I want to become an electrician

[CutTheRedWire]

I've decided that I want to become an electrician. I'm 23 years old and just got my GED. I've been looking around for some information that might help me understand the basics, but I haven't been able to find anything. I'll be honest, I know NOTHING about an electricians work, so I need as much help as I can get. I want to know as much as I can before enrolling in an actual class. I like to get a head start on things. Can anyone suggest a good book or instructional?

 

[RampyElectric]

Hey brother.... start with electrical theory from Mike Holt and some field experience... THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE!!!

At first you will be paid as GREEN help.... stick with it. If you truly have an interest in electrical work it will pay off.....either big, or at least enough so that you can live and not struggle.

Knowledge, work ethic, experience.

Press On, God Bless
Ramp

 

[jeff43222]

I've decided that I want to become an electrician.
...
I'll be honest, I know NOTHING about an electricians work.

Maybe it's me, but this seems like a contradiction.

Why do you want to become an electrician?

Personally, I think plumbing or HVAC would be a better way to go.

 

[77401]

forget about the school for now just get a job as an apprentice. then if you can cut it, talk to the boss about school.

 

[Onitram]

I've decided that I want to become an electrician. I'm 23 years old and just got my GED. I've been looking around for some information that might help me understand the basics, but I haven't been able to find anything. I'll be honest, I know NOTHING about an electricians work, so I need as much help as I can get. I want to know as much as I can before enrolling in an actual class. I like to get a head start on things. Can anyone suggest a good book or instructional?

Go to a public library, many books on electrical wiring there, start reading the basics first, try for a while and see
if you like, draw simple circuits like battery and switches, lights etc. then go to a local colege in your area and get the basics,,, you a good age to start, dont say next month, next year just go..

 

[Kessler4130]

Pick up a code book and browse through it before you even start school, you don't need to memorize it, but you do need to know how to use it. There are electricians out there who couldn't find something in the code book if you tore the page out and stapled it to thier back, we don't need more of them.

 

[haskindm]

I agree that the best way to start is to get a job as a helper for an electrician. This will get your clock started on the experience that is required for you to advance through the steps of your career. It will also give you the opportunity to determine if this is actually something that you want to do before you invest in schooling. If you show promise, many employers will help you pay for training.
Good Luck.

 

[George Stolz]

I'll be honest, I know NOTHING about an electricians work, so I need as much help as I can get.

My typical day (The Day Before Yesterday)

• Stumble out of bed at dawn.
• Drive to the shop, ask where I'm going.
• Load up some materials, but the shop's missing a few key essentials.
• Call the office and get a P.O. #.
• Try to remember the address of the house for the secretary. Spend five minutes to get the P.O.
• Wait in line fifteen minutes at the supply house, to find they're out of what I need - To heck with it, I'll just go to the house.
• Show up to the house, start trimming (installing the switches and outlets after drywall and paint.
• Hear glass shatter in the bedroom, the green guy just dropped a fixture. It will be reported as "broken we when opened the box." Which isn't a falsehood - the fixture was good as broken when the kid opened the box, the fixture just didn't know it yet.
• Go to trim out the furnace, find there is no furnace and we're coming back to this crackerbox.
• Go to install an outlet under the sink for the disposal, and find way too many wires to go onto the receptacle. That, and see a mistie, just looking at it. And a potential code violation unless I can find a neutral laying around to pigtail with. Now I get to play detective and trace out which cable is going to a switch, and which is going to the dishwasher. No big deal, but it's extra time.
• Go to hang a fixture where we've prewired for a ceiling fan, and discover there's no bracing to screw a fixture or ceiling fan to. Go to Home Depot and get 4" screws. They are too short. Cut the box out with a utility knife, remove the screws and discover I need to learn how to match the inside angle of a truss and cut a board to nail in to the bottom of the truss.
• Walk out to the van and grab the cordless skilsaw, and start up a conversation with it, since it has never worked on a trim before. I try to calm it's stage fright.
• I find only the most warped boards on the planet (superintendents of jobs keep these on hand for the pleasure of watching stupid electricians try to accomplish something with them. It's like owning their own private ant farm.)
• Trial & Error a pretty decent piece to use, should do the trick. I get out the other tool that should never see a trim, my claw hammer and a handfull of nails.
• Two and a half hours after I started hanging this fixture, it now firmly resides on the ceiling. (After the piece of garbage fell apart four times in getting there, due to the pure mechanical genius of the person in China who designed and later crafted the fixture.) Now there's one more to hang, with the same type of box, in the same room. Interestingly, this person had a clue what they were doing, and it only begs the question why the rough crew drug in two 10' ladders, had someone who knew what they were doing on one of them, watching the person who didn't royally fudge things up on the other...?
• Eat lunch. Call the people at the house I was supposed to be at three hours ago to tell them I have two hours more work here (at this two-hour task), and let them know I'm probably not going to make it.

Well, I got you up to lunch in the day of an electrician. Now, I'm late for work.

 

[sandsnow]

My typical day (The Day Before Yesterday)


Well, I got you up to lunch in the day of an electrician. Now, I'm late for work.

Geporge that is CLASSIC

 

[heynergus]

Hi pot test, voltage range

Hi pot test, voltage range

Greetings
I need some information about the voltage ratings for a hi pot test for medium voltage cables. Thanks

 

[Shockedby277v]

My typical day (The Day Before Yesterday)

[

I wanna be an electrician now!! hehehe My day consisted of digging all day in 95 degree heat with 100% humidity. There's always room for digging stories

 

[Minuteman]

Greetings
I need some information about the voltage ratings for a hi pot test foR medium voltage cables. Thanks

heynergus.

I'm not sure what kind of voltage rating test you are needing on these medium cables, but I would not use the words hi and pot in the same sentence around some of these guys.

Give us some more information please.

Secondly, it would be better to start a new thread than to interrupt this one.

 

[Minuteman]

Well, I got you up to lunch in the day of an electrician. Now, I'm late for work.

George, you owe me a new LCD Monitor, as I blew dinner all over my screen! LOL

 

[George Stolz]

George, you owe me a new LCD Monitor, as I blew dinner all over my screen! LOL

I do what I can to keep Dell in business.

 

[Robert Jones]

I want to become an electrician

Send me your address and I will be happy to send you information about becoming an electrician. deped@iectxgulfcoast.org

 

[bkludecke]

My typical day (The Day Before Yesterday)

• Stumble out of bed at dawn.
• Drive to the shop, ask where I'm going.
• Load up some materials, but the shop's missing a few key essentials.
• Call the office and get a P.O. #.
• Try to remember the address of the house for the secretary. Spend five minutes to get the P.O.
• Wait in line fifteen minutes at the supply house, to find they're out of what I need - To heck with it, I'll just go to the house.
• Show up to the house, start trimming (installing the switches and outlets after drywall and paint.
• Hear glass shatter in the bedroom, the green guy just dropped a fixture. It will be reported as "broken we when opened the box." Which isn't a falsehood - the fixture was good as broken when the kid opened the box, the fixture just didn't know it yet.
• Go to trim out the furnace, find there is no furnace and we're coming back to this crackerbox.
• Go to install an outlet under the sink for the disposal, and find way too many wires to go onto the receptacle. That, and see a mistie, just looking at it. And a potential code violation unless I can find a neutral laying around to pigtail with. Now I get to play detective and trace out which cable is going to a switch, and which is going to the dishwasher. No big deal, but it's extra time.
• Go to hang a fixture where we've prewired for a ceiling fan, and discover there's no bracing to screw a fixture or ceiling fan to. Go to Home Depot and get 4" screws. They are too short. Cut the box out with a utility knife, remove the screws and discover I need to learn how to match the inside angle of a truss and cut a board to nail in to the bottom of the truss.
• Walk out to the van and grab the cordless skilsaw, and start up a conversation with it, since it has never worked on a trim before. I try to calm it's stage fright.
• I find only the most warped boards on the planet (superintendents of jobs keep these on hand for the pleasure of watching stupid electricians try to accomplish something with them. It's like owning their own private ant farm.)
• Trial & Error a pretty decent piece to use, should do the trick. I get out the other tool that should never see a trim, my claw hammer and a handfull of nails.
• Two and a half hours after I started hanging this fixture, it now firmly resides on the ceiling. (After the piece of garbage fell apart four times in getting there, due to the pure mechanical genius of the person in China who designed and later crafted the fixture.) Now there's one more to hang, with the same type of box, in the same room. Interestingly, this person had a clue what they were doing, and it only begs the question why the rough crew drug in two 10' ladders, had someone who knew what they were doing on one of them, watching the person who didn't royally fudge things up on the other...?
• Eat lunch. Call the people at the house I was supposed to be at three hours ago to tell them I have two hours more work here (at this two-hour task), and let them know I'm probably not going to make it.

Well, I got you up to lunch in the day of an electrician. Now, I'm late for work.

Couldn't have said it better myself LOL I shared this w/my crew & it made their day! Of course they all chimed in with their own stories but you captured the dailey frustrations perfectly. I still love the trade though.
And I'm looking for a good trainee!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob on the left coast.

 

[Milo Minderbinder]

So that's your "typical" day, eh? Hang 1 fixture and pop a few receptacles in before lunch? (notice "receptacles", not "outlets". not to be picky, but every switch is also an "outlet.")
And you waited 'til you were already 3 hours late before calling to cancel a svc. call? Naughty, naughty.
Anyway, not trying to bust anyone's balls, and I certaily enjoy the humor, but I hope that's not what your "typical" day actually consists of. It would give electricians a bad name.
(and since this is my first post on this site under a new name, in a few years, maybe I shoulda stayed low-profile for a while.........but it's not in my nature )

 

[iwire]

(notice "receptacles", not "outlets". not to be picky, but every switch is also an "outlet.")

I disagree that switches are 'outlets' but you are not alone.

 

[roger]

Milo, I agree with Iwire.

What makes you think a switch is an outlet?


Roger

 

[Minuteman]

Milo, I agree with Iwire.

What makes you think a switch is an outlet?

210.12(B) Dwelling Unit Bedroom All 120-volt, single phase, 15-and 20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit bedroom shall be protected by a listed arc-fault circuit interrupter...

If I have a bedroom with a door leading to a deck or patio with a required fixture outside and the switch inside the bedroom - does the switch need AFCI protection? If the switch does require AFCI protection, wouldn't it therefore be an outlet?