Ok...so, go ahead.
Anyway, I found your link because you posted it elsewhere on the internet with the exact same text in your comment. I felt like they were pretty vague tips to be "top 5", but decent tips.
I always ask the customer more than once when they noticed the problem and what was happening around that time. Many times after the second or third time I ask they come up with new information. For instance:
Me: When did this start happening?
Customer: Yesterday.
Me: Was anything happening yesterday? Any work going on or were you cleaning, organizing, hanging shelves? Anything like that?
Cust: No.
Me: OK, when was the last time they turned on?
Cust: Probably in the spring when it got dark earlier.
Me: Oh, so they probably haven't worked for awhile.
Cust: Yes, but I just noticed yesterday.
Me: Was there anything going on in the spring?
Customer: No...just... we had that shed delivered.
At this point, I walk out to the shed and see a wire sticking out of the ground that had been cut when they embedded concrete blocks to rest the shed on.
If I had to pick one thing that differentiates a meh electrician from an awesome electrician, it’s troubleshooting skills. The ability to identify a problem and then fix it not only makes you look like a rock star but it feels pretty good too.
To often though, people who are good at troubleshooting are looked at as “the wire whisperer”. Guess what? It is a skill like everything else. This means it can be learned and practiced.
What does that mean for you? Fame, fortune, love? Sure all of those things but also being able to go to bed knowing that you can trouble shoot electrical problems like a boss.
Here are a list of tips that I have compiled. This list is in no particular order and is by no means the most definitive list out there. Feel free to add and share (because sharing is caring boys and girls)
1-Your most valuable tools.
Yeah you need a meter and hand tools, but when it comes to troubleshooting your two most valuable tools are you eyes and your nose. Take a look around, don’t just wait for the problem to present itself, go looking for it.
Often times a fault is accompanied with a burning smell. I have found many a problem by sniffing it out.
2- It’s not me it’s you.
When it comes to Electrical troubleshooting make sure that the problem is a local one and not more widespread. What I mean is, are you sure that the problem is just in the house/plant/building that you are at? Perhaps it is a utility problem. I wish I could have all the time back I spent trying to track down a problem only to discover that the utility company had a line out. As an example I received a trouble call from a customer who lived a fair distance away. He called stating that all his baseboard heat wasn’t working and that about half of his circuits were on the fritz. I talked him through a bunch of steps on the phone when I realized something. I asked him to go over to his next door neighbour and ask if they were having the same issues. Turned out that they did and a quick call to hydro confirmed that a tree had knocked out a line.
When you’re troubleshooting electrical problems, it’s not always you problem.
3- Don’t trust anyone.
Often times when a customer calls they are in a panic. They may not be telling you the whole story or don’t even really fully understand what the issue is. Check it out for yourself. When working out of a service truck I would have many people tell me exactly what the problem was. When I would arrive on site, it would have nothing to do with what they described.
People mean well and unfortunately some people think they know more than they do. Another problem I ran into with electrical troubleshooting was people not telling the complete truth. I would get called out to plants for an issue only to find that there was no issue. The operators wanted some down time and completely made the fault up. At that point you are looking for something that does not exist and this can be beyond frustrating.
4- What is it supposed to do?
Investigate the process. What is the system supposed to do? Maybe a motor won’t turn on until a limit switch has been tripped. Maybe the baseboard heaters are interlocked with the cooling system? Ask what the sequence of events are, there is a chance it hasn’t run through its sequence yet.
5- Read the fine print.
Try to get your hands on as much documentation as you can and look it over. Plant prints, schematics, wiring diagrams, manuals; treat these like maps. If you can’t find any, get out your smart phone and look it up (this is the one time it is acceptable to look at your phone). There are lots of clues and places to look in the documentation, don’t neglect it.
Bonus round
Ok I know the title says 5 but there are a couple more that I think are important and who has heard of a top 7 list?
6- Ask questions.
Don’t try to be a hero and lone ranger it on your own. While it is great to push yourself and figure it out on your own, there also comes a time to call in the troops (Even he had Tonto).
Make sure you have someone in your company or network that you can bounce ideas off of. This goes for apprentices right up to 40 year veterans. There is no shame in asking for help. Perhaps they can see something that you have missed.
As cliche as it sounds, the only stupid question is the one not asked.
7- Be safe.
I know, I know, all the safety stuff can be a pain in the ass but you know what? They work and are there for a reason. Make sure you are wearing the proper PPE, isolating where possible, communicating with whoever you need to, but most of all go home at the end of the day.
No work day is worth being your last day on earth.
Final thoughts?
This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are a ton more tips and tricks out there. What would you like to add to the list? What have you done in the past? Any stories? This is a place to share so lets hear them.
Make sure to share this with your fellow electricians in the troops.
Stay Classy
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