“Let There Be Light”

Catching “the look” on camera…priceless.

While in the midst of learning how to put in the vents and drains for the plumbing, the work on the electrical began.

We have been working with only work lights (and the sun) since about June 2014. And there was a time period, of course, when (much like the classic American sitcom “Green Acres”) we ran an extension cord from the electric pole in the yard in order to have access to light (or any electricity for that matter). It wasn’t until Halloween 2014 that we had the electric trenched to reach the house, but that still only allowed us one temporary box on the main floor and an outlet box in the basement.

Switch box on the main floor with wires running through it.

Now, Tyler did explain a lot about the wiring to me. He did, however, ask that I not film him or do too much explaining online about wiring because he doesn’t want anyone to think they all of a sudden know what they are doing and then electrocute themselves. The good news is, I feel I understand a little about electricity, i.e., electricity looks for a means to travel. And your body conducts electricity quite well…ergo don’t let your body be electricity’s mode of transportation.

Three-way switch (above) near south portico door and outlet box (below).

Anyway, there are boxes located throughout the house, and some of the lights right now are temporary, as we don’t have the actual fixture yet installed or all the switches installed. But there were ground wires and black and white wires and some tools, and copper thimble looking things (that he told me the name of, but wordpress can’t seem to guess my spelling so I must be WAY off…I thought the word started with a “p”).

The special clamping tool, wires, wire cutters, and those little copper doohickeys that are attached to the wires via the special clamping tool.

Ready to install some lights in the basement, above is a fixture that had not yet been “worked on”

Tyler completing work on a fixture in the dungeon basement. (That’s not marshmallow fluff expanding in the basement, it’s the rock walls).

There will be an overhead light in the dining room, some can lights in the bathroom and mud room and a light above the sink. In the living room area, the lights will hopefully be wall sconces of some kind, the location is being set up as I publish this very post. There will be a light in the porch, outside the portico and on either side of the french doors outside the house on the west wall. There are six lights in the basement (it has NEVER been so bright in the basement).

Lightbulbs hanging free in the mudroom on the main floor.

The ease of flipping a switch and having a light turn on. Goodness that Edison was a GENIUS.