Helper Instructing a Residential Electrician on Pipe - Page 3 - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

brian john · 02-22-2009, 12:40 PM

I have pretty much done it all residential commercial industrial. NM EMT to rigid. Doesn't make me any better or worse to anyone.

Give me the cockiest of electricians that know it all and I'll bet one day with me on a testing job and they'd be lost. BUt that's OK because I do not condem, I teach.

slowforthecones · 02-22-2009, 12:58 PM

Oh yeah send the cocky ones my way. I told many not to come to work the next day because it wasn't working out and handed them their check. 1 out of 5 folks I choose to take on gets that sidetalk at the end of the day. I'm a hard ass when it comes to wannabes....

nick · 02-22-2009, 01:03 PM

Well Brian , we do lots of heavy commercial and industrial power plant work lots of conduit or pipe work underground large projects from the ground up to sign off day two year jobs , ive got my masters in electrical two years ago i wired and built the new home of our dreams FAILED ruff in inspection because i put a few j -boxs up in the attic space .Can you believe it wow !!what a NEC issue . And put up a 400 amp service on the house for a future shop which i have now added and the inspector said ,who ever did this work its a waste of money and a electrical over kill . I kinda fix the j boxs and let it go with a bigg

but yes we all think were the best but there is always someone smarter most of our testing is done by Powers Electric down here Brian we dont test it has to be a seperate testing contractor not us you know what i mean breaker testing each one taken out and transformer testing buss bars & duck i learn by watching them test on each job thats what id like to do someday Brian .Best to yas

Mastertorturer · 02-25-2009, 08:51 PM

Well there is a differance between actually knowing what the correct way is and acting like you know. When I say it; it's fact. There is never a time when I just go off half-cocked spewing garbage. It's facts or nothing.

It's the reason I chose this career. It's science. It's law. It's work or doesn't work. Right or wrong. Otherwise I don't say anything at all.

Frig these days you'd be lucky to have an apprentice interested in being right. There is no motivation from younger guys these days. They **** around with their cell phone and don't care about anything.

When I mentioned people stripping wire with a knife I meant from #10-14. A hawkbill knife is for splitting romex or sheathing large cable. Although it's more proffesional to use a cable stripper if you do it once a week. Knives are slow, knick the the wire and leave ragged insulation.

eddy current · 02-28-2009, 10:12 AM

We have this problem at my shop because we have both a ressi dept. and a commercial dept. Both think each is better than the other.

I think apprentices should have to do a little ressi, commercial, spend a year on a service truck.......hell even a little industrial.

Of course this is not possible everywhere but we try to rotate our apprentices, makes them better electricians!

MDShunk · 02-28-2009, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddy current

Of course this is not possible everywhere but we try to rotate our apprentices, makes them better electricians!

You betcha. Efficiency suffers in the short term, so right now might not be a good time to do that, but in general that's a solid idea. I count myself as pretty lucky that I've been exposed to all sorts of weird and trivial areas of the trade over the years, and I think that makes me a better electrician today. Plus, I tend to also bid work I know nothing about, and that helps too... trial by fire, you might say. Fake it 'till you make it, I can often be heard telling guys.

nolabama · 03-02-2009, 08:12 PM

fake it till you make it - nothing truer said , a personal motto of mine

jwiehagen76 · 03-02-2009, 10:36 PM

I read more than i comment here, but i have noticed what you guys are saying. Not to long ago one of are older electricians in the shop was asked a simple 3 way switch question and the reply was not what i expected for 35yrs. We are mtr inspectors and d.c overhead crane repair and he is very good at that,but house wiring not so hot. We are are like a sub branch of electricians i guess

brian john · 03-02-2009, 11:15 PM

I am not a bad ass or a know it all, I am just in a different end of the business from most. Stick me with a PLC and I would be scratching my hear. But I'll help anyone anywhere.

Celtic · 03-02-2009, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian john

I am not a bad ass ...

...me neither...I'm the guy bad asses call "Sir".

j/k
Haven't gotten to use that one in awhile

slowforthecones · 03-03-2009, 03:18 AM

I can't stand the young kids these days. They are always on the cellphone and not focused for the job.

brian john · 03-03-2009, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowforthecones

I can't stand the young kids these days. They are always on the cellphone and not focused for the job.

Set rules and expect them to obey, when we were the young ones we were called worthless hippies, long haired freaks, potheads and now we are the top of the work force. So I do not believe all the younger generation are lazy or stupid they need leadership. I hope I am right I have 4 kids of my own.

slowforthecones · 03-04-2009, 08:37 AM

I have to say my kid is my best helper..because he knows I will take away his allowance, computer, cell phone and his new scion xb. But other folks kid or the new young apprentice is on the cellphone or texting some garbage when you need him to help yah put a pipe in the right place.

ce2two · 03-04-2009, 10:24 PM

I started on a job back in 82 , my wanna be leadman had been in the trade 6 years , since i spun circles around the bosses son in law , i was let go we were doing tract homes and condo's at the time , i was fast learner going to school for electrical ....i was plugging and switching /finish work 7 condo's aday, to me work was fun and has always been ...too fast for the boss so he let me go , i just want to thank him

where ever is , bending pipe is pretty simple , buy a bundle and practice with some who knows

you will never learn it all

slowforthecones · 03-05-2009, 05:34 AM

speaking of which I just told a apprentice to pack up and come back to work next week and leave his blackberry at home or don't come back at all. damn kid was texting his gf while i was trying to teach pipe threading 101.

Greg · 03-05-2009, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick

FAILED ruff in inspection because i put a few j -boxs up in the attic space .Can you believe it wow !!what a NEC issue .

Nick, what NEC article covered the j-box in the attic. An accessible attic falls within 314.29.

JohnJ0906 · 03-05-2009, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowforthecones

speaking of which I just told a apprentice to pack up and come back to work next week and leave his blackberry at home or don't come back at all. damn kid was texting his gf while i was trying to teach pipe threading 101.

Good.

electricalperson · 03-05-2009, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowforthecones

speaking of which I just told a apprentice to pack up and come back to work next week and leave his blackberry at home or don't come back at all. damn kid was texting his gf while i was trying to teach pipe threading 101.

i would of slapped it out of his hands then sent him home

Mr. Sparkle · 03-06-2009, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDShunk

Plus, I tend to also bid work I know nothing about, and that helps too... trial by fire, you might say. Fake it 'till you make it, I can often be heard telling guys.

I'm not gonna lie here.......

Being a relatively new EC in these times, that is a very inspiring statement.

slowforthecones · 03-06-2009, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by electricalperson

i would of slapped it out of his hands then sent him home

I really wanted to and only thing stopping me would be my ass getting sued by the apprentice or the dept of industrial relations, plus civil suit for battery and etc. Stupid kids like that are usually looking for any excuse to not work and get paid... imagine workers comp.. boss terrorized me and violently smashed my cellphone.....i'm mentally hurt.