The WORST SHOCK I Have Ever Received!!!
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- Опубліковано 12 бер 2023
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Of all the things us electricians do daily that can get us hurt, or worse, getting shocked is at the top of the list. In today’s episode, Dustin tells us about his worst experience with getting shocked and also shares a few tidbits of information that can help us understand WHY we get shocked & how to not let that happen.
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As with many of us, there are horror stories of the worst shock we received. For Dustin, he was working alone underneath a house, laying on the dirt that was soaked from recent rain, he was working with live circuitry in a j box, and had maybe 3 years in the trade. He tried using a voltage tick tracer to tell him when the circuit was shut off, but it gave a false reading leading him to believe that the circuit was not energized. A wire fell out of the j box, landed on his chest, and since he was in direct contact with the earth, he received a wicked shock. So, how could the incident have been avoided?
In the scheme of things, we should NEVER work on energized circuitry unless it is absolutely necessary (we are troubleshooting & need to have the circuit energized to see what it is/is not doing), we are testing and need the circuit energized to get values, or there is greater damage possible to property/humans well-being AND we have the proper training to work on it. Shutting the circuit off is the best way to avoid a shock. In addition to shutting it off, a proper LOTO (lock out tag out) plan should also be implemented, so there is no possible way that the circuit can be reenergized while we have our hands on it. This could be installing a breaker lock/tag or padlocking/tagging a disconnect in the off position, or something similar. A tip if working on a fused disconnect- take the fuses OUT when working on the circuit (in addition to locking it out) so there is no way that the circuit can make it all the way to you even if the disconnect is unlocked.
Another thing to keep in mind is the way we take care of and use our electrical testing devices (meters, voltage tic sticks, etc.). Do NOT just throw your testing equipment in the back of the truck leaving it susceptible to the elements and damage, throw it into your truck toolbox, or in the gang box and pile other tools on top of it. Our meters could literally be used to protect your life and should be treated as sensitive equipment. They should be kept in a separate box/bag/etc. and cared for. They should be tested fairly frequently on live circuits to check if they are operating properly and the batteries should be replaced on regular intervals. When using a meter (or a hot stick) to see if a circuit is de energized, they should first be checked on a live circuit to verify they are working, THEN check the circuit you are working on, AND then rechecked on a known live circuit. This will ensure your meter is operating properly.
IF working on a live circuit is necessary, a couple of important items should be taken into consideration. Do NOT work it alone with no one around. Make sure that another qualified person is available and knows what you are attempting to do. You should also be properly trained in the working of live circuits so you recognize and avoid the dangers. Proper PPE should also be used and will be task specific. When in doubt, check with your safety representative, your supervisor, or veterans of the trade. Keep in mind that electricity will always look for the shortest path to make a complete circuit, and if you insert yourself into that loop, you are going to receive a nasty surprise. Make sure you are not standing in (or laying on) a puddle of water or saturated soil and make sure your other body parts are not touching anything grounded, a neutral conductor, or another circuit.
We hope this has been helpful in understanding some of the ways you can receive an electrical shock and how to avoid them. At the end of the day, we are working to support ourselves and our families and if we get hurt (or worse) by getting shocked (when it could have been avoided), then we would be working for nothing! Is there a topic you would like to see discussed on Electrician U? Leave us a comment in the comments section and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly updating our content to assist our followers in becoming the best electricians that they can be.
#electrician #electrical #electricity
as an apprentice ive been lucky, he WORST shock i personally got was realizing how much all them tools were gonna cost me, no joke
You'll be ok all that is nothing compared to what your gonna be making once your a journeyman💯
Ok, but don't let your voltage tester cost you anything.
Having a plan B should always be your plan A, always have a plan on if you get grounded youll always be fine.
@@FOH3663😂
Coming from the RV industry, at least you dont have to have basically all the hand tools and power tools to build a house plus and the wrenches and sockets to work on engine and chassis and everything you need for electrical AND plumbing.
When I was 19 I was doing a kitchen remodel with my journeyman. He told me to check a 12/2 he had killed before heading outside with the contractor. This wire had been getting stepped on for a week and the sheathing was torn. Decided to try stripping with my brand new utility knife and didn’t feel myself cutting into the hot. My other hand was apparently touching the ground on the worn out part and I couldn’t let go, I managed to push the knife through the wire after several seconds to get out and it terrified me. Went to a trade high school and always wanted to do electrical and that day I was sure I’d never do it again, but that was 8 years ago. Told my journeyman what happened when he came back in and he just called me a bitch for freaking out about it, GC yelled at him and reminded him that it’s his job to make sure I’m safe.
Did you check to make sure there was power to the wire?
Before stripping it?
@@ei1209 that’s why I was stripping it, so I could check
I worked with my brother who was an electrician for years. Always worked on new electrical. Once I started working on existing wiring, things changed! I got shocked on a 277v circuit in a drop ceiling. It was a double stacked junction box with probably over 10 wires in it. It was a commercial building, I couldn’t start switching breakers off so I used a tester. All was good, so I thought! It felt like someone grabbed both my arms! (I heard a voice in my head saying: “I finally got you!”) Thank God I lost my footing on the ladder and fell to the ground. I found out later, one of the neutrals had voltage on it. I thought My organs were toast. Since then, I always lock out tag out and use protective gear. Never rely on colors, test all wires! And never assume the last guy knew what he was doing! Lesson learned over 30 years ago!
Dude same shit happened to me, those damn neutrals
I got shoked by a neutral 240V in Europe too, I am not a sparky but I know how to switch off a breaker and test for power afterward. The thing was that I was visiting my family in France and we needed to change a motion activated light over the garage door in driveway, so I search for the breaker, switch it off and used one of those shitty screw driver tester that have a lamp inside because it was the only one available onsite and due to sunny daylight, could not see if it was lightning up or not. Tested all wires the best I could and being confident there was not juice, I go ahead and unplug the light carefully, easy, then I needed to reposition the wires to accept the new light body shape and this is when I got an unexpected 240V zap. Since I grew up in France, I am accustomed to 240V zaps, I know how to react and it was just like a hornet sting but man, that was the first zap on neutral ever. I guess it was a shared neutral but the house is so old, I would not bother looking for it. I finished the job carefully after that. The last time I got zapped at home in the US on a 120V live, I laughed at how tiny the shock was compared to European 240V, it felt like a tingle, really! But hey, people be careful, I must have a resistance to current that not everyone has, do not test at home!!
Whooo I hear ya. I’m a apprentice commercial electrician and all the story’s I hear of 277 and 480 are straight up scary.
This is facts bro safety first check multiple ways for voltage it's your life on the line .don't cut corners
That's good advice. "Never assume the last guy knew what he was doing".
I had to comment on this subject because it really hits home for me on a personal level. I lost my dad years ago when he was on a job due to miscommunication and possibly unsafe working conditions. Just a few simple steps might have produced a different outcome. So kudos to you for hammering home SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY! Lockout tagout, communication, training, et. All of it is, in my opinion, priority number 1! Keep up the good job here and on The ElectricianU site.👍
Omg so sorry🙏 I lost my father to early to mesothelioma. Nothing I can say
Be safe
Be safe brother and really sorry about your dad, may he rest in peace ❤️💯
@@866martin Thank you Karl! And be safe yourself!
@@Hitman.13. Thank you so much! Be safe out there!
As an electrician of 40 years, some things we take for granted, and safety is one of those things. Thank you for the refresher course and bringing it to light my friend
Took 240V across both the hands and through the chest. It was a short electric shock. It was a wallop though. I was stunned for hours. I was sitting on concrete with boots in the dirt. Two hours passed after the shock with me sitting there. I thought maybe 5-10 minutes had passed. My boss came up to me and ask me what I had been doing and told I him I got shocked. He then relayed to me I had been working on the junction for 3 hours and how come I wasn't done. Last time I worked on anything hot.
So, did you quit your job as an electrician?
Rode the lightning and still kept sparking. Been a n electrician for 25 years now. @@amauryaracena
I hear you on the child support. People don’t realize you’re assessed before tax and pay after tax. PLUS.. all the money you pay to mom does NOT help you when your son/daughters at your place. The system is surely broken. Great story. Keep it up.
They also set it at what they think you can be making. If you have a degree or education but aren’t using it well now your value is assessed at that.
I repaired copiers for a living and a local non profit had someone come in and wire a new outlet, turns out one person did 1/2 the job and then someone else came in and finished the job, not knowing that the guy had wired the outlet into a 227v lighting circuit, (how the hell it happened I have no idea) but when I went to plug that copier in, before I could blink, BANG, my butt skidded across the floor and all I could say is "SOB" as all the lights went out, It blew the end off a 120v 15 amp IEC power cord and could have taken one of my fingers off... a big blue flash of light could be seen behind the brown/tan plastic and lucky me the MOVs in the PSU saved the device from destruction, but that PSU pcb looked like a campfire and smelled like burnt fiberglass, after that I carried my meter with me and tested every outlet from then on out before plugging things in...
🤦♂️
Worst story my brother(IBEW) ever told me involved an apprentice being somewhere he shouldn't, his forehead, and a 600 volt, 1000 amp bus bar..😭
Worst part? He survived, but as a complete vegetable.
omfg
I know a gut about 10 years ago working in an industrial building had the same thing. He died. It was locked out but the back up Gen. Back fed the buss and no one knew so it was all tested as an open circuit but after a few minutes it was re fed and no one knew. The engineers got into a huge lawsuit.
One of the worst shocks for me was landing on a 277v lighting circuit when I was still an electrician apprentice. I did not know shit, green as hell. A foremen asked me to do something, I was incredibly eager to get my feet wet. I did what he told me without knowing the circuit was hot. It's been a couple of years since I've done electrical work in that fashion. Nowadays, I work as an electronic technician / electrician for municipality. I can understand your passion for what you do. I absolutely love my career and would never change it for anything.
I really appreciate this story man thank you. As a father of two and apprenticing electrician it gave me some things to think about.
Oh my, I gasped several times during your story! 😅 I’m glad you got out okay and didn’t let it phase you from your calling 😄⚡️ Thanks for sharing!
I love your philosophy Dustin. Your experience and wisdom shows. A smart man knows a lot. A wise man knows how much he doesn't know.
Love this, thank you 🙏
Mad respect my man! I’m only two years into the profession, and am finding learning moments all the time. It’s great you can tell your story, with your experience and philosophical approach at becoming a better person along the way. Hands for doing what you do, sir!
BRO. 12:30-end is a masterclass in leadership, not just electrical safety. I am a front-line supervisor in an unrelated field, and was truly inspired by this video. Thank you.
I have worked with my hands for all my life and you hit the nail on the head when you said "Electricity does what it does". Sooo many times I have seen guys get mad because of a piece of equipment and yeah a tool has left my hands in a bit of a rage :)...but its when you when you get to that point that you did in the truck you realize "Its going to do what it does" you will start working on things a bit differently. GREAT Vid bud and wish they could show it in every tech school. And yeah from time to time I still tell a piece of equipment " I am going to melt you down and piss on the molten metal!!!" :oD
Damn Dustin… just when I think I couldn’t love you enough, you come out with another one. I’m in CA, 4th year apprentice. Taking my test this summer. My only regret is that I haven’t had YOU as a mentor through my process. But, your videos over the years have helped me out tremendously. You have helped me through my bad “fuck this shit” days and inspired me through my good days. Love you brother.
I had a "Mr Safety" father. He was Air Force SNCO.
OMG.... *everything* had to be planned out and safety was THE primary job consideration.
He passed years ago but those lessons engraved into my brain.
Don't f around. Be safe
Big fan of the channel, as an up and comming electrician, these videos are awesome and really help me alot not only with the technical aspect, but the passion for the job aspect as well. Thanks for the vids man
I was working under a master electrician when I started maintenance the 2nd day he had me change a disconnect switch for a ring roll machine ! Yea the power is off I still have the burnt Philips screwdriver !
NEVER TRUST YOUR LIFE TO SOMEONE ELSE !!!!!!!!!
Another great video Dustin .
I’m in trade school. And in the morning during are lectures I play your vidoes because my class mates are to lazy to try to learn more than one way. They don’t understand the danger of the trade and it’s gonna get them killed.
This is a great message to all trades and even the diy'er/home owner.
Thank you for your humble video. I’ve learned a lot from the few vids of yours that I’ve watched. Everyone can always learn something, no matter how advanced they are or think they are. You have another subscriber here.
Honestly one of the best videos you have made so far!
Much respect dude! Thanks for sharing a story that most people can relate to. ✊
16:00 I've been saying that for years. Treat yourself with no seriousness whatsoever, be sure you're able to laugh at yourself... but treat your mission, whatever it may be, with the utmost seriousness.
Great video we all need these reminders. Especially the home owner whose thinking I’ll only get a little tingle trying to change out something simple. Hearing this from a very good teacher and master electrician is good stuff. I’ve found out the older I got in my trade the little I actually knew and it was really dangerous to get comfortable doing my work and I was always staying up to date as much as possible. Great video
⚡️I almost died. I got stuck stripping a live wire. I was 6 feet up on my knees on a scaffolding above a drop ceiling. My right thumb touched the strippers & my right forearm touched metal flex. I could still think while being stuck, I could hear every single hert as loud as the loudest thing you have ever heard. I tried to open my hand and couldn't, tried to pull my arm back but couldn't. At this point I started to scream out, then passed out shortly after. There were other workers around, before bluetooth earbuds. All I know is I woke up on the ground, a drywaller said I caught you so yo didn't hit your head. My thumb had a hole in it bloody but dry seared the size of a dime. When I went back up on the scaffolding the metal flex had a melted u shape in it, but my forearm had no visible damage. This was 120v Lesson here, Stripping live wire is very, very dangerous. & scream out immediately. Understand how not to be grounded.
Why are you stripping a live 120v wire in the first place? I'll only touch 12v wires live
Thank man great video on trying to keep us safe 😉🤘🏼
Just to add on to this, always double check before you cut bros, been in the trade for 2 years now and took pride in never blowin up my kleins, but low and behold last week it happened. Was helping my sister out fixin hack shit at her new house, there was a receptacle just hanging on romex under her back porch, took precations and tested the line before i cut ( i assumed it was an abandoned circuit) and proceeded to follow the line as close to the house as possible, i see that the line goes under the flashing under the house and i put my kleins under to cut and boom lol. Turns out there was a flying splice under the flashing i didnt see that was live but the branch i was attempting to cut that it was attached to was not because i didnt check, i assumed. Dont cut blind and never assume, stay safe brothers and sisters.
Love your insight... mistakes are human, but your perspective of learning from them is a lesson we could all take. Nice Vid!
Thank you 😊. And I am happy you are ok👍
Dude that was awesome!!
Thank you for transparency/ sharing and your humility.
Im convinced those are the building blocks of being a master of any trade!!
Again...
that was excellent content.
Inspired the crap outta me.
Thanks man!!
Wayne
I was working on 3 phase motor for Ritz Carlton franchise. The motor was wired for 120v and should have been 277v. Turn off the break to the contactor .left a note. Some moron in the kitchen decided it was too hot and decided to turn it back on. Well I lost a pliers, my hand got thrown against the cabinet . For a week I had indentation on my arm. My arm tingle for a long time. I go back to the wire from under the breaker left the panel cover off.
This video is the reason storytelling is so important. I’m a home inspector now that did remodeling prior but about 20 years before all that I was renting a place and when I moved in I realized my dryer cord did not match the receptacle. I went and bought one, screwed in the contacts and it wasn’t correct and then went and purchased another. The laundry room was small as usual and I’m little but I still had to wedge myself under the cabinets and behind the dryer to work on it. I was so frustrated at this point that before I ever took the second dryer cord out of the package I decided to see if the plug fit… The contacts were touching my hand. If that breaker hadn’t tripped I wouldn’t be here today. I honestly didn’t even realize how serious this was until telling a friend the next day and showing her the burn, she immediately started tearing up and said you are lucky to be alive right now!
I still carry a scar that is just a discolored patch.
Now that I’m older and more experienced I’ve realized not only to use absolutely every safety precaution but do not work on stuff like this when you are frustrated. You will end up making stupid mistakes or decisions that you would never have made had you not been blinded by that frustration. It could cost you your life or someone else’s.
I was working on a machine that had 440. While I was reconnecting a power lead someone turned the breaker on. Like you, this was before lock-out/tag-out was stressed. Believe me, that was a memorable jolt.
Thanks for stressing safety. It is serious business and should always take first place.
This makes me appreciative of the school I'm going to and the company I work for. Second year and still haven't been shocked mainly because my company and school just beat safety into our heads. Some electricians still don't take it seriously, but I do.
Outstanding video that applies not only to electrical work but to ANY craft one may take up. Whether it’s woodworking or painting or plumbing there are always dangers and there should always be pride in your work. Thank you.
I’ve watched you for years now and have loved and learned from every episode, but this one is a whole level above all the rest. Thank you for your honesty and all the things I’ve learned from you. PLUR!
Great topic. Even if you're not the best electrician, memorizing codes, knowing all the tricks, you can still be safe. Sometimes, it takes a shock to jolt us into reality.
Grounding and bonding quwstion:
1. Panels have two ground bus bars, you tighten the green bounding screw. So you place neutrals on one side, grounds on the other. But what is the point separating the two when they bond both bus bars?
2. Placing a panel ground #6 on the water faucet but that water faucet is fed with PEX? I came across this but the inspector gigged me because I just ran the two grounds 6 ft apart outside!
This Program is Awesome 😎💯
I was a painter in the 90s and walked into a remodel at an assisted living facility and saw a man get electrocuted. Someone in the facility flipped the breaker on while this guy was working on the addition. Sitting on one knee, the electricity went through his arm, through his heart and down his leg, out his butt on the floor. His right side was completely fried. All muscles and tissue/skin were fried. He lived but lost complete use of his right side.
Just wanna say thank you. I recently passed my residential wireman's license and I give all of the credit to electricianU. The code time videos and the practice exams from the electricianU website were the tools I used in preparation.
Thanks for sharing your story and encouraging others to be students, craftsmen in this trade 👍🏽🙏🏽 safety is priority, test wires before touching!
Well said!
Yet another example of why I love your channel. Humility and responsibility are the cornerstones of being a true professional. My worst shock was not my fault (I 100% believed at the time) then I analyzed what happened and found 2 or 3 things I could have done better or differently. That was my wake up. There is always a safer way to do something and now I spend the extra couple of minutes.
Absolutely!
Couldn’t have said it better myself Dustin! Way to stay humble.
No matter what, you have become an excellent teacher.
Great, well needed video. Shocked a new guy with back fed neutral running lights. Back of the knuckle. But this week easily became safety protocol about everything week.
Thanks for sharing. I got zapped years back while changing out resi receptacles. I was working down the hill where nobody could see me. Another crew cut my lock so they could run a saw really quick. I had a headache for 3 days and my hair turned gray 2 weeks later. If I see guys around a panel that I don’t know I throw up cones and safety tape for good measure.
I had the same thing happen to me but in an attic, was working with the hot and the neutral dropped on my shoulder.
Well TO ME. You and my uncle are the best electricians I know. I say this because you guys explain and ACTUALLY want to teach someone something. That in itself is a big plus to me and because of you guys I plan on staying in the trade and hopefully joining a local union. Thanks a lot
Amazing!! Thank you so much!!!
Great video and advice!!!!!!!!
Got 600v DC shock as a kid from a hand me down ham radio transmitter. Guy who gave it to me never bothered to mention the Morse code key was hot. Woke up across the room.
Thank you for sharing your video. Nice to know. Greetings from one of your supporters from Canada
I find this very relatable, I’m going through a time right now where I beat myself up over the most minor thing. Thanks for giving me some advice
Don’t be too hard on yourself just always strive to do better. The worst thing you can do is repeat the same mistakes over and over and never grow
@@ElectricianU thanks for the advice!
Thanks for sharing. You explained what happened to me when I allowed end of a cut off live romex wire touch my sweaty shirt. I got the shock of my life.
I always do the static arm sleeve test on a non-contact voltage tester before using it, helps reassure me the thing is working right.
Im watching you from Mexico, I really appreciate your videos, I bought some courses on your website, please keep on teaching every detail cause there are out there some professors that don’t put the efford and passion that you do, I wish I have a professor like you in real life that I could ask many questions, I need a master cause I’m loving electricity, I want to be succesful and I’ve been studying for few months almost by myself and also thanks to you and your videos. You are an inspiration, an average guy who made it and that loves teaching and his job. So much to say, I’ll stick around, I’m taking this death serious. Keep the awesome work❤
That good you did the right thing to come back 👍but you hace to watch your language 😀
Dag nammit!
One of your best videos. Thanks, man.
My ex brother-in-law is an electrician. Fairly early in his career he started working with BIG electricity - like major industrial power. That was back when (probably) there were more "yeah, I went to school and got the cert, but most of it was just wuss stuff". I know for a fact that he was a cowboy. Anyhow, he and some of his crew were working on some bazillion volt thing and there was some kind of arc that crispy-fried most of the skin on his back. After 3 or 4 months of healing, he retired from the bazillion volt business and spent the rest of his career wiring houses. Not that you can't get hurt or killed in/around residences.
Love this, applies to all aspects of life not just electrical.
I absolutely fucking love this video. It hits home in more than one aspect . Thank you for all you do.
Thank you so much Man!!!! ♥️👍🙏
Thank you as always for emphasizing safety. It is always #1 in our trades.
Amen. Well said man. Well said. 💪🏾💪🏾
Man that was such a positive spin on getting a bad shock. Love it
Kudos to you. I'm normally not inclined to express my opinion, yet I felt compelled after viewing your video that you hit the mark 100%. Fake-it-til-you-make-it does not apply where safety is at stake. I couldn't live with myself being the cause of an apprentices death at the hand of my ignorance. Conversely, I can be proud of sending an apprentice home to his\her family safely every single day.
Yesterday, I got shocked for the first time at work at a lake house renovation. I was inspecting a gimbal recessed light over the fireplace. I ended up finding out that the switch leg was hot, but wasn’t making a good connection in the wire connector. Also, I ASSUMED (don’t ever) another switch controlled those lights, but the switch was actually across the room, and it was flipped on. I used my ticker outside the junction box and got nothing. I should have tested the individual wires inside the junction box, because the switch leg was on and shocked me when I went to strip more insulation off. The shock reminded me of one of these prank hand buzzers you use as a kid, but much worst.
I'm not an electrician but I worked in a commercial retail store, Burdines, sanding wood floor areas.
I needed 220 volts with 30 amps for my floor sander. The sander weighed about 220 pounds and you strap yourself to the sander with a belt around your waist. The motor has 2 30 amp fuses, like old house fuses in it.
Their electrician hook up my cord and I strapped in.
I hit the toggle button and the machine jumped completely up off the floor and instantly revved up to an ungodly rpm. Fire shot out of the fuse box. I slide the belt off the handles without touching the machine.
The idiot electrician had me hooked up to a 440 volt 200 amp main.
The 2 fuses were completely hollowed out and and any wires that were in the path were sliced with pieces missing. I think that is what saved me. If any wire had made contact with the metal housing I would have been toast.
It was an old American Super 8 floor sander.
The motor was still good.
It took me until my mid 30's until I got the perspective you're sharing. That's some real LIFE wisdom (not just electricity) you have shared my friend.
Been there done that back in 86. As a computer tech we would work on plugs or main power issues. I thought I was being safe when we had to power up a system at postal inspectors in D.C. after a building fire and fire marshal allowed us entry to check out the system. I had my safety shoes on as we proceeded to flip breakers to check to receptacles. My meter leads weren’t long enough to reach the contacts in the Hubble plug so I switched to a clip lead and used a paper clip. After checking several receptacles suddenly the paper clip came off and was stuck on the receptacle, damn it. I stopped and thought for a minute, I had my safety shoes on, I’m not grounded so I won’t get shocked just a quick grab and it’s done. What got done was me, I grab that paper clip and suddenly POW my elbow went through the wall behind me. Dazed, my buddy who was flipping breakers asked what was that noise. He said to be careful, remember the fire, well dumb ass here 18:05 was sitting on a damp floor. My ass was the ground. We were working on 208v ac three phase 50 amp circuits. Never never again used a paper clip, got longer meter leads and never tried to touch a live wire again no matter what. That’s a learning lesson that I don’t want to repeat.
I was changing a ballast out one time, on a ladder holding emt with one hand for balance and touched 277v with the other.
Pulled my chest muscles, sore for days.
Good times.....
Good for you, you deserve the success your having👍👍👍
When you take off the cover of a 4x4 extension box in the overhead on a 277 lighting circuit and see a red wire nut roll out. All I thought was this is going to hurt. Yep, thankfully I was in a lift and not on a ladder. The reason it was still live, I was trying to figure out which breaker needed to be opened so I could replace one of the fixtures.
Only been on the job for 8 months. I know to be careful, but even that short amount of time in after doing outlet after outlet, switch after switch it's easy to let your mind wonder. I appreciate this pep talk. It's a real motivator. Thank you.
Ps I've blown up a pair of kliens already. Never again that's like almost $50 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
250VDC got me pretty good at a steel mill.
I was a baby apprentice and was working with two older sparks on swapping out a big ass DC motor on the rolling mill. They locked out the knife switch in the control cabinet, but that was for the armature only. The field disconnect was in the next cabinet over. We used to keep the fields on so that the motors would stay warm from I^2R losses to keep out moisture.
I went to work with my knife cutting off the tape from the bolted field connections first and next thing I know zap! Huge flash blinded me and I felt like I got punched in the arm. That got me good.
The other guys kept apologizing over and over. I think they were worried I was gonna drop dime on them or something cause I was so new there and we had a crazy strict safety policy. I told them it was all good and not to worry.
We're still friends to this day!
After completing my first year at Coyne Electrical and Technical School (Boston) I believed I knew everything about residential wiring. So, I tackled upgrading my parent's basement by replacing all the knob and tube wiring with Romex. I was on an aluminum ladder and reached for a pull box with a live hot wire, one hand was on a cold-water pipe. ZAP I got shocked. This may sound difficult to believe but my entire life passed by me while I was hanging on the pipe. I was lucky I didn't die that day and reinforced to ALWAYS TURN OFF THE POWER BEFORE WORKING ON ELECTRICL CIRCUITS.
Great Storey and life lesson. I was A single father myself; I totally get it.
Awesome deduction and self-discipline.
Wow...preach it dude! Nice rant...thank you...
First, about the under-house shocking experience: that sweaty tee shirt was your friend, as it offered a lower resistance path to ground than that through your thorax and so carried most of the current.
Second, my seventy-years'-worth of electrical reminders: I started young as the appointed nightly Christmas tree light plugger-inner; to avoid the sensation of your hand growing to forty-eight times its natural size, do not have your thumb and finger on the prongs while plugging in. Later I ventured into the world of high voltage thills while fiddling with an ancient tube-type ham radio that was fully powered up; I was thrown backwards from my chair and smacked my head on the floor. As an electronics tech and instructor, I drilled a neat little hole through a fingernail by providing a path for a 1.5 kV power supply to ground. As a computer control engineer for industrial systems, I often did my own installations and testing. One job for a water district involved existing town-wide direct pump and valve control using legs of the 480 VAC (276 VAC to ground) as control voltage. In the course of converting the relay/timer/switch control scheme to computer control, I had to interface these existing signals--while live since the water system could not be stopped for my convenience. One careless finger somehow (inevitably?) hooked me up. This was behind a steel wall adjacent to the operator's booth. He said, "Are you alright?!" I have no memory of screaming.
Thank you for the inspiring amazing dangerous story. I needed to hear this
From a near death experience, never assume a neutral wire is safe. An open neutral is accident waiting to happen, it's not only carries the voltage, but also has the potential load waiting for a connection and you do not want to be that connection. It's a coming to Jesus moment that I'll always remember how important personal safety is because your could depend on it.
Love this channel!
Man i Really felt this🥺
I focken love this Job⚡️
I was on a large commercial site for a bank and finished one of three lighting circuits. Turned them on and they worked, great! Got into a box that I thought was a different circuit and boom. Knees buckled on a 10’ ladder just from brushing my hand against the hot and something else. No idea what grounded me, it happened so fast. I didn’t fall off the ladder but I was wobbly going down. 277 will eff you up fast, but as you said it was my fault for not checking. Unless you can see the other side of the wire disconnected, test it! Even then still test it!
I've been shocked by 277V and 240V, but my worst shocks have been 120V while I was sweaty working with my hands up above my head. Once on an elevator light and once on some fluorescent lights up in a ceiling.
My worst was about 50 years ago with a circular hand saw (no ground wire back then). We were finishing cutting a new entrance into a home and it started to drizzle, next thing I'm getting zapped and i can't let go. Luckey for me my brother noticed and pulled the plug.
I'm glad you're okay and are adamant about safety. There's people at home that depend on us to return safely and the shortcuts just aren't worth it.
Good presentation, Bud. I'm a J.I.W. and have been nipped a few times myself. Across the heart fucking hurts. You can't see it, you can't smell it, you can't taste it; but, lemme tell ya, it will let you know when it's there. Always remember, you are responsible for yourself ( and your crew, if you're pushing work). Work safe, my Brother.
Thank you my friend
Worst shock I ever got was working on a outdoor junction box with a gfci in it…. Freaking live neutral held me and all I thought till I finally fell over was “is this it, I die from 120 doing a junction box replacement “ 😂
I Am An Electrician My Self I Love it 💘😀
Damn !! great story, thanks a bunch.
Justin, I applaud you 👏. I now teach Data cabling in a trades college, and that is what I preach every day. Be safe so you can use the money you are training to make. Also to do the best job you can every day!!! Awesome video, bud!!! Keep up the great work!!
a arc welder gave me the worst shock I ever got. I wiped the dew off a pipe and made a great conductor . It's a scary when have the thought I can't get losses .
The best video you ever made You reiterated alot of what I tell my guys and means on how I think .My dad was an electrician and gave me this advise. If you ever meet a guy on a job that tells you he knows everything. Do not walk away from him, RUN! He will get you hurt. I actually watch your vids as refresher, different insight as well as many others. As I stated, on all levels, knowledge, safety. This was your best vid Eclipse Electric
Thanks for the comment, and for watching my friend 🙏
Frank Mazzella I totally agree. There isn't an electrician out there now or ever that knows everything. I've been doing it for almost 25yrs and no matter if my guys have been licensed for awhile, newly licensed or still an apprentice, If I'm having trouble deciding on which way to go on something particular or whatever it may be, I'll ask their opinion on it if they have one. To test or educate them for 1 but also they might have a better way of getting something done than me. I can't stand the guys who have been at it for a long time so it's their way or no way cuz they've "done it all", know everything and look down on, belittle or are insulted by a guy w/ nit as many years in. Sorry for the long response but your post triggered me, lol. I've worked for acouple of those guys and swore I'd never treat guys like that. It's so naive, short-sighted and like you said, dangerous with that train of thought
Not letting the ego get in the way of telling an embarrassing story in a humorous way so others can learn is peak ultimate human. Keep it up. I value your candid but friendly demeanor too. No fluff, confident and concise. We appreciate you bro. Thank fuck you're a resistant mofo!