So I work for a small electrical company, 6 guys only we have a couple projects and we just started an another one but it’s fast passed to demo, and reconstruct everything. I’ve been working for about a month we no days off, barely any rest. I do about 20 hour or so every day. Each project is about 2-3 hour drive. I do my regular 8 at the main project, and then I have to drive to the another one and work another 12 or more hours, with no breaks nor lunch. My boss is aware about it but doesn’t care. On top of that I’m not getting my double pay. A couple of my coworkers totaled their cars due to lack of sleep, and his only concern is if we are going to work still ? What should I do ? I want to look for another electrical company to join just don’t know where to look. I’m fed up and tired of this guys stuff. He truly just doesn’t care about his workers, yet he says that we don’t have his back or anything ? We are literally killing our self for him ? I use my own car and Im not getting my miles paid for.

Has anyone here used one of the wireless 3-ways before? The customer wants a switch at the bottom of the stairs for the stair light. A wireless would save me a lot of time and them a lot of money, but I'm just curious how well they work. Would you recommend them? If so, what brand?

For the traveling electricians out there, especially those that fly to and from jobs, I am curious what you all use for transporting your tools between jobs?

I just finished up a 2 week trip out of state and realize that I really would like to eventually find a better long term solution for transporting my tools, especially while flying. I do a fair amount of main service work, so a fair amount of allen sockets, general 3/8" drive SAE set, 3/8" digital torque wrench, ratchets, cable prep tools, M12 impact, knipex cobras, pliers wrenches, etc., but also do controls, automation and electronics work, so smaller specialty tools, crimpers, etc. I have to carry my own PPE (harness and hard hat) and tools bags... needless to say, a lot of weight and bulkiness.

The bigger tools are all provided on site, but I would really like to find a better solution for transporting my personal tools that can easily go from the field to the work van to the plane.

I've currently got a couple of smaller pelican cases for my meters, megger, torque wrench, etc. but would really like to find a better solution for packing and organizing my 'road gear.

I am definitely looking at downsizing my allen sockets and cable prep tools, since I am mostly working on 400A and smaller gear these days and possibly utilizing a Pelican 0450 for my automation tools and another one for my sockets, allens, etc., Definitely looking at a Veto Pro Pac for my hand tools and small M12 tools so all I have to pack into a suitcase is my harness, hard hat and empty tool bags and then looking at a larger single pelican air case for centralizing my test gear into a single case.

I don't travel cconstantly, but definitely enough to make investing in better cases worth it for me, and could potentially get work to kick in on the cost of the storage, so price isn't a big limitation for me.

This last trip, I had $1200 in checked bags round trip, so I am hoping to possibly reduce the number of bags I take, in hopes I can use this as a reason to get the company to chip in on the cost of travel gear.

More than anything, I am just curious what other traveling electricians out there are using for transporting their tools.

Commercial rotisserie, gas powered, but electric to roll the spits and turn on lights. Simple adapter or custom electrical plug? Thanks!

Anybody else hate these, they just dry rot and end up crumbling if you look at them wrong.

Hey everyone. I am looking intently for an Electrical Estimator with Industrial experience. Please email me at matthew@careerdean.com Thanks.

Fist time building one of these for trade school. I know it’s not the prettiest thing but I’d still appreciate any feedback

I’ve seen these around for years, but ever purchased a set until last week. I figured they wouldn’t be worth the fuss because they would fall out before the had got in and then at that point what good would it really be? I bought these as an impulse purchase and was really surprised that they fit very snuggly into the throat of the connector and definitely wasn’t going to just fall out.

I do a lot of pulls by myself and one of the most frustrating things is just getting the head into the pipe, especially when the pipe is immediately going up the wall or something. I haven’t tried this product for that purpose yet, but it seems like it’s going to do a fine job.

When installing CTs from Siemens power meters, there are arrows to make sure the load cables are pulled through the CTs in the proper load direction. I always thought that only DC flowed in one direction though? If AC reverses direction then how is there a load direction? It's obvious they mean from line to load but I'm just curious how there is a flow direction on AC.

well after speaking with Mike Holt on FB, it looks like he wont so much as make a nice comment about Mr Henry. He claims that they were very close and he "wanted to die this way" yet the guy admitted that he didnt even know that Mr henry died in August. And yes, they are in the same area in central Florida.

Sounds more like horrible competition even at death, and dancing on the man's grave, to me.

All those thousands of people assisted by a teacher, and Nothing?
If Mike holt died, should it be that way too? All the people he has assisted? And Nothing? My father was a teacher and an opera singer. Upon his death, there were teachers there, and opera members there. even though singers compete. Teachers compete for awards (My father was awarded)

Greed and competition is a monster. I swear. I dont even know the man personally (but I met him when I lived in Kissimee, Fl. The building was very unassuming looking and ordinary) and even I am saddened by this.
If I was his competitor, I would at least respect the man with a comment. I know, I know, you cant force someone to do something. But this is about being nice. Kind. Humane. Is that too much to expect from the leader in the trade, Mike Holt? All I can say is, Wow.

Service call to replace a ballast. Wasn't expecting this old thing. Swapped it out with a 2-lamp ballast and am now looking for a museum that might want this piece of history.

do i need to use vapor bags on my lights inside a barn?

I'm looking for a lighting setup: 7x 4' LED Tubes (high CRI 90+, 5000k, dimmable.) I need single tube fixtures for each and the correct dimmer switch to run all 7 tubes off the same line. If anyone may help me with this, I can offer $100 via PayPal or Venmo.

The switch is setup for a Lowvoltage line as well if 0-10v is necessary. I've read that a Triac dimmer may be possible, but I legit can't figure it out. Is it possible to avoid a dimmer ballast being used? Thank you.

Hey guys, I’m a resi guy but am stuck hooking up a commercial oven, doesn’t come with a cord. I know wire gauge but are there any rule about what type of wire I should use. I’m in Canada and can’t see any rules on this.

As you can see, the equipment we use to practice is not in the best condition. It is missing some parts here and there so I did the best I could with it.

Another thing you may notice is that I left a lot of insulation at the screws on the loads. Not something I would do on a real job. Here we are just practicing so I left it there. But I am aware of it.

Other than that, I would like to hear what else I can do to improve. I was able to do it without looking at my notes for the first time.

Was given these by a contractor and told I could scrap if I wanted but if they are worth more than weight in copper I’d rather sell them.

Im a newer electrician. Does anyone have any experience on what happens if you get caught doing side work or worse if an accident happens. Most people in my area dont pull permits and seem not to be worried about it. They say if paid in cash there is no proof they did it. Would this hold up in a court situation if there was an accident. There seems to be no answers online to this so i figured id ask if anyone has experience or know if a situation. Thanks.

New England companies!

Who's good to work for? Specially closer to the nashua New hamshire area but am just curious in general a good job is worth traveling for obviously.

Im a 3rd year apprentice, I've worked for 2 different companies in my 3 years doing electrical and finding myself wondering if I even wanna stay in this field? Between the lovely "journeymen" I've had the pleasure of working with (I've worked with a few junkies and people who either don't know what they're doing or don't care enough) and the lack of decent pay/ time at home with the kids. I'm getting burnt out.

A job is a job but when you constantly just get dumped off by yourself somewhere or have to work with morons/people who don't care anymore it's like what the hell am I doing here man haha. Especially when the paychecks don't match up with the effort your putting in.

So in conclusion before I decide to just bail on this career does anybody have any good advice/can recommend a good company to work for? I'm employed currently but i am getting tired of the nonsense that comes with my current job.

in between both but leaning more toward electrical but does anyone have regrets abt picking trades? i was either gonna try to do a construction management degree or industrial engineering degree for reference.

Do you think heading towards the future most of our work will be pre-fabricated since it is cheaper to produce and will conduit ever be taken over as a labourer job?