What do you like most

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bikeindy

bikeindy

Senior Member
Location
Indianapolis IN
So I am wondering what are others likes about being an electrician?

I have always had an aptitude for working on things electrical / electronic. I have to say though that my favorite part of the job is troubleshooting. I love a problem that others just couldn't figure out. There are times that I am glad the day is filled with pulling wire through holes.
 
I really enjoy lunch. :D

Between feedings I like control work. My favorite one-time-only job was rewiring a train wash ~ basically an enormous car wash. The ladder diagram was over 6' long. I also had to rebuild the entire control board ~ tons of timers and relays. All the timers and relays were for various contactors, floats, t-stats, etc. It ws a great gig for me.

Next to control work, troubleshooting. There are two different kinds of troubleshooting.....those that involve control wiring and those that involve building wiring ...I'm much better at the control than the building.

Next is anything involving a bucket truck or a boom truck. Rigging and high work is a great act. setting gear falls into this catergory.

After that comes pipe bending. Love to bend pipes.

Naturally, after making all those pipe pretzels comes the wire pulling ...the bigger the better ~ with the right set-up it can be easier than pulling #10s.

You didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway:
What do I dislike the most:
Light fixtures.
Any fixture that doesn't need a bucket truck is not for me....I find all the lay-in fixtures to be a collassal chore....recessed, sconces, surface mounts, blah blah blah...no fun at all unless I can be up in the air.

EDIT:
I think my "a" key might be taking the weekend off...pardon any errors....I think a new keyboard is in order.
 
I enjoy solving problems, I have a reputation for solving elecrtrical issues that baffle others, many of my customers are other electrical contractors, one of whom fired me 25 years ago for saying something about management. So it sort of feeds my ego as I do what I like.

I dislike sitting in the office, doing reports (most of my jobs require some sort of report) and managing the manpower.
 
Looks like if it in with most, trouble shooting and control work. Then add the "characters" that you meet. Not just the everyday customer, but the ones with special flare, like the farmer that bought a plane as a young man and taught himself how to fly and after thirty minutes, land.
 
brian john said:
I enjoy solving problems
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Yeah, me too.

Sometimes it's a troubleshooting problem, sometimes it's finding an elegant solution to an intractable old house upgrading issue. But that's what does it for me.

That and lunch. :)
 
Like the others I like troubleshooting and control work, I hate fixtures and devices.

One thing I like that I have not seen mentioned is the things we get to see.

I have been backstage at a major concerts, been inside the NESN (New England Sports Network) studios, a large facility that lights fires (big ones) to test fire sprinklers, countless factories, pharmaceutical, bio-tech labs, some defense contractor facilities.

For the past month I have been working at a factory that takes raw ingots of metal and plastic and turns them into sterile ready to install human knees, hips, elbows and even spines.
 
Bob if you could pick me up a new right elbow. Tennis elbow and electrical work are not agreeable. :mad:

As far as what I like I might be in the minority but I really enjoy interacting with my customers. Laying out their lighting, selling them on what, where and why, that sort of thing. As for the actual work I could take it or leave it.

Getting paid is enjoyable as well.

I do like to troubleshoot too. I am always up for a challenge.
 
I am fascinated by the history of our industry. The characters and events that have brought us to where we are today are quite remarkable. I find it interesting that today we have become so concerned over the manufacturer's influence on code changes, yet it was two major manufacturers’ that got the code started in the first place. Without Edison (eventually GE) and Westinghouse, who knows where the industry would be today.

I enjoy the fact that each day presents new challenges with new learning opportunities. With the rapid advancement of technology and industry practices, one most remain fully engaged or risk being left behind with outdated skills and knowledge.

As an electrician, I most enjoyed the sense of accomplishment at the end of each day. There is something very satisfying about building something with your own two hands that you can go back an admire and see work. So many people live and work with the benefit of electricity with no clue what skill and knowledge it took to make it all work and to make sure it is safe.

As an instructor, I most enjoy the privilege of being able to give back to the industry and feel apart of the development of the next generation. This past Thursday, I attended an IAEI meeting in Orlando and had the opportunity to reintroduce myself to two of my apprenticeship instructors from over 10 years ago. It gave me great pride to share with them my accomplishments as they rightfully share those accomplishments as well. I now have a student from 5 years ago that is teaching for our local apprenticeship program. One can only imagine how many people have and will become journeyman, contractors, inspectors, ect... that either directly or indirectly can be traced back through me and those I learned from. That is what I call a legacy.

As an inspector, I kind of get to experience both of the above at the same time. Though I no longer make the installations myself, I still get that sense of accomplishment through my inspections. I now know many of the area contractors and workers on a first name basis and feel my community is for the better in the parts I and they contribute to it.
 
Iwire:


Like the others I like troubleshooting and control work, I hate fixtures and devices.
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I tell people I know nothing about lights, not even sue they are related to electrical work. I'm a power guy. Oh and the guys that deisgn's EXIT lights are the ones that convinced me to try another aspect of the business.

One thing I like that I have not seen mentioned is the things we get to see.
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I did a show on the White House lawn, spent several days with TV personalities (most stuck up), and meeting President Bush (the senior).
Last year I was on stage trying to resolve a ground fault issue on a 2000 amp main while def lepoard were warming up. OH MY, I could not think, so loud. My employees stayed on stage for the show..I went home once the issue was resolved.
 
iwire said:
One thing I like that I have not seen mentioned is the things we get to see.
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I've been involved in a number of commercial(advertising), movie and music videos.

My role was basically "stand by" as the production company uses the "house power" and it CANNOT be "down". The number of people on the crew x hourly rate comes in at many thousands of dollars per hour...if they lose power for any length of time the next production company may not ever use the site/facility when they discover their are "issues" they have no control over but have to pay for.

Probably the most notable video was Rod Stewart's "Downtown Train". Apprx. 1 minute of footage used that took 24 hours to capture.
 
Wiring beach houses and surfing for an hour or so right out front when in the mood for a break. I've done houses in front of the Banzai Pipeline, Sunset point, Waimea Bay, Leftovers, and Haleiwa, all great spots for a little "off time" from the drilling.
 
One thing I like about the trade, is it will never be stagnant. As an inspector, I have to try to be one or two steps ahead of the techs. My most memorable site was in a capsule 80' below ground where guys control nuclear missiles.
 
I like the satisfaction that comes from helping to constuct something with my own two hands. The mental challange of troubleshooting. Not being at the same place year after year.
 
I always liked the design aspect of the work. It's always fun to come up with a solid design and then implement it. I also like troubleshooting, but that doesn't come up as much.

I generally hate installing light fixtures, and I especially hate ceiling fans, particularly ones that are installer-unfriendly. Also high on the dislike list is dealing with decrepit wiring/boxes where a good solution would require more surgery than the HO can stomach.
 
I always liked trouble shooting. It does help make you a better electrician I believe.

As an inspector I still get a kick when I walk on a job and figure out a problem that the EC has been working on for a few days. Let's them know that I'm not just a book learned inspector.

I also like the people.
 
Turning on the lights either for the first time ever or the first time in a long time. There's something about lights that says the electricity is really working.

Oh, that and doorbells. Because a ringing doorbell means people are coming to visit, which for a new house usually means free food. And after turning on lights and ringing doorbells, I'm all about the free food. And fermented grain beverages.

(Edited to add ...)

For my "real" job, my favorite is naming networks because I get to inflict my personal tastes on others. Right now I have a small LAN where all the machines are named after Louisiana parishes. In a previous position I named machines after intelligence agencies, and before that it was comic strip characters. At home they have such fun names as "backyard", "kitchen", "den" and "phone" ...
 
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T/S has to be #1 - and whether it's a problem in your average home, or it involves motor control circuitry or fire alarm systems - it's all exciting stuff. Still have to go for a circuit tracer - but that should make the job easier - but it's a tool I definitely am going to invest in. It will improve my effeciency in T/S - but again, you have to spend some time with the tool to maximize it's usefulness.

That's another thing I enjoy - although it doesn't pay well (at first) - but that's learning how to utilize a new "tool". Trying out some things with the circuit trace - once I get one (and it's looking like the 61-956 is what i'm settling on) will be interesting.

Brett
 
rcarroll said:
I have to try to be one or two steps ahead of the techs.
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This goes for me but on the other side of the coin...I like to stay a step ahead of the inspectors. There's great satisfaction in passing all your inspections and being complemented for your efforts by the inspectors and contractors. My most notable achievement on these lines was a remodelling job at a hospital in a city with very strict (some would say "picky") inspectors. In spite of this being my first commercial project as a foreman I passed all my inspections with flying colors.

I also love to work on control wiring and troubleshooting on any level. I have probably done more troubleshooting in my career than anything else.

Like Celtic, I also like to work out of a bucket.

I hate to be stuck on a LARGE commercial project for months on end doing the same thing day after day all the while making sure your tools don't "walk off."
I, like most hate devices and fixtures.

Some residential electricians hate commercial work and some commercial electricians hate residential work...I happen to like both. To me, they each have their own challenges. In residential I enjoy interacting with homeowners in their planning, etc. In commercial, I enjoy pipe bending, calculations, and especially enjoy building a service. All those transformers, distribution panels, large wiring, etc is a lot of fun to me...especially when you turn it on and everything works perfectly.:)
 
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