I had to have the electric pedestal replaced in my backyard, and I hired Yuma Electric to do the work. My experience was educational in both positive and negative ways. Positive, because the company owner explained things to me. Negative, because of the way in which the actual work proceeded.
1) If you are having flickering lights or power outages, call APS first. They will take you through the circuit breaker process. If that does not work, they will come out and replace the meter. If that does not work, they will advise you to call an electric professional and have the pedestal replaced at your expense.
2) When you contact the electrician, they will have to take photos of your old pedestal and its placement on your property. The electrician should already know this and should not apply for the permit without including the photos. If they fail to take photos, ask them to do so then and there. That way, they will not have to return to your property another day and thereby delay the permit process.
3) If you want to use a travel trailer or RV on your property, make sure you get a "50/30/20 RV Kit" installed on your new pedestal. This will provide electricity to a RV. It will add around $300--$350 to your total charges.
4) Do not assume that the worker will arrive with all the tools he needs. If he has to go back to the shop to get something, it will waste time and prolong your hours without electricity. Have these things on hand: bucket, trowel, tarp, marking pen, drinking water. If you do not want your new pedestal scratched up, have the worker place all items on a tarp when he unpacks everything.
5) The new pedestal will have to be set in cement -- or rather, cement will be poured around the pedestal. If you want flat, smooth sides to your cement block, get some lumber which has not been damaged or pre-used for some other purpose. Have the worker use your lumber for framing the cement block.
6) After the cement dries, you will have to remove the lumber frame yourself. Just get a hammer, and hit the frame from the inside out. It should come off fairly easily.
7) The new APS regulations require a copper grounding wire. Unless you specify otherwise, they will drill little holes in your shed, attach little clips, and route the wire along the bottom of your shed. Another option is to have the wire buried under the ground. If you want it buried, make sure they bring enough wire to bury it as deep as APS requires. If needed, you can buy a small jar of wood putty at Lowe's and repair any holes in your shed and paint over it.
8) They will put your street number on the new pedestal. If you want numbers that match, if things like that matter to you, buy a sheet of 3-inch self-adhesive numbers at Walmart (or Lowe's or Home Depot) and use those.
9) The worker who installed my pedestal had difficulty opening and closing the panel cover. He pushed, shoved, and basically used force. Afterwards, I opened it to look inside, and it was extremely difficult to open. It was almost impossible to close it. I pushed, shoved, and used some force without success. I had to leave it open, and it blew with the wind. I decided to try once more before resorting to duct tape. By accident, I discovered how to open and close it. It is very simple once you understand the logic of it. The secret is in the hinges. Try a little tenderness.
10) APS is supposed to do 2 inspections. They only did one inspection on my pedestal, but signed off on the line for the second. They never came back for a second inspection. The first inspection sign-off line was left blank. I was there and I saw this, and they did not come back for a second inspection.
11) In conclusion, if a company has a good reputation, but the individual worker does not take pride in his work, then the reputation is meaningless. Anyone can talk the talk, but not everyone walks the walk. Since APS inspected my new pedestal (once), I can only trust that it was wired correctly and with new materials, and that it will last as long as my old pedestal -- which I think was 40 years. read more
