Engineer's work

[charlie b]

Sometimes an electricians input is valuable to an engineer to make the design realistic.

That is true, and we engineers need to recognize that this is true.

Also engineers don?t like to get dirty.

That is not a fair statement. I am as willing to crawl around in dusty holes as anyone. :wink:

 

[tkb]

That is not a fair statement. I am as willing to crawl around in dusty holes as anyone. :wink:

I can add you to my list of engineer that aren't afraid for a little dirt.
The one that went down the manholes with us got as dirty as us.
I am up to.... maybe 3 or 4. :lol: :lol:

I have been following some of the post from you Charlie and some of the others on this board for the last few years and you people do care about the trade and still pursue more knowledge.

I have respect for engineers and I also think that some are pompous asses. I think that an electrical engineer should have some practical experience in the trade before he is set loose as a designer. At lease a couple of years in the discipline they will be mastering in.
Some have no clue of the real world and don?t care.

I have been in situations that an impossible and impractical design detail was on a drawing and we were expected to comply with it because it was part of the contract documents. Instead of admitting a design error.

 

[bwyllie]

I agree tkb, I am an engineer who did not have any experience in the field, I have been lucky to have fellow engineers that have worked in the field so I goto them for advice. Also when meeting an electrical contractor on a project I tell him if he has another way of doing something versus the way I show it I am all ears as long as it meets code, the design intent and no change orders. This typically shows the contractors that I am not set in my ways and just want the project to run as smoothly as possible.

 

[lauraj]

It is important, even if you are not planning on touching anything inside of the panel, to be aware of the available fault current and appropriate ppe required. We had an incident where a cover was removed in order to take a measurement. There was a buildup of dust on top of the panel, it fell and created an arc blast. One person died (not an electrician, a supply rep) and the electrician was burned. These kinds of things can happen when you least expect it, so if you care about going home after work, don't skimp on the ppe.

 

[W6SJK]

Opening panels

Opening panels

I have worked for companies where the policy was not to open panels for insurance/liability reasons. Liability for personal injury and liability for shutting down a process. Like the time I VERY CAREFULLY put a panel cover back on yet the stupid clamps bit into a 20A branch circuit hot wire and shut down some refrigeration equipment. At least I reported it and they fixed it before loosing any product.