Question for Condo owners

[jeff kushner]

I spent my Sunday afternoon finding out that my daughters electric line from her 2nd floor condo to her outdoor Condensing unit for the AC is dead. Power at the breakers(240) and zero coming out of the building and feeding the outdoor disconnect for the condenser sitting on the ground outside. Her unit is around the side of the building and on the 2nd fl. How do you get from here to there?

So in a condo, how do you effect a repair when it travels through someone else's unit?

I'm hoping its in conduit so it can be readily pulled, fished and replaced, but what if it isn't?

I had her pickup a 8,000 floor unit I ordered from Bestbuy to use till she gets it sorted just to buy her some time. I know it's a mess dealing with Homeowners associations and easements.

Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[jaizei]

Did this AC work before when daughter first move in, and just stop. Or she just moved in and it not work.

Unless theres a local code (like Chicago), it's probably not in conduit. You should see where it enters the disconnect whether theres conduit or not.

In the other thread you said there was no continuity, but was there any voltage at all when you tested for voltage, on either of the wires before you took them loose from disconnect/breaker?

A toner can help tell you which direction the wire travels. Can lights and speakers are electricians hand holes

 

[jeff kushner]

Thanks J, yes, her system stopped 2 months after she moved in, last Tuesday I think. It was cooling fine....then not!

I read 119V at each pole of a 2 pole breaker at the breaker. Good connections, nice and tight.

At the condenser
I can see a coupling connecting to the back side of the disconnect box but the rest was buried in the brickwork.
I would assume that the section being the brick is in conduit but that's just a construction assumption of a plumber. I got no readings on either wire at the disconnect. I was able to grab them at will.

Hmmm, gaining perspective by your questions, I wonder what happened to cut BOTH wires?

some people did some things, I think....LOL

She has a real Electrician coming out today to take a look. I had suggested she call folks who have worked in her complex before. They will already know the construction details.

 

[jaizei]

Yes, it would be incredible that both hot wires failed at the same time without something happening to them by a person. One of them being hit by nail or staple during construction and arcing over time until eventually completely breaking isn't unheard of.

Will be interesting to find out what it is.

 

[jeff kushner]

Yes, I'm curious too. When we build big buildings, I always tell the foremen to get the system wet ASAP......the drywall guys are famous for pegging our pipes....."the wet guy did it" works well if the system is charged though!

thanks again J

 

[jeff kushner]

Update....cause I'm awake anyway....although I admit this with a much higher degree of humility than my story might portray.

#1 daughter calls to update.....Electrician went out and yes, we were working on the wrong condenser! The unit we disabled the BGE "powersaver" interrupt wasn't even hers! Come on, I can't make this up! Poor folks coming back from vacation will find their bill "adjusted". Oops

She prob just needs a charge as the unit was tripping on high head....too frickin funny!

Yes, I told her that if indeed she ever found that the unit wasn't hers, to simply forget about it. It was left fully operational of course...well except for the BGE stuff. LOL


I guess these are the dangers of living in a condo community.....I might try to FIX something there!

If we can't admit our mistakes, we have no business claiming our victories!

 

[Maro2Bear]

Update....cause I'm awake anyway....although I admit this with a much higher degree of humility than my story might portray.

#1 daughter calls to update.....Electrician went out and yes, we were working on the wrong condenser! The unit we disabled the BGE "powersaver" interrupt wasn't even hers! Come on, I can't make this up! Poor folks coming back from vacation will find their bill "adjusted". Oops

She prob just needs a charge as the unit was tripping on high head....too frickin funny!

Yes, I told her that if indeed she ever found that the unit wasn't hers, to simply forget about it. It was left fully operational of course...well except for the BGE stuff. LOL


I guess these are the dangers of living in a condo community.....I might try to FIX something there!

If we can't admit our mistakes, we have no business claiming our victories!

And this is why you better keep your day job!