Electrical maintenance

Maustin15

Member
Location
Oklahoma
Occupation
Electrician
What are some things we do in the field as electrical maintenance electricians to stay pro active


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Ken_S

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Electrician
I spent years in the maintenance field.

Some things that need to happen.

Manuals - maintain what you have, get what you don't.

Drawings - maintain what you have, verify against current equipment, update as needed. Find what you don't have.

Shop - clean, organize and stock, make a critical parts list, work towards stocking critical parts and long leadtime items

Clean everything, create maintenance schedules
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator & NEC Expert
Staff member
Location
Bremerton, Washington
Occupation
Master Electrician
I spent years in the maintenance field.

Some things that need to happen.

Manuals - maintain what you have, get what you don't.

Drawings - maintain what you have, verify against current equipment, update as needed. Find what you don't have.

Shop - clean, organize and stock, make a critical parts list, work towards stocking critical parts and long leadtime items

Clean everything, create maintenance schedules
I second this. Most electricians just want to get er done and not keep records current. Do redlines, keep copies, submit redlines for updates
Also use excel for panel schedules. Always keep 2 copies at panels so can mark up, take one to office to update and reprint
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
I spent years in the maintenance field.

Some things that need to happen.

Manuals - maintain what you have, get what you don't.

Drawings - maintain what you have, verify against current equipment, update as needed. Find what you don't have.

Shop - clean, organize and stock, make a critical parts list, work towards stocking critical parts and long leadtime items

Clean everything, create maintenance schedules
Keep current copies of all programs and configurations for programmable devices. Print them out for older devices and make sure you have an electronic copy so when your PLC, HMI, or VFD dies, you do not have to start from scratch. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to tell someone they are just out of luck because they have an old HMI and no backup of the configuration for me to load on the replacement HMI they bought on eBay that has not been made for 20 years. Often the manufacturer is no longer around.
 

Kaiser 1975

New User
Location
MS
Occupation
Master Electrician/Fire Investigator
I second this. Most electricians just want to get er done and not keep records current. Do redlines, keep copies, submit redlines for updates
Also use excel for panel schedules. Always keep 2 copies at panels so can mark up, take one to office to update and reprint
I signed up after reading some of your comments. I really get a laugh out of the not answering questions and telling them to call a electrician. I've had a number of employees over the years who responded to same way to questions most of the time it was because they didn't know the answer. Either way you're background is very unimpressive and one dimensional. Honestly out of boredom from bad weather is the only reason I took time to respond d. I'll never come back to this forum to post again because it's primarily filled with the equivalent to church basketball referees. I can only the personal appearances of the individuals like you who live on this forum. Really sad. Good day.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
I signed up after reading some of your comments. I really get a laugh out of the not answering questions and telling them to call a electrician. I've had a number of employees over the years who responded to same way to questions most of the time it was because they didn't know the answer. Either way you're background is very unimpressive and one dimensional. Honestly out of boredom from bad weather is the only reason I took time to respond d. I'll never come back to this forum to post again because it's primarily filled with the equivalent to church basketball referees. I can only the personal appearances of the individuals like you who live on this forum. Really sad. Good day.
That typically only happens when we close a DIY post, per the directions of the owner of this site.
Are you asking us to ban you from the forum to help you accomplish your goal of never coming back here? I would be happy to do that for you.
As far as your response, it makes ZERO sense, based on the post you quoted to comment on.
 

Ken_S

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Electrician
To add to the others comments about panel schedules and plc info, you should also obtain copies of NFPA 70E and 70B. There is also a NETA document that can be of use.

Some think maintenance is boring, I loved it and spent a considerable amount of time working towards improving operations.
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
That typically only happens when we close a DIY post, per the directions of the owner of this site.
Are you asking us to ban you from the forum to help you accomplish your goal of never coming back here? I would be happy to do that for you.
As far as your response, it makes ZERO sense, based on the post you quoted to comment on.
Lots of mistakes in his post too. I wonder what he has against church basketball referees.
 

Maustin15

Member
Location
Oklahoma
Occupation
Electrician
To add to the others comments about panel schedules and plc info, you should also obtain copies of NFPA 70E and 70B. There is also a NETA document that can be of use.

Some think maintenance is boring, I loved it and spent a considerable amount of time working towards improving operations.

That’s where I’m at. New to maintenance side of things so I thought I’d inquire on how to excel on this side


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ramsy

Roger Ruhle dba NoFixNoPay
Location
LA basin, CA
Occupation
Service Electrician 2020 NEC
I've had a number of employees over the years who responded to same way to questions most of the time it was because they didn't know the answer.
Employees can seen you coming, when you run your company upside down, with unqualified persons in charge.
 

garbo

Senior Member
Like to get to work an hour early. First thing after getting my coffee I read Mike Holts code question of the day along with the daily illustration and also read Charlie Trouts code question of the day ( thru NECA ) , read EC& M magazine and spend a few minutes reading the NEC. Like to read & contribute to Mike Holts code forum. Try to keep correct spare fuses and drive boards in each of the larger buildings. I pay to attend the great 8 yearly IAEI meetings in my area and try to attend a trade show every few years. I worked for two rich fortune 500 companies and both would not pay or allow us to start late to attend trade shows so I always had to use a vacation day. They would ask me to get information &/or literature on a new product. When I came back to work the would ask if I got information and said yes and its sitting on my desk at home and staying there. Told me that I was not a team player so told them I meet them halve way.
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
Like to get to work an hour early. First thing after getting my coffee I read Mike Holts code question of the day along with the daily illustration and also read Charlie Trouts code question of the day ( thru NECA ) , read EC& M magazine and spend a few minutes reading the NEC. Like to read & contribute to Mike Holts code forum. Try to keep correct spare fuses and drive boards in each of the larger buildings. I pay to attend the great 8 yearly IAEI meetings in my area and try to attend a trade show every few years. I worked for two rich fortune 500 companies and both would not pay or allow us to start late to attend trade shows so I always had to use a vacation day. They would ask me to get information &/or literature on a new product. When I came back to work the would ask if I got information and said yes and its sitting on my desk at home and staying there. Told me that I was not a team player so told them I meet them halve way.
Reminds me of my brother. They were not allowed to clock in early, but he was always there early, as was management with their questions. He started clocking in the second they started with questions. Point made.
 

OldBroadcastTech

Senior Member
Location
Western IL
Occupation
Retired Broadcast Technician
Keep current copies of all programs and configurations for programmable devices. Print them out for older devices and make sure you have an electronic copy so when your PLC, HMI, or VFD dies, you do not have to start from scratch. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to tell someone they are just out of luck because they have an old HMI and no backup of the configuration for me to load on the replacement HMI they bought on eBay that has not been made for 20 years. Often the manufacturer is no longer around.
If there's a computer involved, two or three or four USB copies of the programming. Keep one with the manual, and the others in a secure location.

And UPDATE-UPDATE-UPDATE them.
 
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