The way people live

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Mule

Mule

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
Just got back from a emergency call a bit ago. The caller said they had changed the 100amp fuses on the pole twice, and everytime they turned the oxygen machine on it blows them again...OK?:rolleyes: So I went because they didnt have a bottle unit and needed power now. So after a twenty mile drive to get there..I find the stinch was unbareable, that house had not been cleaned in how long....IT WAS NASTY...how do people live like that? It seems like lately I've seen 3 or 4 houses like that...PUKE
 
I've been on enough service calls like that myself.... consider it incentive to find & fix the problem ASAP.

Then when you're done, head down to the nearest Long John Silvers and jump in their grease pit to clean off.....
 
mdshunk said:
Your choices are to either do the work or not. Pretty simple.
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Oh I did it, couldnt let the guy go without his oxygen machine.....but my goodness.....and the little kids being raised up in that atsmophere.....just a trail through the house to walk throug....extension cords through the walls, ground adapters, plug strips EVERYWHERE.

Funny thing was the owner was going out and replacing the main fuses everytime he had a problem, and was confused by the intermitent loose connection of a worn out 2 wire recept. When I showed him with my meter that his blown fuses where good...he looked real funny:D He never realized there was still power in the house...
 
There's more people live that way than you'd ever think. If you ever switch to strictly service, you'll soon realize that. It becomes "normal". Not a big deal. Their money still spends the same. The only time I feel badly is when it's the home of someone I know. That's a little uncomfortable, for me. I try not to make too big of a song and dance about it, and I certainly don't hurry. When you hurry, that's when you overlook important things and make mistakes. The houses that are pig pens take a lot longer, in my experience. Some of that is due to not wanting to touch too much. Matter of fact, I've used shoe covers in the past in such houses just to keep "stuff" off my shoes, and not to protect their carpeting, as one normally would. I can certainly understand why some guys complain about the working conditions in such homes, and to those guys I suggest that they just don't do the work there. You have a choice; walk away in disgust, or do the work and shut up about it.
 
mdshunk said:
There's more people live that way than you'd ever think. If you ever switch to strictly service, you'll soon realize that. It becomes "normal". Not a big deal. Their money still spends the same. The only time I feel badly is when it's the home of someone I know. That's a little uncomfortable, for me. I try not to make too big of a song and dance about it, and I certainly don't hurry. When you hurry, that's when you overlook important things and make mistakes. The houses that are pig pens take a lot longer, in my experience. Some of that is due to not wanting to touch too much. Matter of fact, I've used shoe covers in the past in such houses just to keep "stuff" off my shoes, and not to protect their carpeting, as one normally would. I can certainly understand why some guys complain about the working conditions in such homes, and to those guys I suggest that they just don't do the work there. You have a choice; walk away in disgust, or do the work and shut up about it.
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I agree with ya Marc, Those jobs can require more time because of the filth and having to move things. It can be a little frustrating
 
If you charge enough, those people won't call you cuz they can't afford you. :grin: unless they are tenants, and the landlord can afford you.
 
SiddMartin said:
If you charge enough, those people won't call you cuz they can't afford you. :grin: unless they are tenants, and the landlord can afford you.
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I can't do anything for a tenant if they are the ones that call. Only the property owner can call me. If you do work on the order of a tenant, don't expect to get paid. :wink:
 
mdshunk said:
You have a choice; walk away in disgust, or do the work and shut up about it.
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I'm glad you don't abide by that, because otherwise I wouldn't have learned your Vapo-Rub under the nose trick. Discussing people's filth helps us all from time to time. ;)
 
George Stolz said:
I'm glad you don't abide by that, because otherwise I wouldn't have learned your Vapo-Rub under the nose trick. Discussing people's filth helps us all from time to time. ;)
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I might have added that tip to a thread, but I didn't start the thread.
 
They actually owned the house, and obviously could not afford to have me there, however they were taking care of this elderly man (that apparently was a veteran) that was on the oxygen. This led to the Veteran affairs calling me and approving the work. This lady told me there was OTHER social problems going on as well and she thought they were obusing the system.
She also said that the only thing they would pay for was what is nescissary to run the oxygen machine. But after getting there the machine only pulled 4 amps and they were clearly trying to get the house rewired. I tightened up all connections at the service (A base meter) and fuseable disconect on a pole, and the panel, cleaned out all of the mud dobbers, I changed out one loose 2 wire recept to a GFI, since I didnt have another 2wire on the truck. Then told them to leave that machine at that outlet and move the oxygen hose around the house to where it is needed. and NO it wasnt tamper proof or acfi....shhhhhh....Billed them for 2 hours, trip charge and the GFI.:D
 
Mule,

You'll have to decide for yourself where to draw the line on what service calls you are willing to do. I'm sure there are some here in the forum that will wallow around in septic tanks for a buck but I'm not one of them.

If you decide to do any work at these places make sure you have latex exam gloves and dust masks on the truck (maybe even booties as Marc suggested). People who live in filth probably don't realize they are living in filth but when you walk in with a haz-mat suit maybe they'll get the picture. Also, make sure you only take hand tools that you can carry in your pocket with you. If you bring in your tool bag and lay it down you may end up transporting a roach and then your wife will knock the crap out of you.:grin:
 
goldstar said:
Mule,

You'll have to decide for yourself where to draw the line on what service calls you are willing to do. I'm sure there are some here in the forum that will wallow around in septic tanks for a buck but I'm not one of them.

If you decide to do any work at these places make sure you have latex exam gloves and dust masks on the truck (maybe even booties as Marc suggested). People who live in filth probably don't realize they are living in filth but when you walk in with a haz-mat suit maybe they'll get the picture. Also, make sure you only take hand tools that you can carry in your pocket with you. If you bring in your tool bag and lay it down you may end up transporting a roach and then your wife will knock the crap out of you.:grin:
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Well again, apparently I'm un-able to communicate. If you read my firts post, it doesnt say anything about my desire to do the job or not, or at least I did not intend to say that.. My focus was the way people live, and my lack of understanding why they choose to live that way, and later stating why they choose to raise their kids up through that filth life style.

My purpose in responding to the call in the first place was to ensure that the individual had oqygen that day, as I had plenty of other things to do on my saturday and I made plenty of money last week.
 
I am closing this thread, in my opinion it is not electrically related nor does it have a point other then to whine about how people live.
 
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