zog
Senior Member
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
And.. I forgot to add your comments are likely to get someone else killed and I ask that the moderators ban you from this forum.
Maintenance man almost got fried !!!
- Thread starter Mule
- Start date
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electricalperson
Senior Member
- Location
- massachusetts
why not just use a 40 dollar knopp tester? what if your in a building with 480 and 208 and they used the wrong colors? that 208 could be 480 and you might of died. just because old timers do it doesnt make it correct
- Location
- Massachusetts
If it's an AC issue, first thing out of my pocket normally is one of those $20 dollar wands. Cheap? Yes, but it has saved me more than once.
I know, it says good from 50 to 600 VAC. Used it from 110 to 138K - works at about 15 to 18 feet on 138K.
If it squeals, my level of caution, is upped quite a bit as to how else, I conduct investigating (testing).
I know, it says good from 50 to 600 VAC. Used it from 110 to 138K - works at about 15 to 18 feet on 138K.
If it squeals, my level of caution, is upped quite a bit as to how else, I conduct investigating (testing).
sgeers
Member
- Location
- Vernon, NJ
I actually find it appalling the way that such unsafe, life threatening, potentially catastrophic work is still being done in this day and age in our field. Apparantly the safety videos and programs these companies spend their money on are not effective enough to deter the trainees and even experienced electricians from potentially killing themselves and others by making these well-documented and reported mistakes over and over and over again.
Just remember, "It won't happen to me", is chiseled on many of our forefathers tombstones.
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
This is a very fine line! With repeative articles are listed here stating "hot work" limitations, but any person is free to state that their a fool and how to...
zog
Senior Member
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
I cant accept that, I have seen to many fatalities over my career in training from poeple with that same attitude to accept or condone those types of comments.
zog
Senior Member
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
I understand this is a fine line and I am willing to toe it to save a life, I have before and can prove it, wish I could have saved more. I have had enough calls from safety people for training courses AFTER and accident that I know something happened from the tone of thier voice and th questions they ask that someone recently was killed at thier facility. I would straight out ask "What happened?" before they ever said that something did, when they asked "how did you know?" I would just reply "I have heard it too many times"
Good luck with that...
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Me, too, but never on purpose. :roll:
JohnJ0906
Senior Member
- Location
- Baltimore, MD
- Location
- Massachusetts
zog
Senior Member
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
Good point, I just want to see his attitude rub off on anyone, this guy is only 28 and thinks he knows everything and has done everything and I dont see him changing his ways until he gets hurt badly by his practices, then maybe he will grow up.
mikeames
Senior Member
- Location
- Gaithersburg MD
- Occupation
- Teacher - Master Electrician - 2017 NEC
Did it occur to some that people may write this just to provoke some on this forum. Comments like these should just be ignored. If his 15% tolerence had any truth it would mean his 100% "pain" (as he calls it) limit would be @1400 volts. Breathing Carbon monoxide has no pain but it still kills.
nolabama
Senior Member
- Location
- new orleans la
a lot of us are taught bad habits, and their are a lot of bad electricians out there teaching others to be worse; comming to this forum and others like it has taught me not to do some things that is commonplace in my shop and others - before i came to this web site i would commonly short between phases to find a breaker - it was what i was taught - i did this once between the a and b of a 60 amp stove recepticale once - tripped the main service for the condo and should have been injured - quite the arc i will say - but after comming here i dont do this or a few other stupid things that i used to do ( a $35 circut finder makes you look like you know what your doing also) and if you flame a guy for using his body for a load tester you might just save his life - but if you have already learned everything their is to know about electricity at 28 you might not
******WARNING*********
****GRAPHIC MATERIAL****
******WARNING*********
****GRAPHIC MATERIAL****
******WARNING*********
13 minute video on electrical safety.
Some of the images are graphic in nature.
If you work with electricity, you should be aware of the potential outcome for careless acts.
Maybe a little refresher is in order:
http://www.electriciancalculators.com/safety/electrical_safety.html
PCN
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
Your not going to be earning money if your in the hospital or worse!
Just because the "old timers did it" doesn't make it right. They thought asbestos was a good idea too, look how that turned out.
Bottom line here is, it's too simple to just grab your meter and test things safely.
You should listen to advise of some of the other forum members MikeGee, there are many many years of experience speaking. These guys know their stuff.
" When in doubt test it out" (with a wiggy!):smile:
You know, there seems to be a certain sense of "male pride" or "toughness" or "Stardum" in being an electrician. You see it in Lineman, and wireman alike. Especially when we talk about working live voltages, or walk around with those rubber gloves on, or talk about testing with our bare fingers. 
Then, when we talk about these issues in the general puplic, we have an automatic audience at full attention, because the general public is generaly scared, and respectfull of electricity. This makes us feel like a real man !!
So if we get past those false senses, and think about safety, our families, and the wellness of others, and, the increasing laws that are put in place to save us from such foolishness, we will realize its SMART to do it right... AND the more we act in the foolish ways, and, the more accidents that happen, the more these laws are put into place, and frankly Im sick of being choked down with such laws.
Then, when we talk about these issues in the general puplic, we have an automatic audience at full attention, because the general public is generaly scared, and respectfull of electricity. This makes us feel like a real man !!So if we get past those false senses, and think about safety, our families, and the wellness of others, and, the increasing laws that are put in place to save us from such foolishness, we will realize its SMART to do it right... AND the more we act in the foolish ways, and, the more accidents that happen, the more these laws are put into place, and frankly Im sick of being choked down with such laws.
charlie
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis
It is interesting to note that I knew everything in about 6 months on the job. It took about 6 months to get a feel for how much I didn't know. After a couple of years, I felt like an idiot for my lack of understanding. I am now an expert . . . which is to say, I now know how much I don't know but I generally know where to go to get the answer.
I am surprised I got out of the trade as a working electrician, alive. I knew how to get the work done but I didn't do it safely all the time. My dad taught me to touch the hot and ground with one hand to see if the circuit was hot. If it didn't hurt too much, it was 120! That was a long time ago. You guys are right, there are correct and dangerous ways to check out circuits. Using a meter and proper PPE is the only way to make sure it is dead or to trouble shoot circuits and equipment.
We used to have a policy that stated, "If it isn't grounded, it isn't dead." In my mind, that is still good advice. :smile:
I am surprised I got out of the trade as a working electrician, alive. I knew how to get the work done but I didn't do it safely all the time. My dad taught me to touch the hot and ground with one hand to see if the circuit was hot. If it didn't hurt too much, it was 120! That was a long time ago. You guys are right, there are correct and dangerous ways to check out circuits. Using a meter and proper PPE is the only way to make sure it is dead or to trouble shoot circuits and equipment.
We used to have a policy that stated, "If it isn't grounded, it isn't dead." In my mind, that is still good advice. :smile:
Fulthrotl
~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
- Occupation
- E
the old curmudgeons here have been in the industry long enough
to have attended funerals of darwin award candidates, both in
the trade, and in personal life. that's why i own a 200 mph motorcycle
that'll never see anything like that with me in the saddle. not any more.
and to me, the poster who started this multi player rant was just trolling
for a reaction, which he got. good for him. several of the old guys
who were still working when i was a muppet tested voltage with the
fingers, and got away with it, becuase they had reduced conductivity,
so they got less of a blast than a young guy.
it's all in a days work of being 28, going on 14, and needing to show
how hangs the winkie. this here is the 'net, and he can't do donunts in
the parking lot at starting time to let us know his stud index.
banning people for being themselves would, at one point or another,
remove most of us, particularly me.
'sides, this here's america, land of the movie "jackass", which had to
have 2 sequels, 'cause the first movie wasn't enough.
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