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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2023 08:33am
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Newest patch for caps
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2023 08:39am
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Quoting: gcrank1 CCC=Civilian Conservation Corps, FDR era 1933-42; the CCC built much of the 'traditional' Nat Park improvements. Glorious bull work that can still be seen today.
I picked up a piece of memorabilia from that era from a collector.
Here it is, its now in my possession.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 17 Feb 2023 08:24am - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Mailed off application for bringing in buried power to my place.
Meet with utility engineer in April.
Just going to make it a nicer stay when we are there, I can pack much lighter, plus a full time security system. They provide internet too. So will look into that also.
Wife has retired from work, I retire in less than 3 years. So want to have it done by then and will be using the property much more.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 17 Feb 2023 08:38am
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Yer still Rockin It! 
How far does the power line need to come in?
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 17 Feb 2023 09:54am - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Goes 1/4 mile up the road to my gate, then in probably another 300 feet to a pad mount transformer, then off that to my panel which will be in an area where I can hook up to cabin, well, few of the campsites and/or a home if I decide to live there someday.
All buried, power company "plows it in, all in 3 inch plastic conduit. Estimate is at $25K
200A service
I will be responsible for a 3 foot trench from pad transformer to my panel, 3" pipe, ends capped with no glue, they will tie it into my panel (last few feet) and alo the last 10 feet tot he transformer or vault. Then L&I inspects before they come in. Checks my panel, meter base etc. Then once they sign off, power company does their stuff, I backfill and its a done deal.
Just being hooked up will cost me $40 a month with no use at all. I will tie my cabin into the panel and power up one campsite, maybe 2 and run power to solar well. Well will stull be solar, but I have a 110VAC transformer I can plug into for those days with no sunshine, just use that and power with grid vs generator is all.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 17 Feb 2023 01:45pm
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Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech All buried, power company "plows it in, all in 3 inch plastic conduit. Estimate is at $25K
That's actually a good price! To have a solar power system capable of a 200a service would cost far more than that.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 17 Feb 2023 03:16pm
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Quoting: Nobadays That's actually a good price! To have a solar power
And no maintenance or battery servicing, ever. Will open op lots of options. Thanks for your upbeat response. Figured I was going to be like chopped liver here hooking to grid. :D
Headed up in April for lots of projects, big maintenance run, adding goodies, now meeting with engineer to "stake" out locations.
Of course, I will follow up with pictures. This is the only place where I have documented everything from beginning to end. Lots of early pictures, I dont even have anymore. 
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FishHog
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# Posted: 17 Feb 2023 05:07pm
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if grid power is a reasonable option, I'm not sure why anyone would go solar.
I don't mind my solar system at all, but grid power is nice easy mostly reliable and a lot less work.
I'd do it in a second for $25k, but that will never be an option for me.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 27 Apr 2023 08:42pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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OK, installed security screen door, how nice, keep door open, no bugs, super HD unit.
Also installed brand new cooktop stove/oven, moved propane bottle to under porch vs under cabin. Much eaiser to use and also much safer, added a 2 stage regulator too.
New unit has all electric ignition via a magneto, a round knob on the front that rotates and clicks and sparks the oven and each burner. So which one is on, it lights first time. Requires no battery, but does have an illuminated front panel and button to turn it on if you want one.
I did, by mistake, order a shorter oven, 17" vs the 21" I needed. So my custom cabinets where designed for the taller oven, so ordered another new gas range.
I will not show a picture of it until its final. I did make a nice panel to fill in the void for now, next trip, new range goes in.
Screen door, we can show pictures of that.
Met with power company engineer, super nice guy. We laid out path, right through my forest. No tearing up my perfectly groomed gravel road.
They use a D4 sized dozer, it has a vibrating spike in the front, a spool of wire inside conduit on a large roll on the back and as it drives along, it plows in the wire/conduit down 36".
Located a spot for transformer and panel and meter base will be about 5 feet from that. I did have to dig a trench 36" deep between the 2 points, I will also need to have a L&I inspected panel all set up on a 6X6 treated post, several ground rods and L&I signs off, then when power comes in, they hook up, install meter and done and I have power.
It will be 72 feet from cabin, 175 feet to campsite 1 and solar well. And about 110 feet to campsite #3
location of transformer
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trench between TX and meter
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rightofway to apex
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rigth away after apex
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 27 Apr 2023 08:44pm
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Security screen photos
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cooktop.jpg
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 27 Apr 2023 08:45pm
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And a little gem I picked up from ebay in my ever lasting search for USFS stuff, USNPS and now CCC stuff.
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20230426_181612_resi.jpg
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 27 Apr 2023 09:19pm
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Nice!
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Erik
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# Posted: 9 Jun 2023 04:12pm
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That shelter you built is really impressive! It really looks like National Park infrastructure, very cool 😎
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 10 Jun 2023 02:29pm
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Quoting: Erik That shelter you built is really impressive! It really looks like National Park infrastructure, very cool 😎
Erik, thank you. That was my plan, I have incorporated lots of things from NPS, USFS and some state parks too.
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ICC
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# Posted: 10 Jun 2023 04:46pm
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The trees appear younger than older, though size depends greatly on average annual precipitation. Do you have much of an idea of the tree ages around you? Any thoughts about when logging last occurred?
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 11 Jun 2023 07:50pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Quoting: ICC The trees appear younger than older, though size depends greatly on average annual precipitation. Do you have much of an idea of the tree ages around you? Any thoughts about when logging last occurred?
ICC, I assume you are asking me?
It was thinned (logged) about 35 years ago, at the time, they took the big stuff, the smaller stuff is now the big stuff. My largest trees are about 18-20 inches, the shelter uprights are 12-14" thick, they are larger then they appear, way overkill, but its what I had. Mine are all ponderosa pines, I do have some douglas fir also. My purlins are actually lodgepole lines from an elevation of about 5000 feet. They tend to have less taper. Ponderosas have a slight taper.
All the trees grow fast over there. 300 days of sunshine a year and now that I have it all thinned, really taken off.
I was looking at the trees in the first photos of this thread, in 2007, so 16 years, they grew quite a bit.
The old dead snag was over 32 inches, a sign of what used to be there. It was all part of a 2800 acre farm that was sold off and an outfit came in, carved it up and put in roads, created lots and that is where i came in.
The ponderosas to a great job of reseeding themselves. Most small trees were removed, except around the cabin area, I didnt want the forest mulcher loading up my gravel roads with the chips.
It was kinda an ugly mess at first, just a bunch of wood chips on the forest floor, still there, small and under a think coat of lush green pine grass, never been so green before.
Ok on a good note, didnt see a single new beetle kill last trip, so the remaining stands are hearty enough I guess and ejecting the bugs with the pitch.
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ICC
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# Posted: 11 Jun 2023 08:35pm
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Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech The ponderosas do a great job of reseeding themselves.
That is for sure! We have areas that are more like weed patches and get some severe thinning out in the first few years.
We have an 80-acre plot scheduled for harvesting the bigger stuff in Sept-Oct.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 20 Jun 2023 08:20am - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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ICC, what I'd like to find is a set of small clippers, the clip at ground level, held by a wand, hand operated switch, either electrically operated or manual. But I'd like to just walk and clip seedlings down as they pop up.
Someone has to make this tool, if not, maybe I could. (patent pending) 
OK, headed out Thursday, be back Monday. Installing meter base panel with a small load center, full 200A service. Actually, I can go 400A, just how the transformer is set up which is only 10 feet away from meter base. Then I go online to call in for an inspection from Labor and Industries and when I get the OK, power company comes in for hookup.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2023 03:32pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Notice how the first photos from April, grass is all brown and flat from being under 3 feet of snows for months, now its pretty green.
OK, back from trip, installed meter base, pounded in 2 ground rods, 8 foot copper clad 5/8" used #4 solid copper wire and hooked to both using direct burial gear, installed them 6 feet apart.
I pounded them in with an industrial jackhammer i have with a ground rod bit, make short work of that task.
Used 6X6 post, treated, trenched down 3 feet for wire to transformer location. Called in for my inspection Sunday, should get it no later than Wednesday.
I did add a 20A GFCI outdoor duplex outlet on the panel post
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2023 03:38pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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OK, new cooktop is in and a nice sign added to wall behind cooktop to keep in step with my USFS theme.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2023 10:28pm
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L&I inspection for my electrical was all signed off today. I have already contacted the power company to start to get the ball rolling. Be nice to have it in before my next visit, but moving ahead with plans for more electrificating (word I just made up) now. 
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actionshooter
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2023 11:55pm
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Very cool, I have a cabin near (in) Loup Loup and have given up hope for power to be brought in, but that seemed like a much more reasonable price that I expected!
Read your post front to back and very impressive! Love the theme, not going to show the wife or I'll be busier than I already am.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 28 Jun 2023 08:39am - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Action shooter, we should meet up sometime. Or visit each others spread and get some more cool ideas.
How far are you from power? I am going down a road 1/4 mile then into my property another 1/8 mile, maybe a smidge less, all buried 3 feet deep inside conduit. Having full time power opens up loads of options. Drop me an email at my user name in here AT yahoo dot com, I check it once a month, but can fwd you my main email addy.
I know the Loup Loup area, you guys now have wolves too.
https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/at-risk/species-recovery/gray-wolf/packs
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Brettny
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# Posted: 28 Jun 2023 08:03pm
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That looks like a solid power pole setup you have. I like that you put a 120v outlet on that pole, they always seam to be used.
My cabin is on the same road as An old CCC truck trail. In fact that's what most people call the road not its actual name. Is there a way to find out more information about what happen there back in the CCC days?
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 28 Jun 2023 09:16pm
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Brett, the post is a 6X6, min required by the power company. Its a 10 footer, so some will be trimemd off but not before I figure out a little roof system, shed, gable or hip, not sure yet. I would of done 8 foot, but the center of the meter needed to be 36 to 48 inches and I wanted it up as high as allowed, so have to get the 10 footer.
I only added the outlet because I thought it was required, but as it turns out, it wasn't. But it was signed off. I will add another. I also added "strut bar" across the post about 10 inches below panel to secure the conduit runs exiting bottom and then underground to various locations.
I'll trim off the surplus at the ends later.
As for the CCC, not much action if any at all in that area. It was heavy for gold mining/prospecting. Lots of old mines around the area.
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actionshooter
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# Posted: 28 Jun 2023 11:00pm
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I'm a touch over 1/2 mile from the nearest power... which may still be more than I want to spend, I need to get Okanogan out and look at it for me...
Ya we have wolves, never have seen them but have seen tracks.
Would love to see your place! It looks incredible! feel free to send a message
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 29 Jun 2023 08:27am
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Actionshootwer, go to their website (PUD) and request to meet with an engineer. There is a $150 non refundable fee. Super nice folks. This is the time to ask them loads of questions, he will have all the answers.
The only digging I had to do was from pad mount transformer to meter base, so kept it close (engineer marked spots with stakes).
L&I was also a seamless adventure. It needs panel installed and signed off before power gets hooked up.
L&I was $107, included one inspection. Also all done online, including calling in for inspection and seeing results.
I cant contact you through forum, no message system, use email I mentioned earlier and we will make contact and go my regular email.
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actionshooter
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# Posted: 5 Jul 2023 10:12pm
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sent you an email
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jul 2023 03:25pm
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Quoting: actionshooter sent you an emai
Replied back, let me know if you got it.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 10 Jul 2023 08:59pm
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Power company got my payment today, they are looking at 4 to 6 week backlog. But do have the transformer and wire, all material on hand. They will work directly with my contractor to plow it in. Hoping to have it in by my last visit, but maybe not. 
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