So - I got everything hooked up. Went to the pedestal, stripped the lines to be attached and then saw something I hadn't seen before.  I huge ground wire.  It was near the bottom of the panel where the connections are, hence the reason I didn't see it.  

That threw me into a conundrum.  I don't claim to be an electrician and therefore, I started looking up videos on how to do the power service to the "sub panel", apparently is what it's called.  

From what I could gather, it's not good enough to just have ground rods at the shed - which I do have installed.  From what I could understand, if something goes south on any connection, say one comes loose and touches metal - the main meter won't shut off.  That may be true, but I don't need the main meter to shut off, I need the sub panel meter, 125 amp, to shut off.  

I didn't really know for sure, so I texted the electrician - while putting the panel back on.  No need to continue on with this until I know for sure what I need to do.  I'm not risking anything. 

He did reply back pretty quick tho.  "Honestly? I'd do both", referring to grounding the shed to it's own rods and running the ground wire from the pedestal to the shed.  I'm fully prepared at this point to go rent a trenching machine, dig out 155 feet of trench, lay the ground and get it done. 

However, I did ask him to come look at the setup, I'd be willing to pay for the privilege.  Might as well if he can get out soon.  He said he could come out tomorrow morning before the rain starts, text him when I'm there.  Okay? I'll be there at 8:00 am, then, so he has plenty of time to get over there from whatever else he is doing.  I almost fear what he's going to say about the setup, but, I'm willing to change whatever needs to be change if such is the case.  

Regardless, unless he says something different, it will be next week before I get that done.  It's going to rain tomorrow, which is Friday, the rental place is only opened half day on Saturdays, closed on Sundays and 48% chance of rain on Sunday as well.  A trencher "should" cost significantly less to rent than a mini-ex, but regardless, I really only want it for 4 hours worth, that's all it should take.  I think.

I have never operated one.  It's pretty simple stuff though. You set the thing at whatever depth you want and it does the rest.  Go a foot deep - if even that - and call it good.  I will have to hand dig down to the bottom of the pedestal again to run the wire to the lug inside the panel.  

Shrugs shoulders.  It is what it is, I'll have the peace of mind that my setup is good without having to wonder if I'm going to burn the park down, lmao.  It sucks that I have to continue to wait to get this portion of the project done and move on.  I will divert my attention to mowing grass tomorrow instead.

Well, after all of that, I left.  Halfway up my street back to the highway, I saw a diesel pickup pulling a 5th wheel trailer.  I knew I wasn't expecting anyone today, the square dancers are showing up tomorrow.  All 3 lots worth. I thought, well maybe they're going to that Sojourners camp down the road further? But I had this feeling....so I turned around and sure enough, they pulled into my driveway.  

I got in there and they said they were square dancers coming in for the weekend.  Nope. I fired up the laptop after a bit of confusion as to what was going on and found that they had, indeed, rented the space - starting tomorrow.  Fortunately for them, it is empty today.  So, I checked them in, offered to help them level the trailer, they declined and said their automatic levelers would do it, I still offered some boards for him to pull the trailer up on, he declined that.  Gave me his credit card, I went back to the shed, ran it, charged them the 4 nights, came back and saw the trailer unlevel.

I didn't offer again, but after seeing how he was setting it up? They don't know what they're doing.  I mean, I tried, that's all I can say. I can get any trailer coming in there level, that's a fact.  But if they don't want the help, they don't want the help.  He admitted this was only their second trip. I'll check in with them tomorrow, if it's still visibly slanted all I can do is offer to help.  

______________

A lot happened since I wrote the above.  But it's inter-family stuff and I don't feel it right to speak about that on the world wide web.  It wasn't me, I can say that, but it was disruptive. I went to the movies with a friend so I missed the fireworks, thankfully.  That's about all I can say about that for now.  

I'm getting up early.  I'll be out at the property by 7:30 or so.  I want to be there if this electrician will actually show up.  I'm certainly going to contact him as he instructed to let him know I'm there and waiting....

G'nite. 

 Thursday - semi-early

Finally found sleep last night and took advantage of it. I was going to get up at around 6:00 am this morning, but the aura of sleep overcoming was enough to stay in bed a couple more hours.  When I can get sleep, I will take it regardless of what is going on.  

Ill be taking my first paycheck here in the next couple of days.  The only time I transferred money from business to checking so far is when I made the error of paying the electric bill for the Park out of my personal account.  I noted the transaction and can always back it up with receipts from the power company.  You know, in case of an audit....  I'm going to take $2,500 worth of cash that I have been accumulating and a small amount out of the business checking account, the cash will be recorded in quickbooks as income for the business.  I do have a few people that pay in cash.  I wish they would all pay in check or credit cards.  Just easier to do the books, it goes into the checking account and automatically reported as income.   

I won't be making the power mistake again, that's for sure.  I just don't want to take too much out of the business account until i see what a full month's worth of electric use is.  I have no idea what that will be, last month the park wasn't full until near the end of the month.  

All 3 short term lots will be full this weekend for that square dancing event. It's after this weekend that the amount of short term goes into spartan mode. Like, only 5 days worth and that's in April. There's still 5 days left of February.  I dunno, I'm weighing my options here.  It's hard to wait until I have the laundry room completed to go ahead and fill up one more of the long term.  There will be a long termer leaving next month anyway, or at the end of April for sure. His work will be done and he's moving on to some other state for similar work with the power grid.  

Lot 11 only has one more reservation after this weekend, that would be the lot I would think of renting out.  I could move the sole, one night reservation to one of the pull through lots and start getting that $475 over - nothing.  It's so hard to make that decision, we are going to be entering the traveling time when people are running up and down the roads with their RV's and looking for spots to stay overnight.  I'm likely to pull the trigger, tho, and fill that spot with a long term.  I already have the person in mind.  I'll have to make up my mind soon, it's usually the end of the month when these people are looking to move.  

It just kind of makes sense to put a long term in there when knowing that another long term is going to be leaving in the next month or so.  Some money is better than none.....and besides, HipCamp is my next experiment. 

I've also thought about the contractor's words.  I can get up to 15?  I only have 14.  Why can't I build another lot out of the current septic system? I didn't ask him that yesterday, I just started thinking about it today. I have long term people that are hardly ever there.  They aren't going to be using their restroom facilities that much. In fact, 3 of them were gone for an entire week.  The usage on that system wouldn't be too great adding one more lot. The problem is, where would I put that lot? I will be looking this morning, rest assured. 

But, you know, that laundry thing will probably send that septic system to capacity.  Still, I have to think that one more lot isn't going to overload the system with people gone most of the time - they are using toilets elsewhere.  If I could fit in a smaller lot where I"m thinking I could put one, it would cost me .... around $1,500 worth of materials and mini-ex rental to install the utilities.  The pad could be layered with a 3 or 4 inch layer of rock - another $700.  Looking at $2,200.  It would pay for itself in less than 5 months.  

If I can put a lot in where I"m thinking, the cost wouldn't even be that much. Just as I went off the end of the last lot for power, water and electric for the shed, I would go off the other end for the same for a lot and it wouldn't be that much distance to cover.  I dunno, but I'll get back to that later on today after I take a look and take some measurements.  If long term lot, it increases my gross receipts by $5,700 per year.  That's nothing to shake a stick at.  I can make it a shorter lot - there are plenty of people wanting long term that don't have these super long 5th wheels.  

Well, this morning is a trip to Harbor Freight and if they don't have it, Lowe's.  If they don't have it, I will try the electric supply house in town. It...being a number 7 metric hex key.  I have a set of hex keys, it goes from 6 to 8, skipping 7.  James and Taylor had their own sets and theirs did the same.  I cannot install the neutral or ground wires into that breaker box without it.  I don't know why the hex key sets skip 7 and I don't know why they would use a number 7 in that box considering, apparently, most sets skip that one?  Just a way to make doing the job more difficult? Seriously.  Anymore, manufactures include hex keys with whatever it is you are buying if it needs one.  Not this manufacturer, which would be GE. 

Well whatever, I'll find one, that's for sure and hopefully today, I want to finish that blessed box and be done with it already, dang.  IF I can get that thing done, THEN I can hook up the main lugs from the pedestal and power it up.  With the main circuit breaker in off position, I can then go over and turn that sucker on and hope to high heaven I got everything right.

Rest assured, I was triple checking my connections while hooking up the various outlets.  But, I"m going to check them again, just to be sure.  I'm confident in my work, yes.  You can't screw up those main lugs, they are obvious what they are. 2 hots and a neutral. The neutral is delineated with a yellow line running all the way through it. The ground you get from the grounding rods installed near the breaker box and a separate run for the ground, including that damned number 7 hex key lug.  I am so tired of having to go to stores ...gag.

Well, not that tired, it's just an annoyance that I will be getting over shortly once I power it up. There are other outlets to install, but I can't run those wires until I know where I need them, I won't know where I need them until I get the bathroom built.  That will take a minute.  

Well, the day's wasting away and I need to get busy.

G'day