A Relaxing Labor Day Project (NOT!): Underground Electrical

by John @ AZ DIY Guy

$120.00

3 Hours

Advanced

So the pool's a swamp again, despite battling with all the modern chemical weaponry at my disposal. It's time to throw in the towel. We give up. It's either a dump truck full of fill-dirt or we scratch together enough money to replace all of our pool's mechanical equipment. Since a dump truck won't fit into the back yard (and I'm out voted 3 to 1), we're replacing the pool equipment, next Saturday. It's a spendy proposition. Do you hear the sound of our kitchen remodel disappearing? Those new, energy-efficient windows slipping from our grasp?
Even though I'd proclaimed it a no-project weekend, I started excavating the slab the equipment is sitting on. I thought I'd be nice and hopefully avoid the cost creep of having a pool tech digging at $80 / hour before dropping down a new slab. I dug it out pretty quickly. But it all went wrong from there...
Read the whole exciting tale in the blog!

a relaxing labor day project not underground electrical, diy, electrical, home maintenance repairs, pool designs, I started digging out the slab just to make it easy on the pool tech

I started digging out the slab, just to make it easy on the pool tech...

a relaxing labor day project not underground electrical, diy, electrical, home maintenance repairs, pool designs, but found this mess An electrical conduit rusted completely though

... but found this mess. An electrical conduit, rusted completely though.

a relaxing labor day project not underground electrical, diy, electrical, home maintenance repairs, pool designs, A 10 foot stick of rigid threaded conduit I had to beat through concrete and compacted dirt

A 10 foot stick of rigid, threaded conduit. I had to beat through concrete and compacted dirt.

a relaxing labor day project not underground electrical, diy, electrical, home maintenance repairs, pool designs, Then it was onto this colossal rat s nest of electrical misery

Then it was onto this colossal, rat's nest of electrical misery.

a relaxing labor day project not underground electrical, diy, electrical, home maintenance repairs, pool designs, 120 worth of assorted material just to get it into reasonable shape This is for qualified folks only

$120 worth of assorted material, just to get it into reasonable shape. This is for qualified folks only!

a relaxing labor day project not underground electrical, diy, electrical, home maintenance repairs, pool designs, Fixed up and ready for a complete pool equipment overhaul this weekend

Fixed up and ready for a complete pool equipment overhaul this weekend.

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1 question

Rebekah Planto on Dec 21, 2016
Hi John, I work for an exhibit design company, and we are working with a client on an educational exhibit about energy - different sources, use of energy in the home, conservation and stewardship, etc. I am wondering if we can discuss possible use of one of the photos in your article. Please contact me at rebekah@thedesignminds.com. Thank you!

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2 of 12 comments

Mike Miller on Jan 25, 2015
Stop dumping the backwash directly onto the conduit I can see from the pics thats why your conduit is rusted through..The ph will destroy the plastic faster than it did the steel...Also Hayward equipment requires 2" pipe I noticed whatever shady company built your pool used the wrong size pipe coming from your motor... best way to describe it what if your arteries were shrunk 25%?

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John @ AZ DIY Guy on Jan 25, 2015
Thanks Mike. We inherited this mess when we bought the house. Luckily most of the pipes have been replaced when we upgraded the filter and pump. Plus, no more back washing!

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