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Updated about 6 years ago on . Most recent reply

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Jeremy Bloom
13
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20
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Electrical Conundrum - Breakers keep breaking

Jeremy Bloom
Posted

I recently purchased a multi-unit where part of the sale was to upgrade the electrical to meet code. That meant going from 100 amp service to 400 amp service from the street, and replacing all the boxes in the basement from fuse boxes to circuit breakers. The reasoning we focused on during the sale and in inspections was adding a new meter for the building, which was currently part of the 1st floor apartment so it needed to be split off, and moving the meters outside. And like we said upgrading service from the street.

These are 4 bedroom family dwellings. Now that this work was done, each apartment only has 15 amps and there's washers, dryers and most have one or two additional freezers as well. They are over doing it with extra appliances, the building is wired terribly, and the circuit breaks each time they put the microwave on the wrong circuit. The upgrade from here is likely to take a while and be expensive and I am working on that project now.

So... how does a live-in landlord with this problem go away for thanksgiving to visit family? I'd love to give access to tenants but I don't trust them in the basement with all the fine-tuned utilities. I keep that locked and each time this happens they come get me. I'm still working on a solution for me going away in general, but this is a high-need issue if a breaker blows, and it seems since this change to the electric it will. 

I've also spent time with them to find outlets on circuits where the  microwave can go. This is mainly the issue each time thus far. But will they do what I say and not add more to a circuit and it breaks? I don't know. This is my issue in feeling like I can't go away.

And I suppose theoretically I could map the circuits and outlets for them really well to give a better idea of what's on one circuit for them to do the math. This feels more like giving terrible service to tenants who pay to live here. The electric should work. Or maybe I have too many expectations as a privileged white man who is now living with low-income.

Thoughts? 

Thank you in advance for all of your time to provide some help. I'm swimming in being a newbie at this so everything is great!

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