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.
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.👍
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!
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!!
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.
That would seem to me if cutting into unchecked wiring one should be wearing protective gloves. To me that sounds kind of not like the kind of thing one should be doing.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Normally, a person connecting with both legs of 120 won't stay around to tell future stories. That step down transformer on the line will keep increasing the current the longer you stay in contact. As you slowly dry out from the current, it will keep ramping it up to maintain a positive connection. 120 to neutral is one thing, but 240 each leg is an entirely different animal. It won't stop until your corpse has been cooked to a perfect 450 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm glad you're still among the living. Be safe.
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.
I’m about to start a course to become an electrician and I’m excited to start my new career and hearing about getting shocked admittedly makes me extremely nervous but hearing this , but I know that I am careful and very methodical worker and I hope that’ll help keep me safe.
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.
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
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!
I do 480V and above, it’s no hot work period. My son just started his residential electrical apprenticeship and his senior apprentices are doing some questionable BS and telling him it’s fine. This is the video he needed to see, thank you for putting it out.
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.
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...
Thank God you're still here after that cable landing on your chest. What probably saved you is that your sweaty clothes probably conducted enough current to reduce the current through your body/heat. Great message. Thank you! I try to teach the apprentices under me to wear a tool belt containing a volt stick and a multimeter. That way they have no excuse not to test with two testers before touching copper. I too learnt in the bad old days of working live and forced myself to drop those bad habits. I still occasionally catch myself thinking, "she'll be right mate, just a quick job". I then stop myself and gently tell myself off. I went to a high school in Tasmania that was infamous for being rough. There were stabbings, brutal bullying, teachers quitting all the time. I hated that school so much. As a freshly qualified Electrician, I was doing a job at the school hooking up new circuits in the heating chassis of the switchboard. I had isolated the heating chassis, so everything behind the panel was de-energised, but below the heating chassis part of the switchboard and out of sight and reach were 3 big fat 3 phase uninsulated busbars. As i reached to grab the cable with my pliers and pull in enogh to fit off, a big chunk of concrete got dragged into the hole in the top of the switchboard and fell and knocked the pliers out of my hand. My pliers must have landed across the busbars and the arch flash was like a bomb going off. Like in the movies, i could only hear a loud ringing in my ears and could only see a whitish pink. It took 3 minutes before i could see properly and 1 day before my ears stopped ringing. The entire end of the jaws of my pliers were blwn off and i had a couple of burn spots on my body where i think molten copper splattered on me. It blew the main fuses in power turret that fed the school. I wasn't wearing safety glasses so really lucky no hot metal hit my face. The official investigation from the electrical safety authority said I should have been wearing safety glasses, and although I had turned the heating chassis off, i hasn't locked it out. I got an official first warning, but I lernt my lesson and kept my job. Lock out, tag out!
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.
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
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.....
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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. 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 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 .
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.
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.
i appreciate this video. You have said everything i have ever thought. I tell everyone i am a 12 yr apprentice. I dont know evereything. always learning. and sure as hell dont want to kill some one. thank you
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Thank you for living 😊 I really need trusted sources for my education 🤔 Home DYI’er here who has a home built in 58, added on to twice in the next 20 years, and now I have to fix electrical issues almost weekly. The web is a great place to read read read but channels like yours are a great asset.
I’m a similar-retired service tech using a old metal drill arm resting on a metal case pulled the trigger bam … blisters on my arm. Ladders are also deadly I’m lucky I fell 20’ to concrete only minor injury
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!
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.
*On the way to being the goat. No one spends as much time with their craft as you do, and you inspire/teach us all the right way. Thank you for your time D!
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 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
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
Ive been bit from 240 and 480, three-phase several times but the worse came from a loose coil wire on the distributor I tried to reinstall while the engine was running on my ‘65 Chevy pickup. My arrm ached for a day from that one
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
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.
After the Coast Guard as a machinery technician, I had a job in a Virginia fertilizer plant doing millwright work, and rebuilding OLD electric motors and odd stuff. They gave me a shed for a shop and I rigged up a lift and was setting it up to do repairs, and I found a wire running into a workbench and running behind the fascia frame and since the wood floor was oily and dirty; I was feeling along the wire to see where it went, and it just ended where something was removed but the ends were bare and hot with 440v! My lungs spazzed so hard my exhale ripped my vocal cords as I shot back about 8 feet into a wall. I sat there, vibrating I think, for 2 hours and had like laryngitis for a couple days as I recall. It was 1975 and when OSHA eventually came to that shithole, they raped 'em good! There was nothing modern, nothing safe there.
My worst was a dryer I kept having to plug in unplug and repeat and I forgot to unplug it and stuck my screw driver in and it held me for I’m sure a few seconds but felt much longer . Made me rethink a few things that’s for sure . Haha I think the only reason I’m still kicking is because I’ve defibrillated myself so many times . Haha
I appreciate this…but I’d say that going back to finish versus going to the ER where I’m sitting right now because I got hit with 277 yesterday and thank god I did because organ damage is real and I happens days later…really not worth it. Considering my employer had the same mentality to just suck it up could have cost me my life when they can and will easily replace you. You said you had a kid…family over everything. 911, ER over “keeping your word” to the customer. It can be fixed later.
When I was in grade school I touched the metal top of an AC electrolytic capacitor (the large one next to the rectifier) in a desktop computer power supply; it was a Compaq portable and PC PSU's weren't enclosed in metal back then. I couldn't move my hand away and grounding / bonding videos say if you can't move your hand away you're dead. Luckily I was on a non conductive surface and it was only bridging two fingers so I pulled my entire arm away. Nearly the same time in my life I was jumping on a bed, did a flip, landed on my head to one side, felt a sharp pain and almost became a quadriplegic (athletic doctors when I was an adult noticed the lack of cartilage near I think they said C4). It's a miracle any kid survives childhood. Every day of life & health is a gift.
Lost my linesman one day, had an old beat up spare in the back of some random drawer in the shop…. Didn’t realize the insulation was worn all the way down to the metal on one spot of the grips. I went to go splice a 277 line for a fixture. Somehow I managed to unclench the linesman and toss them. I know what you mean about the involuntary noises lol.
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 just got shocked watching your video. We learn from mistakes. Sometimes we don't get a second chance. You did and its something you will never forget. I treat all wire like its live. I like your videos. I like your attitude. Keep up the good work and be safe.
I also love electrical. I am in industrial electrical. I have been shocked by 480 because I assumed. I tested at the main breaker in the machine and continued on. I got to a junction box and found out after I was shocked that it was fed from a separate source but not marked. I found out the guy I replaced got it too and was told he marked it, but he didn’t. It was my mistake and I pound it into people’s heads to test and retest if there is any doubt. I also have a friend who learned electrical and he said one time he failed on a job. I asked if he learned anything from it and he did, so I told him I don’t see that as a failure if you learn from it. Be safe and test, test, test. God bless.
Ironically my worst shock didn't happen while wiring. I was tig welding in high school and got hit hard but I jerked back and that saved me. But the rest of the day my left arm hurt in a way I never felt before or since. Did I mention I wear gloves while welding now...
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!
Standing in a small puddle with a small electric drill attached to a faulty lead cord. Some people don't realize that when you get shocked your muscles contract. When this happened to me I couldn't even move much less drop the drill. Another person saw it happen and had the good sense to grab the cord and pull possibly saving my life. Episode 2, I was taping the ceiling and climbed up a ladder into a stripped pair of wires. The shock knocked me off the ladder and I've had sometimes severe tinnitus ever since. In other words, I got my bell rung!!
For me it was when I put my hand in a light pole fed by 277 volt, three phase. Wire nut came off of the neutral. Was like a squirrel holding a nut, was bad.
I initially wanted to say that wiring 277 volt light fixtures is where I received the most uncomfortable shocks but then I remembered a job I was sent to in Myrtle Beach SC where the local contractor sabotaged the job at construction of a major hotel and then walked off. When we got there wire color didn't matter... anything could be hot. To save time we would deliberately short circuit a wire to figure out what was hot and which breaker it went to. Invariably we would eventually get caught between hot and ground and get lit up and it was, to say the least, very uncomfortable. Now before you start saying that we should have used instrumentation, this was back in the day where our only resource was an analog Simpson meter and it was just taking too long due to the enormous size of this job plus the ground wire could be the hot in this situation. Also, to duly note, the ground at this coastal location was exceptional because of the high water table. In other words, it would rock your world. Now to add to our misery, one of the boys that was assigned the duty of changing light bubs thought he would be the class clown by sneaking up behind us working a hot receptacle box and dropping a light bulb on the bare concrete behind us. At one point in the day he did this to me. I spontaneously and reflexively flipped my Klein screwdriver at him, which whizzed past his ear and embedded itself into the sheet rock wall behind him. He looked at the screwdriver in the wall, turned around and then looked at me with eyes wide open, and I didn't see that boy for the rest of the job.
Always good to remember that when you are sweaty and dirty you are much more conductive. Check your jewelry, check for screws in your boots and always spend a little more for insulated tools. Also never push a metallic fish tape into conduit unless you already know that you won't end up in a hidden j-box with live wires. NEVER get "in line" with a neutral conductor as the breaker won't respond to the imbalance in current and you might cook yourself. great video.
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❤
I got bit pretty bad the other day. I took over a job from a coworker who had abandoned it because of the homeowner.. but anyways one of the things that needed to be done was land a couple circuits on the panel. Obviously I assumed that the wires coming into the panel but no low and behold this wire was spliced in a junction box and was LIVE going INTO the panel. It was pre spliced and marretted so when I went to put it into the breaker I took the marettes off and touch BOTH conductors and got the shock of my life. Really goes to show that you CANT trust other peoples work and to always check
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 took 480v from my left elbow to my right hand. 2nd was working on 277v lights. Got hit on the Neutral wire and the ceiling grid. Both Taught me to turn things off. 1 was in the late 90s one wasn't in early 2000s but in my years I have known 3 guys that have died 1 that needed major plastic surgery from getting hit and flash burn. It's not worth doing live shut it off. I have 2 of my sons working the trade now. I tell them just shut it off and test it to be 100%
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
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.
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!
@@Hatim.13 Thank you so much! Be safe out there!
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".
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
That would seem to me if cutting into unchecked wiring one should be wearing protective gloves. To me that sounds kind of not like the kind of thing one should be doing.
Journeyman sounds like a dip.
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.
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 really appreciate this story man thank you. As a father of two and apprenticing electrician it gave me some things to think about.
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 🙏
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!
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!
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.
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.
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
Normally, a person connecting with both legs of 120 won't stay around to tell future stories. That step down transformer on the line will keep increasing the current the longer you stay in contact. As you slowly dry out from the current, it will keep ramping it up to maintain a positive connection. 120 to neutral is one thing, but 240 each leg is an entirely different animal. It won't stop until your corpse has been cooked to a perfect 450 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm glad you're still among the living. Be safe.
@@amauryaracena NO. It's like falling off a bike.
I have a simple electrical question: is necessary the neutral wire in orden to light a bulb?
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!
Honestly one of the best videos you have made so far!
I’m about to start a course to become an electrician and I’m excited to start my new career and hearing about getting shocked admittedly makes me extremely nervous but hearing this , but I know that I am careful and very methodical worker and I hope that’ll help keep me safe.
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.
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
This is a great message to all trades and even the diy'er/home owner.
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!
I do 480V and above, it’s no hot work period. My son just started his residential electrical apprenticeship and his senior apprentices are doing some questionable BS and telling him it’s fine. This is the video he needed to see, thank you for putting it out.
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.
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...
🤦♂️
Thank God you're still here after that cable landing on your chest. What probably saved you is that your sweaty clothes probably conducted enough current to reduce the current through your body/heat.
Great message. Thank you! I try to teach the apprentices under me to wear a tool belt containing a volt stick and a multimeter. That way they have no excuse not to test with two testers before touching copper.
I too learnt in the bad old days of working live and forced myself to drop those bad habits. I still occasionally catch myself thinking, "she'll be right mate, just a quick job". I then stop myself and gently tell myself off.
I went to a high school in Tasmania that was infamous for being rough. There were stabbings, brutal bullying, teachers quitting all the time. I hated that school so much.
As a freshly qualified Electrician, I was doing a job at the school hooking up new circuits in the heating chassis of the switchboard. I had isolated the heating chassis, so everything behind the panel was de-energised, but below the heating chassis part of the switchboard and out of sight and reach were 3 big fat 3 phase uninsulated busbars. As i reached to grab the cable with my pliers and pull in enogh to fit off, a big chunk of concrete got dragged into the hole in the top of the switchboard and fell and knocked the pliers out of my hand. My pliers must have landed across the busbars and the arch flash was like a bomb going off. Like in the movies, i could only hear a loud ringing in my ears and could only see a whitish pink. It took 3 minutes before i could see properly and 1 day before my ears stopped ringing. The entire end of the jaws of my pliers were blwn off and i had a couple of burn spots on my body where i think molten copper splattered on me. It blew the main fuses in power turret that fed the school. I wasn't wearing safety glasses so really lucky no hot metal hit my face.
The official investigation from the electrical safety authority said I should have been wearing safety glasses, and although I had turned the heating chassis off, i hasn't locked it out. I got an official first warning, but I lernt my lesson and kept my job. Lock out, tag out!
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.
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
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.....
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
Couldn’t have said it better myself Dustin! Way to stay humble.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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. 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 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 audibly and visually shook at the description of this incident FFFFFF
I'm glad you were not more seriously injured or killed!
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.
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.
i appreciate this video. You have said everything i have ever thought. I tell everyone i am a 12 yr apprentice. I dont know evereything. always learning. and sure as hell dont want to kill some one. thank you
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.
No matter what, you have become an excellent teacher.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
Great Storey and life lesson. I was A single father myself; I totally get it.
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 absolutely fucking love this video. It hits home in more than one aspect . Thank you for all you do.
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.
Thank you for living 😊 I really need trusted sources for my education 🤔
Home DYI’er here who has a home built in 58, added on to twice in the next 20 years, and now I have to fix electrical issues almost weekly. The web is a great place to read read read but channels like yours are a great asset.
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.
Once go a bite from shared ground in a junctionbox in the ceiling. Breaker was off and ticker was silent. Took a few bites to figure it out
I’m a similar-retired service tech using a old metal drill arm resting on a metal case pulled the trigger bam … blisters on my arm.
Ladders are also deadly I’m lucky I fell 20’ to concrete only minor injury
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!
Love your insight... mistakes are human, but your perspective of learning from them is a lesson we could all take. Nice Vid!
You basically just made a speech about wisdom. Congratulations - You are becoming a very wise man.
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.
*On the way to being the goat. No one spends as much time with their craft as you do, and you inspire/teach us all the right way. Thank you for your time D!
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 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
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
Best one I had, was a live wire falling on a t bar ceiling I was poking up into. My chest was across the t bar.
Man that was such a positive spin on getting a bad shock. Love it
Thanks for sharing your story and encouraging others to be students, craftsmen in this trade 👍🏽🙏🏽 safety is priority, test wires before touching!
Well said!
You are my favorite RUclipsr ! I ain’t trying to gas you up but bro you are the best to me.
Ive been bit from 240 and 480, three-phase several times but the worse came from a loose coil wire on the distributor I tried to reinstall while the engine was running on my ‘65 Chevy pickup. My arrm ached for a day from that one
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
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 always do the static arm sleeve test on a non-contact voltage tester before using it, helps reassure me the thing is working right.
Great story Justin, this is like your superhero origin story
This Program is Awesome 😎💯
After the Coast Guard as a machinery technician, I had a job in a Virginia fertilizer plant doing millwright work, and rebuilding OLD electric motors and odd stuff. They gave me a shed for a shop and I rigged up a lift and was setting it up to do repairs, and I found a wire running into a workbench and running behind the fascia frame and since the wood floor was oily and dirty; I was feeling along the wire to see where it went, and it just ended where something was removed but the ends were bare and hot with 440v!
My lungs spazzed so hard my exhale ripped my vocal cords as I shot back about 8 feet into a wall. I sat there, vibrating I think, for 2 hours and had like laryngitis for a couple days as I recall. It was 1975 and when OSHA eventually came to that shithole, they raped 'em good! There was nothing modern, nothing safe there.
My worst was a dryer I kept having to plug in unplug and repeat and I forgot to unplug it and stuck my screw driver in and it held me for I’m sure a few seconds but felt much longer . Made me rethink a few things that’s for sure . Haha
I think the only reason I’m still kicking is because I’ve defibrillated myself so many times . Haha
"Story time." Thank you, Dustin. Keep them coming.
I appreciate this…but I’d say that going back to finish versus going to the ER where I’m sitting right now because I got hit with 277 yesterday and thank god I did because organ damage is real and I happens days later…really not worth it. Considering my employer had the same mentality to just suck it up could have cost me my life when they can and will easily replace you. You said you had a kid…family over everything. 911, ER over “keeping your word” to the customer. It can be fixed later.
When I was in grade school I touched the metal top of an AC electrolytic capacitor (the large one next to the rectifier) in a desktop computer power supply; it was a Compaq portable and PC PSU's weren't enclosed in metal back then. I couldn't move my hand away and grounding / bonding videos say if you can't move your hand away you're dead. Luckily I was on a non conductive surface and it was only bridging two fingers so I pulled my entire arm away.
Nearly the same time in my life I was jumping on a bed, did a flip, landed on my head to one side, felt a sharp pain and almost became a quadriplegic (athletic doctors when I was an adult noticed the lack of cartilage near I think they said C4). It's a miracle any kid survives childhood. Every day of life & health is a gift.
Lost my linesman one day, had an old beat up spare in the back of some random drawer in the shop…. Didn’t realize the insulation was worn all the way down to the metal on one spot of the grips. I went to go splice a 277 line for a fixture. Somehow I managed to unclench the linesman and toss them. I know what you mean about the involuntary noises lol.
Much respect dude! Thanks for sharing a story that most people can relate to. ✊
One of your best videos. Thanks, man.
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 just got shocked watching your video. We learn from mistakes. Sometimes we don't get a second chance. You did and its something you will never forget. I treat all wire like its live. I like your videos. I like your attitude. Keep up the good work and be safe.
Thank you 😊. And I am happy you are ok👍
I also love electrical. I am in industrial electrical. I have been shocked by 480 because I assumed. I tested at the main breaker in the machine and continued on. I got to a junction box and found out after I was shocked that it was fed from a separate source but not marked. I found out the guy I replaced got it too and was told he marked it, but he didn’t. It was my mistake and I pound it into people’s heads to test and retest if there is any doubt. I also have a friend who learned electrical and he said one time he failed on a job. I asked if he learned anything from it and he did, so I told him I don’t see that as a failure if you learn from it. Be safe and test, test, test. God bless.
Ironically my worst shock didn't happen while wiring. I was tig welding in high school and got hit hard but I jerked back and that saved me. But the rest of the day my left arm hurt in a way I never felt before or since. Did I mention I wear gloves while welding now...
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!
Standing in a small puddle with a small electric drill attached to a faulty lead cord. Some people don't realize that when you get shocked your muscles contract. When this happened to me I couldn't even move much less drop the drill. Another person saw it happen and had the good sense to grab the cord and pull possibly saving my life. Episode 2, I was taping the ceiling and climbed up a ladder into a stripped pair of wires. The shock knocked me off the ladder and I've had sometimes severe tinnitus ever since. In other words, I got my bell rung!!
LoLz I Missed the old Dustin... THANKS fer bring'n em back! Whoever that told you to be censored, tell THEM where to go
For me it was when I put my hand in a light pole fed by 277 volt, three phase. Wire nut came off of the neutral.
Was like a squirrel holding a nut, was bad.
I initially wanted to say that wiring 277 volt light fixtures is where I received the most uncomfortable shocks but then I remembered a job I was sent to in Myrtle Beach SC where the local contractor sabotaged the job at construction of a major hotel and then walked off. When we got there wire color didn't matter... anything could be hot. To save time we would deliberately short circuit a wire to figure out what was hot and which breaker it went to. Invariably we would eventually get caught between hot and ground and get lit up and it was, to say the least, very uncomfortable. Now before you start saying that we should have used instrumentation, this was back in the day where our only resource was an analog Simpson meter and it was just taking too long due to the enormous size of this job plus the ground wire could be the hot in this situation. Also, to duly note, the ground at this coastal location was exceptional because of the high water table. In other words, it would rock your world. Now to add to our misery, one of the boys that was assigned the duty of changing light bubs thought he would be the class clown by sneaking up behind us working a hot receptacle box and dropping a light bulb on the bare concrete behind us. At one point in the day he did this to me. I spontaneously and reflexively flipped my Klein screwdriver at him, which whizzed past his ear and embedded itself into the sheet rock wall behind him. He looked at the screwdriver in the wall, turned around and then looked at me with eyes wide open, and I didn't see that boy for the rest of the job.
Always good to remember that when you are sweaty and dirty you are much more conductive. Check your jewelry, check for screws in your boots and always spend a little more for insulated tools. Also never push a metallic fish tape into conduit unless you already know that you won't end up in a hidden j-box with live wires. NEVER get "in line" with a neutral conductor as the breaker won't respond to the imbalance in current and you might cook yourself. great video.
Thank man great video on trying to keep us safe 😉🤘🏼
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❤
I got bit pretty bad the other day. I took over a job from a coworker who had abandoned it because of the homeowner.. but anyways one of the things that needed to be done was land a couple circuits on the panel. Obviously I assumed that the wires coming into the panel but no low and behold this wire was spliced in a junction box and was LIVE going INTO the panel. It was pre spliced and marretted so when I went to put it into the breaker I took the marettes off and touch BOTH conductors and got the shock of my life. Really goes to show that you CANT trust other peoples work and to always check
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 took 480v from my left elbow to my right hand. 2nd was working on 277v lights. Got hit on the Neutral wire and the ceiling grid. Both Taught me to turn things off. 1 was in the late 90s one wasn't in early 2000s but in my years I have known 3 guys that have died 1 that needed major plastic surgery from getting hit and flash burn. It's not worth doing live shut it off. I have 2 of my sons working the trade now. I tell them just shut it off and test it to be 100%