NEVER found problem??

[e57]

Absotively Posilutely!

I had a single gang version of it that I would keep in my truck - it was a dime/hardware store radio controlled switch - I would turn on the lights of my driveway with it. It worked pretty good when in range considering.... It too had what looked like a plastic fake wiremond box about the same depth. It was to control a switch that you'd install on the light you wanted to control - and from what I remember it DID have double sided tape that came with it.

That said we all could go on and on about electrical problems of the weirdest nature - But I (and I hope I'm not alone here) have come across some nearly animated characters as customers. Some have been too absolutely surreal for words. Or at least words that are appropriate. I once did an estimate (just to get her to stop calling - there was no way we could do what she was asking for) for an eccentric old Russian lady who dressed like the Chicita Bannana Lady. I'm talkin' a whole hat of fake fruit and a dress to match! She wanted seperate (POCO) meters for every tenent in her flop house - all 30 of them. Some of them were more animated than she was. I tried to get out of it by saying (And trying to keep a staight face) I would have to reschedule because for a proper estimate I would need to see every room, and that she would need to give them all 24 hours notice - she refused and barged into every room often without even knocking.... The things I saw ranged from pornographic to the bizare! The prior - I can not get into here... The latter....

So we get to the last room, and the Chicita woman says, "This guy is a little strange..." Like what I have seen already has not been. And that it will take him 'some time to make it to the door'... She knocks and yells a few things in russian, the he yells back a few things in russian, and she says he'll be right out.... He sticks his head out near the top of the door, and motions 'one minute' with his finger - I think this guy has gotta be like seven feet tall - he ducked his head out under the header of the door... He opens the door and climbs out in a cheap brown suit, and he's only 5' tall - about 100 pounds, and adjusts his 1970's yellow tie all proudly, and swings open the door to very proudly show me his room. It's 12X12 with 10 cielings, and books are stacked wall to wall except for 2' near the top and a bare light bulb. Absolutely no floor space left what-so-ever! I ask the Chicita lady, "He lives in there? On top of the books?" - "Ah yeah - he likes to read...." As if his living conditions were normal....

I don't think I ever gave her the estimate - she continued to call the company, and I told my boss he couldn't pay enough for me to go back there. That was thirteen years ago, and the building is now an annex for a nearby school - a completely refurbed Edwardian.

 

[cschmid]

amazed there was no tv in beer shed to watch games on..

 

[LarryFine]

It's 12X12 with 10 cielings, and books are stacked wall to wall except for 2' near the top and a bare light bulb. Absolutely no floor space left what-so-ever!

That was thirteen years ago, and the building is now an annex for a nearby school - a completely refurbed Edwardian.

Well, at least the building came well stocked with reading material.

 

[jrclen]

amazed there was no tv in beer shed to watch games on..

The radio for the games was in the milk house, but the beer reefer wasn't allowed in there per health code. So a trip to the shed had to be made for the beer. I don't know why. The bulk tank refrigeration unit was in there, but the regular refrigerator couldn't be.

 

[weressl]

Im just curious, seeing how there are VERY knowledgeable and talented people here . Im curious have you ever had a problem that you NEVER actually solved/found out why electrically.?? Let me elaborate a little.

I was just thinking about a scenerio that i heard about at a big manufacturer where a worker was 'electricuted' at their metal work bench. I know the contractors claimed they never actually FOUND the short to ground or any other problem electrically.

So the manufacturer just had them go head and REWIRE the whole work area and the 'problem' never happen again. But they claim they NEVER actually found the problem.

So have any of you ever have one of these scenerios? By going ahead and replacing EVERYTHING and then you know you got problem fixed??

I think that whoever believes that EVERY problem can be identified and fixed is applying for the job of the Second Coming.

Sometimes when there is a control problem and the documentation is not up-to-date - like that could ever happen - it is cost effective just to rip out the whole wiring and redo the whole thing, properly wire-tagged and each component tested individually. The same thing is true for PLC programing.

 

[sguinn]

I think most, of not all of the ghost problems we've seen turned out to be intermittent neutral connections.

I agree jerm, loose neutrals can be a booger. Even argued with a guy from the POCO over one job, everything was fine on the customers side. Trouble was eventually found at the transformer. Sometimes it feels good to be right.:grin:

 

[brian john]

I think that whoever believes that EVERY problem can be identified and fixed is applying for the job of the Second Coming.

You are obviously running with the wrong crowd.

A man/woman designed and made/manufactured IT and a man/woman can fix/repair IT and if you/they can't, you have the wrong person for the job.

 

[360Youth]

Sometimes it feels good to be right.:grin:

They are so few and far between I can never remember what it does feel like.

 

[e57]

I think that whoever believes that EVERY problem can be identified and fixed is applying for the job of the Second Coming.

EVERY electrical problem can be fixed! Myths of impending doom via sweeping hands of deities from the sky, known or unknown - ARE OUTSIDE OF MY JOB DESCRIBTION!

I'm also been known to say "Electrician - NOT magician" :grin:

That said, me and another guy put in 6 man hours to find a short on a K&T circuit in a Fed Pac panel in an 1890's house - turned out to be feeding a conduit underground in the garden - sure it can get fixed - with a back-hoe and a new circuit to feed it. Sure we could've repulled it, and re-fed it the same way. Somethings are not worth fixing.... Just start over. Instead we left the K&T in the house where it belongs and safed off the conduit for them to decide what to do.

 

[e57]

A man/woman designed and made/manufactured IT and a man/woman can fix/repair IT and if you/they can't, you have the wrong person for the job.

In fewer words I feel the same way - "If you can wire it - you can troubleshoot and fix it"

IMO (And this has been debated here) that if someone can properly design a circuit and wire it - they can easily be taght to troubleshoot a circuit of equal complexity.

 

[brian john]

If you can wire it - you can troubleshoot and fix it

This I am not sure about many electrical contractors hire me to fix problems of thier making.

 

[weressl]

EVERY electrical problem can be fixed! Myths of impending doom via sweeping hands of deities from the sky, known or unknown - ARE OUTSIDE OF MY JOB DESCRIBTION!

I'm also been known to say "Electrician - NOT magician" :grin:

Spot on mate, as the Brits would say....

Humility comes from wisdom, arrogance from ignorance.

 

[jrclen]

In fewer words I feel the same way - "If you can wire it - you can troubleshoot and fix it"

IMO (And this has been debated here) that if someone can properly design a circuit and wire it - they can easily be taght to troubleshoot a circuit of equal complexity.

I agree. Some problems can give you fits and doubts, but I believe everything can be traced down and fixed. I've worked on some real head scratchers over the years but I've never been forced to give up. Some circuits made me think they never should have been designed in the first place. Industrial processes seem to be like that sometimes.

 

[sguinn]

[
I'm also been known to say "Electrician - NOT magician" :grin:

One of my favorite lines when asked to do the impossible was
"my magic wand is in the shop right now and all I've got is this loaner".:grin:

 

[weressl]

[
I'm also been known to say "Electrician - NOT magician" :grin:

One of my favorite lines when asked to do the impossible was
"my magic wand is in the shop right now and all I've got is this loaner".:grin:

I would add: "..but this is not UL approved, so I can't guarantee the results."

 

[220/221]

EVERY electrical problem can be fixed!

Yeah....eventually.


Sometimes it's more efficient to refeed/delete the affected portion of the circuit without ever finding the issue. You gotta know when to fold em.

 

[weressl]

Intermittant is the dirtiest word in the English language.

Especially when it is spelled wrong. "Intermittent"

 

[weressl]

How about those who stand so close to you the whole time, you are afraid to bump right into them if you make a fast move? e/m

Rate: $25/hour
Rate, you're watching: $35/Hour
Rate, you're helping: $45/hour.
Rate, rate you're doing it, I am watching: $0.50/Hour (the cheapest entertainment money can buy...)

 

[weressl]

You are obviously running with the wrong crowd.

A man/woman designed and made/manufactured IT and a man/woman can fix/repair IT and if you/they can't, you have the wrong person for the job.

Obviously I am not familiar with the intricacies of design and functioning of every electrical equipment that is ever manufactured. Even taking it apart I can only see what I THINK I see, but do not necessary understand it's full function and purpose. I am experienced enough to know that, and humble enough to admit it. I have seen workarounds that made the problem disappear, but compromised vital safety or functional features of the component without interfering with its appearent function.

 

[derwith]

Eairlier it this thread someone said that the problem can always be found.

In upstate New York, a fireworks factory blew up. Nothing left. 8 workers killed. They built another fireworks factory the same as the first one. It is still in operation. No one knows why the first factory blew up. No evidence left to try to figure out what went went wrong.