nice thing about analog is the wider variety of cameras allowing a match to the need. I have low-level black and high, high(er) resolution color cameras, and IR cameras. I am short a pan-tilt-zoom camera for the front yard but one of these days ... Unless you've got experience find a professional to walk your home and give you advise about sort of camera and lens matches your wishes. Lighting is very important. The human eye has a contrast ratio of hundreds of times better than any camera so you need to attempt to even the lighting out for the camera's use. I've worked in television and CCTV for a few decades so I did it myself. I've installed LED "Malibu" lights to feed the low-lux cameras and can see the front and backyards over my cameras better than you can with your naked eyes. The side gate has external IR illumination and tiny reflectors that show up like cat's eyes letting me see any movement in front of them. Four of the cameras are modulated and feed my building's television system allowing me to quickly check the cameras from any TV in the house by changing channels. The multi-channel recorder is buried in the ceiling making it almost impossible to find. The DVR has an output that feeds my network allowing me to watch the house from work or out-of-town. |
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Why not use cat 6? Well, two reasons
He's likely not running anything that'll know the difference nor will he in the foreseeable future. There's a fair chance he'll route the wire in a less than ideal fashion, and a very good chance that the punchdowns will be sloppy through inexperience and crappy tools. Now why should he? Well, it really aint that much more, and there's the unforeseeable chance that he'll be glad for it at some point. Technology does change rapidly, but wiring specs aren't operating systems. They move sloooowly
Honestly I had no idea there was such thing as CAT6. I've been wireless for years. My plan is to have a camera on the front door, porch door, backdoor, driveway and maybe on the backyard. Also planning on tieing in a weather monitoring station. Basically my own little 900 sqft urban fort. are the cameras network cameras? or are they a analog kit that uses cat 5 to carry power and an anolog signal? most "kits" will be analog, as network cameras cost around 500.00 a piece retail. The cameras will be network cameras. I don't skimp on the important stuff. The IT guy I contract with to do all of my office stuff is willing to help me out with the wiring in exchange for Booze and Burgers. I've read extensively on the CCTV thread in the survival forum, and plan on a 5-6k budget on the surveillance system. put the cat 6 in then, its not needed but i've seen ports on those auto-negotiate at a speed they cant run on that wire. see if you can find an axis dealer for your cameras. im glad you are reading up. sorry for assuming you would buy the shit that sam's club or harbor freight sells. i do this shit for a living and as soon as i hear someone is doing the work on thier own, i just assume they are too cheap to care. you don't know how many times i've seen someone bitch that there camera system cost them $3,000 and they could have got the same thing at sams club for $499. ass hats. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Why not use cat 6? Well, two reasons He's likely not running anything that'll know the difference nor will he in the foreseeable future. There's a fair chance he'll route the wire in a less than ideal fashion, and a very good chance that the punchdowns will be sloppy through inexperience and crappy tools. Now why should he? Well, it really aint that much more, and there's the unforeseeable chance that he'll be glad for it at some point. Technology does change rapidly, but wiring specs aren't operating systems. They move sloooowly Honestly I had no idea there was such thing as CAT6. I've been wireless for years. My plan is to have a camera on the front door, porch door, backdoor, driveway and maybe on the backyard. Also planning on tieing in a weather monitoring station. Basically my own little 900 sqft urban fort. are the cameras network cameras? or are they a analog kit that uses cat 5 to carry power and an anolog signal? most "kits" will be analog, as network cameras cost around 500.00 a piece retail. The cameras will be network cameras. I don't skimp on the important stuff. The IT guy I contract with to do all of my office stuff is willing to help me out with the wiring in exchange for Booze and Burgers. I've read extensively on the CCTV thread in the survival forum, and plan on a 5-6k budget on the surveillance system. Just a thought: sounds like you are planning on spending a ton of $$$ on a tiny, old home in a marginal neighborhood... ever thought of selling it and buying something somewhere better? |
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Why not use cat 6? Well, two reasons
He's likely not running anything that'll know the difference nor will he in the foreseeable future. There's a fair chance he'll route the wire in a less than ideal fashion, and a very good chance that the punchdowns will be sloppy through inexperience and crappy tools. Now why should he? Well, it really aint that much more, and there's the unforeseeable chance that he'll be glad for it at some point. Technology does change rapidly, but wiring specs aren't operating systems. They move sloooowly
Honestly I had no idea there was such thing as CAT6. I've been wireless for years. My plan is to have a camera on the front door, porch door, backdoor, driveway and maybe on the backyard. Also planning on tieing in a weather monitoring station. Basically my own little 900 sqft urban fort. are the cameras network cameras? or are they a analog kit that uses cat 5 to carry power and an anolog signal? most "kits" will be analog, as network cameras cost around 500.00 a piece retail. The cameras will be network cameras. I don't skimp on the important stuff. The IT guy I contract with to do all of my office stuff is willing to help me out with the wiring in exchange for Booze and Burgers. I've read extensively on the CCTV thread in the survival forum, and plan on a 5-6k budget on the surveillance system. Just a thought: sounds like you are planning on spending a ton of $$$ on a tiny, old home in a marginal neighborhood... ever thought of selling it and buying something somewhere better? Honestly everyday. Issue is that the family business is right next door. I don't have to drive to work, I can run home for lunch, if I need a tool its right next door, if I get a call in the middle of the night I'm right there, when I get a GSD or Cane Corso pup I'll be able yo have them hang at the office on slow days, and then put them up if we have services. Plus O rent from myself. Business owns the property, so I get the benefits of home ownership without the annoying costs. Plus living there keep la me motivated in pushing the city to crack down on the hoodlums. We're gaining momentum in taking the area back. I'm involved in the community and plan on running for city council in 2 years, so I'm motivated to do my part in making the city better. In all honesty I'm hoping a house down the block will come up for sale in the next couple of years and Ill just move a few houses down. |
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You don't need Cat anything to wire a camera security system. My system uses coax with a power lead. It is much smaller than cat 5. The only ethernet is if I want to wire it up for viewing over the intarwebs, which I haven't done yet.
I got it though Amazon from USA security store. I chose the system with 4 Sony super HAD cameras and a 500G DVR. They have many options, but this was my starter system. I plan to buy a second one for more coverage and redundancy. For $329, this system is better than anything I would have expected. It blows the system you see at Costco completely out of the water. Nightvision works very well and resolution is amazing. Field of view and focus are outstanding. Amazon link Don't waste $5K on something you don't really need, unless you are planning a grow house.  With this you could have an 8 camera system and $4K in ammo.
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You don't need Cat anything to wire a camera security system. My system uses coax with a power lead. It is much smaller than cat 5. The only ethernet is if I want to wire it up for viewing over the intarwebs, which I haven't done yet. I got it though Amazon from USA security store. I chose the system with 4 Sony super HAD cameras and a 500G DVR. They have many options, but this was my starter system. I plan to buy a second one for more coverage and redundancy. For $329, this system is better than anything I would have expected. It blows the system you see at Costco completely out of the water. Nightvision works very well and resolution is amazing. Field of view and focus are outstanding. Amazon link Don't waste $5K on something you don't really need, unless you are planning a grow house. With this you could have an 8 camera system and $4K in ammo. Grow house not so much. Priceless antiques, firearms, and electronics however are worth it. Some Arfcommers buy a new gun every month and spend 4k on a single PVS-14 monocular. I'm just securing my house. My current plan is. 1 Megapixel Dome 3 corners of the house and the back door. Then a bullet cam on the driveway. Pricewise I'm looking at $3000 for the cams $1500 for a mini desktop and a DVR $500 in cables and connections $500 in IR illuminators So somewhere around $6000 for the whole setup if I roll my own. |
| A big +1 for the strike masters on all exterior doors. I personally would forgo the surveillance system since your working next door and concentrate on a very good alarm system. Most surveillance systems don't tell the police jack (I'm a detective) just because you can see someone committing a crime does not tell you who it is. Most people in neighborhoods where crime is common ahem.... look a lot alike. I would get sensors on all doors and windows with a combination of motion detectors at choke points in the house and most important is an interior and exterior siren. Again, I understand the desire people have for cameras, but honestly they don't help as much as you'd think. Also get some high quality motion activated flood lights, they should run about $150.00 each and last a long time. Don't go with any big alarm company, pay a reputable contractor to install the system and then find a local company to monitor it for you. Good luck. |
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A big +1 for the strike masters on all exterior doors. I personally would forgo the surveillance system since your working next door and concentrate on a very good alarm system. Most surveillance systems don't tell the police jack (I'm a detective) just because you can see someone committing a crime does not tell you who it is. Most people in neighborhoods where crime is common ahem.... look a lot alike. I would get sensors on all doors and windows with a combination of motion detectors at choke points in the house and most important is an interior and exterior siren. Again, I understand the desire people have for cameras, but honestly they don't help as much as you'd think. Also get some high quality motion activated flood lights, they should run about $150.00 each and last a long time. Don't go with any big alarm company, pay a reputable contractor to install the system and then find a local company to monitor it for you. Good luck. I'm having a full security system put in by the same folks that did my grandparent's house and our other business location. Fully wired windows, doors, and a warning siren. I'll probably use whatever monitoring service my grandparents use. I have 2 detectives who work part time for me, and response time at my house and business is extremely fast. I routinely have the crackheads across my parking lot or across the street out assaulting each other. Christmas day I sat in my office and watched 2 morons chase each other around the street and my parking lot with what I believe were lawn mower blades. I laughed my ass off for about 15 minutes and then called the cops. Response time >4 minutes. Got to watch them give one of the idiots the taser when he wouldn't comply. 
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Christmas day I sat in my office and watched 2 morons chase each other hahaahahahahahahaa around the street and my parking lot with what I believe were lawn mower blades. I live across from some ghetto trash and I have seen similar nonsense on a fairly regular basis. |
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Christmas day I sat in my office and watched 2 morons chase each other around the street and my parking lot with what I believe were lawn mower blades. hahaahahahahahahaa
I live across from some ghetto trash and I have seen similar nonsense on a fairly regular basis. They found a homeless guy who had killed a guy who helped out the homeless around town, hiding out in the flop house across from me. Killed him over a Miller Highlife 40. I'm about to put a 10 foot privacy fence right down the side of the property to piss them off. I'm hoping that one of these days god is going to have mercy on me and hit that bitch with a bolt of lightening. |
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Uh, stupid question but have you considered the need for a larger dwelling in the future? It would suck to put all that money into the house and have to sell it, most likely you would not get it back. I speak from experience as when I bought my house I had single life envisioned and now need to go larger, which is throwing away a lot of time and money on renovations etc.
My other point would be that it sounds like your neighborhood is pretty dangerous. Good reason to move... |
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Uh, stupid question but have you considered the need for a larger dwelling in the future? It would suck to put all that money into the house and have to sell it, most likely you would not get it back. I speak from experience as when I bought my house I had single life envisioned and now need to go larger, which is throwing away a lot of time and money on renovations etc. My other point would be that it sounds like your neighborhood is pretty dangerous. Good reason to move... Due to some genetic defects stemming from my mother being a dumbass while she was pregnant, it is impossible for me to have children. On top of that I've been married and engaged twice. I foresee no increase in my need for space anytime in the next 10 years. I have another family home that I plan on renovating, but I'm waiting to see what the idiots in the state of VA end up doing with FT. Monroe when it closes. The cameras can be removed and moved to a new home if I needed to, and the upgrade costs I split 50/50 with my business since I'm technically a renter. I like small homes. I don't need a bunch of space. Costs more to heat and cool, and way more cleaning. |
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Uh, stupid question but have you considered the need for a larger dwelling in the future? It would suck to put all that money into the house and have to sell it, most likely you would not get it back. I speak from experience as when I bought my house I had single life envisioned and now need to go larger, which is throwing away a lot of time and money on renovations etc. My other point would be that it sounds like your neighborhood is pretty dangerous. Good reason to move... Due to some genetic defects stemming from my mother being a dumbass while she was pregnant, it is impossible for me to have children. On top of that I've been married and engaged twice. I foresee no increase in my need for space anytime in the next 10 years. I have another family home that I plan on renovating, but I'm waiting to see what the idiots in the state of VA end up doing with FT. Monroe when it closes. The cameras can be removed and moved to a new home if I needed to, and the upgrade costs I split 50/50 with my business since I'm technically a renter. I like small homes. I don't need a bunch of space. Costs more to heat and cool, and way more cleaning. Point taken! Sucks they are closing Ft. Monroe. I used to fish out on the pier all the time when I was a kid. Grew up in Hilton Village in Newport News. Now I know why you are pointing out all the crime...lol. |
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Any recommendations for a starter IP Camera system? Recorder software? etc? get ZoneMinder for linux (free), a 4 port video capture card ($20), some cameras ($30-$50 each), they come with power supplies and fairly long cables. Then install linux/ZoneMinder/capture card on an old PC you might have lying around. Viola, you can access it over your internet connection. Only thing bad about zoneminder is it can't record audio. |
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Run Cat 6 because it's shielded, and can take whatever RF interference may be dished out now or in the future. It'll also take 1 gigabit or 10 gigabit transfer speeds that Cat 5 may not. Run TWO LINES of Cat 6. One for the security system, one for data. Put a switch in the basement. That'll keep you from needing to run wireless, which is also a security risk even if you "secure" it. Since you live next door to your business, consider merging the internet for both and doing a unified security / internet setup. (Again, with a cable, not wireless.) Do not underestimate the usefulness of slack in your network cables. Upgrade basement windows to glass block with window vents too small to fit through. (If basement is not used as living space, if it is, don't do that.) Also consider fire supression methods, extinquisher mounts, storage around the stove and furnace should be moved away, etc. Outside motion sensing lighting high up under the eaves.
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Any recommendations for a starter IP Camera system? Recorder software? etc? get ZoneMinder for linux (free), a 4 port video capture card ($20), some cameras ($30-$50 each), they come with power supplies and fairly long cables. Then install linux/ZoneMinder/capture card on an old PC you might have lying around. Viola, you can access it over your internet connection. Only thing bad about zoneminder is it can't record audio. I appreciate it, but you're talking analog. I'm looking for digital. |
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Run Cat 6 because it's shielded, and can take whatever RF interference may be dished out now or in the future. It'll also take 1 gigabit or 10 gigabit transfer speeds that Cat 5 may not. Run TWO LINES of Cat 6. One for the security system, one for data. Put a switch in the basement. That'll keep you from needing to run wireless, which is also a security risk even if you "secure" it. Since you live next door to your business, consider merging the internet for both and doing a unified security / internet setup. (Again, with a cable, not wireless.) Do not underestimate the usefulness of slack in your network cables. Upgrade basement windows to glass block with window vents too small to fit through. (If basement is not used as living space, if it is, don't do that.) Also consider fire supression methods, extinquisher mounts, storage around the stove and furnace should be moved away, etc. Outside motion sensing lighting high up under the eaves. Additional consideration - overhead or underground power? While many urban residences and businesses have overhead (cheap & easy) underground is harder to deafeat quickly.
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Uh, stupid question but have you considered the need for a larger dwelling in the future? It would suck to put all that money into the house and have to sell it, most likely you would not get it back. I speak from experience as when I bought my house I had single life envisioned and now need to go larger, which is throwing away a lot of time and money on renovations etc. My other point would be that it sounds like your neighborhood is pretty dangerous. Good reason to move... Due to some genetic defects stemming from my mother being a dumbass while she was pregnant, it is impossible for me to have children. On top of that I've been married and engaged twice. I foresee no increase in my need for space anytime in the next 10 years. I have another family home that I plan on renovating, but I'm waiting to see what the idiots in the state of VA end up doing with FT. Monroe when it closes. The cameras can be removed and moved to a new home if I needed to, and the upgrade costs I split 50/50 with my business since I'm technically a renter. I like small homes. I don't need a bunch of space. Costs more to heat and cool, and way more cleaning. Point taken! Sucks they are closing Ft. Monroe. I used to fish out on the pier all the time when I was a kid. Grew up in Hilton Village in Newport News. Now I know why you are pointing out all the crime...lol. My aunt and uncle live in Hilton Village. My grandfather's childhood home is right by the Phoebus Little League fields. I'm planning on fixing it up if they do something productive with Ft. Monroe and kick the section 8 fuckers out of the neighborhood. House and property needs about $300,000 in work to bring it back to its glory days. Waiting to see what the next couple of years brings to the area, and then go from there. If the area doesn't come back up I plan on buying something on the water in Puquoson in about 15 years. Quoted:
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Run Cat 6 because it's shielded, and can take whatever RF interference may be dished out now or in the future. It'll also take 1 gigabit or 10 gigabit transfer speeds that Cat 5 may not. Run TWO LINES of Cat 6. One for the security system, one for data. Put a switch in the basement. That'll keep you from needing to run wireless, which is also a security risk even if you "secure" it. Since you live next door to your business, consider merging the internet for both and doing a unified security / internet setup. (Again, with a cable, not wireless.) Do not underestimate the usefulness of slack in your network cables. Upgrade basement windows to glass block with window vents too small to fit through. (If basement is not used as living space, if it is, don't do that.) Also consider fire supression methods, extinquisher mounts, storage around the stove and furnace should be moved away, etc. Outside motion sensing lighting high up under the eaves. Additional consideration - overhead or underground power? While many urban residences and businesses have overhead (cheap & easy) underground is harder to deafeat quickly. Power is overhead, and I have no basement. |
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Power is overhead, and I have no basement.[/div] Lulz.
Basement doesn't matter - the PoCo or an electrician can trench from the pole to your meter location and convert you to an underground service (where the power lines are run 24" below grade) from the pole to your house. PB is acting squirrely - I'll load a JPEg for you ETA: 
If the PoCo/AHJ* will allow it, have him run the "protection" up the pole using rigid conduit as high as the PoCo will allow it. *AHJ = Authority Having Jurisdiction - ie City, County, Village |
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Waiting to see what the next couple of years brings to the area, and then go from there. If the area doesn't come back up I plan on buying something on the water in Puquoson in about 15 years. NewportNews/Hampton/ are all ghetto... I grew up in Poquoson... took my gf, now wife there last year and she loved it. Poquoson hasn't changed in the last 20 years.. it's on a peninsula it can only get so big. |
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Power is overhead, and I have no basement.[/div] Lulz.
Basement doesn't matter - the PoCo or an electrician can trench from the pole to your meter location and convert you to an underground service (where the power lines are run 24" below grade) from the pole to your house. PB is acting squirrely - I'll load a JPEg for you If the PoCo/AHJ* will allow it, have him run the "protection" up the pole using rigid conduit as high as the PoCo will allow it. *AHJ = Authority Having Jurisdiction - ie City, County, Village When I get my new box in a few weeks they'll most likely have to run a new line from the pole anyways since my wiring is circa 1950. I'll go ahead and have them trench the new line to the house, and see if they'll snip the 60 year old phone lines running from the pole that are no longer used. I also need to run new coax for my cable line for my modem. I'm planning on building a ceiling mount for my modem and Apple Time Capsule. So I need to run coax through the attic and then put in a plate in the ceiling. Way too many projects right now. Here's basically what I'm starting with. 
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Waiting to see what the next couple of years brings to the area, and then go from there. If the area doesn't come back up I plan on buying something on the water in Puquoson in about 15 years. NewportNews/Hampton/ are all ghetto... I grew up in Poquoson... took my gf, now wife there last year and she loved it. Poquoson hasn't changed in the last 20 years.. it's on a peninsula it can only get so big. That's like your opinion man 
You're somewhat right about Hampton. Large parts of my city are complete shit holes. The decent areas are typically inhabited by people like me whose family has been here long enough to have been involved in burning Hampton to the ground both during the Revolution and the Civil War. |