First Shock - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

GrislyZero · 01-30-2011, 05:09 PM

What was your first professional electrical shock?

I shall go first:

I was replacing a receptacle in a pre-manufactured control cab. I found the circut and switched it off, upon verification I found 20 or so volts on the neutral to ground. I asked and was told it was "residual" voltage, no need to worry. So I took the recepticle out of the wall, inevitably touched the neutral, and zap. What I didn't know was the AC, which I just tripped the breaker, was sharing the same neutal and had quit a kick!

**MDShunk** · 01-30-2011, 05:11 PM

I lump you into the group of idiot homeowners and small children that want to know this from electricians.

My response is often something like: "You go first. Tell me about the time you could have died".

I hardly think there should be any pride involved in having been shocked in the past. It should rightly be a matter of shame for a professional.

macmikeman · 01-30-2011, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrislyZero

What was your first professional electrical shock?

My first professional shock came right after I graduated from vocational school. I found out what the going pay rate for journeyman electricians in South Florida was......

**480sparky** · 01-30-2011, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrislyZero

What was your first professional electrical shock?

I must still be an amateur. To date, no one has given me money to get shocked.

Shockdoc · 01-30-2011, 05:19 PM

Got my first shock at 13 when I went to replace a kitchen outlet and the tenant told me he shut the breaker off for me........the wrong on of course, a 15. Learned a valuble lesson that day, trust no one.

GrislyZero · 01-30-2011, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDShunk

I lump you into the group of idiot homeowners and small children that want to know this from electricians.

My response is often something like: "You go first. Tell me about the time you could have died".

I hardly think there should be any pride involved in having been shocked in the past. It should rightly be a matter of shame for a professional.

I was totally green, like a month into the trade. Most everyone has been shocked. My experience taught me a valuable lesson about trust and verification.

No pride in it. Just thought I would start a thread on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

mdfriday · 01-30-2011, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macmikeman

My first professional shock came right after I graduated from vocational school. I found out what the going pay rate for journeyman electricians in South Florida was......

Mine is similar. Much like the lies they tell college students, "Teachers are in demand. We need more teachers."

We do not need more electricians per the market place. We need more electricians to keep the pyramid scheme we call pensions going....

My shock is at how competitive the real world is. They sell you in high school, go to college, there is a job for you...

Not so much the case, I feel bad for those that are in school now. I wonder what will be here for them in 20 yrs.

Yes, I am bitter. I work hard, I went to college. None of that means anything anymore.

macmikeman · 01-30-2011, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdfriday

Mine is similar. Much like the lies they tell college students, "Teachers are in demand. We need more teachers."

We do not need more electricians per the market place. We need more electricians to keep the pyramid scheme we call pensions going....

My shock is at how competitive the real world is. They sell you in high school, go to college, there is a job for you...

Not so much the case, I feel bad for those that are in school now. I wonder what will be here for them in 20 yrs.

Yes, I am bitter. I work hard, I went to college. None of that means anything anymore.

Yes, you should have attended Lee County Voc Tech instead. The usual rate for a jman in that area at the time was $5.50/hr. Must be at least 10 by now.....

jwjrw · 01-30-2011, 05:38 PM

I have no idea when I was first shocked. I hardly remember what I did yesterday.

220/221 · 01-30-2011, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDShunk

I lump you into the group of idiot homeowners and small children that want to know this from electricians.

My response is often something like: "You go first. Tell me about the time you could have died".

I hardly think there should be any pride involved in having been shocked in the past. It should rightly be a matter of shame for a professional.

Over react much?

Seemed like a harmless topic to me. Getting shocked does not equal almost dying. I will still get a little reminder once in a while but I never come close to dying. I'm certainly not ashamed of it. Schit happens.

My first amatuer experience was when my Dad told me to "go over there and touch that vending (ciggarette) machine" I was about 10 years old and it knocked the crap out of me. Parenting skills were not very well tuned in in the 50's.

My first pro shock came before I was an electrician. I had to install a lawn sprinkler timer and my electrician friend told me I could touch the black as long as I didn't touch the white at the same time. He failed to mention the grounded condulet.

My first neutral shock came about a month into the trade doing a troubleshoot side job. After it happened, I ran the circuit thru in my head and went, "oh yeah"

Probably 90% of shocks seem to come via devices. Get a little careless and a finger brushes a terminal.

Pokesomi · 01-30-2011, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 220/221

Over react much?

Seemed like a harmless topic to me. Getting shocked does not equal almost dying. I will still get a little reminder once in a while but I never come close to dying. I'm certainly not ashamed of it. Schit happens.

My first amatuer experience was when my Dad told me to "go over there and touch that vending (ciggarette) machine" I was about 10 years old and it knocked the crap out of me. Parenting skills were not very well tuned in in the 50's.

My first pro shock came before I was an electrician. I had to install a lawn sprinkler timer and my electrician friend told me I could touch the black as long as I didn't touch the white at the same time. He failed to mention the grounded condulet.

My first neutral shock came about a month into the trade doing a troubleshoot side job. After it happened, I ran the circuit thru in my head and went, "oh yeah"

Probably 90% of shocks seem to come via devices. Get a little careless and a finger brushes a terminal.

I got bit while in scool. Finger touched a terminal.

Chris1971 · 01-30-2011, 05:55 PM

I was shocked when I got my paycheck and saw how much Uncle Sam takes from me each pay period. It's like WTF!!!!!!!!!!

JTMEYER · 01-30-2011, 05:58 PM

When I was young (5-6?) I liked to pull plugs out of the wall, put a finger between the prongs and plug it back in. I also had an erector set with the 120v power unit that the cover would come off of, and you could touch where the cord attatched.

failelectric · 01-30-2011, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDShunk

I lump you into the group of idiot homeowners and small children that want to know this from electricians.

My response is often something like: "You go first. Tell me about the time you could have died".

I hardly think there should be any pride involved in having been shocked in the past. It should rightly be a matter of shame for a professional.

I've not met one electrician yet that has not been shocked. I dont see the big deal in sharing experiences.

mattsilkwood · 01-30-2011, 06:06 PM

I was about 13 and I had an old tv that didn't work. So I naturally took the back off to see if I could "fix" it, of course I left it plugged in because it might work if I wiggled some wires around. Well, I wiggled some wires with no effect so I grabbed the big red wire attatched to the picture tube to wiggle it.

So after I picked myself up off the floor it became quite apparant that I was not a very good TV repairman.

I've been in love with and in awe of electricity ever since.

oldtimer · 01-30-2011, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattsilkwood

I was about 13 and I had an old tv that didn't work. So I naturally took the back off to see if I could "fix" it, of course I left it plugged in because it might work if I wiggled some wires around. Well, I wiggled some wires with no effect so I grabbed the big red wire attatched to the picture tube to wiggle it.

So after I picked myself up off the floor it became quite apparant that I was not a very good TV repairman.

I've been in love with and in awe of electricity ever since.

Been there....Done that. The flyback transformer, really made Me Fly back!

Chris1971 · 01-30-2011, 06:11 PM

Keep up the posts. If your lucky maybe you'll win the Darwin award.

bobelectric · 01-30-2011, 06:12 PM

Matt, Sorry, that was funny to me!

erics37 · 01-30-2011, 06:22 PM

Only been shocked thrice that I can remember. Once was in high school, I was playing cello in the pit orchestra for the school musical and my music stand lamp had a broken piece of plastic near the on/off switch. I reached out to turn the lamp on and my finger brushed an exposed hot terminal and I got zapped.

My only professional shock was a couple years ago as an apprentice, I was halfway under a cabinet on a resi trim-out. Piece of 12-2 Romex was hanging there flopping around, everything was supposed to be off. Turns out some jackass started energizing circuits, including mine. So the Romex was swinging back and forth and bumped into my cheek and I got 120 volts across my face. I imagine I made the goofiest face ever known.

The 3rd time was when I was demonstrating to my wife what not to touch on an energized receptacle.

I've blown up plenty of pairs of dykes and strippers and such cutting hot wires though

mattsilkwood · 01-30-2011, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDShunk

I lump you into the group of idiot homeowners and small children that want to know this from electricians.

My response is often something like: "You go first. Tell me about the time you could have died".

I hardly think there should be any pride involved in having been shocked in the past. It should rightly be a matter of shame for a professional.

IMO it's no different that talking about smacking your thumb with a hammer, or the welder cathing his crotch on fire (yes that really happened and it was funnier than hell).