tubs and shower stalls

[NightTrain]

I guess 'Cable Guy' is better than the usual "Commie" (communications) I get called by the smartasses as we're engaging in the usual banter. Knuckle-dragger and Narrowback phases them about as much as the Commie digs do to me - zero.

We had an inspector talk one of my coworkers into changing out a lug on the end of a cable running into an old school Nortel power bay - it was a 1-hole lug and he wanted a 2-hole because code had changed in the last 20 years since it had been installed. It wasn't even part of our scope. There was no room to work in there, and I told him to tell the Inspector to fuck off... but he did it anyway to make him happy.

He got the nut off the lug, and it slipped and fell onto the hot bar inside, and naturally shorted out and began glowing. The 300 amp breaker didn't trip. So he quickly stuck his 8" Klein screwdriver in there to knock that stupid nut off the bar, and suddenly we were blinded by a lightning bolt and deafened by the blast. It sounded like a 12-gauge going off in a closet. I thought he was dead for sure.

When I could see again, he was still standing there, blinking and holding the handle of that screwdriver - that Klein had vaporized with nary a trace of the steel. And that damn breaker was still closed.

Then our phones started ringing, because suddenly no one on this network had service in the middle of Anchorage. It seems a few cards had suddenly vaporized internal circuits and had a few air gaps. The Inspector got his ass chewed for it, and our boss told us of the virtues of sticking with the scope of work. There was right under $100,000 worth of electronics that fried over something that didn't need to be done and $15,000 in fines for an unscheduled outage, all paid by the Inspector's employer.

We ended up with a few hours of overtime to bring her back online, I was just thankful I didn't witness my buddy's death.

[Gunny]

I guess 'Cable Guy' is better than the usual "Commie" (communications) I get called by the smartasses as we're engaging in the usual banter. Knuckle-dragger and Narrowback phases them about as much as the Commie digs do to me - zero.

We had an inspector talk one of my coworkers into changing out a lug on the end of a cable running into an old school Nortel power bay - it was a 1-hole lug and he wanted a 2-hole because code had changed in the last 20 years since it had been installed. It wasn't even part of our scope. There was no room to work in there, and I told him to tell the Inspector to fuck off... but he did it anyway to make him happy.

He got the nut off the lug, and it slipped and fell onto the hot bar inside, and naturally shorted out and began glowing. The 300 amp breaker didn't trip. So he quickly stuck his 8" Klein screwdriver in there to knock that stupid nut off the bar, and suddenly we were blinded by a lightning bolt and deafened by the blast. It sounded like a 12-gauge going off in a closet. I thought he was dead for sure.

When I could see again, he was still standing there, blinking and holding the handle of that screwdriver - that Klein had vaporized with nary a trace of the steel. And that damn breaker was still closed.

Then our phones started ringing, because suddenly no one on this network had service in the middle of Anchorage. It seems a few cards had suddenly vaporized internal circuits and had a few air gaps. The Inspector got his ass chewed for it, and our boss told us of the virtues of sticking with the scope of work. There was right under $100,000 worth of electronics that fried over something that didn't need to be done and $15,000 in fines for an unscheduled outage, all paid by the Inspector's employer.

We ended up with a few hours of overtime to bring her back online, I was just thankful I didn't witness my buddy's death.

Okay. Can you say "I did everything wrong by the numbers"?

!. That lug is not in your scope. Period. That's my job.

2. Doesn't matter a damn what current code is if pre-existing code allowed it, and you aren't changing out the entire service.

3. Your partner was a dipshit. Putting a screwdriver into a panel that is shorting out is about as smart as pulling the clip and pin from a grenade and sticking it in your pocket. You get the f- away and pick up the pieces later. I've seen too many idiots buck phases with a screwdriver and blow themselves up. And I ain't talking a singe phase house panel. You buck phases at 480 volts guess where you're going? If you live. The ER.

That inspector was out of line and y'all aren't even licensed to do high voltage electrical. He was in the wrong. I change lugs in the panel. You don't. I suspend the ground. You don't. What an idiot. You could have had his license for that.

[NightTrain]

Okay. Can you say "I did everything wrong by the numbers"?

!. That lug is not in your scope. Period. That's my job.

2. Doesn't matter a damn what current code is if pre-existing code allowed it, and you aren't changing out the entire service.

3. Your partner was a dipshit. Putting a screwdriver into a panel that is shorting out is about as smart as pulling the clip and pin from a grenade and sticking it in your pocket. You get the f- away and pick up the pieces later. I've seen too many idiots buck phases with a screwdriver and blow themselves up. And I ain't talking a singe phase house panel. You buck phases at 480 volts guess where you're going? If you live. The ER.

That inspector was out of line and y'all aren't even licensed to do high voltage electrical. He was in the wrong. I change lugs in the panel. You don't. I suspend the ground. You don't. What an idiot. You could have had his license for that.

Yep, I agree on all counts.

The good news is that these days my coworker has no qualms with telling an overzealous inspector to fuck off. And when I tell him I don't think it's a good idea, he listens.

[red state]

Originally Posted by NightTrain
I guess 'Cable Guy' is better than the usual "Commie" (communications) I get called by the smartasses as we're engaging in the usual banter. Knuckle-dragger and Narrowback phases them about as much as the Commie digs do to me - zero.

We had an inspector talk one of my coworkers into changing out a lug on the end of a cable running into an old school Nortel power bay - it was a 1-hole lug and he wanted a 2-hole because code had changed in the last 20 years since it had been installed. It wasn't even part of our scope. There was no room to work in there, and I told him to tell the Inspector to fuck off... but he did it anyway to make him happy.

He got the nut off the lug, and it slipped and fell onto the hot bar inside, and naturally shorted out and began glowing. The 300 amp breaker didn't trip. So he quickly stuck his 8" Klein screwdriver in there to knock that stupid nut off the bar, and suddenly we were blinded by a lightning bolt and deafened by the blast. It sounded like a 12-gauge going off in a closet. I thought he was dead for sure.

When I could see again, he was still standing there, blinking and holding the handle of that screwdriver - that Klein had vaporized with nary a trace of the steel. And that damn breaker was still closed.

Then our phones started ringing, because suddenly no one on this network had service in the middle of Anchorage. It seems a few cards had suddenly vaporized internal circuits and had a few air gaps. The Inspector got his ass chewed for it, and our boss told us of the virtues of sticking with the scope of work. There was right under $100,000 worth of electronics that fried over something that didn't need to be done and $15,000 in fines for an unscheduled outage, all paid by the Inspector's employer.

We ended up with a few hours of overtime to bring her back online, I was just thankful I didn't witness my buddy's death.



GUNNY wrote:

Okay. Can you say "I did everything wrong by the numbers"?

!. That lug is not in your scope. Period. That's my job.

2. Doesn't matter a damn what current code is if pre-existing code allowed it, and you aren't changing out the entire service.

3. Your partner was a dipshit. Putting a screwdriver into a panel that is shorting out is about as smart as pulling the clip and pin from a grenade and sticking it in your pocket. You get the f- away and pick up the pieces later. I've seen too many idiots buck phases with a screwdriver and blow themselves up. And I ain't talking a singe phase house panel. You buck phases at 480 volts guess where you're going? If you live. The ER.

That inspector was out of line and y'all aren't even licensed to do high voltage electrical. He was in the wrong. I change lugs in the panel. You don't. I suspend the ground. You don't. What an idiot. You could have had his license for that.

__________________________________________________ ______________________


Night Train, That was (IS) one of the funniest posts I've EVER heard!!! I can relate to all that has been posted by everyone participating to this thread. Ironically, I'm putting in a shower and toilet to its own private room away from the room with the vanity and two person power tub off of the master bedroom. Kinda freaked when I saw the title of the thread and had hoped for some pointers. HA!!! I do pretty much EVERYTHING at my house: from foundation to roof and everything else from plumbing, masonry, electrical, windows and even all the wiring for our media room that contains routers and such.

I also got a bit unnerved when I read Gunny's mention of the "tingle" being more dangerous cuz it leaves you thinking that you're too tough to be effected. Just three weeks ago, I was "tingled" twice. HA!!! Right in the back as an exposed wire got me as I was wiring the huge vanity and was between the vanity and the wall. Yeah, yeah...I should have cut the juice off and I certainly should have topped them until I was ready to work with them but I was in a hurry.

Good to know that there are posters out there who know their stuff.

[Gunny]

Originally Posted by NightTrain
I guess 'Cable Guy' is better than the usual "Commie" (communications) I get called by the smartasses as we're engaging in the usual banter. Knuckle-dragger and Narrowback phases them about as much as the Commie digs do to me - zero.

We had an inspector talk one of my coworkers into changing out a lug on the end of a cable running into an old school Nortel power bay - it was a 1-hole lug and he wanted a 2-hole because code had changed in the last 20 years since it had been installed. It wasn't even part of our scope. There was no room to work in there, and I told him to tell the Inspector to fuck off... but he did it anyway to make him happy.

He got the nut off the lug, and it slipped and fell onto the hot bar inside, and naturally shorted out and began glowing. The 300 amp breaker didn't trip. So he quickly stuck his 8" Klein screwdriver in there to knock that stupid nut off the bar, and suddenly we were blinded by a lightning bolt and deafened by the blast. It sounded like a 12-gauge going off in a closet. I thought he was dead for sure.

When I could see again, he was still standing there, blinking and holding the handle of that screwdriver - that Klein had vaporized with nary a trace of the steel. And that damn breaker was still closed.

Then our phones started ringing, because suddenly no one on this network had service in the middle of Anchorage. It seems a few cards had suddenly vaporized internal circuits and had a few air gaps. The Inspector got his ass chewed for it, and our boss told us of the virtues of sticking with the scope of work. There was right under $100,000 worth of electronics that fried over something that didn't need to be done and $15,000 in fines for an unscheduled outage, all paid by the Inspector's employer.

We ended up with a few hours of overtime to bring her back online, I was just thankful I didn't witness my buddy's death.



GUNNY wrote:

Okay. Can you say "I did everything wrong by the numbers"?

!. That lug is not in your scope. Period. That's my job.

2. Doesn't matter a damn what current code is if pre-existing code allowed it, and you aren't changing out the entire service.

3. Your partner was a dipshit. Putting a screwdriver into a panel that is shorting out is about as smart as pulling the clip and pin from a grenade and sticking it in your pocket. You get the f- away and pick up the pieces later. I've seen too many idiots buck phases with a screwdriver and blow themselves up. And I ain't talking a singe phase house panel. You buck phases at 480 volts guess where you're going? If you live. The ER.

That inspector was out of line and y'all aren't even licensed to do high voltage electrical. He was in the wrong. I change lugs in the panel. You don't. I suspend the ground. You don't. What an idiot. You could have had his license for that.

__________________________________________________ ______________________


Night Train, That was (IS) one of the funniest posts I've EVER heard!!! I can relate to all that has been posted by everyone participating to this thread. Ironically, I'm putting in a shower and toilet to its own private room away from the room with the vanity and two person power tub off of the master bedroom. Kinda freaked when I saw the title of the thread and had hoped for some pointers. HA!!! I do pretty much EVERYTHING at my house: from foundation to roof and everything else from plumbing, masonry, electrical, windows and even all the wiring for our media room that contains routers and such.

I also got a bit unnerved when I read Gunny's mention of the "tingle" being more dangerous cuz it leaves you thinking that you're too tough to be effected. Just three weeks ago, I was "tingled" twice. HA!!! Right in the back as an exposed wire got me as I was wiring the huge vanity and was between the vanity and the wall. Yeah, yeah...I should have cut the juice off and I certainly should have topped them until I was ready to work with them but I was in a hurry.

Good to know that there are posters out there who know their stuff.

Getting hit by 120 volts ain't nothing. Most "civilians" get zapped and let go. But if you aren't grounded, you can hold it and it feels like a tingle to me. But it'll screw up your heart. The higher voltages are less dangerous because you ain't holding on to jack. They blow you off. House panels are 120/208 single phase. Cheapest pieces of crap the developer can buy.

What NT is talking about is the amount of amps a .. google sucks. Does CNN own them? I haven't done service work in years and I'm old. I can't remember the name of the component that is the start up to the ballast. It builds enough amps to kill you. It's "dirty" electricity. Has nothing to do with the actual voltage.

[NightTrain]

What NT is talking about is the amount of amps a .. google sucks. Does CNN own them? I haven't done service work in years and I'm old. I can't remember the name of the component that is the start up to the ballast. It builds enough amps to kill you. It's "dirty" electricity. Has nothing to do with the actual voltage.

Capacitor?

I think most of those fluorescent fixtures have capacitors to the ballast to get the initial boost to get the light process started when you hit the switch. Not really my field but I know I don't like those damn things, more efficient or not.

[jimnyc]

I've been electrified a few times! But that's because I'm no electrician, journeyman or anyone that should be within 50' of electricity. I fix computer equipment. While you guys talk about these live lines - try opening an older monitor and lay one of your fingers on one of the capacitors in those suckers. I had one nearly put me on the floor once. I guy that worked there, who was about 75 or so, laughed for like 10 minutes at me. My hair was on end and I was shaking, and that old bastard is lucky I didn't kill him! LOL I also accidentally touched the wires while thinking I could change a 3 button switch in my bathroom while it was live. Not only did I find out the hard way that it stings a little when your pinky finger touches those wires - but that was the end of the new switch as swell!

And speaking of drills, I just bought this 18v Dewalt about a week ago. There was a rep there that day in Home Depot from Milwaukee, who tried to sell me the superior equipment, but it was like double the price. Considering I will break it out like twice per year, I didn't see a point in paying the extra. But I did buy 2 extra sets of bits for it, and she came with a spare battery too! On sale for $99. Did I get robbed?

[NightTrain]

And, yes, I do know the difference between voltage and current... I'm lazy and just say 277 and everyone knows what I'm referring to when you get bit by them. It's painful!

I think the biggest mishap I witnessed was again back in my apprentice days and we were building out the Comm Room down in the basement of a brand new Cancer Center at the Providence Hospital Campus in Anchorage.

Across the hall was the main demarc for the electrical, and the sparkies were in there doing their thing. I heard a Journeyman tell his apprentice to take his fish tape and put it in a conduit to see if it went a few rooms down, and the Journeyman walked down to the room and waited to see if the fish tape appeared.

It was a metal fish tape.

I could hear the apprentice working the fish tape, pushing it in. Suddenly there was a lightning bolt and a BOOM and the entire place was plunged into darkness. I had a miner's light on my hardhat, and turned it on so I could see. I ran out of our room to the Electrical room and the apprentice walked calmly out of his room toward my light. I asked him if he was okay, and he nodded.

His fish tape had gone in the conduit and come back into the same room on the other side behind him, and had laid itself across the main bus bars - 5,000 amps worth of 'lectrics!

Then all hell broke loose with foremen and the complex Superintendent along with his entourage of VIP visitors that had been on site taking a tour of the building. They quickly started investigating and we wisely stayed out of the circus & continued building out our comm room and listened in on the proceedings across the hall.

They quickly identified who had done it, questioned his Journeyman (because an apprentice is usually not responsible for doing stupid things because he's directly supervised by his licensed Journeyman) and he threw his apprentice under the bus. I heard him tell the General Foreman that he did NOT tell his apprentice to do that, or to use a metal fish tape. The Foreman told the apprentice to pack his tools and get the hell off his jobsite, and this meant his career was over - an apprentice getting himself fired means he'll be washed out of the program.

I was seething that the POS Journeyman would hang his apprentice out to dry like that and lie about what happened. The apprentice did exactly what he had been told to do by his boss. Sure, he should have known better but he followed orders and trusted that his Journeyman knew what he was doing.

I waited until the bigwigs had wandered away, then went to the General Foreman and told him what had actually happened. He went and found that Journeyman again and fired him, then recalled the apprentice who's career was suddenly back on track. He was grateful to still be alive and still have his career intact.

The Journeyman was blacklisted, with good reason, and I heard he eventually left AK about a year later to find work. No one wants a guy like that around the jobsite.

[Gaffer]

Capacitors. They are like snakes laying in wait for a victim. Some of them can have a hell of a bite and they don't lose their charge over time.

[NightTrain]

I've been electrified a few times! But that's because I'm no electrician, journeyman or anyone that should be within 50' of electricity. I fix computer equipment. While you guys talk about these live lines - try opening an older monitor and lay one of your fingers on one of the capacitors in those suckers. I had one nearly put me on the floor once. I guy that worked there, who was about 75 or so, laughed for like 10 minutes at me. My hair was on end and I was shaking, and that old bastard is lucky I didn't kill him! LOL I also accidentally touched the wires while thinking I could change a 3 button switch in my bathroom while it was live. Not only did I find out the hard way that it stings a little when your pinky finger touches those wires - but that was the end of the new switch as swell!

And speaking of drills, I just bought this 18v Dewalt about a week ago. There was a rep there that day in Home Depot from Milwaukee, who tried to sell me the superior equipment, but it was like double the price. Considering I will break it out like twice per year, I didn't see a point in paying the extra. But I did buy 2 extra sets of bits for it, and she came with a spare battery too! On sale for $99. Did I get robbed?

Yeah, Capacitors can really bite you.

Your picture didn't load, Jim. But I think that the debate about Milwaukee vs. DeWalt amounts to the Ford vs. Chevy thing. DeWalt lasts and performs as well as Milwaukee from all I've seen, but the die-hard Milwaukee fans will argue the hell out of it. I drill a hole as fast as they do, and the rattle guns torque down just as much as the other brand does. $99 is pretty standard for a drill & 2 batteries & charger.

[namvet]

Capacitor?

I think most of those fluorescent fixtures have capacitors to the ballast to get the initial boost to get the light process started when you hit the switch. Not really my field but I know I don't like those damn things, more efficient or not.

if i remember the Ballast itself is an inductor that raises the 120VAC to around 215VAC or maybe a little over. enough voltage to fire the gas in the tube. its a step up transformer. and I don't think there's any cap involved in newer lighting. the old ballast from way back when did have a cap added. isolation?? im not sure. would have to see a wiring diagram. transformer's are cool. there's a lot you can do with em.
I don't like fluorescent either. especially for home use

[namvet]

Capacitors. They are like snakes laying in wait for a victim. Some of them can have a hell of a bite and they don't lose their charge over time.

I worked mainly on DC power supplies. but they had a bleeder resister to discharge these caps. still, i was always in the habit of using a VOM or DVM to check and make sure.

[Gunny]

Capacitor?

I think most of those fluorescent fixtures have capacitors to the ballast to get the initial boost to get the light process started when you hit the switch. Not really my field but I know I don't like those damn things, more efficient or not.

All pole lights have them. Most I worked on were high pressure sodium, not florescent. Most places would rather fix their old junk than buy new. But yeah, the capacitor. Total brain fart here.

[namvet]

I've been electrified a few times! But that's because I'm no electrician, journeyman or anyone that should be within 50' of electricity. I fix computer equipment. While you guys talk about these live lines - try opening an older monitor and lay one of your fingers on one of the capacitors in those suckers. I had one nearly put me on the floor once. I guy that worked there, who was about 75 or so, laughed for like 10 minutes at me. My hair was on end and I was shaking, and that old bastard is lucky I didn't kill him! LOL I also accidentally touched the wires while thinking I could change a 3 button switch in my bathroom while it was live. Not only did I find out the hard way that it stings a little when your pinky finger touches those wires - but that was the end of the new switch as swell!

And speaking of drills, I just bought this 18v Dewalt about a week ago. There was a rep there that day in Home Depot from Milwaukee, who tried to sell me the superior equipment, but it was like double the price. Considering I will break it out like twice per year, I didn't see a point in paying the extra. But I did buy 2 extra sets of bits for it, and she came with a spare battery too! On sale for $99. Did I get robbed?

always flick off the breaker first Jim. you'll learn and get yourself a cheap volt meter. their easy to use and safer than your fingers. that's a nice drill and a good price to. most don't come with a spare battery. the Hitachi I posted was 97 bucks, my god some of em are up over 300 plus.

[NightTrain]

I don't have any "hot" tools. I've seen how you cable guys have a pouch full of useless tool. Give me 9" linesman's, a 10-in-one and I can do most anything. Of course you KNOW I have the duct tape and tie-wire on hand too!

Yeah, you gotta have a pair of Nines. 10-in-one, too.

And you forgot to mention your Snips and 88 tape!

My fellow 'Commies' like to call them scissors, which I will always automatically correct them about. Snips will cut scissors in half.