Commercial Troubleshooting - Live Manhole & Blown up Breaker
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Hey Guys welcome back. If you follow me on any other social media platform, you know the trouble I have with these light poles. It’s been snowing so one set of light poles went out and i have to figure out why. In the process a large breaker in the switchgear failed and a manhole had been energized the entire time since the problem occurred. Preventative maintenance, proper torquing of lugs and detail would’ve prevented this mess in the first place but i hope you guys enjoy the video. It just gets worse as the day progresses. I used a lot of equipment here so I’m going to link everything you see below! Stay tuned for part 2 for a continued mess and temporary solution and a second breaker change! #electrican #lextheelectrician #femaleelectrician #commercialelectrician #milwaukeetools #kleintools
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“ I should not have turned that off”…… words we have all spoken, a phrase you don’t just hear but you can feel it deep down inside.
I learned a long time ago, the hard way, breakers trip for a reason, had a entire main breaker blow up, cause i kept trying to reset it, first try tripped, second try tripped, third try the whole room lit up like someone took a picture with flash, a loud boom followed, good thing i had my face turned away. Will never forget that.
I felt thatttt
Come across this in plumbing, old gate valves you can turn them off but sometimes they won’t open as the top of the stem which captures the gate becomes corroded away 😢🤦🏽.
4 hours to end up saying…. it hurts in my stomach 😂
i do an IT. i've said this phrase to myself at least 100 times
I’ve done some parking lot lighting troubleshooting in both NY and Florida in the past. Watching you open up some of those manholes brings back many memories. I love watching you work and listening to your train of thought as you try figuring out the issues, which may be multiple issues on a job like this.
I have a couple of suggestions.
1. On really cold days like this when I’m working outside, I highly recommend the Milwaukee M12 Heated Work Gear. On a day like that the Heated Toughshell Jacket would have been perfect. And if you use the heated gear often like I do, there are a few videos on UA-cam that show you how you can use a slimmer but larger capacity battery to add longer runtime for the jackets. Highly recommend the gear and battery hack if you work outside in northern climates often.
2. Safety Gear. I know I know, you probably hear it all the time, but working with 480 equipment is no joke. Especially if you’re finding things loose in a panel, there are likely other issues that could cause the equipment to arc or even explode. You should never be sticking you hand in an electrical panel like I witnessed you doing without wearing even some very basic hand protection and safety eyewear.
I’m not looking to lecture you because I’m sure you’ve heard it all before. But take it from someone who had a coworker end up in a hospital for over 6 months and lost being able to work in this industry ever again. It is not worth it. Accidents happen, especially when you’re “just checking” some of the equipment. You need to wear safety eye/face gear and gloves when working in these higher voltage panels and circuits. Especially when working alone. I don’t even want to think about if something bad happened to you while in that electric room alone. How could you get help? Trust me. I beg of you, wear that safety equipment all the time. Once you make it a habit you won’t even think twice about it. Because one day, it could save your life and livelihood that you love so much.
Over confidence can kill, 1 mistake is enough. Having a co worker who lets you think through issues without distracting, might be a co worker who will say "be careful, this could kill you" . Reality check
safety gear saved my face. years ago, removed the panel cover of a 3 phase 480 box with a bad breaker. The breaker fell apart when the panel came loose, arc'd and blew the panel cover and me to the floor. Had I not had PPE on, I would have been in bad shape instead of just having brown pants.
Working along and th3 lack of PPE is a real issue.
You did a great verbalizing your train of thought, your ideas and showing how hard you work. Thanks for sharing
@Iextheelectrician any time.
Like the way your brain works. Chasing down the several causes for the problem, in the snow, with an inaccurate map was bad ass! You systematically chased each problem safely. Be careful out there, Lexi.
@Iextheelectrician I would love to have several conversations with you, Lexi. You are smart, fearless, and quite interesting. My schedule is pretty open. You call the time and date
creepy af @@DavidSonnen-o9g
Amazing to see non waterproof connections in those manholes. I worked on pole lights at an apartment complex where the boxes and the connectors weren't waterproof. It rained off and on that week and the boxes were nearly filled up with water. Plus one box apparently got damaged, so they had the spliced wires just buried in the dirt. 😮 I really enjoyed your detailed video. 😊
I spent 30+ yrs working outdoors and the warmest clothing I used was an insulated one piece coverall. If you’re spending any length of time in the cold, I highly recommend one. When you go inside, peel the top down and you should be ok. 👍 BTW I hate square manholes. Trying to get one of the covers out of the hole really sucks. 😕 When you pry one open, put a piece of wood in the gap. It’ll save your fingers.
I’ve never done electrical in that kind of cold but I’ve done a lot of other stuff and I can sympathize with how hard it must be to think and try to troubleshoot when you’re dealing with those kind of weather conditions and you don’t feel well to boot. I know I had a hell of a time concentrating when the weather was like that and I needed my mind to be working. You’re doing a hell of a good job though just saying!
I'm an industrial electrician in California, but i enjoy watching all your cool videos. 😊
Solo troubleshooting a site like this as a woman, I admire your hard working. GJ.
Great job! Great content and diagnostic process. You had your hands full there. I play an electrician a lot in commercial/industrial hvac, and I feel your pain. it's always a loose or bad connection. Never climbed in a manhole but thats bad ass. Thanks 💪
one of the best informative electrical channels i have found. thank you for your hard work making these vids. - much luv
As an older E1 close to packing it in, I enjoy watching your work, reminds my of when I was young.
Keep up the good work
You really know your stuff. Very impressed with the quality of your work. You make everything look so easy!
Another GE junk circuit breaker. You were very lucky to find replacement so quick. Turned off a 400 amp GE junk 480 volt breaker for a tech to PM a chiller. Would not turn back on. Took a week to get another one and very expensive. Of course when we got that chilled back on line the other chiller POS GE breaker failed to reset and had to be replaced. We checked old breakers with a torque wrench and they had the proper torque.
Love your diagnosis and analytical process to figure out whatever issue you have. Can't wait to see more videos of you and your team 🙌!
😂😂😂
"Should of never turned that breaker off"!!!!
I'm laughing because I did a shut on a main switch gear. turned off all the breakers to shed the load and one of the 200 amp breakers that fed a panel would not turn back on. Luckily there was a spare 200 in the gear.
I said the same damn thing 😂
Keeping the world lit one breaker and man hole at a time. You go babygirl ❤🎉🎉🎉❤
Thanks for sharing. Be safe out there.
Damn I have a feeling this is going to be a crazy part 2 here, Stay safe amazing video
That M12 Torque Wrench is great! I love it!!
Enjoy the content and you working through the problem. You're one bad-ass electrician.
I love your determination. I'd be in my truck after 15 minutes 😅
Lexi I’ve got to tell you I’ve worked with some of the most amazing electricians in the defense manufacturing industry. You are ready you are right there with them
Good on you for pushing through all the obstacles.
I’m a fan of your videos & content But have to say Working on 480 volts switchgear or any Switchgear voltage No PPE No helper thats an accident waiting to happen Safety first!
Nice video, there's another UA-cam electrician who says he doesn't need a torque wrench. On my engineering projects I asked the electrician to bring the torque wrenches to the first job site meeting.
In the cable world we have TDR's and fault locators to help us locate faults and breaks, do you not have anything like that in the electrical world? Great job locating the issue.
Such a consummate professional Lex ⚡️⚡️ keep up the fire content
This is very informative, great job 🫡
This is more a general question to US sparks but when fault finding will you tend just to use a voltage tester like on this video? A multimeter/multi function tester can be useful. The low ohmmeter function can tell you if you have a short roughly how far away it is. Testing insulation resistance can be helpful too
I wondered what that system was.I'd seen a picture of you working on something similar somewhere else. It doesn't sound like it's not all that robust, But that means more money in the electrician's pocket! LOl
Lexi. good morning! you every day! Makes us proud,
As I have already mentioned in other videos of yours, I am an Electronics, Electronics, Mechatronics and Robotics, Audio, Video and Arcutica Engineer! like Michamam from Dr. Sparrow! kkk More Seriously, I've been sharing your videos a lot since you started posting them until today in Brazil Fortaleza-CE, Friday 03/15/2024 I've read this video again to give a talk to my fellow electricians of all areas and ages, in the interior of Brazil When it rains like today, no one goes out due to the danger of lightning and shock.
In closing, I would like to clone you to my team! Be careful Lexi Security never edameis! May God protect and bless you! you are a Worldwide Exemplar.❤❤❤😂😂😂😂😮😮
This is why job quality on installation counts. Its not an ego or braggin rights thing. Its to avoid creating a world of disaster and dangers and numerous days like this.
Just curious do you ever wear arc flash clothing?
If a breaker trips out never due to an open like she said. Its a short! She should be wearing proper PPE when taking cover off a 480 volt panel. Best practice whole turning in all circuit breakers & Safety Switches is to stand next to panel or switch take in a deep breath & hold it to then use your left hand to turn it back on. Then exhale. Common sense that very few sparkies use holding thier breath. If an Arc Fault or an Arc Blast occurred holding your breath would prevent you from inhaling up to 10,000 degree super heated air.
NFPA 70E NEVER FAILS
I don’t miss working outside in NY winters!!!
The searching through Google looking for parts the supply house doesn’t have was too real 😂
10:00 Oh no!
Yep. Try to fix one thing and something else breaks. And usually the other thing that breaks is even worse than what you were trying to fix. Isn't life just fun 😄
If you found one wire lug not torqued to spec. Shouldn’t they have had you at least check the others while you were there?
You are amazing on many levels. Wow.
god bless you 👌🏻
The trouble w LED fixtures is that the LED lasts forever...its just that the power supply always kwaps out. I got a pile that I'm going to fix one day.
Nice set of as-builts at least
The way you say manhole is incredible 😊
Doing insulation resistance test for that nest of cables could help u figure out which cable it bad
Working alone, working hot. What could possibly go wrong? And how long would it take someone to know to go look for you? You have a family; they are counting on you to work safely!
Buen trabajo chica corto circuito 💥
Excellent job. Go on struggle.
We got called out on wirenuts a week ago. Manager says to the team "We cant put #6 and #8 under a red wirenut ..."
Team: "As long as it fits. Right?" Hahaha
I stood there thinking "Its what I'd do.
We have come back to 'remembering' that there ARE size limitations to wirenuts. 01's what shall we do with them. As long as they get that check👍
As a non-electrician, watching this type of work is more scary than watching a scary movie.
She is very good hard worker ❤🤟🏻🌹💋
I'm getting off work and watching someone else do work
Same lol
@Iextheelectrician be gone, imposter
have you ever used an ohms meter to check distance to open?
What a frustrating job. Good thing they got a proper mechanic to handle the situation!!
glaze much
You rock sister!! 👍👍👍🇨🇱🇺🇸😎
It’s okay let their immune system get stronger
I turned my granddaughters on to your channel. Man they dig you. You my be a young girls role model. 👍
Good work and looking lovely girl 💜
We always shut off individual breakers before the main.
I do hvac diagnostics. The cold is bad , the heat can be bad too for your brain. But the cold hurts . First time i checked out an electricians butt
My bad no but it's upgraded... nice!!
Lexi is our beauty, as far as electricians are concerned, only Lexi I trust her 100 percent
Great Video. Thank you for sharing
Extra points for banging out J Cole 👌🏻
What is your available fault current at this distribution panel? Just curious. 277/480 volts have a heavy boom.
11:45 Whoa S.O.B!! That's an expensive breaker
How about NFPA 70E just asking if any MOP, JHA or LOTO were performed.
This girl is a danger to herself.seriously
Give it a rest. Jealousy is a terrible blight.
@@jessiepoochit’s life safety issue, if you really cared you’d reach out to her and advise her electricity ⚡️ is no joke.
For real Lexi what you thinking you always start at the panel making sure not a bad breaker.
We called that a hand hole, not a man hole.😎👍
Recommend a building shutdown when it is convenient to check every item in the building. It costs up front but could eliminate an electrical fire and expensive replacement and unplanned shutdown down the road.
Did you properly label those breakers or is that out of scope for the job?
~ Ur Great!! But Seriously ..... Move 2. Warmer Climate... U will NEVER regret it. U are Sooo talented U could probably go to Hawaii or San Diego...
Hacho! No puedo con el frio. 😁🇺🇸🇵🇷😁 left New York because that.
Ah if you come back to Vegas let me know I'll buy you a drink
Can you put part 2 in the description
Where have you been? Haven’t seen any of your posts lately!!!
I hope you get your Electrical Contractor license. So u can help people have work and move up ❤
6:33 that e-class wagon is mad slick also who tf designed square manhole covers you can't drop a circle one
That was fun to see.
freckles ❤❤❤❤
Grounded the manhole? Were y'all assuming the issue was NEV?
Great Video.
Good job!
Can you make a video about your favorite workwear??
i dont get why she would order a new breaker without first determining the issue concerning the breaker?
This is one of those jobs that it would be better in the long run to rip out all the wiring for the lights and redo it it from scratch.
what model is that torque wrench, thanks
7:05 nothing ever for nothing when it comes to troubleshooting. Process of elimination, I just hate when your troubleshooting turns into tunnel Vision. Then I end up having to call my dad (a mechanic 😂😂)
I'd rather audit a panel/ system by myself, that way I have no one to blame if it's wrong!😉
Lexi are descendent of portuguese people? Keep the good work.
excellent
What kind of preventative maintenance should be done on a breaker panel?
Exercise the breakers at least once a year (just turn them off and on again)
Every few years turn the panel off and check that all terminations are still tight.
In industrial facilities, it’s fairly common to do thermal imaging scans regularly to identify hot spots
When you ordered that breaker, did it come with hardware?
38 yo disabled Marine Veteran would love to have this job! is it possible ma'am?
Can u please tell us if u started ur career with union or non-union.
Lexi I m in love
Like this like that I was like because like it's like not like but like I like they like 😂😂😂
ever troubleshooted runway lights now that gets interesting
Breaker's are not switches, turning them on and off multiple times reduces their life span?