Electrical Challenges

Well, I got really bored with Grease Trap issues, so I decided to tackle a few electrical issues.
We have three 100 amp panels in our space, which is enough to meet our needs. We noticed that the main breakers are 70 amp breakers, which drops us down to 210 amps. That makes it a little tight, but still OK. We then noticed that the disconnects out at the meters are 60 amp disconnects. That drops us to 180 amps, which is really tight. We then noticed that a fire occurred in the past in one of the 60 amp disconnects, and that they abandoned it. How you might ask? They illegally moved the feeds from the burned disconnect and tied it into the other existing electric meter (down stream of the disconnects). That means we have two panels rated at 100 amps each with 70 amp mains being fed from one 60 amp disconnect.

We no longer have the power we need to run our shop, not to mention that it is not up to code and is dangerous.

I plan to keep the one good 60 amp panel (out of three) and run a new 200 amp service to the shop. I don' know how expensive that will be just yet. We have to run some heavy duty wire about 120 feet, as well as install a new panel and breakers. It is going to be very pricey, but I'm hoping to get the landlord/property owner to pay for the upgrade. They currently have an illegal installation that is not up to code. I'm hoping he will pay for the new panel, or at least subsidize it. We still have to do it, even if they don't help cover the costs.

I fired the plumbing engineer who was supposed to be working on the grease trap issue. He kept saying that he would go over the crazy grease trap lady's head, but never did. He put her requirements in the plans and told me that the 250# grease trap is 24" and costs about $750. I have already researched it and I know that a 250# grease trap is not available as a stock unit and has to be specially ordered. Its dimensions are too large to fit in the building, and the purchase cost is $4000 (without installation). He said I was wrong and that he knows of lots of units that will meet our needs for under $1000. I told him to spec out a manufacturer and model number on the plans prior to getting approvals at Regional. We haven't heard back from him for several days and he won't return calls. Apparently, he checked on it and found out he doesn't know what he is talking about. I find it helps to research these things myself. Most people don't and they get hosed by bad advice or input from hired professionals. It takes a lot of time to reaserch and learn about this stuff, but it is saving me a great deal of heartache in the long run. I can challenge these guys when they are screwing up, instead of getting the plans, paying him, and finding out later that he lied to me. Luckily, I didn't pay him up front. So, his inability to get this done cost us a little time, but no money. I'd really be furious if we had paid him... I just wonder if he is going to have the nerve to send me a bill after lying to me and getting caught...

Anyway, we have a new plumbing engineer on board and we are hoping to have final plumbing drawings complete and signed off by the end of the week. Our electrical engineering will be complete by close of business on Tuesday Feb 13th.

Tracy and I went and put a down payment on the remainder of our shop equipment today. It includes our milk refrigerator, our espreasso bar refrigerator, our sandwich refrigerator, our freezer, three compartment sink, glass fill station, ice machine with filtration, a 5' stainless steel food prep table, food warmer with both food and soup inserts, microwave, toaster, and some other stuff...

We also met with a food service vendor. He is going to provide pricing quotes for all of our paper products and food items. We have obtained pricing from a whole slew of vendors, but we want to get a price from one huge supplier who can do everything...

We are still shooting for a March open, but it is looking like end of March as opposed to beginning or mid March...

Keep praying for us! If you aren't the praying type, then wish good things for us (God will know what you mean anyway).

JD