Electrical Assessment
This report was developed by : Electrical Engineer Jim Redding , P.E. , of Sparling. It was based on his observations on-site from a tour of the property on October 6, 2004, and was finalized after a review of the proposed rehabilitation design and program on December 23, 2004:
The Snohomish Carnegie Library is a historic 1910 library building with a B basement , Upper Floor and small M mezzanine that received a large single story addition in 1968. The subjects of this report are the condition of electrical systems in the original part of the Carnegie Library building and an assessment of what would be required electrically to separate the original building from the 1968 A addition and restore the original library as a stand alone building on the original footprint. In the report, I will refer to the original part of the building as "the Carnegie Building Library" and the part of the building added in 1968 as "the 1968 A addition".
Power System
There is a fusible 208/120 volt three phase service switchboard and several 208/120 volt three phase branch power panelboards located in the main Electrical Room of the Addition. The Carnegie Building Library is powered by three circuits, all derived from the switchboard and panels in this main Electrical Room. There is an old Square D 120 /208 volt /208-volt, single phase single-phase circuit breaker load center located in the Hall outside of the Kitchen in the Basement of the Carnegie Building Library. This load center is fed from a 100 amp, two pole switch in the service switchboard in the Addition. This load center subfeeds another old Square D 120/208 volt, single phase circuit breaker load center located in the east Storage Room of the Carnegie Library B Building basement. There is a third, newer Square D 120/208-volt, single phase single-phase circuit breaker load center, which is located in the west Storage Room of the Carnegie Building b Basement . This third load center is fed from a 50 amp, two pole breaker in one of the branch panels located in the main Electrical Room of the 1968 A addition.
The three load centers in the Carnegie Library B Building basement feed all of the power loads in the original building except for a 208 volt, three phase mechanical unit located in the Carnegie Building attic above the M mezzanine. This mechanical unit gets its power from a 100 - amp , three - pole breaker in another of the branch panels , which is located in the main Mechanical/E electrical Room of the 1968 A addition. R So removing these three circuits feeding into the Carnegie Building from the main Electrical Room of the Addition will disconnect the Carnegie Building Library from the 1968 A addition's power system.
The existing power circuiting in the Carnegie building Library is a combination of old knob and tube circuits and newer circuits in surface mounted EMT conduit. Neither the old knob and tube wiring nor the later wiring , in surface - mounted EMT conduit , violate violates the electrical code. But older knob and tube wiring such as this building has is a known fire hazard. The newer circuits routed in surface mounted EMT are entirely functional but they are n very unesthet ot ic aesthetically compatible with the historic building.
There are not many power receptacles in the building and most of them were added later and fed via the surface mounted EMT.
The B basement is heated by several lengths of electric baseboard heater.
Lighting
The lighting in the Basement is a motley collection of old incandescent and fluorescent fixtures including keyless porcelain sockets, small suspended globes and industrial T12 fluorescents. The lighting on the Upper F main floor is by direct/indirect T12 fluorescent lighting in pendant hung rows. These are relatively old and unattractive louvered fixtures which light the room effectively but which do not contribute aesthetically. The current small Upper F main floor workroom , at the northwest corner is , is lit by two old 2' x 4' surface mounted T12 fluorescent fixtures and there are two 1' x 4' surface mounted T12 fluorescent fixtures in the periodical former periodical area under the M mezzanine. There are two pull string incandescent porcelain socket fixtures on the M mezzanine.
Low Voltage Systems
Tele /data wiring for the former periodicals area on the Upper F main floor, which has been converted into a small Office, routes into the Carnegie Building Library in plastic surface mounted raceway through the opening that leads from the Addition. The tele /data wiring is distributed to the handful of communications outlets in the Carnegie Building via this plastic raceway. Removing the tele /data wiring coming into the Carnegie Building Library from the 1968 A addition will disconnect the Carnegie original b Building from the 1968 era addition's communications system.
There are no security system devices or fire alarm devices in the Carnegie Building. Library.
General Recommendations for the Carnegie Library
- Provide separate power to serve the new systems, equipment and elevator in the Carnegie Library.
- Provide new power distribution throughout the interiors , including perimeter wall and floor outlets at the Upper Floor. Conceal conduits in new walls, joist spaces and furred-out wall cavities.
- Replace lighting throughout . Suggested interior fixtures include indirect type lighting in the Upper Floor, using wall mounted, aimable, linear fluorescent cove fixtures with T5, high output lamps for general lighting, and suspended fixtures and sconce fixtures selected for their compatibility with the historic character of the room. Provide new lighting to the Basement and exterior lighting at the entries and exterior stairs and trash collection area.
- Provide automatic smoke alarms and power for automatic door operations, and an intrusion/motion detector intrusion system as requested by the Owner.
- If a performance function is proposed for the building, provide additional built-in lighting and projection system, and controls for roll-down projection screen at the Upper Floor Main Room.
- Provide data/tele distribution for contemporary uses.
General Recommendations for the 1968 Addition
Revise lighting and power distribution in the impacted areas of the building once it is separated form the Carnegie Library.
Lighting for performances in the Upper Floor Main Room:
Stage lighting for small scale performances could be provided by a theatrical lighting system with pipe mounted theatrical lighting instruments and a fully programmable dimming system. However, this system would be very expensive and probably not needed. A simple system of ceiling mounted lighting track that had a number of sticks of track with separate dimmer control would be much less expensive and would probably be sufficient for the scale of performances that are likely to be held in this space. Such a system is included in the cost estimate. The controls for a small scale system like this could be as simple as a bank of wall box dimmers. Such a control system would not be programmable and would require that each dimmer be individually adjusted each time that it was used.
If a more programmable dimming control system is required, a scene preset dimmer system could be used. This system would allow six preprogrammed "scenes" to be selected, with each scene consisting of a preset dimmer level for each of the lighting control zones. (Such a system is not included in the estimated electrical costs.)
Film and Video projection in the Upper Floor Main Room:
Projection of 16mm film onto a projection screen mounted at one end of the room would be best done from a projector mounted at the opposite end of the room. Since the projector needs to be mounted no lower than the top of the projection screen, a portable location in the middle of the room is not practical. While it is possible to use a ceiling mounted projector in the middle of the room, it is not practical in this application. Such a projector would be large and expensive. Permanently installing it would leave a large, visually disruptive object on the ceiling when the projector was not in use. Loading it high in the room would be potentially problematic. A more practical projector would project from a permanent cabinet portable position high at the other end of the room.
Projection of DVD and VHS could also be done with a ceiling mounted projector or a projector mounted at the other end of the room. As in the case of a film projector, the projector needs to be mounted no lower than the top of the projection screen and so a portable location in the middle of the room is not practical. A ceiling mounted location is more practical for a video projector than for a film projector because the projector is smaller and does not have to be physically accessed for use. But there would still be a relatively large object in the middle of the ceiling that might be visually disruptive when the projector is not in use.
The design and pricing of any film projection system will require a more extensive study than the current feasibility study because of price differences between the different lensing systems and brightness levels that are required for various shapes and sizes of room. Audio, film and video equipment is not included in the electrical cost estimate.
Foundation Board
Melody Clemans, president
Rebecca Loney, secretary
Anne Eason, treasurer
Greg Guedel
Dan Reynolds
Candace McKenna
Rosanna Sze
Leah Harrison
Fred Lighter, board consultant
Ex Officio Members
Dwight Knechtel
Elizabeth Grant
Bill Bates
Cathy Reines
Ed Poquette