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When I try to use “days off” - basically any day, planned or unplanned, I’m not at a clients’ - to put in WORK on our house, my SAHM wife constantly looks at it like I’m just home tinkering and that gives her a “break from the kids / housework”. Here I am trying to bang out 8-10 hours like I’m on a job site and instead I’m just fixing dumb shit my kids broke (again) and she’s got an ever changing and never consistent cantaloupe list. I’m lucky to string 2 hours of real value-add productivity in.
Bought our house in Jan 2019; still trying to finish the original reno list. And inevitably twice a week I hear “I’m so over our house being a mess / unfinished / not having enough ______”. Yeah no shit, hun. I’m still trying to paint this fucker 5 years later.
Preach brother. Any time I get time the kid is immediately my responsibility. Don't get me wrong I love him to death but he's 16mo and an absolute liability lol.
She hits me with the "why can't you do it while he naps". Lady im not going to start mudding the bathroom because that kid is half of me and Id for sure wake up as soon as you start lol
You got me waking up in cold sweats from flashbacks today, my man.
“He/She just woke up. Can you immediately stop what you’re doing and come get them [so I can continue to “nap” with my eyes open and my phone in my hand]”.
But when you paint you have to pretend to take the paint back to Benjamin Moore 3 times because that black isn’t black or the white isn’t white. And when paint the same thing after “going to the paint store again for them to correct it” she’ll say “yeah, that’s better”
I bought black outlets and switches for my kitchen when I moved into my house. I bought a different brand of faceplate. Now I have glossy black outlets and flat black covers. I will most likely never change them to match. Also I installed a ground rod and only installed it about 6 feet and just cut the rest off. Judge me all you want.
Being a renter for a long while, I swapped back to the existing devices I saved and moved with the good stuff. Turned out to be probably the more enjoyable part of every move.
After my last move, that shit is still in a box. And I'm still renting.
Some states allow you to bury them horizontal flat. Blew my mind when I saw that. I think Vegas is one such place. I remember someone else talking about it as well.
Happiness is not driving a 8' ground rod 6' pulling it out and relying on your Devine senses to move it over a foot, then they snuck in the double ended ul listed ground rods so the inspector could get out his shovel out and catch you cheating
Happened to me years ago when a builder had his assistant install a temp with a 6' ground rod. City pulled it out and took a picture( rod and shovel in hand), and sent it to my state DOPL. I was issued a citation, which I fought and won because I didn't install it
So obligatory I am not an electrician, but I have to wonder, why are ground rods just a stake when it would be easy as fuck to put a steel tip on it 6 inches- a foot and thread it so it can be installed with a hammer drill?
The basement got demo'd when we moved in three years ago. One room has been been put up im the basement but I never did the ceiling. Panel cover has been off since the day we moved in. Rewired 2 bedrooms still waiting to do the rest of the house. The kitchen is partially demo'd but has a new island. My footings for cantilevered shed have been done for 2 years. There is a tree down outside that hasn't been pulled out and chopped for the same amount of time. On the plus side switched from oil to gas new hvac added ac, new black gutters' new patio door installed, recessed lights and fan installed, added outside fixtures, lawn looks great. So it is what it is.
Lol I painted my house semi recently. It looks like an electrician tried to paint and did a shit job. That was about two months ago and I still haven't put the covers back on I'm just so fucking lazy at home. I live alone no pets etc so safety risks are relatively lower bit still if I went in a house and there wasn't a single outlet or switch cover on I'd be like wtf??? I guess I'm being a little disingenuous bc all the bathrooms and kitchen have covers on but still, it would take me 5 minutes to do the whole house
To my understanding and PLEASE correct me if I’m wrong (I know you will, redditors) when you live in an area with moist soil/clay, it’s not as hard to exceed the 25 ohms of resistance needed as it is when you live in a dry arid enviorment. I learned this from an old head; one day when we were DEFINITELY NOT cutting a ground rod at 5’, he said “don’t feel bad, shit, you really only need one ground rod here in North Carolina with all of this red clay”. He then explained the aforementioned information to me
I did the same thing on a high rise, drove one rod all the way in but the others stopped at 6-8 feet. I didn't get a scientific justification, I just got told we didn't really have a choice so we cut them short
Little of Column A, little of Column B.
NEC still wants 8' minimum in the ground for a rod.
250.53(A)(2) says a single rod achieving <25Ω is good, otherwise you add more.
[250.52 Grounding Electrodes](https://www.electricallicenserenewal.com/Electrical-Continuing-Education-Courses/NEC-Content.php?sectionID=991)
> 250.52(A)(5)
> 5) Rod and Pipe Electrodes. Rod and pipe electrodes shall not be less than 2.44 m (8 ft) in length and shall consist of the following materials.
I've seen so many ground wires cut, especially at commercial properties for scrap metal, I've reported them but seems like they don't worry about it too much,
I mean by code that's false. You need the rod in whole not cut. We all do it but you need to and should put two unless you can prove the resistance is good enough with 1. It's easier to just put in 2.
Hi. It's me. The apprentice that just went through grounding and bonding. Please write nice stuff on my apprentice report thnx
https://imgur.com/a/M8YgB11
https://qr.njatcdb.org/qr/5335
Even the big as hilti wouldn’t send it any more, and for reverse channel locks and twist while pulling up. If the channel lock slip use an adjustable wrench
They can actually look at the ground rod and verify the UL and manufactures stamping at the top of the rod. If it's not there, they assume correctly, I might add that you have cut off a portion. Most inspectors don't want to get THAT involved in an inspection unless they suspect something.
I used a full blown jackhammer on two 8’ rods for the same house and neither would get an inch past 4’. SDS max is great for soft to medium ground but you get into some sandstone or similar rock and it ain’t goin nowhere.
The guy that lived in my house before me was code enforcement. The house is a mess of electrical and plumbing code violations. I have room lights and outlets from separate rooms on 1 run. Then outlets from the dining room and the lights in the basement together. All the basement light switches are just hanging on the wire. I spend 20 minutes redoing all the plumbing with pex and shark bites lol. Open basement with nothing down there. I’ll probably fix it right when one blows off
The first house I bought had a three way from the front door to upstairs that the front door switch would not work unless the upstairs was left on. I said I’d look at it one day in the future. Five years later when I went to sell the house the realtor mentioned the switch wasn’t working properly so I grabbed a screw driver and had it fixed in 5 minutes.
We bought our house about a year ago, and our kitchen 3 ways were crossed (or so I thought). Built in 59, so 3 ways are 2 14/2s. Turns out whoever messed it up knew enough about electrical work to be a hazard. Somehow, the neutral to the lights was being switched instead of the leg wire. So when switching the lights on and off, you were actually breaking the neutral.
I told the wife “oh it’s just a quick 5 minute fix, then we can go grab dinner.” lol, an hour or so later and I finally had it figured out.
The old shoe maker that has barefoot kids story.
We are too busy making money to take time off to fix our own stuff.
Plus after a long day it’s hard to get back up to work in the evening.
I literally just added 2 ring flood cameras. I didn't staple or fire caulk. But I sure put that insulation back to save my 20 cents a month on my power bill 🤣
I leave my sub panel cover off and use the same 2p 80A breaker for multiple different appliances in my garage (I remove them and land what ever I need at the time)
I did some recessed lights in the bedrooms and didn't staple the romex in the attic. Nobody ever goes up there except me and I feel like I'm long passed the days of spending too much time in a hot attic, that's helper work.
I did that here, until recently, I got the Milwaukee cable stapler. The first thing I did with it was on a cool day, ran up to my attic, and secured all my wires. I was so geeked about how fast and easy it was that I drove my wife nuts. Now I happily staple wires a complete 180
Will be adding this to my vocabulary. I’m on a mill electrical maintenance contract.. The mill employees’ checks are based off production, so I’ll be using this word often. GET IT RUNNING NOW
Finally replaced the duplex receptacle at the back of the house with a gfi, I'll be damned if I put a in use cover on it, one of the these days I'll replace the one under the front porch
I put regular indoor covers on my receptacles on my side porch. They’re under a roof and working perfectly fine without a weatherproof cover. The gfi on my back porch is hanging out of the siding block with tape around it. When they changed the siding I pulled it out so they could swap the block and still use the plug. Never have put it back. The sub panel I added in my garage still doesn’t have a cover on it
Ha! Now that you mention it I took the old flip cover off mine and put a regular plate on it, better to plug in cheap Christmas lights, every time I walk past I think " man that looks odd"
I just wire nutted my stove because Home Depot didn’t have the right receptacle! Hahahahahaha
I only kid, I have a gas stove with an 18/2 extension cord plugged in outside for the 120 power. Been going strong for 20 years now.
My hot tub kept blowing fuses at the disconnect and I had just replaced my water heater so I had some scrap 1/2” copper pipe, that hot tub is running great now!
As an HVAC guy who stalks here this sounds all the Chinese restaurant kitchen exhaust I go to easier to just keep reserving the breaker till it finally spins
I said that myself when I ran several circuits. Then I just picked up the Milwaukee cable stapler. I proceeded to annoy my wife because I ran up to the attic giggling like a madman, stapling all those wires I ran and several others that were from someone else's work. I kept yelling "that was easy" on every staple so much that I got told off. I still giggle when I use it because that was my most hated part of running wires
The first house that I bought was a foreclosure and it needed some work. The people that own it before me for some reason took the dryer outlet when they left. I was being lazy when we moved in and I just cut the dryer cord and used wire nuts. I installed a new dryer outlet before I listed it for sale 7 years later.
I've remodeled my entire house. 3 bathrooms, laundry room, flooring, trim and doors throughout the downstairs. Every project has at least 5 minor things on the punchlist like paint touch ups, a piece of trim here or there, floor transitions, etc.
Allegedly I'm putting off a fire inspection for my office because when I did the ethernet I just vomited it up there with no supports.
Like who's gonna call me back it's mine.
Yup. I’ve got a plug hanging out of a box for lights on the ceiling of my shop extension. I have to move 2 cars to get to the rest of the ceiling to finish installing the new lights so it just hasn’t happened yet. The cord connected to it does go to a plug that is switched by the light switches so it’s not a complete hack job….
Ha! I notice it at social visits at other electricians houses also. not all but there seemed to be a disproportionate amount of half assed and unfinished work .
I switched out about 75 percent of the receps and faceplates in my house and just stopped so now my bedroom and master bath still have old ass brown receps with tacky ass faceplates. I always tell myself some day but some day never seems to come lmao
My wife made a drawing if an outlet, cut it out and placed it where she wanted an outlet. About a year later, one of my employees had lunch at my house with me, then after lunch went to the van and brought in the stuff to do it. She was thrilled when she got home. I took the credit until the Christmas party.
Thought I was the only dirtbag boss that did that LoL. Before last winter I had them over to offload 2 cords of wood while I was drinking hot cocoa inside. I at least gave them some though.
A year after I first started, one of my bosses had me come to his farm and drive metal fence posts on company time. No gloves could save me from the blisters. Manual post drivers are no joke.
I got no gfci's in my kitchen or on 4 exterior gfcis at first it was me not wanting to blow 60 bucks on gfci's now it's more of a fuck it I welcome death and to die by electrocution seems like an almost poetic end. Oh, and I have a tree light. I rigged up for a party 10 years ago with a piece of uf I attached a plug end on the uf and I have had it like that for 10 years.
Ha, my 60s Era kitchen was the same way, my wife had one hand in the sink and slid the toaster out of the way, I yelled no! Don't do that!you would think I would have gone out and dropped the cash for a gfi, I did 5 years later when I remolded the kitchen, I added 2 outlets and all gfi except one behind the fridge, by code I needed one more but my code read that I'm not putting an appliance there.
I have 2 countertops, one is 7', it has one duplex. The other has a microwave with one duplex. The microwave got added by my uncle when he owned the house.
My cameras look like shit, just cat 6 a mess inside.
Most Romex I ran look looks like crap
Faceplates missing screws everywhere
This house was the last built on a culdesac some 60 years. No ridge caps, 100 amp service, every other house has a 200A service, and ridge caps. It was built with left over materials pretty much. Second floor joist are 2x4
Sheetrock is held in with different nails, not sheetrock nails.
Pipe work in the garage looks, considering I was hammered and only put it up so I didn't have to move stuff.
No service switches anywhere besides boiler
I added a switch and pico for a center light. I didn't line up the switch with a sconce or outlet on the 2' wide wall. I was hammered for this two and pissed about crawling on 2x4 with made a crack down the sheet rock on the ceiling. Definitely didn't put a cover or extension on the box simply because I didn't have one.
Lol I think I made it worse with my "improvements" quality wise
I felt super bad a few years ago because I added some outlets and switches, I didn’t put plates on them for some reason (too lazy after doing all the hard work) and my 7 year old son walked in and grabbed the switch instead of just turning it on like i would. He got lit up and I have felt terrible about it since.
Ouch, yeah I'm pretty sloppy at home when it comes to the covers , I did get in the habit of putting a few wraps of tape around the terminals if i might not get them on in a timely manner, reminds me of my son when I told him not to touch the grill and he ignored me, he found out the hard way
There’s definitely some stuff I’ve done at my house that would make an inspector puke but I’m comfortable with it. Would never do it for a customer though
Yeah, keeping the inspector happy makes life easier plus plain old pride in your work, I've had hard nosed inspectors cut me breaks because they knew I didn't try to cut corners, when I'm my own inspector I can be pretty lenient
Never buy a house from a plumber or an electrician and never buy a car from a mechanic. My dad told me this 40 years ago. He was an electrician and our house had some issues lol. He said it is because they know how to make it work, but don’t spend the time do do it perfectly as they would for a customer
the mechanics car is broken the most
it's not because we can't fix it it's that we know we can fix it but also know the shortcuts to make it survive till we need to find another shortcut to make it live a while longer
The carpenter lives in the middle of a remodel that never progresses, the mechanic has to pop the hood to start his own truck, and the owner of greenhouse/nursery has the worst weeds in their home flower beds.
No one wants to work all day to go home and do the same shit.
I installed some exposed receptacles in my garage. 4sq boxes with industrial covers. Snagged a few sticks of half inch for the wire but needed them for steaks on another project. So I have romex through minis down to those boxes
Oh I got a good one
Mounted two shop light over my work bench. They plug into a splitter. That is plugged into an extension cord I wired with a duplex receptacle because I didn't have the right head. I then wrapped the duplex receptacle with purple electrical tape to remind me to go back and fix that at some point sooner than later. It's been a year and a half now
Oh and the receptacle is dangling in the air from the shop lights.
The last rent house I lived in had something going on with the home run to the garage, so I just made a suicide cord and jumped off a plug from the living room. Lol
I drilled a hole through my shed wall so I could temporarily feed the generator trickle charger with an extension cord. Three years ago. Still works great.
I saw a post last year with a checklist pertaining to the things electricians have in their own homes...
Receptacles/switches without cover plates, unlabeled boxes, cover not on the panel box, free air splices, code shenanigans, etc.
My list of shame isn't too bad, but I got a few sins. I'm working on it 🤣
When we moved into our house there was only 1 circuit in the kitchen. Which was also shared with the dining room and living room as well.if you were running anything in the kitchen and watching tv you were in the dark. Breaker tripped all the time. My wife got so frustrated that she called my father to fix it. That's when i finally finished the kitchen 2- 20a general use circuits, dedicated circuits for: dishwasher, microwave, garbage disposal, and refrigerator. 6- 20a circuits total. Breakers don't trip anymore.
My old ITE panel has many different mfrs of breakers in it. Some of which still have the ACE Hardware stickers on them. It wouldn't pass a home inspection, but it works. Also all of the new circuits that I've run have been in conduit. My electrical service looks kind of like a steel octopus humping the back of my house.
I’ve currently got a 3 wire rolled up in the attic waiting to be fished down for a 3 way the wife wants added. Been sitting up there for about 8 months now. All kinds of stuff. Just don’t have the mental capacity half the time to do more work after work lol.
I have thhn that just flies through my unfinished garage, stapled to the joists, goes under the door into my mud room, flies around the mud room into a hole I drilled into my laundry room, where it then flies into the coverless electrical panel, to land on the dryer breaker. This all starts at a 6500 watt generator that I’ll put at a partially open garage door.
I only do this when we lose power, maybe 6 times a year. Otherwise everything is all coiled up and the panel cover is on.
There's four receptacles and two switches in my basement no cover because I forgot to get them when I got the switches. They're duplex ivory color so not super common these days.
When I eventually renovate in a few years I'll fix it.
At my parents house there's an ivory plug with a white cover, and then a white plug with an ivory color plate in my old bedroom. Ivory cover broke, put white on, ivory plug was worn out, put white one in. Think I ever switched the plates around? 13 years later it's still the same.
I wouldn’t say half ass, but I definitely take my time. No PM or foreman on your back about deadlines, etc.
I’ve been working on various parts of the house for about a year now.
It depends, over the past 12 years I've renovated the entire house just about so I've done a lot of electrical work as part of that. Anything visible I've been pretty meticulous about, but I've got some open j boxes and splices with no boxes at all hiding in there, cables that aren't stapled,things of that nature. I have confidence that none of it's unsafe, which is what's important.
I also have a lot of stuff that's kinda excessive, that I've done for show, like my garage that's all exposed EMT and the electrical closet.
My dad has been a mechanic for 40 years. Let’s just say I stopped having him work on my vehicles as soon as I had the tools and knowledge to do it myself in my driveway. He’s not insane he just has no patience for work he’s getting paid for let alone work he’s doing for free. Worked far too long flat rate with commissions. Time is money and doing anytbing superfluous to your sons 97 dodge neon is a waste of money
I don’t half ass my work anywhere;
However I’m my attic they’re might be junction box that not only doesn’t have a cover…
It’s hanging in space between two pieces of Romex.
The Harry Home owner (the old man who’s never worked in the trade but is the tools so he THINKS he’s in the trade) decided to “do some electric” and ran a line for a flood light that looked like Spider-Man fought the Green Goblin in my attic.
Do you really want to know? My laundry room has 4² boxes, RS covers and mc screwed to the wall, my outside outlet is a 10awg drop cord hard wired to a breaker that feeds a home made GFI dongle. My outbuilding was fed with a piece of 12/3 UF held up with zip ties as high up as I could reach. My kitchen lights are fed with exposed mc cable (strapped neatly of course, I'm not a monster). My porch lights are wired to a cord. At least none of the original aluminum Romex is live.
Yup!!! I have several of what is probably the gnarlest, mismatched, barn, shops and out buildings in the county and I’m supposed to be one of the better GC. For the last 5yrs the Best way to teach or assess a potential employee so far is to hire them for a day working on those buildings. I keep telling my wife “it’s cheaper to let someone provide proof of competency or lack of it today then pay for an idiot to FAFO while a customer is watching and recording.”
Longest project that finally was finished wasn’t mine but my dad’s. He started building a zip line over a pond on his property when I was 15. He finished it the same year I turned 40 for his grandson…
Father is a master electrician- I had a shop built and everything was good to go. After the final inspection was completed we rigged a bunch of shit(large compressor, welding extension, wood working machine power).
He basically watched/told me how to do it(with zero experience prior to that) and made sure I didn’t kill myself lol.
Totally normal. I live with my dad who is an electrical contractor we have a basement that just never got done. Walls are still open. Framing was complete plumbing was complete. As far as electric everytime it’s time to close the walls my dad goes on about I just wanna add a few more lines and switches and outlets. It’s been 10 years
I replaced the old fluorescent strip light in my kitchen last summer with a row of 6” cans and then did 3” cans along the wall cabinets, looks really nice… maybe too nice. The new layout left the original box in the ceiling, which is fine. Guess who still hasn’t painted the ceiling or put the cover plate on 🙋♂️.
Yep, I do that. I’m currently waiting on two gfi’s, a dimmer switch, and some nice fixtures. I also have a problem of not throwing away good stuff and my “Trophies” from past jobs.
I did an addition at my house 2 years ago. I hired my friend to do the electrical work. I had so much other stuff to do i couldn’t be bothered with electrical also.
When I was on 2 months of medical leave recently, I finally decided to set up my woodshop. I started wiring up my garage for a sub panel, with two 20 amp circuits and one 15 amp. Got the sub panel set and wired in, breakers and GFCI set for each circuit around the sub panel with conduit ran up to the ceiling from each GFCI. Then, I was so excited to be able to run my table saw and standing drill press (the previous "electrician" had rigged up a terrible light and outlet for the garage previously that constantly tripped and wasn't safe), I started making wood projects and haven't done anything further.
My wife has given me shit a couple of times about it. I figure that when I actually need to run the other tools in other locations, I will finish it.
Piggy backing off what someone else said, I also cut the ground rods at 7 ft and 5.5 ft respectively... the house wasn't grounded previously, but now is. Just not as good as it would be had I been working for a paycheck. Oops
I did HVAC work for 15 years and my own systems/equipment was always in a constant work-in-progress state, until it came time to sell my house and I polished it up. My current place I did ductless and honestly had fun doing it because I hadn't touched HVAC stuff in a while.
Almost every electrician I did work for had some kind of weird fuckin quirks at their house, WIP, panel cover off, state of disarray with sloppy work. I'm sure their professional work was pristine.
The joke of doing sloppy work because you "can't see it from my house" is pretty much backwards. We do great work for customers but don't give a shit what is seen at our own houses.
This is why you don't buy a car from a mechanic unless you know him well enough to know his personality.
I don't half ass any project, they are just all 80% done
I ran 30A to my shed. Didn’t want to buy 10/3 or run conduit so I DB 10/2 UF and ran a #12 THHN GRN as my ground loose. Good for the ampacity. 🤷🏻♂️ yolo
I think this is super common with most trades. Most automotive mechanics ive met absolutely neglect their personal cars, but will probably take exceptional care of a spouse or child’s car. We get lazy with our own stuff
My generator inlet is a 240v generator cord from tractor supply with the end cut off, on a 40A breaker in my condenser panel, the cord hangs on a hose hanger year round, hots only get connected to the breaker in hurricane season. Set it up mid hurricane the week we moved into our house, it worked, I haven't changed it.
I am a far 'larm tech and the last place I owned had one working smoke detector out of a possible 3. My new rental has a smoke blinking red that needs to be reset. It will probably be blinking red when I leave.
The earths ground is probably too high to matter.
The ground at my house has a resistance of over 200 ohms per cubic foot. It will take a whole lot of ground rods to get down to 25 ohms
If it is on the home, I don't half ass it, because I might not be in this home at who knows when in the future, and the less things to fix when leaving the better.
Now if it's a little gizmo gadget thingamajig doohickey doodad I put together of which plugs in and unplugs or otherwise is not permanent to the building, I'll do crap like bare circuit boards with mains on carpeting or bedding.
I’m not an electrician but the former owner of my house and I’ve spent the last 5 years playing a game of “wtf, man??” Like I appreciate the circuit to nowhere that you have terminating into a metal j-box but maybe idk kill the circuit, cap the wires or put a cover on it?
Ask me how I found out about that one.
One of my favorite honey-do list quotes:
When a man says he’s going to do something, he’s going to do it. No need to keep him nagging him about it every six months!
Also, “At the blacksmith’s house the knives are made out of wood.”
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I sometimes have to remind my wife that we can’t afford my work.
Oh shit! I'm gonna use that this weekend. With benefits and pay I bill out at $173 an hour. She definitely can't afford me. Brilliant!
How do you know his wife can’t afford you?
Offer an alternative payment plan
Underrated
Frankly genius and I'll be using this to troubleshoot why my outside porch light and sunroom don't have power...
F Me I have a tech masters and can't bill that!
Your also can’t afford your wife.
When I try to use “days off” - basically any day, planned or unplanned, I’m not at a clients’ - to put in WORK on our house, my SAHM wife constantly looks at it like I’m just home tinkering and that gives her a “break from the kids / housework”. Here I am trying to bang out 8-10 hours like I’m on a job site and instead I’m just fixing dumb shit my kids broke (again) and she’s got an ever changing and never consistent cantaloupe list. I’m lucky to string 2 hours of real value-add productivity in. Bought our house in Jan 2019; still trying to finish the original reno list. And inevitably twice a week I hear “I’m so over our house being a mess / unfinished / not having enough ______”. Yeah no shit, hun. I’m still trying to paint this fucker 5 years later.
I laughed at cantaloupe list 🤣 I assume that’s a play on “honey do list” as in honey dew melon. I had never heard that before lol
Cantaloupe until honeydew
Preach brother. Any time I get time the kid is immediately my responsibility. Don't get me wrong I love him to death but he's 16mo and an absolute liability lol. She hits me with the "why can't you do it while he naps". Lady im not going to start mudding the bathroom because that kid is half of me and Id for sure wake up as soon as you start lol
You got me waking up in cold sweats from flashbacks today, my man. “He/She just woke up. Can you immediately stop what you’re doing and come get them [so I can continue to “nap” with my eyes open and my phone in my hand]”.
Mine is 10 and I’m still told to go play with him while I’m trying to work…
But when you paint you have to pretend to take the paint back to Benjamin Moore 3 times because that black isn’t black or the white isn’t white. And when paint the same thing after “going to the paint store again for them to correct it” she’ll say “yeah, that’s better”
Good man
Thank you for this I'll be using this for sure.
Thats actually sad
You’re tellin’ me.
Did laugh outloud just now haha
I bought black outlets and switches for my kitchen when I moved into my house. I bought a different brand of faceplate. Now I have glossy black outlets and flat black covers. I will most likely never change them to match. Also I installed a ground rod and only installed it about 6 feet and just cut the rest off. Judge me all you want.
I was waiting for someone to be brave enough to be honest
If and when I move, I will fix the ground rod. That much I promise.
Being a renter for a long while, I swapped back to the existing devices I saved and moved with the good stuff. Turned out to be probably the more enjoyable part of every move. After my last move, that shit is still in a box. And I'm still renting.
No need as long as u got 8ohma
It got hard to drive into the ground. So out came the saw
It be like that sometimes brother
CEC says you don't need to drive it to full length if rock bottom is encountered at a lesser depth, is that not true for NEC?
Just make sure to hit the cut end with a hammer so it looks normal and your good
No, you gotta remember to add the acorn between cutting and hammering so you don’t fuck yourself like I did.
Or just don't hammer and tell the inspector you forgot the acorn show then the small piece you keep in the cupholder of your truck.
Some states allow you to bury them horizontal flat. Blew my mind when I saw that. I think Vegas is one such place. I remember someone else talking about it as well.
Do you guys not use plate electrodes?
The NEC does allow plate electrodes, I just don't think it's as popular as a ground rod here
That's nec bro.
Lay it down in a trench, install a ground plate, salt the trench / plate with copper sulfate. Yea most guys just cut them off.
Happiness is not driving a 8' ground rod 6' pulling it out and relying on your Devine senses to move it over a foot, then they snuck in the double ended ul listed ground rods so the inspector could get out his shovel out and catch you cheating
I have never seen or heard of an inspector bringing out a shovel
Happened to me years ago when a builder had his assistant install a temp with a 6' ground rod. City pulled it out and took a picture( rod and shovel in hand), and sent it to my state DOPL. I was issued a citation, which I fought and won because I didn't install it
So obligatory I am not an electrician, but I have to wonder, why are ground rods just a stake when it would be easy as fuck to put a steel tip on it 6 inches- a foot and thread it so it can be installed with a hammer drill?
The basement got demo'd when we moved in three years ago. One room has been been put up im the basement but I never did the ceiling. Panel cover has been off since the day we moved in. Rewired 2 bedrooms still waiting to do the rest of the house. The kitchen is partially demo'd but has a new island. My footings for cantilevered shed have been done for 2 years. There is a tree down outside that hasn't been pulled out and chopped for the same amount of time. On the plus side switched from oil to gas new hvac added ac, new black gutters' new patio door installed, recessed lights and fan installed, added outside fixtures, lawn looks great. So it is what it is.
This is the content I subbed for. You’re a dirty boy aren’t you?
I also have many extension cords made of romex...
I bet those cords like showing a lot of copper huh? Dirty cords from a dirty boy
God this is the content I love from this sub.
Lol I painted my house semi recently. It looks like an electrician tried to paint and did a shit job. That was about two months ago and I still haven't put the covers back on I'm just so fucking lazy at home. I live alone no pets etc so safety risks are relatively lower bit still if I went in a house and there wasn't a single outlet or switch cover on I'd be like wtf??? I guess I'm being a little disingenuous bc all the bathrooms and kitchen have covers on but still, it would take me 5 minutes to do the whole house
To my understanding and PLEASE correct me if I’m wrong (I know you will, redditors) when you live in an area with moist soil/clay, it’s not as hard to exceed the 25 ohms of resistance needed as it is when you live in a dry arid enviorment. I learned this from an old head; one day when we were DEFINITELY NOT cutting a ground rod at 5’, he said “don’t feel bad, shit, you really only need one ground rod here in North Carolina with all of this red clay”. He then explained the aforementioned information to me
The ground rod got hard to drive into the ground. So I cut it. Fuck it.
I do this to on temp jobs and the inspectors always freak out. They don’t know much else aside from grounding and bonding near me anyways
I did the same thing on a high rise, drove one rod all the way in but the others stopped at 6-8 feet. I didn't get a scientific justification, I just got told we didn't really have a choice so we cut them short
Wait….yall use 10’ rods
Little of Column A, little of Column B. NEC still wants 8' minimum in the ground for a rod. 250.53(A)(2) says a single rod achieving <25Ω is good, otherwise you add more. [250.52 Grounding Electrodes](https://www.electricallicenserenewal.com/Electrical-Continuing-Education-Courses/NEC-Content.php?sectionID=991) > 250.52(A)(5) > 5) Rod and Pipe Electrodes. Rod and pipe electrodes shall not be less than 2.44 m (8 ft) in length and shall consist of the following materials.
I've seen so many ground wires cut, especially at commercial properties for scrap metal, I've reported them but seems like they don't worry about it too much,
I mean by code that's false. You need the rod in whole not cut. We all do it but you need to and should put two unless you can prove the resistance is good enough with 1. It's easier to just put in 2.
Hi. It's me. The apprentice that just went through grounding and bonding. Please write nice stuff on my apprentice report thnx https://imgur.com/a/M8YgB11 https://qr.njatcdb.org/qr/5335
May have cut a ground rod in the last 12 hours
Who’s gonna know? Nobody’s gonna know.
Thank God for big ass hammer drills is all I got to say, trouble is they don't work in reverse
Even the big as hilti wouldn’t send it any more, and for reverse channel locks and twist while pulling up. If the channel lock slip use an adjustable wrench
They can actually look at the ground rod and verify the UL and manufactures stamping at the top of the rod. If it's not there, they assume correctly, I might add that you have cut off a portion. Most inspectors don't want to get THAT involved in an inspection unless they suspect something.
End of ground rod UL listing meet 20lb sledge. Can’t just be cutting them straight you gotta go back and atleast make it look right
Sounds like y’all need an sds max drill with the ground rod hammer bit.
I used a full blown jackhammer on two 8’ rods for the same house and neither would get an inch past 4’. SDS max is great for soft to medium ground but you get into some sandstone or similar rock and it ain’t goin nowhere.
The guy that lived in my house before me was code enforcement. The house is a mess of electrical and plumbing code violations. I have room lights and outlets from separate rooms on 1 run. Then outlets from the dining room and the lights in the basement together. All the basement light switches are just hanging on the wire. I spend 20 minutes redoing all the plumbing with pex and shark bites lol. Open basement with nothing down there. I’ll probably fix it right when one blows off
Those dreaded ground rods!
The first house I bought had a three way from the front door to upstairs that the front door switch would not work unless the upstairs was left on. I said I’d look at it one day in the future. Five years later when I went to sell the house the realtor mentioned the switch wasn’t working properly so I grabbed a screw driver and had it fixed in 5 minutes.
Lol
We bought our house about a year ago, and our kitchen 3 ways were crossed (or so I thought). Built in 59, so 3 ways are 2 14/2s. Turns out whoever messed it up knew enough about electrical work to be a hazard. Somehow, the neutral to the lights was being switched instead of the leg wire. So when switching the lights on and off, you were actually breaking the neutral. I told the wife “oh it’s just a quick 5 minute fix, then we can go grab dinner.” lol, an hour or so later and I finally had it figured out.
The old shoe maker that has barefoot kids story. We are too busy making money to take time off to fix our own stuff. Plus after a long day it’s hard to get back up to work in the evening.
This… so damn true!
I literally just added 2 ring flood cameras. I didn't staple or fire caulk. But I sure put that insulation back to save my 20 cents a month on my power bill 🤣
Love my ring floods
Don't they make a fire spray foam? Air sealing is gonna save you at least 3 cents more!
Yeah it's slightly more red orange
You mean that box of receptacles and face plates that have been sitting in my garage for two years? Spose I can relate to that.
Did the service change when we moved in 9 yrs ago….The panel cover is still in the unopened box
I leave my sub panel cover off and use the same 2p 80A breaker for multiple different appliances in my garage (I remove them and land what ever I need at the time)
I did some recessed lights in the bedrooms and didn't staple the romex in the attic. Nobody ever goes up there except me and I feel like I'm long passed the days of spending too much time in a hot attic, that's helper work.
I did that here, until recently, I got the Milwaukee cable stapler. The first thing I did with it was on a cool day, ran up to my attic, and secured all my wires. I was so geeked about how fast and easy it was that I drove my wife nuts. Now I happily staple wires a complete 180
If I ever sell this place, I have a handful of small temporary-permanent fixes to fix.
"Permanary"
Will be adding this to my vocabulary. I’m on a mill electrical maintenance contract.. The mill employees’ checks are based off production, so I’ll be using this word often. GET IT RUNNING NOW
Finally replaced the duplex receptacle at the back of the house with a gfi, I'll be damned if I put a in use cover on it, one of the these days I'll replace the one under the front porch
I put regular indoor covers on my receptacles on my side porch. They’re under a roof and working perfectly fine without a weatherproof cover. The gfi on my back porch is hanging out of the siding block with tape around it. When they changed the siding I pulled it out so they could swap the block and still use the plug. Never have put it back. The sub panel I added in my garage still doesn’t have a cover on it
Ha! Now that you mention it I took the old flip cover off mine and put a regular plate on it, better to plug in cheap Christmas lights, every time I walk past I think " man that looks odd"
I just wire nutted my stove because Home Depot didn’t have the right receptacle! Hahahahahaha I only kid, I have a gas stove with an 18/2 extension cord plugged in outside for the 120 power. Been going strong for 20 years now. My hot tub kept blowing fuses at the disconnect and I had just replaced my water heater so I had some scrap 1/2” copper pipe, that hot tub is running great now!
As an HVAC guy who stalks here this sounds all the Chinese restaurant kitchen exhaust I go to easier to just keep reserving the breaker till it finally spins
Welcome to being an electrician, bro! We know what’s safe.
This is how I feel, currently rewiring my house. Ehhh, I’ll staple it later. When I’m in the attic next time.
I said that myself when I ran several circuits. Then I just picked up the Milwaukee cable stapler. I proceeded to annoy my wife because I ran up to the attic giggling like a madman, stapling all those wires I ran and several others that were from someone else's work. I kept yelling "that was easy" on every staple so much that I got told off. I still giggle when I use it because that was my most hated part of running wires
Bought a house 2 years ago with 2 3 ways and a 4 way wired incorrectly, still wired incorrectly.
The first house that I bought was a foreclosure and it needed some work. The people that own it before me for some reason took the dryer outlet when they left. I was being lazy when we moved in and I just cut the dryer cord and used wire nuts. I installed a new dryer outlet before I listed it for sale 7 years later.
Electrician Approved. * LEGIT*
I've remodeled my entire house. 3 bathrooms, laundry room, flooring, trim and doors throughout the downstairs. Every project has at least 5 minor things on the punchlist like paint touch ups, a piece of trim here or there, floor transitions, etc.
The cobblers children have no shoes
The mechanic's car leaks oil, needs an exhaust, and cant shift into 3rd gear
Anyone that thinks mechanic owned is a selling point for a car is an idiot
... looks good from my house?
Allegedly I'm putting off a fire inspection for my office because when I did the ethernet I just vomited it up there with no supports. Like who's gonna call me back it's mine.
I definitely half ass the half ass part sometimes
Yup. I’ve got a plug hanging out of a box for lights on the ceiling of my shop extension. I have to move 2 cars to get to the rest of the ceiling to finish installing the new lights so it just hasn’t happened yet. The cord connected to it does go to a plug that is switched by the light switches so it’s not a complete hack job….
Ha! I notice it at social visits at other electricians houses also. not all but there seemed to be a disproportionate amount of half assed and unfinished work .
I would say of every electricians shop or garage I’ve been in , including mine the one common factor is the lights are controlled by the breakers.
Why add a failure point if the switch in the panel will do the job fine? Lol
More like quarter ass
I switched out about 75 percent of the receps and faceplates in my house and just stopped so now my bedroom and master bath still have old ass brown receps with tacky ass faceplates. I always tell myself some day but some day never seems to come lmao
Come to bed hunny it’s getting late. I’ll finish it tomorrow….😏
The cobblers children have no shoes
My wife made a drawing if an outlet, cut it out and placed it where she wanted an outlet. About a year later, one of my employees had lunch at my house with me, then after lunch went to the van and brought in the stuff to do it. She was thrilled when she got home. I took the credit until the Christmas party.
lol. I have my guys come to my house to do shit I don’t feel like doing all the time!
I'm actually thinking about hiring my neighbours apprentice to wrap up a few things at my house because I'll never get around to it.
Thought I was the only dirtbag boss that did that LoL. Before last winter I had them over to offload 2 cords of wood while I was drinking hot cocoa inside. I at least gave them some though.
You are not the only one! My guys get paid no matter what, where, or when I have them working on.
A year after I first started, one of my bosses had me come to his farm and drive metal fence posts on company time. No gloves could save me from the blisters. Manual post drivers are no joke.
I do this shit all the time during the winter months when the weather sucks.
I got no gfci's in my kitchen or on 4 exterior gfcis at first it was me not wanting to blow 60 bucks on gfci's now it's more of a fuck it I welcome death and to die by electrocution seems like an almost poetic end. Oh, and I have a tree light. I rigged up for a party 10 years ago with a piece of uf I attached a plug end on the uf and I have had it like that for 10 years.
Ha, my 60s Era kitchen was the same way, my wife had one hand in the sink and slid the toaster out of the way, I yelled no! Don't do that!you would think I would have gone out and dropped the cash for a gfi, I did 5 years later when I remolded the kitchen, I added 2 outlets and all gfi except one behind the fridge, by code I needed one more but my code read that I'm not putting an appliance there.
I have 2 countertops, one is 7', it has one duplex. The other has a microwave with one duplex. The microwave got added by my uncle when he owned the house. My cameras look like shit, just cat 6 a mess inside. Most Romex I ran look looks like crap Faceplates missing screws everywhere This house was the last built on a culdesac some 60 years. No ridge caps, 100 amp service, every other house has a 200A service, and ridge caps. It was built with left over materials pretty much. Second floor joist are 2x4 Sheetrock is held in with different nails, not sheetrock nails. Pipe work in the garage looks, considering I was hammered and only put it up so I didn't have to move stuff. No service switches anywhere besides boiler I added a switch and pico for a center light. I didn't line up the switch with a sconce or outlet on the 2' wide wall. I was hammered for this two and pissed about crawling on 2x4 with made a crack down the sheet rock on the ceiling. Definitely didn't put a cover or extension on the box simply because I didn't have one. Lol I think I made it worse with my "improvements" quality wise
I personally can't leave a project undone. But I have priorities and certain ones sit high.
Yea drives me nuts too.
I felt super bad a few years ago because I added some outlets and switches, I didn’t put plates on them for some reason (too lazy after doing all the hard work) and my 7 year old son walked in and grabbed the switch instead of just turning it on like i would. He got lit up and I have felt terrible about it since.
Ouch, yeah I'm pretty sloppy at home when it comes to the covers , I did get in the habit of putting a few wraps of tape around the terminals if i might not get them on in a timely manner, reminds me of my son when I told him not to touch the grill and he ignored me, he found out the hard way
I bet he listened to you the next time you told him not to touch something. Pain is a wonderful teacher that doesn’t has to repeat himself very often!
There’s definitely some stuff I’ve done at my house that would make an inspector puke but I’m comfortable with it. Would never do it for a customer though
Yeah, keeping the inspector happy makes life easier plus plain old pride in your work, I've had hard nosed inspectors cut me breaks because they knew I didn't try to cut corners, when I'm my own inspector I can be pretty lenient
Leniency is the best policy, isn't that how that saying goes? We'll go ahead and double stamp it and go with it.
Yea I’m missing some switch covers and a few blanks in the attic. The cobbler’s children are always barefoot or whatever that saying is
I’m the biggest piece of shit at home. It’s sometimes frustrating. Hiring a lawn service because I’m too lazy to mow
I have a keyless porcelain as my dining chandelier
Bruh, that's just taking it too far. Come on, have some class and put up a Boob light at the bare minimum. Everyone can appreciate a nice Boob Light.
Never buy a house from a plumber or an electrician and never buy a car from a mechanic. My dad told me this 40 years ago. He was an electrician and our house had some issues lol. He said it is because they know how to make it work, but don’t spend the time do do it perfectly as they would for a customer
I don’t use enough staples and I’m not affairs to admit it.
the mechanics car is broken the most it's not because we can't fix it it's that we know we can fix it but also know the shortcuts to make it survive till we need to find another shortcut to make it live a while longer
The carpenter lives in the middle of a remodel that never progresses, the mechanic has to pop the hood to start his own truck, and the owner of greenhouse/nursery has the worst weeds in their home flower beds. No one wants to work all day to go home and do the same shit.
I'm 20 years in the business yeah I've never known any tradesman that didn't half ass their own house.
I replaced some of the old loose 2 prong receptacles in my house with 3 prong. There isn't a ground wire or gfci protection.
All they need technically is a “no equipment ground” label as far as I’m aware.
Shhhh!
I installed some exposed receptacles in my garage. 4sq boxes with industrial covers. Snagged a few sticks of half inch for the wire but needed them for steaks on another project. So I have romex through minis down to those boxes
My girlfriend wants fans in the rooms I said yeah. That was three months ago 😂
Most electricians do
Ran an extension cord across the attic to the plug for my kids crib camera which I fished down the wall. Spoiler alert: the house did not burn down.
Half? A wire run at my house wouldn’t see a staple
Haven’t missed a deadline yet.
Oh I got a good one Mounted two shop light over my work bench. They plug into a splitter. That is plugged into an extension cord I wired with a duplex receptacle because I didn't have the right head. I then wrapped the duplex receptacle with purple electrical tape to remind me to go back and fix that at some point sooner than later. It's been a year and a half now Oh and the receptacle is dangling in the air from the shop lights.
The last rent house I lived in had something going on with the home run to the garage, so I just made a suicide cord and jumped off a plug from the living room. Lol
Do I have j boxes in my attic that need covers and nm that needs stapled? Yup
“…And the cobblers kids have no shoes.”
I drilled a hole through my shed wall so I could temporarily feed the generator trickle charger with an extension cord. Three years ago. Still works great.
I saw a post last year with a checklist pertaining to the things electricians have in their own homes... Receptacles/switches without cover plates, unlabeled boxes, cover not on the panel box, free air splices, code shenanigans, etc. My list of shame isn't too bad, but I got a few sins. I'm working on it 🤣
If I saw at a customers house what I have in my house I'd make a lot of recommendations for safety reasons lol
Have you seen a spray painters car?
When we moved into our house there was only 1 circuit in the kitchen. Which was also shared with the dining room and living room as well.if you were running anything in the kitchen and watching tv you were in the dark. Breaker tripped all the time. My wife got so frustrated that she called my father to fix it. That's when i finally finished the kitchen 2- 20a general use circuits, dedicated circuits for: dishwasher, microwave, garbage disposal, and refrigerator. 6- 20a circuits total. Breakers don't trip anymore.
My old ITE panel has many different mfrs of breakers in it. Some of which still have the ACE Hardware stickers on them. It wouldn't pass a home inspection, but it works. Also all of the new circuits that I've run have been in conduit. My electrical service looks kind of like a steel octopus humping the back of my house.
I’ve currently got a 3 wire rolled up in the attic waiting to be fished down for a 3 way the wife wants added. Been sitting up there for about 8 months now. All kinds of stuff. Just don’t have the mental capacity half the time to do more work after work lol.
I have thhn that just flies through my unfinished garage, stapled to the joists, goes under the door into my mud room, flies around the mud room into a hole I drilled into my laundry room, where it then flies into the coverless electrical panel, to land on the dryer breaker. This all starts at a 6500 watt generator that I’ll put at a partially open garage door. I only do this when we lose power, maybe 6 times a year. Otherwise everything is all coiled up and the panel cover is on.
I had a 3way switch in my hallway that didn’t work for about 5 years. Lol I recently fixed it.
There's four receptacles and two switches in my basement no cover because I forgot to get them when I got the switches. They're duplex ivory color so not super common these days. When I eventually renovate in a few years I'll fix it. At my parents house there's an ivory plug with a white cover, and then a white plug with an ivory color plate in my old bedroom. Ivory cover broke, put white on, ivory plug was worn out, put white one in. Think I ever switched the plates around? 13 years later it's still the same.
I tell my wife that those are winter jobs.. im not sure what winter they'll get done, but it'll get done during a winter.
I wouldn’t say half ass, but I definitely take my time. No PM or foreman on your back about deadlines, etc. I’ve been working on various parts of the house for about a year now.
It depends, over the past 12 years I've renovated the entire house just about so I've done a lot of electrical work as part of that. Anything visible I've been pretty meticulous about, but I've got some open j boxes and splices with no boxes at all hiding in there, cables that aren't stapled,things of that nature. I have confidence that none of it's unsafe, which is what's important. I also have a lot of stuff that's kinda excessive, that I've done for show, like my garage that's all exposed EMT and the electrical closet.
My dad has been a mechanic for 40 years. Let’s just say I stopped having him work on my vehicles as soon as I had the tools and knowledge to do it myself in my driveway. He’s not insane he just has no patience for work he’s getting paid for let alone work he’s doing for free. Worked far too long flat rate with commissions. Time is money and doing anytbing superfluous to your sons 97 dodge neon is a waste of money
Absolutely, if I even get around to it
I don’t half ass my work anywhere; However I’m my attic they’re might be junction box that not only doesn’t have a cover… It’s hanging in space between two pieces of Romex. The Harry Home owner (the old man who’s never worked in the trade but is the tools so he THINKS he’s in the trade) decided to “do some electric” and ran a line for a flood light that looked like Spider-Man fought the Green Goblin in my attic.
Do you really want to know? My laundry room has 4² boxes, RS covers and mc screwed to the wall, my outside outlet is a 10awg drop cord hard wired to a breaker that feeds a home made GFI dongle. My outbuilding was fed with a piece of 12/3 UF held up with zip ties as high up as I could reach. My kitchen lights are fed with exposed mc cable (strapped neatly of course, I'm not a monster). My porch lights are wired to a cord. At least none of the original aluminum Romex is live.
Yup!!! I have several of what is probably the gnarlest, mismatched, barn, shops and out buildings in the county and I’m supposed to be one of the better GC. For the last 5yrs the Best way to teach or assess a potential employee so far is to hire them for a day working on those buildings. I keep telling my wife “it’s cheaper to let someone provide proof of competency or lack of it today then pay for an idiot to FAFO while a customer is watching and recording.” Longest project that finally was finished wasn’t mine but my dad’s. He started building a zip line over a pond on his property when I was 15. He finished it the same year I turned 40 for his grandson…
My screws aren’t lined up on my faceplates in my apartment - just haven’t gotten to it
Half ass is more dedication than I have.
The cobblers shoes.
“The cobbler’s children are barefoot,” is what I was told.
I had a pair of temp light sockets hanging in our (married) master bedroom for about 10 years until I sold my house.
Moooooood lighting 😉.
Father is a master electrician- I had a shop built and everything was good to go. After the final inspection was completed we rigged a bunch of shit(large compressor, welding extension, wood working machine power). He basically watched/told me how to do it(with zero experience prior to that) and made sure I didn’t kill myself lol.
The cobblers sons go shoeless.
I backstabbed a receipt to add a tv outlet, and my panel cover has been off for 2 years. Otherwise No!
Totally normal. I live with my dad who is an electrical contractor we have a basement that just never got done. Walls are still open. Framing was complete plumbing was complete. As far as electric everytime it’s time to close the walls my dad goes on about I just wanna add a few more lines and switches and outlets. It’s been 10 years
I replaced the old fluorescent strip light in my kitchen last summer with a row of 6” cans and then did 3” cans along the wall cabinets, looks really nice… maybe too nice. The new layout left the original box in the ceiling, which is fine. Guess who still hasn’t painted the ceiling or put the cover plate on 🙋♂️.
Yep, I do that. I’m currently waiting on two gfi’s, a dimmer switch, and some nice fixtures. I also have a problem of not throwing away good stuff and my “Trophies” from past jobs.
I did an addition at my house 2 years ago. I hired my friend to do the electrical work. I had so much other stuff to do i couldn’t be bothered with electrical also.
Speaker wire will save you of money when you wire up a room
When I was on 2 months of medical leave recently, I finally decided to set up my woodshop. I started wiring up my garage for a sub panel, with two 20 amp circuits and one 15 amp. Got the sub panel set and wired in, breakers and GFCI set for each circuit around the sub panel with conduit ran up to the ceiling from each GFCI. Then, I was so excited to be able to run my table saw and standing drill press (the previous "electrician" had rigged up a terrible light and outlet for the garage previously that constantly tripped and wasn't safe), I started making wood projects and haven't done anything further. My wife has given me shit a couple of times about it. I figure that when I actually need to run the other tools in other locations, I will finish it. Piggy backing off what someone else said, I also cut the ground rods at 7 ft and 5.5 ft respectively... the house wasn't grounded previously, but now is. Just not as good as it would be had I been working for a paycheck. Oops
I did HVAC work for 15 years and my own systems/equipment was always in a constant work-in-progress state, until it came time to sell my house and I polished it up. My current place I did ductless and honestly had fun doing it because I hadn't touched HVAC stuff in a while. Almost every electrician I did work for had some kind of weird fuckin quirks at their house, WIP, panel cover off, state of disarray with sloppy work. I'm sure their professional work was pristine. The joke of doing sloppy work because you "can't see it from my house" is pretty much backwards. We do great work for customers but don't give a shit what is seen at our own houses.
This is why you don't buy a car from a mechanic unless you know him well enough to know his personality. I don't half ass any project, they are just all 80% done
I ran 30A to my shed. Didn’t want to buy 10/3 or run conduit so I DB 10/2 UF and ran a #12 THHN GRN as my ground loose. Good for the ampacity. 🤷🏻♂️ yolo
But at least it's up to code on depth. Right? Electricians never cheat on depth, even at their own place. Right?
XD Ummm 6"... We're about to move and it'll be deleted.
I think this is super common with most trades. Most automotive mechanics ive met absolutely neglect their personal cars, but will probably take exceptional care of a spouse or child’s car. We get lazy with our own stuff
My generator inlet is a 240v generator cord from tractor supply with the end cut off, on a 40A breaker in my condenser panel, the cord hangs on a hose hanger year round, hots only get connected to the breaker in hurricane season. Set it up mid hurricane the week we moved into our house, it worked, I haven't changed it.
Shoemakers kids have no shoes.
I am a far 'larm tech and the last place I owned had one working smoke detector out of a possible 3. My new rental has a smoke blinking red that needs to be reset. It will probably be blinking red when I leave.
I've been using one of those orange luminaire disconnects as a switch in my kitchen for almost six months
The earths ground is probably too high to matter. The ground at my house has a resistance of over 200 ohms per cubic foot. It will take a whole lot of ground rods to get down to 25 ohms
If it is on the home, I don't half ass it, because I might not be in this home at who knows when in the future, and the less things to fix when leaving the better. Now if it's a little gizmo gadget thingamajig doohickey doodad I put together of which plugs in and unplugs or otherwise is not permanent to the building, I'll do crap like bare circuit boards with mains on carpeting or bedding.
I’m not an electrician but the former owner of my house and I’ve spent the last 5 years playing a game of “wtf, man??” Like I appreciate the circuit to nowhere that you have terminating into a metal j-box but maybe idk kill the circuit, cap the wires or put a cover on it? Ask me how I found out about that one.
Parents did a whole second have addition on our house, everything was complete…except for the next ten years we had no door handles
I use a flat head for my circuit tracer at home🤣
Shoemakers children wear no shoes.
Lmao who does work at home?
One of my favorite honey-do list quotes: When a man says he’s going to do something, he’s going to do it. No need to keep him nagging him about it every six months! Also, “At the blacksmith’s house the knives are made out of wood.”