The drywall dust smells like chalk. The electrician rubs the dust between his fingers. He looks at the wall. A thin wire comes out of a hole. The wire is black. The council member stands behind him. The council member holds a thick binder.

The words say the strata owns the wall. The words say the owner owns the air inside the unit. The council member looks at the wire. The wire is in the wall. The wire is also in the unit. The council member does not know who owns the wire.

The Hidden Path of Common Property

The electrician follows the wire. The wire goes into the ceiling. The ceiling is made of concrete. The concrete is common property. The wire enters a metal pipe. The pipe is a conduit. The conduit runs through the floor of the hallway. The hallway is common property.

I look at my phone. The phone is in my hand. I see ten missed calls. The phone was on mute. I did not hear the phone. I put the phone in my pocket.

The strata bylaw is a set of rules. The rules are for people. The rules are not for wires. The wires do not follow the rules. The wires follow the path of least resistance. The wires go through the gaps. The gaps are the spaces between the studs. The gaps are the spaces between the floors.

The bylaw says the owner must maintain the unit. The bylaw says the strata must maintain the common property. The wire is both. The wire is a problem. The wire is a gray zone. The bylaw is silent about the gray zone.

When 60 Amps Aren’t Enough

The electrician takes a screwdriver from his belt. The screwdriver has a black handle. He turns a screw on the outlet. The outlet is loose. He pulls the outlet from the wall. He looks at the copper strands. The copper is dull. The copper is thirty years old.

The building is in Coquitlam. The building has many units. Each unit has a panel. The panel is small. The panel has 60-amp service. This is not enough power for a modern home. People have computers. People have big televisions. People have air conditioners. The wires get warm. The insulation gets brittle.

The council member asks a question. He asks how much the repair will cost. The electrician does not answer yet. He needs to see the main panel. He needs to see the transformer. The transformer is outside. The transformer is in a green box. The green box is on a concrete pad.

The transformer belongs to BC Hydro. BC Hydro is a utility. The utility owns the power up to the meter. The strata owns the power after the meter. The owner owns the power after the breaker. There are many transitions. Each transition is a point of failure.

The History in the Dust

Blake K. is an industrial hygienist. I have worked with Blake K. on other jobs. Blake K. looks at the space behind the wall. He says the air in the wall is old. He says the dust is a record of the building.

“The dust contains skin cells. The dust contains fabric fibers. The dust contains bits of wire insulation. The dust is a hazard.”

– Blake K., Industrial Hygienist

He wears a mask. The mask is white. He uses a sensor to measure the air. He says the wiring creates heat. The heat moves the air. This is how the dust travels. The dust settles on the bylaw binder. The council member wipes the dust away.

Pinetree Way and the Permit Clerk

A Coquitlam Electrician must understand the process. The process starts at city hall. The city hall is on Pinetree Way. The electrician goes to the counter. The counter is high.

The electrician gives a form to the clerk. The form is an application for a permit. The clerk looks at the form. The clerk looks at the license of the electrician. The electrician is a master electrician. The electrician is insured. The electrician is bonded. These things are necessary.

The clerk takes the money. The fee is one hundred and sixty-two dollars. The clerk stamps the paper. The stamp has black ink. Now the electrician can work. The permit is a legal document. The permit protects the owner. The permit protects the strata.

Switchgear and Load Balancing

The electrician returns to the building. He has the permit. He has the tools. He starts at the main switchgear. The switchgear is the heart of the electrical system. It is a large metal cabinet. The cabinet is gray. Inside the cabinet are copper bars. The bars are called bus bars.

The bus bars carry the total load of the building. The electrician measures the load. He uses a clamp meter. The meter has a digital screen. The screen shows the amps. The reading is eighty-four amps on the first phase. The reading is ninety-one amps on the second phase. The system is balanced. This is good.

The EV Charger and the Parkade Wall

An owner wants an EV charger. This is a common request in Port Moody and Coquitlam. The owner has a new car. The car is electric. The car needs a charger. The charger needs a 40-amp circuit. The unit panel is full. The unit panel cannot handle the charger.

The electrician must find a solution. He looks at the common property. He finds a junction box. The junction box is in the parkade. The parkade has a concrete ceiling. The electrician uses a hammer drill. The drill makes a loud noise. The noise echoes in the parkade.

The electrician shows the council member the plan. The plan is a drawing. The drawing shows the path of the wire. The wire stays near the ceiling. The wire does not block the pipes. The wire is neat. The electrician uses BX cable. The BX cable has a metal skin. The skin protects the wire.

The 90-Degree Bend

The electrician uses a pipe bender. He bends the conduit. The bend is ninety degrees. The bend is perfect. SJ Electrical Contracting Inc. does this work often. They know the Tri-Cities area. They know the buildings. They know the inspectors.

The electrician finishes the installation. He installs the charger box.