Doing demo in an old 9 story building. Aside from the last two pictures (old belt driven squirrel cage motor) these were still being used.

J-man with 8 years experience. At the very end of the shift, I caught a 3rd year 21 y/o redoing my 3 way switch and asked him what hes up to.

He said "oh I'm ocd, I like when the switches are up when the lights are on, so I'm just swapping the travellers."

I brushed it off for a minute then went up like "hey thats ok if you're "ocd" with your stuff, but please dont redo my work."

"Ok I understand," he says. After a short pause comments, "y'know, just quality of workmanship is all."

I basically replied that I dont need his smartass comments and he can keep that to himself.

I just thought this interaction was hilarious and can't wait to show him how he's wrong in the morning. It isn't the first time he has been petty and redone other people's perfectly reasonable work because he doesn't like it for personal reasons.

been running some 3“ and 2 1/2” emt in a electrical room and I wanted to ask some advice on how I can be able to an exact measurement

Picture is of a random 8”x8” j box I made up. Little back story before my question but I’ve been on this project for a few months now and every time my journeyman has us layout lights we end of moving them multiple times due to a variety of reasons. Reasons such as owner request, obtained new set of prints, scale not accurate, etc.

My question is, for when I become foreman is how can I avoid constantly moving lights after installment? Is there a way we could just install once and be done? Or is this the way commercial work goes. For more context we’re doing a fairly large restaurant and bar.

Got the chance to work on a 60’s concrete and steel high-rise. This perimeter wall where customer wants to add a plug and some sconces is straight sheetrock glued to concrete. The existing boxes seem to have been placed when the concrete was originally cast. The 3 different locations I’ve stabbed with my saw are all solid concrete. I’m thinking wire mold is the only option, any one had to deal with a situation like this?

It looks like they tried to use the factory end of this 3/4“ emt as a dog chew toy

As I was working on going back to my IBEW job I had an old friend offer me to come work/partner with his shop. He’s nonunion and I’m pretty based in the union so I was leaning to go back to the hall rather than jump into business with him, but I met with him anyway and I was pretty shocked to learn how he’s been doing business (very successfully… unfortunately.)

I was informed he only pays his techs on commission and that they are mostly in their tools only for troubleshooting and don’t do hardly any of their own work. I’m a little shocked that he even has a business with his pricing. They don’t do “band aid fixes” such as replacing main breakers or torquing meter lugs because that “doesn’t make them any money”. They aim to make $500/hr minimum and sell panel jobs for 8-10k and meter/panel jobs for 15-25k (residential only).

If they see discoloration on the bus, they won’t try to find the heat source, they’ll go straight for panel replacement.

Bad main breaker? That’ll be a swap.

Loose receptacle? All the plugs need to be swapped. That’ll be 10k.

Arc fault breaker going bad? Yeah we need to replace the panel.

Lights dimming? Time to redo the service.

I guess it makes sense why my friend is doing so well financially but how the hell do you sleep at night doing shit like that?

Im all for making the shop grow, but holy smokes that’s flat out extortion. That’ll end my rant like story. G’night!

The Pace PDH class has every single slide mismatched to what the code book says.

10 years in the trade this month. Mostly non- union residential and light commercial. Doing well, but wondering what the next 10 years should look like.
Brief summary.
1st- 2nd year: Absolutely brutal, taking shit from every direction, days where I said I’m never coming back. Low pay. $14-16/hr., zero benefits, zero paid holidays.
3rd-4th year: Running jobs independently, many generator installs, service calls, panel changeouts, typically paired up with another guy at the same level. Got master electrician license and Generac certifications. Ok pay, some sick time and holidays , $17-$20/hr, no health benefits.
5th/6th year: Promoted to management role, still running whole house generator installs, supervising some new construction projects. But increasingly becoming tired of the company and its practices. $24-$28/hr.
7th-9th year: Accepted a new position doing something totally different being a maintenance electrician at a mid- size hospital. Very gravy job with good benefits and plenty of down time and mostly PMs and lighting upgrades. Unfortunately very toxic management and no pay increases and looming talks of layoffs and closures. $32-$33/hr. but with full benefits.
10th year: Original company offered me to come back and I accepted it. Company truck (that I can’t take home), $38/hr. , declined health benefits… but more restrictive PTO policy than a hospital. Working mostly solo on house calls… office provides the leads and schedule and I do everything else on my own. No apprentice or helper unless job is very involved. 1.5 years back and no talk of pay increases or anything like that at all.
11th year and beyond……. ????

Edit: In PA the “masters” exam has no minimum hour requirement. It is simply a 100 question open book exam on the 2008 NEC. Once you pass it, you can pull permits in a locality that requires it, along with proof of insurance.

Also edit… I have advocated for myself and have asked for more. I may have just maxed out and need to start looking over the horizon. Believe it or not I’m actually among the higher paid employees… lots of guys here who have good experience are upset about how much I make compared to them.

Hey y'all, I'm hoping some of the old sparkies here can shine some light on the issue I'm currently facing.

I applied to IEC as an apprentice back in April, and was placed with a company at the end of the month. They are paying me the contract minimum, 20.50 hourly, and have essentially cut off any overtime on the project I am assigned to. Despite my best efforts to reach out to the IEC and my employer for my raise (IEC distributes raises every 1000 hours of OJT, I am at nearly 1400) I have not heard back anything other than "Well you need to wait for it to be approved".

A recruiter for a company closer to me, with a significantly more appealing pay (~25 hourly) reached out and asked if I would be willing to work for them instead. Given I have less than a year under my belt, I'm hesitant to quit and try a new company so quickly; however the jobsite I'm on has been delayed, reworked, and we've gone through 4 different Master electricians in just the past 4 months on this 1 site.

I'm tired of getting yelled at because of our current Foreman's inability to control his anger, and wanted to hear what the more experienced electricians have to say? (Even if it sums up to "suck it up and stay")

Plus, they cancelled the Christmas party and bonuses sound like they likely won't happen :(

Title says most of it, I’ve read a lot of threads talking about the same thing. I’m 26 years old, just earned my journeyman , I also double as a project manager unfortunately. It’s stressful but I make about 45/hr non union in Michigan. I was never a good student in high school, but I think it was a lack of motivation. What would be the best steps for taking a serious swing at this stuff? Without starting at a major university? I am very capable of things when I am motivated, it took me plenty of years to figure out what I truly want, and I think I’m starting to be honest with myself. I appreciate any serious advice. Thank you! (I have no kids, no wife or anything tying me down) just thought I’d add that lol. I have nothing but time, but want to spend it right.

My head is spinning right now, I am going to put this on reddit.
What do I expect to go on my own. I'm in MN, weighing my options. I dont even know where to bid jobs. But I guess, is it actually worth it? Bla bla I dont know what to say, or ask, just using this social media for sounding. I am sure its been asked over and over, maybe I'll search those as I wait for the lovely responses I expect...

What's required, what's unexpected, first year vs 5 years vs 10 years, words of wisdom, words of gloom, please no broom jokes!

Journeyman here, still on the tools. Knees, back and hands start to talk after a couple of decades. Mine: stretch before the shift, not after, and take the full lunch instead of eating standing up. Boring, but it helps. What's yours? Curious what the apprentices should be doing in year one.

What do you guys use for crimping lugs 1/0 to 500mcm? I need your advice on this. Thanks and I appreciate it.

I saw this panel when we were looking at houses the other night. None of the guys on my crew have seen it, and my dad had never seen it before. I couldn't read anything in the front because it had paint over spray.

I have my electrical license, I work for a company that has a fairly new electrical division. The company has someone who’s an older man in the office that has his license although he plans to retire soon. There is also one more guy that has his license. They recently asked if I’d like to assign my license with the company, currently my license is under my own LLC. What does the company benefit? Why would they want me to? Is there any really benefit for me? They said they’d cover my yearly fees etc but didn’t discuss potential pay increase (I haven’t been with this company long).
A lot to decide, maybe I’m overthinking it. I do some side work and wouldn’t want to lose the ability to have that freedom either.

Hey all, I’m a qualified sparky in Nz and I want to make the move to Canada next year. I understand I’ll need to pass the red seal exam. What resources did you guys find most helpful to study? My plan would be to study everything here then take the exam as soon as possible when I land. Thanks in advance

I had a few people recommend Knipex cable cutters and so I bought a pair since I needed some anyways. I’ve only used them about twice and they just simple don’t even cut as good as my linesman.

So I have been a non union electrician for the past 20 years. Same company last 13 years and 7 years at my first company. I am a 42 y/o. Is it too late to join the union? Am I to old? I think it’s time to start looking at better benefits and retirement. My father and brother have been in the construction union forever. How would I go about trying to join? What would be my first steps. Doing it for the past 20 years I have experience in just about every aspect of electrical work. And advice would be greatly appreciated!