Vote to Upgrade Electrical Service from Panel P2-2

Vote to Upgrade Electrical Service from Panel P2-2

A Vote on Upgrading PS1's Electrical Service from Panel P2-2, which will help to accommodate a Coffee Roaster from Theo Tetzlaff

Sponsor

Theo Tetzlaff

Co-Sponsors

Dan Wells Ray Doeksen Carl Karsten Ryan Pierce

James? Jenny?

Vote Results

 Quorum:[ ]
 Yea Votes: [ ]  
 Nay Votes: [ ]
 Present or Abstain: [ ]

Schedule

Proposal Date

August 24th, 2022

Vote Announcement and Beginning Date of the Discussion Period

The announcement date of the vote proposal is the beginning date of the seven-day (minimum) posting and Member discussion period. (Certain exceptional vote types have longer discussion periods. Check the Bylaws if you are unsure.) If the Sponsor has chosen to include member input, suggested edits can be made in a shared document or other collaborative vehicle until the language is locked. The sponsor can stop taking suggestions at any time.

August 24th, 2022

Language Lock Date and Start of Voting

Five days prior to the Day of the Vote, the vote language is locked, all edits are frozen, and the language of the vote is converted to a pdf file. Ballots that include the pdf are sent to the Membership, and electronic voting begins. Note that the minimum discussion period of seven days leaves only two days for changes before the lock takes place.

[DATE]

Day of the Vote

Date the Board has assigned for the vote. The Day of the Vote is the day the vote closes.

[DATE]

Background

Theo brought in a shop coffee roaster as a member project in hopes to verify it works and then host a class in coffee roasting. If there is enough interest, he will arrange to leave it at PS1 for others to use. However, PS1’s electrical systems are inadequate to test the member project: the wire gauge, outlet capacity and panel breakers can be improved. So he got a quote for an upgrade: $900. He will pay $400 of that, leaving $500 for PS1 plus up to $100 additional expenses. The P2-2 panel and wire upgrade will improve the infrastructure to allow PS1 members to use this or any other such equipment in the future, whereas we don’t currently have that ability.

This is a vote to upgrade PS1’s electrical as follows to facilitate testing/using the roaster:

PS1's second floor catwalk electrical panel, P2-2, is a 3-Phase 208/120 "High Leg Delta" panel. In addition to the Bridgeport, Servers, and miscellaneous outlets which it currently supplies, it previously supplied an Induction Cooktop, a Lasercutter and the Kitchen Oven; it no longer supplies those devices, and hasn't done for quite some time (though the Electrical wiki is not updated). As a result, there is ample capacity on the existing panel to supply a Coffee Roaster or other large service devices in their stead. PS1's wiring from the panel, however, appears insufficient to the task.

This is a proposal to install appropriate commercial gauge wire and conduit from Panel 2-2; this vote also proposes installing a 60 amp breaker to replace two 20 amp breakers previously associated with either the Induction Cooktop or the Oven. Work will be done by a qualified professional electrician who has provided a quote for his services of $900. Theo has an interest in providing a coffee roaster for members to use in the space, which would benefit from this electrical work; as a result, he is willing to offer to pay $400 towards the cost of PS1's upgrade to our infrastructure. In addition, there may or may not be an opportunity to fix certain code violations that currently exist, such as a non-GFI outlet above the sink, under the same work order. No unnecessary or detrimental changes would be made, however.

The connection or outlet will be installed from the panel to the General Area between the member lockers and the doorway, near to the existing unused roof vent leftover from the Lasercutter. It will probably be near where the coffee roaster is now, or on the other side of the door and nearer to the vent, without preventing use of the member lockers. The coffee roaster is on wheels, moves easily, and has a plug-- unless the electrician determines otherwise, it's easy to disconnect and move should that be necessary (we've already moved it a bunch, it's pretty easy).

Background on coffee roasting/-er: Green specialty coffee costs about $4.50-6.50/lb; roasted specialty coffee costs $14-16/12 oz = $16.50-21/lb. Fresh roasted coffee tastes a lot better than coffee that’s even 3-4 weeks old, much less several months as typical in stores. Plus roasting coffee is just cool. This roaster is incredibly user friendly to the novice and is completelh adjustable on time/temperature, etc., but also doesn’t require the user know every intricate detail of the roast process to get going. Also, as an air roaster it is safer for novices and simultaneously works a little better with ‘bright’ flavors from lighter roast ‘naturals’ or ‘natural process’ coffees, which are a neat area of coffee most consumers won’t otherwise get to play around with much. This roaster is also pretty un-f***-up-able as roasters go, because it’s a ‘fluid bed’/air roaster, has automated but adjustable roast features, and has water safety features in case some nonsense happens. Because, PS1. (Final note here: could possibly be used for roasting cocoa beans as well, though that is not currently approved and would take safe experimentation. I roast cocoa beans at home too…).

Synopsis

• The professional electrical services quote is $900
• Theo will pay $400.
• Unexpected expenses $100
• 900 - 400 + 100 = 600
• This vote is to cover the 600.
• PS1 gets infrastructure improvements subsidized. Plus coffee roasting.

Language of the Vote

This vote is to approve an expense authorization of $600 for the upgrade of PS1's wiring from and to install a 60 amp breaker on Panel 2-2 by a qualified professional electrician, so that we can plug in the coffee roaster.