Geeno

So I recently applied to the electrical department of my company. It's new and growing. There are currently two electricians and one helper. They're hiring more and I put my name in there. Got a call from the company owners son in law saying I should get ready because it's going to happen in a few weeks, not an official word but may as well be.

I will probably have to give Lucy to my parents for a while until I find some stability. I'll be working on the road and when I'm not on the road I'll still be working 60+ hour weeks. Sucks but the next couple years can really set the stage for a lifelong career.

Any Yahookan electricians got any tips for a n00b? I've done minor electrical work during my refrigeration training. It's not like it'll be the first time I've ever ran or terminated wire, or used a volt meter. I'm hoping they train me more than just conduit bending and wire pulling.

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SageTree

Nice title btw.

Chances are you will be the bender/puller bitch for a while.

That is the safest way to learn though

Will it be business or home installation? (scope/size of jobs)

Congrats mate!

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Roach

too many to post.
With OJT most likely you won't need to be able to read wiring details from a "blueprint", but eventually you will...and it's a big +.
The big tip you already know, pay attention to instructions,
if you don't understand ...ask questions, and work hard/fast , whatever the task, bending conduit, pulling/fishing wire, hanging fixtures, installing trims (outlets, switches...etc.)
See if you can scare up an old copy of the National Electrical Code, study it in your off hours...if a career is what you're into. (Torrent)

http://torrents.thepiratebay.org/442...12.TPB.torrent

Know your ampacity per wire guage, and number of connections allowed per junction box size is nice also.

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Roach

a new code is sold every 4 years ($75.00) so in 2012 some things will change, usually everyone in the industry knows what specific changes are made in new editions.

example from torrent download...


Circuit Breaker. A device designed to open and close a
circuit by nonautomatic means and to open the circuit automatically
on a predetermined overcurrent without damage
to itself when properly applied within its rating.
FPN: The automatic opening means can be integral, direct
acting with the circuit breaker, or remote from the circuit
breaker.
Adjustable (as applied to circuit breakers). A qualifying
term indicating that the circuit breaker can be set to trip at
various values of current, time, or both, within a predetermined
range.
Instantaneous Trip (as applied to circuit breakers). A
qualifying term indicating that no delay is purposely introduced
in the tripping action of the circuit breaker.
Inverse Time (as applied to circuit breakers). A qualifying
term indicating that there is purposely introduced a delay in
the tripping action of the circuit breaker, which delay decreases
as the magnitude of the current increases.
Nonadjustable (as applied to circuit breakers). A qualifying
term indicating that the circuit breaker does not have
any adjustment to alter the value of current at which it will

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ionlylooklazy

roach gives good advice, i think. i was going to mention the 'ampactiy' thing. it can get pretty scary when you put way more amps through a piece of wire than it can handle. fire hazard for sure.

also, make sure to always have one of these on hand:

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The Don

Would you know it! I worked as an electrician for about 3½ years, i was an apprentice for the last year.

What would you like to know?

I could give you some pointers in regards to tools. I don't know if you get them from the company or if you're supposed to buy it yourself.

This was by far and wide my most used tool:



it's super sharp, and you'll find yourself using it much more than the normal prongs you use.

This is my favourite set of screwdrivers:


you can get basicly anything done with that set.

for a volt meter i recommend the fluke:



If there's anythign specific you'd like to know, just ask.

The Don

Number one tip though has got be regarding safety.

I know you're never gonna do it (i didn't), but if you ever get a shock go to the doctor/er and get it registered. One of the biggest working related injuries for electricians after fall/scratches and such is personality change. This is due to your brain being basicly an electric circuit. There is no such thing as a "small" shock, if you felt it, it passed through you.

I've got shocked plenty of times, but I never once went to the ER. I'm obviously fine, but in the off chance that something would happen to me later, we can never go back and claim insurance on those things since my history of shocks aren't documented. I hope this makes sense.

Be smart, don't work on live circuits if you can avoid it which you usually will be able to, but probably wont.

I understand that you guys work with 110V systems, which leads me to believe that there's more amperage in your wires. Good luck with that. (P=UI)

Geeno

Ive already electrocuted the shit out of myself dozens of times just doing refrigeration.

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Jonas

good advice in here.

A good friend of mine just got his certifications. Took him 2 long ass years but now he can be 'da boss.
and by 'da boss, I mean he has more control over his hours - is able to start his own business - and makes alot more money

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The Don

What? If you wanna be able to start your own electrician's here in DK, you have to go to school for at least 7 years.

Seriously.

Oh and Geeno, I don't see it mentioned, so just for good measure: Don't be an asshole. Think of the electrician coming after you. Always use the null for null, ground for ground and such. Mark your cables so the one servicing them knows what the hell is connected to what.

50% of my time was spent figuring out just what the fuck was going on in a given circuit.

Lloydy

7 years to be a sparky? Fuck that! You could get an electrical engineering degree faster than that

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Keep the red flag flying high

The Don

4 years to become an electrician, 3 more years to be a "Autoriseret El-Installatør" which means state authorised electrical installer. Or something. The guys doing the drawings and what before a job. Yeah currents are serious business here.

Geeno

I'm pretty sure you need like at the very least 10,000 hours of training before you can be a master electrician in the states.

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my_scatterheart

neatness!

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Be mindful even if your mind is full. -J. De La Vega

Geeno

I might need to pick up an 18v drill. Ive got a Li-Io 12v impact driver and reg driver, which can handle all of the fastening demands I have put them through but when it comes to drilling through coolers and ceilings/walls...

Tool shopping time ftw.

Ive got a volt meter already, it's not a fluke but its a knockoff thats very close. Not clamp style either but it does have a digital display and that's what really counts.

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eldizle

Good Luck, Geeno. Steps, in the right direction.

The Don

You might wanna just get a 14 volt for screwing and what not, and a corded hilti for those serious holes.

Just remember that a 12 and an 18 volt have the same power output, it's a matter of how long they can go before the juices run out.

Where I'm from, the most popular brands among electricians are Dewalt and Makita. Personally I prefer the Makita, seems smoother and more responsive than a dewalt.

Oh and more tips:

Always have your pocket full of these:

Geeno

I do have a corded task force drill that can prob handle anything. But you gotta carry around an extension cord!

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Roach

Good luck Geeno.

I've found new home wiring to be the easiest/best pay, next would be industrial new conctruction.

On rework/remodeling alot more time is required figuring out what the last guy did and correcting it along with failures.

Almost all of the regulations regarding wiring are for fire prevention, as every connection you make is a possible fire hazzard over time. Aluminum wire is the worst and requires special consideration and attention.

Last job I did as an electrician was to rewire an appartment building with 8 new 220 services, distribution panels per each apt. and all the wiring/fixtures thereafter. in a 4 story building.

That old building was originally gas light, so once the old pipe was removed , wire could be fished thru the holes.

very dirty job, black soot covered the inner wall timbers everywhere (no insulation) and every night my nose was filled with the crap.

But even that job was interest to me for it's challenge.

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Geeno

Thanks for the tips so far Roach.

It'll be mostly commercial new construction and remodel.

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