Installing electrical wiring and pathways in a log home is complex. Holes are bored for electrical wires in the first two or three log courses as the courses are laid.
Outlets are placed near log ends and doorways. By boring a hole from the doorway to the outlet, the wire can also be covered by door casing or trim.
Ceiling wires are installed in the subflooring of the loft at the time that the subflooring is laid down. Electrical pathways then snake in and out of the framed walls. Wiring for lights, ceiling fans, etc., can be run in the built-up Barna roof system. Exterior electrical outlets require boring holes through the log wall in inconspicuous places, or, in this case, through the garage walls at the ceiling.
Surplus lengths of wiring is used to absorb the eventual settling of the log house.
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We went with copper wiring throughout the house, even from the meter to the electrical panel which typically a heavy-duty aluminum cable is used. You can see the aluminum cabling below, before it was replaced with copper. Do your homework about this and talk with your electrical contractor about it.
Here you can see how outlets are situated within interior walls. Note all the directional notes left by the electrical contractor for his workers!
Such a tangled web!
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Be prepared to BE THERE and review all wiring as it is being installed. Lots of decisions have to made on the spot, and you don't want to leave all of that up to your electrical contractor, especially when you need certain controls to be in certain places. Lesley drew electrical symbols on a set of house plans that were then given to the electrician: These detailed electrical switches, the location of ceiling fans, the location of Internet access and TV cabling, and on and on.
It takes a great deal of forethought and planning to get these things right. Sure, they can be put where it is most expedient but that is not always the most desireable location for traffic flow and furniture placement. Central Vac outlets also have to be carefully planned for. Keep those plans handy!
Now where did I want that to go...?
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Here's the shot! The electrical contractor using two cell phones at once! In the mountains, the intersection of cell service areas often necessitate this. Our VERIZON service, for example, does not work up at the property but it works everywhere else we need it to work. We had to also get US CELLULAR service for calls to and from the property, service that is useless down in the valley and in many other locations as well. Go figure!
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Mr. Codi supervises...
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