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electric equipment usage

NYC Rent Regulation: Rent Control/Rent Stabilized, DHCR Practice/Procedures

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electric equipment usage

Postby <k.> » Thu Apr 11, 2002 4:53 pm

I was wondering if there is some sort of law limiting me on electric equipment usage.
I live in a pre-war building where fuses blow very often, especially if two or more
appliances are on at the same time. For example - I can't use the microwave oven, if
my computer is on, which means I either work, or eat. I bought an air conditioner and
am now afraid I won't be able to use it at all. What are my landlord's responsibilities in
this case and is there anything I can do about it?
Thank you!
<k.>
 

Re: electric equipment usage

Postby <astor> » Fri Apr 12, 2002 10:26 am

The landlord has no responsibilty in this matter...........

This gives you a wonderful opportunity to learn about home maintenence, YOU must find the fuse box and then take out the fuses one by one and find which outlets they are connected to.

So now you know that where you plug in the computer is on the same line as your microwave, so you will have to buy a GOOD long 25' or more extention cord to run your computer to another outlet.

And Always plug the AC in the closest outlet, because if you use a long extention cord for your AC, it will work harder and cost you more money while cooling less, its because of a power loss in the line cord.

Then wire all your other things to other outlets. I had to run my stereo tv and other things to an outlet in the bedroom, you run the wire in back of the couch tape it down so noone trips over it , you can get good 25 foot extention cords for $10-15 at Home Depot .......and if you look you might find Black ones.... I know they have them at Metropolitan Lumber ....

Old apartments ae NOT designed for modern usage.
<astor>
 

Re: electric equipment usage

Postby <K.> » Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:36 pm

Yeah, that all makes sence and I'm doing my best when it comes to not using appliances all at once (not because I'm responsible, but because I simply have to :-D). The problem is though - I have to go to the super, who is not a very nice person, every time my fuses blow. I have no access to my fuse box, because it is locked somewhere in the basement. Do landlords have to install fuse boxes in each appartment, or at least give tenants keys to the basement, where the fuse box is?
<K.>
 

Re: electric equipment usage

Postby <astor> » Fri Apr 12, 2002 9:11 pm

Strange....... even my previous 98 year old apartment had 4- 20 amp fuses in the kitchen.

Do others in building have fuseboxes in their apartments?

Are you on the first floor? I assume you are rent stabilized, and are you sure you are paying the legal rent?

When the super goes and installs another fuse, follow him and see how many are in the fuse box, and what is the amperage? 15 20 30? ....
<astor>
 

Re: electric equipment usage

Postby katbka » Tue Apr 16, 2002 11:32 pm

It is weird, isn't it? What if my super goes away for the weekend and my fuses blow?
I live on the last floor of a large rent stabilized building (approx 30 appartments), and none of my neighbours have fuseboxes. My one bedroom appartment has two 20amp fuses in a separate box in the basement.

It sais on my lease, that I'm actually paying less than legal rent for my appartment, and it's written in by hand, which also seems strange.

Eeeeh :(
katbka
 
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Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2002 1:01 am
Location: New York

Re: electric equipment usage

Postby Cranky Tenant » Wed Apr 17, 2002 7:16 am

Originally posted by 3R:
I know this isn't the answer you are looking for, but I can't resist offering the suggestion that this is an exciting opportunity for you to learn about energy conservation. New Yorkers all along the East River fought and lost a long hard battle to keep eleven mini power plants out of their neighborhoods, from the South Bronx to Red Hook. After September, construction stopped on some of those plants, but it will resume eventually. Most New Yorkers have the luxury of living far from the seriously polluting plants that provide energy for the city. Those without that luxury live in the neighborhoods with extraordinarily high levels of Asthma, and are exposed to electromagnetic radiation that we don't yet know the effects of. Consider ways you might live without your AC. No one in America pays the true cost of the electricity they use.
Three years ago this summer, when the temperature hit 107 and I nearly passed out while sitting at my computer, I finanlly hiked up to Union Square, got on line behind half of New York, and managed to buy one of the last air conditioners on the delivery truck.

Air conditioning is no longer a luxury, it's a health issue. Those of us living in the lower half of Manhattan have steam pipes underground, traffic spewing hot exhaust, and only an occasional breexe if your apartment happens to face in the right direction.

The same people who suffer from a disproportionatly high occurance of asthma are the same people who are often denied adequate power because of old electrical lines in substandard housing. People living at home, using an energy efficient air conditioner isn't going to seriously impact on their health. It's the large air conditioned office buildings, Times Square, and subway that probably eats up most of the power in this city. Energy conservation is a good thing but it doesn;t mean risking your health. Better to use it efficiently and put the blame on energy waste where it really belongs.
I'm a cranky tenant NOT a cranky lawyer.
Cranky Tenant
 
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Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2002 2:01 am
Location: Manhattan


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