Electricians of Reddit

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/thegreenguy316 on 2024-01-18 22:53:43+00:00.

Hey all,

I’ve got an interview tomorrow with a solely commercial/industrial outfit and was looking for some advice on making the switch. Been doing solely Resi for almost 2.5 years. I think now is the time to make the switch since I’ve got about 1.5 years before my JW test.

Anybody done the switch and if so, what was the most significant change you noticed or any tips you’d have for making it a bit easier?

I appreciate you guys. Learned a lot from here and know you’ll have some good answers

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/snowglig on 2024-01-18 21:30:35+00:00.

Hello! So I'm looking to get into this field and plan on starting an apprenticeship asap, however I unfortunately am going to be moving to another state in May and am therefore hesitant to start an apprenticeship here knowing I'll have to drop it in a few months and probably won't be able to transfer the hours over.

In the meantime though I still want to get a feel for the trade and start learning in person (for anything construction-related really) rather than just watching Electrician U videos-- what would you guys recommend as far as hourly jobs go? I was thinking maybe applying to Home Depot or another hardware store for as hands-on a job I can find, but I don't know if that'll actually be helpful or if there's a better way I could use my time.

Any advice would be very helpful, I have virtually no practical experience in any trade as is (I've been working as a server for the past year and a half since I made the wise move of graduating with a history degree) but I'm excited to get started! Thanks in advance!

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/Numerous-Clerk-1978 on 2024-01-18 21:10:11+00:00.

I just passed my journeyman wireman test in CO. I submitted my application to DORA in December with all of my affidavits and such. There was a couple of affidavits that had errors that I had to get fix which I did. Then I got a notification saying that my application was being referred to the board for review which she stated was normal and “the next step” to the approval. She said that I would hear from someone within 15 days. 15 days later - nothing. I email them and someone emails back saying that the board only meets once every two months and my application will be reviewed on the March 27th meeting which is 2 months away! Has anyone else experienced this? Is this normal?? I passed my test and had my hours on December 9th! It will be 4 months by the time that meeting is! I’m frustrated and calling them doesn’t give me any answers.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/KrivTheBard on 2024-01-18 22:36:13+00:00.

Howdy!

Little background; I (24m) moved from San Diego county, California to Lincolnton North Carolina a few years back, and worked two years at a non-union shop all through 2019-2020. I had to move back to California in early 2021 to be with my mother while she passed from stage 4 cancer, and have been here since while currently working as a Special Ed aide at my old high school.

I'm planning on moving away soon, and want some advice on what my next steps should be to prepare myself to get back into the trade again. I mostly did new-work commercial buildings, with a bit of industrial and residential. I was given my own small jobs to run as well, both solo and with a couple guys working with me. I've worked all phases of the job, from underground rough ins to finishing touches. I still know how to do it all, have all my tools, and have done small jobs and stuff around the house in the meantime.

Not sure if any of this matters though. I know "experience is king" and all that shit, but I've only got two years and that was four years ago, and will probably be another year before I can seriously look for a new job again.

Is there anything I could be doing to prepare myself, or give myself a better shot at landing a good job at a good shop? Whether it's Union or not I'm not too picky, since it seems to vary by what kind of shops are in the area. I live pretty rural as well (45 miles of mountain road to the nearest real grocery store), so my internet's bad and there's not much around.

TL;DR, I'm looking to get into the trade again with 2 years experience under my belt, but 4 years spent since then. What should I do to prepare and give myself a better shot at landing a job?

Thank you to everybody in advance! Looking forward to kicking holes in sheetrock again to find my boxes.

EDIT: If it matters, I'm likely going to be moving in with a buddy up in Oregon.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/millenialfalcon-_- on 2024-01-18 21:34:42+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/RealisticCommand2850 on 2024-01-18 21:01:05+00:00.

I’m about seven months into the job. I’m working commercial service with the same Jman day in and day out. We get a job where we need to run about 75’ of pipe with a couple saddles and couple 90s.

I have no pipe bending experience and he figures this is a good time to learn. Instead of doing it on the ground, like a normal person, he has me trying to bend the pipe on the scissor lift, while it’s fully extended.

Obviously the thing is swaying like crazy. He also doesn’t provide me with a harness. My jman doesn’t come up with me, but instead stays on the ground blasting “War Pigs” out of his M18 speaker full blast.

To somehow make it worse, we are working right by the maintenance office and there is a trash can full of old T8 fluorescent tubes. We are working at night, and no one is there, so while the scissor lift is swaying and I’m trying to bend a 90 for the first time, Black Sabbath blasting, he proceeds to take two tubes and smash them into the ground over and over, while yelling “trial by fire.”

I’m curious if this is normal behavior in the trades, seeing as I’m new to it? I was pretty worried the whole time and couldn’t even bend the pipe. Should I find a new jman?

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/Expensive-Vanilla-16 on 2024-01-18 20:00:52+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/neenerfae on 2024-01-18 19:54:10+00:00.

Before i get into it, sorry if this isn’t a regular post made on this subreddit, but i genuinely don’t know where to go for some advice or answers….

My bf has been an electrician for a little over 3 years now. He tells me everyday he HATES it and doesn’t like the work. His boss has told him that he’s so close to getting his journeyman license but my bf is almost completely burnt out from this job. His work is residential mostly and he works on these huge condos and always has to go up on these scaffolds (which he hates) and he’s wanting to look for another job.

I guess the reason for my post is how do y’all deal with burn out? Should he just quit? Or should he stick it out a little bit longer in order to get his journeyman’s so that for other job opportunities he has it on his resume? Are there other jobs that y’all would recommend for someone who has his experience? I kinda feel like he should stick it out a little longer just so he can get that certificate and it could help him in the future, but i also don’t know all of what he goes through daily to tell him to just “stick it out” and sounding selfish…

If it helps, he’s also a military vet. He has an amazing work ethic which I’m sure he got from his time in the military. I just feel so terrible for him every day when he leaves…

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/sXeeD on 2024-01-18 19:17:44+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/Klezmer_Gryphon on 2024-01-18 18:04:31+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/FeloniousMonk69 on 2024-01-18 17:58:39+00:00.

I had a service call for an exhaust fan not working at this warehouse. The roof was wet TPO and a little slanted with no parapet and my body just wouldn’t let me get up there. Had to call my boss and tell him I bitched out and I’m just feeling like shit about it. Anyways, maybe I’ll just start looking for a nice desk job haha.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/Raviolist123 on 2024-01-18 17:43:22+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/bryanfuknc on 2024-01-18 17:18:54+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/Reasonable_Ad6781 on 2024-01-18 17:11:51+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/FollyOxenFree on 2024-01-18 16:58:37+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/lazylimon on 2024-01-18 16:49:18+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/JackPaintr on 2024-01-18 16:45:27+00:00.

Original Title: when the switch is off, there is no voltage on the common terminal, when i switch it on there is 240v on the common terminal, is this correct? there are two switches controlling one ceiling light but today the light has stopped working and i think it’s because the switch is broken

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/S10FM12 on 2024-01-18 16:17:31+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/CommonImprovement403 on 2024-01-17 20:10:29+00:00.

Ok, I have an issue. I have a warehouse issue that I'm trying to unfuck. Utility says it's not on them, I've had them out twice. 277/480(268/468 is my reading) I have 8 rows of lights, 30 lights in each row set onto 4 lighting contactors controlled by 2 switches. A year ago, they had all the t-12 linear florescent changed out to LED. The LED retro kits are line voltage direct wire, four-4' LED tubes. The lights all worked fine for 6 months. Then they started having some bulbs becoming slower to come on, on 1 row. Then it got progressively worse. Now, things are wild. I can turn one switch on and some of the lights come on, hit the other switch and some of the others come on, turn the switch off, some more of the first lights come on and the others go off, turn that switch back on and the lights that did come on might come back. Now, I've pulled dedicated neutral and line back to each row. Still does the same thing. I can go to the lighting panel and turn breakers on and off and I can make all the lights come on. I have bypassed the contactor to check them, it's not the contactors. I'll link videos of this. I've been out here for 6 days trying to figure this out. I've had 5 other licensed electricians and I even called my buddy who's an electrical engineer. None of us have been able to figure this one out. I have line/neutral at each tombstone. Even the ones not working. You can also see all the fixtures working in the video before I turned the switches off and back on.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/Elektromek on 2024-01-18 15:32:38+00:00.

Work is wanting me to work on getting NICET certified. Anyone who has taken the Level 1 exam, do you have any recommended test prep material? Thanks

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/Eastsecvent on 2024-01-18 15:13:43+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/Raviolist123 on 2024-01-18 15:01:53+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/Thee_WakaWakaChomp42 on 2024-01-18 14:59:54+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/Zealousideal-Meal-96 on 2024-01-18 14:27:18+00:00.

This is an automated archive.

The original was posted on /r/electricians by /u/ChocolateGautama3 on 2024-01-18 14:15:00+00:00.

Is everyone still having issues getting CH breakers from supply houses? My Eaton dealer doesn't have any common sizes like 15 and 20 amp single poles and I haven't seen a 60 amp two pole in over a year. Are they phasing out this line? Home depot doesn't even stock them anymore.