Don’t listen to all the cry baby’s . Working live is part of the job . If you can turn it off then do. Sometimes you can’t and shit needs to get done. The times I’ve been shocked were when I didn’t know it was on . If you know chances are you won’t get shocked . Working in a live panel is part of the job. If you can handle it . Pick a different trade. Respect it don’t fear it
I appreciate this. My journeyman I’m following has me change switches/receps live, no insulated tools. I recently did just buy Klein insulated strippers, so my hands never creep up on the metal part of the tool, that’s the key! And don’t touch any metal parts of the device that’s not the terminals
Though I completely agree with hot work being part of the job and know from first hand experience how so many will use that “safety crutch”, I’m all for mitigating hazards. I won’t go around my ass to reach my elbow to de-energize anything I’m working on. With that said, if I can easily disconnect the source of feed, I’ll then work it dead.
Myself and the journeyman I was working with recently had to go and add 38 receptacles tapped into nearest available power in a commercial retail setting for our customer. It was standard operating procedure to tap in to the nearest hot box that we could find with the circuit energized so as to avoid shutting off multiple loads that we were not entirely sure what was being powered off of without extensive digging. It would be a wise idea to have a dedicated set of insulated tools for hot work that you know for a fact are in good condition with undamaged insulation on the handles. ✌️
Very good video. I work facility maintenance for a big company and you’re correct. Sometimes you cannot shut off the power, especially if you’re doing maintenance in hospitals. Keep up the good work, Sparky.
Good video, I like wearing a fresh pair of nitrile-coated work gloves, like gorilla grips or any other brand. Sized right, they barely hinder your fingers, unlike live wire rubber gloves. They aren't "officially rated" for insulation, but they definitely add significant insulation value to your hands, plenty for 110. They do develop some gaps as the nitrile wears away if you use them several times, but so far I have never been shocked while wearing them even using old half-worn out pairs, so long as there aren't any actual rips & large holes. I've even hooked up my pliers to a ground strap, put a fresh glove over the pliers, & tried to get a spark from live wire through the gloves by pressing against bare wire. Nothing. I wouldn't count on these to protect your life, but with 110 that's not really an issue assuming you don't position in a way where you can fall & get hung up in the wire. Combine nitrile work gloves with insulated pliers & screwdriver & I feel pretty comfortable working live 110v, even on a ladder. I have worked 220v live once. Wore two pairs of nitrile "exam gloves" underneath the nitrile coated work gloves for extra protection without limiting my range of motion. It was probably unnecessary since I was using insulated tools, but adding some extra safety margin at the cost of my hands sweating a bit underneath the gloves was a reasonable trade. Of course this is all totally against all the official safety standards, but if you have to work live without a proper insulation setup... it works in my experience.
I'd say you should AT LEAST use a set of insulated tools if you're going to be working hot. A set of insulated gloves would also be ideal if reasonably possible
Thanks for sharing. I will mention that sweat conducts electricity as it contains electrolytes. Be especially careful when working with live wires in hot attics, etc.
this was a great tutorial. pull the wires right out of the housing, and really get them clear of eachother - that's the way to do it. the people who are worried about working live are fine to be worried. stay worried, and stay out of electrical. if they think this is bad, how about sticking a tool into a live panel. this is what your journeymen have to do. this is why we pay them properly.
What are some best practices for working in a main panel where once the main breaker switched off, the service wires and lugs are still hot? I mean, other than "just don't touch those". The ideal would be to avoid any accidental brushing up against 200amps of 240v. Maybe put some sort of covers over the lugs while wearing linemans gloves? Some rubber tape maybe?
i just cut thru my main power line coming into my house. right below the panel.. now my skil saw blade is pooched. how did i even survive this? great light show but feelin ok.. not sure how long i was out.
Hey bud, thanks for taking the time to do this. I turned the switch off but I still have 46v running, as per multimeter. I don't know why that is but was nervous about touching the wires.
You are savage lmao… just watching this made me more comfortable although it’s usually 208/460 I use 1000v wiha tools and trust them but always fear that arc… That’s the real fear everyone should have…getting shocked just sucks
Stupid question , so you can use a pliers or linesmen to untwist them, so you have to have one arm not touching anything? Or can you use both hands to grab the pliers or have to have again one free hand out while the other does all the work? And why doesn’t the pliers arc or short it out compare to when the wires touch something metal? Sorry found your Chanel and know nothing about electricity but found it amazing.
Definitely use one hand to avoid passings from one arm to the other with your heart in the path. As far as arc or shorting out is the same as screwing on a wire nut, as long as it doesn’t touch you or something grounded it has no path. However there is always a potential for an arc no matter how careful you are. Find the disconnect unless you’ve exhausted all options. Hope it’s not too late
If your index finger and thumb get connected, say 120v, or even 240, will it just blow through your fingers right? Not hitting your heart by any chance?
I'm wondering if your whole body become part of the circuit by your 2 fingers connecting it. Or if it just runs only through the fingers. I guess it just runs through your fingers since old school electricians used to test by licking there fingers and touching the wire.
People claiming that ground wires are intended to keep “you” safe is a complete misunderstanding. The ground wire protects equipment which along with that protection provides protection when someone makes contact with that equipment.
The PE does protect you. Imagine L would be in contact with a metal housing if your equipment that is not connected to earth. If you would touch it you would be the connection to earth and that can be very deadly ;)
Yes, let’s not work live ever at least in a residential setting. If there are situations electricians have to work live the legal risk for their company is massive if they are happy to carry that risk then they really should not be in the industry. Better to teach safe isolation, lockout and tagout. In industrial settings there may be more reasons to work hot - to reduce downtime, carry on production but even here a risk assessment and arc flash assessment should take place. Once the industrial customer knows the legal liability and risk around that most if not all companies would schedule downtime. To many electricians have lost their lives thinking they were immune to electrical shocks, they were too experienced they were too knowledgeable.
Don’t listen to all the cry baby’s . Working live is part of the job . If you can turn it off then do. Sometimes you can’t and shit needs to get done. The times I’ve been shocked were when I didn’t know it was on . If you know chances are you won’t get shocked . Working in a live panel is part of the job. If you can handle it . Pick a different trade. Respect it don’t fear it
Thanks! Exactly 💯
Calm down
everyones calm
I appreciate this. My journeyman I’m following has me change switches/receps live, no insulated tools. I recently did just buy Klein insulated strippers, so my hands never creep up on the metal part of the tool, that’s the key! And don’t touch any metal parts of the device that’s not the terminals
Though I completely agree with hot work being part of the job and know from first hand experience how so many will use that “safety crutch”, I’m all for mitigating hazards. I won’t go around my ass to reach my elbow to de-energize anything I’m working on. With that said, if I can easily disconnect the source of feed, I’ll then work it dead.
Myself and the journeyman I was working with recently had to go and add 38 receptacles tapped into nearest available power in a commercial retail setting for our customer. It was standard operating procedure to tap in to the nearest hot box that we could find with the circuit energized so as to avoid shutting off multiple loads that we were not entirely sure what was being powered off of without extensive digging. It would be a wise idea to have a dedicated set of insulated tools for hot work that you know for a fact are in good condition with undamaged insulation on the handles. ✌️
Very good video. I work facility maintenance for a big company and you’re correct. Sometimes you cannot shut off the power, especially if you’re doing maintenance in hospitals. Keep up the good work, Sparky.
Thank you!!
Good video, I like wearing a fresh pair of nitrile-coated work gloves, like gorilla grips or any other brand. Sized right, they barely hinder your fingers, unlike live wire rubber gloves. They aren't "officially rated" for insulation, but they definitely add significant insulation value to your hands, plenty for 110. They do develop some gaps as the nitrile wears away if you use them several times, but so far I have never been shocked while wearing them even using old half-worn out pairs, so long as there aren't any actual rips & large holes. I've even hooked up my pliers to a ground strap, put a fresh glove over the pliers, & tried to get a spark from live wire through the gloves by pressing against bare wire. Nothing.
I wouldn't count on these to protect your life, but with 110 that's not really an issue assuming you don't position in a way where you can fall & get hung up in the wire.
Combine nitrile work gloves with insulated pliers & screwdriver & I feel pretty comfortable working live 110v, even on a ladder.
I have worked 220v live once. Wore two pairs of nitrile "exam gloves" underneath the nitrile coated work gloves for extra protection without limiting my range of motion. It was probably unnecessary since I was using insulated tools, but adding some extra safety margin at the cost of my hands sweating a bit underneath the gloves was a reasonable trade.
Of course this is all totally against all the official safety standards, but if you have to work live without a proper insulation setup... it works in my experience.
I'd say you should AT LEAST use a set of insulated tools if you're going to be working hot. A set of insulated gloves would also be ideal if reasonably possible
Thanks for sharing.
I will mention that sweat conducts electricity as it contains electrolytes. Be especially careful when working with live wires in hot attics, etc.
Really? Wow! You are such a genius.
this was a great tutorial. pull the wires right out of the housing, and really get them clear of eachother - that's the way to do it.
the people who are worried about working live are fine to be worried. stay worried, and stay out of electrical. if they think this is bad, how about sticking a tool into a live panel. this is what your journeymen have to do. this is why we pay them properly.
This is the best comment to this video.
thank you
@jodycwilliams took the words out my mouth, watch them tho because you’re next :)
What are some best practices for working in a main panel where once the main breaker switched off, the service wires and lugs are still hot? I mean, other than "just don't touch those". The ideal would be to avoid any accidental brushing up against 200amps of 240v. Maybe put some sort of covers over the lugs while wearing linemans gloves? Some rubber tape maybe?
i just cut thru my main power line coming into my house. right below the panel.. now my skil saw blade is pooched. how did i even survive this? great light show but feelin ok.. not sure how long i was out.
bruh
Well personally I always use linemans gloves. But I mostly work on 277/480 stuff. An extra layer of protection is good insurance in my opinion.
1st year apprenti?
@@mikehunt8129 I bet not, that’s just called not being dumb
I do it all the time for demo work. shit my pants every time 277 is a different beast
Hey bud, thanks for taking the time to do this. I turned the switch off but I still have 46v running, as per multimeter. I don't know why that is but was nervous about touching the wires.
That’s not normal
Turn the breaker off?
Probably an older house. My volt pen reads from the water coming out of my faucet. Old wiring. That's what I was told.
Dimmer switch ? Dimmers will leak voltage to the light
@@kenneedsmusicwhat the 😳😂
Thank you for this video, answered all my questions i was looking for
glad it was helpful! ☺️
You are savage lmao… just watching this made me more comfortable although it’s usually 208/460
I use 1000v wiha tools and trust them but always fear that arc…
That’s the real fear everyone should have…getting shocked just sucks
i would not mess with 460+ live lol, 208 hurts still lol. avoid it as much as possible. aint worth dying to save a company some time
It seems I always find the one nick in the wire insulation
😢
Nice video 👍🏾
Appreciate the video bro, u made this seem very easy
thanks! more complex in a box, less room/more compact
Stupid question , so you can use a pliers or linesmen to untwist them, so you have to have one arm not touching anything? Or can you use both hands to grab the pliers or have to have again one free hand out while the other does all the work? And why doesn’t the pliers arc or short it out compare to when the wires touch something metal? Sorry found your Chanel and know nothing about electricity but found it amazing.
Definitely use one hand to avoid passings from one arm to the other with your heart in the path. As far as arc or shorting out is the same as screwing on a wire nut, as long as it doesn’t touch you or something grounded it has no path. However there is always a potential for an arc no matter how careful you are. Find the disconnect unless you’ve exhausted all options. Hope it’s not too late
Thank you for the great video. Very helpful!
If your index finger and thumb get connected, say 120v, or even 240, will it just blow through your fingers right? Not hitting your heart by any chance?
You would hope :)
Electricity will take every path available to it. If there's a way for it to go through your heart, it will.
I'm wondering if your whole body become part of the circuit by your 2 fingers connecting it. Or if it just runs only through the fingers. I guess it just runs through your fingers since old school electricians used to test by licking there fingers and touching the wire.
electricity will flow where ever it needs to go to get to the ground and in pretty much any case you are touching the ground
People claiming that ground wires are intended to keep “you” safe is a complete misunderstanding. The ground wire protects equipment which along with that protection provides protection when someone makes contact with that equipment.
You should disconnect hot, neutral and ground in that order because you have less things the hot can come into contact with.
@@FreeAmerican-mm2my one thing I preach is that “it only takes a one wire hook up “two” wire a screw up”
The PE does protect you. Imagine L would be in contact with a metal housing if your equipment that is not connected to earth. If you would touch it you would be the connection to earth and that can be very deadly ;)
thank yuh much appreciate
☺️
That’s so awesome bro
Aren't you supposed to twist the wires first before you put the wire nut on?
to each their own. as you can see when i removed the wirenut it twisted itself just fine. no one on the west coast pre-twists
Looks like the wire nut twists the wire itself, why do extra work for no reason?
Been taught by every electrician that it's not good enough and you have to always pre-twist
i'm not everyone 😉
Never twist first.
If anyone wants to be absolutely safe - grab yourself a pair of dielectric gloves. They don't cost a fortune and you will work stress free.
never heard of them, ill look into them. thanks!
Where do you get them?
Was wondering if those were available to buy somewhere..
Don't know if 2 pairs of those yellow/ marigold washing up gloves would work?
@@A.AInc. Haha, no way. Don't use household gloves as they are too thin.
@@A.AInc.😂
Great video 👍🏼
Thank you! 🙏🏼
90% of the time when I do wiring on plug ins and light fixtures/ switches it is usually Live, never get shocked
Why not wear gloves? Do you normally do it bare handed.
Thanks
Thank you!
Yes, let’s not work live ever at least in a residential setting. If there are situations electricians have to work live the legal risk for their company is massive if they are happy to carry that risk then they really should not be in the industry.
Better to teach safe isolation, lockout and tagout.
In industrial settings there may be more reasons to work hot - to reduce downtime, carry on production but even here a risk assessment and arc flash assessment should take place. Once the industrial customer knows the legal liability and risk around that most if not all companies would schedule downtime.
To many electricians have lost their lives thinking they were immune to electrical shocks, they were too experienced they were too knowledgeable.
yeah, wise to not work live but also good to know how to just in case
I cant do that cuz my hands shake and it would be ZAP!
Those are definitely not insulated Linemans.
never said they were
If I need to disconnect anything hot and I’m not sure and don’t want to screw around I’ll just snip the line
I still can’t believe u hardly use ur linemens pliers.
lol, west coast best coast 😂
You mean my hammer?
😂
👍👍👍👍👍
i meed to "borrow 4000+ kilowatts.i was😊 petrified.... nyc elrctric is crazy... ~1]02
Scary shit lol.
not really
@@DailyElectrician just at first glance.
@@DailyElectrician I’m sure it’s more of a procedure than anything.
Yes really you almost touched an exposed wire while touching another live wire
Man this is a 5 year experience tip
This is not the way you should do things.
can you be more specific?
How would you do things ? If you’re going to call someone out back it up
I'm literally in a Comcast building, doing this same stuff. Uncertified, only two weeks in, unsupervised! I'm on here trying to learn what not to do.