Flicking lights !!

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

guschash

Senior Member
Location
Ohio
My son in law calls and his lights are flicking. Loose neutral . I go over check the panel , everything ok. Tell him to call POCO because I didn't want to break seal on meter box and mostly there is 3 feet of snow in front of it. Well POCO come out , young guy, well he open meter box and the neutral was never tighten down. They've lived in the house 10 years and brought it new. Oops
 
jaylectricity

jaylectricity

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Occupation
licensed journeyman electrician
Yeah, I love getting called out to fix an outside light in the middle of winter.

Me: When did this stop working?
Them: I'm not sure, it's been a couple years I think.
 
cowboyjwc

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
Had a job where the park district was putting in some playing field lights. The land they were putting them in must have been old farm land, as the dirt came up almost like flour. Seemed like every time they would call for an inspection the wind would be blowing or it had just rained. One day I go out and the winds blowing about 40 mph and dust is flying everywhere and it was fairly cold, so I said "ya know, no one ever calls and says, 'hey John wanna go get a cup of coffee?, or hey John wanna go for a beer after work?', but no one has a problem calling and asking, 'hey John wanna go walk around in a dusty field while the winds blowing and inspect some under ground?':lol:
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
cowboyjwc said:
Had a job where the park district was putting in some playing field lights. The land they were putting them in must have been old farm land, as the dirt came up almost like flour. Seemed like every time they would call for an inspection the wind would be blowing or it had just rained. One day I go out and the winds blowing about 40 mph and dust is flying everywhere and it was fairly cold, so I said "ya know, no one ever calls and says, 'hey John wanna go get a cup of coffee?, or hey John wanna go for a beer after work?', but no one has a problem calling and asking, 'hey John wanna go walk around in a dusty field while the winds blowing and inspect some under ground?':lol:
Click to expand...
I'm guessing some do offer you a beer if it will help pass the inspection.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
cowboyjwc said:
Never happened. And since I don't drink anymore it would be a complete waste of time.:)

Now a small island in the South Pacific and we might have another discussion.:p
Click to expand...

Well in a population area like you are at you have to get some kind of attempt at bribes at least once in a while, a beer seemed like it would be pretty likely, maybe even some brats or hamburgers from some of the DIY guys that are a jack of all trades, but never heard of codes, or are you plain not getting any inspection requests from them until they have been caught without permits and by then they have about 4 different inspectors wanting everything ripped out so they can see the bare bones behind it all?


The south Pacific island- do you want a trip for a few days or so to one, or do you want someone to buy you the whole island?:cool:
 
cowboyjwc

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
kwired said:
Well in a population area like you are at you have to get some kind of attempt at bribes at least once in a while, a beer seemed like it would be pretty likely, maybe even some brats or hamburgers from some of the DIY guys that are a jack of all trades, but never heard of codes, or are you plain not getting any inspection requests from them until they have been caught without permits and by then they have about 4 different inspectors wanting everything ripped out so they can see the bare bones behind it all?


The south Pacific island- do you want a trip for a few days or so to one, or do you want someone to buy you the whole island?:cool:
Click to expand...
Nope only ever happened once and it was right in front of my boss and it wasn't really a bribe, the guy was from Chicago and figured that he was supposed to have an envelope for me when I showed up to his job. Set him straight pretty quick.

Oh, a whole island. If I'm gonna lose my job over a bribe, I'm going to need a place to live. One or two days...You're funny.:roll:
 
G

glennspark

Member
Location
Leeds
guschash said:
My son in law calls and his lights are flicking. Loose neutral . I go over check the panel , everything ok. Tell him to call POCO because I didn't want to break seal on meter box and mostly there is 3 feet of snow in front of it. Well POCO come out , young guy, well he open meter box and the neutral was never tighten down. They've lived in the house 10 years and brought it new. Oops
Click to expand...
how many of the lights (full install) are flickering?...what i mean is are you sure its a top end fault?
 
G

glennspark

Member
Location
Leeds
guschash said:
My son in law calls and his lights are flicking. Loose neutral . I go over check the panel , everything ok. Tell him to call POCO because I didn't want to break seal on meter box and mostly there is 3 feet of snow in front of it. Well POCO come out , young guy, well he open meter box and the neutral was never tighten down. They've lived in the house 10 years and brought it new. Oops
Click to expand...
and what makes you think its a bad neutral?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
cowboyjwc said:
Nope only ever happened once and it was right in front of my boss and it wasn't really a bribe, the guy was from Chicago and figured that he was supposed to have an envelope for me when I showed up to his job. Set him straight pretty quick.

Oh, a whole island. If I'm gonna lose my job over a bribe, I'm going to need a place to live. One or two days...You're funny.:roll:
Click to expand...
Only once in how many years? You must be so intimidating to look at they don't even try to fool you with anything.:)
 
cowboyjwc

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
kwired said:
Only once in how many years? You must be so intimidating to look at they don't even try to fool you with anything.:)
Click to expand...
24 years next month. Must be the cowboy hat (actually I don't one at work). Nope just here, in this state as well as others I'm sure, the penalty for offering a bribe is about the same as taking one.

Had two guys in another jurisdiction close by, just get busted for taking bribes, it was on a federal project and so that made the penalties worse. But two guys making over $80K a year, lost their jobs and reputations for a $9000 bribe. I can't even begin to tell you how little $9000 would help me.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
cowboyjwc said:
24 years next month. Must be the cowboy hat (actually I don't one at work). Nope just here, in this state as well as others I'm sure, the penalty for offering a bribe is about the same as taking one.

Had two guys in another jurisdiction close by, just get busted for taking bribes, it was on a federal project and so that made the penalties worse. But two guys making over $80K a year, lost their jobs and reputations for a $9000 bribe. I can't even begin to tell you how little $9000 would help me.
Click to expand...
Not trying to accuse you of taking any bribes, but still find it hard to believe in that kind of population area that you don't see any attempts from others more than once in 24 years. I'm sure you at very least have had people that have been exceptionally nice to you without flat out offering compensation with return benefit in hopes that it may make you be lenient in doing your job.
 
cowboyjwc

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
kwired said:
Not trying to accuse you of taking any bribes, but still find it hard to believe in that kind of population area that you don't see any attempts from others more than once in 24 years. I'm sure you at very least have had people that have been exceptionally nice to you without flat out offering compensation with return benefit in hopes that it may make you be lenient in doing your job.
Click to expand...
Oh I didn't think you were.:happyno: Oh I'm sure that people who don't even like me are nice to me hoping that I'll be lenient, but we're all guilty of doing that to some extent.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top